Monday, January 26, 2009
Still in Koh Tao
We find ourselves being seduced by Koh Tao. We have been here for two weeks. Life here is very easy and beautiful. There are just enough bars and restaurants to give some variety to the night, and so many beautiful surroundings for the day, mainly, the beach and sea. The weather is getting hotter, we read that we are in the midst of a ten year record cold spell.
We spect 11 nights at Chalok Baan Kao beach. It was very laid back and friendly with lots of ocean view restaurants with cushy pillows overlooking the sea, and not too many people. We had our favorite coffee shope which served italian cappucinos and croissants. We whiles away the time snorkeling and laying on the beach, and the nights trying all the very low key restaurants and bars. We met many people on the beach, and became good friend with 4 Norwegians who you will see in many of our photos. It was fun to hang with them as they had a comedy routine for every occasion. Lana and Fredrick both got tattoos from the operator of the Rasta Bar, who uses traditional bamboo tattoo methods. Chad considered becoming a tattoo artist but I fear thathe would practice on himself, or worst, me. We figured that he could post an ad on craigslist for free tattoos for practice, no guarantees given.
Chad and Perry went on a fishing trip and saw a whale fish and also caught the smallest fish ever. We have a video of the whale fish, the internet connection here is too slow, so i will try to post it later.
We went on two snorkelling trips around the island and saw amazing coral and fish. We found a secluded beach called Freedom beach with lost of shade, good sand, and amazing snorkelling, and spent a lot time hanging out there.
We spent two nights at Ao Leuk bay, and it rained and thundered the whole time. The area was very quiet, there was only 3 bungalow operations with 3 restaurants and about 12 cabins. It was also windy as the bay faced out to the ocean and the waves were huge. There was good snorkelling there the first day, but the weather was too bad to get in any more time.
We are now just down the beach from the main pier, and we will stay here one more night before heading off to Kho Sak national rainforest. It will be HOT HOT HOT in the jungle, I am not used to this heat!
Wish us a wave free boat ride off the island! we will load up on dramamine and spend tomorrow on taxi, boat and bus to the interior of thailand.
drop us a note with any news from home, it is great to hear from people!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Staying away from drunk tourists on motos in Koh Tao
In Koh Tao, tourists, motobikes and ATVs rule.
Tourists arrive on the island and are confronted with multiple offers to plop down 6 dollars a day to rent a motorbike or ATV. The island is not large, the entire perimeter can be walked in one day. I am not sure why motorbikes are needed.
Farangs (tourists) who have never before ridden a motorized bike sign away their rights and hop on. The roads are poor, covered with sand and the drivers are fast. The scuba shop owner said all the bike places make their money on tourists wiping out and paying for the bike damage. The town is full of tourists with bangaded legs and ankles from moto wipeouts. There is a thriving medical clinic business to accomodate all of the scratches, scrapes and broken bones.
There is one main road through the island which at night is not lit. We walk along the road at night, back from dinners, with a headlamp on, veering to the side when we hear the motor noise, fearing for our lives from drunk motor driving tourists. Walking is our mode of choice.
Tourists arrive on the island and are confronted with multiple offers to plop down 6 dollars a day to rent a motorbike or ATV. The island is not large, the entire perimeter can be walked in one day. I am not sure why motorbikes are needed.
Farangs (tourists) who have never before ridden a motorized bike sign away their rights and hop on. The roads are poor, covered with sand and the drivers are fast. The scuba shop owner said all the bike places make their money on tourists wiping out and paying for the bike damage. The town is full of tourists with bangaded legs and ankles from moto wipeouts. There is a thriving medical clinic business to accomodate all of the scratches, scrapes and broken bones.
There is one main road through the island which at night is not lit. We walk along the road at night, back from dinners, with a headlamp on, veering to the side when we hear the motor noise, fearing for our lives from drunk motor driving tourists. Walking is our mode of choice.
A little taste of Thailand in Beautiful Koh Tao
Koh Tao sat for ages as a beautiful island full of untouched mountains beaches and bays. The Thai people first used the island for a prison, isolated from the mainland, but a beautiful location for the countries criminals. A local told us that even today 75% of Thais can't swim, which made the paradise island an ideal location for a prison.
The prison closed, and Koh Tao sat undisturbed until the 1980s, when foreigners first made teh long sea journey to explore the coral reefs. More and more tourists came and along with them, entreprenurial Thais to sell corn on the cob on the beach, build bungalows near the sea, drive tourists to a fro on 4 by 4s on the hilly roads, and navigate from beach to beach in water taxis.
