Well... I had quite the long adventure to end my SE Asia trip and arrive in London!
*3 hour bus trip Cha Am to Bangkok
*2 hour wait on the side of the road for supposed airport bus (that never came)
*45 min taxi ride to airport
*check in and 3 hour wait at airport
*most horrendous 10 hour flight to Cairo (words can't describe how horrific this was.. so I'll just not even attempt)
*5 hour layover in Cairo
*5 1/2 hour flight
*45 mins through security, getting bag, walk to tube
*30 min tube ride to Pete's
*2 hours: shower, get new sim card
*1 1/2 hours: tube/train ride to Rainham, Kent to David's
*3 hours to sort through all my crap (sooo much!)
*1 1/2 hour train/tube ride back to pete's in London
During that journey.... I slept:
*1 hour on flight from Bangkok to Cairo (ugh, again, I'm going to NOT mention how horrific this flight was!)
*1 1/2 hours during layover
*the BEST 20 min nap on Cairo to London flight (seriously, cat naps sometimes are sooo much more restful!)
I was super exhausted by the time I made it back to Pete's!
I had made note that I started my JOURNEY (that doesn't include the gettting up, time spent ath beach, etc that day) at 9am London time on TUESDAY and collapsed (literally after walking in the door, putting jammies on and brushing my teeth!) into bed at 11:45 WEDNESDAY night!
The stupid thing was.. I was wide awake the next morning... because my body thought it was the afternoon. However, jet lag hit me the next day or two (thrown in with the flight to Holland, another time change, etc)!
Showing posts with label Thailand. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thailand. Show all posts
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
Cha Am, the Thai Beach
Ok, so I picked Cha am as my last place in Thailand because I knew it was a place Thai's came to the beach for the weekend. I knew I could get a proper cultural beach experience instead of one in Phuket or any of the other islands geared towards tourists.
However, I've now been here for 1 1/2 days and only left my room for a total of an hour. I've been sick as a dog :-( Not felt this bad in a LONG LONG time.
After my nap got up and went for a walk. That was great. Walked up the south and north streets. only 'white' people I saw were obviously with Thai people. I enjoyed that. usually I'd attempt to talk, make friends, etc. Except I felt crap. My stomach hurt and turning, I was bloated I ached, had a stuffy head, and oh, my body was still hurting in random places from the fall. I had dinner and promptly came back to bed... well my room anyways.
I've been stuck in my room with a case of not being able to leave the toilet for more than a VERY short period of time. Not sure if i ate something bad, got whatever everyone on the last few buses seemed to have, had gluten in food somehow, or what. But OH MY GOODNESS. My stomach has been hurting... soo much. My head is stuffy. My tummy is turning. Its crampy and icky.
I'm sooo thankful that I 'splurged' on the room with AC. Actually, turns out while it is douple to triple what I'd been paying the rest of my trip its actually cheap for the town.
So today, I've laid in bed and watched the same 3 episodes of Monk, SVU, and I cant even remember now... felt sorry for myself for not being able to leave the room for more than 5 mins.
I've tried. I've walked to the beach... road... thats as far as I made it before having to turn around. I got dinner to go. I've felt more sorry for myself. Then glad.... because I have a huge day of travel coming up and glad its happening now and not in 2 days. Then felt pissed off because I've been at the 'beach' for 2 days and yet to actually walk on the becah. (ok, i knew yesterday would probably be a write off after 3 night buses in 1 week but come on, two days!)
I'm determined to take as much Immodium as it takes to let me leave the room tomorrow. Ok, that may not be technically smart but it didn't work today.... it cant go on for two days, can it? Oh, and since about mid day i've been throwing up too. Lovely.
Come on body... rid yourself of this bad stuff so I can enjoy the beautiful sunny beach tomorrow!!! Please, I beg of you.
Well, while i feel guilty for wasting time indoors when there is so much to see, what can i do if my body decides its had enough!?!!!
However, I've now been here for 1 1/2 days and only left my room for a total of an hour. I've been sick as a dog :-( Not felt this bad in a LONG LONG time.
After my nap got up and went for a walk. That was great. Walked up the south and north streets. only 'white' people I saw were obviously with Thai people. I enjoyed that. usually I'd attempt to talk, make friends, etc. Except I felt crap. My stomach hurt and turning, I was bloated I ached, had a stuffy head, and oh, my body was still hurting in random places from the fall. I had dinner and promptly came back to bed... well my room anyways.
I've been stuck in my room with a case of not being able to leave the toilet for more than a VERY short period of time. Not sure if i ate something bad, got whatever everyone on the last few buses seemed to have, had gluten in food somehow, or what. But OH MY GOODNESS. My stomach has been hurting... soo much. My head is stuffy. My tummy is turning. Its crampy and icky.
I'm sooo thankful that I 'splurged' on the room with AC. Actually, turns out while it is douple to triple what I'd been paying the rest of my trip its actually cheap for the town.
So today, I've laid in bed and watched the same 3 episodes of Monk, SVU, and I cant even remember now... felt sorry for myself for not being able to leave the room for more than 5 mins.
