Amsterdam Pictures

New Years in Dam Square
Dam Square

Chilling in a coffee shop on New Years Eve afternoon and

don't mind the fact that I am wearing the same thing in every picture... didnt have much of a choice since my bags had a mind of their own.
Walking around Amsterdam

Kat and I my first night in Amsterdam
Kat, Anna and another Sarah in bar called Grasshopper

Sipadan

Here is a pic of sipadan island

Alright, so we made it to Semporna. Took a 10 hour bus journey through the jungle last night and arrive here fairly ahead of schedule. The bus driver was a mad man and was pretending to be a race car driver passing other busses up and down the mountain in the rain. I swear that I woke up and we were driving in the mud up a hill and was convinced that we were going to get stuck. We arrived in a neighboring town at 4:30am and got a taxi to Semporna which was an hour and a half ride. Again, we chose well concerning the driver and although the speedometer was broken I am convinced at some points we were breaking the sound barrier. Creeping up on this small water village we could see the sun rising with tall palm trees and mountians with beautiful reds and oranges seeping out behind. Found a place to stay that is a series of buildings built on stilts above the water. There is not much to do in this town as we have found out quickly and seems diving is the main attraction. We walked around today checking out dive shops and took a walk through the market where I saw piles of my fav. porcupine puffer fish for sale, bought some fruit and got stared at by pretty much everyone. Seem to be some of the very few non-locals here and had every little boy and girl in our faces staring us down, smiling, pointing and even yelling from across the street to wave and say hi.

Think we found a shop we want to dive with so will probably be diving tomorrow and neither one of us can wait. Thinking we will do 3 days of 3 dives while we are here... or until we ar satisfied I guess but keep your fingers crossed for us... supposed to be amazing. Including loads of turtles, possibly 20 on one dive, lots of sharks...hopefully hammerheads, manta rays and loads more.

Just a quicky

Heading out today back to Malaysia. Left Kuala Lumpur four days ago and headed down to Singapore on my FIRST train ride. Singapore is a beautiful city, very clean and def. doesnt feel like we are in Asia. There are shopping malls everywhere... like 30+ on one street, it's pretty ridiculous. Cam and I have just been walking around a lot, he's 'teaching' me to use the train system, ha...I just let him think he's teaching me something. We have been eating lots of good food and a few beers especially at this area called Clarkes Quay, its right along the Singapore River and has been made into a night life spot with tons of resturants and bars. It's really beautiful at night as well. Last night we went on this G-Max ride. Its a couple of seats connected to a bungee on either side and shoots you 60meters in the air at 200kph in 2 sec. I dont know how he got me on there but it was crazy!!! I screamed like mad the whole time. We got the video of us and is hilarious! We are off today back to Malaysia and then over to Borneo tomorrow... I am itching to get back in the water and the diving in Sipidan Island (where we are going) is suppose to be amazing... Can't wait!!!
Will post pics soon. Miss everyone...

AMSTERDAM

First of all, Happy New Year... Sorry for the late post but I am just beginning to feel normal again. Amsterdam is INSANE!!!
My mom and grandma dropped me off at the airport on the 29th and was feeling great... new adventures and very excited... So I had a short flight to JFK and as soon as everyone boards the small plane the captain comes on and says that the plane apparently 'broke' during boarding... who says that? the plane broke.
I was sitting next to an older woman with rosary beads in her hand, dont think she was too comfortable after that. So we all have to get off and get on another plane. Once we are on the new one, he comes over again and says the airflow system or something like that on this one is 'broke'... Great... he says as soon as we get in the air it will be fine. We start to get in line to taxi and he informs us that JFK is not letting any more planes take off that are heading there because they are really busy so we have to sit on the runway in this tiny plane with no airflow system for almost 2 hours. I land in NY at 6pm... which is exactly the same time my flight to Dublin was taking off... good times. To make a long story short, I get another flight through Franfort, Germany and when I arrive in Amsterdam it comes as NO surprise that my luggage is sitting in NY. I dont end up getting my luggage until I go back to the airport to fly to bangkok...
I am stupid and had all my info in my checked luggage so all I knew was to take the train to central station, take a right over a bridge, the name of the hostel and that the street started with an S. I wandered around for about an hour and decided that I should ask someone... went into a dive shop and they looked it up in the phone book and drew me a little map, really nice guys.
Found my hostel, looked at the bed I was to sleep in but had nothing to drop off as I had nothing except a travel pillow, a few books and snacks my mom had packed me...
Hooked up with Kat and Anna and headed out. We had the best time. Lots of food, bars, coffee shops... went to the red light district... The hookers are basically behind a glass door that is literally on the street, you can see a bed in the background and she just pulls the curtain if someone wants to go in... it was crazy. Went to the Van Gogh museum and the Heineken Factory. Spent New Years in Dam Square... they had a dj and the place was packed. Fireworks going off EVERYWHERE. They were real fireworks too. Those people are insane... they were just standing on the side of the street lighting them off one after another. And when I say street its really just 20 ft walkways in between buildings. People were running down the street trying to get away from them, the streets were COVERED in the firework wrappers. It was the best New Years I have ever had... I never could have guessed last New Years that I would be in Amsterdam this year. So, as a summary... I loved Ams. had a blast, crazy place... even without any clothes. AMAZING.
So I head back to the airport and head off to Bangkok.
Spent one night there and then back to the airport to head down to Malaysia... I had to pay twice what my ticket cost for being 28 kilos over the limit. Need to sort through my bag and get rid of things I guess. Met Cameron in Kuala Lumpur and we are heading to Singapore this afternoon. Will try to be better with the updates.