Tourists here are from all over the world, but seem to be mostly European. Thailand from Minneapolis was a 17 hour flight, but from Europe, it is cut in half. The island completely and totally caters to tourists, with no other industry on the island besides tourism. Many of the Thais we have spoken with moved here in teh last few years as the island has gotten more popular.
This is not the real Thailand, it is its own world where everything is built exclusively to cater to tourists, and tourists completely rule. But it is beautiful, calm and charming. The island is very laid back and more places are not too busy, to the chagrin of the restaurant/bar owners. The dive shop fellow said that it has been quiet here after the airport shut down and Bangkok and the worldwide recession. There does seem to be more restaurants, bars, dive shops and motos than there are tourists.
English is definitely the common denominator with all on the island. The Thais speak enough to to their job. We ate at a restaurant up from the beachj area that was run by an entire Thai family. THe restaurant doubled as their house. THe two women were the main waitresses, maybe 30 years old, because the spoke the best english. Tourists from all over sat around us speaking german, french and italian, but when it came to order, English was teh common language. In bangkok we ordered food on teh street just by poiunting at what looked good.
Koh Tao is a very easy place to get a small piece of Thailand along with lovely scenery and a million dollar view for under $20 a night.
The prison closed, and Koh Tao sat undisturbed until the 1980s, when foreigners first made teh long sea journey to explore the coral reefs. More and more tourists came and along with them, entreprenurial Thais to sell corn on the cob on the beach, build bungalows near the sea, drive tourists to a fro on 4 by 4s on the hilly roads, and navigate from beach to beach in water taxis.
Tourists here are from all over the world, but seem to be mostly European. Thailand from Minneapolis was a 17 hour flight, but from Europe, it is cut in half. The island completely and totally caters to tourists, with no other industry on the island besides tourism. Many of the Thais we have spoken with moved here in teh last few years as the island has gotten more popular.
This is not the real Thailand, it is its own world where everything is built exclusively to cater to tourists, and tourists completely rule. But it is beautiful, calm and charming. The island is very laid back and more places are not too busy, to the chagrin of the restaurant/bar owners. The dive shop fellow said that it has been quiet here after the airport shut down and Bangkok and the worldwide recession. There does seem to be more restaurants, bars, dive shops and motos than there are tourists.
English is definitely the common denominator with all on the island. The Thais speak enough to to their job. We ate at a restaurant up from the beachj area that was run by an entire Thai family. THe restaurant doubled as their house. THe two women were the main waitresses, maybe 30 years old, because the spoke the best english. Tourists from all over sat around us speaking german, french and italian, but when it came to order, English was teh common language. In bangkok we ordered food on teh street just by poiunting at what looked good.
Koh Tao is a very easy place to get a small piece of Thailand along with lovely scenery and a million dollar view for under $20 a night.
Lounging and Snorkeling in Koh Tao, Thailand
We have adapted to our beach lifestyle. It begins with morning cappucinos and croissants followed by a hike to our favorite snorkeling hideaway. By the end of the week I hope to be giving lessons on the reef.
I have befriended a local dive shop owner from Holland who helped replace a lost mask. My goal is to send him loads of new business as i am working from the inside. We spend one day on an eco friendly snorkeling tour boat with captain Phillip who runs AC Tours. IT was very informative and he also shared local pirate stories and a few other things you didn't want to hear, like sinking ships with guns.
We have been adopted by a small crew from Norway. They are younger than us but Fredrik sponsored my beers one day. The rest of the gang is Lena, Perry and Egle. We have spent evenings on the pier dining and drinking local beers with them and we hold down a good portion of the beach each day.
Each day i try to fill my pockets with floating plastic orr trash that is in the water. I think next time i will bring a bag to gather more trash. There is no enforcement to support the environment or those trying to independently organize clean up efforts. As everything is brought into the island, not everything makes it off. We are becoming more familiar to the 5500 locals and warmer faces greet us each day.
Chad wants me to write that he is having a hard time with the budget each day. Two coffees means no beer for the day. Accomodations here are cheap but drinks are from 2-$5 each, island prices. Tonight we are chasing a deal, all you can eat buffet at one of our favorite restaurants with a view of the bay and the Buddha rock.
We have gathered a group of new friends to join us for dinner. One couple from the Netherlands and definitely our Norwegian friends. They are good for a night of comedy.
Tomorrow I will follow a friend out to a further reef to dice down to see schools of barracuda. Today i was too exhausted after two one hour reef swims. Today I saw parrot fish, my first blowfish that blew up and swam away, butterfly fish and i was surrounded multiple times on hundreds of schooling multi colored fish. Yesterday on the snorkel tour we saw Black tip reef sharks, longer and bigger than me. You could tell they are very powerful, even though they are in a dormant state during the day. They kept to the bottom and we were 15 feet above. The live coral reefs are wonderful and are some of the best in the area.
