My dad, me and Youssef
Welcome to the family Youssef! It was nice meeting you in Mactown during your reception, I am sure we will see each other soon. Best of luck to you and my cousin, Carson!
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Thursday, February 22, 2007
The Big Trip of 2007 Has Finally Come To an End
Well, everything that starts sooner or later ends. Two months ago I set out on my journey, with nothing but a backpack full of clothes and a one way plane ticket to Buenos Aires, Argentina. I didn't have much of an idea of where I would go or how I would get there, I only knew that my final destination was Boulder, Colorado, and that I had to be there by March.
For the past three weeks of my journey, I was in Thailand. I started off in the north, where my friends Jeremy Klepper and Dustin Joseph are living. The last time I wrote, I wrote about my travels up until Pai, where they live. The latest news is that after Pai, we headed down to Bangkok on an overnight bus. It was an experience in itself. At this point it was Jeremy, Adam (a guy from England we had been traveling with), and myself. We left from Chiang Mai and made our way south. The bus was a double decker, and we stayed in the bottom, lounge like area. At one point I stuck my head through the window that separated the passengers from the cab, and asked if I could drive jokingly. However, they actually let me steer for about five minutes! I couldn't believe it! Later, some lady yelled at me for putting my foot on her back. It was kind of funny, because she really let me have it, and then sat down and was silent for the rest of the ride. Later she yelled at someone else. Her catch phrase was "you no make problem on bus!"
When we arrived in Bangkok, we sat around in the hotel and watched a couple of movies. We were exhausted, it was hot outside, and the hotel was beautifully air-conditioned, so it seemed like the perfect idea. We spent the rest of the day walking around the close-by streets. Dustin flew in later that day to meet us. That night we had another night out on the town, bar and club hopping. Jeremy and I finally gave up at about 4:30 in the morning and went back to the hotel.
The next day woke up early and got on a mini bus headed for Trat, a province in the south, at about eight in the morning. This was the ride from hell! The seats were tiny and uncomfortable, the driver stopped every chance he could (which prolonged an already long trip), and he also had a flatulence problem, making for a very foul smelling journey! On top of that the agency that sold us the tickets told us the 8-hour journey was only four hours. But we finally arrived to Trat, from where we had to catch a ferry over to Koh Chang, one of Thailand's largest islands where we were to spend my final week there.
We finally arrived to the island, and after another half hours drive along a crazy, windy, mountain road, we arrived to Lonely Beach, the place on the island with the least expensive accommodations. Unfortunately, the sun had already set (the goal was a swim in the Gulf of Thailand at sunset), so we just got settled into our bungalows (which were also called Sunset) and had a night swim.
Koh Chang is one of the most beautiful places that I have ever seen. It is a large island that rests in the Gulf of Thailand, with tranquil waters at the perfect temperature. Mountains jut up into the sky at a steep pace, making it very different from the beach seen of Florida to which I am accustomed. Our bungalows were surrounded by coconut trees and the water was just a stone's throw away.
On the island we lived a simple life. We woke up early and waited for Jeremy to return from his coconut hunt. Then we feasted on a few of them and headed to breakfast. The first day we were there we all got burnt, so had to stay out of the sun the second day. Instead, we rented bikes and drove up to a remote part of the island where after a short hike we enjoyed or own private trickle of a cascade. However the remainder of the trip we spent on the beach by day and in the bars and clubs by night. We had ambitions to go kayaking out to a different island, but instead bought little floats and simply floated in the water all day. It was just to relaxing and pleasurable!
I am back in Macon, Georgia now after over 30 hours of travel on the way back. It was an emotional trip for me. I laughed, I cried, I was happy and sad! I am glad to be back home, but miss my friends like hell. The past two months have been magical for me. I have been in five countries (if you include the layover in Japan), three continents, and two hemispheres. My heart remains loyal to Argentina, and I look forward to the day I can start setting up my empire there, but I also had great experiences everywhere I went. Thailand is a very bizarre place by my standards, but there were many things I really liked about it. For one, there is virtually no crime there. You don't have to lock your doors, and people don't steal. Most people are very laid back and friendly, and the smiles are so warm and friendly they could melt the heart of the Grinch who stole Christmas himself!
