tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41324418347696748822024-03-13T05:33:07.788-07:00Arriving in Koh ChangAdam Curriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113847285159934143noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4132441834769674882.post-52844746239079895082011-08-09T03:52:00.000-07:002011-08-09T03:52:12.332-07:00Sri Racha Tiger Zoo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNhZdClz6WhmooQGzkXF2Hy8A3bov5nRc7cgp4-4oNly7mlo4GwhdSqYeYY3uZdxJRH2EOmZAnrXVAK8ZxDGv72_MGj90a7E2LOqdK4fqK9bFwARYVP4T4Rwo4bHsnWY14e0gqy9GuOJs6/s1600/IMG_1227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div>After spending three nights in Bangkok we took a two and a half hour taxi ride to Pattaya. On the way we stopped at Sri Racha Tiger Zoo in Chonburi. Sri Racha holds alot of different animals and activites, including pig racing(?), shooting, Tigers, crocodiles and Elephants. When we first arrived we used a pellet gun to shoot cages which held meat, if you hit the target the tigers got food.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After this we took the oppurtunity to have our picture taken with a tiger cub. The tiger was literally dragged out of the tiny cage it was being held in and a bottle of milk was kept in its mouth to keep it calm. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After this picture the whole place just didnt make any sense to me. We went to watch a tiger show afterwards and the tigers looked so terrified. They are obviously raised with such violence to show them that the humans are in charge that if they were to put a foot out of line they would be treated inhumanely. I left after 5 minutes of the show, the way this place treats animals is exploatitve and basically a disgrace. After researching this place on the internet, i found out that 53 tigers were killed due to eating contaminated chicken. If this zoo was opened in the west it would last about 5 minutes, yeah its great for tourists to be able to hold a tiger but the conditions the animals have to suffer is a travesty. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tigers made to stand on platforms and perform tricks</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The reason we went here in the first place was to see tigers being looked after, as in Thailand there are many sanctuaries which take tigers out of danger and look after them. I wouldn't be suprised if all these tigers ended up in a sanctuary in a few years time.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Soph</div>Adam Curriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113847285159934143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4132441834769674882.post-25189298785119025082011-08-09T03:51:00.000-07:002011-08-09T03:51:40.451-07:00Back to Thailand - BangkokArriving back into Thailand was quite refreshing, but Bangkok is one crazy city! We left our hotel in Hanoi at 6am to catch our 10am flight which took about an hour to get to Bangkok . We arrived at the hotel which my Uncle simon was meeting us at. It was amazing!! The Ambassador suite at the Davis! As soon as we arrived me and Adam ran around for about 10 minutes jumping on the beds like little kids. The suite included a 42 inch plasma, two double en suite rooms, a jacuzzi and a kitchen! Immense.<br />
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We relaxed for a while and had some cheeky room service, then we went to the cinema to watch the Hangover 2. Great film, but very surreal watching a film set in Bangkok and walking out into Bangkok. The cinema was amazing compared to English cinemas and the popcorn was unbelievable! Just before the film was about to start everyone in the cinema stood up and a message about the king came onto the screen. Thai people love their king.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Hangover 2</td></tr>
</tbody></table>After the cinema we waited for simon as he was arriving at about 8pm, we hid in the jacuzzi for about an hour to suprise him, and as soon as i got out he came through the door, typical! We took simon down to Khao San road for some Pad Thai- which is a noodle, beansprout and meat dish. We had a few drinks and then headed back to the room for a go in the jacuzzi!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hot Tub Time!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The day after we went to see a few sites, we went to see the The Golden Buddha which was quite breathtaking and we saw a few temples nearby. The guy who was driving our Tuk Tuk tried to rip us of by dropping us at a jewlery store and asked us to walk around for 5 minutes because he gets free petrol!? Cheeky Mother!!<br />
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After this we went on a long tail boat down the river towards the Grand Palace. We saw some great sights, there were women working on the floating markets, who were great fun. We saw alot of houses made on the river on stilits, most looked really dangerous, we saw a few crocodiles just chilling out on the river bank and an insane amount of fish.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Simon and Adam rocking out the Conical look</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Houses on Bangkok River</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table>After this we grabbed some more Pad Thai down Khao San Road and headed back for a nap (such hard work). At night time we headed to Patpong night market, which is a crazy place. It is basically a side street which has bars at either side and a market in the middle, we met up with some friends and had a few drinks, which turned into a lot of drinks and watching a Ping Pong show, i wont go into detail but it was very funny!<br />
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</div>SophAdam Curriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113847285159934143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4132441834769674882.post-57148498624476015532011-08-09T03:50:00.000-07:002011-08-09T03:50:42.858-07:00Halong Bay, Vietnam<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9hulo1aEMNEravL81qcgsAH3YfOLtBoirdlpn_A6FfukvjGYb33ehbg4RKiyx_6hp6otwuXGXXqcyVjLVDq8XNp0d9bWW1k02VDs5z5gjEPXTwmYMBOmkCT8LG87_o-EgM7olSkycfCI1/s1600/IMG_5924.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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We took a three hour bus ride from the capital of vietnam- Hanoi to go and see Halong Bay. The bus ride was rather ropey and very full but we met some very friendly people on the way there.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Halong Bay is a UNESCO World heritage site and very popular travel destination, and it is very easy to see why! The bay features thousands of Limestone Karsts (small isles) in very different shapes and sizes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLqihKkK6OdKtswyyJHYJL97a9fahvikAZxmcTL_HI8RsKXc0XoQt_KW7BfvCeAy-fRxF8BB6ZdxmUaHuItrhQPfkBACxmwP6QJUKzmuSpA7VLbd1MYLZqqgKGRQGpzOAWPaD9kY70M4el/s1600/DSC03178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLqihKkK6OdKtswyyJHYJL97a9fahvikAZxmcTL_HI8RsKXc0XoQt_KW7BfvCeAy-fRxF8BB6ZdxmUaHuItrhQPfkBACxmwP6QJUKzmuSpA7VLbd1MYLZqqgKGRQGpzOAWPaD9kY70M4el/s320/DSC03178.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Spectacular View</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>We booked ourselves a day boat trip around the Bay, which consists of more than 1900 islet, most of which are limestone. The limestone has gone through 500 million years of formation to give them all the different shapes and sizes.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the many isles</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSwXuGSJFqCn8mE2V6gNAyRg_dMmdneWaR64onMP0XyvBpyI5hn-SNq7al6aZbCHoGNNWfUcTWn7eJCGScjPTCWNE45hQ2kDmJXfhtSOr3HZiA2wBD9Muaa1p2u0aILjq1bPauEKw9KsVh/s1600/IMG_5947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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We sunned ourselves on the boat and took lots of pictures as we gazed at the amazing scenery. The area is so vast that you could easily get lost out there. People had built their own houses on the sea and their was even a school. Crazy stuff! I couldnt imagine living at sea for all of my life! But researching the area on the internet and it says human beings had been in the area for tens of thousands of years. Half way through we stopped at a little floating fish farm and the man on the boat said if we wanted we could buy a fish of some shrimp and the chef on the boat would cook it for our lunch.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fish farm</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After visiting the fish farm we sat down to lunch on the boat and ate fish, tofu, chicken and beef mixed with rice. Lovely! We then carried on our journey and headed to some caves where the boat docked and we had the chance to take a boat underneath and through some of the limestone rocks. It was breathtaking to see the limestone so close up.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Limestone Time</td></tr>
</tbody></table>After this we headed towards Sung Sot Cave (Cave of Surprises), which is the largest cave in Halong Bay. Located at the Bo Hon Island, the cave got its name from a French admiral who was surprised at the size of the cave when he discovered it. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZj7MsA-YAIZCmyZAXz4z35QqwhqRCvTBxoYk9_cQb0vs8vnm7THAWNvE5VfMHY-JxuKP7cxzmd159PZmzIPM-572VRYphyVpXGD1PMiSwXb0G_E78v1TC_Hh4V-e2NbnyMaKn9ts4rfOc/s1600/IMG_1137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZj7MsA-YAIZCmyZAXz4z35QqwhqRCvTBxoYk9_cQb0vs8vnm7THAWNvE5VfMHY-JxuKP7cxzmd159PZmzIPM-572VRYphyVpXGD1PMiSwXb0G_E78v1TC_Hh4V-e2NbnyMaKn9ts4rfOc/s320/IMG_1137.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The caves were massive inside and had different coloured lights shining allover the rocks, but the cave has been highly developed for tourism, it has a cement pathway and even gift shops outside. Kind of ruins the feel!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgtC8WAtTY4bVbaZtL9uoaqblM6BKBNIzfmq1v2PfeSty956h2V43Ynxpbl4vFPAMulIbnZLsehbpd4DFJEiaCqAG_Gdk7wrLXgm7hLe1vRRYWwJlToZrX11ZLghOUACeL6C-ThlgGL-dT/s1600/IMG_1091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgtC8WAtTY4bVbaZtL9uoaqblM6BKBNIzfmq1v2PfeSty956h2V43Ynxpbl4vFPAMulIbnZLsehbpd4DFJEiaCqAG_Gdk7wrLXgm7hLe1vRRYWwJlToZrX11ZLghOUACeL6C-ThlgGL-dT/s320/IMG_1091.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cave</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div> After seeing the caves we got back on our boat and went back to land and took another 3 hour bus ride back to the city. We had such a great day and saw some amazing things!<br />
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-biology_4-0"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%E1%BA%A1_Long_Bay#cite_note-biology-4"><span></span></a></sup><br />
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<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-quanphp_6-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%E1%BA%A1_Long_Bay#cite_note-quanphp-6"><span></span></a></sup><br />
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<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-quanphp_6-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%E1%BA%A1_Long_Bay#cite_note-quanphp-6"><span></span></a></sup><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin0WSCSVbhozF9baz7LB8oIz8t2R4BZcJnIOT2SVPc-MCHmOqlmBPLpHTN2OnCQ43TiiPqcUbkUYBdmUS0qMPNsxgWFEfV2oZ3zsvPZvJjKnnhkLmboNB6PpX9JwFvYNLLM9PbKJouXvH9/s1600/IMG_1062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin0WSCSVbhozF9baz7LB8oIz8t2R4BZcJnIOT2SVPc-MCHmOqlmBPLpHTN2OnCQ43TiiPqcUbkUYBdmUS0qMPNsxgWFEfV2oZ3zsvPZvJjKnnhkLmboNB6PpX9JwFvYNLLM9PbKJouXvH9/s320/IMG_1062.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-quanphp_6-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%E1%BA%A1_Long_Bay#cite_note-quanphp-6"><span></span></a></sup>Adam Curriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113847285159934143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4132441834769674882.post-8248474187188919952011-07-09T04:11:00.000-07:002011-07-09T04:11:05.557-07:00Hoi An, Vietnam<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-7LnUvSRD6HVqWzc4OGN10Z-9XnvkASu9pPZn88-X_H1TFg9KRJIuLFRQzZf60mMG04UEmAn_ITKzZlWH02PASE_2GkKUb6WbzTRGQntm0vxzb_jdODlfgAFc2h_0VUxhnN1GlNPaVdT/s1600/DSC02973.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-7LnUvSRD6HVqWzc4OGN10Z-9XnvkASu9pPZn88-X_H1TFg9KRJIuLFRQzZf60mMG04UEmAn_ITKzZlWH02PASE_2GkKUb6WbzTRGQntm0vxzb_jdODlfgAFc2h_0VUxhnN1GlNPaVdT/s320/DSC02973.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5RPISibuYummXiAu_2XufV0v2J8_-SefrNcP11ynbrMv4nDs2NFhKCqA4Cr2ExdVUa1ufu2lSDQaYc8YeYV7T5W1T2JFzP5SAzwQpvHZI_NqS432KotYZ-H0URDGKLDrcFUnbvVTnjoqP/s1600/DSC02972.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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Today, after an 8 hour train ride, we arrived in Hoi An, Vietnam. Located on the South China Sea, Hoi An is an historic market town located on the Mekong River. There are some 120,000 inhabitants and the town is well known to backpackers.<br />
