Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
I'm sitting in the Kuala Lumpur airport as I'm writing this, which is very different from the Ko Samui airport. The Ko Samui airport was more of a tropical resort spa than airport, a series of open air bungalows complete with tropical fish tanks in the restrooms and complimentary fruit juice bars. I miss Ko Samui, I miss Thailand, I miss buckets :(
Ko Samui proved to be even more fun than Ko Phangan. We stayed at this place right on the beach, known for its beach lounge and Wednesday night pool parties. I won't do a play-by-play due to time, shame, my future employer, and the wrath of Chloe. But as I've told my parents, I've learned a lot on this trip, and I'm going to share with you some of the things I have learned.
1. Whatever happens in Thailand, does not necessarily stay in Thailand. We are halfway around the world on this random tropic island thinking the world is our oyster. We can do anything we want and nothing will get back to the states. We find out our neighbors are Wall Street bound Harvard lax players. They were very, very friendly. One of them is training with me in two weeks for BofA. FML.
2. Lifelong soulmate connections can be made in a matter of seconds. Chloe and I had maybe a 10 minute conversation with two Army boys at a bar. They tell us they really felt a real connection with Chloe and I and would like to get to know us (wedding bellllllls). One guy offered to talk to Chloe's mother on the phone. They proceed to stalk us for the next couple of days.
3. Kayaks are not made for the deep, deep ocean. I decided to test it out thinking the water wasn't that deep. All of a sudden the rocks at the bottom drop off and I'm stuck in the middle of the fucking ocean. I no longer like waves, paddles, or "I'm on a Boat".
4. I now know what a "Leggo" is. Ask me about that one.
So there you go, a PG rundown of life lessons from Anna. This trip was started as a way to build character and personal growth. While I can't say I've grown all that much, I definitely had a blast :)
Monday, June 22, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
All the inhabitable continents are now done.
Mommy and Daddy, if you're reading this: Thailand has been really fun. I especially enjoyed learning about the traditional Thai culture and the teachings of Buddhism. Please stop reading now.
For those of you waiting for a post filled with crazy Thailand stories, this is it.
We arrived in Koh Phangan for the Half Moon Party yesterday (the 15th) only to realize the entire island is covered with signs that say "Half Moon Party: June 14th". They changed the date last minute b/c apparently Buddhist holiday and drinking do not mix. WTF. Chloe and I were close to tears until we saw more signs that say "All-night Pool Party" and decided to check it out (Bryant, like any normal person, decided it was sketchy and sat out).
At 10PM after riding on the back of a pickup truck down this dark bumpy road, Chloe and I get dropped off in seemingly the middle of nowhere. The driver motioned us to walk into the darkness down this path that leads to the ocean. At this point I'm wondering how long it'll take before they find our bodies. After what seemed like forever of walking, we turned a corner and suddenly the whole place is filled with Eurotrash techno and people. There were fire dancers on the beach, a dance floor floating in the ocean, a huge pool, and endless Bucket drinks. The downfall of Chloe and Anna begins.
We were first approached by a group of British men (and I say men b/c one of them is 33, and eventually becomes Chloe's boy-du-jour). In Chloe's defense, he said hes been working at Goldman for 10 years starting from when he was 16. Me being the perfect wing-woman sat through his friend's tale of how he came to Thailand to Thai-box for the summer before genuinely losing interest (what blonde dude Thai boxes anyways?) I see out of the corner of my eye this really cute boy is staring, and I do my best Anna-looks-glances away-looks again-smile routine. He comes over and I find out he's from Australia: the Last Continent.
The night becomes a blur and after losing my 10th straight game of chicken in the pool and my shoes I decided to call it a night before I lose my dinner. The sun is about to rise and I look around: Chloe and the 33 yr old is no where to be found (again in her defense, she said she was watching the sunrise). Ok, no worries, I'll just go post game with a bunch of British and Australian boys back in their beach bungalow at 6am-- it seemed like the safe thing to do at the time. After sitting through countless bad Eurotrash songs, I find out the Australians (different ones than before) worked as chip-n-dales in Australia. I even got their business card b/c I know you guys won't believe me unless I have evidence.
