5 minute travel post

I'm in Luang Prabang

Laos!

Yeah, haha, first time i'm doing a real time blog post

Feels like a smalll town. Got here from Thailand via Slow Boat.

We keep bumping into people we met on the boat along the streets. Its always like hey, someone's waving at us and it just happens to be someone from the slow boat!

Koh Tao Day 2

That's my dive school =) The staff who work there drive motorbikes to work. Its such a small island

From the side view, there's this wooden area, always under a lot of sunlight, with many people. I normally sit inside, on one of the free computers with internet to update my Facebook =P

When u are on long term travel, u have to do the laundry for sure! Send my plastic bag of clothes to a shop nearby for 40baht a kg. The front row of clothes with the pink tee and the red dress is mine =P

2nd day on the island, walking back to the dive school after morning theory and lunch =)

Lots of stalls selling beachwear. I bought 2 sarongs =) one "red and black" and and one "blue and green"

After dinner with my dive buddy, i went to the dive school to do some reading for the Open Water Dive Course. My room's lights are dark so i chose to study outside

Ended up camwhoring before reading! Hahaha

Love this shot =) Read up a bit and the noticed something in the distance!

Hahah, i left my books on the table there and went for a stroll along the beach! Watched the fire dancers in awe!

Walked further and observed the crowded restaurants. For a moment i wished i wasnt alone but after a while, i started to enjoy my 'me' time =)
Also the camera makes a good companion

Stood and watched more of the fire dance after my long stroll to the end of the beach. The fire dancer, Kuzo (ahaha, i know Thais have weird nicknames, wait till i tell u about my white water rafting guide's nickname), so the fire dancer was nice and asked if i wanted to try!

I did, but without the fire, hahaha! I practiced for quite a long time and didnt finish my reading for the next day. Oops, i got scolded by my dive instructor!

Chiang Mai

Came out of the travel agent's shop 3,300Bht (RM350) poorer

But happier =) So glad i got most of my week sorted out =) With 2 nights accommodation at RM11 a night =)

Walked around the Sunday night market from 5.30pm till 9pm! Crazy! Its huge and its fantastic! So different from Bangkok and what more Petaling Street. The best part is there were plenty of Wats along the way, i probably did the Lonely Planet's walking tour without even knowing it =P

Koh Tao ! ! !

So I left Bangkok on my own 12/8/2010, the bus ride took 7hours, i slept almost the whole way. Arrived in Chumphon at 3-freaking-am. The management said anyone can sleep in this room

Wrote in my daily diary and summed up my Bangkok spendings. Set my alarm and picked a spot with the fan. Kinda cold! Haha, but i fell asleep and woke up with the room all empty!

I woke up before my alarm and everyone was already boarding the boat! Rushed out without brushing my teeth or washing my face, didnt get to pee either, so i used the toilet on the boat

Different from the boat i took from Port Klang to Pulau Ketam... The boat was full and the seats are tiny, i slept the whole 3 hours on the boat. There were dive school touts selling dive packages on the boat. The ang moh couple a few seats from me was purchasing a package...

I've booked mine online after spending 3 days researching and comparing dive package prices in Malaysia and on Koh Tao. Upon arrival, i saw many people holding up signs for pick up to their dive school, many dive school names were familiar from my research... i looked for mine and felt so relieved when i saw:

Scuba Junction, for Sue Lin =) Yay! Hahah
The main road goes through villages that resemble Malaysain villages, after all Koh Tao is 500km south of Bangkok

Koh Tao is halfway to the border of North Malaysia so there are plenty of resemblences

Look! There's even a Kancil! (Malaysian made car, the same model i own =)

Checked in. The receptionist showed me to my bungalow (Malaysians call it a challet but Thais and Cambodians call them bungalows)

Mine's the first one up front =)

Cute huh? Like a little kampung house

Only 400 Baht a night normal rates but becuse i took a dive package, i get it for 50% off =) Only RM21 a night

Cosy, just the basics =) If i had someone to share with it will be only RM10 a night!!! That's AUD3.4, USD3.3... less than 2 British pounds, about 2.50 Euros?!