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There wasn't a great deal of western people around, but there were noticeably more than in other Vietnamese towns we visited such as Da Nang and Nha Trang. The architecture is very reminiscent of Chinese towns and as slightly different from what we have been used to seeing in Thailand and Cambodia.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5RPISibuYummXiAu_2XufV0v2J8_-SefrNcP11ynbrMv4nDs2NFhKCqA4Cr2ExdVUa1ufu2lSDQaYc8YeYV7T5W1T2JFzP5SAzwQpvHZI_NqS432KotYZ-H0URDGKLDrcFUnbvVTnjoqP/s1600/DSC02972.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5RPISibuYummXiAu_2XufV0v2J8_-SefrNcP11ynbrMv4nDs2NFhKCqA4Cr2ExdVUa1ufu2lSDQaYc8YeYV7T5W1T2JFzP5SAzwQpvHZI_NqS432KotYZ-H0URDGKLDrcFUnbvVTnjoqP/s320/DSC02972.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><br />
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We spent a couple of nights here and during our time we toured the endless rows of markets which seem to go on for miles and miles! The people are very friendly, and coupled with the towns 'bohemian' atmosphere it was one of the most enjoyable towns I have seen so far on my travels.<br />
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Hoi An usually attracts attention due to is sale of rare cottons and silks. If you want a perfectly tailored item of clothing for a very cheap price - Hoi An is the place to find it.<br />
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On our last evening we took a Mekong Rover boat tour at sunset which is a perfect way to see the town. During our ride, our boat operator allowed us to ride the boat!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-L80uEZeNE90rkmSdWgDDJIy7HaWeuOovoOQbAastJls_wvE8WApXl-LtDnCzNQ8eWAOBTv8vLwM_jpKo85wznGqgmREAnrYGbdUIozTjrqEFWyL40ycJ6ZhF8HbCcdT3nTPBIgaU_xed/s1600/DSC03072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-L80uEZeNE90rkmSdWgDDJIy7HaWeuOovoOQbAastJls_wvE8WApXl-LtDnCzNQ8eWAOBTv8vLwM_jpKo85wznGqgmREAnrYGbdUIozTjrqEFWyL40ycJ6ZhF8HbCcdT3nTPBIgaU_xed/s320/DSC03072.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
If you are in Vietnam in the future then make sure Hoi An is on your agenda. It is a lovely town, with lovely people and will leave a lasting impression. The food is cheap, there is no hustle and bustle of city life and most of all it is totally different to anything else you will see in Vietnam.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPxt81NaZlua-k92e3o2HUNgPl0-kWHIoSbtzuaP90KsausN_y6XOwDg9D5naTTmX7uXERRl-mfZmck34ZGWH5CmRM9JV4NfKvtaj9KYttg8AF_3e7g1K4-mAIIAclc1T65d_59jJaSU51/s1600/DSC03116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPxt81NaZlua-k92e3o2HUNgPl0-kWHIoSbtzuaP90KsausN_y6XOwDg9D5naTTmX7uXERRl-mfZmck34ZGWH5CmRM9JV4NfKvtaj9KYttg8AF_3e7g1K4-mAIIAclc1T65d_59jJaSU51/s320/DSC03116.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>Adam Curriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113847285159934143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4132441834769674882.post-70227289270645377772011-07-03T22:38:00.000-07:002011-07-03T22:38:30.033-07:00Thap Ba Hot Spring Mudbath<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUcQokRSxonzs_bVux5bIUltVR4tdVG9rENn-LYZUncoBgikE7ZXENKpaDtc9UHHzWSJnyxM7iJ3RfXDCk_ZBSzYEeKIHLk8a3RluShKFp-aVVXUWEVYLyZ7EMv0JuniKpUylpYOXnvT3h/s1600/IMG_5772.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div>Whilst in Nha Trang, Vietnam we decided to get a little bit of relaxation after all the bus and train travel and go and have a mud bath. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr6GbLN_B2Z1jnJnC7H6_EZ-7cY9hy2vA4VKXXt2xRtITiQcaNIx0znqrQU7sCiyxgjfGnCuJhdAmP_2UZMd9LvCgpaXbkmI3OvkCeMAmGzon12Z04-srUnoxpgSwqJEoJujEK7ljWqwAa/s1600/IMG_5754.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr6GbLN_B2Z1jnJnC7H6_EZ-7cY9hy2vA4VKXXt2xRtITiQcaNIx0znqrQU7sCiyxgjfGnCuJhdAmP_2UZMd9LvCgpaXbkmI3OvkCeMAmGzon12Z04-srUnoxpgSwqJEoJujEK7ljWqwAa/s320/IMG_5754.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2 Person Mud Bath</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table>It cost around £25 between us and this included a mud bath for two, then a soak in a hot spring water bath, hydrotherapy and access to a swimming pool. The baths had a pipe inside which pumped in the mud. We took a shower in warm mineral water and got into the bath. The mud was very very thick but felt great. If you lie back you will naturally float which is pretty cool.<br />
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After getting out of the Mud we lay in the sun to let it sink into our bodies and dry. This lets the minerals present in the mud penetrate onto the skin. We then showered of and went into a hot mineral water bath which was very warm, especially in 35 degree heat, but it felt good!! <br />
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Our skin felt amazing afterwards, definetley worth doing!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Soph</div><ul></ul>Adam Curriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113847285159934143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4132441834769674882.post-46936962304298536152011-07-02T00:27:00.000-07:002011-07-02T00:27:17.965-07:00Travelling through Vietnam<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBoaWPjWTht7k50WDCeFAsbwcYNoAmUxR4YZuGaItgRJgi0QM3otVmT_wjR8KjNzjixJ6ebnmNqkihO8puLhrlP0WvJNQ2UoYxOP59h1raeB6myVkhWhWHDr7V2JMGDYDqikvIXQ-KPXpN/s1600/IMG_5721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div>Well this was a very interesting experience! We booked our sleeper train tickets in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, which is were we first arrived from Cambodia. We initially were going to fly from Ho Chi Minh upto Hanoi, but we decided to tick a box and go by train.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Corridor</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr>
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The train tickets cost us around £50 pounds each for approximatley 33 hours of travel, but it was definetley worth it as we got to stop and spend a few days in different places. The first train ride was actually quite fun becuase it was abit of a novelty and we got a whole cabin to ourselves. It took us 8 hours to get from Ho Chi Minh to Nha Trang.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sleeper Cabin for 4 people</td></tr>
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</a></div>We spent a few days in Nha Trang and then headed further up the coast to Danang. I would never recommend anyone to ever go there, the people are very rude and just stare at you constantly and there is nothing to do. Anyway it took us 11 hours to get there. This train ride was slightly different as me and Adam were put in seperate cabins. Adam was sharing with one quiet Chinese man and a Thai guy who couldnt sit still. On the other hand i was sharing with a whole Viatnemese family. Brilliant. There was about 6 of us in a 4 person cabin and everyone was asleep so i couldnt make any noise. None of them spoke english but the woman, or my mum as i renamed her offered me her shirt because i was cold which i thought was sweet. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">boredom sets in\!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table>We spent two nights in danang and then embarked on our longest train- 15 hours to Hanoi. We got onto the train at 11.30pm and walked into the cabin and there was two old viatnemese women asleep with the lights off, so we thought to be respectful we would be really quiet and just try to sleep. So we chilled out and got some z's. I dont think that these Viatnemese woman have the same level of respect as 5am, BANG curtains wide open, talking, well shouting to each other. Great way to wake up!!!! And then at 6am they decide to go back to sleep?! very annoying.<br />
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It was definetley a great experience that i would do again, but i think its the luck of the draw who you share a cabin with!!<br />
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SophAdam Curriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113847285159934143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4132441834769674882.post-19331595530457062742011-06-18T09:53:00.000-07:002011-06-18T10:04:42.093-07:00The Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda of Cambodia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKOz1WIsKcFjy126BHV23j-0fWSNMB1QPIhjZTX02ChemKHwtDCAbweIswMek6iS1IkQeazeRV3gMDogUleSOh55bWn4xx5YC8HW4lBI4rH_WyriRoSwTj1H2BY-iIXXvF5uTkln2Vukh0/s1600/IMG_0861.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Throne Hall</td></tr>
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The Royal Palace is situated in Phonm Penh and was a 5 minute ride in a tuk-tuk away from our hotel so i thought i'd have a cheeky nose around. The Palace is a complex of buildings which serve as the Royal Residence of the King of Cambodia. The kings of Cambodia have occupied the grounds since the 1860's.<br />
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The Throne Hall is where the kings generals and officals used to carry out their duties, it is still used today as a place for religious and royal ceremonies (royal weddings etc). I had a look inside and the whole building was massive but you couldn't walk through much of it as it was all cordoned off, i tried to take a picture and got told off, so i headed to the next building. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Silver Pagoda</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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The Silver Pagoda houses many national treasures, such as gold and jewelled Buddha statues, there was so many cabinets full of gold antiques and jewellery it was breathtaking. There is a life sized gold Buddha which is decorated with 9584 diamonds, stunning. I just wish i could of taken some pictures inside to show you all. On the floor of the Silver Pagoda is more than 5,000 silver tiles and you can hear them moving as you walk over them, but you cannot see them as the whole Pagoda is covered with red carpets.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKOz1WIsKcFjy126BHV23j-0fWSNMB1QPIhjZTX02ChemKHwtDCAbweIswMek6iS1IkQeazeRV3gMDogUleSOh55bWn4xx5YC8HW4lBI4rH_WyriRoSwTj1H2BY-iIXXvF5uTkln2Vukh0/s1600/IMG_0861.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKOz1WIsKcFjy126BHV23j-0fWSNMB1QPIhjZTX02ChemKHwtDCAbweIswMek6iS1IkQeazeRV3gMDogUleSOh55bWn4xx5YC8HW4lBI4rH_WyriRoSwTj1H2BY-iIXXvF5uTkln2Vukh0/s320/IMG_0861.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Statues outside the Silver Pagoda</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The whole area outside the Pagoda is filled with statues and small temples, most of them are dedicated to Kings. The building which surrounds the Throne and the pagoda is probably about a mile long and the whole inside is decorated with muriels and paintings, no attention to detail lost here.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mini Angkor Wat</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table>Also outside the pagoda is a mini version of the angkor Wat temple, which has koi carp swimming around the outside! It was a really cool place to visit and learn about the heritage of another country.<br />
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SophAdam Curriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113847285159934143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4132441834769674882.post-27062802646786815542011-06-18T09:13:00.000-07:002011-06-18T09:13:56.617-07:00Tuol Sleng Prison (S-21), Phnom Penh, Cambodia<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIbiRabRCAByCIxMlTCwUKnWX5PnaiGSHsGd962CgJBHxyR-pK74KLqVyPiCyF_eP7Uy3jgEWWtJTS6heoQ0CrleaXNOhNXgIqpYz-cm7wVMTikhd9YvYF42_SavOMry3ap22Pk_reaxft/s320/DSC02226.JPG" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prison Cells from outside</td></tr>
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Today we went to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. Formerly the Chao Ponhea Yat High School,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-dccam-history-of-dk_0-0"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuol_Sleng_Genocide_Museum#cite_note-dccam-history-of-dk-0"><span></span><span></span></a></sup> the five buildings of the complex were converted in August 1975, four months after the Khmer Rouge won the civil war,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-valerio-pellizzari-2008_1-0"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuol_Sleng_Genocide_Museum#cite_note-valerio-pellizzari-2008-1"><span></span><span></span></a></sup> into a prison and interrogation center. The Khmer Rouge renamed the complex "Security Prison 21" (S-21) and construction began to adapt the prison to the inmates: the buildings were enclosed in electrified barbed wire, the classrooms converted into tiny prison and torture chambers, and all windows were covered with iron bars and barbed wire to prevent escapes.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bed used to torture prisoners</td></tr>
