BAKPAK ASIA

thailand , cambodia

stacey_levy — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:42:00 GMT

dec 27-2009 rented another skooter today and drove off into koh samui and saw some buddha's and temples . At the temples
you are suppose to dress approiately and no bikini's I didnt think i would be seeing any temples so I was dressed in my
bikini so I had to stand outside the temples and get my pictures taken! they where amazing to look at and where so big
and they floated on water. After viewing the buddhas and temples we went to see the waterfall, today when I was driving I
was using extra precaution as on our way to ko samui we saw a bike accident and the person was dead on the road and there
was blood all over the car, bike accidents are really common here, so I was glad to put on my helmet today! It took
reality of that accident for me to realize to be safer on the bike! When we got to the fall we had to hike up the hill
about 30min the trees are all so lush and bright green. They have these trees in the jungle that are crazy looking and twine
into all different trunks and you can crawl into them! Once we got to the top of the falls we got into the water it was so
cold , i even went directly under the fall it felt really cool. There was little baby leaches on the rock though so every
time you touched a rock your hands where full of them I probably had 30 leaches on my hand ewww! We hiked back down the fall
and headed back into town to pick up our laundry and purchase our next to ferry ticket to ko phangan!

dec 28-2009 waited this morning for our cab to pick us up that was suppose to pick us up at 12:30 but never arrived
tell 1 we where getting worried as we had a ferry leave at 1:30, we made it on time, but like always the thai are always
running late but seem to get every where just in time. we got on the ferry and headed to ko phangan , I have took
many boat rides on this trip and I can say sea sickness is a true thing and I feel weazy all the time! We arrived in
and came to our pre-booked accomadation , we pre booked as the full moon party happens on this island and since it falls
on new years accomadation we where told was booking up. We are staying at DaKanDe it is these cute little white
stone bunglows lined up along the beach with a pool in the middle, it is really nice. there isnt much to do in ko phangan
except the full moon party so just alot of lounging and hopefully some more yoga we can do here. We did walk into town
which was 10 minutes away from our resort on the way we passed a ox which again was tied up with a little rope, suppoably
people walk buffalo here but I have not seen any. we went through another market on our way and the smell of fish and fly's
every where so making me sick. We did find a book store and I bought a book, a book about a 13 year old thai girl that
was put into the sex trade, it is a true story. We also passed another 7-eleven and I always laugh because there is always
a weigh machine outside of all the 7-elevens , like really who wants to weigh there self outside a convience store.
we had to walk back home and on the way back it was dark we ended up getting lost and all the thai's couldnt understand
us finally we got a tuk tuk drive back to our accomadation thank god we where thinking we where going to be walking for
hours !

dec 31-2009-jan 1-2010: we are headed to the full moon party the only reason why we came to ko pha-ngan, we took a
tuk tuk drive that took 15min through windy hills to 'haad rin' beach where the full moon party happens. we headed onto
the beach where there where lots of lights and buckets and buckets of booze. it seems like in thailand the drinks are
only served in buckets and not in glasses :/ there was alot of differnet house music along the beach , and by the end of
the night 30,000 people filled the beach. the bathroom was the ocean and there where hundrends of people standing out
there peeing girls and boys just the funniest site as everyone is so tanned and then you look out to the ocean and
you see these glowing white bums! People where covered in body paint and some had some strange costumes on. People where
passed out on the beach and there was a seven eleven which you thought was a convience store from the outside but when
you go inside it was club, was i ever tricked! The new year was unlike one I have ever experienced. Happy 2010

jan 2nd 2010- we boarded another ferry today to head to kao tao which means turtle island, we are headed there to get
certified in scuba diving. Upon arriving at the island you could see that the island had alot of big rocks around
which looked beatiful. After getting off the ferry at the pier we got a ride to sairee beach our ride included in the
back of a pick up truck all the ways of transport have seats in the back of pickups and they fill them as full as they
can! We got to sairee beach and we where told by other travelers that if you sign up for a open water course for scvuba
certification that the company would give you free accomadation. We searched through many places and everywhere seemed
to be booked up we finally found a place a davey jones locker scuba that was going to help us get certified and gave
us a place to stay, the shitty things was though we where not staying at sairee beach and we had to go back down to the
pier for our accomadation. We got to the accomadation and where not impressed the bed sheets looks like they had not
been cleaned in months and there was no power. We tried speaking to the thai about getting room but they didnt understand
i saw a floaty mattress toy in the hallway and decided i am bringing that in our room and sleeping on that because
i am not sleeping on that gross mattress, so off i went to bed on my floaty with a towel as a blanket:(

jan 3rd 2010- woke up and had the worst sleep ever, or wait actually woke up and looked up and there was gecko (lizard)
on the roof, this shows how bad this place is! today we had our first instructional day for our dive course, it was
a day of watching dive movies and doing small tests just a educational day. After the course for today was over
i browsed some more shops, the thing in thailand is that you remove your shoes before going into any stores. I have
went through over 7 pairs of flip flops here eithier because some one takes them when you go in a shop eithier by
accident or by theft or they break or get so thin quick from all the walking, but flip flops are sold everywhere
even in 7-elven for only 2$ or 55 baht. Another werid product in asia is whiteing cream they dont like to have a tan
so alot of there lotions are for whiteing the skin, I am here for a tan so these do not interest me! Also today i saw
a product to make your nipples lighter in colour! I am not sure if it is a thai thing or asian thing but they like
every body part to be as light as possible lmao!! Today when we came back to our room and they actually cleaned it
and there are new sheets so I will be sleeping on the mattress tongiht no more floaty for me!

jan 4th- woke up this morning to the first alarm clock i have heard in awhile, usally i get up when ever i want as I have
no schedule or any where to be :) I had to be up at 8 to get to my scuba course , again i was picked up in the back of
a truck again I remember when I was little kid in Canada this would be legal but not no more but this is the thai way! So
today in the morning we learned more book work at davey jones scuba school! Then in the afternoon we did our first confiend
dive in the swimming pool we first learned about the gear and how to properly use it. After we got the gear all sorted we got
into the pool , going under the water and breathing for the first time was really weird, i think i may have started to
hyper-ventilate a little at the begining because i am use to breathing through my nose and you have to breath through
your mouth with the ventilator, a little for me to get use of. In the pool my instructor would talk to me through hand
singals that we learned prior to getting into the water. We had to do different tasks everything from what happens if
water gets into your mask well you are below and how to properly remove it, this was a fear of mine because my eyes
are super senstive and during the lesson he actually removes your mask and fills it water and you have to properly
put it on and get the water out the cholorine in the pool hurt my eyes but removing the water from the mask was
actually quiet easy. another thing he does is he shuts off your oxygen and lets you singal for distress and how to properly
get emergency oxygen eithier from sharing from a buddy or using the emergency oxygen supply, lets just say it is not
fun when he shut that off. You also wear these weights around your waste and they control your boyancy and help you sink
he makes you take those off also and to re-put them on , i took mine off and i must have looked like a person having
a seizure because i was rolling around on the bottom of the pool trying to put it back on! \there is 5 [people in my
group learning to scuba dive I am sure they all got a good kick out of me!! |But over all I stayed under the water for
1.5hours and learned many techinques as tomorrow I am off for my first open water dive in the ocean off the boat! We
are actually going to go to 2 dives sites, so fingers crossed I due well and hopefully make scuba a new passion that
I can use all over the world for coral, dive wrecks, lakes ,rivers, seeing new species etc!!!

jan 5th 2010- dang alarm clock again this morning! back up early for another day of scuba stacey!! We had another morning
of class and went through some brain work for planning a dive with how much time you are alound under water etc. After class
we got our gear back on and took a long tail boat out to the dive boat. The boat was so packed full of other divers and it was
a hassle and a cluster f*** to get everything on, this was my first open water dive and we where going out to a area called japannesse
gardens it was like a cove full of large rocks, we got all of our gear on and we where instructed on the decent off the boat, i was
really nervous there was so much weigh from the tank, bcd, weigh belt, and all the other gear so when you jumped off the boat you
had to inflate your bcd and rise to the surface . (a bcd is kinda like a life jacket but all your is connected to it) but we
all had to get in single file there was a total of 5 divers in my group , we had to ascend down a rope to the bottom of the ocean floor
i had went under about 2 meters and my ears started being all funny and i had a panic attack because i wasnt getting air
so i inflated my bcd and went to the top and had a panic attack and even cried a little :( I really wanted to dive so i gave
it another go , my ears kept having so much pressure built up and you are suppose to equalize your ears every meter by plugging
your noses and blowing out it was hard for me to plug my nose because of my nose ring i had to go to the surface and take it out
or else i wouldnt be able to properly dive, after that i was fine and got my breath back with out having a attack, so i desended to
the bottom and it was actually really cool to be under there swimming around. We stayed under for about 45min and then got back up the
top and got back on the boat and went out to another dive site at sairee beach, we got our gear back on and this dive went alot better
then the first one at the bottom of the ocean floor we had to get tested on skills we learnded everything from him taking your mask off
and putting it back on losing your oxygen and getting emergency oxygen it was good and i actually felt kinda conffiedent in my dive
skills. this was a great day I learned some thing new and some thing every one has to try once in there life great experience, now i am
off to bed as i have to be up for 6:00am for another 2 dives tomorrow!

jan 6TH 2010- Up early at 6:30am for another 2 dives today to get my certification for open water diving up to 18 meters
we took the boat out to 'twins' and got all our gear on and back out for the first dive today we went out with another
group that was getting certified they where from germany , today i was feeling alot more confident in the dive and everything
went so smooth we got down there and saw lots of coral and lots of fish even a snake a spotted sting ray, there was a lady
named fran who was video taping it all so that was also cool, we stayed on that dive for about 35min and then re-surfaced
, it is really neat when you get to the surface it looks like you are going to break through a sheet of ice you keep thinking
you are there but you keep swimming and the light is getting brighter and brighter it is really neat and when you finally get to the top
your bcd inflates, when we got to the surface my instructor frankie made me do some more skills like taking my weigh belt
off and putting it back on , i am not a fan of this because if you drop those weighs they cost you alot of money and
they are a hassle to put on , it is a series of blocks on a belt that goes around your waste to help you sink lol. We got
back on the boat and had some hot coffee and cookies and changes our oxygen tanks for your next dive, we got to 'white rock'
and back down we went, it is really cool to be floating around down there ! After our last dive we had to write
a exam and i passed with 90% and now am a certified open water diver! In the evening we where asked to come back
to davey jones locker and watch the film that was created for our scuba group, it showed us getting ready to dive around
ko tao , it was a great video so i purchased it get ready to watch scuba stacey when i am back!!

jan 7th-8th 2010- today we are off to cambodia , we got on a ferry to chumphon (inland) which was a 5 hour journey, lately
i have been feeling sick on the boat so i stopped and got some sea tablets before departing, in the store they had no
labels but the thai girl i think understood me and told me to buy them, so i took 2 tablets before the boat and lets
say i was out like a light. when we got to chumpon we had to wait 3 hours for our bus to pick us up, inside the bus
station they had a t.v so there where alot of travellers all over the floor watching the movie, we got on the night bus and
we where headed to bangkok, we where suppose to arrive at 5:30am and have a 2hr delay for our next bus into cambodia. We
actually arrived at 3:30am and I had no sleep as the bus i could not get comfortable on to sleep, when we got to bangkok
we where dropped off on ko san road, it was 3:30 and it was still alive there where hookers every where , street vendors, people
partying and the smell of pee/vomit everywhere. I was sooo tired and carry my backpack around stinky ko san road was not
that fun. There was no point of finding accomadation for 4 hours so we hit up mcdonalds and sat there for about a hour
and then we went to the 24 interent cafe where we tried to waste as much time as we could, finally the time had passed
and it was 7:30 and we where on our next bus to cambodia we got on the bus and this french girl sat beside me she was
so annoying and kept shuffling in her seat and pushing at me , again no sleep it has been over a day and i have not had
sleep, on the way to cambodia we got pulled over and some guy with a machine gun opened our door and looked inside and
then sent us on our way, i am not sure what that was all about but was scary. We got to another station and
where dropped off right before the cambodia border we where asked to fill out entry info for arrivals, we got our visa
for cambodia and we where asked to walk through the border as our bus turned around and drove off. I was wondering why
we where walking through this crossing which was told me to 5 minutes later by a thai , he told the group of 14 that
was about to walk cross the border to hold your bags tight dont let any one touch your passport there is alot of pit
pockers and to keep walking as they are going to grab you for all they can get the adults and kids, this was a great
scare we got to thai crossing and waited for my passport to get checked, in the customs they had 50cent music blasting
it shows how unproffesional organized the goverment is. after the depart from thai we where in free land it is land that
is split in between thai and cambodia which there is a war over and there people with guns everywhere, we had to wait about
another 1 hour to get through as there was so many people waiting, we finally got through and got on the bus to siem
reap cambodia, we arrived at 8:00pm and the 2 days of travelling was exhausting we are staying in a place called the
hilton and lets just say it is not like the hilton back home, :(

jan 8th 2010- couldnt sleep in for some reason today thought i would because i was lacking so much sleep from the past
2 days, got up and decided what to do today, we where approached in our hotel to see the floating markets and go to a
war muesum we thought why not. So on the tuk tuk we went he said he would drive us around all day for 10$ . THe drive
to the markets took about 30min on the way we saw kids walking buffloos down the street , people selling knives off
a bike, 6 people on one motorcycle, dead snakes/bugs/geckos for sale for food , cambodia is really 3rd world and looks
like out a world vision show . we got to the floating market and we paid for our entry upon paying the cambodia people
saw i had some gum in my bag and the begged to have some i just gave it to them, they looked so happy over gum? We got onto
our boat and our driver was 5yr old boy, the sterring wheel had two places to put a key in but there was no key and there
was a sting hanging down from the steering wheel , where he hooked his right toe in and it was used as a gas petal,
it was really strange, the floating market had everything from peoples homes to stores to churches floating on the water,
we passed this one boat where this girl was holding a snake around her neck, she was about 4yr old and it was so disturbing
she was in the back of the boat , where her mom was in the front well she was trying to hand her baby off to us, it was
so weird , there where also kids swimming in the water which was brown in colour and there where snakes and alligators in
the water but they still continued to play. me and josie decided we will do one more toursit thing and then we are out of
cambodia asap. After the floating market we went to the war museum we where givin a tour by a cambodia young gentlemen
he had told us that he was in the war and saw his family die and that a land mine had got his hand (he was missing his fingers)
and showed us all the equipment in the war and the stuff that is still being used today, he showed us scars on his body
and told us about the cambodia gov't. It was a sad story and this war just ended 10yr ago and is still being dealt
with today, it is told do not go off the path in cambodia as there are millions of land mines everywhere. After the
muesum we went to the market, the market was so full of garbage stuff, there was even hairdressers in the alley ways
cutting hair.

jan 9th- 2010- my sleep last night involved listening to a cambodian wedding outside our guesthouse it was so annoying and
my bed was so hard so it was a bad sleep and at 6:00am the music turned right back on, we tried to rest/sleep through the music
but decided we better get up, we where suppose to catch a night bus back to bangkok but the night bus had been shut down due the
war at the border so we had to stay another night and leave in the morning on the 10 which we didnt plan on doing. so since we had
so much time in our down i laid in bed untell we finally decided to get up and go and see angkor wat the 8th wonder of the world
we got a tuk tuk there to drive us around for the hole day for 12$ we got to angkor wat and we had to buy our admission ticket in
which they place a picture of you on this card, we drove into angkor wat and where welcomed to many temples , we bought a day pass
here but there are passes for 3 days or weeks, i am not that into history so just to see angkor wat is good enough for me! we where
dropped off at our first temple and we climed all around it and got many pictures of the buddha heads that where so perfectly carved
in stone, there was a cambodian student there and he explained some of the temple to us which i had to concentrate really hard to listen
as his english was not that well. After visting the first temple we where off to the second , the second temple was where 'tomb raider' the
movies with angeline jolie was filmed, and it where the 'ta phrom' tree is , these trees seem to grow over building and have the weirdest
shaped trunks. After we went to angkor wat it was very beatiuful and was created so long ago like the pyrmaids , i was amazed they still
let people inside and to walk around in a part of history, i did think we would only get to view them but i guess not! at angkor
wat they had the charters out of a 'katuk' dance we saw in bali, this time i had to get a picture with them , as in bali my camera died
so this was a oppurtinuty to get a great picture, they did charge me a 1$ to get a picture, but nothing is ever free in asia. after our
day at angkor wat we went back into town to the market where josie wanted to buy a ruby for her grandma she purchased one for 20|$ and the
lady did a test on the ruby with some electric thing, so it was convincing enough to buy! after the market we went back to our guesthouse
and decided to get a massage there was this place outside the guesthouse which was close we went there, we got there and they lead us up
to the room where you got the massage it was 2 beds that looked liked from the 1900 and the walls where so dirty, the massage was only 5$
so i thought why not, i was getting a oil massage and there was no privacy she was trying to strip my clothes off of me! during the massage she
asked me to turn around, that is when i noticed a big spider on the roof so it was hard to enjoy the massage as i thought it was going to drop
on my head, i also had a towel that was covering my breasts and she ripped it off and started to massage me, i started bursting out laughing and
that cambodian lady just thought it was funny i was like what kind of massage was this lucky it only last about 30seconds! the strangest things
always seem to happen to me, neither less during my massage her cell phone as ringing and she was chatting away well giving me a masssage this is
not the first time that has happened eithier!