We are not sure when we will leave the island, because every day is calmer and warmer and the water clarity just keeps getting better as we move into the dry season.
-by Chad
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Our first night in Koh Tao, Thailand at the Sunset Bungalows
We were in a ramshackle bungalow precariously perched up on a hill. Before bed we scared away a 3 inch spider and killed a large cockroach. we hung the mosquito net around us in the bed and turned off the lights. That is when the mystery noises began. I thought it was flip flops from people walking by but we were so high up it would be difficult for anyone to get up where we were. The noises got closer and louder. Something was right outside the wall between us and the outside. The bungalow was like a tent made of plywood. The windows had a one inch gap to the outside and the water from the sink just drained onto the hill below. Animals could get in in multiple entrances.
Something was definitely on the roof, chewing or clawing right above our heads. Chad had visions of using his multi tool to stab the animal in the wall. We were surrounded by the noised, under attack by an unknown intruder with only a mosquito net and some plywood between us. And we were cold. This bungalow came with a sheet on the bed but nothing more.
We awoke early and high tailed it out of there. We never were sure what we heard that night, but i suspect it was the large crabs that we saw walking up the hill towards our bungalow. Their shells and claws were tearing something apart right over our head, and i feared they would land on our bodies at any moment.
The place we are at now is made of very sturdy concrete and the room is clean and clear of pests. We hear the motos zoom by from the street below, but no animal intruders.
Something was definitely on the roof, chewing or clawing right above our heads. Chad had visions of using his multi tool to stab the animal in the wall. We were surrounded by the noised, under attack by an unknown intruder with only a mosquito net and some plywood between us. And we were cold. This bungalow came with a sheet on the bed but nothing more.
We awoke early and high tailed it out of there. We never were sure what we heard that night, but i suspect it was the large crabs that we saw walking up the hill towards our bungalow. Their shells and claws were tearing something apart right over our head, and i feared they would land on our bodies at any moment.
The place we are at now is made of very sturdy concrete and the room is clean and clear of pests. We hear the motos zoom by from the street below, but no animal intruders.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Bangkok - Ko Tao, Thailand
Koh Tao, Thailand Photos
Sunset Bungalows, Koh Tao
Chad and I are perched 300 vertical feet above the sea, looking out at large barges, fishing boats, diving boats, snorkelers, a sunbather, and the tree tops below. The deck we are sitting on makes me nervous. The deck is constructed of 2 by 4s with an inch between each board. There is a 30 foot drop to the rocky hill below. The railing to the deck is wobbly. The steps up to the bungalow have more space between the steps than actual steps. The stairway is attached to the rock with some sort of falling apart concrete mixture. The railing to the steps is half missing, and the other half is not supported by anything. We wonder if it is missing because someone crashed through it. The bunglalow sits on a rocky hill, supported by concrete footings poured many years ago. Chad says not to worry, this bungalow has been here for a long time. But how much longer will it last? And will we be inside of it when it takes its final fall?
I am trying to relax and enjoy the gorgeous view. We picked this bungalow in Koh Tao, off the eastern coast of Thailand, because of its seclusion. Up here, all we hear is the crashing of the waves and some chickens down by the sea. Bangkok was loud, frantic, dirty, exciting. We came south seeking rest and relaxation.
Although our bungalow may lack safety features, it does have its' advantages. Mainly, location, location, location, and price. For $13 a night, we get a million dollar view. Boats, the sea, trees, and the reef are all we see from our private deck and hammock. The uphill walk to the top of the hill where the bungalow sits means we are above all the other bungalows, so we have complete privacy. It is very quiet, and the horizon line is beautiful and colorful, and does not bob from side to side as it did on the boat ride in.
We had lunch at the restaurant run by the bungalows. We sat on thatched bamboo mats lying back on pillows, looking out to the sea as it lapped up almost to the edge of the sandbags blocking off the dining area. There is a very small beach and it is supposed to be one of the best areas for snorkeling. Our heads are too messed up to head out today from the ride in, but we will try tomorrow.
RoughWaters to Ko Tao from Bangkok
To get to this island from Bangkok, we took a taxi, an overnight train, a bus, a ferry and then a 4 by 4 truck. Total travel time was 17 hours. The two hour ferry ride to the island was rough and choppy. At least 50% of the passengers, including Chad, were throwing up into little plastic bags, given out in multiples by the staff.