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This is the prison where those killed on the Choeung Ek Killing Fields were previously held, although many thousands of the prisoners were killed inside here and never made it to the killing fields. <br />
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From 1975 to 1979, an estimated 17,000 people were imprisoned at Tuol Sleng (some estimates suggest a number as high as 20,000, although the real number is unknown). At any one time, the prison held between 1,000–1,500 prisoners.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mugshots of Prisoners</td></tr>
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They were repeatedly tortured and coerced into naming family members and close associates, who were in turn arrested, tortured and killed. In the early months of S-21's existence, most of the victims were from the previous regime and included soldiers, government officials, as well as academics, doctors, teachers, students, factory workers, monks, engineers, etc. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Counting down the years in blood</td></tr>
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The museum costs about $2USD to get in and we spent around 2 hours looking around the prison. It is amazing sight and much like the Killing Fields, the place was eerily silent, even though there were many visitors walking around the complex. The cells in which the prisoners were contained were tiny. About 8 foot high, 3 foot wide and 7 foot long. Awful conditions. As you walk around, you can still see the dried bloodstains on the floor from the prisoners - this is because when it was captured by Vietnamese forces, they contained the area and it was kept exactly how it remains - in state.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgupNN5lSJ1aV6NhGXdGifZg5f1cCbPf0gQHvtfzRuVXDJslfrKWOjRwYFajY8Z6cLPftxfJKqMjE12uiwREyL1UzdfSsqiAKJ29gaQ42kEtHbS6yod1zp49mG9MnnM5B2ArrsfKCnNlCTt/s1600/DSC02247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgupNN5lSJ1aV6NhGXdGifZg5f1cCbPf0gQHvtfzRuVXDJslfrKWOjRwYFajY8Z6cLPftxfJKqMjE12uiwREyL1UzdfSsqiAKJ29gaQ42kEtHbS6yod1zp49mG9MnnM5B2ArrsfKCnNlCTt/s320/DSC02247.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blood-stained floor</td></tr>
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Again, it's hard to image that what happened here occured in the same generation of my parents. You feel like your visiting somewhere which is hundreds of years old beacause it so hard to comprehend that something like this went on so recently - and i'm sure, somewhere in the world, something like this is sadly going on today.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8iISt68XS3oFVUUlAEfQ6bWQ6B2Lcn-HtG_P0s1komo9TwEKLwm4BNhl-CJh4lODGoOxu2x-JBblQs1o2uU5cFeVSE8dcKvSeBebaXoBmGF3kH494ce_simrtSKZtUh4z0zzYhxNtAWdo/s1600/DSC02281.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8iISt68XS3oFVUUlAEfQ6bWQ6B2Lcn-HtG_P0s1komo9TwEKLwm4BNhl-CJh4lODGoOxu2x-JBblQs1o2uU5cFeVSE8dcKvSeBebaXoBmGF3kH494ce_simrtSKZtUh4z0zzYhxNtAWdo/s320/DSC02281.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Life of Torture</td></tr>
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~ AdamAdam Curriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113847285159934143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4132441834769674882.post-45898812363572730642011-06-10T00:00:00.000-07:002011-06-10T00:00:26.858-07:00Lighthouse Orpanage<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRYW02DIfN5Q8SinCKlGJ8X_zy2BMwHfbSANd5x_rNp0DwUJ36e5sKP-DjfdY8K3mkA_kLD2xzPwwuhQc0Ygipr-hfBaUeXXf14dqxwk7y16qgf3lvih_UVfweKhqVhuyPbB-Aiwhnglaa/s1600/IMG_5620.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div>After visiting the Killing fields and the Prison we visited the Lighthouse Orphanage. It was a 15 minute Tuk Tuk ride from our hotel. The Orphanage is situated in a very poor part of Phnom Penh and we got some very strange looks from the cambodian people as we passed by them. They are just so unfamiliar with seeing western people that they just look at you and i noticed people staring especially at my feet!?<br />
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The orphanage houses 98 children aged from 3 to 18 years old, which have been rescued from poor families or have been abused for various reasons. The orphanage does not recieve any funding and relies of donations from locals and tourists to keep surviving. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRYW02DIfN5Q8SinCKlGJ8X_zy2BMwHfbSANd5x_rNp0DwUJ36e5sKP-DjfdY8K3mkA_kLD2xzPwwuhQc0Ygipr-hfBaUeXXf14dqxwk7y16qgf3lvih_UVfweKhqVhuyPbB-Aiwhnglaa/s1600/IMG_5620.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRYW02DIfN5Q8SinCKlGJ8X_zy2BMwHfbSANd5x_rNp0DwUJ36e5sKP-DjfdY8K3mkA_kLD2xzPwwuhQc0Ygipr-hfBaUeXXf14dqxwk7y16qgf3lvih_UVfweKhqVhuyPbB-Aiwhnglaa/s320/IMG_5620.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Treats</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiApa9nE3lot7FdzPawDTRLCXMEKna2GMyL0A55iunTCTnIixI6_eq_7nD0GPQ5IS6VtjGSsFmpIwM5Gfj7IimI6AZ360-Q17uV1ZEQV0PgsF8V5TD5XdDn6Fu0ziBfPTSAxQ8HVkaak1ct/s1600/IMG_5654.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiApa9nE3lot7FdzPawDTRLCXMEKna2GMyL0A55iunTCTnIixI6_eq_7nD0GPQ5IS6VtjGSsFmpIwM5Gfj7IimI6AZ360-Q17uV1ZEQV0PgsF8V5TD5XdDn6Fu0ziBfPTSAxQ8HVkaak1ct/s320/IMG_5654.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rice and cooking oil</td></tr>
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<span class="style_2" style="line-height: 19px;">I went shopping for essentials needed for the children, i got Soap, Toothpaste, Toothbrushes, combs and hairbands. I probably spent no more than £15 and it was the best money i have ever spent. At home i would spend that sort of money without even really thinking about it, but in poorer countries the money can go such a long way and really make a difference. On the way to the orphanage we picked up a sack of rice, cooking oil and some fruit. The sack of rice cost $35 (about £20) and would last the orphanage just one day- no wonder they struggle to feed the children.</span><br />
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<span class="style_2" style="line-height: 19px;">The man that showed us around had worked in the orphanage for 8 years and spent almost every day and night there- without pay. He showed us a few of the buildings where the children sleep. They were quite spacious and looked very colourful. The buildings had been donated one by Norway and one from Australia. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-cL835ia5AmC-Z_wJEZBSKB2CBQy-xcgBE84VoFY1EzAVGgL24PiPMM16wG-oKk37UxKP-IM5VLcwbXNtUbshmgtnlkb6VEnq1wsaC_pb2FfuTpOgT9H6n9eKqO6mQfmswapY3kn6_uZG/s1600/DSC02333.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-cL835ia5AmC-Z_wJEZBSKB2CBQy-xcgBE84VoFY1EzAVGgL24PiPMM16wG-oKk37UxKP-IM5VLcwbXNtUbshmgtnlkb6VEnq1wsaC_pb2FfuTpOgT9H6n9eKqO6mQfmswapY3kn6_uZG/s320/DSC02333.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="style_2" style="line-height: 19px;"><br />
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<span class="style_2" style="line-height: 19px;">The children wake up everyday at 6am and go to school for 7am. They attend a public school in the morning and in the afternoon they head back to the orphanage to learn english. After this they can kick the footy around, play with tourists or wind each other up!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGsAMhyphenhyphen9uN8BZVD_BDJo0fvRHsiracfYebzO5NRtx5VnhHG-74zT6af1-8FGyfSdGtHhbkUPo8Vr9sO3pmL5l7Fs2ur-GLE2kjVS-ZVBRYdVw_65Ojvh2fD8c_RREk8MIl_WhIhld_lQFk/s1600/IMG_5661.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGsAMhyphenhyphen9uN8BZVD_BDJo0fvRHsiracfYebzO5NRtx5VnhHG-74zT6af1-8FGyfSdGtHhbkUPo8Vr9sO3pmL5l7Fs2ur-GLE2kjVS-ZVBRYdVw_65Ojvh2fD8c_RREk8MIl_WhIhld_lQFk/s320/IMG_5661.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3COpfpAYpbFO3Uz9TYv3HSvDF6NP20TVNxPsKbeEyzBz3X92IPTNXsW2ni-2Usc1Av-_R95gik6kPj-k9DX8gYnssDBcWpayNCawGt6Z7yy3E9gudZRahUhIReNQF0zm0spahqenm529A/s1600/DSC02383.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3COpfpAYpbFO3Uz9TYv3HSvDF6NP20TVNxPsKbeEyzBz3X92IPTNXsW2ni-2Usc1Av-_R95gik6kPj-k9DX8gYnssDBcWpayNCawGt6Z7yy3E9gudZRahUhIReNQF0zm0spahqenm529A/s320/DSC02383.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="style_2" style="line-height: 19px;"></span><br />
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<span class="style_2" style="line-height: 19px;">We spent some time playing with the children and talking to them. They especially enjoyed taking videos on my camera of themselves, I now have about 6 10 minute videos of them all screaming and posing for camera! Most of the children there seemed happy and at home and all of them spoke very good english. Two of the young boys asked us if we knew Justin Bieber and then gave us a rendition of one of his songs! </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyOTbi-cmAIwYCaogN5sRdCCu18bsEFoXOhnqziC13ZC3-dDwI_Kgi9W3s0rw9Sc3Y36jAfj4G-jA3FaPkrpFuCFUuliXPXtmIbwM2exKElBzsDoBW87Igt03AZ-DM4gYV71pBw4eI6jlf/s1600/IMG_5664.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyOTbi-cmAIwYCaogN5sRdCCu18bsEFoXOhnqziC13ZC3-dDwI_Kgi9W3s0rw9Sc3Y36jAfj4G-jA3FaPkrpFuCFUuliXPXtmIbwM2exKElBzsDoBW87Igt03AZ-DM4gYV71pBw4eI6jlf/s320/IMG_5664.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="style_2" style="line-height: 19px;"><br />
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<span class="style_2" style="line-height: 19px;">I really enjoyed visiting the orpanage, but just wish they had more money to depend on. Please take a look at their wetbsite and if you can spare some money, please do it! It will go a very long way!!!! </span><br />
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http://www.lighthouseorphanage.co.uk/<br />
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SophAdam Curriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113847285159934143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4132441834769674882.post-72295023358330661072011-06-09T09:55:00.000-07:002011-06-09T09:59:35.592-07:00The Killing Fields (Choeng Ek)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: white; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvmu5Jalbkb-6nwMSmpqy0iCgH8tLuTmPKfMfS6lTdaQrXxGXBGI8AT0qq58rGxAG7z56vsWhKQGdU8igizyS9_SHUiVIpAs9kJPN84ojBoVRKJypP85XUhTFB8ABuig4jD16koIZTWN3L/s1600/DSC02115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvmu5Jalbkb-6nwMSmpqy0iCgH8tLuTmPKfMfS6lTdaQrXxGXBGI8AT0qq58rGxAG7z56vsWhKQGdU8igizyS9_SHUiVIpAs9kJPN84ojBoVRKJypP85XUhTFB8ABuig4jD16koIZTWN3L/s400/DSC02115.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entrance to the Killing Fields</td></tr>
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</div><div style="color: white;">Today we went to the most famous site of 'The Killing Fields, or 'Choeng Uk'. IF you have seen the film 'The Killing Fields, then you'll probably know a little bit about what happened here, and at dozen of other execution and labour camps across Cambodia during 1975-1979. If you haven't seen the film or you don't know too much about it, i will do my best to explain.</div><div style="color: white;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho5Lj8ZEfQFuqtuC9MO4HrSf_xTT6NrmRa4TR_rDTzBpd_JnxSsVZdzBleoNNxfGjYbyrV2JG6Vw45C48mG90M1chzwA4ElROD-8JueDKwhmRN7m3BnRPfKwodyLJN4E4H-_UKhItK6xR6/s1600/DSC02114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho5Lj8ZEfQFuqtuC9MO4HrSf_xTT6NrmRa4TR_rDTzBpd_JnxSsVZdzBleoNNxfGjYbyrV2JG6Vw45C48mG90M1chzwA4ElROD-8JueDKwhmRN7m3BnRPfKwodyLJN4E4H-_UKhItK6xR6/s320/DSC02114.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skulls of Murdered Men, Women and Children</td></tr>
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</div><div style="color: white;">The Khmer Rouge killed nearly two million Cambodians from 1975 to 1979, spreading like a virus from the jungles until they controlled the entire country, only to systematically dismantle and destroy it in the name of a Communism. Our tuk tuk driver who also acted as a very informative tour guide (not requested but deeply appreciated) explained that Pol Pol (Khmer Rouge leader) wanted to turn Cambodia, which he re-named Kampuchea, back to "Year Zero," and intellectuals, businessmen, Buddhists and foreigners were all purged. Often by execution but sometimes simply by working people to death in the fields. They would work 15 hours a day and survive on a bowl of Gruel a day, once they had done their job, they were not longer needed and simply executed and buried in mass graves, a lot of them were buried alive.</div><div style="color: white;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQ6-nnY-9tubA7z_hFcODrTutJvaqjLERqR84sU9d-2WNog4MK92SnTkxbp8iAJQoqZkhgpEtBqrdHie_rS3Ed1fRe3ZSE1qamMh-ruIxdsPw9kbhVR_9ajQAgGsAnu4TQ1SEvmjr5VrV/s1600/DSC02137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQ6-nnY-9tubA7z_hFcODrTutJvaqjLERqR84sU9d-2WNog4MK92SnTkxbp8iAJQoqZkhgpEtBqrdHie_rS3Ed1fRe3ZSE1qamMh-ruIxdsPw9kbhVR_9ajQAgGsAnu4TQ1SEvmjr5VrV/s400/DSC02137.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mass Grave of more than 100 women and children</td></tr>
