Where are the American RTW Travelers???

By Lillie
Catch more of her adventures at http://lmarshallworld.blogspot.com
Because so many of the spectacular temples in Bangkok are along the river, a night boat along the Chao Phraya is a feast for the eyes... and a feast for the belly, too, if you opt for the dinner cruise. Check it out!
As you peruse these pics, let us ponder a major question for a Round the World Traveler: WHERE ARE THE AMERICANS?? A profound cultural difference is laid bare when you wander these hostels filled with Europeans, Aussies, Israelis, and Canadians. Where are OUR people??
You can throw out the theory that America is too far from Asia, because much of Canada is just as far. Throw out the whine that the dollar is weaker than the Euro when you meet those Aussies, Israelis, and again the Canadians.
Listen to a few of these stories and see how, ultimately, it comes down to a philosophical clash of values.
"That is an extremely rude question," Sinead said, glaring at me from under her wispy red hair. "I just asked you what job you have back in Ireland!" I squealed, embarrassed and confused. "In Europe," Sinead said, we work to live, not live to work. What we do doesn't define us. Sure, I spend a few hours a day teaching businessmen in Spain English grammar, but I just do it to be able to pay for my delicious nights out with friends and my trips like this!"
At the time I argued vociferously with Sinead, saying that what you do for over half your waking life SHOULD define you. Upon further reflection, however, I am starting to see how that philosophy traps Americans.
"You're a teacher," said so many people in the U.S. before I left on my eight-month trip, "How can you POSSIBLY afford to take that crazy trip?" And yet, in this Bangkok hostel I have met the following Round the World travelers:
- Canadian Conrad, who saved for his fifteen month trip though three years at his job as a grocery store assistant manager
- Pete, a Brit who got his funds through working as a firefighter for less than a year and selling his motorcycle
- Ian, who is a student in Liverpool and paid for his trip through one year working at a hotel
- Dov from Israel who saved by living at home with his parents while he worked as a bartender for a year.
I highlight these people because I think they crush the America assumption that, to travel around the world, 1) One needs a hoity-toity job, 2) It takes a lifetime to save. Looking at these examples, the ability to take a "gap year" of travel seems, rather, to be about financial priorities, and confidence that such a trip CAN be done and IS worthwhile-- perhaps from seeing other people like you doing it.
For those Americans feeling fearful of flying out into the unknown, I assure you: it is so very, very doable, and so very, very worth it.

TIGER TEMPLE

By Lillie
Catch more of her adventures at http://lmarshallworld.blogspot.com
Note to my sweet Mother: This article recounts another thing that SEEMS terrifying and dangerous, but is actually a very well-regulated and safe Thai tourist mecca. Don't be worried!
The woman's tiny, tan hand holds yours protectively. The dusty walls of Tiger Canyon slope down to where you stand... you, and thirty giant adult tigers.
"You hand him your camera, and we go," the woman says firmly. "You follow me close."
And you are off. The woman tugs you right up behind the first looming mountain of orange and black fur and places your hand firmly on the tiger's back. "Pat STRONG," she commands. You must show the tiger confidence, or he will whirl around. "Smile!" you hear, and look up in time for the man to snap three photos of you.
The woman's hand is on yours again, and you are pulled past a German tourist couple to a rock with TWO giant tigers. "Sit here," your guide says, patting the rock with the tigers. "Pat FIRM." You put your hands out and stare in utter shock at what you're doing. "Smile!" the man hollers. Click, click!
"Never show your back to a tiger, remember!" the woman says, and she leads you to pose with FIVE more monstrously gorgeous specimens. One flips around and snarls, and the woman leaps forward to yank you back to safety. The thick chains strain and rattle.

Much to your surprise, you WILL emerge, ten minutes later, with all limbs intact. You also will emerge with a hundred unbelievable photos on your camera, and a huge smile and handshake of gratitude to your Thai tiger handler guides.
WHAT AN EXPERIENCE. If you are anywhere in Thailand, the Tiger Temple is NOT to be missed. It is a smooth two hour drive from Bangkok, and you can get there on your own and pay the very worthwhile 500 Baht ($16) entrance fee, or book it as a package day tour, as we did.