I'm off again!

Less than 12 hours left until I leave home yet again... It has been GREAT being home although I have to admit I'm a little anxious to get back to warm weather, back in the water and where it doesnt matter what time it is let alone what day of the week...
Thanks to everyone who re-arranged their schedules to spend some time with me while I was home, it was awesome seeing everyone, you all made me feel special.
Off to Amsterdam to meet up with Kat and Anna whom I met while in Roatan. What a great place to celebrate the start of a new year! After Amsterdam I will be going to Malaysia to travel a bit more and then try to settle and find a job as a divemaster... somewhere...
I've been running around trying to get everything I need along with spending time with family who constantly seem to be trying to fatten me up...
Packing, updating my i-pod; my single favorite thing and weighing my bags. Tons of fun!
Hope everyone has a fantastic Holiday and will try to keep you updated on my travels.

3 MORE DAYS IN THE STATES

my fam after my mom's bday dinner
more family, christopher, kristy, me and brad,

had a little bit of wine:)

my room which is a dumping grounds right now and my bed buddy Bo

So, I only have 3 more days left. I have felt like I have been running around like a chicken with my head cut off but things have finally slowed down which is good since I have loads of odds and ends to sort until I leave for another 6 months. It's been great being home altough I've realized living next to my mom and Grandma is NOT good for my waistline! Spent time with family for my mom's birthday, lots of meals with friends and Christmas was good altough I dont take rain as a replacement for snow. Think I'll live...
My blood still hasn't thickend (sp?) up yet and have been wearing 2 pairs of socks (my mom's of course since I have only 2 pairs of my own). Bought a dive gear bag and BCD (the vest that controls your buoyancy and holds the tank) which is super exciting. I sold my car to my Dad which was great just because it's one less thing for me to worry about and makes it easy since he's family.

Getting prepared to meet my girls in Amsterdam for New Years and can not wait! That should be a crazy time...

Hope everyone has a GREAT holiday!!!

GETTING TOGETHER WITH OLD FRIENDS

Liam and I
Megan, Harmony, Betsy, Liam, Andrea, Erin and Myself.

Everyone in the back row is either pregnant or has a baby.

So I've been home for a little over a week now and have been getting together with friends, seeing the changes I have been missing. I have a group of 5 girlfriends from high school that I had been getting together with for about 2 years once a month and when I left my friend Betsy (whoI have been friends with for 23 years) was pregnant and now she has a 4mth old baby boy and 3 of the other girls are pregnant. Crazy how things change. It's been really good to see everyone although I have to admit I still can't believe we are old enough to have babies!!!

Also got together with my girlfriends from college including Jessi who was in Roatan with me. Not much has changed there... we spent the night drinking wine and pretty much acting as we did 10 years ago...

It's been really fun.

HOME

SPENT ABOUT 36 HOURS GETTING BACK HOME... HAD 3 STOP OVERS IN BANGKOK, TAIWAN AND LAX. GUESS IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE.
I ARRIVED IN DC AT 5am AND JESSI PICKED ME UP FROM THE AIRPORT AND WE HAD A LITTLE REUNION DAY AND THEN SHE TOOK ME TO MEET MY MOM WHO IS DRIVING MY CAR WHICH WAS REALLY WEIRD TO GET INTO AFTER BEING AWAY FROM FOR SO LONG.
CAME HOME AND IT FELT LIKE I HAD NEVER LEFT. THINGS SEEMED THE SAME AS WHEN I LEFT WHICH WAS NICE. GOT UP ON FRIDAY MORNING AND DROVE UP TO ANNAPOLIS AND WENT TO MY OLD WORK CHRISTMAS PARTY. NO ONE KNEW I WAS COMING SO THAT WAS REALLY FUN TO SURPRISE EVERYONE. HAD A GREAT NIGHT CATCHING UP WITH EVERYONE AND DANCED LIKE CRAZY AS WELL.
STAYED AT JULIE'S LAST NIGHT AND CAME HOME TODAY AND HAVENT GOTTEN OUT OF MY PAJAMAS. ALL MY WINTER CLOTHES ARE PACKED UP AT MY FRIEND KIM'S HOUSE SO MY SUPPLY OF WARM CLOTHES ARE LIMITED. WENT TO THE VIDEO STORE TODAY AND RAN INTO MY MOM AND STEPDAD, TOM AND I HEAR HIM FROM ACROSS THE STORE SAY DO YOU ALWAYS WEAR YOUR PAJAMAS OUT? IM WEARING PINK STRIPED PAJAMA PANTS. ANYWAYS, SO I WILL BE HOME FOR ABOUT 3 WEEKS AND THEN WILL BE HEADING TO AMSTERDAM FOR NEW YEARS AND THEN BACK TO ASIA. I WILL BE GETTING MY CELL PHONE TURNED BACK ON WITH THE SAME NUMBER TOMORROW SO I WILL START CALLING PEOPLE SINCE I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT ANYONE'S PHONE NUMBER IS WITHOUT IT. HOPE TO SEE EVERYONE SOON!!!