jan 10th 2010- up early this morning at 6:30 as we where told the bus leaves at 7 back to bangkok, we where all checked out of room and we never
left tell 7:30 and got dropped off on the side of a road, awaiting another bus that never picked us tell 9:00am not a good start to a day of
transportation, we got on the bus and it was full of other travellers also, there was even this 12yr boy from australia that talked like he was 30
and was so smart, we had to listen to his storys all the way to bangkok, i tried sleeping but the drivers are manicaks here so that didnt go so
well, we had to also cross the border again, it was alot easier departing then arriving and i never saw any weird stuff this time, expcet a thai
crawling under a barb wire fence and crawling under the pillars and running into cambodia, shows what shitty securtity there is there. we got to bangkok
at about 7:00pm and where exhausted, we decided to hit up a movie as we have not seen a city or theater in a while and where told about a fancy cinema
this cinema we went to only had one film playing and it was 'the morgans' we never heard of it but it ended up being a good movie, but any who about the
theater they give you a complinetery cock tail in this trendy modern room before the show and when you go into the theater every one gets there
own big sofa that reclines and you get service at your couch for food, anything from cheese-cakes to popcorn or cocktails, they also give you a big blanket .
before the movie starts there is also a saying to the king of thailand and everyone must stand up and watch it. the king is very respected in thailand
and you cant drive or walk 10 feet with out seeing a picture of him, he is everywhere!

jan 11 2010- off for some retail therapy today! i have not seen a mall forever and am dieing to shop shop shop! we went to mbk where it is level upon level
of anything you can imagine! one floor is specifally just for cell phones there is probably over 500 shops just for a phone, i cant imagine why you need
so many shops but it is just ridialous, i thought west edmonton mall was biggest mall in the world but the malls i have seen in asia have beat wem by far! i
came out of the mall with both arms full but now that i go through my bigs there isnt that much :( it takes longer to walk through that mall and bargain for
your stuff then to get lots of shopping done. after the shopping we decieded to watch another movie to relax we watched brothers and it was a sap and again
we had to stand and pray for the king!

jan 12-2010 today we drove to karchuckin where we saw some railroad that is supposably famous? who knows and i was not that interested as it took like
2.5 hours to get there after looking at this bridge for 5min we went on a 1 hour elephant trek in the dry thai mountains, we got to sit on a sit that was
above the elephants well the momut sat at the neck of the elephant and drove it around, our elephant wanted to eat alot so we where stopping alot , the momut
did get off the elephant and josie got to sit at the neck well i sat on the seat , i was wearing a dress so i didnt really want to sit on the elephant as i had
nothing under my dress! the momut did take pictures of us on the elephant it looked like josie was the momut well I was the princess sitting on the seat!
we did get to trek through the river with the elephant which was cool and got to feed them banannas , i kept thinking rylynd would have loved this! after the trek
we went to a tiger temple where you are suppose to dress approaiately meaning showing know skin, i didnt go as i didnt have the right clothes on,

ao nang, rilay, koh samui thailand

stacey_levy — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 01:43:00 GMT

dec 19 2009- ao nang thailand we woke up and needed to find new accomadation today, as our birthday accomadation was
to expense of on our budget, so we paked our bags up again and headed down the street where we saw another backpacker
and we asked him where there was affordable accomadation he showed us where he was staying and the deal was great it
was 800 baht for one night and it had 3 beds so it was perfect for us girls. after finding the accomadation it was
another beach day and a day to plan a activity. after the sun was going down we headed back to mee mee's guesthouse,
we ended up going out in the evening as the girls wanted to get a bamboo tattoo and they where searching out a location
i was getting tired of looking around and seeing all the vendors i headed back to the guesthouse and awaited the girls to
come back, they actually came back with a tattoo amy had got one on her hip a compass and josie got a music note on her heel
they where both so pumped with energy when they got back that they wanted me to get some thing done also i was not wanting to
get a tattoo so i wanted to get my belly button re-pierced, we walked down the street to find the nearest piercer
and it was 12:00am and no where was open, there was a tuk tuk driver on the side of the road and he said he would find us
one open and if not we would not have to pay for the ride. we got in our first tuk tuk ride it was a motorcycle that had
a little attached carriage on it and we piled in, it felt you like where on a carnival ride as when it turned corners
it did a complete 90 degree turn , this tuk tuk also had lights underneath that lit up as he drove it was so pimp lol.
when we did find the piercer i was laughing so hard because it was right next door to our accomadation and we had
be driving around all this time and it was right there, we paid the driver and in we went i was nervous my heart
was pumping i had it done before so i am not sure why, i got the piercing done and i didnt feel anything it was
great after that we where off to bed.

dec 20-2009 woke up today for our thai cooking class we got picked up at the accomadtion and drove out into the
ao nang mountains where the cooking school was held, it was like house tucked up in the hills. we got to pick
5 dishes to make we choose to make pad thai, spring rolls, chicken and cashew nuts, too kang soup, and green curry,
they where all excellent dishes and we got to prep, cook, and eat all the dishes, we where the only 3 girls in the
class so it felt more personal rather then a bunch of tourist learning. thai cooking is really good it has alot of
vegatables and they love there rice but they do use alot of oil for cooking! after out day of cooking we where haeded
out to another island the island of 'railay ' we got to take a long tail boat there which was alot of fun, and
the island was only a 15 minute away. we got off the long boat and we had to find our new accomadation , at the beach
front of railay was lots of long boats on the shore and lots of restuarants on the beach front, but literrally right
behind that was the most disturbing scenery it was like a garbage dumb with random toilets sitting on the grass,
tin huts and garbage every where, we followed a sand path up the mountain side to find our accomadtion, the electrical
lines where hanging so low that you had to duck under them for you wouldnt get fried, we found our accomadtion in
a cute bunglow where we had to use a mosquito net to cover our bed as the bunglow was lifted off the ground but the
planks for the floor still had little holes and which any critter could come through. the bunglow actually looked
like a bamboo hut and there where numberous of them spread out over the hill. after getting settled we headed to the beach
and relaxed, the island of railay is very secluded and full of nature, there are alot of rock climbers here as the mountain
walls are every where to be seen. we watched the sun go down on the beach again and i saw this guy sitting on the beach
who had a hat on that was made of palm tree leaves it looked really funky, he had a bunch of leaves beside him i asked
him what he was doing and he told me makes hats out of leaves and that he learned how to do it in hawaii, he asked
if i wanted to make one so i sat down on the beach and started my first palm tree leave hat, to make the hat it was like
sewing over one leave under another, the bottom of hat looked good but i could not sew the leaves for the top so i gave
up and it looked more like a fruit dish. lol. i was the first to sit down to learn but as the time went on well i sat
there , there was probably a group of 5 of us sitting around chatting and learning this craft, it was a great way to
wrap up a evening.

dec 21-2009 woke up this morning under my mosquito net and chuckling a bit, as all last night it felt like i was camping
as i heard all the critter noises not sure what kind of critters and not sure i wanna find out lol. today we decided to
see the other beach so we started to hike and hike up a mountain we did do, we climbed up and down the hills for about 20
minutes and then we saw some huts in the trees and it was like a little village out there full of hippies and dread
lock girl and boys and pictures of bob marley everywhere! we got to the beach and we rented a kayak and just went out
into the adaman see and kayak around and under the cliffs we saw a few jelly fish on the way they seem to be every where
and more black crabs on the rocks. after our day of kayaking we had to hike back up the mountain to the other side back
to our accomadtion we where not wearing good foot wear and where in our flip flops so going down these steep cliffs
was not fun, josie actually did loose her feet balance and took a run down the hill i for sure thought she was injuered
but she was not, when we got back to our bunglow it was actually quiet winding and i felt cold for the first time on this
trip so i decided to get a coffee, i went up the hill where it looked like a tree fort but was actually a coffee hut
and i ordered a latte which took the guy 30minutes to make he actually grounded the beans and did like 20 steps to make
one cup of coffee his pots looked they where from the 1900 and some thing you would see in the antique store and i got
to say it was the best cup of coffee i have ever had!

dec 22-2009 today we are to pack up again and head to koh samui we purchased our ticket and we where off. our first mode
of transporate was long tail boat from railay to krabi , the long boat ride was about 30minutes and i felt like
our little wooden boat was going to break for sure, after getting off the long boat at krabi pier we had to take a
ghetto looking school bus to next bus location this bus did not have air con and the seats all faced eachother, it was
like a school bus you would find in a dump somewhere and to play in as a fort as a kid i am not sure how it still worked
after our ghetto school bus ride we had to wait 2hours for our coach bus to ko samui pier, the bus finally came and we
got on it was actually a double decker , we got on top of the bus and the bus only made it 5 minutees where it had to
stop as the air con did not work and every one was sweating bullets it was worse then a sauna, it took the giu about 45 min
to fix as we all stood outside in a cattle field waiting for this bus to get fixed. after the bus finally got fixed we
had a 6 hour journey to our next location, where we had to get in a back of a pick up trip with 8 people
lined on the side of the truck with all our luggage in the middle and he drove us to the night ferry, we got there
safely thank god, i was thinking o my how much more funky transport are we going to have to take to get to koh samui,
we got to the pier and we all piled off the back of this pick up truck and we herd a hello girls and it was jan a girl
we meet in koh phi phi and shared a room with she was off to koh tao with some other friends, it was just funny to
run into her again and make chat again. after another far well with jan we boarded onto the night ferry we
got in from the bottom of the boat where it filled with food mail packages and random junk, they told us to go upstairs
when i got up stairs there was a bunch of numbers along each side of the wall from 1 to 100 and tiny mattress side by
side all the way up and only a walk way in between them, i was like o no. my ticket had a number on it for my mattress
and us girls laughed so hard, so people on the ferry where already sleeping where some had there music loud and where
drinking on there little bed. i didnt want to sleep on the mattress as it looked so gross so i got on a towel and laid there
with my clothes on , we where on that boat all night and didnt get to koh samui tell 6:30am when the ferry did dock
i woke up to a bunch of thai people screaming at you for transport into the town and off in another tuk tuk i went
to chaweng beach, at this point i was not in any mood to find accomadation but really wanted to have a shower and
get into a good bed , the tuk driver dropped us off at the beach and there was mc donalds there i was in need for a coffee
i got my coffee and had a good laugh as it was open 24hours and there was a tourist passed out on the bench, and i am
sure he had been there all night! we got our accomadation and again all 3 of us girls are in one bed, but it is alot better
then that night ferry !

dec 23-2009 had the worst sleep as next door the room was having a party all night and they had a thai prostiute there
and they where doing you know what , you could here them through the walls and then at about 6 in the morning you could
hear this fight break out and about the cost of this prostiute i swear the walls where paper thin and i didnt get any
sleep so i was so tired all day that i slept tell the afternoon and then went out onto the beach, the beach at koh samui
is full of body builder men that obviously do steriods and lots of loud music on the beach all day, the music in thailand
seems to be all techno dance house music and you never hear anything different.

dec 24-2009 today was christmas even in ko samui and there was the odd christmas tree here and there, today i did some
shopping for the girls for we could do a mini gift exchange in the morning and at night we went out to the beach at
chawang beach as they where having a free christmas dinner, it was really good and i am starting to like curry and
cocunt milk alot and these wax beans lol! in the evening there was alot of fire works going off along the beach and
people lighting wish lamps off into the atmosphere

dec 25-2009 woke up this morning it was christmas day we exchanged gifts. gifts that where still in the plastic bags we
purchased them in ! i recieved a tiffany key from josie and a l.v scarf, seaweed chips, and a lolli-pop from amy, they
where awomse gifts i really appreciated the mini exchange. i got the girls a hot yoga class and a visit with dr. fish.
the first thing on xmas day we decided to go in a xtreme ball it is a ball you go into and they roll you done this ramp
the ball is full of water and you bounce around, it is super scary as you get into the ball and they make you seal your
self in with this velcro! i was like o know it better not open on well i am tumbelling down the ramp! after the xtreme
ball we went back into town and went to hot yoga class, the class was really good and you sweat so much my body was
actually dripping wet by the time i finished, after the yoga we went to dr fish to relax it is where you put your feet
in the water and the fish eat all the dead skin off your feet and legs, it was fun it felt like little vibrations on
your legs , it was a good way to relax after the intensine yoga.

koh phi phi thailand

stacey_levy — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 23:10:00 GMT

dec 14-2009 left phuket this morning on to another island of ko phi phi. we got into a bus more like a oversized bus.
we headed to the pier where we where to be on a ferry across the water. the ferry was a great ride me and amy sat on the
front of the boat where it felt and looked like a front of a yacht, there where some israel guys up there also and we
where all soaking up the rays. the israel guys where in a band so they continued to sing songs , which made for a
fun mode of transporataion to our new island. the ride brought many sites of different islands scattered all over
the ocean, when we where arriving to koh phi phi you could see the giant cliff walls and maya beach where 'the beach'
with leo dicaprio was filmed, looked amazing, the water was getting bluer and bluer the closer we got to shore,
thailand is breath taking, best sight i have ever seen. We got off the ferry and we where to look for accomadtion,
we meet 'jan' a girl from holland who was travelling by her self so we made friends with her and we all found
a place together. we are staying a phi phi villa it is small little beach cabins right on the beach, they are
super cute, the best thing about koh phi phi is that there are no motorized vechiles aloud except for boats, so
when we booked the room they told us free transporate to the room , lol which was us walking! after getting settled
into our little cabin we headed for the beach, the tide was low and it seemed like you could walk for miles with out
it getting deep. i soaked in the water for a bit and then when walking in i stepped on some thing in the water and
sliced my left foot open , it felt like a nail punchering through, it hurt really bad , and i had injured my right foot
a few days earlier so i am not in good walking condition :( lucky i bought that travel insurance you never what will happen!
in the evening we went out for dinner and we meet a few people from india and from the czech republic, we all ended up having
drinks together, and headed for our first beach party! when we got to the party on the beach there was rings of fire and people
where jumping through it, i decided why not and yes i did jump through it! i dont know if the theme of this beach party
is fire but there was jump rope fire , limbo fire, and every one was covered in paint all over the body and it was continous
tech music all night, it was really fun, you could get drinks in plastic buckets. it was really fun and all of us girls had
a great time dancing !

dec 15-2009 woke up at 5am to the sound of ' ummmmmmmm ummmm' there was mosque beside us and the praying was started lucky
the sound only lasted for 5 minutes because we where soo tired. when we finally did wake it was 9:30 and us girls where
feeling a bit hung over and the looks on every ones painted faces was hilarious
:( we had breakfest and decided this would be a chill day , so back to the beach we went for more
sun bathing, today was very unproductive but it is still great to lay out on the beach and look out at all the small islands.

dec 16-2009 ummmm ummmmmmmmmmmmm the sound of the praying mosque awaking me again at 5:00 am ! today we are going to book
a our first long boat ride around to different islands, we left at 10:00 and we saw stopped to snorkel first
where they told us there was sharks in the water, i kept thinking oh no what happens if i see one i will have a heartache!
they said they get whale sharks here which are 50meters big ! ahh i could not even imagine seeing one well i was snorkeling
luck enough i didnt, just saw the usual coral and bright fish which are still amazing! we headed to our first island
where we passes a viking cave on the way it looked really cool and somthing you would see out of the pirates of the
carabiennes without johnny deep lol. our first stop on the long boat was to the blue lagoon, it looked identical to out
of the movies, i was so excited i dived in and i forgot about my sunglasses they where know long gone to the blue lagoon,
supposably there is no fish here so we just swam, the boat came in through two stone walls and was opened to a circle
of blue water and no beach, it was so beatiful. after our swim we got back on the boat and headed to another snorkel
area in this area there was caves so you could swim through and dive under, there was alot of coral around the caves
and the walls of the caves where really sharp, the current was strong and i finally worked up alot of nerve and swam
under the cave wall i thought i was going to run out of breath but i didnt but when i came up for air there was the stone
wall again and my body dragged along it , again i am all full of scrathes and wounds lucky this salt water will keep the
cuts clean, but when i did get back onto the boat i was dripping blood from my elbow legs and feet the driver of the boat
was some old man and he put what i thought was cloves on my wounds for a remendy but then i later found out it was just
tobbaco and he was smoking it, i really did think i had some cure from the thai plants! after soaking on the boat we where
arriving into maya beach this is the place where 'the beach; was filmed with leo dicaporio it was so nice and again it was
secluded , felt like i was in the movie, they gave us lunch it was rice with chicken i am not sure why but i dont have
a appetite here just want fluids, probably due to the 35 degree tempertures here every day. the boat driver was so weird
though he was about 50 and was 100 pounds and had decayed teeth, and keep trying to hug me soo weird and creepy but he
did let me drive the long boat and it was alot of fun i drove it for about 30minutes and i was fun driving over the
adamun sea, for some reason felt relaxing! we headed to beach called monkey beach and the name descirbed it all there
where monkeys all over the beach and when we got off the tourists where feeding them bannanas but for some reason
they went crazy and about 20 monkeys chased 10 toursits into the water and where screatching it was so funny and scary
at the same time, i was in the water at this time so i watched it all lol. i did before the crazy monkey break out i
did get a good picture beside one! we watched the sun go down on the boat and it was the brightest sun i have ever
seen it was bright orange in colour and seemed to go down in 10minutes. it was a all day event we left at 10 and got back at
7 .