First the German girl across the table started sweating profusely and turned pale and panicky. Chad took a map and fanned her with cool air. 10 minutes of fanning later, i had my hand on his leg and could feel him sweating and getting hot. I scooched all the way to the very end of the seat so he would not throw up on me! It was all I could do not to lose it myself.
I didn't utter a word for the length of the 2 hour journey. I moved as little as possible, worried it might get worse. My hands were laid out flat clenching the table. My neck was strained to the right, fixed on the horizon as it bobbed above and below the windows. I put to use what i know about Buddhist meditation to keep my breakfast in my stomach. breathe in, breathe out. I tried mantras -- sat nam, sat nam. I tried repeating some of the new thai words i have learned -- kob kun ka -- and focused on the breathe.
For 2 hours, we were wasted by the sea.
Even the thai people on the boat employed the little plastic bags given out by the ferry men. When we leave, we will first check the seas, and remember to take our dramamine, which would have saved us from two hours of sweating, suffering and praying. I think tonight we will treat ourself to a delicious lovely dinner. Chad says, "I feel like i need some nutrients, like maybe some fruit juice or a beer." Chad, beer is not a nutrient!
Bangkok Photos
Bangkok
In Bangkok, we stayed at the Shanti Lodge for four nights, recommended by friends who had stayed there before. A lovely place, but more expensive at 850 baht a night ($26). Our budget for the trip is $60 - 80 a day for both of us, which so far seems to be very comfortable. I hope that this will leave us with some $$ left over, as well as allow for some more expensive endeavors, like diving, guides and tours.
The Shanti Lodge was truly an oasis in a bustling city. It's in an older part of town close to the university and the river. The food at the restaurant was excellent and the room was well appointed. The area was quiet, for Bangkok, but the loud engine sounds of the tuk tuks still kept me up at night.
We spent most of our time in Bangkok getting used to the time zone, the climate, the culture, and spending time with our friend Shane who just moved to Bangkok. Thanks Shane for showing us the town! Bangkok certainly is a city of many choices, opportunities and variety.
We went apartment hunting with him, touring the city along with the cute real estate agent in her mercedes. We checked out some of Bangkok's finer ex-at lodging, complete with pool, security and modern furnishing. Shane will have a KILLER apartment by the time we get back to Bangkok.
We also checked out the Grand Palace, a number of Wats including the largest reclining buddha, the emerald buddha, the tallest buddha, got thai massages (only one so far Holly -- i am just about ready for another down by the ocean!), went to the zoo, road the water taxi, and had a few dinners out with shane and friends. One day, we laid down for a nap at 3pm and slept until 7am the next day. That was terrible! But we needed the sleep after the long journey. We have eaten some AMAZING meals, everything here is so fresh and tasty. I got eaten alive by mosquitos one night at a resturant by the river, i did not even see any of the bugs biting me!
Bangkok River Taxi
The river taxi in Bangkok was very close to our guesthouse, and we took that many times. One day, the boat was very full, and Chad hopped aboard, but I heard the tough thai lady yelling and could not get on. The boat zoomed away with Chad aboard, and me still on the platform. We held our hands out to each other but they would not let him get off, and the boat was too far gone! I was standing all alone on the dock, separated and a bit nervous. 20 minutes later, the next water taxi came on, but it was full.
Meanwhile Chad was waiting on the other end, and that taxi arrived, without me on it. He was worried and did not think i had any money and that that was the last boat of the day. Luckily i did have some baht, and got on the next boat, and arrived safely back to meet him at the pier. It was a good lesson to always have a meeting place and make sure we both have money.
The Weather
The weather has been unseasonably cool for Thailand. Shane took us to a fun rooftop barbecue for a friend's birthday where the thermometer dipped to 65F. The thai girls started a fire in the BBQ to try to stay warm, and all the expats could not believe how cool it was. Every day from 11 - 3 the sun is hot and intense. Chad and I have made the mistake of sleeping in late and having a late breakfast, only to hit the town at 10 or 11, just in time for the hot sun. The sun beats down, sucking the life right out of us. We need to get into a schedule to work around the afternoon, equitorial heat.
Ko Tao, JJ's Resort
We woke up this morning after a very restless night of sleep at the Sunset bunglows. After a great dinner overlooking the bay, we had to use our headlamps to find our way back to the bungalow, about a 30 minute walk through unlit dirt paths. We finally made it back, only to be greeted by crabs bustling about the 2 foot high steps up to the bungalow. We didn't sleep all night because the craps were crawling all over our rooftop. Atleast that is what we think it was. The location was beautiful, but the crabs and the questionably construction quality creeped me out.