PICTURES FROM THE SANCTUARY

MY FRIEND CLAIRE AND I DOING WHAT

WE DID EVERYDAY WHILE FASTING

LONGTAIL

SITTING ON THE BEACH
THIS IS THE WELLNESS CENTER WHERE

I HUNG OUT MOST OF THE TIME
THE SANCTUARY FROM A DISTANCE

LIVEABOARD PICTURES

HERE ARE A FEW PICTURES ...

FIRST IS OF ONE OF THE SIMILAN ISLANDS, ELEPHANT HEAD ROCK; ONE OF OUR DIVE SITES, THE BOAT AND THEN LASTLY THE DOLPHINS...

BACK IN THE WORLD OF THE EATING

I FINISHED MY FAST AND FEEL GREAT. I DEFINATELY HAD A HARD TIME FOR A FEW DAYS OF IT BUT ON MY 6TH DAY I FELT BETTER MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY THAN I EVER HAVE. I WOKE UP AND WENT TO THE BEACH, I FELT LIKE I HAD TONS OF ENERGY, EVERYTHING LOOKED BRIGHT AND CRISP. IT WAS A REALLY GOOD DAY. WELL, I COULD GO ON AND ON ABOUT HOW GREAT THE DETOX WAS BUT WONT BORE YOU, JUST SAY THAT IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS I HAVE EVER DONE.

I AM IN PHUKET NOW AND WILL REMAIN HERE UNTIL I COME HOME. LAST NIGHT I STAYED IN PHUKETTOWN AND RANDOMLY STAYED IN THE GUESTHOUSE THEY USED FOR THE MOVIE THE BEACH. THE ONE SUPPOSEDLY IN BANGKOK WHERE HE MEETS THE GUY THAT GIVES HIM THE MAP... ANYWAYS WAS KIND OF DINGY AND CREEPY. I HAD THE FLOURESENT LIGHT SHINING THROUGH THE SCREEN ONTO MY BED FROM THE HALLWAY ALL NIGHT AND THEN MY NEIGHBOR MUST HAVE HAD A LITTLE TO DRINK AND COME HOME LATE AND WOKE ME UP. SOUNDED LIKE HE WAS IN MY ROOM BUT COULD HEAR HIM STAGGERING AROUND HIS ROOM FOR WHAT FELT LIKE AN HOUR. WHEN I WOKE UP THIS MORNING AND WENT TO THE TOILET THERE WERE SMALL PILES OF CLOTHES THROWN ABOUT... INCLUDING HIS SHORTS WITH THE BELT STILL ATTACHED AND HIS UNDERWEAR SOAKING WET. GAVE ME A GOOD LAUGH FIRST THING AT LEAST.
MOVED TO PATONG BEACH TODAY. FOUND A REALLY NICE PLACE TO STAY FOR MY LAST FEW DAYS. SPENT THE DAY WONDERING AROUND CHECKING OUT SOME SHOPS THAT SELL DIVE GEAR AND TRYING FOR A FEW CHRISTMAS PRESENTS.
I AM REALLY EXCITED ABOUT COMING HOME ALTHOUGH I DONT KNOW IF I CAN HANDLE THE WEATHER. CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME!!!

UNDERWATER PHOTOS

HERE ARE SOME UNDERWATER PICS FROM MY LIVEABOARD, A GUY SHARED HIS PICS WITH ME.

THE SANCTUARY

I HAVE BEEN IN KOH PAN NGAN FOR A FEW DAYS NOW... CAME HERE TO DO A 7 DAY FAST. SOUNDS CRAZY BECAUSE I LOVE FOOD AND RIGHT NOW IM TRYING TO REMEMBER WHAT I WAS THINKING WHEN I SIGNED UP FOR THIS!
I AM STAYING AT THE WELLNESS CENTER AT A PLACE CALLED THE SANTUARY. IT IS RIGHT ON THE BEACH AND IS BEAUTIFUL.
BASCIALLY 2 DAYS BEFORE I STARTED THE FAST I HAD TO ONLY DRINK WATER OR TEA AND ONLY RAW FRUITS AND VEGGIES. STARTED THE FAST 3 DAYS AGO, I HAVE 4 OF THESE CLAY SHAKES A DAY (THEY ARE SUPPOSE TO GRAB ONTO ALL THE LEFT OVER STUFF IN YOUR STOMACH), HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS 4 TIMES, A FEW OTHER DRINKS MEANT TO FLUSH THE SYSTEM AND VEG. BROTH FOR DINNER. ITS ACTUALLY BEEN REALLY NICE, ALL THE FASTERS HANG OUT AT THE WELLNESS CENTER AND READ OR SLEEP. NO FOOD IS ALOUD THERE WHICH IS NICE. EVEN THOUGH I AM FEELING TIRED AND A LITTLE SPACEY I FEEL GOOD, MY STOMACH IS SO EMPTY BUT IN A GOOD WAY. I COPIED THIS BLURB FROM THE INTERNET... MY BRAIN ISN'T WORKING SO WELL TO EXPLAIN.