So what in the name of all the creatures in Noah's Ark IS this Tiger Temple? The first thing to remember is that it is an ACTUAL TEMPLE, run by monks in their saffron orange robes. This means that you must dress conservatively to visit. While you're selecting your wardrobe, nix the bright colors like red, as you will be... how shall I put this... eaten.
Let us turn now to the official pamphlet for a further (utterly delightful) explanation of the Tiger Temple. "Since its opening in 1994, Wat Pa Luangta Bua gained a reputation as a wildlife sanctuary. It started with an injured jungle fowl given to the monk by the villagers. Then peacocks came, attracted by the calls of the, by then, rather large colony of jungle fowl. An injured wild boar stumbled in to the monastery and the monks cared for him until he could be released back into the forest. The next day he came back, followed by his family group of about ten animals. Now a countless number of wild boar find shelter in the monastery. Villagers also started to bring in unwanted pets. All these animals are roaming the grounds of the monastery freely."

Wait, so there are a million OTHER animals sauntering, un-caged, around the Tiger Temple? Ooh yes. It is quite the feeling to walk down the path right next to a camel, four wild boars, a cattle herd, and three deer. But what about the TIGERS? Read on in the lovely pamphlet.
"The first tiger cub arrived in the monastery in February 1999. It was a female cub of Indochinese tiger subspecies, and her condition was very poor. When she was only a few months old her mother was killed by poachers near the Thai-Burma border. The cub was sold to a wealthy Bangkok resident who ordered her stuffed. A local was hired to do the job, which fortunately he did not finish. When she arrived to the monastery she was frail and terrified of the slightest sound. Under the loving care of the monks the cub recovered, but in July 1999 she fell seriously ill and died. People who knew about the incident did not want to see another cub mistreated again. However, it was not to be."
Ahh!! So the Tiger Temple is not just a heartless tourist machine. It is a legitimate religious site and extremely important nature preserve. Keep reading.

"The monastery is situated in Kanchanaburi province-- an area lying adjacent to Burma. The Western Forest Complex that stretches along the border is the largest protected area in Asia and believed to be the home of the largest surviving tiger population in the region. Unfortunately, while this area is protected, poaching still occurs rather frequently. A Thai poacher can get up to U.S. $5,800 for killing a tiger, several years' salary for a farmer. Just a few weeks after the first cub died in the monastery, two healthy male cubs intercepted from the poachers were brought to the monks. A few weeks later the local villagers presented another two male cubs. And soon after, the border police patrol intercepted cubs held by poachers. The Abbot welcomed the animals and as he had no previous experience in looking after large carnivores, he had to learn on the job. As the years went by, the tigers grew up and to the Abbot's surprise and delight, started to reproduce."
Unbelievable. There now are hundreds of blue-uniformed Thai and Western workers helping the monks care for the animals, and several larger animal habitats are under construction thanks to the funds from the fascinated tourists pouring in each day.
A question posed in the pamphlet is perhaps on your mind, too. "Q: Why are the tigers so calm? Are they drugged? A: All our tigers have been hand-raised and imprinted to humans and therefore have no fear of people. The "fierce" behavior often associated with captive tigers is caused by placing wild animals in stressful conditions of the captive environment. Our tigers have been regularly handled from a very early age and thus become desensitized to being touched by people."

Ahem. Please note... the second half of the question is not directly answered in the pamphlet. Several times, we saw monks feeding the eager tigers some pills from a white packet, but as we cannot read Thai, these could either be opiates, vitamins, or breath freshener.
Regardless, nearly every traveler in this wonderful country has raved about how AMAZING the Tiger Temple is, and I heartily join in.
What a fantastic day!