After finally conqueoring the last continent, drinking way to many buckets in the pool with British, Australian, Dutch, and South African boys, and postgaming at 7am with Australian chip-n-dales, I knew it was bedtime for Anna. Chloe and I dragged our drunk and soaked bodies onto these motorcycle taxis of death and somehow made our way back to our beach bungalow before seeing Bryant off (he's getting his scuba license in Koh Tao).
In other news, Cambodia was def a learning experience. It was really sad seeing the effects of the Khmer Rouge on the Cambodian people. The bugs there were really scary. And I still can't believe I survived a true third world country! Actually, I basically divided my time there between Angkor Wat and the pool at our hostel.
Chloe and I are now on the beautiful island of Samui. We just had an amazing seafood dinner and the techno music coming from the beach bars outside is tempting us. Tomorrow, there is another all night beach party at the guesthouse we're staying. uh oh...
For those of you waiting for a post filled with crazy Thailand stories, this is it.
We arrived in Koh Phangan for the Half Moon Party yesterday (the 15th) only to realize the entire island is covered with signs that say "Half Moon Party: June 14th". They changed the date last minute b/c apparently Buddhist holiday and drinking do not mix. WTF. Chloe and I were close to tears until we saw more signs that say "All-night Pool Party" and decided to check it out (Bryant, like any normal person, decided it was sketchy and sat out).
At 10PM after riding on the back of a pickup truck down this dark bumpy road, Chloe and I get dropped off in seemingly the middle of nowhere. The driver motioned us to walk into the darkness down this path that leads to the ocean. At this point I'm wondering how long it'll take before they find our bodies. After what seemed like forever of walking, we turned a corner and suddenly the whole place is filled with Eurotrash techno and people. There were fire dancers on the beach, a dance floor floating in the ocean, a huge pool, and endless Bucket drinks. The downfall of Chloe and Anna begins.
We were first approached by a group of British men (and I say men b/c one of them is 33, and eventually becomes Chloe's boy-du-jour). In Chloe's defense, he said hes been working at Goldman for 10 years starting from when he was 16. Me being the perfect wing-woman sat through his friend's tale of how he came to Thailand to Thai-box for the summer before genuinely losing interest (what blonde dude Thai boxes anyways?) I see out of the corner of my eye this really cute boy is staring, and I do my best Anna-looks-glances away-looks again-smile routine. He comes over and I find out he's from Australia: the Last Continent.
The night becomes a blur and after losing my 10th straight game of chicken in the pool and my shoes I decided to call it a night before I lose my dinner. The sun is about to rise and I look around: Chloe and the 33 yr old is no where to be found (again in her defense, she said she was watching the sunrise). Ok, no worries, I'll just go post game with a bunch of British and Australian boys back in their beach bungalow at 6am-- it seemed like the safe thing to do at the time. After sitting through countless bad Eurotrash songs, I find out the Australians (different ones than before) worked as chip-n-dales in Australia. I even got their business card b/c I know you guys won't believe me unless I have evidence.
After finally conqueoring the last continent, drinking way to many buckets in the pool with British, Australian, Dutch, and South African boys, and postgaming at 7am with Australian chip-n-dales, I knew it was bedtime for Anna. Chloe and I dragged our drunk and soaked bodies onto these motorcycle taxis of death and somehow made our way back to our beach bungalow before seeing Bryant off (he's getting his scuba license in Koh Tao).
In other news, Cambodia was def a learning experience. It was really sad seeing the effects of the Khmer Rouge on the Cambodian people. The bugs there were really scary. And I still can't believe I survived a true third world country! Actually, I basically divided my time there between Angkor Wat and the pool at our hostel.
Chloe and I are now on the beautiful island of Samui. We just had an amazing seafood dinner and the techno music coming from the beach bars outside is tempting us. Tomorrow, there is another all night beach party at the guesthouse we're staying. uh oh...
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
"Never have I ever" does not translate.