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</div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: medium none; color: white; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">It's hard to understand that what went on here only occurred 40 years ago. Our driver lost his father to the killing fields when he was 6 years old and has since been back to the prison (see next blog) to find a picture of him; but couldn't find anything. I cant imagine how that would feel.</div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: medium none; color: white; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: medium none; color: white; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">The site isn't too big, but make no mistake, there are many many bodies here. Most have been exhumed and re-buried or the remains placed in the Skull Crypt (top) but every now and again when the rain comes down and the soil turns, new remained pop up. We spotted countless fragments of skull, bones, teeth, so you really have to watch your step.</div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: medium none; color: white; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPG3CtpG5NzygW3RXTm8TeJ06acrffdUv_cxnRXOhL2tVwz6vbi2dzd2LyBupN6ORRag6My6rpqaNQaQSKlzOEYdg4wFTJPfubqtgLNk8pqTJwz2__ulwMWcudZj9xOQ8DEkYr3LUshzN-/s1600/DSC02129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPG3CtpG5NzygW3RXTm8TeJ06acrffdUv_cxnRXOhL2tVwz6vbi2dzd2LyBupN6ORRag6My6rpqaNQaQSKlzOEYdg4wFTJPfubqtgLNk8pqTJwz2__ulwMWcudZj9xOQ8DEkYr3LUshzN-/s400/DSC02129.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Surface remains - possibly a leg bone.</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: white; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5oYnlY0PcOj3LJMveKKrDyO-VV4WPEYXWKvHFG-e4LCGaT6yOSq2_KR_xJf8pbHci5FMJIU_8DK5gPhCUdpElHCdS8-cQ9qjdU6tpiaOQ-3WwaCyVmovGIUTyLMNko0nJAey6dvbIJcr6/s1600/DSC02155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: medium none; color: white; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">What makes the experience even more chilling and tragic is that there are also clothing items on the surface which are still popping up. Personally, this brought home the reality of the event as I could really make the human connection and only imagine what went on with the body inside those clothes. Also, many of the clothes are small, so you can see that a child is buried here somewhere.</div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: medium none; color: white; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirVBYU5Lfzjlzlh3Ei6y2j0Vc4fQop2frf5xngp_Z7gVyRLJUyi0chs4TC6QNTgZuzm_7XeWaBqi4pY5UCBB8hhjN-_T5ascPFBae0BfCKVm-1fYU89eRzIPiT_p1_P1bd0HnrFpi7FVKE/s1600/DSC02141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirVBYU5Lfzjlzlh3Ei6y2j0Vc4fQop2frf5xngp_Z7gVyRLJUyi0chs4TC6QNTgZuzm_7XeWaBqi4pY5UCBB8hhjN-_T5ascPFBae0BfCKVm-1fYU89eRzIPiT_p1_P1bd0HnrFpi7FVKE/s320/DSC02141.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Child Clothing surfaced</td></tr>
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</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: white; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"></table><div style="color: white;">There are also a lot of clothes which have been recovered and are now located in the Crypt underneath the skulls. You can still see the dried bloodstains on certain garments. I tried to imagine what their last moments were like as those drops of blood fell from whichever wound they had sustained - which we were told were likely axe wounds, trauma from bamboo sticks or other blunt objects. The reason? Bullets cost money, a life was worthless, save the money for something more important. Tragic.</div><div style="color: white; text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP7Kx6YNDkWHSpu-qwsKmSl1G6szIIWtZWo4eYQ6Yv63zArASDrizILmcwHUF7twS6-aWpVJLb2XdnJn6lfXPjSlBSGMtQJ8AwTQayzK3uuJG2nro-g2JlFAq_K3cGqZb1l_0X69umF6gh/s1600/DSC02121.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP7Kx6YNDkWHSpu-qwsKmSl1G6szIIWtZWo4eYQ6Yv63zArASDrizILmcwHUF7twS6-aWpVJLb2XdnJn6lfXPjSlBSGMtQJ8AwTQayzK3uuJG2nro-g2JlFAq_K3cGqZb1l_0X69umF6gh/s320/DSC02121.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bloodstained Clothing removed from exhumed bodies</td></tr>
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</div><div style="color: white; text-align: left;">There is a small museum towards the end of the tour which goes some way to explained what happened here and why it did. Most of the dead were taken from a prison, which was converted from a Secondary School, called Tuol Sleng, better known as S:21 (See next blog). The 'crimes' they had 'commited' ranged from 'speaking their mind', being intelligent, opposing the regime, or simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time - These were all punished by a long spell of backbreaking agricultural labour, followed by - if you were lucky - a quick execution followed by a mass burial; many times next to your own brothers, sisters, parents or children.</div><div style="color: white; text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGqid4GtrKH-qXrED09U5EZ4jsFfI8KxjGAZ0fzKrt1qdyluYYsTWGLdUPHjJKpuc6nwHEkEERi-3W6_14mPtIbmB1UxycP9b3qMKHE33r5qcsvfoKowEPsnquEkVmORYoVntqjk6BiOAT/s1600/DSC02119.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGqid4GtrKH-qXrED09U5EZ4jsFfI8KxjGAZ0fzKrt1qdyluYYsTWGLdUPHjJKpuc6nwHEkEERi-3W6_14mPtIbmB1UxycP9b3qMKHE33r5qcsvfoKowEPsnquEkVmORYoVntqjk6BiOAT/s320/DSC02119.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Remains of Human Head, Blunt Trauma to the back of the skull and above the right eye</td></tr>
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</div><div style="color: white; text-align: left;">I am glad that we got to experience this place. It is regarded as sacred ground amongst the Cambodians of today and serves as a reminder of just how bad mans' inhumanity to man' really can be. There is an eerie silence around the site and the expressions on peoples faces were a mixture of shock, sadness confusion and despair - something the Cambodian People are unfortunate to have to live with for the rest of their History. Later on we are off to the prison, which still in it's original state, to see why this happened and how prisoner's were captured and detained.</div><div style="color: white; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: white; text-align: left;">Adam ~ </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5oYnlY0PcOj3LJMveKKrDyO-VV4WPEYXWKvHFG-e4LCGaT6yOSq2_KR_xJf8pbHci5FMJIU_8DK5gPhCUdpElHCdS8-cQ9qjdU6tpiaOQ-3WwaCyVmovGIUTyLMNko0nJAey6dvbIJcr6/s1600/DSC02155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5oYnlY0PcOj3LJMveKKrDyO-VV4WPEYXWKvHFG-e4LCGaT6yOSq2_KR_xJf8pbHci5FMJIU_8DK5gPhCUdpElHCdS8-cQ9qjdU6tpiaOQ-3WwaCyVmovGIUTyLMNko0nJAey6dvbIJcr6/s320/DSC02155.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Remains slowly unearthing</td></tr>
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</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"></table>Adam Curriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113847285159934143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4132441834769674882.post-8355759605977864732011-06-08T06:32:00.000-07:002011-06-08T06:32:09.589-07:00Angkor Wat - Siem Reap, Cambodia<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGWM4VGFAORt9iK5h8LBWGm3GKywk2qAR0x4VhyUXP1MMMzeBNpeCRuRbfgV48EEcCKCikMHIIeeEkG1OIucB5G5PvFf80KQHm5Y0qaoFr2UE-UYHXs3X_YbxIbDRwH_hj2sNRbpG4Y4Oc/s1600/DSC01423.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGWM4VGFAORt9iK5h8LBWGm3GKywk2qAR0x4VhyUXP1MMMzeBNpeCRuRbfgV48EEcCKCikMHIIeeEkG1OIucB5G5PvFf80KQHm5Y0qaoFr2UE-UYHXs3X_YbxIbDRwH_hj2sNRbpG4Y4Oc/s320/DSC01423.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angkor Thom</td></tr>
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Today we went to See the Angkor Thom Temple, part of the Angkor Wat Complex. The temple complex itself is enormous, it is an ancient site of temples, some still in very good condition, and covers an area of some 400km (154 Square Miles). It is the largest religious site in the world and is still being renovated and excavated today. Built in the 11th and 12th century, Angkor Wat was built by King Survyarman II at the Angkorian Empire. This main image that you normally see on television documentaries and travel shows is only the start of a huge maze of temples, walkways and other Buddhist Architecture. We arrived for sunrise - the best time to see the complex as the sun rises from behind the Temple and creates a brilliant dark silhouette of the Angkor Towers. Even at 5am during 'Low Season', it still draws hundreds tourists and Buddhists alike to the area every single day. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyFpm8QxBxeRQ2h1_8c0dv5R1fHH-wVxOArA-QTNVGW8HOvQ4_o0hlC5IG67Jmv26VVH_bSkMnr6yzSZuU5xWrj6AHnkUwSwziOV9jP85nJzXiuDCjlkz6KH-M3WYK9ndFIOmoQH1Mbd2q/s1600/DSC01610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyFpm8QxBxeRQ2h1_8c0dv5R1fHH-wVxOArA-QTNVGW8HOvQ4_o0hlC5IG67Jmv26VVH_bSkMnr6yzSZuU5xWrj6AHnkUwSwziOV9jP85nJzXiuDCjlkz6KH-M3WYK9ndFIOmoQH1Mbd2q/s320/DSC01610.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise Spectators</td></tr>
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I find it hard to see how this blog will do justice to just how fantastic and spectacular this place is, but I will do my best. <br />
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We arrived at 5.20am by Tuk-Tuk (motorbike with a cart to carry visitors). The sky had already started to turn light, but the sun had not yet come up. The entry to the complex is $20 (£14). It is quite expensive for an attraction for South East Asia, but a large proportion of the proceeds go towards renovating the sites and paying the huge army of cleaners and security to cover such a large area.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLIPCV5rbu189ocT5QdSAcnYH4ZcAhJ1n49wwcGy1p43q1JUYdl61MsUCrRTMrtBkNXex7Qzw-1rqx4pDPFg8u9QOnB34oh2mVx3_w9bu8kKPQP2JaKNzlFKjpH2zGEenDQvAesdcDonzU/s1600/DSC01597.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLIPCV5rbu189ocT5QdSAcnYH4ZcAhJ1n49wwcGy1p43q1JUYdl61MsUCrRTMrtBkNXex7Qzw-1rqx4pDPFg8u9QOnB34oh2mVx3_w9bu8kKPQP2JaKNzlFKjpH2zGEenDQvAesdcDonzU/s320/DSC01597.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angkor Moat</td></tr>
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The moment we got out of our tuk tuk we were bombarded by street beggars trying to sell everything from Tour Guides, Books, Cold Refreshments, or simply asking for a Dollar. We walked through the maze of kids and made our way to the main entrance. After a 5 minute walk you arrive at a large doorway and through there you can see the temple towers. The main walkway to Angkor Wat is made from cracked and cobbled limestone and the majority of the walkways have not been renovated which is good because you start to get an idea of the history of the place. There are a lot of Buddhist's Monks on the site who love talking to westerners - and love having their picture taken.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWEj-p2HYQlrWIj_1r0wKIQVy-IlO3A19_jFrqV18W_uXOWdqsEwD360U-op1Jq8ujqlfJsf4k1Zc1eRFyoM15pkSO1eP42Zn7uWxmDeyopWZll_chvlHHNF-tO6_8_WhP_Quj7PnpwtIN/s1600/DSC01465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWEj-p2HYQlrWIj_1r0wKIQVy-IlO3A19_jFrqV18W_uXOWdqsEwD360U-op1Jq8ujqlfJsf4k1Zc1eRFyoM15pkSO1eP42Zn7uWxmDeyopWZll_chvlHHNF-tO6_8_WhP_Quj7PnpwtIN/s320/DSC01465.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buddhist Monk at Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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There is an amazing lake in front of the temple which is the main spot to snap pictures from. By 5.35am the area was totally swarmed by tourists, so we decided to move away from this area and sit in a more isolated location to watch the sun come up. As the sun rose behind the towers, you could hear the constant clicking and snapping of cameras and everybody took their opportunity to pose in front of the enormous towers.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvW_PLHT258qE4hWUy3nTYWBalCb-xGD2-iplmDxZRyG4lpUX2SkbuMupPMGoQbyZjw8BXvaKkot5Hg7ZtBtuy4uSfIl7sgchZFFLszfGw3Wkl5OVMvaFzLbMY2yO_FAT_-8o-atCywPyb/s1600/DSC01405.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvW_PLHT258qE4hWUy3nTYWBalCb-xGD2-iplmDxZRyG4lpUX2SkbuMupPMGoQbyZjw8BXvaKkot5Hg7ZtBtuy4uSfIl7sgchZFFLszfGw3Wkl5OVMvaFzLbMY2yO_FAT_-8o-atCywPyb/s320/DSC01405.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Posing for the Camera</td></tr>
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It was a truly amazing site, one I'll never forget and it has been my favourite sight I have seen on my travels so far. I would recommend this place to absolutely anyone. It is even worth flying all the way to Cambodia even if this is the only thing you'll see. Breath taking.<br />
