The Last Hoorah

Can it be? How could it? How is it possible that nine months have come and gone and now it’s time to return to reality… Does it seem like our time has gone by so fast only in hindsight or did it really go by this quickly? So many things have happened to us and hopefully many of the details of our trip will stick in our memories. It would be such a shame to forget the details of this magical trip.

We spent a little over two weeks in Malaysia and had a great time. Malaysia is an amazing country and we loved its diversity. It was just incredible seeing all the different types of clothes that people wore – from saris, to burkas, to western-dress, etc. Beautiful. Incredible. It astounds me that so many different cultures, religions, cuisines, and ways of life can fit peacefully in one rather small nation.

We visited the most beautiful island I have ever seen, called Perhentian Kecil. If anyone ever makes it to Malaysia you MUST go there. Turquoise waters, amazing snorkeling, even better diving, white sand beaches, and it’s not over-crowded. There isn’t even electricity on the island, only generators. We swam with sharks, turtles, and thousands of fish.


We also visited Taman Negara, a 130 million year old rainforest. Stunning… It’s impossible for me to fathom 130 million years. Somehow this forest has managed to resist ice ages and major geological disturbances. I imagined a forest of this age to be very pristine and absent of human influence, but of course this was too ideological. Walking through the forest you could hear bulldozers and carpentry. Surrounding the forests are massive palm tree plantations to support the world’s demand for palm oil.

Kuala Lumpur was probably our favorite city so far. It was so easy to walk to all of the places we wanted to visit. Simply sitting on a bench and watching people walk by was incredibly entertaining. We went to a Hindu temple and it was like being back in India… We went to the national mosque which was such a different experience…a bit awkward but very educational.

Now we’re back in Bangkok, enjoying our last 16 hours in SE Asia. Our plane will arrive in Seattle on Wednesday around noon. With so many people to see, so many things to get done, jobs that need to be found, our minds are swirling and we’re feeling a bit overwhelmed. “Reality” will not sink in for quite a while…especially when you all see the AMAZING tree house we’ll be living in with Ben and Sherri. So many things to look forward to, so many memories to reminisce upon, and so many things to be grateful for.

On the Road Again

After five months in Lampang, we are once again living from our bags. We haven’t been very good bloggers lately. That’s partly because we’ve been keeping busy with many things, but it’s also because we’re coming home so soon.

After we moved out of our apartment and said our goodbyes to our dear landlords, we only got as far as the Thai Elephant Conservation Center where we participated in the Homestay program. It was a two day, one night program where you “learned how to be a mahout.” We didn’t think we’d enjoy it much. I feel guilty riding elephants. I’d much rather help them from afar, but we actually had a great time. We had lovely elephants – Wanalee (12) and JoJo (17). They are both brilliant elephants and are the stars of the show. We have a video of us and the elephants, so be looking forward to that :)

After the TECC we went to Chiang Mai just in time for Songkran (Thai New Year). Can I just say…crazy…absolutely crazy. Three days were spent either on the moat or next to a facet where we filled up buckets of water and threw them on ANYONE that went by. Everyone else returned the favor. Songkran originally was a much less intense holiday –you would go around gently blessing people will drops of water on their arm. Now, instead of drops of water, it’s entire buckets of water. Often containing ice…Not only were you soaking wet from head to toe the whole time, but everyone around you was drinking, dancing, and laughing. Crazy I tell you! Crazy! (But fun).

After Songkran we needed a little recovery time so we went on a road trip with our good friend Josh to Nan. Nan is a smaller town that’s very relaxed. The first day we got there we were just driving around the town and we saw that many people were going into a temple so we decided to join them. This ended up being an amazing experience and they were sooo incredibly happy to have “farang” (foreigners) in there.

The next day we went to a national park that was far up into the mountains. The air was so much cooler and cleaner up there. There were some stunning views.

After Nan Monte and I got on a night train and went to the ancient capital of Siam, Ayutthaya. Many people say that if you can’t make it to Angkor Wat, then you should at least go to Ayutthaya. It was too bad that the Burmese came through long ago and destroyed much of these temples, but what is left is stunning. We met up with our friend Millie who lives at an elephant camp just outside the city. She took us all around to see the sites, both by road and by boat. What a great city!