december 17-2009 my birthday lol i woke up this morning to josie singing happy birthday to me in her under wear lol it was quiet funny. today we packed up our bags and headed to krabi for a new island, we walked to the ferry pier again with our heavy packs on. i really wanted a cab ride but here in koh phi phi there are no vechiles or motorized transoport aloud which made for a real cool island. we got on the ferry and again me and amy sat up top and soaked up the rays well josie sat inside with the air-con. we got to krabi and headed to 'ao nang' the girls had booked a room for my birthday we where staying in hostels and crappy guest houses so this is total luxury. i was so excited. we got the hotel and had welcome drinks and when we got in the room the bed was soo huge it was like a king and queen bed put together us 3 girls where so amazed, we all had a nice hot shower and got into our white robes and slippers and slumbered on the bed, we ordered room service and chatted. lol i felt like was in the movies it was a perfect girl evening. thanks so much to them :) for the evening we all got dressed in cute party dresses and combed my hair for the first time on the trip i even felt pretty they took me to a cabaret show and we watched boy-girls dance it was so funny, then we went out for some drinks and danced all night, oh yes and i held a monkey on the street and it peed in my hand ewww so gross all the weird stuff always happens to me,

phuket thailand

stacey_levy — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 23:08:00 GMT

december 10-2009 didnt sleep much last night as we had to catch our shuttle to the airport , we had to be up for 4:30 and
leave at 5:00 we made sure to triple check it would be on time, we got down-stairs and there was no shuttle, we had to complain
to the front desk well they tried calling some one to wake them up for we wouldnt miss our flight, finally some one came and it
was twenty after 5 and we where off to the airport. We got to the airport in denpasar bali and went through the easiest customs
again. I am not sure if it is a south east asia thing but security checks seem to be so easy, we boarded our plane and we where
off to singapore for a connecting flight into phuket. we got to phuket and just walked right into thailand no need to pre-apply
for a visa, we have a 30 day visa and will need to leave the country before it expires, but can re-enter at any time afterwards.
the flight from singapore to phuket was only 45minutes but we had been up since 4:30 and just got in at 2:00pm and we where exhausted.
we where waiting for our baggage on the 1 of 4 baggage claims areas, it was a small airport, and there was a another white couple
there waiting , we had not made any accomadation reservations and they where backpacking so i asked them where they where headed
to. turned out they where wanting to go to the same area of phuket as us and they where from edmonton as well , what a small world
they are the 2nd couple we have meet from home and we have not meet many people at all in this journey so it is weird that there
all from home. we ended up splitting a cab 4 ways to get to patong beach. we got in the cab and the cab driver had to stop at
his office we told he we did not need to stop and to continue to go to the area we wanted but he pretended not understand and to
stop when we stopped we where approached at the window by a male thai trying to sell us accomadation . every one in thailand
gets a commision for directing people to there accomadtion so the cab driver would have profited if we would have purchased, we
declined that offer and headed to banzanna street where there was alot of guest houses and hostels, we walked into a few to find
out prices , we saw a place that had canadian flags on the door so we stopped in , it was actually a gentlemen from vancouver that
owned the hostel and he gave us a great deal of 500 baht for the night which equals to about 18$ canadian dollars. the room was private
with our own bathroom and they gave us complintery slippers, which is so rare as it is a hostel. after settling down in the room, we went
out to wander the streets and to see the beach of patong. we headed down the street past many street markets with all the knock off
stuff you could imagine, bags , jeans, underwear, perfume, jewellery etc. there was alot of street food also. after passing markets
after markets we finally reached the beach it was sunset and it looked beatiful there was long boats lined up along the beach and there
was rolling hills circling the beach, after the beach we headed back to the hostel there was street food vendor that was making crepes
filled with any topping you wanted and was only 35 baht about 1$ canadian dollar, i had to get one , it was filled with bannana and chocalate
it tasted great, i knew i would be coming back for more. we had to walk back through the mall on the way back and we saw a promotioon
for a facial for 369 baht (12$) and a full body massage we couldnt resist the offer and got the treatment it was really releaxing
after we came back to the hostel and tried to fall asleep our room just had a fan
so it was really hot, so i tossed and turned all night.

dec 11-2009 woke up early as could not sleep because of the heat and the bed was hard. we decieded to head to the beach for the day, we
got to the beach and we where full of laughs, it was filled full of old gentlemen with dark tans and speedos laying all over the beach, i
heard thailand had old men everywhere in search of asian brides, and know this was starting to all seem real. there was no young people
and the ladys that where on the beach where super unattricative and had the worst bikini body every, just imagaine a 250 pound 50 year
old women in a string bikini, lol, i should not need to explain more ewww. we went into the water and it was so cold , compared to the bali
water this was like ice water, but not as salty which was good for my senstive eyes. we soaked in the water and got bored fast we
knew we wouldnt stay in patong beach long as it was way to touristy and full of old men, in the after noon we headed back to the hostel
as we where going to rent a bike and explore around phuket but we meet a backpacker on the way who was searching for a place to stay , he
ended up staying at the same hostel as us, as the price was great! that evening us 3 went out for dinner and went to see the night life in
patong beach , we walked the streets and again had the best laughs as there was lady boys everywhere, another thought of thailand that rings
in every one heads and it is real! we got approached numberous times to see a ping pong show and that it suddently hit my head what a ping
pong show was and i was like i have got to see this, this can not be real. we where leaded into a club that was called 'the spicy' we went
in through a red curent, and where welcomed to 8 thai girls dancing on a stage with blank grouchy stares on there face, they looked about 14-16
years of age and i thought for sure where in the sex trade of thailand and did not appreicate there jobs. the show had a numberous list of
talents which where so gross and funny. i wont list the details though if u want toknow just ask.......

dec 12-2009 rented a bike for 200 baht (10 canadian dollars) and headed on the road, we started driving up the coast to karon beach
where we saw elephants on the side of the roads for elephant treks, they where all over, and it just felt so random to be driving around
on the skooter and seeing these elephant big ones and baby ones. we got to the beach and parked our skooter, and headed down to the
beach where the coast was filled with big rocks, we put on our snorkel gear and went snorkellings, well snorkelling it was like a underground
rock garden with crabs all over the water, on top of the water and under the water, every time i went to grab a rock there would be one
there, i was hoping i would not get pinched. well snorkelling through the rocks i saw tons of colourful fish big and small, and i even
saw a jelly fish it looks like a white see through mushroom swimming in the water , it was so big i immediately swam away from it. I wanted
to get a picture on the rocks so i climbed on one but slead and cut my toe open ans sprained my ankle the blood was just pouring out! after
my injury we hopped back on the bike to see what else was welcoming us in phuket. we drove up down and around big windey hills and again
elephanys everywhere. We stopped at rawi beach and saw the pear from here you could see little islands scattered across the ocean it looked
really pretty and there where long boats lined up along the coast. after the sight we needed more fuel and just like in bali they have alchol
bottle full of fuel and they fuel you up. after filling up we continued to drive it is just fun to get out on the road and find explore things
for your self. we did find our way to a water fall called kathu, we walked up the stairs to see the fall there where people swimming in the pool
below you could continue to hike up and there would be little areas that the water fall broke into rocks that made into tiny swimming pools and
all the thai kids where playing in the them we continued to hike higher where we heard this whistle sound in the forest we had no idea where
it was coming from but it continued the whole hike, on the hike we also a snake it was slittering in the sand hills beside us eww. we
got to as far as the hike would take us as there was no more trail we didnt get to see the top of the fall but the pools of water where
cool. after the fall we decided to head back to patong beach as it was getting dark and we didnt want to drive in the dark here, we got
back safe and sound , and had a traditonal thai meal i had a chang beer and chicken curry with cocount rice it was actually really good but
had a little kick. after dinner we came back to the hostel and settled in for another night in our non-condition room :(

dec 13-2009 woke up today and went to the airport as josie had a friend from home meeting us here for a few weeks , we got to the airport
and she was super excited to thailand, we brought her back to the hostel and got settled and then rented a bike again to see more of phuket.
josie always rides on the back of my bike as she doesnt know how to drive but today she wanted to learn, and let me tell you that lasted
a whole minute! I felt more secure driving as opposed to being a passenger so up front i went again. we showed amy the same sights we saw
yesterday and went to a area called 'promthemp cape' this is the place where sunsets and look out points where , it is the called the most
beatiful sight in phuket. from above we saw the islands below and there was this round circle full of elephants we where not sure why but
it looked really cool, some thai people where praying inside the circle though. the circle was of figurenes of elephants everywhere from big
ones to really small ones. the sight was beautiful and the sunset even more pretty! after the sunset we decided to head back into patong beach
, once coming back we got some street vendor food, they line the streets, where there bikes and grills attached to there bikes for selling everything
from crepes , fish, fruit, and looks of things i dont even know of ! again i had another crepe they where to good to resist.

skooter bali and snorkel

stacey_levy — Wed, 9 Dec 2009 13:30:00 GMT

DEC 6-2009 TODAY WOKE UP AFTER THE NIGHT OF LOUD PARTIERS IN OUR HOTEL ROOM THEY SEEM TO PARTY EVERY NIGHT WITH
LOUD BANGING ON EACHOTHER DOORS AND LOUD AUSSY ACCENTS, JOSIE GETS FRUSTERED IN THE NIGHT WHEN HEARING THEM
PARTY SO SHE GETS UP AROUND 4 IN THE MORNING AND YELLS AT THEM AND THEN THEY SHUT UP LOL IT IS KINDA FUNNY,.
SHE SLEEPS WITH EAR PLUGS BUT STILL HEARS THEM, BUT I SLEEP LIKE A ROCK AND NEVER HEAR ANY THING! TODAY
WE WHERE ON A SEARCH FOR A CHEAP DRIVER TO TAKE US TO THE EAST OF BALI TO DO SOME SNORKELLING TOMORROW
AFTER OUR REGULAR BARDARING WE FOUND A DEAL WHICH WAS GOOD AS WE DID MEET 2 DENMARK GIRLS AT THE POOL AND
THEY WANTED TO COME WITH US SO THE COST WAS SPLIT BETWEEN FOUR WHICH WORKED OUT WELL. BUT TODAY WE RENTED
A SKOOTER IT COSTED 4$ TO RENT AND 4$ FOR FUEL, WE GOT OUR QUICK LESSON AND THEY MADE ME DO A TEST RIDE
BEFORE HANDING OVER THE KEY, YOU NEED SOME BALANCE WHEN GOING SLOW. JOSIE RODE ON THE BACK WELL I DROVE
RIDING WITH 2 PEOPLE WAS GOOD BUT YOU NEEDED AGAIN GOOD BALANCE, WE HOPPED ON THE BIKE AND JUST DROVE
ANY WHERE UNTELL I LOOKED DOWN AND NOTICED THAT THE FUEL WAS EMPTY WE NEEDED PETRO ASAP LOL, THE PETROL
STATIONS HERE ARE LITTLE PLACES ON THE SIDE ON THE ROAD THAT HAVE FUEL IN ABSOULUTE VODKA BOTTLES, WE NEEDED
4 OF THEM TO FUEL OUR HOT WHEELS! WE DID HAVE TO WEAR HELMETS THEY WHERE GREASY BLACK YAMAHA ONES LOL
THEY WHERE GROSS TO PUT ON OUR HEAD! IT WAS FUN CRUSING WE DROVE EVERY WHERE THE TOWNS IN BALI JUST SEEM
TO LINK TOGETHER SO IT ALWAYS FEELS LIKE YOU ARE IN ONE TOWN STILL BUT YOU HAVE ACTUALLY GONE THROUGH 4,
ON OUR DRIVE WE SAW RICE FIELDS , ROOSTERS AND CHICKENS ON THE ROADS, BAMBOO HOUSES . WE HAD TO DRIVE ON THE
LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD HERE BUT I JUST SEEM TO CATCH ON LIKE A NATURAL! TIME WENT REALLY QUICK ON THE BIKE
PROBABLY BECAUSE IT WAS SO FUN AND WE JUST FELT FUNNY RIDING IT LOL! IN KUTA WHERE WE ARE STAYING THERE ARE
ALOT OF YOUNG AUSSYS KIDS ON BIKES AND THE TRAFFIC IS INSANE, I WAS GETTING GOOD A WEAVING IN AND OUT OF
TRAFFIC JOE WAS PROUD OF ME AND DRIVING DOWN ALL THE ALLEY WAYS! THE BIKE/SKOOTER IS THE MAIN TRANSPORT
IN BALI AND EVERYONE IS ON A BIKE AND WHEN YOU NEED TRANSPORATION THE ONLY ENGLISH WORD THEY KNOW IS
TRANSPORT YES! SO YOU CONTINUISLY HEAR THAT BEING SAID THAT TO YOU! WE DID GET ANOTHER MASSAGE THAT NIGHT
FOR ONLY 8$ IT IS SUCH A GREAT DEAL AND TO HARD TO PASS UP AND A GREAT WAY TO WRAP UP A DAY OF SKOOTER!

DEC 7-2009 WE WHERE OFF TO DO SOME SNORKELLING TODAY WE WOKE UP AND LEFT BY 8:00AM FOR A 3HOUR DRIVE TO AMED,
THE ROADS WHERE WINEDY UP THE HILLS AND AGAIN STARTING TO FEEL NAUSEA GOING AROUND THEM WE DID GET
TO SEE A ACTIVE VOLCANO ON THE DRIVE THERE IT JUST LOOKED LIKE A BIG HILL TO ME! WHEN WE GOT TO AMUD WE
WHERE WELCOMED TO A BLACK SEA I WAS THINKING OH KNOW THE SNORKELLING IS GOING TO SUCK, WHEN WE WALKED UP TO
THE BEACH THERE WAS WHITE BOATS ALONG THE BLACK ROCK SAND BEACH AND A DEAD DOG THAT WAS FULL BODY SKULL
AND ALL EWW, THIS WAS NOT A GOOD WELCOMING TO THE SNORKEL, I PUT ON MY NEW SNORKEL GEAR THAT I RECENTLY
PURCHASED BECAUSE I DIDNT WANT TO CONTINUE TO USE , USED SNORKEL GEAR AND I PLAN ON DOING IT ALOT ON THIS
TRIP SO IT WOULD COME IN HANDY. AFTER GETTING MY GEAR ON IT WAS OFF TO THE WATER I WENT, I GOT IN AND I
IMMEDIATELY SAW BRIGHT FISH EVERYWHERE I WAS ALREADY EXCITED THEN I STARTED TO SEE THE CORAL AND IT WAS LIKE
OUT OF THE MOVIES IT WAS A UNDER WATER GARDEN WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT SHAPED CORAL IN SHAPES OF LETTUCE CABBAGE
AND EVERY THING YOU COULD IMAGINE EVEN ONE CORAL LOOKED LIKE A BRAIN LOL
. THIS WAS THE BEST SNORKEL EVER AND I WISHED WE WOULD HAVE BOOKED TO STAY
IN AMED FOR MULTIPLE NIGHTS I WOULD LIKE TO WAKE UP AND SNORKEL EVERYDAY BUT WE WHERE LEAVING BALI SOON SO
THIS COULD ONLY BE A DAY ADVENTURE. THE FISH WHERE SO COLOURFUL AND NOT ONE ALIKE, THERE WAS ONE THAT I THOUGHT
MAY HAVE BEEN A EEL IT WAS LONG AND REALLY SKINNY AND WHITE/SILVER IN COLOUR. THERE WAS STAR FISH THAT
WHERE BLUE IN COLOUR AND WHERE EVERYWHERE AND EVEN A FEW JELLY FISH THAT I SWAM AWAY FROM AS I WAS SCARED
OF THEM. THIS IS THE PROBABLY THE BEST SIGHT I HAVE EVER SEEN AND COULD STAY IN THE WATER FOREVER! BUT IN
THE WATER IT FELT LIKE NEEDLES PINCHY YOU I AM NOT SURE WHAT IT WAS BUT IT POKED WHEN EVER AND YOU DIDNT KNOW
WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM. THE CORAL SEEMED TO GO FOREVER AND YOU COULD SNORKEL AND TO CONTINUE TO SEE NEW
SIGHTS EVERY FLIP AWAY. THE FISH WHERE ALL SO DIFFERNT AND I AM SURE TO DO SOME RESEARCH TO FIND OUT WHAT
KIND OF FISH I SAW, SOME WHERE BRIGHT BLUE , ORANGE, NEON GREEN, MULTIPLE COLOURS AND ALL DIFFERENT SIZES
FROM BIG TO REALLY SMALL. I DID HAVE MY NEW DIGITAL CAMERA AND GOT MANY DIFFERENT SHOTS OF THE FISH I COULD!
AFTER THE WONDERFUL SIGHT OF AMED WE WHERE OFF TO TULIMBENA IT WAS 20MINUTES AWAY AND THERE WAS A SHIPWRECK
THERE , WE GOT ON OUR SNORKEL GEAR AGAIN AND OFF WE WENT WE SAW THE SHIP WRECK BUT IT WAS NOT THAT AMAZING
IT WAS MORE FOR DIVERS FOR THEY COULD GO IN AND OUT OF THE SHIP BUT AS WE WHER JUST SNORKELLING WE JUST SAW
THE TOP BUT THERE WAS BIG FISH THE SAME BESIDE YOU AND WHERE THE SIZE OF YOUR HEAD AND BLACK IN COLOUR THEY
WHERE COOL TO SEE AND SWIM WITH, IT WAS A GREAT DAY OF SNORKEL AND I HOPE WHEN I COME BACK TO BALI ONE DAY THAT
IT WILL STILL BE THERE IN AMED AS I HEAR THE CORAL IS DIEING QUICKLY AND AT AMED THE CORAL IS SO CLOSE TO SHORE
PROABBLY ABOUT 20FEET AND THE BOATS CONTINUE TO GO OVER IT, IT WAS THE BEST SIGHT AND I HOPE THEY PROTECT IT
FOR I CAN SEE IT AGAIN IN THE FUTURE. AGAIN UNDERWATER GARDEN OUT OF THE MOVIES!! SPECTUALAR!

