The islands of asia- PLEASE READ FROM BOTTOM TO TOP

Finally we went to Koh Lanta to meet up with a friend who we were volunteering with up in Cuzco, Peru. We had already done some elephant riding before Koh Lanta but we decided to do a little more... And this time I went in the front and drove the elephant like a maniac!

Then we decided to go to a much quieter island that has no cars or motorbikes and has excellent snorkeling. Yes, it was Gili Air.

First it was the famous island of Bali. The snorkeling was soooo nice but I'm glad we weren't staying in Kuta or Seminyak because they are so busy!

Elephants, Tigers and Massages, Chiang Mai

We came to Chiangmai with few expectations but high hopes.  I had heard about people heading here when I was in Thailand previously but I never made it this far north and really wanted to come here on this trip.  We did know that the area had many cooking schools which we were keen on checking out and we met a British couple in the Bangkok airport who had been on a trek in the area which they recommended.

We arrived at about 6:00 in the morning after an interesting overnight bus ride from Bangkok (that is another post in itself), and headed straight to MD House, our home for the next 4 days.  Fortunately our room was ready for us and after a short nap we headed to the restaurant for breakfast and then found the travel agent connected to the guest house.  She made a few recommendations and we were soon booked into a cooking class and a trek and had a name of a place to pet some baby tigers.  We were very excited!!

But first, a massage!  There are spas everywhere you look and a 1 hour massage only costs 150 baht (($4.78 at todays current rate).  We met a woman from Galliano Island who had been in Chiangmai for a month and she pointed us towards "the best massage she'd found".  Fantastic!  We ended up going to Siam Spa everyday for the remainder of our trip (thai massage, reflexology, facial, pedicure - we just went down the list and tried as many as we could!)

Our usual position at the spa - Thai Massage

Chloe's usual position at the Spa - Harry Potter

Next, Tiger Kingdom.  The reviews on trip advisor were good - no drugs appear to be used on the tigers, the aim of the program is to breed the tigers so they do not disappear into extinction, the handlers are respectful of the tigers,... I had a little knot in my stomach before we went as I generally don't like going to places that take wild animals out of their natural environment and enclose them in small areas but, when else would we get an opportunity to pat a baby tiger and this trip is about experiencing different things from different cultures.

This little guy had been wrestling with a buddy before
getting lifted up onto the table.  His friend was underneath
and they would swipe each with their huge paws when
they saw an opportunity.  This guy was about 4-5 months old.

The baby tigers were adorable!!!  They were playful and wrestling with each other when they could get close enough for a pounce (good, it appeared that they were not drugged!).  Chloe cuddled up with 2 of the youngest ones and they both fell fast asleep.  The handlers quickly approached, ready to wake them up so that we could get a photo opportunity with their little eyes open but we managed to convince them that we were glad they were feeling comfortable with us and they obviously needed some sleep.
(You're welcome to check out my review on trip advisor if you want a review of what I thought about Tiger Kingdom under attractions in Chiangmai - it's called Mixed Feelings and I am Galmc)

This was 1 of the 2 really little ones (about 2-3 months I think).

Riding an elephant is scary - especially when the "driver" is an inexperienced  Canadian (albeit one with a very positive, 'just say yes' attitude) who ran out of bananas (admittedly that part was my fault when the bunch tumbled from my lap and our elephant quickly gobbled them all up).

We are all really enjoying Chiangmai and are so glad we made the trip north.  The people are friendly, the area is beautiful and the city has a good vibe.  We can understand why so many foreigners settle down here for a while.

Thailand,..Some Things Look Familiar

Thailand is the first country we've visited so far that I have been to before. 18 years ago after completing my teaching year in Japan, I took a little holiday to Thailand before heading home.  I was here for relaxation so I booked a flight straight to Phuket and after asking around I found a little place to stay close to the beach.  I don't remember which beach I stayed at but I recall that the restaurant of the guesthouse faced the water and after a short stroll I was on the beach where there were a few beach chairs spread out along the long stretch of sand.

The sand is still soft and the water still clear and warm  - no wonder there are hoards of tourists who want to spend their precious holiday time here.

3 rows of lounge chairs crammed side by side the full length of Kata Beach

I also had been on a tour to Phang Nga Bay including James Bond Island with a stop at a floating island for lunch many years ago.  It didn't take me long to persuade Paul and Chloe that it was well worth the money to do it again.  The boat was bigger and faster and there were once again a lot more people enjoying the sights but the scenery was just as beautiful as I remembered!

We took a canoe ride around some smaller bays and islands in the area.

The speed boats in the forefront is what we were on and the longboats
in the distance is what I rode on during my last tour to the floating island.  

Amazing Race fans may recall this playing field on the 

floating island as a pit stop from last season.

After a few busy and somewhat overwhelming days in Phuket, we took a night bus to Bangkok.  It is certainly not less crowded than where we left but there were crowds 18 years ago and I was prepared for crowds today.  We took a walking tour around the area that included visits to the Grand Palace, the Reclining Buddha, the vegetable and flower market as well as a longboat ride along the canals.

Outside the Grand Palace

While admiring the reclining buddha we
noticed a continuous clanging sound in the building.
Rounding the other side we saw that it was the sound
of coins dropping into metal bowls.  20 baht (about 65 cents)
gives you enough coins to drop 1 in each bowl, giving you good luck.

A friendly woman at the market giving us
samples of some herbs and spices.

The flower market 

From here on it's new territory for all of us (until we hit Europe in May).  We are catching another night bus up to Chiangmai to check out some of the northern areas of Thailand and then it's down to Cambodia and then on to Vietnam.  The adventure continues!

Finding Some "Me Time"

Sometimes you just really need to get away from the crowds for a little bit....