Day Eight -- Bangkok, Thailand

Chris woke up around 7am and read through guide books, planning the day, as Lily slept on for another hour. Once awake, we set out in search of breakfast. We knew we needed something substantial for the intensive touristy activities we had planned, and succame, again, to the temptation for familiar foods. Last night was pizza and pasta at an Italian joint, and this morning was a full British breakfast at the Black Swan British Pub. It was legit. Proper sausage and bacon, grilled tomato, Heinz baked beans, the whole lot. Oh man. The OJ, though was a rare treat. The Thai oranges are small, and taste much like tangerines, and everywhere we go, we are surrounded by fresh squeezed juice for unheard of low prices.

The Bangkok sky train system (BTS) is very easy to use, quick, clean, and not too expensive. (We heartily approve of any transit system that prints the route map on the back of the fare card!) We took the Sky Train from Asok to Saphan Taksin, at the river's edge, south of the old town. There, we bought an all day fare card for the Chao Phraya Express boat, essentially a boat bus, which makes regular stops along the east bank of the river.



The view of Bangkok from the water is stunning. Grand hotels like the Oriental and the Shangri-La stand next to corregated-tin shacks and lean-tos; Tourists sip cocktails on a riverside bar, while men wash clothes in the muddy water not far away.



We got off the boat at Tien, and walked towards the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaeo (see also: "The King and I" starring Yul Brenner). We walked through the amulet market, which was really just a line of tables and blankets displaying all manner of items to buy, much like a neighborhood yard sale, with an emphasis on religious amulets.



The upselling schemes continues as we neared the Grand Palace. A nicely dressed man tried to convince us that because of a Buddhist holiday the Grand Palace was closed in the morning and we should see this OTHER location that is "open one day only in the whole year(!)" and then the taxi can take us to this place and this other place and then back to the Grand Palace by 1pm, when it will be open again. What would you pay for this elaborate grand tour of Bangkok? Why, only $1.20! Baloney. We called shenanigans and moved on.

The Grand Palace, of course, was not closed. We bought our tickets and checked our attire:Knees covered, shoulders covered, and heels covered. (although, I think they recently changed that last requirement and you are now allowed to wear flip-flops). For those dressed in shorts, there were sarongs and baggy pants available for rent, but we came prepared! (The heat is brutal in long pants, BTW).

The Grand Palace is an enclave of several temples, museums, and governmental ceremony rooms. Everything is lavishly decorated, but unlike the ostentatiousness of the Vatican, which is clad in gold, the architecture of the Thai Wats are simply painted gold colors, and use glass and mirrors to catch the light and sparkle.





We spent most of the time here looking at the Ramakien, an elaborate mural, that wraps around most of the Grand Palace exterior wall. Because of the humidity, a portion of the mural is almost always undergoing restoration.



We stopped into an outdoor market for some watermelon juice and mangosteens before catching the boat to Chinatown.



Chinatown was something else. Alley after alley packed with vendors selling anything and everything you can imagine. The alleys are a maze of activity, with people packed shoulder-to shoulder, and then a fruit vendor with a large cart would attempt to push through. We walked aimlessly getting intentionally lost in the madness (this block is all plastic boxes and cups, this block all shoes).

We made our way to the electronics district, where we were awed by the same Chinatown madness, but all focused on electronic goods. Countless street vendors with bottomless baskets of switches, LEDs, XLR connectors, wires, adapters, lightbulbs, and god knows what all.



Among these vendors were very small storefronts featuring analog sound mixers, or followspots, or speakers. Most of these goods were likely repaired by the people running the shop and being sold second-hand.



We also looked into a large modern, store (maybe the size of a big US grocery store), filled with every piece you could ever want for an electronics project, and everything at dirt cheap prices! Why can't we get one of these in the US? Our only options are Radio Shack or the internet!

We took the boat back to the sky train and headed back to the hotel around sunset. We took a refreshing dip in the rooftop pool, which we had all to ourselves.