goodbye singapore - sumatra indo - bali indo

stacey_levy — Wed, 2 Dec 2009 20:31:00 GMT

Woke Up this morning to decide on our plans for tomorrow as we are suppose to depart from singapore to bangkok , we where a little unsure of
plans as we didnt have a set route of the journey we just both wanted to island hop and stay on the beach !
we decided we would go to bangkok and take a bus to phuket , so we booked a hostel that had beach huts to sleep on right on the beach, but after
our day of meeting another traveller from usa are plans took a spin.
we spent the day going to china town to check out outdoor markets but it was raining and we didnt want to go out in the rain, so we decided to head to
douby ghaut to check out some dollar store that other fellow back packers where raving about
, we got to the store that all the other hostelers talked about , but it was no interest to us just full of
trinkets for your house, not really any backpacker stuff. We then decided to go battle box a underground bomb shelter that was used in the war, our new friend
was in the us army so this was alot of interest to him, to get to this place we had to trek through the rain again, it is always raining in singapore
but it still stays hot and humid, but the good thing is though the rain wont hurt your money all the money is plastic and it doesnt even tear i even
tried ripping it! after battle box we we walked to raffles hotel which is a hotel that was built in 1890 and is really fancy and high end, it is a hostorical
point for singapore and it is where the famous singapore sling drink was invented. we decided to have a drink there because the saying is you cant
go to singapore with out having a singapore -sling, We went into the famous 'Long Bar' and sat down when you walked in there, there was peanuts all over the floor
they where serving them to the guests to eat. The drink was 27$ and was really out of my budget but I thought when will I ever have one again, and let me tell
ya it sure tasted good, since it costed so much i didnt slurp this one down and only had one drink! After our drink we decided to go back to the hostel
and along the way get some alchol we where in the mood to party and we hadnt done so the whole trip , we stopped at the liquor store and the cheapest
vodka was 82$ for a two-six we where shocked we asked why and they said beacause all alchol in singapore is imported and that is w hy it costs so much, we
decided not to purchase any but to head down to clark quay and check out the party street. the street was full or trendy bars, even a bar called hospital
and you sat in wheel-chairs and your drinks where served to you through i.v bags, strange but sooo cool. the street and all the bars where really trendy
and so modern and we where upset because i guess on wednesday nights on clark quay girls drank for free ahhh it was thursday and we missed out. since everything
was so expense on clark quay we decided to go back to the hostel. we did pick up some beers a seven elven and you are aloud to
drink on the street, which is so strange because you cant chew gum in singaapore they dont even sell it or you cant be gay all these laws have death
penaltys but you can still drink on the street weird!
after spending a great day with our new friend that looks like matt maconhauy the famous
actor we all decided to keep on travelling south and head to indonsia together. we had our flight booked to bangkok and we needed to change it asap
we changed our flight to open date and will make it into thailand in a month or so after we are done seeing indonesia and chilling on the beach in Bali, our
new friend is really nice but we continue to joke about the movie taken or broke-down palace hopefully and i pray that will never happen.

We left our hostel and said good-bye to our little family there the family of my bunk buddy who is from dubai and has a strict relgion, i am not sure
what he is doing in singapore but i did talk him into that i lived in a igloo and had a polar bear as a pet dog in canada! Josies bunk buddy was from
sweden and he has been in singapore for over a month in search of a job he is really smart and uses the biggest words when talking to you , so strange
and we will never forget the crabby old man who thought he worked at the hostel he would continue to get mad at everything he was 50 years old and
some one must have shit in his corn flakes alot , i did catch him on the web searching out a asian bride lol. we only stayed in the hostel for 5 days
but those people will always make me laugh!

Currently right now I am sitting on a ferry that is going to suktpand indnosia , it is very swaying and i am starting to feel a little sea sick,! i have a
window seat and there are so many off shore drilling rigs all over the ocean and little islands we keep passing, it is sunset so it looks beautiful, we decided to take the
ferry across water as it is a cheap route we are paying 23$ to get to indo from singapore great deal, we may be on this ferry all night though ;(
it was funny though as we had to check our bags for the ferry ride but when we got inside the ferry all our bags where pilled infront of us, josie
had a bag of chips in her bag, i am sure she is going to have a bag full or crumbs.
it is funny how we had no plan yesterday but now are on our way to indonisia pass port stamps are adding up fast and who knows where the rest of
trip will bring us, i am so ready for a adventure of a life time, but time to go now as i may get sick from the swayy sway and victor our usa friend
is craving
a coffee but they are brewing it through a sock in the back as a fliter so he is going to wait LMAO!

We finally reach the indonesia ferry port we head inside to go through immigration and they are asking for fee for
visa which we forgot to bring cash for the nearest atm was 5minutes away there was 3 of us and one of the officer
had to go with our new friend to get the cash, this immigration was like one you would not even imagaine
the customs desk guy looked blind and he didnt even ask for me to put my bag through, and well we waited for
victor to get back we sat and waited well the indonesian immigtration officer was asking for our email and asking
if we wanted a ride after he was done work , the workers where walking around aimiesly and there looked like there
was no professional system. when victor got back he had told us that they where trying to rip us off by 25% by
increasing the fee for the 30 day visa, this seemed really true as it was not organized there and there was no
reciepts for anything, Josie then realized she had 50$ us cash in her bag and that paid for our visa without
any conflicts, after we got out of immigration and easily walked by custums we needed to take a taxi into Nagoya for the
night for we could leave in the morning to head the coast of samutra island. When we walked outside to get
a cab it sounded like a auction every indonsia cab driver was screaming at you trying to get you inside there
cab we just choice the one with the best price, they took us into town we stopped at a atm
and there money here is insane they run in RP i took out 1 Million Dollars that is right I took out 1 million
dollars which is equilavent to 100$ canadian !! that is the only time in my life i will ever have one million
in my hand i had to get a picture\! and we stayed at some dodgy hotel that was 4$ where when you came in the
entrance there was kittens everywhere lucky we are only here
for the night, when we went into our room you could tell it was not that clean so
I am happy i brought my sleeping bag because i was not sleeping on those sheets! and they do
not believe in toilet paper as most of the population is musilm , so i am saving every napkin i can find!
after we checked into the hotel we decided to get something to eat, we walked down the street where there where
cats everywhere and when i walking i almost stepped on a cock-roach! I let out a loud scream eww, the streets
where filled with garbage and the street reacked like shit! I saw some golden arches ahead and we knew mcdonald
was calling our name ! The mcdonalds even served rice and spagetti! after our meal we went back to the hotel
and called it a night,

In the morning we woke up and caught a cab back to the ferry to head to burha we are headed to the west coast of
the island of sumatra where there is suppose to be awsome islands and surf! When we caught the cab we asked spefically
the cost to the ferry they continued to ignore us but he knew we where saying 20,000 which is $2, it seems like
you can drive here for a whole hour for $1 which is insane! After our cab ride back to the ferry port we got out the
cab and he started to demand more money , we did not give in and gave him his money and left,! Again we walked up
the ferry port and the auction started again they where all screaming at you to buy a ticket and trying to
compete with eachother, we bought a 25$ ticket for a ferry and bus ride , we got on the ferry and the air conditioning
was cranked it was sooo cold, the bathroom on the ferry was littering a cement pad with a hole in it, prepare
to squat and bring your t.p!! after the ferry we went to go to our bus , the bus we where looking at was
jammed packed and in indonesia you always read about the chicken bus which means a bus that is packed full of people
people riding beside chickens, goats, kids vomitting, people having sex etc, people riding on the top of the bus
etc, this bus looked like the chicken bus ride was going to come true, lucky enough since we paid a little more
for our tickets we got to ride in a volkswagon like bus, there was 16 people in this van it was packed we awhere
the only white people and where getting stare from everyone, all
the windows where open and we where trying to get as much air conditioning inside! the ride was interesting the road was
gravel and the dust was flying my white shirt turned to brown and every pot hole we hit we where bottoming out,
the view was great it was lush green grass with palm trees for miles, there was peoplee houses along the way
they where above the ground lifted above for water , and there drive pads where 2 by 4 boards scattered every
where ! We did have a little kid puking in the van lucky i didnt smell it! after our long bus ride we settled we
got dropped off at a hotel there was no vacany available but there was indo band outside and they asked us if
we wanted to come and watch them play as they where having a concert that night we wanted to get settedled first
then make our way there , they actually gave up one of there rooms and let us stay there and didnt want to
take any of our money they where super nice and even bought us supper , our supper was rice that came in a bamboo
wrapper that was folded up like a tee-pee, with curry sauce that came in a zip-lock bag i guess if you want any
beverage her in indo it come in ziploc bags and you poke straws through them to drink, we also had som chicken
wings it was pretty good. So that night we went with the band to the concert we got into there van and headed to the
show when we got there we got to sit front row and they served us more dinner with crazy indo food, i stuck to the
rice and bottle water, Josie was actually filling pretty sick and was vomitting so we decided to go in the van
and sleep untell every one was ready to go , when every one came back we headed to the hotel and went to bed, when
we woke in the morning we had to option to find a flight to bali or travel with the band down the coast to
bukkingteng we looked for flights and there was none leaving on the same day so we went with the band, joe was
stilling feeling sick this morning so they made her sit front seat, we drove the coast and got to see wonderful
scenery and they even pulled over a few times for picture moments, one spot we pulled over was on a bridge
and the mountains where really high full of palm trees night like the snow one we have a home below the bridge
was a fish farm you could see all the fish swimming frantickly! the roads up the mountain where really whindy
and i was starting to feel quezzy! here in indo they drive on the left side and the sterring wheel on the right
there are no roads light or street signs and people drive like maniakes and there are bikes everywhere
even 5 people loaded on one seat , with babys hanging off moms arms. We passed alot of houses and small towns
along the way with rosters and ducks and stray dogs everywhere, we did stop for a meal on the side of the
road we had some chicken soup which was so strange! this resturant was on the side of the road and when we went to
sit down we pulled out our chair and there was a cat sitting on there and ants running all over the table.! outside
there 2 small kids and they where laughing at us and where scared we where the first white people they had saw
ever they where super cute, the band we where travelling with wanted us to see true indo people and there culture.
they brought us to there home town bukkingtime we had been travelling in that van all day and got a hotel
and surfed the net looking for flight to bali from padong which 2hours away from here, hopefully we have luck and
get out of here in the morning and to a nice beach, the travel in the van was cool and sights that are hard to explain
this is a 3rd world country and i kinda felt like i was in a world vision video or unicef the sights are true, and
the people are still working in rice paddy fields walking around carry bundle of sticks on there head and living in
shacks, makes me happy to live in canada but great experience to see
after surfing the net for a bit a drunken
group of white people had stummbled by and victor our new travel bud had started talkikng to them, they where
here from all over the world and where helping re-build homes from the tsumani that hit on sept 2009, they had
asked if we wanted to volunteer and to come out to a small village, we where going to think about it .

when we woke up the next morning we went to pizza hut and had a pizza for 3$ yummy and cheap! here the group that
was volunterring was also here they explained to us that the sleeping condition where on the floor and you had
to bring your own work gloves boots and clothing that covereed your skin as we where in a muslim culture and they
dont respect that. We decided not to volunteer as we would have to purcahse alot of stuff and we had limited time
in indosnia as we where here on a 30day visa, we got there card and maybe in the future will volunteer and
help with diaster relief, the group was called 'hands on'. after we decided not to volunteer we needed to book
a flight to bali because driving would take to long we found a flight but it didnt leave tell the next day, so
we where stuck in bukkingteng for another night, so during the day we just walked the streets and checked out the
vendors, we only had summer clothes with us and we where wearing shorts and tanks top which is a big no no here
we where getting stares from all the muslims and we where the only white people around. Even kids would still
stare to see us. The vendors that we say on the street all carried boy clothes as the girls in the culture
all had to wear saris and be fully covered so there was not much shopping for us! We checked back into singalang
hotel for another night, when we woke up the next morning at 6:00 we where waiting for our shuttle to take us
to padang to the airport which was 2hours away, it was 6:45 and th shuttle was still not here , alot of people
asked if we wanted a ride though but we where not climbing into any of those vechiles, when the shuttle did
arrive it was a blue blazer and there was already 6 people inside it was a full car! the blazer also had a
stereo in it and they pounded white club music, which is strange because no speaks english but they listen
to the music. it was 8:45 when we got to the airport and our flight left at 10:00 but i guess here 30min before
check in is ok! the security is ridicioulous people where walking through customs and they where beeping the
siren but no check they continued to walk and i forget in my bag i had saftety pins cosmetics sunscreen, none
of that would have been able to go through in canada, and even at check in we did not need any idenification
nor showing our passport, we where again the only white people on the plane, hopefully when we get to bali there
will be more english speakers.

so we arrived in bali at denspar airport and took a cab into kuta the main tourist place, it was dark when we got here
and we had to find some accomadation we searched the net and they where outragoues prices we where
told to walk poppy lanes and we would find a cheap hotel, sure enough we asked a guy on the street
if he knew of any cheap accomadation he told us he was staying at one for 18$ a night so he should us the
hotel it was like luxury swimming pool palm trees all that you could wish for, so spilt in 2 it was only 9$
for me and joe great deal! after checking in the guy that showed us the accomadation was going out for
dinner we hadnt ate all day so we went with him, on the way there we walked by some many vendors selling
all the knock off stuff you could imagine, after eating dinner we stopped at the internet cafe and called my
parents for the first time in a month, on skype which is a cheap internet phone line, after the internet
we walked past a pirating dvd place and i bought 14 dvd for 10$ and these are movies that are still in
theater!! whoop whoop best deal so far, when getting back to the hotel we found a cock-rroach in our room
it was huge , and now joe is sleeping in her cocoon mosquito net lol , it is like a mini tent all zipped in.

so i woke up this morning giggling as josie was in her cocoon all night and still in the middle night she screamed
a couple a times, lol, i told her about she thought she may have been dreaming about bugs which really freak
her out! when we got up we had to room switch as we where going to another room in same hotel at hotel arena but
for cheaper price so we packed our stuff again and brought down stairs and had a 2$ breakfest buffet! yummy,
so today we where off to the beach we layed there soaked up the sun and played in the bali sea, which really
hurt my eyes because there was so much salt, i am starting to think my eyes are super senstive as i can
not go with out my sun glasses! well laying on kuta beach there is alot of indo marketers trying to sell
you stuff braclets sunglasses food ice cream massages etc, kinda get annoying after awhile , at kuta beach
you are here to learn to surf and there are beginner riders every where, we woke up and had a late start this
morning so we decided to try surfing tomorrow when we can make it a full day event, after sitting on the beach
all day and watching the sunset go down we headed back to the hotel and to get ready to go get a bite to eat
we ate a place called tree house it alright and only costed 4$ with appetizer drink and meal, good deal. after
dinner we decided to stroll the markets around the markets are kids baggin for money or moms breast fedding there
kids and baggin for money, they are every where! well browsing the street we found a massage place that offered
a hot stone aromatherpay full body massage for 1 hour for 12$ we decided to get it done! so upstairs we went
for the massage and i was wearing a beach dress with nothing on underneath lol it was so hot dont blame me! but
any who she gave me disposable panties to wear lol, after laying down on the table it was a great massage but
the stones where really hot and kinda felt rough and it didnt help that i got a sunburn today at the beach and
i came here pre tanned so who knows maybe the bali sun is just that hot! after the massage we walked back to the
hotel and passed by some vendors on the way everything is so cheap you just have to barder!