I've tried. I've walked to the beach... road... thats as far as I made it before having to turn around. I got dinner to go. I've felt more sorry for myself. Then glad.... because I have a huge day of travel coming up and glad its happening now and not in 2 days. Then felt pissed off because I've been at the 'beach' for 2 days and yet to actually walk on the becah. (ok, i knew yesterday would probably be a write off after 3 night buses in 1 week but come on, two days!)
I'm determined to take as much Immodium as it takes to let me leave the room tomorrow. Ok, that may not be technically smart but it didn't work today.... it cant go on for two days, can it? Oh, and since about mid day i've been throwing up too. Lovely.
Come on body... rid yourself of this bad stuff so I can enjoy the beautiful sunny beach tomorrow!!! Please, I beg of you.
Well, while i feel guilty for wasting time indoors when there is so much to see, what can i do if my body decides its had enough!?!!!
Chiang Mai
What an AWESOME night market! Literally huge!! Walked around for hours.... trying to stretch my back after the long bus... but popping ibo and battling the tears/pain!
I found an awesome shirt for my brother, and 2 for myself. And an awesome dress for Anna. I could've bought more clothes... but stopped at that. Could've figure out any other good gifts. I was wishing the last two markets that I'd splurged in Cambodia on the silk bed stuff though... it was awesome!
I woke up early the next morning, as I'd emailed the lady from the ESL centre for Ukraine that I'd be online for the interview. It took me AN HOUR to find somewhere open...besides McDonalds/Starbucks (which I refused to pay $5 for 1 hours internet!).. or street stalls which don't have internet! Seriously, it was 7 and the locals had all been up and to their local markets already but everything geared towards tourists was locked tight!! Interview was great, except the internet at the place got cut off right at the crucial end of the convo!! oops!
Again, this was a place I had been sooo excited about trekking, cooking classes, etc. I had asked after arriving and everywhere I asked I could maybe eat one dish. Even the vege places didn't have much optionwise for me.. and I just decided I didn't want to waste my money. I REFUSED to do the 1 day treks that exploit the 'long neck' hilltribes and elephants in the region. So that left my day pretty wide open. I found teh big shopping mall which took hours (walking there, around it, and back). Again, I could barely move but decided stretching my body was the best thing to do....cuz you guessed it, another night bus for me! That avo I got my first Thai massage. Thats quite the experience... not so much massage and stretch, bend and loosen up...actually just what i needed! Had dinner at an awesome Vege place and back to another bus!!!
our tuk tuk was the first to arrive at the bus so those of us on it all go to pick our seats. I was LUCKY and go the best seats! Again, got my own row, and even had no one in front of me as it was the stairwell, so i could put my feet up. Took some more pills and hoped for the best. They were playing Avatar and fell asleep about 2/3 in. However, my sleep lasted aprx 1 1/2 hours.... until the 1130 dinner stop? What the heck? How retarded!! After that, no sleep for me! We arrived and literally got dumped out on the side of the road in Bangkok at 5 am! Great! I found the popular tourist road... found a tuk tuk that wasn't going to robe me blind in price.. and went straight to the Southern Bus station. Got there with 10 mins to spare and got on the bus to Cha am for 4 1/2 hours. Got another 1/2 hour sleep on that bus. Walked 2 1/2 kms to find a GH. Got online, and then crashed.... till 430 pm. Eh, it was overcast and muggy out anyways!
I found an awesome shirt for my brother, and 2 for myself. And an awesome dress for Anna. I could've bought more clothes... but stopped at that. Could've figure out any other good gifts. I was wishing the last two markets that I'd splurged in Cambodia on the silk bed stuff though... it was awesome!
I woke up early the next morning, as I'd emailed the lady from the ESL centre for Ukraine that I'd be online for the interview. It took me AN HOUR to find somewhere open...besides McDonalds/Starbucks (which I refused to pay $5 for 1 hours internet!).. or street stalls which don't have internet! Seriously, it was 7 and the locals had all been up and to their local markets already but everything geared towards tourists was locked tight!! Interview was great, except the internet at the place got cut off right at the crucial end of the convo!! oops!
Again, this was a place I had been sooo excited about trekking, cooking classes, etc. I had asked after arriving and everywhere I asked I could maybe eat one dish. Even the vege places didn't have much optionwise for me.. and I just decided I didn't want to waste my money. I REFUSED to do the 1 day treks that exploit the 'long neck' hilltribes and elephants in the region. So that left my day pretty wide open. I found teh big shopping mall which took hours (walking there, around it, and back). Again, I could barely move but decided stretching my body was the best thing to do....cuz you guessed it, another night bus for me! That avo I got my first Thai massage. Thats quite the experience... not so much massage and stretch, bend and loosen up...actually just what i needed! Had dinner at an awesome Vege place and back to another bus!!!
our tuk tuk was the first to arrive at the bus so those of us on it all go to pick our seats. I was LUCKY and go the best seats! Again, got my own row, and even had no one in front of me as it was the stairwell, so i could put my feet up. Took some more pills and hoped for the best. They were playing Avatar and fell asleep about 2/3 in. However, my sleep lasted aprx 1 1/2 hours.... until the 1130 dinner stop? What the heck? How retarded!! After that, no sleep for me! We arrived and literally got dumped out on the side of the road in Bangkok at 5 am! Great! I found the popular tourist road... found a tuk tuk that wasn't going to robe me blind in price.. and went straight to the Southern Bus station. Got there with 10 mins to spare and got on the bus to Cha am for 4 1/2 hours. Got another 1/2 hour sleep on that bus. Walked 2 1/2 kms to find a GH. Got online, and then crashed.... till 430 pm. Eh, it was overcast and muggy out anyways!