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THEY ALSO OFFER YOGA TWICE A DAY, THERE IS A SPA HERE, AND MEDITATION ALONG WITH ALL KINDS OF WORKSHOPS YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR.
I GOT A THAI MASSAGE YESTERDAY, IT WAS FANTASTIC AND HAVE BEEN GOING TO MEDITATION EVERY OTHER NIGHT.
I HAVE MY OWN LITTLE BUNGALOW WHERE I CAN CAN HEAR THE WAVES CRASHING ON THE BEACH. I HAVENT HAD MY OWN ROOM SINCE I LEFT BANGKOK AND I AM ENJOYING IT.
WELL, I WILL BE DONE THE FAST ON THURS. BUT WILL STAY HERE FOR A FEW DAYS AFTER. YOU HAVE TO STICK TO RAW FOODS FOR 2-3 DAYS AFTER AS WELL. AND DONT WORRY MOM-IT IS COMPLETELY SAFE AND WILL BE GOOD AS NEW WHEN IM FINISHED. ALSO MOM, PLEASE NO MORE EMAILS TALKING ABOUT ALL THE FOOD YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE ME WHEN I GET HOME... :) IT'S TORTURE.
I WILL BE HEADING TO PHUKET NEXT AND THEN WILL FLY HOME FROM THERE. SO SEE EVERYONE SOON!!!

DIVING IN THE SIMILAN AND SURIN ISLANDS

BACK FROM MY DIVE TRIP. IT WAS REALLY NICE. BEAUTIFUL ISLANDS, GOOD DIVING AND AMAZING FOOD. WE TOOK THE FERRY TO PHUKET ON THURSDAY AND THEN HAD AN HOUR 1/2 RIDE TO KHAOLAK. FINALLY GOT ON THE BOAT AND DEPARTED AROUND 9pm. THERE WERE 16 OTHER DIVERS, 4 INSTRUCTORS AND 6 BOAT STAFF. WE DID 14 DIVES IN 4 DAYS, I ONLY DID 13 (SAT OUT ONE SHORT NIGHT DIVE CAUSE MY EAR WAS BOTHERING ME, BUT ITS ALL BETTER NOW). THE FIRST 3 DAYS WERE 4 DIVES A DAY INCLUDING A NIGHT DIVE AND THE LAST DAY WAS 2 DIVES. REALLY BEAUTIFUL DIVING. THE ISLANDS AND DIVE SITES WERE BASICALLY BIG ROCKS WITH HUGE BOULDERS PILED EVERYWHERE. SOME PARTS DIDN'T EVEN REALLY LOOK LIKE THEY WERE UNDERWATER, ONE LOOKED LIKE THE HILLS OF MISSOURI WITH LITTLE CORALS SPROUTING UP RANDOMLY LOOKING LIKE TREES. THERE WERE TONS AND TONS OF FISH EVERYWHERE! SAW 2 SEAHORSES, LOADS OF OCTOPUS, A WHITE TIP REEF SHARK, PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING.
FELT LIKE I HAD MY OWN PERSONAL THAI COOK. THIS SWEET LITTLE LADY WAS THE CHEF AND FED US LIKE YOUR GRANDMOTHER DOES... WE WOULD GET SUBS AND BURGERS FOR AFTERNOON SNACKS, IT WAS INSANE. I ACTUALLY THINK I MANAGED TO GAIN WEIGHT EVEN WITH ALL THE DIVING.
ONE AFTERNOON AS WE WERE TRAVELING TO OUR NEXT DESTINATION SOME DOLPHINS CAME UP TO THE FRONT OF THE BOAT AND STARTED SWIMMING WITH US... THEY LEFT AND THE CAPTAIN TURNED THE BOAT AROUND SO THAT THEY WOULD COME BACK AND MORE KEPT COMING AND I THINK THAT THERE WERE AT LEAST 10. THEY WERE JUMPING AND SWIMMING ON THEIR BACKS, PLAYING WITH US IT WAS SO CUTE! I LOVED IT.
GOT BACK TO THE MAINLAND AND STAYED IN KHAOLAK WITH 2 ENGLISH GIRLS I MET ON THE BOAT. WOKE UP YESTERDAY AND HEADED TO KOH PAN-NGAN. AN ISLAND ON THE EAST COAST. WILL BE HANGING OUT HERE FOR A BIT AND THEN I THINK TO PHUKET AND WILL FLY HOME FROM THERE. SEE EVERYONE REAL SOON!

PHI PHI PICS

HERE ARE SOME RANDOM PICS FROM PHI PHI. FIRST IS OF THE VIEW FROM MY PORCH, LAST IS OF MY FRIEND THOMAS AND I IN FRONT OF MY BUNGALOW. A FROG IN MY ROOM, PIC OF THE DIVE BOAT ON OUR WAY TO SEE THE MANTAS, PICS FROM OUR DAY ON THE LONGTAIL,OH YEAH AND OF "THE BEACH" BEACH... AND MOST IMPORTANTLY OF ME TAKING THE PLUNGE OFF THE CLIFF. CRAZY!

TON SAI PICS

HERE ARE A COUPLE PICTURES FROM TONSAI... SUNSET ON THE WAY BACK FROM A DIVE, FIRST ONE IS OF CHICKEN HEAD ISLAND BECAUSE THE ROCK TO THE LEFT LOOKS LIKE A CHICKEN HEAD. PICTURE OF MY LITTLE BUNGALOW, OF TONSAI BEACH WHEN THE TIDE HAD GONE OUT. LAST ONE IS OF RAI LEI BEACH AND ONE OF THE LONG TAIL BOATS... THE ONLY MODE OF TRANSPORT AROUND HERE.