woke up this morning and had our 2$ breakfest buffet from our hotel best deal ever they make u a omelte and there is
open buffet. after breakfest i rented my first surf board for the day it costed 4$ and off to kuta beach we
went, it is only a 5minute walk from the hotel. when we got the beach i went in and tried the surf board
it didnt seem that hard just paddle and stand up but there was so much sea salt getting in my eye that i had to take
a break, so i laid on the beach again, josie was getting a lesson done at this time so i watched her it was
amusing! after a bit josie came in and we continued to sit on the beach, there was this lady selling fruit
she sold me a whole pineapple that she removed all the peels and it you held it but the stem well you ate
it only cost me a $1. after enjoying my pineapple i was looking at my board i had broke a fin , not sure
how i did only take one good fall in the wave but i didnt think it was enough to break a fin, the fins are
made of fiber glass so that is now in the ocean , sucks maybe some one may step on it but i guess it happens
all the time, but when i did purchase my board he said he would charge me if any thing was broken i swear
i was sold a shitty board with that fin, so i did have to pay 3$ to get it fixed lucky it was cheap , after
we decided to hit the water again this time josie instructor
took me out he kept calling me sexy bum lol not sure why but all the locals seem to call you that, in the d.r
r it was cheapy cheapy all the time here it is sexy bum and money for good luck! the insturctor told me to
keep my legs on the board at all time and it is essential to paddle when the wave is coming in i got up
on my first try with him and then again on the 2nd yeah! but then again my eyes where hurting so in i
went to the beach again, after the day of surfing we had another meal and called it a night

today we woke up and decided to get the famous bananna pancakes that jack johnson always sings about and that
we hear taste soo good, every one serves them here in bali. we ordered the pancake it was only 1$ but it
didnt live up to expections it was just a pancake with bannane slices grilled into it, it tasted good
but we thought it would be some thing else, we will try them again some where else to see if we got the
experience. after breakfest we went to see how much a shuttle would be to ubud, we where told it would be
30$ for a driver to drives us around for the entire day and show us the sites, so we took the offer
up, it felt really cool to sit in the back of this vechile and this guy to treat you like rich white
girls lol which we really are poor backpackers he would open doors etc, on our way to ubud there was a
motor cycle accident in front of us , there was four people on the bike and you could see them fliying off the bike we where
right behind him lucky the driver slammed on his brakes waste because we almost ran one over, the driver
ran out and helped them up and moved the bike off the road, he got back in and we are back on our way, it
was just so a eye opener watching these people fall right in front of us :! after the accident
he took us to a silver shop first that he told us we
would see silver getting made. when we got there was no silver being made it was basically a shop to buy
silver we where like awww this better not be pleys to buy stuff along this day trip. we then headed to a temple
that praised the hindu gods, here they gave you a sarong to wear as you can not enter in a temple with bare legs
and we where wearing sun dresses, in side there was a cool stone carvings, after we headed to see the rice terraces
when we got there we got out of the vechile where i was swarmed by little kids and adults trying to sell you stuff
from postcards to pencils to sarongs, it is like you see on tv where a movie star gets out of there vechile and people are
everywhere over them asking for autographs, but this was beggers asking to buy there stuff you could barely walk with out
10 of them around you, after getting through the bustle we walked down the hill and say the rice terrace it looked
beautiful with perfectly scultpulted hills of rice crops. they had bamboo huts there and you could sit and eat
a meal with the rice that had been farmed from those hills. i ordered a sweet and sour chicken and rice it was excellent
and we also shared a giant cocunt drink, the cocunt was bigger then my head! when we where eating our dinner
it started to rain hard, so we finished our meal in the bamboo hut and headed to monkey forest, the name says it all
moneys in a forest! when we got there we walked down the path and monkeys where running everywhere, i had to stop by one
and get a picture the monkey seemed friendly and it put it hand out and grabbed my boob a few times so weird i couldnt
stop laughing , after the interagation from the monkey it started to rain hard again so most of the monkeys took shelter
we continued to walk in the forest it had cool little stairs ways that ran beside a river. i wish it wasnt raining then
we could have got the full monkey experience. we then headed to the markets in ubud, we thought we would stop at the
interent cafe as he was giving us 1hour to shop and we really didnt want to buy anything, well in the cafe josie was
researching a book she just recently read called 'eat , love, pray' in the book it talked about the town of ubud in bali
where there was medicine healer, and a palm reader that predic this authors life. Josie was intriguied by this book and she
really wanted to find these to people. we headed to bali traditional healing to find dr.wayne , we found the shop tucked in
a small alie where ckickens and roosters where clucking everywhere, we went inside but she said she was to busy and
we would have to come back tomorrow, in her place you could see on the back wall a picture of the author of eat, love , pray and
a picture of julia roberts we new we where at the right place, josie was a little upset because she didnt get to see her but
was happy that she found the place, we where then off to find ketut liyer the palm reader, every one in ubud new of him
and any one on the street you asked could point you in the way of his house, we found his house and we went inside and his
son greated us, he told us that his dad was really tired and would like us to come tomorrow, our driver then told him we
where from canada and we came all this way so he agreed to read our palm, he was this little old man with 2 teeth in his upper
jaw with lots of root exposure, and was sitting crossed leg on his porch, there was one gentlemen ahead of us and he said he
was waiting 2hours, so once it was our time to go we where excited, even opera raved about this book so we thought we
had a fortuniated experience, expect that he read my palm , read my back, and checked my legs, and told me the exact
same thing as he told joe, so it was a total waste of money and we felt ripped as this girl had raved about him andd
people from all over the world cometo him :( what a downer for a rap up of a end of a night.

today we woke up and we where off to dreamland, it was was a beach full of surfers, you couldnt even swim here the waves
where washing in at the shore so intese, but the surfers where amazing they had great talent, at dream land we laid on the
beach under the umberrela as we where still a bit crisp from our first day in kuta! after a few hours of laying on the beach
we where , off to padung padung to another beach here we walked down between to walls of rock close together with small steps
we heard some screatching and we couldnt see what was around the corner of the rock stair wall , but we found out it was monkeys
fighting, after walking down the tight rocks we where welcomed to a beautiful beach with rocks coming out of the water it looked
like paradise, here we took a swim as the water was calm and there was snorkerls fishing for squid! we stayed here for a few hours,
i wanted to take a lot of picutes but my camera died just like in d.r so i hope it is not done for good because i dont want
to have to buy a new one: ( i will never suggest olypus water camera to any one. but anywho after the beach we headed to
oluwatu which was high on the hill when we got there we had to again put on a sarong on because there was temple and no
leg is to be shown for respect! we walked up some stairs and where looking down a rock cliff at the ocean looked amazing, but no
camera for pics :( here at oluwatu there was monkeys everywhere more then at monkey forest they where just everywhere, our
guide then took us to get a seat for the ketuk dance well the sunset went down. the ketuk dance is a culture dance that the music
is created from saying the word ketuk over and over, it is a 70 indonesian men that make the coolest noise ! the dance was awsome
and hard to explain it is a must see for everyone that comes to bali! when we got back to kuta the power was out everywhere
so again we where off to bed.

for a couple days we woke up and just lied at the beach for the entire day and played in the sea worked on the tan, we
did inquire about kite surfing we thought we could try it but i guess it is a course that takes 10hours to do and you get
a certificate for it also, the cost was 250$ i thought for this expense i would save it for a deep water dive course for i
could scuba and save it for thailand!
we did go out last night
and went to a area of kuta called 'the legian' it is where all the bars and night life is. we went to a bar called skygarden because
it was free drinks for ladys but when we got there we found out the time for the free drinks was between 11-12 so we where to late
but there was this bar beside called 'the bounty' and lets say this is a bar full of aussies and not one person sober no one
couldnt even walk straight it was so funny to see because we where not drunk! lets just say the aussies in bali sure know how
to party! we ended up having a few jugs of slushy drinks and where starting to get in the groove the bar had alot of different
levels and different music and even karokee , after our drinks we where feeling a buzz but didnt want to waste any more
money alchol so we decided to go back to the hotel, the hotel was about a 15minute walk and we where feeling lazy
so we hopped on our first motorbike taxi and went home it was so funny to ride on the back down these little alleys, but
i probably just thought it was really funny because i was drunk lol.

december 2-2009 woke up this morning and where off to nusa dusa to do some snorkeling, they took us there in a glass bottom boat which we did not see anything, i remembered this time to have my gear on before getting in the water for the salt didnt hurt my eyes, after getting in we snorkeled around but didnt see that much, and then a guy had a piece of bread and tons of fish where all around us but that only lasted a minute, one day i will find a great snorkel place full of colour and fish hopefully the great barrier reef in australia, fingers crossed, after the snorkel they took us over to turtle island , it is a place where the turtles where protected, they showed us baby turtles and adult turtles we even got to hold them but the best part was that they let us swim in the aquarium with them the turtles where so big and the oldest one was 65 years and was gigantic they all just swan around you, good experience no camera just have to keep that memory for my head another funny thing was that all these indo muslim familys kept asking for pictures of us like we where celebritys as i guess it is rare for them to see a white person i think we got 15 different photos done with different familys they where so excited lol but i was so embarresed:( after the turtle island we got back in the boat and headed back for shore the boat was going so slow because the water was so shallow.

JB MALAYSIA AND ORCHARD RD

stacey_levy — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:19:00 GMT

TODAY WE WOKE UP AND I WENT TO HAVE OUR COMPLINTERY TOAST DOWN STAIRS, WHEN I WENT TO PUT MY TOAST IN SOME ONES WAS STUCK IN SIDE I TRIED POPPING IT UP BUT IT WAS STUCK SO I PUT A FORK IN THERE AND SCOOPED IT OUT, AND THEN THE POWER IN THE WHOLE BUILDING SHUT OFF!! WHOOPS, SO NO TOAST FOR ME AND NO ACCESS INTO THE BUILDING AS NO POWER FOR MY ACCESS CARD!!

WELL AFTER THE LITTLE ORDEAL OVER THE POWER AND NO BREAKY:( WE DECIDED TO HEAD INTO MALAYSIA AND DO SOME CHEAP SHOPPING WE TOOK A BUS THERE IT TOOK 1HOUR TO GET THERE FROM SINGAPORE AND HAD TO GO THROUGH CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATIONS AGAIN, THEY WHERE NICE AND NO PROBLEMS , WE GOT TO JB MALAYSIA AND WE SWITCHED OVER SOME CURRENCY THEY RUN IN RM PRONUCED RIMEY AND IT WAS 1 CANADIAN DOLLAR TO 3.28 RM, WHICH IS AWSOME I BOUGHT A NICE PAIR OF FLATS FOR 10$ AND A FAKE LV BAG FOR 10$ BUT I HAVE GOT TO SAVE MY MONEY FOR BANGKOK WHERE SUPPOSABLY THE SHOPPING IS INSANE, I HAVE ALREADY BOUGHT 4 PAIRS OF SHOES ON THIS TRIP I THINK IT IS ALMOST TIME TO SEND THEM YEAH CANADIAN POST! WE DID GET CONFUSED ABOUT THE CURRENCY CONVERSION AND SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT ALOT MORE WE DID REGRET IT AFTER WE LEFT, BUT WE PRAY THAILAND WILL BE GOOD! ON OUR WAY BACK FROM JB MALAYSIA WE KIND OF GOT LOST FINDING WHICH BUS TO GET BACK ONTO SO WE ASKED THIS ASIAN GENTLEMEN WHO WAS WEARING VERY SHORT BLUE SHORTS AND HAD GIANT MUSCLES! HE ENDED BEING SO FRIENDLY HE PAID FOR I RIDE BACK AND TOLD US SOME LOCAL TYPES WHEN HE LEFT HE GAVE US HIS BUSINESS CARD HE ACTUALLY OWNED A GYM ON ORCHARD ROAD AND HIS CARD WAS FUNNY IT WAS HIM LAYING DOWN WITH ALL HIS MUSCLE AND HIS NAME SUPER BUFF LOL! THE TRIP INTO MALAYSIA ONLY COSTED 3DOLLARS SO IT WAS A AWSOME SCORE, HOPEFULLY THE REST OF OUR TRIP WILL BE THIS CHEAP FINGERS CROSSED, WHEN WE CAME BACK INTO SINGAPORE WE TOURED ORCHARD ROAD AT NIGHT IT WAS ALL LITE UP FOR CHRISTMAS AND LOOKED BEAUTFUL AND THE SHOPPING WAS AMAZING!!!! YES SHOPPING IS BETTER THEN JAPAN I SAY ALL YOU CAN DO IN SINGAPORE IS SHOP SHOP SHOP WE PASSED TO L.V STORED IN LESS THEN A BLOCK THAT WHER MULTIPLE LEVELS, EXTREME AWSOME SHOPPING BUT PRICEY BUT SERIOUSLY THE BEST FASHION EVER, I WISHED I COULD BUY IT ALL! AGAIN I WILL COME BACK HERE FOR A LUXURY TRIP IN THE FUTURE!

SINGAPORE ZOO AND NIGHT SAFARI

stacey_levy — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:51:00 GMT

WOKE UP THIS MORNING FREEZING COLD FOR SOME REASON SOME ONE HAD THE AIR CONDITIONING JUST CRANKED, MY ROOM HERE AT FERNLOFT LIL INDIA HOSTEL IS REALLY NICE AND HAS GOOD SECURITY YOU GET A SCAN IN AND OUT CARD FOR ALL DOORS, BUT FOR SOME REASON THE HALL WAY SMELLS LIKE URINE EWWW I DREED IT EVERYTIME I GO OUT THERE BUT FOR 12$ A NIGHT IT DOES THE TRICK. IN THIS HOSTEL THERE ARE ALOT OF INDIAN PEOPLE STAYING AND IN THERE CULTURE THE WOMEN DRESS IN FULL SARIES AND DONT SHOW SKIN, SO WHEN ME AND JOSIE ARE GETTING OUT OF THE SHOWER THEY ARE GIVING US THE LOOKS AND ONE OLD GUY EVEN TURNED ON HIS VIDEO CAMERA AND I HAD TO ASK HIM TO STOP, THEY ARE VERY STRANGE AND VERY CREEPY EWW, BUT IT IS TO HOT HERE TO PUT ON LOTS OF CLOTHES SO I CONTINUE TO WEAR MY SUMMER DRESSES FOR THE VIEWING ENJOYMENT LOL JUST KIDDING! IN THE HOSTEL THERE IS ALSO ANOTHER OLD MAN BUT HE IS WHITE AND VERY RUDE HE IS PROBABLY IN HIS EARLY 50'S AND I DONT UNDERSTAND AT HIS AGE WAY HE IS HERE BUT I DID CATCH HIM DOING HIS LAUNDRY IN THE SHOWER AND STROLLING AROUND IN BOXER SHORTS IT WAS NOT A NICE SIGHT, AND ALSO LAST NIGHT THE LIGHT WAS ON AND HE CONTINUED TO SHUT IT OFF AND TELL US IT LIGHTS OFF QUIET TIME, THERE IS NO RULE ABOUT THAT SO TONIGHT WHEN HE CAME I SHUT OFF THE LIGHT IMMEDIATELY HE DID NOT SEEM IMPRESSED BUT I THOUGHT I WOULD GET HIM BACK HEHEH

BUT AFTER MY TOAST AND PEANUT BUTTER AND COFFEE DOWNSTAIRS, WE DECIDED TO EXPLORE LITTLE INDIA DURING THE DAY, THERE WAS THIS FUNKY LIGHT STORE THAT HAD AWSOME PIECES I THOUGHT WOW MAYBE ALL BUY ONE AND SEND IT HOME BUT TO MY SUPRISE THE ONE I PICKED WAS 6000$ YA A LITTLE TO EXPENSIVE FOR ME BUT I DID GIGGLE AS I ALWAYS SEEM TO PICK THE MOST PRICEY ITEM IN EVERY-STORE FOR SOME STRANGE REASON.

AFTER THE STROLL IN LIL INDIA WE DECIDED TO HEAD TO THE SINGAPORE ZOO WE TOOK A BUS THERE FROM OUR HOSTEL IT COSTED 4$ AND WAS A LONG RIDE GOOD PRICE FOR THE TRANSPORT, WHEN WE GOT TO THE ZOO WE EXPLORED ALL THE ANIMAL SIGHTS , IT WAS A NEAT ZOO AS EVERYTHING WAS OUTDOOR AND WAS NOT ENCLOSED, THE APES AND MONKEYS WOULD JUST SWING OVER YOUR HEAD, OR THE PELICONS WOULD SIT ON THE LEDGE BESIDE YOU, AND THE KAGROOS WOULD LIE ON THE SIDE WALK. AT THE ZOO WE ALSO GOT TO SEE A ELEPHANT SHOW THEY SHOWED US HOW THEY COULD LIFT ITEMS , BALANCE, PLAY , IT GOT ME REALLY PUMPED FOR LAOS AS WE ARE GOING TO DO A ELEPHANT TREX WHEN WE GET THERE, AND DURING THE SHOW I KEPT THINKING LUCY LUCY THE ELEPHANT FROM EDMONTON THAT MY NEICE LOVES, I MADE SURE TO GET A PICTURE WITH THE ELEPHANTS FOR SHE COULD SEE. THEY ALSO HAD A MASSIVE ALLIGATOR THAT I THOUGHT WAS FAKE BECAUSE IT WAS SO BIG AND DIDNT MOVE BUT IT WAS REAL AS IT WAS NOT IN THE SAME PLACE WHEN WE WALKED BACK OUT. THERE WAS TONS OF DIFFERENT ANIMALS I HAVE NOT SEEN BEFORE AND EVEN THE LAST 3 WHITE TIGERS!