Elephants, a Leopard Cub, and the River Kwai

By Lillie
Catch more of her adventures at http://lmarshallworld.blogspot.com
My mind is blown by the supreme machine that is the Thai tourist industry. For varying prices between 2000 Baht ($65) and much less, a visitor to Bangkok can construct any permutation of day excursion... and the result will be giddy happiness and 300 new photos on your camera.
Yesterday, my partner in crime and I opted for the following package, graciously coordinated by our Lub-d hostel tour rep: 1) The Bridge Over the River Kwai, 2) Lunch and bamboo raft down the river, 3) Elephant ride, 4) Waterfall, 5) Tiger Temple. Let's just say that this was one of the most amazing days of my life. Come join!

1. The minivian picks you up at your hostel, then zooms around Bangkok to pick up the other tour-goers. Each of you gets a combination of colored stickers to identify your package combination. We got purple and gold! You drive through the green hills for two hours until you reach the border with Myanmar.
2. The Bridge over the River Kwai! Perhaps you have seen the movie. Until I read the signs on the walls, however, I did not understand the tragedy of the story. During World War II, Japanese invaders forced tens of thousands of Dutch and American prisoners of war to construct a railway shortcut for war supplies. Over 13,000 POWs died during the effort. After Allied bombing destroyed the bridges, the structures were re-built, along with a museum, and an extremely well-maintained graveyard for those whose lives were stolen.
Here's a tip: Instead of paying the 40 Baht to enter the museum, read the murals along the walls, and walk all the way across the bridge and back. Careful of the gaping holes, and leap to the the side platform when the train comes whizzing past! Then-- find the man with the leopard cub and teenage tiger. Pay the 100 Baht to cuddle the most gorgeous beast in the world and take some photos worth far more than the $3 charge. WOW. (Thanks to my hostel roommate, Kathy, for this suggestion!)

Another tip: Probably best NOT to try "A kind of Chinese dish" or "Pork blood with rices" at the Kwai food stand.
3. River raft lunch! Drive for half an hour down the river, take off your shoes, then rock along on a floating bamboo restaurant whilst nibbling upon Thai curry. Then slip into benches on graceful bamboo rafts and be cradled by the current! Adie got a leech on his foot but rapidly pulled it off. Ooo-- down and dirty with the jungle.

4. ELEPHANT RIDE. HOLY HEAVEN. Elephants are HUGE. Stand on its prickly back to get on and watch how its leathery, freckled ear flips and flops! There is a hilariously sassy Thai teenager sitting sloppily on the giant's head; how he stays perfectly balanced is a wonder. Tromp through the electric green jungle and see the purple mountains in the distance. There are yellow and purple and black butterflies! Watch the elephant in front of you stop to pee for ten minutes ("too much Chang beer," says your driver), and then watch the animal eat half a tree. Your sassy driver may or may not start sassing the other drivers, calling them "Ladyboys". Hand your camera to an assistant who will take your photo. Want another fantastic photo op? 20 Baht (75 cents) buys you bananas and mangos to feed that snout. AMAZING.
5. Saiyok Noi Waterfall. It's just you and the gleeful Thai second graders in their collared purple uniforms, frolicking around the cascading waterfall and blazingly green park! It's really lovely; walk up to the top of the outlook.
The absolute best part, however, is the sign that says "DON'T CLAMBING UP"... in front of a million wee Thai boys climbing right up that slick waterfall. :) Want a snack? Rows and rows of vendors sell freshly fried banana chips. Your tour guide says: "Meet back here in forty minutes", and points right to the center of the highway. Opt to wait at the side of the road instead, when the time comes, and get shuffled (coordinated by your sticker color) into a third van with rather abrasive middle-aged Australian ladies who are talking smack about America. Keep your mouth shut so they don't hear your accent.
Tired? No, actually you're not, because you are SO EXCITED AND HAPPY. Everything is coordinated and timed so smoothly, and the short drives between stops afford delicious nap breaks.
Now hold on to your hats, kiddies, and make sure you aren't wearing red, because you know what's next? That's right...
6. TIGER TEMPLE!!! You'll have to see the next post for this one. My heart is racing with joy again just thinking about it...