Then we took a short train ride to Bangkok and had some down time before our next night train down south. We went to visit the biggest reclining Buddha in Thailand. Absolutely beautiful. We saw no signs of protesters whatsoever. In fact, had we not read the news, we wouldn’t even know anything had happened.


Next stop, Koh Tao Island to get our open water diver certificates! We fell in love with diving and can’t wait to continue! Now we are on Koh Phangan and are having a great time relaxing on a beach that has spectacular swimming. Today we rented a motorbike and explored the island which turned into an adventure after getting a flat tire in the middle of nowhere…good times.

Tomorrow our plan is to head out of the gulf of Thailand and onto the other side to a national marine park. Then, to Malaysia! We will be there until May 18th and can’t wait to explore one last country before our return to reality.

Leaving Lampang

April 8th marks the last day in our apartment in Lampang. How well this room has treated us. From our window we have a view of the city and a temple. Sitting in our window sill over-looking the city and mountains…just watching life exist…a life that is different than my own. Irreplaceable.

I never experienced culture shock in Thailand like I did in India or Cambodia, but there are so many things that are different…so many things that are both wonderful and almost strange…

...driving on the other side of the road… doing laundry by hand and hanging it to dry…businessmen drinking whiskey at lunch…people drinking beer in food courts…bringing your own alcohol to bars and clubs…straws given for every beverage purchased…instead of “how are you,” people ask, “Have you eaten recently? What did you eat?”…a “go first, look later” mentality while driving…seafood flavored chips and crackers…double pork burger with cheese flavored chips…no public displays of affection…people always wanting to know what you’re carrying in your bag(s)…the worship of nature…building roads and structures around trees…tile flooring everywhere…showers having no stalls (you can shower while on the toilet if you wished!)…no bathtubs…temples of immense intricacies……deep respect for elders…people wai-ing each other…wai-ing trees and mountains…little Saturday…a love for holidays and festivals… people smiling at each other…all the time…finding value in happiness…a disinterest in foreign cuisines, resulting in their own cuisine’s decadence…everyone stopping what they are doing at 6PM to listen to a song in honor of His Majesty the King...

The list could continue. This is a wonderful country and I understand why so many people “get stuck” here. While Monte and I are excited for the next steps that lie ahead, Lampang will be missed. Packing up our apartment was bittersweet. It was our first apartment in a foreign country, our home away from home.

Our next step? Wednesday we will stay at the Thai Elephant Conservation Center to take park in the homestay program. We’re doing an evaluation on the program and will get to play with elephants too :) Then it’s up to Chiang Mai for Songkran, Thai New Year, where it’s customary to throw water on all individuals you see for three days straight…Then? We’ll get our PADI open water diving certificates on Koh Tao, then head to Malaysia for a couple weeks, then we’ll fly home on May 20th!

Feelings of excitement, reminiscence, happiness, and sadness surround us…

Thai Elephant Day!

One of the best things about Thai culture is their love for holidays. Since elephants have played such an intricate role in their culture for thousands of years, it's not surprising that these pachyderms get their own day on March 13th. Elephants are given blessings from monks, elaborate ceremonies are held, and big feasts are prepared for the elephants. Perhaps all of the world's countries should hold their own honorific day. Yaaay elephants!


Monk Blessing




The Feast

Lost in Laos

The morning's fog had lifted from the Mekong Valley. Gretchen and I were an hour into the second day of our boat journey that had begun in the town of Houei Xai, a town on the Thai border. The boat pulled into the steep, sandy bank of the small village of Thaxoang. Gretchen, myself, and one old Laotian lady were the only passengers of a boat containing over 100 westerners and a dozen Laotians to get off at this remote village. After scrambling to the top of the eroding bank, we came across a dust covered sawngtaew parked alongside three grass-roofed vendor shops. Judging from the looks we received from the vendors, it was clear we were on a path seldom traveled by foreigners. Through a series of broken English and finger counting, we negotiated a price for the taxi ride to Hongsa, the next village on our path. After finally agreeing on a price of 60,000 Kip (about 8 US dollars), we climbed into the back of the weathered vehicle with five seasoned Laotian men and we were off. The dusty road to Hongsa brought us out of the deep Mekong Valley and into the vast mountainous region of Xayaboury Provence.