DURING THE DAY JOSIE CONTIUSILY GOT BITE BY MOSQUITOS SHE WAS WORRIED ABOUT MALARIA, IT IS NOT COMMON IN SINGAPORE BUT SHE WAS RATHER WORRIED, WE MAY PURCHASE SOME MED'S IN THAILAND FOR WHEN WE GO INTO THE JUNGLE.

AT NIGHT TIME WE TOOK A NIGHT SAFARI TO SEE ALL THE ANIMALS AT NIGHT THAT DO NOT COME OUT DURING THE DAY , THIS INCULDED A FLYING SQUIRREL IT WAS MASSIVE IN SIZE AND REMINED ME OF ICE AGE !! DURING THE SAFARI WE MEET A COUPLE FROM ONTARIO THEY WHERE DEAF SO WE WHERE TRANSLATING TO THEM THROUGH MY NOTE PAD, I THINK THEY WHERE REALLY HAPPY, THE REASON HOW WE STARTED MSG THEM IS BECAUSE DURING THE SAFARI IT IS DARK AND YOU CAN NOT USE CAMERA FLASH AND THE DRIVER KEPT REPEATING NOT TO USE THE FLASH AND WAS GETTING MAD AT THEM, THEY WHERE SITTING NEXT TO ME AND I TRIED TELLING THEM BUT THEN FOUND OUT THEY WHERE DEAF, BUT THEY WHERE A NICE COUPLE AND WHERE REALLY HAPPY THAT WE COULD TELL THEM WHAT THE HOST OF THE SAFARI WAS SAYING . AT THE NIGHT SAFARI YOU RODE IN A BUS AND IT DROVE THROUGH OUT THE ZOO WE GOT TO SEE SIBERON TIGERS GIRAFFES DINGOS AND SOME STRANGE ANIMALS I CANT EVEN PRONUCE , IT WAS A GOOD VIEW BUT THE ONLY THING WAS YOU COULD NOT CAPTURE IT ON YOUR CAMERA AS IT WAS DARK , BUT I WILL REMEMBER IT FOR EVER, AND THROUGH OUT THE RIDE YOU COULD HEAR THE ANIMALS AND CRICKETS!

WE HAD TO WAIT FOR THE BUS TO BRING US BACK TO THE HOSTEL SO WELL WE WAITED WE GOT A BEN AND JERRYS ICE CREAM IT WAS 5$ WHICH I THOUGHT WAS A RIP OFF BECAUSE THE NIGHT BEFORE AT THE FOOD COURT I ATE A MEAL FOR 3$, BUT IT WAS SOO GOOD AND A GOOD TREAT TO TOP OFF THE HEAT FILLED DAY. BUT I AM NOT SURE WHAT THE RAVE ABOUT BEN AND JERRYS IS HERE BUT IN THE GROCERY STORE A SMALL TUB OF BENS ICE CREAM IS 23$ HUMM AND I DID SEE A ELECTRIC TOOTH BRUSH FOR 290$ THAT IN CANADA WE SELL FOR 100$ HUGE MARK UP, SINGAPORE IS PRICEY BUT SO NICE!

ON THE BUS RIDE HOME WE PASSED BY ORCHARD RODE AT NIGHT IT WAS ALL LITE UP FOR XMAS AND LOOKED LIKE A SHOPPING PARADISE THERE WAS A L.V CHANEL PRADA AND ALL THE BEST NAMES FOR KILOMETERS! HEAVEN AGAIN WHEN I AM OLDER AND HAVE CASH SINGAPORE IS A GREAT SHOPPING DESTINATION!!!

SENTOSA SINGAPORE

stacey_levy — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:53:00 GMT

WELL ANOTHER TOILET STORY FOR YA, IN JAPAN IT WAS SUPER HIGH TECH TOILETS BUT IN SINGAPORE IT IS A SHOWER AND A TOILET IN THE SAME ROOM, SO WHEN YOU ARE HAVING A SHOWER THE TOILET AND EVERYTHING IS GETTING SOAKED IT IS SOO STRANGE BUT I GUESS THAT IS HOW THEY DO IT HERE, SO THERE IS NO ENTRY THAT BATHROOM EVER WITH OUT SHOES LOL

BUT THIS MORNING WE WOKE UP AND WENT DOWNSTAIRS FOR OUR CONTINTIAL BREAKFEST WHICH WAS FREE AND A REASON WHY WE BOOKED THIS HOSTEL, BUT I WAS DISAPOINTED TO FIND OUT BREAKFEST WAS ONLY COFFEE AND WHITE TOAST WITH PEANUT BUTTER JAM, NOT EXTRAGEVENT LIKE I WAS THINKING, BUT IT WAS FREE AND MY BACKPACKING BUDGET LOVED IT :(

THIS MORNING WE WHERE OFF TO SENTOSA IT IS A SMALL ISLAND RIGHT BESIDE SINGAPORE, WE CAUGHT THE MRT (TRAIN THERE) IN SINGAPORE THE TRAIN STATION IS SUPER HIGH TECH WHEN YOU PURCHASE YOUR TICKET IT IS ALL TOUCH SCREEN AND YOU TICKET IS A CARD LIKE A DEBIT CARD AND YOU SCAN IT TO GET ON THE TRAIN. SEEMS VERY HI-TECH HERE

WHEN WE GOT TO SENTOSA WE MET A COUPLE FROM EDMONTON WE RECONGIZED THEM BECAUSE THEY WHERE WEARING A CAPITAL X BACK PACK, WE APPROACHED THEM AS WHERE LOST AND LOOKING FOR THE BEACH AND SO WHERE THEY SO WENT TO FIND THE BEACH TOGETHER, IT WAS FUN MEETING THEM AS THEY SPOKE GOOD ENGLISH AND WE COULD UNDERSTAND THEM COMPARED TO EVERYONE ELSE ! SINGAPORE FIRST LANGUAGE IS ENGLISH BUT A LARGE POPULATION IS CHINESSE, BUT HERE THE LOCALS ARE ALOT BETTER AT ENGLISH THEN THE JAPANESSE SO IT IS A RELIEF.

WHEN WE FOUND THE BEACH WE WHERE WELCOMED TO WHITE SANDS AND PALM TREES, WE WALKED THE BEACH AND IT JUST SEEMED TO GO FOREVER, WITH TONS OF RESTUARNTS AND BEACH ACTIVITYS ALONG THE SHORE, THEY EVEN HAD A PLACE ON THE BEACH WHICH WAS A POOL THAT YOU COULD PRACTISE SURFING IN, IT LOOKED REALLY FUN.

IN SENTOSA THERE IS A UNDERGROUND AQUARIUM SO WE DECIDED TO GO THERE THE AQUARIUM HAS SOME OF THE WEIRDEST LOOKING FISH AND EVEN HAD A SKELOTON OF A JAPANNESSE CRAB, THE CRAB WAS TALLER THEN ME ! I WOULD HATE TO SEE THAT CRAWLING ON THE BEACH, BUT I WOULD SURE LIKE TO EAT THOSE CRAB LEGS! IN THE AQUAIRUM THEY ALSO HAD JELLY FISH WHICH I HAVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE THEY CONTINUE TO CHANGE COLOURS FROM BLUE RED GREEN AND YELLOW, THEY LOOKED REALLY COOL BUT ARE SUPER DANGEROUS POSIONOUS. THE AQUAIRIUM ALSO HAD A ELECTRIC BELT YOU STOOD ON AND A TUBE SHAPED AQUAIRUM OVER TOP OF YOU AND THE BELT TOOK YOU AROUND WELL THE FISH SWAM OVER YOU THERE WAS MANY DIFFERENT FISH SHARKS STINGRAYS AND FISH I DIDNT EVEN KNOW.! THE ALSO HAD GIANT SEA TURTLES THEY WHERE REALLY COOL TO SEE.

I DID SWIM IN THE OCEAN IT WAS REALLY WARM , JOSIE HAD FORGOTTEN HER BIKINI BOTTOMS SO SHE DID NOT COME IN SO I FLOATED MYSELF. THE DAYS TEMPURTURE WAS 30 DEGREE AND CLOUDY BUT I STILL GOT A SUNBURN! THERE WAS ALSO ALOT OF INDIAN PEOPLE THERE AGAIN AND THE INDIAN GIRLS WHERE ALL WRAPPED I FELT BAD THEY MUST HAVE BEEN SO HOT , AND I WAS WALKING AROUND IN A SUNDRESS THEY DIDNT GIVE ME THE BEST LOOKS!

JOSIE DID GET A FISH REFLEXOLOGY AND A MASSAGE AT THE BEACH, THE FISH REFLEXOLOGY IS WHERE THE FISH EAT ALL THE DEAD SKIN OFF YOUR FEET, SHE REALLY ENJOYED IT AND HER FEET WHERE REALLY SMOOTH! I WILL HAVE TO TRY THAT WHEN I GET HOME!

AFTER THE DAY OF THE BEACH AND THE GREEN PLANTS EVERYWHERE WE WENT BACK TO THE HOSTEL BUT ON OUR WAY WE STOPPED IN AT THE MALL, THE MALL HAD THE COOLEST CLOTHES YOU HAVE EVER SEEN, I WILL COME BACK TO SINGAPORE JUST LIKE JAPAN TO SHOP SHOP SHOP TELL I DROP!! BUT I DID GET 2 PAIRS OF SHOES!! HEHE THEY WHERE SOO CHEAP AND SO SEXY! GREAT PURCHASE! THE MALL WAS REALLY FANCY ALSO WITH WEIRD SHAPPED BALLS ON THE ROOF AND EVEN A WADING POOL ON THE ROOF! WE ALSO GOT A FOOD COURT MEAL THERE THE RICE WAS 80CENTS I THOUGHT I WOULD GET SOME RICE BUT THE LADY WOULDNT LET ME JUST PURCHASE THE RICE I WAS NOT IMPRESSED, SO I GOT SOME DRAGON FRUIT FOR A $1 SO GOOD! I ALSO HAD RICE , BEAN SPROUTS, AND SWEET AND SOUR PORK FOR $3 SO THAT WAS A GOOD DEAL ALSO, AND THE CANADIAN DOLLAR IS ALOT BETTER THEN THE SINGAPORE SO IN CANADIAN IT WAS PROBABLY LIKE $2

GOODBYE JAPAN HELLO SINGAPORE

stacey_levy — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:45:00 GMT

AFTER A NIGHT OF NO SLEEP, BECAUSE I WAS SCARED I WOULD SLEEP IN AND MISS OUR PLANE TO SINGAPORE. WE WHERE OFF FOR ANOTHER JOURNEY AND FINALLY OUR LAST TRAIN RIDE IN JAPAN,. I AM HAPPY I EXPERIENCED JAPAN THE THINGS I WILL REMEMBER THE MOST ARE THE 14,000 7-ELEVENS IN TOKYO WITH ALL THE SUSHI INSIDE, THE NO-ENGLISH, THE SUPER-TOILETS, THE EFFECIENCY OF THE TRAIN SCHEDULES NOTHING RUNS LATE, HOW CLEAN EVERYTHING IS ( I EVEN SAW A LADY SCRUBBING THE SIDE WALK WHEN WE WHERE LEAVING), VENDING MACHINES ON THE STREET THAT WILL GIVE YOU A HOT COFFEE IN A CAN AND HOW THERE IS NO INTERACTION WITH DEALING WITH MONEY NO ONE TOUCHES HANDS ANYWHERE.

BUT WE ARE OFF FOR A NEW ADVENTURE AND SINGAPORE IS WAITING. WE TOOK A 7HOUR FLIGHT FROM TOKYO AND I WATCHED 3 MOVIES ON IT. WE HAD A GERMAN GUY SITTING BESIDE US HE WAS OLD AND HAD SMELLY BREATH AND ALL HE COULD TALK ABOUT WAS HOW THERE WAS NO BUSINESS CLASS SEATS LEFT AND HE ISNT USE TO FLYING ECONOMY BASICALLY HE JUST BRAGGED ABOUT HIS MONEY! WE FLEW SINGAPORE AIRLINES AGAIN AND I DO HAVE TO SAY IT IS THE BEST AIRLINE I HAVE BEEN ON, GOT TO LOVE THE HOT TOWELS THEY GIVE YOU AND THE BLANKETS AND PILLOWS AHHH AND ALL THE WINE YOU WANT |! YUMM YUMM THIS PLANE WE FLEW IS SUPPOSABLY THE BIGGEST IN THE WORLD IT HAD AGAIN TWO FLOORS AND HELD 388 PEOPLE.

WHEN ARRIVING IN SINGAPORE THE AIRPORT AGAIN WAS SPICK AND SPANE NO DUST TO BE FOUND ON OUR IMMIGRATION PAPER THAT THEY GOT US TO FEEL OUT SAID IN BOLD LETTERS IF FOUND DRUGS IMMIEDIATE DEATH PENTALY AHHH NOT THAT WE WOULD EVER BUT THERE IS STRICK RULES HERE, IN SOME PLACES YOU CANT EVEN CHEW GUM, AFTER GETTING OUR BAGGAGE WE TOOK A CAB TO OUR HOSTEL AND ON THE WAY SAW SOME OF THE SIGHTS THERE IS PALM TREES EVERYWHERE AND EVERYTHING IS SOO GREEN IT WAS 30 DEGREES WHEN WE GOT HERE BUT WAS RAINY SLIGHTLY, AFTER WE GOT DROPPED OFF AT THE HOSTEL WE SETTLED IN AND WENT OUT TO SEE LITTLE INDIA IT IS THE PART OF TOWN WE ARE IN, WE WALKED THE STREETS AND WHERE THE ONLY GIRLS IN THE CROWDS FULL OF INDIAN MEN, WE FELT UN-EASY SO WE WENT INTO THE SHOPPING MALL, THE SHOPPING MALL WAS A DREAM REALLY NICE SHOES FOR 20$ I MAY HAVE TO BUY SOME AND SEND THEM HOME THANK GOOD FOR POSTAL SERVICE.

UNIVERSAL STUDIO

stacey_levy — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 08:30:00 GMT

ANOTHER MORNING ANOTHER TRAIN, THIS TIME ONLY A SHORT ONE TO UNIVERSAL STUDIO JAPAN, WHEN WE WOKE UP OUT OF OUR CAPUSULE BED WE DECIDED TO CHECK OUT AND WE WHERE TOLD CHECK OUT WAS AT 10 THERE WAS NO ONE WORKING AT THE DESK SO WE DECIDED TO JUST THROUGH THE KEY IN , THE GUY WHO DID WORK THERE WAS AROUND 20 AND SPOKE NO ENGLISH AT ALL HE WAS NOT VERY HELPFUL AND GOT VERY MAD WHEN WE SPOKE ENGLISH LOL, OH WELL SO WE WHERE NOT TO UPSET TO THROUGH THE KEY IN, WHEN ARRIVING TO UNIVERSAL WE HAD TO CHECK OUR BAG IN A STORAGE LOCKER AS WE WHERE HEADED INTO TOKYO TONIGHT. AFTER CHECKING OUR BAG WE WENT INTO A STORE CALLED INDEX AND LET ME TELL YOU IF I COULD BUY EVERY ITEM IN THAT STORE I WOULD ! BEST CLOTHES PURSES SHOES I HAVE EVER SEEN, I WILL FORSURE MAKE A TRIP BACK TO JAPAN FOR SHOPPING. ONCE GETTING OUR TICKET AT UNIVERSAL WE WENT TO SEE A 4-D MOVIE WHICH WE LATER FOUND OUT WAS IN JAPANNESSE WE DECIDED TO LEAVE THE MOVIE EARLY AS WE WOULD NOT UNDERSTAND , WE THOUGHT WE WOULD GET HEAD-PHONES AS AT DISNEY LAND FOR THE MOVIE THEY PROVIDED THEM BUT I GUESS NOT HERE. IT WAS FUNNY THOUGH BECAUSE EVERYTHING WAS ALL WRITTEN IN ENGLISH BUT NO ONE SPOKE AND THEY JUST TRANSLATED OVER IT ALL. SO FOR THE DAY WE DECIDED TO JUST HIT THE RIDES. THE FIRST RIDE WE WENT ON WAS SPIDER MAN AND IT WAS A 3D RIDE EVEN TEH AFFECTS OF WATER CAME AT YOU! WE RODE JURASSIC PARK ALSO WHICH I HAVE DONE BEFORE IN LA , I JUST REMEMBERED THE BIG DROP OFF AND A PICTURE MY MOM HAD AT HOME WITH MY FACE BEING ALL SCARED AND LETS JUST SAY THIS PICTURE 15YEARS LATER LOOKED THE SAME LOL. TOWARDS THE EVENING WE RODE A ROLLER-COASTER IT WAS A GREAT THRILL THEY GAVE YOU CHOICE OF MUSIC TO PLAY BEHIND OUR EARS WELL RIDING THE COASTER, I LISTENED TO EMINMEN LOSE YOUR SELF LOL, AFTER LEAVING UNIVERSAL WE HAD TO CATCH OUR LAST SHINKANSEN INTO TOKYO IT WAS 3.5 HOUR TRAIN RIDE, WHEN WE ARRIVED IN TOKYO IT WAS 11:30 AND WE NEEDED TO CHECK INTO OUR HOSTEL FOR OUR SHORT STAY AS WE HAD TO BE UP FOR 6:00AM TO HEAD TO THE AIRPORT.

osaka and spa world

stacey_levy — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:42:00 GMT

train train train off to osaka we go, to we checked into our hotel and to our suprise we where checked into a capsule hotel , this included to beds that are shaped into the wall that are capusules, i will post pics for you can see, it is a true japannesse experience.

we where off to find the aquarium of osaka but where riding the train for ever and could not find it so we decided to go to spa world, spa world was only a few blocks from the hotel so it was convient, when we got there we found out it was just for women, and you had to be completely naked for the experience, spa world contained many different themed rooms for your bathing experience, we where laughing so hard as we where not aloud any suits and there was naked asian ladys walking around naked every where, after laughing hysterically we briefed it all!! the bathing rooms where really cool designed in themes of roman , salt scrubs, and even a foot bath that you sat at a resturant and got served, LOL yes that is right i was eating some fries and chicken nuggests in the nude with a bunch of ladies sociallizing LMAO, you could even have drinks!! i could not get over it just a bunch of women having lunch bathhing together salt scrubbing eachother, it was the funnist experience of my life, after having my naked leisure stroll i went to go and get changed in the change room they have all the spa neciestys ready for you , a new hair brush facial products hair products etc, it was complete leisure and was a great relaxtion compared to all the trains we have been on, oh ya and i forgot in the saunas there was t.v:s so ladys where sitting around all naked watching tv no shame at all, there was no camera aloud so you just have to imagine all these exotic bathing places around i will post a pic of the spa they show on line but you just have to imagine people there OMG LMAO

MIYAJIMA AND KINTAKITO BRIDGE

stacey_levy — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:19:00 GMT

ANOTHER ENTRY THAT STARTS WITH ANOTHER TRAIN RIDE!!