Discovering Pai

By Marianne

Thailand loves their king a lot. You won’t go into any building, or enter any town without seeing his portrait. Every year on December 5th the entire country celebrates his birthday meaning a three-day weekend and a good reason to check out a new town. My choice: Pai.

I’d been told about this town north of Chang Mai, hearing words like ‘hippie’ and ‘peaceful’ and I’d been told that the only way to get there if you really want to appreciate it is by motorbike. So be it.
In Chang Mai I collected some fellow travelers for the journey then after a stroll around the night markets, and giving in to our cravings for western food (I love Thai food any day, but it’s hard to resist a burrito if you haven’t seen one in four months…) we called it a night and prepared for the long day we had ahead of us.

Friday morning after a few failed attempts, we found a motorbike rental shop that had three Honda 125

Dreams that could be ours for the weekend. As the only member of the group to have ever driven a motorbike, I began a little lesson for the newbies. Three minutes later we were off (after all you learn faster from experience right?). After navigating some nail-biting Chang Mai traffic, filling up on petrol and finding the right road, I led the way into the mountains on our way to Pai.

About 40 kilometres into the ride we hit Route 1095 which would lead us all the way to Pai on one 136 km long trip through 762 curves (according to the many T-shirts and banners around). To get from Chang Mai to Pai you have to get over the top of Thailand’s northern mountain ranges. My arms ached after my day gripping onto the handlebars, weaving back and forth and making 180-degree turns while fighting up and down the steep mountain face. But on my trusty Honda Dream, it was easily the greatest drive I’ve done. The mountains in northern Thailand are simply stunning, and I can’t think of a better way to see them. It was perfect. We stopped on the way to see Mork-Fa Waterfall in Doi Suthep National Park, and to grab some Pad See-U from a roadside vendor. Then, as the sun set, we finally found ourselves in one of happiest places in Thailand. Thai people are known for being friendly, but it reached a new level for me in Pai. I hadn’t seen so many ear-to-ear smiles in awhile. My friends quickly got tired of my repeated declaration that I was going to find a way to live here somehow, but it really was love at first sight.

After exploring the lantern lit walking street and the beautiful river, we found our guesthouse, run by a man with hip length dreadlocks. The guesthouse came complete with hammocks and even their own organic vegetable patch. A perfect hippie haven.



We ventured back out on to the walking street for some good food and good music. We spent most of the night sitting in the middle of the street by a band who had set up their gear to play for the crowds. I couldn’t think of a more perfect way to end the night than dancing along as the band sang the classic Bob Marley anthems along with their own songs. We had nowhere to stay the following night so we asked the band for advice. They insisted that we were definitely not going to find a place. Great. That’s the problem with the national holiday – Pai had been flooded by Thai people here to enjoy their long weekend.

On Sunday I woke up at dawn and started the process of calling up all the guesthouses I knew about. That failed, so I found our hippie guesthouse manager to ask for help. He managed to find us a room for the night. Thank goodness. We moved our bags to our new residence to find that we were actually sleeping on the floor of a woman’s living room on mattresses. Just another example of the Thai people’s openness and willingness to share everything they have. We even had our own key to her home. Talk about trust.

That day we ventured out of town to find beautiful waterfalls, a stunning canyon and the natural hot

springs. At the springs, the top pools are so hot that people actually bring raw eggs and boil them here for lunch. Made for a pretty nasty smell unfortunately. The lower pools were still pretty hot, but some thick-skinned Thais still got right in. I lasted a few minutes before I began to resemble a lobster being boiled for dinner.

Later on, we spent our evening in Bamboo Bar. Bamboo is a large hut made of…well, bamboo. We huddled together on the floor cushions around the open fires (it gets cold at night here during the winter) and enjoyed the company of other travelers and a few young Thais.