Upon our arrival to Hongsa, we were brought to the "bus station" which was no more then a sign on a old wooden fence along side a dirt road which functioned as the town's main street. After explaining that we wanted to get to Xayaboury (the provincial capital) we climbed into the back of a Toyota pickup. Making ourselves as comfortable as possible amongst the sugar cane, bags of rice, spare tire, luggage, and three other passengers, we embarked on the six hour trip though the mountains. As we weaved our way up the twisting road, the worn tires of the battered truck conjured up a immense serpent of dust. Anticipating the arrival of the great beast the three locals in the back with us were equipped with cloth armored face masks and over-sized sunglasses. We had no such protection... After multiple mountain passes, bridge-less river crossings, isolated villages, blazing sun, and the endless cloud of dust, it became abundantly clear; We were in Laos.

Traveling in Laos was a learning experience for both Gretchen and I. Much like Cambodia, Laos is filled with dichotomies. The landscape is breath-taking but so is the smog. The people are friendly and yet so poor. The soil is fertile but filled with bombs. The food is delicious but it won't stay down... Our travels brought us from quiet Mekong villages to the crowded and chaotic elephant festival. From laid-back Luang Prabang to shattered Phonsavan. From trendy Vang Vieng to relaxed Vientiane, and finally to the seemingly comatose southern provinces. All in all we had a wonderful time experiencing the fascinating culture, the friendly hospitality, and learning about their troubled past.

In an effort to end the Pathet Lao Communist Movement, and disrupt the transport of supplies into Vietnam via the Ho Chi Minh Trail, The US dropped over two million tons of ordinance on Laos during a nine year period from 1964 to 1974 in what is now referred to as America's Secret War. This amounts to about 12 metric tons per square kilometer in areas that were bombed or about half a ton for every person in the country at the time. This makes Laos the most heavily bombed country per capita in the world. It is estimated that about one bomb was dropped every eight minutes for nine years. In fact, the US dropped more bombs on Laos during this time than it dropped on Japan and Germany combined during WWII.Since the end of the war UXOs (unexploded ordinance)continue the pose a serious threat to the people of Laos. Around thirty percent of all the bombs dropped didn't explode on impact. If disturbed, UXOs can explode and they continue to kill and injure people to this day. The presence of UXOs in Laos has resulted in some thirteen thousand casualties since the end of the war, half of which are children. The presence of UXOs also amplifies the country's poverty by preventing the people from using the land. For more information checkout www.mag.org.uk and see the documentaries "Bombies" and "Bomb Harvest."

AND WE'RE OFF!...in a couple days

Monte and I are uprooting our recently settled lives in Lampang to journey to Laos. We leave on Wednesday morning and will return to Lampang in 3ish weeks. We will first attend an elephant festival which is near the town of Sayaboury, which is near the town of Luang Prabang (for those who care to look at a map). Then we will travel around the north, then work our way south.

Laos should be very interesting. It's a country I never knew much about. Turns out, Americans should know a lot more than we do about this small country. After all, it's because of us that Laos is the most bombed country IN THE WORLD. Yes, that's right, we decided to carpet bomb the entire nation during Vietnam. Wow, our government sure has made some smart decisions. A huge problem plaguing the nation are the unexploded bombs which, like Cambodia, continue to kill and maim innocent civilians. While we do plan to venture into the jungle for some nature time, we will be smart and go on the beaten path. Not to worry.