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More on this complex to come... for now, I'll leave you with some pictures.<br />
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Adam<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angkor Towers</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzAOtjLvtdPPmteF-NbnrruEdT3k3EcEOpr7XrxMkbC4TjmT1MSgSXSh1nUH0A4MaBTYTiXfTbwqP_609EnDRxkqg08tAnzqwiF_LLukqQj_IGo_kE2_KQfiMyC4Mq4Dh8EIdofvfGjbNT/s1600/IMG_0198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzAOtjLvtdPPmteF-NbnrruEdT3k3EcEOpr7XrxMkbC4TjmT1MSgSXSh1nUH0A4MaBTYTiXfTbwqP_609EnDRxkqg08tAnzqwiF_LLukqQj_IGo_kE2_KQfiMyC4Mq4Dh8EIdofvfGjbNT/s320/IMG_0198.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Why Not!?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lake at Angkor</td></tr>
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</a></div>Adam Curriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113847285159934143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4132441834769674882.post-16611916621491553522011-06-05T23:14:00.000-07:002011-06-05T23:14:55.975-07:00Leaving Koh ChangOn saturday we left Koh Chang and headed for Siem Reap in Cambodia. We booked our tickets the day before and paid 550 baht each, which is around £11 each. <br />
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The minibus picked us up at 7.30 am ! We were very tired as we stayed in the bar till around 2am and only had a few hours sleep between us, but i thought it would be ok we could sleep on the bus- wrong there! It was the bumpiest ride in the world, i even got air a few times from my seat. I took us about 10 minutes to reach the ferry port and about an hours wait on the ferry. We got back on the bus and after about three hours we reached the border town of Poi Pet. Poi Pet is a very poor area compared to where he had been staying but is the key crossing point between Thailand and Cambodia. It is also very popular as a gambling destination as gambling is illegal in Thailand. <br />
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We got dropped off at a Visa office/ restaurant and had to fill some forms in for our Cambodian Visa which cost 1200 baht each around £25 each. We waited for about half an hour then got back onto the bus to reach the border which took about 5 minutes.<br />
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Here we were met by two Cambodian men who helped us through the check points. He talked to us about the right things to do whilst in 'his' country. He told us to take out Thai Baht from the ATM and change them later in Cambodian Riel. We went through passport control and had some issues as they wouldnt let adam through- i think the woman was confused as we had a double entry thailand visa and thought we had overstayed! Then we had to fill out a form saying we hadnt been ill?! Great stuff.<br />
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We finally reached the bus station, i think it was about 2pm at this point. We got onto a bus which took us to another bus station! Here is where we were advised to change our money, but being here 2 days already hardly anyone uses Riel and everyone uses dollars so i think we were about fooled.<br />
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We got onto our final bus at about 230pm and adam pulled faces at kids! We were on the bus for about 3 hours which took us to Siem Reap. Near the end of the journey we pulled up at a little restaurant, were the driver conveniently washed the bus whilst we were asked if we wanted to buy food. We decided not to eat but bought a sprite, coke and small bottle of water. I asked how much and she said 60,000 riels, neither of us were sure but we just paid, since finding out it cost us £9!!!! it should of only cost about 1/2 pound around here, great scam!- Get foreigners to turn their money into Riel and then stop somewhere and charge the hell out of them. Its all in the fun of it though, and dont blame them the country is so poor.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfn9LF72lFUv1mMlRvIYdGHrW58EpqAi5G4BT2LC-WsGUDHMA-NhKRbnWnyHbYANPWnZbTaS2-o5LWvvlJNdzKWQ-V332izFIIzQmwCU2f7n9Ri1ipEjBg6D7XU0pwkBw_kRji5BhV93kC/s1600/IMG_0001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfn9LF72lFUv1mMlRvIYdGHrW58EpqAi5G4BT2LC-WsGUDHMA-NhKRbnWnyHbYANPWnZbTaS2-o5LWvvlJNdzKWQ-V332izFIIzQmwCU2f7n9Ri1ipEjBg6D7XU0pwkBw_kRji5BhV93kC/s320/IMG_0001.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just some guys chilling</td></tr>
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We finally got dropped off and reached our hotel by Tuk Tuk, it was a very long journey taking about 12 hours but it was worth it!<br />
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SophAdam Curriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113847285159934143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4132441834769674882.post-73194538721013589642011-05-28T04:36:00.000-07:002011-05-28T04:36:02.733-07:00Thai Cooking School<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA6eZ9mvAz3WhkFABK4wF13gYzUY08qJwlbxdWnt8AP1N7xgNtctkMLWYm1rcE26CLexDgp-RVklzEboF7B8ttbo5hAlX2OcjdxckTyqjgjEAxV2C51l40yPeJspMCoRqUytWJGBgUNVaP/s1600/IMG_5441.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA6eZ9mvAz3WhkFABK4wF13gYzUY08qJwlbxdWnt8AP1N7xgNtctkMLWYm1rcE26CLexDgp-RVklzEboF7B8ttbo5hAlX2OcjdxckTyqjgjEAxV2C51l40yPeJspMCoRqUytWJGBgUNVaP/s320/IMG_5441.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Today I went to the Thai Cooking School in Khlong Phrao. A 10 minute bike ride away, the cooking school is set back off the main road into the jungle and during high season can get very busy, being low season, however, I could just turn up on the day and get onto the course. The course lasts approximately 3 hours and costs 1200THB (£23).<br />
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The course teaches you to cook 6 traditional Thai dishes, including Tom Kha Gai (Hot sour soup), Chicken and Vegetable spring rolls, Red Curry, Green Curry, Yellow Curry and a King Prawn Penang Curry (my favourite!)<br />
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Each dish is made form scratch using fresh ingredients. It was really good because aside from being taught what herbs go well with which meat/fish or which flavours go into which curry, we learnt about what else they can be used for to make other dishes like soups, salads and pastes.<br />
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Dish 1: Chicken & Vegetable Spring Rolls<br />
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I really enjoyed making these as you get to flatten out the pastry, cook the mixture, then add it to the pastry. The rolling technique was a little more difficult than I expected it to be, but hey, every day is a school day! Once rolled they are placed into a wok half full of palm oil and gradually turned until brown. Once cooked, we used a strange knife I've never seen before to slice them into segments and made a Thai Sweet Chili sauce consisting of Garlic, Salt, Sugar, Chili, White Wine Vinegar and Coconut Sugar reduced down over a high heat. Simple and tasty.<br />
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Dish 2: Tom Kha Gai.<br />
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This soup is made with Coconut Milk, Galangal (Similar to Ginger) Lemongrass, Chilli and Chicken.<u><span style="color: black;"></span></u><span style="color: black;"> T</span>he fried chillies add a smoky flavor as well as texture, color and heat, but not so much that it overwhelms the soup. We were told that the key is to get a taste balance between the spices, if you get it wrong it is easily corrected with an extra chilli or extra Lemon Grass.<br />
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Dish 3: King Prawn Phanaeng Curry</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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Phanaeng curry is a type of Thai curry that is milder than other Thai curries. It traditionally includes dried chili peppers, galangal, lemongrass, coriander root, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, garlic, and salt, and sometimes also shallots, peanuts, and shrimp paste. All of these ingredients you can get from Thai Shops back home. The curry paste was made by smashing the above mixture together in a Pestle and Mortar until is resembled a paste. We then added the paste to the wok (without oil) and fried with Coconut milk, then added fresh raw peeled King Prawns. It takes 10 minutes to cook and is my personal favourite. Thai people like to crush peanuts and sprinkle over the top. Very very tasty.<br />
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Dish 4: <span id="goog_110248267"></span><span id="goog_110248268"></span>Tom Yum Soup (very hot)<br />
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Similar to Tom Kha Gai, this soup is clear and and sour. It is made with about 6 birds eye small chillies and makes your nose run like hell! If you don't like hot food, steer clear of this one!<br />
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Dish 5: Kaeng Luaeng (Yellow Curry)<br />
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This curry is richer and creamier than other Thai curries, since coconut cream is used in addition to coconut milk. This richer curry tends to tone down the overall spiciness of the dish and I found that it tasted much more like an Indian Curry - Hence its popularity on menus outside of Thailand. The main spices/ingredients we used in this were cumin, coriander, turmeric, fenugreek, garlic, salt, bay leaf, lemongrass, cayenne pepper, ginger, mace (YES, MACE!) and cinnamon. Mace is the leaf which grows on the Nutmeg.<br />
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Dish 6: Banana and Coconut Soup:<br />
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I'm not keen on deserts, but this was very simple to make. Chop a Banana and sick it in some simmering coconut milk with LOTS of palm sugar. That's it!<br />
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There are Thai cooking schools all over the country so if your ever here, it is really worth doing. You get a certificate, a recipe book and you can take your cooked food home.<br />
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~ AdamAdam Curriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113847285159934143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4132441834769674882.post-18972608627223876012011-05-27T06:52:00.000-07:002011-05-27T06:52:00.779-07:00Road Trip to Salak Phet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtK6sFUdiN6BjjLWUjZX7EIYcQS1N3N6CPahSZNS427RF8GCb9BGr88muonK6QWRkCX72LhUPZQcbicEyIkaEWccWT5hhupKIQFGhqEaMk8wGE6O86EN6Ehqv8LzUMm6FtIuziVRONc2-t/s1600/DSC01013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtK6sFUdiN6BjjLWUjZX7EIYcQS1N3N6CPahSZNS427RF8GCb9BGr88muonK6QWRkCX72LhUPZQcbicEyIkaEWccWT5hhupKIQFGhqEaMk8wGE6O86EN6Ehqv8LzUMm6FtIuziVRONc2-t/s320/DSC01013.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdbtG8rAaArpbcVChfJWvy5ZUqMQueA16eSLjD38cIavuedqCKLTA7x2ey7RcAMhN8IuPVBIalQ6Gks5ZswX5pXYH7g8eTmSAhimIOGmwxW0EgWy77V820TgZOw5oNR4tOzMg70raIN8AB/s1600/DSC01019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Today we got on our bike and decided to go (nearly) all the way around the Island. After a 30km drive passing by jungle, rainforest, beaches, and residential areas we eventually arrived in a town called Salak Phet. Salak Phet is the largest and oldest community on Koh Chang. It is located in the south east coast of the island and is mainly inhabited by fishermen and tradesmen. There are a wide network of small fishing villages around Salak Phet and are interconnected by makeshift piers and masses of mangroves.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The area itself seems pretty isolated and we didn't see any westerners around, only local Thai people. I much prefer it this way as you get to feel like your outside the tourist trap and you get to sample a real taste of traditional local island life.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After a walk around the fishing village we got back on the bike and headed a few miles down the road to the centre of Salak Phet. On the way there we passes by a local school which all the Thai children attend. It's funny to see the look on their faces - sometimes they will do a double-take when they realise the guys passing by on the motorbike are not Thai, which usually generates a smile from them.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We stopped at Wat Salak Phet temple which was originally built during the reign of King Rama V but has now been almost completely renovated and rebuilt. The detail of decoration on the temple if nothing short of stunning. This picture really doesn't do it justice but trust me - every inch of this temple is delicately covered in gold leaf, stones, hand carved dragons and Buddha statues, brightly coloured dragons of red, gold green and blue. It is so detailed that you would need a good hour to take in everything, always coming across something you'd missed before. Remarkable feat of architecture.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>The temple is home to several monks in the area who depend entirely on food, money and other offerings which are necessary to their living from the local community. We donated some money to the offering box and took a look around the grounds.<br />