We took a short walk from our hotel to a street that was alive with activity. There were tons of people (mostly locals) eating at folding tables, with food prepared by one of 3 carts. Mmmm street meat! It was quite possibly the best meal we have had since traveling to Asia. The green papaya salad was like heaven. Sweet and salty and crunchy and crisp and peanutty and fruity and oh my god was it spicy! The most deliciously spicy dish of all time. Beer Chang kept the burning to an intense tingle, though.

Day Seven -- Ko Lanta & Bangkok, Thainald

We woke up to the sound of rolling thunder out on the water just after dawn. As we ate breakfast, the rain picked up, and we sat and watched from under the restaurant roof. When it slowed to a sprinkle, we had a dip in the water to cool off.

We played a round of petanque (like bocci ball, but French) on the gravel court near the spa. The balls were quite rusty--I think they were left out all through last monsoon season ;-)



Rather than repeat the cheap ferry ride that we had taken from the mainland to Ko Lanta, we opted for a private air conditioned minivan. Although it was twice the price, the journey was half as long. (Although, it had significantly less character).

The flight from Krabi to Bangkok was short and pleasant. The real travel adventure began when we traveled from the Bangkok airport to our hotel.

We stopped at the tourist information booth and got the attendant to write the address of our hotel in Thai. But as a result we had to dodge her trying to sell us on packaged tours. Next we went in search of a metered cab while being accosted by people trying to take us into town for a fixed price. We finally found someone who said he would take us in a metered cab. Partially true, it was an upsell scheme, they drive you in a nice car away from the airport too a metered cab, in the hopes you will just want to stay in the nicer more expensive car.

We hopped in the metered cab and then found our next roadblock: Traffic. It took us 2 hours to get to the vicinity of our hotel, and only to discover that the tourist info attendent wrote down the wrong address. (Unlike many major US cities, where the cab driver knows all the ins-and-outs of the city, Bangkok cabbies are quite clueless--many are farmers who simply had a bad crop last season and need to make some money.) After driving from hotel to hotel we finally found ours. Of course the cabby wanted more money, but we refused, checked in and cooled off. After this first series of upsell scams we resolved to be on our guard and not fall prey again.

The hotel, the Park Plaza Sukhumvit, is a great mix of funkiness and buisness hotel practicality. We got a deluxe corner room on the 15th floor with an amazing view for a great rate. The hotel is is east of the old town, but right on the sky train line at the Asok station. The hotel decor is modern, but functional (Lily kept exclaiming over the excellent juxtaposition of tile finishes on the bathroom walls and floor). A shower stall and separate soaking tub were a welcome luxury after the lengthy travel adventure.



We explored the hood a bit (many tailor shops, British Pubs, pharmacies, and street vendors), and decided that, blasphemous as it was, we both had a craving for pizza. We found a fantastic pizza joint run by an ex-pat Italian, Luigi's Pizzeria. Pricey but it really hit the spot. Quite possibly the best gnochi we had ever eaten! Plus, the owner was a total character and made for amusing conversation.

After dinner we crashed by about 11pm.

Day Six - Ko Lanta, Thailand

We woke up at 7:30 or so, and helped ourselves to breakfast. We took a brief wade in the water before going to the front desk to inquire about potential activities.



We had thought about visiting Ko Phi Phi (an island about an hour away by boat, which is very popular with tourists), but we had just missed the last morning boat to the island. We also contemplated taking a jungle trek or elephant ride, but decided against it because of the likely unbearable humidity. The island heat is not bad at all when sitting alongside a beach with the breeze coming off the water, but as soon as you step inland, it becomes stifling.

So, instead, we decided to take a short cab ride 10 minutes north to another beach on Ko Lanta, Klong Dao. The water there was crystal clear, and the sand a very fine, light beige (worlds different from the rock and coral that line the beach at Moonlight Bay Resort). Klong Dao is more popular with tourists, and is lined with bars, kitsch shops, and spas. There are virtually no waves in the water, and it is perfect for swimming, and yet, there was almost no one on the beach. We have honestly seen Rehoboth Beach Deleware more crowded on a rainy day!