The next step is to head out to Colorado to start my new job. I feel very fortunate and have been given a great opportunity. On the way, I will stop off in St. Louis for a couple of days to celebrate my graduation with my family there. I can't wait to see everyone, and am very anxious about starting the new job.
For the past three weeks of my journey, I was in Thailand. I started off in the north, where my friends Jeremy Klepper and Dustin Joseph are living. The last time I wrote, I wrote about my travels up until Pai, where they live. The latest news is that after Pai, we headed down to Bangkok on an overnight bus. It was an experience in itself. At this point it was Jeremy, Adam (a guy from England we had been traveling with), and myself. We left from Chiang Mai and made our way south. The bus was a double decker, and we stayed in the bottom, lounge like area. At one point I stuck my head through the window that separated the passengers from the cab, and asked if I could drive jokingly. However, they actually let me steer for about five minutes! I couldn't believe it! Later, some lady yelled at me for putting my foot on her back. It was kind of funny, because she really let me have it, and then sat down and was silent for the rest of the ride. Later she yelled at someone else. Her catch phrase was "you no make problem on bus!"
When we arrived in Bangkok, we sat around in the hotel and watched a couple of movies. We were exhausted, it was hot outside, and the hotel was beautifully air-conditioned, so it seemed like the perfect idea. We spent the rest of the day walking around the close-by streets. Dustin flew in later that day to meet us. That night we had another night out on the town, bar and club hopping. Jeremy and I finally gave up at about 4:30 in the morning and went back to the hotel.
The next day woke up early and got on a mini bus headed for Trat, a province in the south, at about eight in the morning. This was the ride from hell! The seats were tiny and uncomfortable, the driver stopped every chance he could (which prolonged an already long trip), and he also had a flatulence problem, making for a very foul smelling journey! On top of that the agency that sold us the tickets told us the 8-hour journey was only four hours. But we finally arrived to Trat, from where we had to catch a ferry over to Koh Chang, one of Thailand's largest islands where we were to spend my final week there.
We finally arrived to the island, and after another half hours drive along a crazy, windy, mountain road, we arrived to Lonely Beach, the place on the island with the least expensive accommodations. Unfortunately, the sun had already set (the goal was a swim in the Gulf of Thailand at sunset), so we just got settled into our bungalows (which were also called Sunset) and had a night swim.
Koh Chang is one of the most beautiful places that I have ever seen. It is a large island that rests in the Gulf of Thailand, with tranquil waters at the perfect temperature. Mountains jut up into the sky at a steep pace, making it very different from the beach seen of Florida to which I am accustomed. Our bungalows were surrounded by coconut trees and the water was just a stone's throw away.
On the island we lived a simple life. We woke up early and waited for Jeremy to return from his coconut hunt. Then we feasted on a few of them and headed to breakfast. The first day we were there we all got burnt, so had to stay out of the sun the second day. Instead, we rented bikes and drove up to a remote part of the island where after a short hike we enjoyed or own private trickle of a cascade. However the remainder of the trip we spent on the beach by day and in the bars and clubs by night. We had ambitions to go kayaking out to a different island, but instead bought little floats and simply floated in the water all day. It was just to relaxing and pleasurable!
I am back in Macon, Georgia now after over 30 hours of travel on the way back. It was an emotional trip for me. I laughed, I cried, I was happy and sad! I am glad to be back home, but miss my friends like hell. The past two months have been magical for me. I have been in five countries (if you include the layover in Japan), three continents, and two hemispheres. My heart remains loyal to Argentina, and I look forward to the day I can start setting up my empire there, but I also had great experiences everywhere I went. Thailand is a very bizarre place by my standards, but there were many things I really liked about it. For one, there is virtually no crime there. You don't have to lock your doors, and people don't steal. Most people are very laid back and friendly, and the smiles are so warm and friendly they could melt the heart of the Grinch who stole Christmas himself!
The next step is to head out to Colorado to start my new job. I feel very fortunate and have been given a great opportunity. On the way, I will stop off in St. Louis for a couple of days to celebrate my graduation with my family there. I can't wait to see everyone, and am very anxious about starting the new job.
Monday, February 05, 2007
Chiang Mae, Thailand
I have spent the past few days in and around Chiang Mae, Thailand. It is an impressive little city in the northern region of this south Asian country. I met up with Klepper and Dustin here, and they introduced me to Adam, one of their friends from London. We had a really great time, hanging out and exploring the city. There are magnificent temples all over the city, and walking around soaking up the culture is rich.