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
I realized how bad I am at this whole travel blog thing. I guess moving every other day doesn't make for ample blogging time. Anyways, we didn't end up climbing the Tiger Leaping Gorge because it was raining, and mudslides on a 2 ft wide path at 10,000 ft really isn't my cup of tea. Instead, we stayed in this amazing little ancient town called Lijiang and drank in full Anna glory. We stayed in this hostel called Mama Naxi's which reminded me more of my grandma's house than a hostel. Mama Naxi made sure we were fed every meal and was the sweetest lady ever. Chloe and I also found this amazing Mexican restaurant with the best margaritas in the middle of Lijiang (I know, so typical.)
Day-drinking seems to be the theme of this trip for Chloe and I (Bryant is a bit more civilized). It seems like our best acquaintances are met when we drink haha. I finally figured out why people backpack -- you meet so many interesting and friendly people from all walks of life during your travels. We had mojitos with a Marxist and an ex-banker in Lijiang, shared margaritas with a soldier who "ran away" from the Israeli army in Yangshuo, and learned the "Brazilian hip thrust" from two Brazilian boys in Guilin (don't worry, it's a dance).
We've definitely also had our share of trekking too. We went up thousands of stairs on Leshan Mountain and Mt. Emei, climbed the alien looking stone forest in Kunming, biked through rice paddies in Yangshuo, and hulled our giant backpacks through the busy streets of Khao San in Bangkok looking for a place to spend the night while avoiding the notorious "lady boys".
Last night was our first night in Thailand and Anna's discovery of this local drink called "The Bucket." It's basically a bucket. filled with vodka. and Thai Red Bull that is illegal in the States. We somehow got from there to a rooftop swimming pool at 2am, then gawking at the "ladyboys" while eating the best pad thai I have ever had for 20 baht on the street, then being served beer by this 6 ft tall woman with a 5 0' clock shadow.
Last night was hazy, I don't really know, and now I need to go cure this hangover with some more pad thai and Thai beer. Going for a trip to this little place called Cambodia tomorrow, wish us luck and hope that we don't die! Cheers!
On top of the Stone Forest - potentially a dead drop, but gorgeous as hell.
I realized how bad I am at this whole travel blog thing. I guess moving every other day doesn't make for ample blogging time. Anyways, we didn't end up climbing the Tiger Leaping Gorge because it was raining, and mudslides on a 2 ft wide path at 10,000 ft really isn't my cup of tea. Instead, we stayed in this amazing little ancient town called Lijiang and drank in full Anna glory. We stayed in this hostel called Mama Naxi's which reminded me more of my grandma's house than a hostel. Mama Naxi made sure we were fed every meal and was the sweetest lady ever. Chloe and I also found this amazing Mexican restaurant with the best margaritas in the middle of Lijiang (I know, so typical.)
Day-drinking seems to be the theme of this trip for Chloe and I (Bryant is a bit more civilized). It seems like our best acquaintances are met when we drink haha. I finally figured out why people backpack -- you meet so many interesting and friendly people from all walks of life during your travels. We had mojitos with a Marxist and an ex-banker in Lijiang, shared margaritas with a soldier who "ran away" from the Israeli army in Yangshuo, and learned the "Brazilian hip thrust" from two Brazilian boys in Guilin (don't worry, it's a dance).
We've definitely also had our share of trekking too. We went up thousands of stairs on Leshan Mountain and Mt. Emei, climbed the alien looking stone forest in Kunming, biked through rice paddies in Yangshuo, and hulled our giant backpacks through the busy streets of Khao San in Bangkok looking for a place to spend the night while avoiding the notorious "lady boys".
Last night was our first night in Thailand and Anna's discovery of this local drink called "The Bucket." It's basically a bucket. filled with vodka. and Thai Red Bull that is illegal in the States. We somehow got from there to a rooftop swimming pool at 2am, then gawking at the "ladyboys" while eating the best pad thai I have ever had for 20 baht on the street, then being served beer by this 6 ft tall woman with a 5 0' clock shadow.
Last night was hazy, I don't really know, and now I need to go cure this hangover with some more pad thai and Thai beer. Going for a trip to this little place called Cambodia tomorrow, wish us luck and hope that we don't die! Cheers!
On top of the Stone Forest - potentially a dead drop, but gorgeous as hell.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