We had lunch at Easy Bar and sat under an umbrella on the beach, alternating turns swimming and reading. Lily got a Thai massage on the beach--one hour for the equivalent of $7. (The great irony, though, is that I have never felt LESS like I needed a massage. Where are my $7 spas in Washington DC where I can go after work!?)



At low tide (around 4pm), we took a moped taxi back to the hotel where we showered and had a beer before going out again.



This time we headed south to a restaurant called Same Same But Different. It caters to tourists, as you might imagine, and the over-done "authenticity" of the decor made it feel a little like Disneyland's Frontierland. But, with the tables in the sand, you really couldn't beat the sunset view. The food was wonderful (especially the spicy green papaya salad and the prawns in tamarind sauce).




The drive south was interesting--there are new resorts being built almost every where, but the southern portion of the island is certainly less developed.

Back at the hotel, we enjoyed drinks on the beach by candlelight and chatted with some of the hotel staff (one of whom keeps a diary of guests he meets). We watched the tide come higher than we'd seen yet, and then fell asleep around 10.

Day Five - Ko Lanta, Thailand

Another early morning. 7AM this time. Breakfast was a boiled rice and chicken soup. Lots of garlic, lemon grass, celery, and ginger. Immediately after breakfast we went for a dip in the bay. Pictures can't really capture how clear and emerald like the water is (and warm!).



After swimming for a bit we dried of while reading our books and trying to decide what to do next. We opted for renting a moped and putzing about the island. The resort rents mopeds for about 9 dollars a day. Without asking to see a license, no helmets, and no moped experience we were off.

We managed not to hurt ourselves or the bike in any way despite:
1) Driving on twisty, pothole-prone mountain roads
2) Driving on the left side
3) Never having driven one before



Fun, but extremly tense for the driver (read: Chris). The island really has 2 main roads: one that runs north-south along the west coast (where all the resorts are), and one road that cuts through the center of the island west - east. We chose the latter route and drove across the island, through the hills and small villages to Lanta Old town.



This was the original fishing and trading village on the island and has some very old Chinese influenced architecture. Feeling threatened by some gray clouds, we didn't stay long. After having a mosy and buying some cola we rode back to the resort.



We then decided we wanted to walk back along some of the route we rode to soak it in more. We walked about 1.5 km to the next beach town (Klong Nin) and did some window shopping (Thai five-and-dime beach kitsch!), and picked up some snacks at the 7-Eleven.



A stop at a street vendor for a banana Thai pancake was oily delicious! We got home just as it started to rain.

We managed to squeeze in some jacuzzi time (on our front porch) and reading before calling it quits at 8pm. (We're getting old).

Day Four - Ko Lanta, Thailand

We woke up at about 6:30 AM. Sounds crazy, but actually an ideal time to wake up. The air is still cool and the sun isn't blazing. The complimentary breakfast at the hotel restaurant was tasty and provided us with the energy we needed to tackle the day. And by "tackle the day" I mean go from lounging spot to lounging spot. We generally preferred the shady spots that were close to the beach (or our own front porch, also on the beach).



For whatever reason, all the other resort patrons (who are almost exclusively Swedish) much prefer the poolside (although, not to be outdone, the front desk provides tour information in Danish, Norwegian, and Finnish as well. As it turns out, we are only the 5th set of Americans to visit this year.) We don't get it. You could be lounging on the mats by the bay as the waves of paradise lap at your feet, but you want to sit by a pool? To each his own, I suppose.



The staff here is very friendly and every conversation begins the same way:
"Where you from?"
"America."
"Ah! America! Obama!"
(It's nice to have a positive image for the rest of the world)

Almost the entire day was spent lounging and reading. I think because of this we will finally shed our jet lag.



After dinner watching a beautiful sunset we retired to bed so we could get up early again and enjoy the cool morning air.