KOH PHI PHI

I AM NOW ON KOH PHI PHI ISLAND. I WOKE UP ON FRIDAY, I THINK, AND DECIDED TO LEAVE TON SAI. IT WAS A REALLY BAD WEATHER DAY ANDWAS REALLY ONLY STICKING AROUND TO TRY CLIMBING WHICH WOUDLN'T OF BEEN HAPPENIGN THAT DAY ANYWAY DUE TO RAIN. I JUST PACKED MY BAGS AND LEFT MY ROOMIE A NOTE AND LEFT. MISSED THE BOAT STRAIGHT FROM TON SAI SO I HAD TO TAKE A LONG TAIL TO KRABI AND THEN FIND A TICKET TO PHI PHI. MET 2 REALLY COOL GUYS ON THE FERRY THAT HAD JUST MET IN BANGKOK, BOTH TRAVELING ALONE, AND WENT WE ARRIVED, DECIDE WE WOULD TRY TO FIND A PLACE TOGETHER. FOUND A STEAL, A BUNGALOW ABOUT 20 FT FROM THE BEACH AND ONE OF THE GUYS BRAD AND I ARE SHARING. THIS BAMBOO HUT MUST HAVE BEEN MADE IN A DAY BUT WAS EXCITED TO FIND OUT WE WERE THE FIRST TO STAY IN THIS ONE, SEEMS THEY ARE STILL REBUILDING DUE TO THE TSUNAMI. YOU COULD PROBABLY KNOCK IT OVER IF YOU LEANED AGAINST IT AND AM STILL WAITING FOR MY FOOT TO GO THROUGH THE FLOOR BUT IT'S STILL GREAT. SPENT MY FIRST DAY HERE CHILLING ON THE BEACH WHICH IS BEAUTIFUL. THERE ARE MANY BEACHES HERE AND OURS IS KIND OF IN A COVE SURROUNDED BY THE CLIFFS I REFERRED TO IN TON SAI. BEAUTIFUL. FOUND A PLACE TO DIVE AND HAVE HAD TO MAGNIFICENT DAYS OF DIVING.
FIRST DIVE SITES I WENT TO WERE AN HOUR AND A HALF SPEED BOAT RIDE OUT TO THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. THERE HAD BEEN SOME MANTA RAY SIGHTINGS THE DAY BEFORE THEY HAD SEEN 3 AND THAT WAS THE MOST THE DIVEMASTER SAID HE HAD SEEN TOGETHER. I WAS KEEPING MY FINGERS CROSSED. AS SOON AS WE DROPPED IN SOMEONE LOOKED DOWN AND ONE WAS SWIMMING BELOW US. TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT, AND I COULD GO ON FOREVER, WE SAW 3 AT THAT SITE AND LOST COUNT BUT ESTIMATED 12 AT THE NEXT SIGHT. LITERALLY UNBELIEVABLE. I POSTED A LINK TO A SITE IF YOU WANTED TO SEE WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE.
http://www.imagequest3d.com/cgi-bin/ImageFolio4/imageFolio.cgi?img=0&search=Manta+Rays&cat=aquatic&bool=and
THE MOST AMAZING THING I'VE EVER SEEN. THEY RANGED FROM 6 FEET WING SPAN TO 15-20 FT WAS THE BIGGEST ONE WE SAW. THEY WERE SWIMMING ABOVE US, BELOW US NEXT TO US AND WOULD EVEN LIFT THEIR WING WHEN CLOSE TO DIVERS AS NOT TO HIT THEM. I COULD HAVE TOUCHED ONE. SO INCREDIBLE. WENT ON 3 DIVES THE NEXT DAY AND SAW 2 LEOPARD SHARKS. REALLY PRETTY AND MY FIRST UP CLOSE LOOK AT A SHARK.
TODAY MY ROOMMATE AND A BUNCH OF OTHER RANDOM PEOPLE GOT A LONGTAIL TO CHECK OUT THE ISLAND AND WENT SNORKELING A BUNCH OF PLACES. WENT TO THE BEACH WHERE "THE BEACH" MOVIE WAS FILMED. AND WENT CLIFF JUMPING!! AGHHH, IT WAS SO SCARY. IT WAS ABOUT A 35 ft DROP. HAVE A GREAT PIC OF ME MID-AIR WILL TRY TO POST SOON.
MET A GUY THAT WAS PLANNING A LIVE-A-BOARD TRIP TO THE SIMILIAN AND SURIN ISLANDS AND DECIDED TO GO ALONG. WILL BE LEAVING FROM PHUKET ON THURS NIGHT. IT'S A BIG DIVE BOAT THAT YOU LIVE ON, HENCE THE NAME, AND WILL BE DOING 14 DIVES OVER 4 DAYS, IT WILL BE INTENSE BUT AM REALLY EXCITED. NOT SURE WHERE TO NEXT.