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The temple is surrounded by lush green lawns which are so well kept to the point where at any one time there is at least one monk raking the leaves or trimming and pruning the plant life surrounding the ground.<br />
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On the drive back home we stopped off at an old pier on the east coast - I am unsure whether or not it is still in use, but it is pretty big and I've no doubt it must still serve as some kind of entry point to the island - whether it's for tourists or local fisherman.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As the sun started to set, we saw some local men in the water navigating their way through huge nets and checking their catch of the day. The had been hand fishing for Shrimp, Clams and other shellfish to sell to local fishmongers and restaurant's.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The round trip is about 40km - and it was worth all 40 of them. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">~ Adam</div>Adam Curriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113847285159934143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4132441834769674882.post-50861989805931382462011-05-20T10:06:00.000-07:002011-05-20T10:06:26.143-07:00Tattoo Time!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBjgZ9K8tNhg3wLVVwuWmeKL0iPX4lyXsl7Q2GoaOKItW7Luhyw6OlEeAU7HdzXFIENP20b4UEW0x_m6yp2waJ1jIX42rD_LiQysy5ptQjEA2cV6AWSzjGSTJeej0rExC4yPqiFBdvygtu/s1600/IMG_5290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBjgZ9K8tNhg3wLVVwuWmeKL0iPX4lyXsl7Q2GoaOKItW7Luhyw6OlEeAU7HdzXFIENP20b4UEW0x_m6yp2waJ1jIX42rD_LiQysy5ptQjEA2cV6AWSzjGSTJeej0rExC4yPqiFBdvygtu/s320/IMG_5290.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I decided to have a tattoo done today and it was the most painful feeling ever!! (I am a wuss)<br />
We just nipped to the shop to have a look at the images that they had and i ended up sat at the computer looking at owl pictures and within 5 minutes i had chosen the one i wanted!!- i really like to take my time over things.<br />
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The guys in the shop were really friendly- except for the one who tattooed me, he didnt speak any english. (But he looked nice ha) It took about 20 minutes for it to be done and i was squeezing adams hand so much that i was literally dripping with sweat. It cost rather alot, 1500 baht which is about £30. I think i could of got it for less but i wanted to get it out of the way as i was so scared! I was really happy with the outcome i just didnt realise that i cant go swimming for 2 weeks- unless i wrap my foot in cling film, great stuff!<br />
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It adams turn to get one next.......Adam Curriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113847285159934143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4132441834769674882.post-24869448757851182222011-05-20T09:51:00.000-07:002011-05-20T09:51:54.317-07:00Koh Chang Grand Lagoona<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhQZRa0oWpZSOyv3uZTewD5iPJdaPF5FhN5sEMcgzV51RFPyiMBLhRIV2bnvNW36TyNWpcg1gL4usivHGSp6dbG1KE1ar7FVLi7a73niW493QFfOwMdn-xH9Fi8FDV7Bo7vuJ0ZTi4n_vy/s1600/DSC00900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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We visited Koh Chang Grand Lagoona Resort yesterday, which is located about 10 minutess motorbike drive past the village of Bang Bao. The place was rather strange and many people on the island actually believe that it doesnt exist. It was quite a hard place to find as you have to motorbike down a dirt road and there are signs saying private road which made us abit wary about carrying on. After 10 minutes down the dirt road we reached a security guard sitting in a hut. He looked very happy to see us!! We paid him 150 baht each which is about £3 and he gave us tickets for a free drink, snack and a map! We drove round the corner and reached a bicycle renting service, so we got on our bikes (adams had a bell) and rode to the first stop.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ship Hotel</td></tr>
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Galaxy Floating hotel is a seven deck hotel placed next to the sea. It is quite breathakingly strange once you first see it, but the idea of staying in it would be pretty cool! It cost 699 baht per night which would equate to only £14!!<br />
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Right next to the Galaxy Hotel was a deserted beach with sunloungers and palm trees galore! The sea was clear and it was unbeliveable that their was no one else on there! The only people we saw in the whole resort were thai workers and chefs just cycling around or watering the plants.<br />
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The scenery and objects placed around this place were amazing, it felt like it had been created by some millionaire, trying to intise rich people to stay in their own little paradise. (Not sure whether its working if no one thinks it exists!) If you have ever seen lost it felt like the dharma barracks as it was so secluded and the mountains, trees and cabins were all there!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQLVWz6VOx8EPZzTwluh1QAhtOT8XXP7n1xmRw9b1ONJbPOPwo9gonX3dAWRhSxgtWQmPGL1bgbDfHIan3n6ezxCn4RL0-WXenwsgbxPDQpC6W_ajlqxONcF351JDTbWlmojm-_FOfd-xk/s1600/IMG_5239.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQLVWz6VOx8EPZzTwluh1QAhtOT8XXP7n1xmRw9b1ONJbPOPwo9gonX3dAWRhSxgtWQmPGL1bgbDfHIan3n6ezxCn4RL0-WXenwsgbxPDQpC6W_ajlqxONcF351JDTbWlmojm-_FOfd-xk/s320/IMG_5239.JPG" width="320" /> </a></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hmmmm i wonder what lives in here?!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhQZRa0oWpZSOyv3uZTewD5iPJdaPF5FhN5sEMcgzV51RFPyiMBLhRIV2bnvNW36TyNWpcg1gL4usivHGSp6dbG1KE1ar7FVLi7a73niW493QFfOwMdn-xH9Fi8FDV7Bo7vuJ0ZTi4n_vy/s1600/DSC00900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhQZRa0oWpZSOyv3uZTewD5iPJdaPF5FhN5sEMcgzV51RFPyiMBLhRIV2bnvNW36TyNWpcg1gL4usivHGSp6dbG1KE1ar7FVLi7a73niW493QFfOwMdn-xH9Fi8FDV7Bo7vuJ0ZTi4n_vy/s320/DSC00900.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The Grand Lagoona had many floating hotels which had been created in little lakes around the resort. It is the largest resort in Koh Chang and is so interesting to discover and explore as there is so many random things placed around! It was a very amazing place to see and we are possibly going to spend a night in the big ship!!<br />
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Soph<br />
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<b></b>Adam Curriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113847285159934143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4132441834769674882.post-57157220562882506952011-05-18T06:14:00.000-07:002011-05-18T06:14:14.987-07:00Khlong Phlu Waterfall<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtnCftlBCWE1AgbgMgIB-KkZH1Ihbqh_VYsdJPTU6FPF1TgaRsHWaUt6ToyIXU4CleLhMm1MZY2mhUWjnH5eRMm6YNQHSUX3tghKbW8HZT4_ZLtNiv2KUZoiKrEtpnYgrK_aXKBMjHGlEi/s1600/IMG_9880.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtnCftlBCWE1AgbgMgIB-KkZH1Ihbqh_VYsdJPTU6FPF1TgaRsHWaUt6ToyIXU4CleLhMm1MZY2mhUWjnH5eRMm6YNQHSUX3tghKbW8HZT4_ZLtNiv2KUZoiKrEtpnYgrK_aXKBMjHGlEi/s320/IMG_9880.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waterfall Sign</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Today we went to Klong Phlu Waterfall. One of several waterfalls on the Island, Klong Phlu is the biggest waterfall (20 meters) on the Island and is about 30 minutes on foot from the Security and Information Desk. The walk through the jungle to reach the waterfall is what you'd expect - Humid, Wet and full of Wildlife. The are many species of plant and animal life, including several rare species of tree (Forgotten which ones). The path is steep and rocky at parts so a rope is required to aid your balance across the pathways.<br />
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Along the way we saw Lizards, Butterflies, Dragonflies, Ants and birds - many of which I've never seen the likes of before. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzFNMPmKciS0hKC2Arn8Ay2ZsN5nBeAFhp6vugKwJzBQsW0a4ddZbrdsd7yNPGvhtMK5KScSkKqLNWRhFBvj_rbvp2y4WvPB26qZ3mIQGiFaPGFEPBgEpLtQENsFNKvKDJsWj7uT9W2Y_N/s1600/IMG_9928.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzFNMPmKciS0hKC2Arn8Ay2ZsN5nBeAFhp6vugKwJzBQsW0a4ddZbrdsd7yNPGvhtMK5KScSkKqLNWRhFBvj_rbvp2y4WvPB26qZ3mIQGiFaPGFEPBgEpLtQENsFNKvKDJsWj7uT9W2Y_N/s320/IMG_9928.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clouded Sulphur Butterfly - (Phoebis sennae)</td></tr>
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After about 25 minutes we'd trekked 700 metres and the sound of fast running water was getting closer to us. We had a lot of rain yesterday (March 17th 2011). In fact it rained heavily non stop with constant flashes of lightening and rumbles of thunder. The heavy rainfall made sure that the waterfall was flowing steadily which was good because last time I came here in New Year 2011, it was totally dry due to the dry season.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjro6pqBgfoF2JSeNRGUL6rJNRgjIOyJ9CI6m-SxTUd-B9-Xf_pb2C2ZQCN63_dZBC2WhaE7am4pWQljBuq1fosUBpSV0mijj28yaX1l3dDdlMCDRBBQoE_s8yhoQWdn-glxZLp_4GwoXjl/s1600/IMG_9855.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjro6pqBgfoF2JSeNRGUL6rJNRgjIOyJ9CI6m-SxTUd-B9-Xf_pb2C2ZQCN63_dZBC2WhaE7am4pWQljBuq1fosUBpSV0mijj28yaX1l3dDdlMCDRBBQoE_s8yhoQWdn-glxZLp_4GwoXjl/s320/IMG_9855.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rainwater Lake</td></tr>
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Once your at the waterfall the sight is amazing. The water is gushing down from a height and crashing against the rocks. Some people were swimming in the water and diving off the rocks into the pool. I crossed the fast flowing river aided by a rope and some cement bags and the water was absolutely freezing! By now you can tell I don't do cold water!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7sPFsYULQOJiRbjUDh6Lb2qqG9XXXM4-r4e2_GwSLjwZRn_BoJH9ws2e6HxXY7ig-14R0ovWzHcmdSFxX6OT4g0oELNR1sOuS5oQniyLowVPnIjkK79JJPvJhjm860siem98Yqpt-GYQS/s1600/IMG_9870.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7sPFsYULQOJiRbjUDh6Lb2qqG9XXXM4-r4e2_GwSLjwZRn_BoJH9ws2e6HxXY7ig-14R0ovWzHcmdSFxX6OT4g0oELNR1sOuS5oQniyLowVPnIjkK79JJPvJhjm860siem98Yqpt-GYQS/s320/IMG_9870.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Khlong Phlu Waterfall</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
We sat on the rocks and watched the waterfall for an hour. It is a really nice attraction and if you ever visit the island then it's a must to see. It is located halfway between Kai Bae and Whitesands and costs 200THB (£4.50) to get in - Which is more than we thought we'd have to pay, but you don't get things like this back home. The butterfly that made friends with my foot decided to make friends with my t-shirt too and stayed on me for a good while!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoB0amIirXvd_Vakl7SKMsXFL3uJRYRtvI_MA_nWNRH9rsYFfQYl-3fg7DbklnYtvWJ32oz9GEwlLSI1FIE2OPdMoXVuJD7IhYH52c9KJ1T_DSffpD1bRmzE0aPr986hLpKNu5Z5ym0qsK/s1600/IMG_9941.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoB0amIirXvd_Vakl7SKMsXFL3uJRYRtvI_MA_nWNRH9rsYFfQYl-3fg7DbklnYtvWJ32oz9GEwlLSI1FIE2OPdMoXVuJD7IhYH52c9KJ1T_DSffpD1bRmzE0aPr986hLpKNu5Z5ym0qsK/s320/IMG_9941.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sophie</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj61mfpMtSEgNQZGuHzdY2dMk_L-bdT2tBZmafdIOhyphenhyphenpAdqTBIjxvLJc12aJcJKRR5mgbmkpiGuV3rhSaEH9AVuhiwZbkBTKVDFVfI-pjjTp5TxIuBj0amlBdvAaRWhusvqj6-wb73Pk83Y/s1600/IMG_9906.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj61mfpMtSEgNQZGuHzdY2dMk_L-bdT2tBZmafdIOhyphenhyphenpAdqTBIjxvLJc12aJcJKRR5mgbmkpiGuV3rhSaEH9AVuhiwZbkBTKVDFVfI-pjjTp5TxIuBj0amlBdvAaRWhusvqj6-wb73Pk83Y/s320/IMG_9906.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thirsty Work</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">More to Follow....</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Adam Curriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113847285159934143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4132441834769674882.post-74840706474626588962011-05-14T08:11:00.000-07:002011-05-14T08:11:40.268-07:00Chang Chutiman Elephant Trek, Klong Prao<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3qP6HZMG6WypupT3WXzZTAWuwho7L7i4YFbTMs23RjoFCpVSqv7icDc86zvVIWL48IJxwFnFPRqoVpS9zeL9h8FbwUia9_iP2zD_LUXTI1EI5HIZCtNcg8bd4zaAjk-cSpcRoXn4fQYtX/s1600/IMG_5037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3qP6HZMG6WypupT3WXzZTAWuwho7L7i4YFbTMs23RjoFCpVSqv7icDc86zvVIWL48IJxwFnFPRqoVpS9zeL9h8FbwUia9_iP2zD_LUXTI1EI5HIZCtNcg8bd4zaAjk-cSpcRoXn4fQYtX/s320/IMG_5037.