Coconut shake!
The first night there, I slept! I really needed it after traveling for several straight days. The next day I really started having fun. Friday, we went out to see a Muay Thai Kick-boxing match. There were twelve fights in total, and about half of them featured international fighters, from the U.S., France, and Germany to name a few. Man, this was a great night, as only several of the fight went to a decision. We saw a lot of knockouts. This is a crazy sport, where all it takes is one clean kick to the head or knee to the sternum to drop the opponent. The atmosphere was great, but one really has to be present to appreciate it: the crowd was lively, with betting going on all over, and traditional music being played by a live, three piece group. There was a guy beating on a drum, some weird horn. and some other instruments I had never seen before.
The next day I finally convinced Klepper into renting a bike so we could go to the Doi Inthanon National Park, where the highest peak in Thailand is. This was a beautiful place, and very sacred. On the top of the mountain there is a little shrine for one of the kings, surrounded by little Elephant statues. The elephant is apparently a very special animal here, because you see the little elephant statues erected everywhere (actually, you also see elephants everywhere!). On the top of the mountain, I had to buy a new hoody because it was cold, and Jeremy and I toasted to a hot shot of tequila to get the body temperature up. From there we made our way back down the mountain, and stopped off at a few sights on the way back. There was two Buddhist temples close to the top, that were very impressive. The view was gorgeous, and the place had pretty flowers and plants everywhere, a true work of art.
Now we are in Pai (pronounced bye) where Klep and Dustin live. It is a funky little town in the north of Thailand, where there are more foreigners than locals. It is beautiful here, as we are surrounded by mountains. Yesterday we went hiking in the canyon along tall ridges overlooking sheer drop offs. Afterwards, we went out for a round of beers.
We are thinking about making our way down south to the islands this weekend. Probably going to stop off along the way where the biggest waterfall in Thailand is located, in the south of this province.
Chiang Mai
Temple
Coconut shake!
The first night there, I slept! I really needed it after traveling for several straight days. The next day I really started having fun. Friday, we went out to see a Muay Thai Kick-boxing match. There were twelve fights in total, and about half of them featured international fighters, from the U.S., France, and Germany to name a few. Man, this was a great night, as only several of the fight went to a decision. We saw a lot of knockouts. This is a crazy sport, where all it takes is one clean kick to the head or knee to the sternum to drop the opponent. The atmosphere was great, but one really has to be present to appreciate it: the crowd was lively, with betting going on all over, and traditional music being played by a live, three piece group. There was a guy beating on a drum, some weird horn. and some other instruments I had never seen before.
Knockout Muay Thai Style!
Afterwards, we went out to some bars and a club. The night scene is crazy in Thailand. At all the bars it seems like there are either prostitutes or gold-diggin' Thai girls that are looking for your money. They come up and just throw themselves on you, so it is very bizarre by American standards. We spent the whole night just making jokes and clowning around, laughing the whole time about the situation.
Dustin and Klepper
The next day I finally convinced Klepper into renting a bike so we could go to the Doi Inthanon National Park, where the highest peak in Thailand is. This was a beautiful place, and very sacred. On the top of the mountain there is a little shrine for one of the kings, surrounded by little Elephant statues. The elephant is apparently a very special animal here, because you see the little elephant statues erected everywhere (actually, you also see elephants everywhere!). On the top of the mountain, I had to buy a new hoody because it was cold, and Jeremy and I toasted to a hot shot of tequila to get the body temperature up. From there we made our way back down the mountain, and stopped off at a few sights on the way back. There was two Buddhist temples close to the top, that were very impressive. The view was gorgeous, and the place had pretty flowers and plants everywhere, a true work of art.
Now we are in Pai (pronounced bye) where Klep and Dustin live. It is a funky little town in the north of Thailand, where there are more foreigners than locals. It is beautiful here, as we are surrounded by mountains. Yesterday we went hiking in the canyon along tall ridges overlooking sheer drop offs. Afterwards, we went out for a round of beers.
We are thinking about making our way down south to the islands this weekend. Probably going to stop off along the way where the biggest waterfall in Thailand is located, in the south of this province.
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