I LOVE DIVING

JUST A QUICK UPDATE TO LET YOU ALL KNOW I'M STILL ALIVE. I AM IN TONSAI A LITTLE BEACH IN THE TOWN OF KRABI. THIS PLACE IS BEAUTIFUL. NICE BEACH WITH HUGE CLIFFS STICKING STRAIGHT OUT OF THE WATER... NOTHING I'VE EVER SEEN BEFORE. ARRIVED HERE ON TUES. AFTER 17 HOURS OF TRAVELING. MET A REALLY NICE GUY FROM SWEDEN AND WE ARE SHARING A BUNGALOW 5 MINUTES FROM THE BEACH AND ARE PAYING $2.50 EACH A NIGHT. IT'S GREAT... ALTHOUGH THE ACCOMADATIONS ARE NOT 5 STAR AND I AM BACK TO SHOWERING OVER THE TOILET AND THE DRAIN FROM THE SINK JUST GOES STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR BUT YOU CAN'T BEAT THE PRICE! I HAVE SEEN MONKEYS SWINGING IN THE TREES AND CRAZY ROCK CLIMBERS EVERYWHERE AND CONVINCED THEY HAVE A DEATH WISH... YOU SHOULD SEE THESE CLIFFS THEY CLIMB, THEY MIGHT AS WELL BE UPSIDE DOWN! SPENT YESTERDAY FRYING MY BODY ON THE BEACH AND LOOKING FOR A DECENT DIVE SHOP. TODAY I WENT ON A DAY TRIP CONSISTING OF 3 DIVES 2 WERE NEAR KHO PHI PHI, WHERE I AM GOING NEXT, AND ONE A LITTLE CLOSER TO HERE. WE LEFT THIS MORN AT 8am AND GOT HOME AT ALMOST 7pm. DON'T WANT TO BORE YOU WITH ALL THE DIVE TALK BUT I HAVE FALLEN IN LOVE. THE FIRST DIVE THIS MORNING WAS ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING I'VE HAD, I WAS SO OVERWHELMED... WE PULL UP TO THESE HUGE CLIFFS THAT JUST COME STRAIGHT OUT OF THE WATER AND SEEM TO CREATE THE WALL OF THE REEF UNDERWATER THAT WE ARE SWIMMING AROUND. I SAW A FEW SMALL THINGS THAT GOT ME SUPER EXCITED ALONG WITH A TURTLE, MORAY EEL, GOOD SIZED OCTOPUS, SEA SNAKE AND TONS AND TONS OF FISH. IT WAS AMAZING. I WILL BE GOING TO KHO PHI PHI WITHIN A DAY OR SO, CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!! GOING TO TRY TO GET THE COURAGE TO TAKE A 1/2 DAY ROCK CLIMBING COURSE TOMORROW, THEN WE'LL REALLY SEE WHAT I'M MADE OF. OFF TO SLEEP IN MY BUNGALOW UNDER MY MOSQUITO NET... WILL WRITE MORE SOON.