Our final morning in Pai, we grabbed some fried rice for breakfast and hit the road back to Chang Mai. We navigated our way past cars, buses that looked like they could topple at any minute, herds of buffalo, baby cows that chose the middle of the road for their afternoon nap and the usual extreme turns and hills.

I loved my time in Pai and would recommend it to anyone who plans to head to Chang Mai. It is not to be missed, especially that breathtaking ride. It was my own little motorcycle diary.

Somphong Thai Cooking School, Bangkok!

By Lillie
Catch more of her adventures at http://lmarshallworld.blogspot.com

Oh yum yum YUM and sigh of happiness! Want to spend an absolutely lovely day in Bangkok? Do a cooking class! But COME HUNGRY... or you will pop.

Conrad, Adie, and I had checked out a few cooking schools in Bangkok, but the cheerful colors and soothing Thai music of Somphong Cooking School beckoned us in. Koy and her family served us iced Panda Leaf tea and breaded, fried bananas as we waited in the sunny kitchen classroom. (Note the classy photo of me with the tea leaves and cerulean drink.) Then off to the market we went! It feels amazing to be educated by a skillful teacher. Professional and passionate, Koy held up item after item in the colorful store, explaining the English and Thai name of the food, how it is eaten, and how it tastes. We sniffed some and nibbled others. Baskets laden and money exchanged, we trotted back down the street to the school.

Let the cooking begin! Koy and and her family whirled around, washing the foodstuffs and arraying them so artfully upon three plates for us that I was reminded of a Jewish Seder.
Chicken green curry, here we come! Koy held each ingredients aloft, explaining its purpose and taste, and then guiding us to chop it up to specific dimensions.
"Oh!" Koy suddenly gasped, gaping at Adie's blazing fingers, "You are so, so good!"
Adie blushed. "Yeah, in England I'm a professional chef. I didn't want to tell you 'cause I'm here to learn." Koy nodded enthusiastically, and dumped all our choppings into a mortar and pestle. Green chilies! Shallots! Garlic! Ginger! Lemon grass! Kaffir lime rind! Shrimp paste! Coriander, cumin, peppercorn, salt! Oh mmm.
Conrad McNutt proved excellent at pounding that pestle. Seeds flew out and we shielded the mortar with our hands. And... the green curry paste was created.
To the row of stoves we went, oil sizzling in the woks. Koy barked out each step and we followed like eager, hungry robots. "Cook green curry paste in oil until you smell the aroma! Coconut cream, in! Chicken, in! Kaffir lime leaf, in! Fish sauce, in! Sugar, in! Thai eggplants, in! Basil, in!"

Koy snapped off our stoves and the swirls of lemongrass steam danced in our expectant noses. We poured the green curry into ornate bowls and garnished it in glory with the "beautiful basil leaf" Koy had told us to set aside.
"And now you try it!" We practically waltzed to the shiny air-conditioned one-table room in the back, hands trembling and cameras snapping. We were so proud! We were even more proud when we slurped up the first green sip and realized it was the most fantastic meal we had eaten in our month so far in Thailand. YUM! "You are a good teacher!" grinned Adie to Koy. "I like your octopus tattoo," she replied.
For the next three hours and four dishes, Koy proved herself the best kind of teacher: professional, kind, funny, knowledgeable, smart, and sweet. By seven pm, we had cooked (and eaten): Stir-fried Chicken with Basil, Tom Yum soup with prawns, Spicy Prawn Salad, and (WOW) warm, sweet Pumpkin in Coconut Milk. While the pumpkin bubbled on the stove (smelling like heaven, incarnate), Koy showed us how to scrape coconut flesh on a special knifed seat, and squeeze it through a basket to make coconut cream (squeeze one) and coconut milk (squeezes two and three).