We will not be bringing our laptop as the country probably only has wireless access in Vientiane, the capital. We will check in to internet cafes when possible, but probably won't do much with the blog. But when we get back, get ready for a huuuge post with soooo many pictures... :)

The Two Faces of Tourism

Tourism. While it really has some benefits, there are so many harmful things it produces. Thailand isn't losing its culture, but it's taking a backseat to westernized culture. Of course, there are many, many places around Thailand that receive little-to-no visitors, primarily in the east and in the mountains, and their culture is as true as it was 100 years ago. Things are even poor and undeveloped. But when you go to touristy areas, you find yourself questioning your presence there. What am I contributing to?

Think of all the pollution that global travel has produced. Think about all of the water bottles that get thrown away by tourists who can't drink the local water. Think about how all of those bottles don't get recycled and get buried in the ground. Think about all the energy that's used to wash sheets and towels for a guesthouse or hotel. Think about how polluted local's minds get when they see a fat, white man in a speedo.

Were it not for tourism, Thailand would be an incredibly homogeneous nation, with little exposure to anything outside of Asia. I find value in a racially diverse environment, but I think this is a western idea. I want my children to have as much exposure to diversity as possible. But, while not always the case, diversity is capable of eroding a culture. I can't help but think of all the young children who get exposed to white people with purple hair, abnormal piercings, abnormal tattoos, etc. and can't help but feel bad that I'm contributing to the possible demise of their culture.

I don't even want to get into the issues around the sex industry - that's a blog on its own...

Monte and I have been hanging out with Josh who is researching elephants. (He's getting his PhD and was actually the first person to get elephants to self-recognize...he's now doing intelligence tests on elephants...and...he's only 26. Bastard). Anyway, he's been living in Chiang Mai for a while now and has grasped a good deal of the language. He took us out to a mostly all-Thai club the other night that was far enough away from town that many tourists didn't go there. It was amazing to see how westernized it was. Although there were subtle differences, and although we had a really fun night there, it seemed like such a shame that it wasn't more uniquely Thai.

I'm not expecting the world to not change. I'm not saying that cultures shouldn't change and adjust with the world around them. I want people to have access to the same things as I do - like electricity, good roads, a washing machine, hell, a dishwasher! But this brings about minor changes to their culture...

Of course, tourism has brought many good things to Thailand as well. Tourism is the reason that Thailand is the most wealthy nation in SE Asia. Tourism has brought so much money into this country. And, since logging was banned in 1989, the conservation of domesticated elephants is in the tourist's hands. Elephants have nothing else to do but tourism and without it, their mahouts have no food to feed them, have no food to feed themselves, have no food to feed their families, have no money to pay for a house...I hate the idea that elephants are only used for our entertainment purposes, but I hate it less than the possibility of not having elephants. Interacting with domestic elephants teaches people about the importance of the preservation of wild elephants, and that education is precious and irreplaceable.

It's possible for tourism to do a lot of good, it's just important for tourists to be more conscience of the consequences of their actions.

Whims of Impulsivity and Irrationality

Strolling through the aisles at our local grocery store, I'm thinking of how we don't really need anything...so why are we here? I slow as I near the tea aisle. I think of how delightful a cup of tea can be. Yes, that's it. I'll buy some tea. It's not that bad of a purchase - well, we did have tea at home, so we didn't need it, but it's better than chips or cookies (not that we weren't buying those as well). I see a tea box labeled "sliming herb" that was placed on the very top shelf. Interesting. I take it down for closer inspection. There's a silhouette of a skinny woman with perky breasts and flowers surrounding her. I turn the box to inquire further. It says,

"Sliming (herb). Indication: Sliming: this herb is good for the overweighted person who do not want to control food consuming and should be taken both male and female."

The rational side of me thinks this is bogus, but the irrational, hopeful side, the side that wants to believe that a magical tea can make you thinner,doesn't allow me to put the box back on the shelf. What about the power of thought? Perhaps if I will it enough to work...it will...

I ended up purchasing it, much to Monte's chagrin...

So, two times a day I am to drink this COLD tea...

I'll keep you posted.

The Bridge Over the River Kwai

Monte and I have been in Lampang for now 6 weeks. We recently realized how we've spent that entire 6 weeks within the province of Lampang and haven't seen much else of Thailand... So we took advantage of the fact that Richard Lair had to go to Laos for a few days, got on a night train, and went to Kanchanaburi. Most of you probably know this town - the town that surrounds the bridge over the River Kwai.