RANDOM PICTURES FROM BANGKOK

LOVING THAILAND

SO MUCH TO TELL... YESTERDAY I DECIDE I WAS GOING TO FIND THE GRAND PALACE WHICH HOUSES THIS EMERALD BUDDHA THAT WAS FOUND IN LIKE 1445 OR SOMETHING, ANYWAYS I DECIDED I WOULD FIND IT ON MY OWN... DIDN'T HAPPEN. CAME BACK TO THE NEW PLACE I'M STAYING WHICH IS ABOUT A BLOCK FROM KOH SAN AND GOT BETTER DIRECTIONS. WALKED ALL THE WAY THERE AND FIND OUT THAT I AM NOT DRESSED CORRECTLY. YOU HAVE TO WEAR PANTS, CLOSED TOED SHOES AND A SHIRT THAT COMES TO YOUR ELBOWS. SO THAT WAS OUT. DECIDED TO JUST WANDER AND I FOUND A SMALL FOOD MARKET AND WAS WALKING AROUND THERE LOOKING AT WHAT LOOKED LIKE BIG ROASTED COCKROACHES AND OTHER THINGS I WAS EVEN SCARED TO LOOK AT UP CLOSE. I WAS WALKING DOWN ONE ROW AND TRIED TO TURN AND THIS LADY WAS LIKE ONE WAY! AND I WAS LIKE OK SO I KEPT GOING IN THE DIRECTION SHE WAS POINTING WHEN I SEE PEOPLE WALKING THE OTHER WAY AND WONDERING WHY I AM EVEN LISTENING TO THIS LADY AND NEXT THING YOU KNOW SHE SAYS AGAIN, ONE WAY FOR THE BOAT RIDE! I DIDN'T WANT A BOAT RIDE SO I JUST TURNED AROUND AND WAS LIKE I DON'T WANT A BOAT RIDE BUT THEY TRY TO TRICK YOU AND I THINK IT'S FUNNY. BUT THEY ARE COMPLETELY HARMLESS AS SOON AS YOU SAY NO AND KEEP WALKING THEY MOVE ON.
I WALKED FOR WHAT SEEMED LIKE HOURS UNTIL I REALIZED I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO GET BACK TO THE HOTEL. DECIDED TO TAKE A TUK-TUK RIDE. A TUK-TUK IS A FORM OF A CAB BUT LOOKS LIKE THE FRONT OF A MOTOR BIKE PULLING A COVERED BENCH SEAT. FUNNY. SO I FIND ONE AND ASK HIM TO TAKE ME TO CHINATOWN AND HE GOES WHY DO YOU WANT TO GO TO CHINATOWN AND IM LIKE I DON'T KNOW JUST CAUSE AND HE PULLS OUT HIS MAP AND TELLS ME WHERE HE WANTS TO TAKE ME... ALL THESE TOURIST THINGS BUT WHAT THEY DO IS GIVE YOU A REALLY GOOD PRICE AND THEN STOP OFF AT ALL THESE SHOPS TO TRY TO GET YOU TO BUY STUFF AND THEN THE SHOPS GIVE THEM LIKE FREE GAS CARDS OR MONEY OR SOMETHING.
AT ANY RATE, I SAID NO I JUST WANT TO GO TO CHINATOWN AND HE SAYS 200 BHAT. WHICH IS ABOUT $5. WHICH IS A RIP OFF CAUSE IT'S 200 FROM THE AIRPORT WHICH IS ABOUT AN HOUR AWAY. SO I KEPT WALKING AND FOUND ANOTHER ONE. IT WAS PRETTY FUN OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT THE TRAFFIC HERE IS AWFUL AWFUL AWFUL. AND THIS THING WAS VIBRATING LIKE HELL THE WHOLE TIME.
SO I GET TO CHINATOWN AND THEY HAVE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL LOOKING FRUIT... ALMOST PUT THE PUBLIC MARKET IN SEATTLE TO SHAME. THE SOI (SIDE STREETS) WERE JAM PACKED WITH VENDORS AND PEOPLE SELLING ANYTHING YOU COULD EVER WANT. TOOK ANOTHER TUK TUK HOME AND TOOK AND SHOWER STRAIGHT AWAY. THIS CITY IS PRETTY DIRTY BUT WORTH SPENDING A FEW DAYS TO SEE THE SIGHTS AND GET THE EXPERIENCE.
TODAY WAS A GREAT DAY. SPENT THE MORNING ON KHO SAN RD... LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO BUY BUT REMINDING MYSELF I HAVE TO CARRY THIS STUFF FOR 40 MORE DAYS. NOTHING STRUCK ME BUT A PAIR OF THAI PANTS... THEY ARE LIKE SCRUBS KIND OF BUT WRAP AROUND AND THE BUT KIND OF LOOKS LIKE A DIAPER... EVRYONE HERE WEARS THEM. THEY SOUND CUTE HUH? WELL THEY WERE $2.50.
SO I GOT THEM HOME AND COULDN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO TIE THEM, GUESS I WILL HAVE TO ASK SOMEONE.
THEN IN THE AFTERNOON I DECIDED TO PUT ON MY BUDDIST CLOTHING AND HEAD BACK TO THE PALACE. THEY LET ME IN THIS TIME AND IT WAS AMAZING. THIS AREA IS PROBABLY BIGGER THAN ONE CITY BLOCK AND INSIDE WAS AMAZING. I TOOK TONS OF PICS AND WILL TRY TO GET THEM UP BEFORE YOU FORGET THIS STORY. ANYWAYS WHEN YOU WENT IN THE TEMPLE WITH THE EMERALD BUDDHA YOU HAD TO TAKE YOUR SHOES OFF, COULDN'T TAKE ANY PICTURES COULDN'T HAVE YOUR FEET POINTED AT HIM. EVERYONE WAS ON THEIR KNEES AND THE BUDDIST PEOPLE WERE ALL PRAYING. IT WAS SOMETHING I HAVE NEVER FELT BUT I STAYED IN THERE FOR A WHILE TRYING TO REMEMBER EVERYTHING. THIS BUDDHA WASN'T THAT BIG BUT WAS UP MAYBE 50FT ON TOP GOLD COVERED TEARS OF MOSAIC TILES AND GLASS. SURROUNDED BY OTHER BUDDHAS AND FIGURES. WHEN YOU CAME INTO THE COMPLEX YOU COULD BUY LOTUS FLOWERS OR INCENSE AND NOT IN THE TEMPLE BUT ALL AROUND WHERE SMALL ALTERS WHERE PEOPLE WOULD OFFER THESE THINGS AND PRAY TO BUDDHA. IT WAS PRETTY AMAZING. THEN I WENT TO WAT PHO WHICH IS ANOTHER TEMPLE THAT HAS THE LARGEST RECLINING BUDDHA, 43 METERS LONG. WHILE I WAS THERE I GOT MY CHART AND MY PALM READ FOR FUN BY A VERY OLD THAI MAN WHO WAS VERY SWEET. HE SAID SO MANY THINGS THAT ARE TRUE ABOUT ME WHICH I AM SURE YOU ARE ALL SHAKING YOUR HEADS BUT I HAD A GOOD TIME. HE SAID THAT I AM VERY CLEVER, ALWAYS HAPPY AND SMILING, THAT I LIKE MY FREEDOM AND LIKE TO HAVE CONTROL, THAT I SHOULD GO INTO BUSINESS FOR MYSELF BECAUSE I DON'T DO WELL WITH PEOPLE TELLING ME WHAT TO DO. IT WAS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME THINGS MY KINDERGATEN TEACHER TOLD MY MOM 23 YEARS AGO, BUT HEY. I ALSO LEARNED THAT YEARS 29-31 WILL BE GOOD LUCK YEARS FOR ME AND THAT 21-28 WERE NOT GOOD YEARS. VERY INTERESTING.
THERE ARE TONS OF MONKS AROUND AS WELL, THEY ALL LOOK SO PEACEFUL AND HAPPY. SHAVED HEADS WITH BRIGHT ORANGE ROBES. ONE SMILED AND CHUCKLED AT ME ON THE STREET TODAY AS I WAS MOUTHING THE WORDS TO THE SONG PLAYING ON MY I-POD.
ON MY WALK HOME I PASSED A PARK WITH A WHOLE BUNCH OF LOCALS FLYING KITES AND LITTLE KITES WITH STREAMERS ON STICKS. IT LOOKED SO BEAUTIFUL I WENT AND SAT AND TOOK PICTURES OF THESE LITTLE THAI BOYS RUNNING AROUND WITH THEM, IT WAS A REALLY GREAT DAY.
ON MY WAY HERE TO WRITE THIS ENTRY I PASSED A VENDOR WITH A CART FULL OF COOKED BUGS. LIKE 8 DIFFERENT KINDS, LONG SKINNY WHITE WORMS, CRICKETS AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE. THERE ARE VENDORS ALL OVER THE PLACE THAT JUST PUSH THEIR CARTS AROUND WITH ANYTHING YOU WANT, DRINKS, FRUIT, STIR-FRY, CHOCOLATE BANANA PANCAKES WHICH WAS ONE THING JESS SAID I HAD TO TRY. THEY ARE DELICIOUS. I GOT LIKE 1/2 A PINEAPPLE TODAY FOR 25cents.
PLAN ON REALXING A LITTLE TOMORROW. WANT TO GET A MASSAGE AS THEY ARE ABOUT $5 FOR AN HOUR.
I BOUGHT A BUS TICKET TO KRABI WHICH IS ABOUT 12 HOURS SOUTH OF HERE. IT LEAVES AT 6pm ON MONDAY WHICH WILL BE NICE, I HOPEFULLY WILL JUST SLEEP THE WHOLE TIME. KRABI IS SUPPOSEDLY A ROCK CLIMBERS DREAM AND ALSO HAS DIVING. SUPPOSE TO BE AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL WITH ROCKS AND CLIFFS COMING OUT OF THE WATER. CAN'T WAIT AND IF I GET THE COURAGE I WILL TRY CLIMBING. THAT OCEAN WATER COULDN'T COME TO ME ANY QUICKER.