TODAY WE WENT TO SEE THE KINTAKITO BRIDGE IT IS A HOUR FROM HIROSHIMA LOCATED IN IWAKUNI, THE BRIDGE IS MADE WITH OUT ANY NAILS AND LOOKS LIKE 4 ROLLING HILLS, WE WALKED BELOW THE BRIDGE ALSO THERE WHERE MANY ROCKS WITH THE WATER FLOWING IN THE MIDDLE AND DID SMELL OF FISH, AFTER SNAPPING SOME PHOTOS OF THE BRIDGE WE DECIDED TO HEAD TO MIYAJIMA TO SEE THE TORI FLOATING IN THE WATER, WE HAD TO TAKE A JR FERRY ACROSS THE WATER TO GET TO IT, THE FERRY MADE ME WIZZY! ONCE WE GOT ACROSS THE WATER THERE WHERE ALOT OF VENDORS WITH TONS OF OYSTER MEALS EWW, SMELLED TERRIBLE. WE SAW THE TORI FLOATING IN THE WATER, THE WATER WAS LOW AND HIGH TIDE WAS NOT TO SET TO COME IN TELL 6:30 WE DIDNT WANT TO WAIT ALL DAY TO SEE IT SO WE HEADED BACK TO THE HOSTEL AND BOOKED A NIGHT IN NAGANO FOR OUR LAST FEW DAYS IN JAPAN.

HIROSHIMA, PEACE MEMORIAL PARK

stacey_levy — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:53:00 GMT

SHINKANSEN RAIL AGAIN, OFF ON A ANOTHER 2 HOURS JOURNEY WEST TO HIROSHIMA, WE SAID GOOD-BYE TO K'S HOSTEL IN KYOTO.

UPON ARRIVING IN HIROSHIMA WE HAD TO TAKE A TRAM TO OUT NEW HOSTEL CALLED J-HOPPERS IT WAS ACTUALLY PRETTY EASY TO FIND. ONCE WE HAD CHECKED IN WE DECIDED TO GO TO PEACE MEMORIAL PARK AND SEE THE MEMORY DEDICATED TO THE PEOPLE OF THE 1945 A-BOMB DROPPING, THE PARK WAS ACTUALLY REALLY SMALL THEN WHAT I IMAGINED THERE WAS ALOT OF STATUES AROUND DEDICATED TO THE PEOPLE THAT HAD PASSED. THERE WAS A MUESUM THAT WAS MADE AND HAD ARTIFACTS FROM THE ATOMIC BOMB THE MOST FAMOUS ARTIFACT WAS THE WATCHES THAT HAD ALL STOPPED AT 8:15AM ON AUGUST 6TH OF 1945. I LEARNED THAT AFTER THE BOMB WAS DROP A LARGE MUSHROOM CLOUD OF DEBRIE HAD ROSE AND IN THE AIR CREATED BLACK RAIN THAT POURED DOWN FOR 20-30MIN. THE BOMB THAT WAS DROPPED ON THIS SAME AREA THAT I AM WALKING ON RIGHT NOW KILLED OVER 200,000 PEOPLE INSTANLY AND WAS THE FIRST NUCLEAUR WEAPON USED. THERE WAS A ALOT OF THE EFFECTS AFTER THE BOMB FROM ALL THE RADITION PEOPLE STARTED TO HAVE DEFORMATITYS AND GET CANCER. SOME PEOPLE THAT WHERE JUST OUTSIDE THE AREA THAT WAS BOMBED BUT WHERE INJURIED STILL HAD GLASS COMING OUT OF THERE CHEEKS 20YEARS LATER. I NEVER KNEW ANY OF THIS HISTORY BEFORE BUT IT IS SAD TO THINK THAT I WAS WALKING IN THE AREA THAT ALL THESE PEOPLE DIED INSTANTLY OVER WAR OF TWO COUNTRYS. EVER SINCE THE FIRST BOMB DROPPING COUNTRYS IN OUR WORLD ARE STILL MAKING ATOMIC BOMBS AND TESTING THEM IN OUR WORLD. THERE IS A CAMPAIN IN HIROSHIMA THAT IS TRYING TO GET THE WORLD TO STOP NUCLEAUR TESTING BY THE YEAR 2020 HOPEFULLY THAT COMES TO BE.

AFTER THE MUSEUM AND MY HISTORY LESSON WE CAME BACK TO THE HOSTEL TO GET A UMBRELLA AS WE WHERE GOING TO WALK DOWN PEACE MEMORIAL STREET TO SEE THE BRIGHT LIGHTS THEY HAVE OUT FOR CHRISTMAS. AS WE WHERE WALKING THE STREETS WHERE FILLED WITH LIGHTS IN SHAPES OF FRUITS,CASTLES,PIRATE BOATS, TRAINS , SNOW FLAKES, AND IT JUST SEEMED LIKE IT WAS NEVER ENDING IT WAS A GREAT WAY TO WRAP UP A EVENING.

NARA-GEISHA DRESS UP-DEER-BUDDHA

stacey_levy — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:42:00 GMT

GOOD MORNING KYOTO, TODAY WE WOKE AND DECIDED TO HEAD TO NARA A ANCIENT CAPITAL OF JAPAN. WE TOOK ANOTHER 1 HOUR TRAIN SOUTH EAST OF KYOTO. AFTER ARRIVING AT NARA WE WENT TO THE TOURIST INFO AND THEY TOLD US THAT WE COULD DRESS UP LIKE A GEISHA TODAY AND GO TO A TRADITIONAL TEA CEROMONY FOR FREE. WE THOUGHT WOW WE GOT LUCKY ON ATTENDING THE DAY AS IT ONLY HAPPENS ONCE A MONTH AND THAT IT WAS FREE!

WHEN WE GOT THERE THEY ASKED TO PICK A COLOUR OF KIMONA THEY HAD A BOOK WITH DIFFERENT PICTUERS AND TO PICK ONE, I PICKED A WHITE AND PURPLE KIMONA. TO GET DRESSED INTO THE KIMONA YOU NEED TO GET COMPLETELY UNDRESSED AND PLACE ON THE FIRST LAYER, AFTER THE FIRST LAYER THE LITTLE JAPANNESE LADY CONTUNIED TO PUT MANY MORE LAYERS ON AND TO CONTINUE TO WRAP FABRIC AROUND MY WASTE, MY SLEVES OF MY KIMONA WHERE LONG THAT SYMOBILOZED NOT MARRIED, AFTER GETTING ALL DRESSED INTO MY KIMONA THEY DID MY HAIR AND PLACED LITTLE FLOWERS TO LOOK TRADTIONAL, AFTER GETTING DRESSED WE HAD A TRADTIONAL TEA CEROMONY, FOR THE CEROMONY WE HAD TO CRAWL INTO A SMALL HUT (THE DOOR WAS SO SMALL IT DIDNT LOOK LIKE I WAS GOING TO FIT LOL) AFTER GETTING IN WE WHERE TAUGHT THE TRADTIONAL WAY TO HAVE TEA,. AT THE BEGINING OF THE CEROMONY YOU ARE BROUGHT OUT A SWEET TO EAT AS THE TEA IS BITTER TASTING. WHEN EVER RECEIVING ANYTHING FROM THE HOST YOU MUST ALWAYS BOW TO HER, SHE WOULD MAKE THE TEA FOR ME. SHE WOULD SCOOP UP SOME GREEN TEA POWDER PLACE IT IN A BOWL AND STIR IT WAS A WOODEN STICK AND THEN PASS IT TO ME, I WAS THEN TO BOW AGAIN TO HER TO THANK HER, THE TEA WAS THICK AND KINDA PASTY BUT IT DID TASTE OKAY AND WAS BRIGHT GREEN IN COLOUR. AFTER THE TEA CEROMONY SHE GAVE US A ORGAMI GEISHA BOOKMARK IT LOOKED REALLY COOL AND WAS A GOOD SOUVENIOR.

AFTER TEA WE DECIED TO HEAD MORE INTO THE NATIONAL PARK OF NARA , UPON ENTERING INTO THE PARK THERE WAS DEER EVERYWHERE, SUPPOSABLY THE DEER AT THE PARK WHERE A GIFT FROM THE GODS OF NARA AND WHERE TO STAY THERE TO PROTECT. THE DEER WHERE SO TAME AND USED OF VISTORS THEY WOULD WALK RIGHT UP TO YOU IN SEARCH OF FOOD. AFTER SEEING ALL THE DEER WE WENT INTO THE LARGEST WOODEN STRUCTURE "Todai-ji Temple 東大寺'' inside here was the largest buddha standing 15meters high and weighing 437 tonnes , it was very cool!

AFTER ANOTHER DAY OF SIGHTSEEING WE WHERE TIRED AGAIN AND CRAWLED INTO BED EARLY

BIKE RIDE KYOTO

stacey_levy — Mon, 9 Nov 2009 22:47:00 GMT

THIS MORNING I WAS STILL GIGGLING ABOUT LAST NIGHT! IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT I HAD HEARD JOSIE TALKING TO ANOTHER BACKPACKER IN OUR ROOM SHE WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT A LOUD SNORER AND THAT SHE COULDNT SLEEP, BOTH OF THEM WHERE ANNOYED AND THE GUY 'NATE WAS TRYING TO TELL THE GUY SLEEPING TO SLEEP ON HIS STOMACH AND IT WOULD HELP WITH THE SNORRING LOL. SO INSTEAD THEY DECIDED TO GO AND BUY EARPLUGS THEY SAID THEY DIDNT WOURK THAT WELL BUT I WAS OUT LIKE A LIGHT AND DIDNT HEAR A THING.!!

WHEN I GOT UP WE DECIED TO HAVE BREAKFEAST DOWN STAIRS IN THE ZEN CAFE IN THE HOSTEL , IT WAS A BUFFET STYLE FOR 680 YEN WHICH IS ABOUT 7$ THE BUFFET HAD CEREAL TOAST SAUSAGES AND EGGS (THAT TASTED LIKE PURE YOLK AND WHERE BRIGHT YELLOW IN COLOUR , WEIRD!) AT BREAKFEST A OLDER GERMAN FELLOW JOINED US HE HAD BEEN BACKPACKING JAPAN FOR 2 WEEKS AND THIS IS THE START OF HIS 1 YEAR JOURNEY, HE WAS SAYING HE IS GOING TO TRY TO COUCH SURF, I GUESS COUCH SURFING IS VERY POPULAR AND YOU JUST SEARCH THE WEB FOR PLACES TO STAY ON PEOPLES COUCHES FOR FREE, LOL NO THAT IS CHEAP BACKPACKING ACCOMADATION!

AFTER BREAKFEST WE RENTED SOME BIKES FROM THE HOSTEL THEY WHERE REALLY CUTE AND HAD A BASKET IN THE FRONT, I KEEP THINKING WOW COCO MY DOG WOULD LOVE TO BE SITTING IN HERE ENJOYING THE RIDE, I THINK I WILL INVEST IN A BIKE LIKE THAT WHEN I GET HOME. ANOTHER FACT ABOUT THE BIKE IS THAT YOU PUT A KEY IN RIGHT ABOVE THE BACK TIRE WHICH ON DOES THE LOCK FROM THE SPOKES, YOU LEAVE YOU KEY IN THERE AS YOU ARE CYCLING AND ONLY TAKE IT WHEN YOU WANT TO LOCK IT AGAIN.

WE DECIEDED TO GO AND SEE SOME MORE TEMPLES, ON OUR WAY THERE WE WHERE PEDDLING THROUGH TINY SIDEWALKS THAT ARE FULL OF PEOPLE BUT IT JUST SEEMS LIKE EVERY ONE MOVES WHEN YOU ARE ON THE BIKE AND YOU JUST GET THROUGH THE BUSY WITH NO PROBLEM. ON OUR WAY UP TO THE TEMPLE THERE WAS A GIANT BUDDHA THAT LOOKED LIKE A GIANT SAND CASTLE IT WAS GREAT TO SEE AS WE WHERE PEDDLING UP HILL AND IT WAS A GOOD SIGHT ! UPON ARRIVING AT THE TEMPLE WE PARKED OUR BIKES AND WALKED THROUGH TINY STREETS WITH LITTLE SHOPS ON THE SIDES UP TO THE PAGONDA AND GARDENS.UPON WALKING THERE WE SAW A TRADITIONAL GEISHA SHE HAD HER FACE PAINTED WHITE AND THE WHOLE WARDROBE ON SHE LOOKED VERY JAPANESSE AND TRADITIONAL.

AFTER SEEING THE TEMPLE WE DECIDED TO GET BACK ON OUR BIKES TO GO TO THE IMPERIAL PALACE OF KYOTO. TO OUR LUCK THE IMNPERIAL PALACE WAS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC THIS WEEK ONLY FOR THE EMPOROERS BIRTHDAY DAY. WE LUCKED OUT ON GOING INSIDE. INSIDE THERE WAS TRADITIONAL TEMPLES AND SHRINES AND BEAUTIFUL GROOMED GARDENS.

AFTER THE IMPERIAL PALACE WE DECIED TO HEAD TO THE HIJAKI CASTLE, I DID NOT GO INSIDE AS ALL THE TEMPLES AND SHRINES ARE ALL STARTING TO LOOK THE SAME TO ME NOW. RIDING THE BIKE DOWN THE STREETS OF KYOTO YOU PASS MANY SHRINES AND TEMPLES AND THE SIGHTS JUST STARTS TO SEEM NORMAL NOW AND NOT BRINGING MUCH EXCITED TO ME ANYMORE, TIME TO GO TO A NEW DESTINATION TOMORROW AND BREAK THE ROUTINE!

KYOTO JAPAN

stacey_levy — Sun, 8 Nov 2009 23:42:00 GMT

TODAY WE DECIDED TO LEAVE TOKYO AND HEAD TO KYOTO JAPAN, WE SAID GOOD BYE TO SMALL JGH HOSTEL AND TOSHI.

WE BOARDED ANOTHER SHINKANSEN TRAIN FOR A 2.5HOUR JOURNEY EAST TO KYOTO. ON THE TRAIN THERE WAS 3 OTHER TRAVELERS FROM SAN FRAN USA THEY WHERE HEADED TO KYOTO AND STAYING IN THE SAME HOSTEL AT K'S PLACE JUST LIKE US. THEY WHERE DOING SOME HEAVY RESEARCH AND WE ASKED IF WE COULD JOIN THEM FOR SOME SIGHTS, THEY WELCOMED US IN KNOW PROBLEM.

ONCE ARRIVING AT KYOTO STATION WHICH IS VERY BEAUTIFUL AND HAS A GIANT DECORATED XMAS TREE WE DECIDED TO GO STRAIGHT TO HOSTEL AND DROP OFF OUR BAGS. AFTER EXITING THE STATION WE WHERE WELCOMED TO KYOTO TOWER, THAT HAS A SPINNING TOP.

ARRIVING AT K'S HOSTEL WAS LIKE ARRIVING TO A MANSION COMPARED TO OUR STAY AT JGH IN TOKYO. HERE WE ARE IN A SHARED MIXED DORM WITH STORAGE LOCKS BELOW OUR BED AND THE HOSTEL IS EQUIPPED WITH A CAFE/BAR LAUNDRY ROOM COMMON ROOM AND KITCHEN. VERY NICE HIGHLY RECOMMED.