Day Three - Ko Lanta, Thailand

We caught the plane out of Mumbai at 11:30pm. Thai Airways was lovely, despite their cheesey "smooth as silk" slogan. We landed in Bangkok at 5am (with a one hour time change) and waited for our next flight at 8am to Krabi, which was filled with everyone from mainland Europe on holiday. The Krabi airport runway is the most lovely and charming I have ever seen. Everything is green and lush!

From the airport to our final destination at Moonlight Bay Resort on Ko Lanta (an island 50km southwest of Krabi) was an adventure involving a bus shuttle, a pickup truck, a ferry, and an open air taxi with a total travel time of about 6 hours.

The shuttle from the airport took us to a hostel / travel center in downtown Krabi where we bought our ferry tickets. The staff was disappointed to hear that we already had reservations at a hotel (sorry they couldn't make any money off us). Downtown Krabi seems charming, but mainly serves as a rest stop for tourists looking to go on to the islands. A pick up truck arrived and loaded all of us on to drive to the pier. At the pier we were placed on a narrow, long, low ferry with about 75 other (European) tourists. The ferry also had people equipped with brochures encouraging the tourists to pick hotels on the island.



We putted along for an hour and a half with the sea breeze blowing, and the scenery passing us by before we reached the first island, where a handful of people disembarked (onto other boats which shuttled them to the beach). A half an hour later, a second island, and finally, a half an hour later, we were at the pier for Ko Lanta, by far, the largest and most populated island of the three.

We haggled with a taxi driver to take us to Moonlight Bay Resort, ultimately spending 350 Baht for both in an open-air taxi for the 20 minute ride. I think we ultimately paid too much, but we had no basis for negotiations.

Moonlight Bay Resort is run by Scandinavians and is certainly upscale, but we feel no shame in indulging a little bit on our honeymoon :-) The hotel is on a rocky beach and has has a bar, restaurant, pool, spa, library, and beach equipment (i.e. kayaks, snorkel gear) for rent, as well as wireless internet on the beach (which we just discovered).


We have a beach-front bungalow with a jacuzzi on the front porch.


We enjoyed a beer and a delicious Thai dinner of prawns and curries, before taking a nap at about 6pm. That "nap" turned into bedtime, as we discovered when we woke at 5:30am the next day.

Day Two-India

Fighting the jetlag with all our might, we finally crashed at about 10PM. We got up at 9 for a super tasty meal prepared by Shruti. Tapioca stir fried in ghee with peanuts, chillis and spices was the main course, with sides of fresh mango salad and cantaloupe. This is the kind of food that Lily and I had last time that you just can`t get at Indian restaurants back home.

After enjoying the morning digestion and chatting with Nihal, Shruti and Shiddhu we went for a drive through Pune. So much goes on at every street corner it`s mind blowing. I think we have some videos we can post, but I assure you they don't even begin to portray the amount of hustle and bustle going on.

Lunch was some tasty kebabs and blavk lentils followed up by a visit to the Indian equivalent of a super Walmart. Grocery stores / one stop shops are always fun to visit in other countries.

Before heading back to Mumbai to catch our flight we all had fresh sugar cane juice with lime and ginger from a street vendor. Southern style iced tea has nothing on the sugar content of this stuff. Sooooo tasty. Staying with good friends in a familiar place thats half a world away is a great way to ease into a trip. I highly recomend it. Thanks again to Nihal and Shruti for ther unparalleled hospitality.


The drive from Pune to Mumbai was an intense 3.5 hour adventure through the crazy world of Indian driving. Near collisions are the norm, but somehow no one crashes. Traffic lights are more suggestion than law. Lane markings are completely ignored, and there is a unique language of honks and headlight flashes to communicate intent. (Not to mention the regular occurances of people intentionally driving in the wrong direction straight into concoming traffic).


In Bangkok airport now waiting for our flight to Krabi. Beach time is only a few hours away. WAHOO!

P.S. As it turns out, the Academy's new hero, "Slumdog Millionaire" director, Danny Boyle was at the engagement party we neglected to attend last night. Huh.