BANGKOK BABY

WELL, I HAVE MADE IT ALL THE WAY TO THAILAND.
I LEFT LATE ON WEDNESDAY (REALLY THURS) AT 15 PAST MIDNIGHT. MY COUSIN ROB TOOK ME TO A SEATTLE SONICS GAME THE SAME NIGHT. WE HAD A GREAT TIME AND AS SOON AS THE FINAL BUZZER SOUNDED WE WERE OFF TO THE AIRPORT. THINK I MAY HAVE HAD A FEW TOO MANY BECAUSE BY THE TIME THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT CAME AROUND I ASKED FOR 4 GLASSES OF WATER. THE FIRST FLIGHT WAS TO TAIWAN AND WAS 13 HOURS. WASN'T BAD THOUGH, MANAGED TO SLEEP FOR 7 hrs AND WATCH 3 1/2 MOVIES. ARRIVED IN TAIWAN ON THURSDAY MORNING AND THE AIRPORT WAS REALLY NICE... HAD TONS OF SHOPPING, FINE JEWELRY, COACH, CLINIQUE, D&B AND ALL THE OTHER FANCY BRANDS I DON'T KNOW ANYMORE. THE FLIGHT TO BANGKOK WAS 3 HOURS AND I MANAGED TO GET THE MIDDLE SECTION OF 4 SEATS TO MYSELF AND JUST LAID DOWN AND SLEPT THE WHOLE WAY. TOOK A BUS FROM THE AIRPORT TO KHO SAN RD. THE STREET IS BLOCKED OFF FROM CARS AND IS FILLED TO THE BRIM WITH VENDORS. CLOTHING, JEWELRY, HAIR BRAIDING, FOOT MASSAGES (PEOPLE ARE LITERALLY GETTING MASSAGES AND PEDICURES RIGHT THERE ON THE STREET), AND TONS OF FOOD. YOU CAN GET PAD THAI (MY FAV) FOR 15 B WHICH IS LIKE $.40!!! TONS OF FRUIT, SMOOTHIES AND BASICALLY ANYTHING YOU CAN THINK OF IS AVAILABLE. FOUND A ROOM RIGHT OFF OF KOH SAN. CLEAN BUT NOT MUCH MORE TO SPEAK OF... IT BASICALLY CONSISTS OF A BED, FAN AND BATHROOM. THE BATHROOM HAS A SINK, TOILET (WITH A BUM GUN-LOOKS LIKE THE SPRAYERS YOU HAVE AT YOUR KITCHEN SINK BUT YOU USE IT INSTEAD OF TOILET PAPER) AND THE SHOWER HEAD IS RIGHT ON THE WALL IN BETWEEN THE TWO, MEANING YOU SHOWER OVER TOP THE TOILET AND SINK. MY ROOM IS ALSO ON THE 6TH FLOOR AND IS A SAUNA... HAD TO MOVE THE BED TO THE MIDDLE OF THE ROOM JUST TO FEEL THE FAN. SPENT THE AFTERNOON YESTERDAY WALKING AROUND AND THEN CRASHED AT ABOUT 7pm. WOKE UP A FEW TIMES TO THE SOUND OF THE STREETS... BUT OTHERWISE SLEPT PRETTY WELL. WOKE UP AT ABOUT 6am THIS MORNING AND WENT FOR BREAKFAST AND HAVE BEEN WALKING AROUND FOR A WHILE. PLAN ON MOVING TO ANOTHER HOTEL ABOUT 2 BLOCKS AWAY FOR NOISE CONTROL.
NEED TO GET A MAP, I WANT TO GO TO SOME MUSEUMS AND MAYBE WALK TO CHINATOWN AS WELL, JUST NOT SURE HOW TO GET THERE. THE THAI PEOPLE HERE HAVE BEEN NOTHING BUT KIND AND SMILING... NOT SURE HOW LONG I WILL BE IN BANGKOK BUT I'M GETTING THE ITCH TO GET BACK IN THE WATER SO THINKING I WILL BE HEADING SOUTH IN A FEW DAYS.