Koh Chang, Paradise?

So after seven hours on a buss (Luxury ac one) with a Hannah in pain, we arrived to the ferry..


The Taxi transport they got here is Tuck Tucks.. Basically a Pickup truck with seats in the back and a roof. They are smart here and have gone together and set a fixed price making bargaining impossible.. Man it makes me mad.. They wont go under 50 bath..

We went to a bungalow village on Thai bay mentioned in Philips guidebook, PORN BUNGALOWS!? Apparantly Porn is the last name of the brothers running it.. Hmm.. Accommodation was 350 bath per night for a double bed bungalow with attached bath..

The worst about Thailand I figure (It's beautiful and hassle free, if you wanna pay (you cind of have to since ther's no cheap alternative) is that the portions is to small unless you wanna pay a fortune.. Goodbye 20 rps thali..

350 baht is 'Only' (hrmmm) the second most expensive accommodation we have had so far this trip (only Goa was more expensive)..







I rented a scooter and took Filip to a shooting range so he could fulfill his dream of firing a gun..
He chose the Glock and payed 1500 baht to fire 20 rounds (Jesus!) (or Shiva). It only took 40 minutes to drive there... (see him fire it in the video)

I quite liked this bungalow (Real luxury was my exact thought) but Filips' back hurt tho the Bed was to hard (I didn't mind) so Phillip and Filip went on a hunt for a softer bed..

They found a RESORT.. I thought I had luxury and suddenly we were moving to a resort with soft beds, hot shower, big Bungalows, BREAKFAST BUFFE (you heard me) and Pool...

HALELULEA!!! (hare krishna, hare rama!!)

Since Filip is on vacqation and not Backpacking he's on a bit higher budget so he pays for most of it (I would rather sleep on the beach then pay a thousand bath).. Thanks!!

The best about this place (K.B resort) is (you might have guessed it) not the pool (second best) but the Breakfeast buffe!!!

Halelulea!!!


We (me, Hannah, Philip and Filip) decided to go on a snorkeling trip and payed 600 baht (I wanted to cry) for a full day baoat trip visiting 4 islands snorkeling.. (buffe food included (how did I get persuaded???) ).. poor Hannah did not feel good in the morning and decided to stay home, she told uss she would get a massage instead..

We got picked up and brought to the boat.. It was uss and 200 thai people (guess some vacation started recently or something??) on one boat..


I Got to steer the boat for an hour (Of X this meant me being the Captain bossing people around! O hoy, raise the ankor, swab the deck maggots.. Arrgh)...
I sang songs and entertained the crew for a while.. Some how the looked at me like I was nuts.. Wonder why? might have been the dancing I did...




We saw fish and a lot of Thais in lifevests (about 400 since a lot of boats went to the same place, poor reefs) and got to dive of the boat!! We also meet some Nice Americans. Carter and Grace!
Carter is a forest fire fighter in Washington state and after talking to him for about 5 minutes about it (more like 5 seconds) I decided it is something I want to do for a season or two..

Some forrest guy is going to get a lot of calls about filling out papers for work permits and stuff.. Actually I might just go to the states and deal with it there..

We were semi disappointed about the snorkeling but had a very nice day..



We spent the next two days chilling by the pool (if you pay for it you might as well use it) and the evenings chilling with our new friends! We managed to hitch hike back from one beach we went to one of the nights saving 100 baht each (night rate, wtf??). we did have to walk the last kilometer and a half but I picked up some noodles (10 baht) at 7/11 so I managed..


















Nice!! we basicly got attacked by rain.. 5 min before it was sun..




Witch Filip did just arrive and witch one have been traveling for 3 month??


O well last day on ko chang todayof to Cambodia In the morning.. Siam reap it's called.. the town next to Angkor What the 8th wonder of the world!!

Bangkok, Thailand.. A diffrent world...

I landed at Bangkok airport... I only say one thing HOLY SHIT!! That airport must be the 37th man made wonder of the world.. I payed a fortune for the buss (150 baht) and got in to this VERY clean city (in comparison to India I can almost eat (literally) on the street).

Everything is so different and I kind of miss India (a lot) already and I haven't yet spent 48 hours here.

So far noticed differences:

• It's not so friendly as in India. they are much more used to tourists here (tourists with FAT wallets).
• Bargaining don't work.. I say 30 baht, he say not possible and then he turns his attention somewhere else. In India they would follow me two blocks down until the would offer it for a price where they almost wouldn't have a margin (the sad truth a lot of the time)..
• Vehicles are not recycled monsters from the 60s but modern things with working turn lights.
• They actually seem to have traffic rules like lane driving, speed limits and shit. I India the horn was the only rule. the louder gets there first.
• I have so far seen more tourists than Thai people (slight exaggeration, but you get the point).
  
