Koh Chang, Thailand

jessie604 — Sat, 7 Nov 2009 20:15:00 GMT

Waves are crashing on the sand just outside of the window of this internet/book trade cafe where I'm sitting now. I'm at Koh Chang's Siam Hut guesthouse on Lonely Beach. We've been here since Thursday evening. It's a great place - very affordable ($8/night for A/C room), basic accommodations, and they throw a fantastic fire dance party on Friday nights! We didn't make it for the "Full Moon Party" but I can say that the three quarter moon was pretty fabulous last night to be swimming under. As the moon rose during the fire show last night, it was framed by a mountain, five or six idyllic palm trees, a glistening beach, calm sea, and a million+ stars. It resembled a postcard... but much more beautiful. Our guesthouse is right on the beach, and I can hear the waves crash as I fall asleep each night. We have had beautiful sunshine here in Koh Chang, thankfully, after the tail end of Typhoon Mirinae cloaked Bangkok in clouds and drizzle on the day we were leaving for the island. Life here consists of snoozing, swimming, eating, and getting massages on the beach ($10/hour). Not bad, right?

Tomorrow, we head back to Siem Reap via Bangkok by bus. Traveling by bus is extremely affordable, even though it takes a big longer, but its the most popular way to go around these parts, with bus trips to and from all major travel destinations in Southeast Asia. Off for now to do some reading in a hammock at the Treehouse Restaurant. :) Sad to be leaving, but glad to get back to Siem Reap.

BUGS, BUMPS, and BOOKS

jessie604 — Sun, 1 Nov 2009 20:20:00 GMT

BUGS! AAARRggggh. Can't seem to get away from them. It's a sad reality that you just have to get used to here, there is NO escape, so just stop trying, because you're wasting energy. I don't mean just swatting flies. Though there's plenty of that to go around. I mean endless arrays of mosquitoes, tiny ants, gigundo water bugs, preying manti (?) and other creatures that will fly into your mouth and get stuck in your throat if you ride a bicycle at the wrong time of day and happen to make the mistake of inhaling with your mouth open. Speaking of bicycling, I've been doing that alot lately. It's my mode of transport these days, and its quite nice. The roads here are preeeetty rough, and my butt has gradually adjusted to the bumps on a bike with no shocks. Aside from the rough roads, I have had to get used to a new definition of traffic lanes. In other words, a traffic lane is a swath of road wide enough to fit your chosen vehicle with maybe two inches of clearance on either side at times. Thats the end of the definition. Which side of the road, which direction, how many vehicles along side one another, all that is up for interpretation and experimentation.

I've been reading like a madwoman lately. Its fantastic. I can't get enough. I'm planning another late night reading session tonight. Its sooooo good when I find a book I can't put down, its like drugs or something. To go along with the obsessive reading, I've taken up obsessive coffee drinking. I'm actually on a caffine buzz right now. Lol, so much for my plant to detox while in Cambodia. In truth, I've been in Siem Reap for a week, haven't done a single tourist-y thing yet, and I love it. I picked up my camera for the first time today since last week leaving Beijing. After being married to it for two+ weeks, it was nice to not care for awhile.

Travels with Potter

Koh Chang, Thailand

BUGS, BUMPS, and BOOKS