This was a great experience. The town itself is very touristy, but the area around it is so beautiful. The bridge is majestic (well, only after you know its history...before that, you'd never know it was special). We learned a lot about WWII that school hadn't taught us. Monte and I are really discovering on this trip how eurocentric our education system really is. This realization really hit hard in Mexico when massive civilizations flourished (i.e. the Olmecs, Aztecs, Mayans, Zapotecs, etc) yet they were paid no attention compared to the Roman Empire. I never heard of these civilizations until I stumbled upon them on my own. The same thing is true with WWII. We spent so much time covering what was happening in Europe that I honestly didn't know that Japan had taken over most of Asia until college. I had no idea the atrocities and hardships took place.

For those who don't know the story of the bridge over the river Kwai...The Japanese occupied Thailand and wanted to build a railroad linking Bangkok to Burma to transport arsenal and to further their occupation. The construction of the bridge should have taken 5 years, but the Japanese forced their POW's (Burmese, Malays, Americans, Europeans, etc) to complete it in only 16 months. Over 100,000 men died during the construction of the Death Railway to Burma.



Apart from the depressing sites to be seen, we visited the Erawan Waterfalls. I had seen these waterfalls before, but I knew Monte would absolutely love them. It's a 7-tiered waterfall that you can climb up to, swim in, and in some cases slide down the rocks. After this we took a train ride over the bridge and went into a man-made cave that was used as a hospital.

We also saw some ivory being sold in the markets...This, as you can imagine, upset me a great deal. You can see the disgust on my face...Of course, I will report them. It was fun to get away from Lampang for a couple days. We got so settled here that things no longer seemed foreign or adventuresome, so getting out was a necessity. We’re going to try to get away more often.

2008 Reflections

2008 – it was a good year. It brought many opportunities and blessings to both Monte and myself, with very small challenges here and there. We both held jobs that paid remarkably well without being over-worked. We were able to save up for a year long trip… We are so lucky that we’ve been able to do this. On the one hand, it’s so unfair that we have enough money to leave the country for a year and not get paid at all…think of all the people in the world that would benefit from one of our dollars. On the other hand, we can’t save everyone and we know that.


2008 taught Monte and I how important our family and friends are. We’ve always known and appreciated the people in our lives, but this past year has made it blatantly obvious. Now that we’re so far away from you all, we’re realizing how much we miss you. Really, missing someone is a good feeling…Think if we didn’t miss anyone at all back home. That would be sad!


2008 brought us to Mexico, Cambodia and Thailand. Each of these countries taught us lessons and made us grow both as individuals and as a couple. I can’t help but daydream where 2009 could possibly take us. We will go to Laos in February for sure, but we might even be able to go to Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, maybe even the Philippines. Hell—why not New Zealand and Australia?


2008 taught us lessons about the economy and how a bad president can not only change one country, but the entire world.


2008 brought a great deal of change to Thailand as well. Thailand has seen four Prime Ministers in the past year…can you imagine? From an outsider’s perspective, you might think that Thailand really isn’t catching onto the idea of democracy—that you vote, majority wins, and then a few years down the line there’s another election. Here, a Prime Minister is elected and the opposing side doesn’t like him (there are usually corruption charges) so they protest until that PM steps down. Then, that side’s PM takes power, and the other side rises up until he steps down as well…But, to be honest, Americans could learn some lessons from Thailand. Thais are able to mobilize together and stand up for what they believe in. As a group, they can accomplish so much by just being persistent. During the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement Americans were able to mobilize and stand up for what they believed in. Where is that passion now? What’s the difference between Vietnam and Iraq? They are both unjust wars…When there’s corruption in Thailand, the people take a stand and demand change. That’s admirable, even if it’s not all that efficient.


2008 brought personal challenges to some of our good friends and family members, but all in all, we have so much to be grateful for. Thanks to all of you who made our 2008 a wonderful year :)