I'm going to be honest: this month I have gotten used to eating two meals a day. By course four at the Somphong Cooking School, the room reeled around me from dinner overload, and I collapsed upon the handy couch. And yet-- by course five when Adie tried to take my desert away ("You're full, right?") I hurled myself, clawing viciously, at his hands and gnawed the dish into my corner. As my brother says, "The dinner stomach may be full, but you still have the dessert stomach!"
Koy wrapped up my second course in a take-away box, and my hostel roommate, Kathy, is eating it blissfully as we speak. "Oooh, this is niiice," she says. The rain poured down outside as we paid Koy her 1000 Baht ($30) each (what an excellent deal!) and wrote her letters of thanks with the provided pens. A beep was heard outside, and Koy's cousin opened her car door to give us a lift back to Lub-d Hostel. What more could you want? :)

We shook Koy's hand with gratitude as we rolled our rounded bellies to the door. Adie suddenly turned back. "I'm coming back Friday!" he hollered! "Nothing can stop me!"
"It'll look good on your chef resume," I said.
"Yeah, that's it," Adie replied with a grin.

Bangkok's Grand Palace: Wow to the WowWow!

By Lillie
Catch more of her adventures at http://lmarshallworld.blogspot.com


There's a certain point when the thick heat and pollution of Bangkok make your head swim so hard and your clothes stick to you so wetly, that all you want is to collapse onto a shady doorstep and yield.

This is what I was doing as Adie fruitlessly pulled my arm to stand back up. "I don't wanna go in!" I whined, leaning back onto the pavement. "We've been walking around the city for six hours and I'm tiiiired! Plus, 350 Baht ($10) is too much to pay to go in there. We can see the palace just fine from out here."

Adie put his hands on his hips. "We did NOT come all the way out to the Grand Palace-- the PREMIER attraction of Bangkok-- to give up now!" he declared. "You WILL come in there with me, if I have to carry you in or pay your entrance. GET UP!"

At last I did, and I am so very, very thankful to Adie. THE GRAND PALACE. IS. AWESOME.
Spanning across one hundred buildings, the pure gold cone of the palace you can see from the highway is just the very beginning of the wonders inside the gates. I have never before seen a palace that is so fitting for ROYALTY.
Everywhere, gold, tiny mirrors, jewel-toned stones, and metallic paint glistens. Each building is a different gorgeous twist. Giant statues with individual (and often hilarious) expressions guard the doorways and hold up the columns. Elated, dejected, furious, bored-- they all look fantastic.

What most struck us was how amazingly well the entire Grand Palace is maintained. Though it was built in 1782, every single day workers toil to re-polish, re-paint, and re-build another small section... meaning that not a single tiny jewel becomes dulled. Look at the photo of the two painters refurbishing the murals of Buddha's life! There were about a hundred of these caretakers at work yesterday.
Now a word about the Emerald Buddha. This vibrant green, 26-inch tall figure is one of the holiest sites in Thailand, and was discovered in 1434. It sits atop a twenty-foot high, radiant gold throne, and is surrounded by worshipers from around the world. Signs read: "Proper dress required" and "No Shoes" and "Do NOT point your feet at the Buddha." You are also not allowed to snap photos inside, so all I have to show you is the pic of a ghostly green glow in the center of a dark room that I snagged from outside. See it?
One of Adie and my favorite details is that, according to the official palace guidebook, "The sacred image is clad with one of three seasonal costumes (summer, rainy season, and winter). The costumes are changed three times a year in a ceremony presided over by His Majesty the King." How absolutely lovely to envision these holy men delicately swapping the miniature fashions!

I truly loved the Grand Palace of Bangkok. So what's the moral of the story? There are a few. 1) Don't be a lazy bum when you've come all the way to the gates of a famous attraction. Go inside! 2) Being a cheapskate is sometimes dumb. 3) When something is titled "The Most Famous Attraction in All of __", there usually is good reason. 4) Friends are important. 5) Gulp plenty of water, snap those pics, and drink in the absolute beauty of the most gorgeous buildings you've seen in your life!