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rambo</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Today we went Elephant Trekking in Klong Prao. If you have done this before then you'll know just how amazing this experience is. If you are unfortunate enough to have not trekked through the Jungle on an Elephant, then I hope this blog will go some way to encouraging you to try it. It's hard to explain the feeling you get when its just you, the elephant your guide, and hectares and hectares of uninhabited Jungle and Rainforest. I supposed 'isolation' would be a good word, except when you take a look around at your surroundings and see 8 inch butterflies, 3 inch wasps, spiders and rainforest birds you realise that you are far from alone.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The trek costs 900 THB (£17) and lasts two hours. We managed to get a discount from our friend and managed to only have to pay £10 for the whole tour. Our elephant Rambo (above) was one of the largest elephants I think I have ever seen. He lumbered over to the perch which you have to climb to get on the ladder. The first hour of the trek consists of a one hour trek through a rubber plantation then on through a Pomello orchard - Pomello is a citrus fruit - the ancestor of the Grapefruit.</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs34b8jE4N61Wavan9_b5qM05YS70Gh4QcqQk9A-xkSGWoRnmNipvT6hX_mmUgM8c8qA5151wyeQIUl_rSVqxpossGLqSBFVZeIf-uHtKe8brWr19kwgoa-PvFVgNUE53OixjXVJRSNm1i/s1600/DSC00794.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs34b8jE4N61Wavan9_b5qM05YS70Gh4QcqQk9A-xkSGWoRnmNipvT6hX_mmUgM8c8qA5151wyeQIUl_rSVqxpossGLqSBFVZeIf-uHtKe8brWr19kwgoa-PvFVgNUE53OixjXVJRSNm1i/s320/DSC00794.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jungle Path</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Once you and the elephant have navigated through the Orchards we then got visit a crystal clear rock pool where Rambo and us cooled off.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Washing Rambo</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Being a very hot day, it was nice to take a dip into a cold lake. Unlike the warm sea, this natural lake was a lot cooler than I thought and I ended up getting into it and scrambling to the elephant to catch my breath! After making a slight idiot out of myself, I got to wash off the Rambo as he sprayed water over his head onto mine - which was amazing. It's a bizarre feeling being in a lake with such a huge mammal - You forget just how big they are when they're in the water as most of their body is submerged. Sophie joined me and the guide took our camera from us for a good photo opportunity<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cooling Off</td></tr>
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On the return leg, you are allowed to ride the elephant yourself bareback which is a tremendous experience. You need good balance as the shoulder bones moving up and down as it walks along can knock you off balance and there really isn't anything to hold on to.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH4ZPECAjxMcZf5aOCc2V8iRfJuPhq8aqYV4kB1gQGSSeIkIyWQCWgdyQqslKgnekpURoeOrAkrXGJa0QWDIHfQO4T83ddLP9qEhukz_OvCLKOcpzGY27_xB9FeWRjG0JrH7ZcC5NCKBEI/s1600/IMG_5084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH4ZPECAjxMcZf5aOCc2V8iRfJuPhq8aqYV4kB1gQGSSeIkIyWQCWgdyQqslKgnekpURoeOrAkrXGJa0QWDIHfQO4T83ddLP9qEhukz_OvCLKOcpzGY27_xB9FeWRjG0JrH7ZcC5NCKBEI/s320/IMG_5084.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Which way, your Majesty!?</td></tr>
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The sun was beginning to set on the way back which provided some stunning scenery (lot of that around here). Sophie was sat on the saddle like some kind of ancient queen! The ride back seems to take a lot less longer than the outward trek even though it takes the same route - I think the excitement of riding the elephant ourselves takes your mind off things and you get taken in by the moment.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7lxmXfJNJdj8_dAqPeRJzJrutZTEBnE-__b1LOqSF_WjM-HXyIA42X7izrqixMYnDWBCVlvClVE6qrvHxzK9OSyvvnzFWOHj9vWX1GXPqUnpsALiGQGyBy7rCCsas70PeWbSq1wMVXe5V/s1600/IMG_5102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7lxmXfJNJdj8_dAqPeRJzJrutZTEBnE-__b1LOqSF_WjM-HXyIA42X7izrqixMYnDWBCVlvClVE6qrvHxzK9OSyvvnzFWOHj9vWX1GXPqUnpsALiGQGyBy7rCCsas70PeWbSq1wMVXe5V/s320/IMG_5102.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Return Leg</td></tr>
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Once you arrive back at the Camp you get a complimentary soft drink or beer and a chance to dry off, relax and look at all of the other elephants which operate tours.<br />
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If I had the chance, I would do this every day. It is a unique experience and if you have the chance to do it, you must. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHUuAW8Y_h5_b3it3smkJFAGoVLcn-vVt46FJ2LIZwSiG1RMz11GaZ-A-fgOHj1u8tl-Pxxfy-0iGb06jjRe0DIhoudZAqzscMnd6BdZrazLBS5Kfc3XuAck-vWk_B9369t2wmN839-dCx/s1600/DSC00785.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHUuAW8Y_h5_b3it3smkJFAGoVLcn-vVt46FJ2LIZwSiG1RMz11GaZ-A-fgOHj1u8tl-Pxxfy-0iGb06jjRe0DIhoudZAqzscMnd6BdZrazLBS5Kfc3XuAck-vWk_B9369t2wmN839-dCx/s320/DSC00785.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><br />
More to Follow... <br />
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~ AdamAdam Curriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113847285159934143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4132441834769674882.post-46373691430429844422011-05-14T07:13:00.000-07:002011-05-14T07:15:37.177-07:00Life in Koh Chang<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdVCQw7n2hZO1IFo2YSO05vy1nNs8cHmmOUQ9epQQdGTVBk2f6aR4Tu-1pGuzHLS4-RWY4QULYZ-QwgmifI4NYndH7FcDvaAFChkU5Vk3k0vqXGNSIA2rkQDax_O5G54S2qQ4igLRFWpMy/s1600/IMG_4840.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdVCQw7n2hZO1IFo2YSO05vy1nNs8cHmmOUQ9epQQdGTVBk2f6aR4Tu-1pGuzHLS4-RWY4QULYZ-QwgmifI4NYndH7FcDvaAFChkU5Vk3k0vqXGNSIA2rkQDax_O5G54S2qQ4igLRFWpMy/s320/IMG_4840.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Well we have been here two weeks today and we both feel very settled, life in Koh Chang is very relaxed. Its lovely to stop on the way home to see a beautiful sunset and just relax.<br />
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But saying that... we visited Wat Klong Prao temple which is about a 20 minute ride from our house, and got caught up in a massive rain and thunder storm so had to take shelter for about an hour. The temple was lovely though......... shame about the weather! We regularly get woken up by thunder storms which sound like their right on top of the house, scary stuff!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leftover from a landslide</td></tr>
</tbody></table> Our day to day routine usually consists of waking up at about 2pm (bad, i know!) and then popping to the beach or for some lovely Thai or western food. There are so many dogs around here its unreal, but they are so lazy! i tipped some water on one of their faces and it didn't even flinch! (Too much of the good life!)<br />
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Then we usually go for some drinks, to a party or BBQ and get in around 4am and sleep at about 6! The sleeping pattern is taking its toll a little bit as there is so much to do and see!<br />
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Adam is trying to teach me how to play pool as i realised i was rubbish after playing killer with 10 men and making a fool out of myself. So he's going to make me into a master and i will beat all of them. Muhahahaha!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adam's new girlfriend (the one in the middle)</td></tr>
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The nightlife is really cool here, we went to see a ladyboy show last night which was followed by a fire show. Some of the ladyboys are really convincing and actually beautiful, but a few of them are definite blokes!! All the people we have met are really friendly and they never seem to stop partying! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swollen foot :(</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table>We went for an elephant trek and i think i must of been bitten, or had a reaction to a bite! Going to the bar last night was fun as everyone took the mic out of me and the night ended up with adam giving me a piggyback out of the bar.....!<br />
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More to follow......................<br />
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SophAdam Curriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113847285159934143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4132441834769674882.post-25636849681934308912011-05-07T05:29:00.000-07:002011-05-07T05:36:16.194-07:00Bang Bao BBQ<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQKaIy7v5LYMZuafTso83glUgGpTA8HY9pPs4Sdbq27NZfjo2p6WTIHLtYSYBEx6tsbq3DgpeCuC2zg4UnIsClpEqG5taLnRAOIls5WIQkh37BE1myBRWfQbG7pGYvJsNVC_QWsq1ISR_u/s1600/IMG_4858.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQKaIy7v5LYMZuafTso83glUgGpTA8HY9pPs4Sdbq27NZfjo2p6WTIHLtYSYBEx6tsbq3DgpeCuC2zg4UnIsClpEqG5taLnRAOIls5WIQkh37BE1myBRWfQbG7pGYvJsNVC_QWsq1ISR_u/s320/IMG_4858.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Tonight we got invited to a BBQ at Pierre's house, he lives in Bang Bao in the middle of an old fishing port. There was about 10 of us eating and the food was amazing, Beef, Chicken, Freshly caught Red Snapper (which i ate, the first fish in 15 years!!) and it tasted amazing.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Noi preparing the food :) yum</td></tr>
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It was a really chilled out night, people just eating little bits and then going to lie down, something i always get told off for in england (not to leave the table until everyones finished eating. ppppffff)<br />
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Here's Pierre preparing the BBQ, hes the only Cambodian Dive master, hes going to teach adam how to dive, i might just document with taking pictures hehe! They have two dogs at the house, Zombie and Foxy. Zombie is possibly the laziest dog ive met- i love it! I made friends with them and it fulfilled my urge to see sally dog at home!<br />
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We stayed until about midnight and then drove back to our home Kai Bae which is about at 20 minute motor bike ride on ridiculously scary roads. We were almost halfway back and Adam got hit in the face by something and then it landed on his arm, it turned out it was a 6 inch stag beetle. I cant believe we didnt crash! such a shock, for the rest of the journey i hid behind adam. <br />
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SophAdam Curriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113847285159934143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4132441834769674882.post-81677208116254302882011-05-07T05:00:00.000-07:002011-05-07T05:00:43.054-07:00White Sand Viewpoint<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;">Koh Chang Viewpoint - White Sand Bay</td><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
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Today I went up to the Island Viewpoint located in White Sands, a 3 minute motorcycle up the hill from our house in Kai Bae. The views from here are stunning, as you can see. The sun sets like this pretty much every day. Its hard not to take it for granted because you very rarely get to see sunsets like this back home - and if you do then the view is usually blocked by houses, pylons etc, so It's nice to be able to watch the sun set over the sea with nothing but a few scattered isolated islands and palm leaves to obstruct it.<br />
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The viewpoint can get busy at times, but at this time of year it is fairly quiet. There were maybe 15 people there, mainly couples on holiday getting some good pictures to makes their friends at home jealous.. ;-). The Viewpoint looks over the Gulf of Thailand - The other side of the island looks out onto the Sea of Cambodia, and after about a hundred or so miles it the coast of Cambodia. You cant see it from the island, even on a good day, but it isn't too far.<br />
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I caught a glimpse of a couple sat out on the edge of the viewpoint and took the opportunity to snap them. The sunlight at about 18:00 offers really good light and you can get some nice silhouetted pictures. I will post some more of the funnier ones later on.<br />