AFTER SETTLING OUR BAGS IN WE WENT DOWNSTAIRS AND DECIDED TO GO OUT IN ABOUT IN KYOTO AND HEAD TO THE TOGETSUKYO BRIDGE IT WAS FILLED WITH BEAUTIFUL NATURE AND NESTELED IN THE HILLS JUST LIKE NIKKO. HERE THERE WAS MANY JAPPANESSE STYLE BOATS FLOATING AROUND IN THE STREAM AND THE HOUSES WHERE ALL TRADITIONAL. NO ONE HERE HAS A BACK YARD ALL HOUSES ARE SO CLOSE TOGETHER. AS WE WHERE WALKING AROUND I DECIDED TO TRY A GREEN TEA ICE CREAM IT WAS GREAT AND VERY SETTLE IN TASTE AND WAS NOT OVER THE TOP FLAVOR.

AFTER WALKING AROUND WE DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO GET SOMETHING TO EAT AND THIS WAS OUR FIRST MEAL IN A RESTURANT I COULD NOT READ ANYTHING OR TELL THE PRICE BUT MY STOMACH WAS SOO HUNGARY THAT IT DIDNT MATTER. WE WENT INTO A TRADITIONAL RESTURANT SOME PEOPLE WHERE SITTING ON THE FLOOR EATING BUT WE WHERE SEATED TO A NORMAL TABLE. MY MEAL CONSISTED OF SOME TEMPURA TOFU RICE NOODLES BATTERED EGG PLANT AND A COUPLE OTHER THINGS THAT I DIDNT EVEN KNOW WHAT WHERE , THE ONLY THING I ENJOYED WAS THE TEMPURA.

AFTER EATING WE DECIDED TO HEAD BACK TO THE HOSTEL AS IT WAS GETTING DARK SO BACK ON THE TRAIN WE WENT AFTER WE GOT TO THE KYOTO STATION WE TOOK SOME PICTURES OF THE BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMAS TREE AND OF THE TOWER LIT UP AT NIGHT, THERE WAS MUSIC PLAYING IN THE STATION AND PEOPLE WHERE SEATED ALONG THE STAIRS WE DECIDED TO HEAD THAT WAY TO SEE WHAT EVERY WAS LOOKING AT, WHEN WE GOT THERE IT WAS A LITTLE GIRL PLAYING MUSIC ON A PIANO AND KEEPING EVERYONE ENTERTAINED WE SAT DOWN FOR A BIT AND LISTENED. AFTER LISTENING TO THE LITTLE GIRL WE STARTED TO WALK BACK TO THE HOSTEL ON THE WAY THERE WE SAW A KAROKEE BAR AND JOSIE REALLY WANTED TO SING SO WE STOPPED IN AND I HAD MY FIRST DRINK IN JAPAN, I ORDERED A BEER BECAUSE THAT IS THE ONLY THING SHE UNDERSTOOD , IT CAME BACK SERVED IN A GIANT BOTTLE LIKE A BIG BEAR IN CANADA LOL. THE KAROKEE BAR WAS SO SMALL AND REALLY CHEAP LOOKING THE SEATS WHERE BLACK WITH SILVER SPARKELS AND THEY WHERE SHORT AND MINI TO THE FLOOR, THERE WAS A FEW OTHER OLDER JAPANESSE MEN IN THERE AND THEY WHERE SINGING KAROKEE I COULDNT UNDERSTAND THEM BUT IT WAS FUNNY, WHEN JOSIE SANG IT WAS ALL IN ENGLISH. AFTER MY BEER AND JOSIES 2 SONGS WE DECIDED TO HEAD TO THE HOSTEL AND CALL IT A NIGHT AND GET UP FOR ANOTHER DAY IN KYOTO

DAY 6 FISH MARKET AND NIKKO , JAPAN

stacey_levy — Sun, 8 Nov 2009 00:41:00 GMT

NOVEMBER 7TH-SATURDAY,

WOKE UP THIS MORNING AT 4:30AM TO HEAD TO THE TSUJIKI FISH MARKET THE BIGGEST LIVE AUCTION IN THE WORLD.
UPON ARRIVAL AT TSUJIKI STATION WE WHERE GREETED TO A FISHY SMELL WE KNEW WE WHERE IN THE RIGHT PLACE, WE WHERE OFF TO FIND THE TUNA LIVE AUCTION THAT IS READ ABOUT IN ALL JAPAN SIGHTS BOOKS.
WE KNEW WE WHERE AT THE MARKET AS YOU COULD SEE A RUSH OF PEOPLE AND VECHILES EVERYWHERE. WE ENTERED INTO THE MARKET AND THERE WAS EVERY KIND OF FISH YOU COULD IMAGAINE FRESH AND STILL ALIVE. YOU WOULD SEE STATIONS FILLED WITH BLOOD AS THEY WHERE CUTTING THE LIVE CATCH. THE MARKET SEEMED TO NEVER END AND IT WAS STATION AFTER STATION OF FISH.
THE TUNA WAS BEING CARRIED AWAY ON LITTLE TRUCKS, ONE TRUCK FOR ONE TUNA, WE SAW A PIECE OF TUNA GETTING CUT AND THEY WHERE USING A MASSIVE SAW TO CUT IT INTO PIECES.
THE AMOUNT OF ALL THIS FISH DAILY IS INCRIDABLE AND THE THOUGHT OF WHAT TYPE SOME OF THE FISH WAS AMUSING, SOME OF IT LOOKED SO WEIRD AND WONDERED WHAT IT WAS USED TO COOK FOR/EAT. I TOOK MANY PICTURES FOR WHEN I GET HOME I CAN FIND OUT WHAT TYPE OF CREATURES THERE WAS
THE MARKET WAS SO BUSY AND MY PANTS AND SHOES WHERE GETTING SOAKED IN FISH JUICE !
I DID PICK UP A CRAB THAT WAS LIVE IT WAS A GOOD THRILL AND THEN I TRIED TO PICK UP A LOBSTER BUT IT STARTED TO MOVE SO I PUT IT DOWN. I ALSO PICK ED UP A CLAM BUT A GENTLEMEN TOLD ME IT MIGHT CLAMP MY FINGER, SO I PLACED IT DOWN. THE OCTUPUS LOOKED THE COOLEST AND IT FELT LIKE JELLY.
OH AND YES THERE WAS TINY LIL FISH PROBABLY 1INCH LONG AND SKINNY LIKE A STRAW THAT THEY WHERE ASKING PEOPLE TO TRY, YES I ATE ONE THE WHOLE BODY IN ALL, I AM THINKING WOW THERE IS A LITTLE FISH SKELTON IN SIDE MY BELLY RIGHT NOW AND THOSE POUR LITTLE EYES I ATE. I HATE FISH BUT I HAD TO TRY IT , IT WAS SOO SMALL BUT IT TASTED SOO FISHY WHAT A EXPERIENCE EWWW.
AFTER THE MARKET WE DECIDED TO TAKE THE TASUMA SHINTAKEN RAIL TO NIKKO A HISTORIAL PART OF JAPAN.

ARRIVING IN NIKKO AFTER A 2HOUR RAIL TRIP, WE WHERE GREATED TO NATURE AND NO MORE BUSY TOKYO CITY. WE FIRST WENT TO BUY A DAY PASS FOR 2000 YEN WHICH
GAVE US TRANSPORATION AROUND NIKKO, WE FIRST BOARDED THE WORLD HERTIAGE BUS AND WAS TOOK UP HILL TO THE SHRINES AND TEMPLES, WE HAD TO GET OUT AND WALK UP NUMBEROUS
STAIRS TO THE TEMPLES, THEY WHERE SET IN THE FOREST WITH TREES SO BIG THAT IT WOULD TAKE FOUR PEOPLE HOLDING HANDS AROUND TO REACH. WE DID GET TO GO INSIDE
ONE TEMPLE WHERE YOU HAD TO TAKE YOU SHOES OFF OUTSIDE AND NO PHOTO WAS ALOUD. AFTER CLIMBING MANY STAIRS AND WONDERING AROUND IN THE FOREST OF NIKKO
WE DECIDED TO GO TO LAKE CHENITEZ , TO GET THE LAKE AND FALLS WE HAD TO TAKE A BUS UP THE MOUNTAIN WITH WINDING ROADS THAT 90 DEGREE TURNS, I WAS GETTING
DIZZY WITH ALL THE BACK AND FORTH. ON THE WAY UP THE MOUNTAIN I SAW A MONKEY IN THE TREE IT WAS TOLD IN BIG SIGNS NOT TO FEED THEM, I KEPT THINKING I HAD 5
BANANNAS IN MY BIG THAT I BOUGHT AT THE FISH MARKET THIS MORNING FOR 100YEN HOPEFULLY THEY WOULDNT SMELL AND GET MY BAG LOL, BUT KNOW I WAS SAFE
WHEN WE GOT TO THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN WE TOOK A WALK TO THE LAKE , THE LAKE HAD MANY MAN MADE PEDDLE BOAT SHAPPED SWANS THAT PEOPLE WHERE PADDLING
ALL OVER THE LAKE IT LOOKED REALLY COOL, LOOKED LIKE A BUNCH OF GIANT SWANS EVERYWHERE. AFTER THE LAKE WE DECIDED TO GO SEE THE FALLS , THE FALLS WHERE
BEAUTFUL BUT DID NOT DO JUSTICE ON MY CAMERA. AFTER A BIT OF SIGHT SEEING WE DECIDED TO GET A BIT TO EAT THERE WAS ALOT OF JAPANNESSE NOODLE BOWLS BUT
NONE THAT LOOKED GOOD AND WE DIDNT KNOW WHAT WAS IN THEM SO I SETTLED FOR A STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM CREPE, FOR SOME REASON CREPES ARE EVERY WHERE IN JAPAN, BUT
IT DID NOT COMPARE TO THE CREPE I HAD AT HARUJUKA STREET! AFTER OUT BITE WE WENT BACK ON THE BUS DOWN THE MOUNTAIN THIS TIME I WAS FEELING REALLY DIZZY
AND WAS PRAYING I WAS NOT GOING TO VOMIT, I DIDNT THANK GOD BUT STILL FELT WEISEY.
AGAIN WE HAD TO BOARD THE 2HOUR RAIL BACK TO TOKYO, MY LIFE IN TOKYO SO FAR HAS BEEN HOME ON THE RAIL SYSTEM!!

DAY 4 TOKYO DISNEYLAND

stacey_levy — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 00:22:00 GMT

Well again awake at 4:00am trying again to sleep as long as I could but had some extra excitment today as I was heading to TOKYO DISNEY LAND!!

When I did awake and finally got ready we went to go get a 250 Yen bento box, it is 2 blocks from our hostel it is recommened best bento box and best price in all of tokyo, it was delicious and great for budget travellers! Now I have to get use to chop sticks! First it was getting use to heated toilet seats (which i now enjoy and would love to have one at home lol)

Back on the Rail to Tokyo station to keiyo line to minushia to get to disneyland we finally made it and I am now starting to get use to the rail system ( i will post a pic it looks like a bunch of coloured lines everywhere frightening at first)

When the train stopped at Disney we where welcomed to the sight of Mickeys Castle which I further learned there is the real one in Germany (may have to go there on a trip to see that to!!)

We bought our day pass for Disney (5800 Yen) which inclused entrance and all the rides/amusment. Another great part of Japan is no one touches hands for any transaction, if you pay by cash you put in a box and pass it to the teller and they put your change back in the box and you take it, or if you pay by credit card they pull out a silver plater tray and put it on there! Great service very clean/hygienic!!

As entering into the gates of Disney they are already for Christmas and a huge tree beautifully decorated greats you! I was told it is bigger then NYC tree (as Josie has seen it) I had to get a picture !!

We started the day by going on the Pirates of the Carabein Ride it was awsome and a great way to start the day, nether-less there was no line and Disney was empty no lines , no waiting!! On the Ride Johnny Deeps Robot looked Life like! There was no photography aloud on this ride :(

After we took a ride on the Jungle cruise it was very fun and funny as the lady only spoke japanesse and she was making every one laugh hysterically on the boat but we couldnt understand :( (hope they where not talking about us!!)

There was sooo many great souveniour shops and great food, I had a pretzel that was filled with cream cheese the best pretzel I have ever had!!

We saw a day parade full of disney charcters, kids with line the street with cute little blankets and sit and enjoy! They also had a spot just for stroller parking!!

The night time Electric Parade was beautiful it was full of charcters that dazzeled in lights!!

Also watched a 3D show oh Honey I shrunk the Kids but a re-make and the 3D was good that the chairs moved and they had effects that made you feel shivering effects ( as on the movie these mice had got loose into the audience and it felt like they where crawling up your pants ewww , I dont how they do it but technology is great!!)

I did feel that Tokyo Disney was replica of LA from what I remember alot of same rides ( space mountain, toon-town, splash mountain!) and they still had crazy hats shapped like charcters!!

After a long day of Disney and seeing the final fireworks show, we where back off the hostel for another early night to bed!

DAY 3 TOYKO HARUJUKA, MEIJING-SHRINE, ROPPONGI, SHINJUKA

stacey_levy — Thu, 5 Nov 2009 00:13:00 GMT

WOKE UP THIS MORNING AT 4AM GETTING READY TO HEAD TO THE TSUJKI FISH MARKET, BUT AS I WAS DOING MY LAST MINUTE NAVIGATION SKILLS I FOUND IT WAS CLOSED ON WEDNESDAYS, SO BACK INTO BED I WENT, I COULD NOT FALL ASLEEP AS I STILL IN CANADA TIME ZONE! AFTER A COUPLE HOURS OF PLAYING ON THE COMPUTER I FINALLY WENT BACK TO BED.

WHEN I DID WAKE UP WE HEADED BACK TO THE NISHI-KAWGUSHI RAIL SYSTEM AND BOARDED TOWARDS HARUJUKU TO SEE CRAZY DRESSED JAPANESSE TEENS AND TO SEE THE MEIJI-SHRINE. THE SHRINE WAS COOL BUT YOU WHERE NOT ALOUD TO TAKE ANY PICTUES INSIDE IT WAS FILLED FULL OF NATURE .

ON THE STREET BESIDE HARUKA IS A STREET CALLED TAKSHITA (SOUNDED TO ME LIKE TAKE A SHIT A) LOL. THEY HAD THIS AWSOME CREPE PLACE THAT PUT CHEESE-CAKES OR GELATOS INSIDE THE CREPE FOR YOU SOOO DELICOUS, BUT AGAIN HAD A FUNNY NAME CALLED "SWEET BOX" !!! THERE WAS ALOT OF WEIRD TRINKET SHOPS EVEN A PLACE CALLED 'CONDMOMANIA' WHERE YOU COULD BUY EXOTIC CONDOMS ( I WILL POST A PIC FOR YOU UNDERSTAND!) AND TONS OF PET STORES WITH COOL CLOTHING ALL FOR SMALL DOGS ( EVERY DOG I HAVE SAW IS PERFECTLY GROMMED AND IS DRESSED UP) THE WEB SITE WHICH I WILL FOR SURE BUY SOME THING WHEN I GET HOME IS WWW.CREATIVEYOKO.CO.JP PET PARADISE

AFTER WE BOARDED TO GO TO JINGU TO GO TO A TRADITIONAL ONSEN THAT WAS RECOMMED BY LONELY PLANET WE LATER FOUND OUT AFTER RIDING THE RAIL AND SEARCHING THE PLACE OUT THAT IT WAS CLOSED AND HAS NOT BEEN THERE FOR 2 YEARS TO BAD WE HAD A OLD BOOK :(

AFTER AS IT WAS GETTING DARK (IT GOT DARK AROUND 6PM) WE HEADED BACK ON THE RAIL WHERE IT WAS VERY PACKED SHOULDER TO SHOULDER DURING THE DAY THE RAIL IS EMPTY AND YOU CAN SIT DOWN DURING THE EVENING IT IS FULLY PACKED AND YOU HAVE TO STAND, THE FUNNY THING ABOUT THE RAIL IS THAT ALL THE JAP MEN ARE DRESSED IN BUSINESS SUITS LOOKING VERY PROFFESIONAL BUT ARE ALL READY KID COMICS (THEY SURE LOVE THERE CARTOONS HERE!!

ONCE ON THE RAIL WE WENT TO ROPPONGI WHERE THE NIGHTLIFE IS SUPPOSE TO BE CRAZY WE GOT THERE AND SAW SOME BRIGHT LIGHTS BUT DIDNT STICK AROUND , AGAIN BACK TO THE RAIL (WE SPEND ALOT OF TIME ON THERE) WE WENT TO SHINJUKA TO SEE THE TIME SQUARE OF TOYKO IT AGAIN WAS VERY BUSY AND LOTS OF BRIGHT LIGHTS !!

WE WHERE NOW TIRED AND IT WAS 9:00 TOYKO TIME WE DECIDED TO HEAD BACK TO JGH HOSTEL AND GET SOME REST,

AGAIN GOOD NIGHT TOYKO