LP to the Laos/Thai border to Chiang Mai
Oh, 2nd night bus in a few nights. This time I'd bought my own sleeping pills.
I was in severe pain and hoping they'd work like magic. (Ok, to clarify, these are non addictive, muscle relaxer, anti anxiety, etc pills... used for lots of things including insomnia.)
I got SOOO lucky and got a whole seat to myself. I was the only Westerner and they didn't mix us with the locals. Totally glad I was traveling alone!
Well, this road was the WORST road. Bumpy, turny, crazy, words don't describe it. Now most people take a 2 day slow boat to avoid this bus trip... but I didn't have time so I had to endure.
The pills didn't work. Well, i was slamming my head, falling off the seat, and just plain being thrown about too much to have any sleep.
A funny part of the journey. We stopped around 5 am and I had to use the bathroom. We were supposed to pay 1000 kip (like 13 cents) but I literally only had enough kip to get me the tuk tuk and boat across the border and not 1000 to spare!) so I used it without paying. I ignored the guy when he was shouting at me... he ran after me and kept shouting at me. I kept saying sorry, I don't have any. No money, no kip, sorry, sorry. He was sooo pissed. The girl on the seat in front offered to pay for me and he wouldn't take her money (for me) because he wanted me to pay... but i literally had no money. And mind you i saw a couple guys go in and not pay.. and they don't evne have to use the stupid toilets as they can go anywhere! Ugh, I hate being female sometimes!
So we get to the Thai border town around 930 am (16 hours after being picked up at my GH) and get to the river. Now everyone had apparantely booked their ticket all the way to Chaing Mai, except me. I knew it'd be cheaper to do it as two separarte journeys... except I refused to tke out more Kip at the atm. So I finally convinced the guy to give me a seat in the bus (along with the boat to cross the river.. which is the official border) and that I'd take out Baht to pay him in thailand. Kip is useless and each time you use an ATM in this part of the world its about a $5 fee, and I didn't want more kip and didn't wnat to pay the fee twice in one day!! I paid the guy.. we waited for awhile and got in a mini bus.
At one point towards the end my back was so bad along with my neck/legs/arms that I was again in tears. Literally, spasming up and down my legs and my neck was so stiff from jarring it I couldn't look at all to the sides.
22 1/2 hours after leaving my GH in Luang Prabang, Laos I arrived at my GH Chiang Mai, Thailand!!!!
I was in severe pain and hoping they'd work like magic. (Ok, to clarify, these are non addictive, muscle relaxer, anti anxiety, etc pills... used for lots of things including insomnia.)
I got SOOO lucky and got a whole seat to myself. I was the only Westerner and they didn't mix us with the locals. Totally glad I was traveling alone!
Well, this road was the WORST road. Bumpy, turny, crazy, words don't describe it. Now most people take a 2 day slow boat to avoid this bus trip... but I didn't have time so I had to endure.
The pills didn't work. Well, i was slamming my head, falling off the seat, and just plain being thrown about too much to have any sleep.
A funny part of the journey. We stopped around 5 am and I had to use the bathroom. We were supposed to pay 1000 kip (like 13 cents) but I literally only had enough kip to get me the tuk tuk and boat across the border and not 1000 to spare!) so I used it without paying. I ignored the guy when he was shouting at me... he ran after me and kept shouting at me. I kept saying sorry, I don't have any. No money, no kip, sorry, sorry. He was sooo pissed. The girl on the seat in front offered to pay for me and he wouldn't take her money (for me) because he wanted me to pay... but i literally had no money. And mind you i saw a couple guys go in and not pay.. and they don't evne have to use the stupid toilets as they can go anywhere! Ugh, I hate being female sometimes!
So we get to the Thai border town around 930 am (16 hours after being picked up at my GH) and get to the river. Now everyone had apparantely booked their ticket all the way to Chaing Mai, except me. I knew it'd be cheaper to do it as two separarte journeys... except I refused to tke out more Kip at the atm. So I finally convinced the guy to give me a seat in the bus (along with the boat to cross the river.. which is the official border) and that I'd take out Baht to pay him in thailand. Kip is useless and each time you use an ATM in this part of the world its about a $5 fee, and I didn't want more kip and didn't wnat to pay the fee twice in one day!! I paid the guy.. we waited for awhile and got in a mini bus.
At one point towards the end my back was so bad along with my neck/legs/arms that I was again in tears. Literally, spasming up and down my legs and my neck was so stiff from jarring it I couldn't look at all to the sides.
22 1/2 hours after leaving my GH in Luang Prabang, Laos I arrived at my GH Chiang Mai, Thailand!!!!
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