• Stuff works when you expect it to (WHAT?!?).
• It is much less hustle. (they have figured out how to get money out of you in easier ways.. "O cheep ticket to this island.. O, the the return ticket is five times the amount.. How interesting")
  
• People aren't as nice.. (not surprised tho there is as many tourists as Thai people in this country.. At least it feels that way. OK, they're still nice but not in comparison.. They wont fall in love with you like in India.)

I love animals..














They got clouds in this country!

















Hannah getting a pirceing at Ko san road..


















Filip (whom is joining us for two weeks) is quite the poser.. Photo here.. O wait one more in this angle... haha.. gotta love him. This is him posing at an expensive boat we took with Vickan a mate from back home and some of her friends and Hannah the Brit who tagged along from Rishikesh (Lovely group)



Vickan herself was not posing as good.. ;)

We'll see how it turns out.. Apart from it being really expensive I quite like it...


Next I'm of to Ko Chang (island close to the Cambodian Border) (buss 220 bath)

Kolkata in 17 hours...

Unfortunately I didn't have time to see much of this city... (I took a cab to the postal office in the evening and asked for taximeter.. This somehow made the driver take me on sightseeing (in darkness, without asking if this was what I wanted, Surprise?!) so I saw a few things I guess)


I love the train stations and trains and train tracs








Chickens sold by the basket on the street in central Kolkata (6:45am)




arranged for pic up too the airport at 6:30 (200 rps) to go to Thailand..

The airport was pretty much what I expected. A little confusing, 'interesting' security and overpriced food stalls..

Here are some pics from the airport..

Hannah did get to see the Taj Mahal!











Emigrantionating to Thailand












What can I say.. IT IS?!





It feels sad to leave India. I love this country..

In Varanasi

Crazy city..

Met Kristoffer and Johanna. Was very nice with some familiar faces.

(the bad ass Kristoffer is practicing his role for the next sprite commercial)




We got a super nice clean room at the Shiva guesthouse (one of 6 guesthouses with the same name) and crashed early the first night.

In Varanasi I saw burning bodies (No photos here.. Don't want bad karma do we??) and a lot of filth and animals. I got lost in the narrow alleys filled with life and hustlers and I ate some 20 rps thali, Super good)

I had Indians walking up to me speaking Hebrew thinking I was israeli.. A lot of Issis here!

I woke up early and watched the sunrise and got the 'living zoo' experience. MONKEYS!!!! Gotta love them (Alon loved monkeys)


There was a good amount of all kinds of animals in Varanasi.









Well only the usual.. Monkeys, dogs, cows, goats and then the humans treated like animals (the poor kid works at a dosa (south Indian pancake bread served with different types of masala (spiced stews of vegetable)) daba (a indian local resturant) around the clock, dont get any school and probably don't get salary (It might get sent to his family somewhere if he recives any)

In just a few days I'll be going to Thailand!! Whoo hoo.. Started to miss Philip a bit..

Well first I'll have to spend a night in Kolkata...




























I think it's quite horrible that the standard clothes doll is white in India.. But then the don't sell tan lotion but bleach lotion.... Hrmmm






All of the monkey photos are taken at our guest house (sunrise, day and from inside our room)

Going to Varranassi the most holy hindu city.

This is just some pictures from the train journey from Haridowar to Varranassi. I went with Hannah the London girl I meet in Rishikesh.

In some parts of India you get your 3rps chai in a one use clay cup. It litteraly goes back to earth when you trow it out the train window.. Genius
(a lot of fun trowing em too)




Passing landscape is always fun to photograph as it's constantly changing. Her's a family on a motorbike.They're only 3 on this one but I have seen 6.












Our train was 6 hours late so we were standing still at some small (very small) village stations for some hours. Kids wanting the empty water bottles would come up and fight each other for the right to the bottle.


(Notice the stair of the girl in red... She was a true master)





A girl getting water from a well. She's like 7???





Me relaxing on the train.


(I almost had to beat a boy (like 13 years old) because he was humping his arms starring at Hannahs breast and would not get the point, that it was not appreciated. I told him three times, last time I opened my eyes wide showing my teeth and raised my arm above my head, before he looked hurt and went away to peer at her at a distance)



The local thugs hanging out looking for green pray.

Rishikesh