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Tonight we are going to Ban Bang Bao to Pierre Kann's house for a seafood BBQ he as kindly offered to cook. More to follow...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgESmEm9b3km83wmIp6wm9owgnTgtIVe501NPlRGoXvwgJG1izKn9eoZ69BoXk7aRhZQFU7a1dcuexSvKwgCEb8vCBG7-W-BZCHEfUfWJXDFGBJfSPAbQPYZFfw7ctqsXDOPDCane0n6iuD/s1600/DSC00720.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgESmEm9b3km83wmIp6wm9owgnTgtIVe501NPlRGoXvwgJG1izKn9eoZ69BoXk7aRhZQFU7a1dcuexSvKwgCEb8vCBG7-W-BZCHEfUfWJXDFGBJfSPAbQPYZFfw7ctqsXDOPDCane0n6iuD/s320/DSC00720.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Adam Curriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113847285159934143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4132441834769674882.post-18898054251931732812011-05-04T04:26:00.000-07:002011-05-04T04:26:05.248-07:00Kai Bae Beach<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihUPBMsFk1aUMaJKLORoCBMF9BaR14y5-JtSVyzHtDiSQPCrSDakLIhu4AakMU1HO7SVK2lFHd74hpH9DqILLMn4EOUp_rzH2JGi1-O9MmXvZrGqsia_-tbZ9dqdTcyhz7DVrrFnY5h57O/s1600/DSC00623.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihUPBMsFk1aUMaJKLORoCBMF9BaR14y5-JtSVyzHtDiSQPCrSDakLIhu4AakMU1HO7SVK2lFHd74hpH9DqILLMn4EOUp_rzH2JGi1-O9MmXvZrGqsia_-tbZ9dqdTcyhz7DVrrFnY5h57O/s320/DSC00623.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking a stroll!</td></tr>
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Day 4: Kai Bae Beach<br />
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A ten minute walk from our new house is Kai Bae Beach. After renting a motorcycle we packed a bag and went down to the beach. Today was slightly cooler and a storm was moving in onto the island - but this didn't stop people from swimming in the sea with lightning all around. The beach itself isn't very big but the sand is very nice, soft and warm. The sea - warmer still. It really is like getting into a heated pool or a bath - No need to tip toe into the water like in other places I have been.<br />
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We made a new friend on the beach - a Thai Dog who decided he wanted to spend the day sat with us.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our New Friend</td></tr>
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Looking out to see are a few small isolated islands which are un-inhabited. It really does look like paradise. We are going to rent a Kayak and go out to the island over the next week or two and maybe camp over and have a camp-fire. Koh Chang is an Archipelago and is made up of some 74 islands (Thanks Francois). I hope we get to see as many as possible. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJiszO9f-FD6pPi570bVFyNfDsY8_50NIJuqiD2oSI2qcwYTetd4x4ei3RbQ5yEqFe_s-rku3O-PuRj5IQOGCi58X_n6poEOLCe8zbZCoMJI8i8hQAWX8f_xq9O3Lriyn5UcjFWlTRGsXD/s1600/DSC00542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJiszO9f-FD6pPi570bVFyNfDsY8_50NIJuqiD2oSI2qcwYTetd4x4ei3RbQ5yEqFe_s-rku3O-PuRj5IQOGCi58X_n6poEOLCe8zbZCoMJI8i8hQAWX8f_xq9O3Lriyn5UcjFWlTRGsXD/s320/DSC00542.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small Koh Chang Islets</td></tr>
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After a dip in the sea we laid down on the beach and looked up at the stormy skies ahead and watched lightning fork over the horizon. As the rain started to beat down onto the palm trees and give the vegetation a much needed drink we went to a small restaurant on the beach and ate. I went for spicy noodles with chicken and chilli with fish sauce - a tradition Thai dish, whilst Sophie, in true Thai Fashion, opted for, er, Chicken Burger and chips. Old habits die hard!<br />
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we ate a small table kneeling on the floor with nice soft cushions and slowly ate. The whole meal came to about 300 Thai Baht - about £5. Not bad for two big meals and two drinks.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz8rc_K63qDiq2_41Cff9ClJJDPZCAZtFz53J9BGgZ9PtU1Y3JFEEAY-39_j_z7hOwyo0JfT8-LFebLXIK92ax7dxMEtK7E1Q74TxbnJyKzxrDm2JmK3u_TL73DYmqTwr_w_GNTs9P7KuX/s1600/DSC00658.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz8rc_K63qDiq2_41Cff9ClJJDPZCAZtFz53J9BGgZ9PtU1Y3JFEEAY-39_j_z7hOwyo0JfT8-LFebLXIK92ax7dxMEtK7E1Q74TxbnJyKzxrDm2JmK3u_TL73DYmqTwr_w_GNTs9P7KuX/s320/DSC00658.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small Restaurant</td></tr>
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As the sun began to set in between two islands, we headed back to the motorcycle and went back home for a shower and a siesta! Sophie has now gone out on her own exploring the island and taking some pictures. There is so much to see here that your eyes are constantly drawn to something else and you hardly have the time to take it all in. Paradise.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjajunTx4pGJgaw7cA4trYf4AZYcP6ou0j8_3uYYDSXm4nnKdjINSoNQB0HDvvpCqhsrNyC9P73iXXg-7pfZyaR5TV__0XhvCrAv1j_iywD8g6lhEhTejx-f3TQ8bGXI71ti7eLC7y4cbhV/s1600/DSC00655.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjajunTx4pGJgaw7cA4trYf4AZYcP6ou0j8_3uYYDSXm4nnKdjINSoNQB0HDvvpCqhsrNyC9P73iXXg-7pfZyaR5TV__0XhvCrAv1j_iywD8g6lhEhTejx-f3TQ8bGXI71ti7eLC7y4cbhV/s320/DSC00655.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kai Bae Beach</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ5oYxcBLYSgMh_PCnwWbWLZs4zi7pEEAgI-Fn3uz80EVANylbuIxE-zY2nWUzBtbIMjG6MqZvvstWS_fhg_lRu3Br9FGgboWB6iYE4Ujya7DW-tfJVhSlwjY80_MhbV6EsLV-3OcpKqEs/s1600/DSC00657.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ5oYxcBLYSgMh_PCnwWbWLZs4zi7pEEAgI-Fn3uz80EVANylbuIxE-zY2nWUzBtbIMjG6MqZvvstWS_fhg_lRu3Br9FGgboWB6iYE4Ujya7DW-tfJVhSlwjY80_MhbV6EsLV-3OcpKqEs/s320/DSC00657.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kai Bae Sunset</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Tomorrow we are going to go to the Koh Chang view point and see the island from very high up - Hopefully I should be able to get soem really nice pictures from here. Nice end to a nice day - Tonight I am practicing my pool skills for tomorrows tournament! More to follow!Adam Curriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113847285159934143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4132441834769674882.post-8252860176882486952011-05-03T13:35:00.000-07:002011-05-03T13:35:52.068-07:00Bang Bao<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_JgwMCXxDrEeTyo9SRkkaPwleziYNIvtwUsO9XpA8quIk5nn818OcJ6XmT7KWQnrRj3wVwcZ63YMRFBMST1hVnI5ZAoDl7rYWP5A4-IBAM91sjXD6cvZhbw3ma3TqJHm6X1TSRenyPVgL/s1600/IMG_4658.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_JgwMCXxDrEeTyo9SRkkaPwleziYNIvtwUsO9XpA8quIk5nn818OcJ6XmT7KWQnrRj3wVwcZ63YMRFBMST1hVnI5ZAoDl7rYWP5A4-IBAM91sjXD6cvZhbw3ma3TqJHm6X1TSRenyPVgL/s320/IMG_4658.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Bang Bao, ten minutes away from our new house! Houses were like nothing i've ever seen in the sea on stilits. Most were made from converted bars and were amazing inside. Lots of market stalls selling useless things that i will probably spend all my money on, outfits which will make you look like jesus (adams getting one as a present). <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9mUlsK9pus3ehEuInwt5zAgcKwSfAM3N9aZwVVEgnwn3Mreb9D4TSBc1_rAkhLy1ymXLhpIegZAXwZO_TUdkMzDBAWuEl0gW1A43OWFjd-YR0bJ7pj-VraigdX1KykdIsESlZ3fQlSbCy/s1600/IMG_4649.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9mUlsK9pus3ehEuInwt5zAgcKwSfAM3N9aZwVVEgnwn3Mreb9D4TSBc1_rAkhLy1ymXLhpIegZAXwZO_TUdkMzDBAWuEl0gW1A43OWFjd-YR0bJ7pj-VraigdX1KykdIsESlZ3fQlSbCy/s320/IMG_4649.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><b> </b>(The view from the top of Francois' house- not jealous at all)<b><br />
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The roads to reach Bang |Bao are absoloutley ridicoulous, the steepness is crazy! Definetly worth a trip on a motorbike! Eeeep.<br />
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Such a chilled out place, canny wait to do some shopping for things i will never use :-)<b> </b><br />
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SophAdam Curriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113847285159934143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4132441834769674882.post-15338651539003370392011-05-03T05:29:00.000-07:002011-05-03T05:29:24.186-07:00Arriving In Koh Chang<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtfP6IXvzuCyoUqOaml5UJjbuqQzJyPUMgrShKVlwEotgqeSknLD-c8WBzR5qX34OWKf5_HpZ8B0sR7LuUFe88bdzYTj8JUgd66dDAZPD7sBQIwvq1MxUo4Vkj0EUSiZtmtakbl063wGdk/s1600/DSC00479.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtfP6IXvzuCyoUqOaml5UJjbuqQzJyPUMgrShKVlwEotgqeSknLD-c8WBzR5qX34OWKf5_HpZ8B0sR7LuUFe88bdzYTj8JUgd66dDAZPD7sBQIwvq1MxUo4Vkj0EUSiZtmtakbl063wGdk/s320/DSC00479.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Day 1: Bangkok to Pattaya<br />
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After a very good 11 hour flight from London Heathrow we arrived in a very hot and steamy Bangkok at about 4pm local time.<br />
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From here we took a taxi to Pattaya to meet with Dave Dobson, Francios Valentin and Pascal Rebuffel. Jetlagged and sweating like mad, I managed to get out for a few beers and spent the entire night being winked at by lady-boys. Having been to Pattaya before I knew what to expect but Pattaya is a place where NOTHING is impossible. Everything is open 24 hours a day. Imagine Las Vegas, smashed together with Blackpool, add a dash of Bangkok - and your still not there! Love you long time.<br />
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Day 2: Arriving in Koh Chang<br />
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Had a LOT of sleep on the first night and felt good. We gathered our things together and left an extremely hot Pattaya and headed down the coast of the Gulf of Thailand towards Rayong and Trat Province. Not much to see on the way, every now and again you drive through a small town, rubber plantations, dead dogs, temples and LOTS of Durian trucks. The drive to Trat took us about 6 hours as we took a wrong turn and had to take a very rural route to get to Trat. I would advise anyone to do this drive, some of the scenery is very nice.<br />
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We arrived in time to catch the last ferry from Laem Gnob to Koh Chang Island. We drove onto the boat, got out and stretched our legs and purchased some stale, but tasty biscuits! The sun was setting and the picture (above) was taken just as the ferry was leaving. The scenery is stunning. Deep reds and purples, broken up by dark green dense palm trees and crystal waters. We found a small beach hut in the Jungle (run by a ladyboy) which cost us approximately £5 for the night. We dropped off our things and went out for some food and a then onto The Jungle Queen bar - which is managed by my good friend David.<br />
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We had PLENTY of Jagermeister shots and cocktails and went for a dip in the sea! Much different to N orth Wales, it is more like getting into a bath, the water is lukewarm and the sand is soft. Very nice way to sober up! Barefooted, we walked back to our beach hut and I spent the next hour trying to catch a Lizard - Never going to happen.<br />
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Day 3: Finding a House in Kai Bae and visiting Ban Bang Bao<br />
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Checked out two hours late as we overslept (Jagermeister). Headed down to Bang Bao to visit a friend. There was no room for me in the pickup truck, so I rode on the rear of the car. Not entirely safe, but a very nice way to see the island!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxTRRpbheMv6luU1l95L1iQKYiDNrl9fVDGQCc_MvrZ9VSDAilodJyEreTffF9UXiR8539sVvmtyAHDznKjU9y3VCJxUH5hsM8meUrwxrkMaCzpFcK-L4lwa4TqRRWZZ3ApGY7MfMJYtiS/s1600/DSC00523.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxTRRpbheMv6luU1l95L1iQKYiDNrl9fVDGQCc_MvrZ9VSDAilodJyEreTffF9UXiR8539sVvmtyAHDznKjU9y3VCJxUH5hsM8meUrwxrkMaCzpFcK-L4lwa4TqRRWZZ3ApGY7MfMJYtiS/s320/DSC00523.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Arrived at our new house - which is absolutely amazing for the price. Big double bedroom, tv, sofa, wok, bathroom etc etc. £80 for one month! We unpacked the stuff and chilled out with the Air con for the first time since arriving! Bliss in this heat. It doesnt really fall much below 28 degrees celcius during the night. It is nice to experience a different climate, It is coming towards the wet season, so no doubt they'll be some big storms. I think that will be the only thing able to silence the noise of Crickets and tropical birds!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1__gSXSBfEX2Tq2qlzt3n1Da5NPeDYhUZUtZ5DeyiLnxO4dife21JWTvk7B3iwfsUUt_wba0gK21eYsZ3ko7kjZdAQ7By3VISVxnyL5tISg7IjIf4zRGPQ1VNQc5EQUrWjOz8yLBWyJ7C/s1600/DSC00496.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1__gSXSBfEX2Tq2qlzt3n1Da5NPeDYhUZUtZ5DeyiLnxO4dife21JWTvk7B3iwfsUUt_wba0gK21eYsZ3ko7kjZdAQ7By3VISVxnyL5tISg7IjIf4zRGPQ1VNQc5EQUrWjOz8yLBWyJ7C/s320/DSC00496.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Adam Curriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113847285159934143noreply@blogger.com0