Just nice for two. Two towels. Since i was alone, i used one towel for 3 nights and the other one for the last 3 nights. Hahha

My toiletries take up a lot of space in my bag. They're important! I had some acne breakout in Bangkok, huge pimples on my forehead but just after 24hours on Koh Tao, my skin cleared up! Pleased that my skin stayed clear even 2 months after my dive trip! =)

My dear cousin from Singapore would say no to this basic toilet without hot water. Crazy me on the other hand, loved it so so much, the cold showers were refreshing, especially on my first day, after the overnight bus and boat ride.

And yes, there is no flush, u need to pour water down manually, but wtf, its f*ing RM20 a night =) =) =) Sorry but i get excited and thrilled with cheap good places!

There's a table outside, i brought it in, and cleaned it, it was really dusty. My sports shoes, slippers and heels! My PADI Open Water Dive Course manual on the table =)

I was starving and headed out for lunch! Picked Sairee Cottage not far from my accomodation

Had Thai Green curry and rice for 110bht, drank mango lassi (icy milkshake) for 90bht (expensive!)

Self timer shot before my food arrived =) It was blissful

Bought my return bus ticket to Bangkok for 700Bht and strolled along Sairee beach
This is exactly how holidays should feel like =)

Stepped into one of the shops and walked through to the other side, really cute with the beach view and rocks.

Reported to the dive school at 4pm for a briefing and to watch videos as part of the course =) I almost fell asleep watching the videos. After that i went for a walk on the beach

A couple of Thai girls were on the beach taking photos, they spoke to me in Thai, mistook me as a local. Hahha, they asked me to help them take photos and in return, i have this awesome pic! =)

Bangkok Daze

After the Marble Temple, we went to the parliament house (if i'm not mistaken)

The guards will tell u not to take pictures from certain angles.

And arent allowed to step on the grass! Hahaha

A cafe on the site, M's bakery supplies cakes there

Took this picture from the car... sorry i was falling asleep and can't really remember clearly... Deb, did u learn this in ur history subjects? Hehe

Drove past the palace, didnt go in. Maybe in my next trip? =)

Went to the Golden Buddha (Sukhotai Traimit) next, at least this one gives out brochures which i shall use as blogging material

Once completely covered in plaster to conceal it from Thailand's enemies, the 15 feet tall, 5 tonne Golden Buddha Image is made of pure gold. In 1955, when it was moved from Yannawa District to its current location, the plaster was broken and it was discovered that the seven hundred year old statue

Love the architecture of the temple where the Buddha is enshrined =) Oh, they made us wear sarongs, even men

Background is so pretty. I accidentally deleted one picture, will re-uplaod it later...

Walked through Chinatown. Bought a Thai sim card from 7 Eleven

Is there anywhere in the world without a Chinatown and an arch like that?


Hua Lamphong train station, what B calls Bangkok's Flinder's street. He helped me get my bus and boat tickets to Koh Tao =) =) =)

Then went to the tailors in Nana, thats where i blew my budget =P

View from the BTS train station. Went to hang out at N and J's condo after dinner

N's Thai and J's French, they got married earlier this year =) Very sweet couple. Interesting conversations =)

Shopping and massage on Day 3 at MBK

E (not my ex, someone else with the initial E) brought us around. He's metrosexual, fun as a shopping partner, we were trying on so many pairs of sunglasses, B got irritated! Hahahaha

Day 4 evening, i went to Hua Lamphong station to catch my night bus to Koh Tao, alone...

With my camera as my only companion, i watch other backpackers wait for their trains

I grabbed a bite to eat, glass noodles in soup with lots of chilli! Hungry recalling it... and then went to the travel agent to wait for my bus