We headed back to the main beach, and found a new place to the night. It is less remote, but close to restaurants, dive shops, and the water. I signed up for a yoga class tonight, and Chad is down by the ocean, doing some snorkeling. We are considering doing the intro to scuba diving, as this is one of the premier and most inexpensive places in the world to SCUBA dive.
Until later, I am off to the ocean for some swimming and maybe a massage! Please leave us a comment if you are checking in on our travels, we would love to hear from you!
Sunset Bungalows, Koh Tao
Chad and I are perched 300 vertical feet above the sea, looking out at large barges, fishing boats, diving boats, snorkelers, a sunbather, and the tree tops below. The deck we are sitting on makes me nervous. The deck is constructed of 2 by 4s with an inch between each board. There is a 30 foot drop to the rocky hill below. The railing to the deck is wobbly. The steps up to the bungalow have more space between the steps than actual steps. The stairway is attached to the rock with some sort of falling apart concrete mixture. The railing to the steps is half missing, and the other half is not supported by anything. We wonder if it is missing because someone crashed through it. The bunglalow sits on a rocky hill, supported by concrete footings poured many years ago. Chad says not to worry, this bungalow has been here for a long time. But how much longer will it last? And will we be inside of it when it takes its final fall?
I am trying to relax and enjoy the gorgeous view. We picked this bungalow in Koh Tao, off the eastern coast of Thailand, because of its seclusion. Up here, all we hear is the crashing of the waves and some chickens down by the sea. Bangkok was loud, frantic, dirty, exciting. We came south seeking rest and relaxation.
Although our bungalow may lack safety features, it does have its' advantages. Mainly, location, location, location, and price. For $13 a night, we get a million dollar view. Boats, the sea, trees, and the reef are all we see from our private deck and hammock. The uphill walk to the top of the hill where the bungalow sits means we are above all the other bungalows, so we have complete privacy. It is very quiet, and the horizon line is beautiful and colorful, and does not bob from side to side as it did on the boat ride in.
We had lunch at the restaurant run by the bungalows. We sat on thatched bamboo mats lying back on pillows, looking out to the sea as it lapped up almost to the edge of the sandbags blocking off the dining area. There is a very small beach and it is supposed to be one of the best areas for snorkeling. Our heads are too messed up to head out today from the ride in, but we will try tomorrow.
RoughWaters to Ko Tao from Bangkok
To get to this island from Bangkok, we took a taxi, an overnight train, a bus, a ferry and then a 4 by 4 truck. Total travel time was 17 hours. The two hour ferry ride to the island was rough and choppy. At least 50% of the passengers, including Chad, were throwing up into little plastic bags, given out in multiples by the staff.
First the German girl across the table started sweating profusely and turned pale and panicky. Chad took a map and fanned her with cool air. 10 minutes of fanning later, i had my hand on his leg and could feel him sweating and getting hot. I scooched all the way to the very end of the seat so he would not throw up on me! It was all I could do not to lose it myself.
I didn't utter a word for the length of the 2 hour journey. I moved as little as possible, worried it might get worse. My hands were laid out flat clenching the table. My neck was strained to the right, fixed on the horizon as it bobbed above and below the windows. I put to use what i know about Buddhist meditation to keep my breakfast in my stomach. breathe in, breathe out. I tried mantras -- sat nam, sat nam. I tried repeating some of the new thai words i have learned -- kob kun ka -- and focused on the breathe.
For 2 hours, we were wasted by the sea.
Even the thai people on the boat employed the little plastic bags given out by the ferry men. When we leave, we will first check the seas, and remember to take our dramamine, which would have saved us from two hours of sweating, suffering and praying. I think tonight we will treat ourself to a delicious lovely dinner. Chad says, "I feel like i need some nutrients, like maybe some fruit juice or a beer." Chad, beer is not a nutrient!
Bangkok Photos
Bangkok
In Bangkok, we stayed at the Shanti Lodge for four nights, recommended by friends who had stayed there before. A lovely place, but more expensive at 850 baht a night ($26). Our budget for the trip is $60 - 80 a day for both of us, which so far seems to be very comfortable. I hope that this will leave us with some $$ left over, as well as allow for some more expensive endeavors, like diving, guides and tours.
The Shanti Lodge was truly an oasis in a bustling city. It's in an older part of town close to the university and the river. The food at the restaurant was excellent and the room was well appointed. The area was quiet, for Bangkok, but the loud engine sounds of the tuk tuks still kept me up at night.
We spent most of our time in Bangkok getting used to the time zone, the climate, the culture, and spending time with our friend Shane who just moved to Bangkok. Thanks Shane for showing us the town! Bangkok certainly is a city of many choices, opportunities and variety.
We went apartment hunting with him, touring the city along with the cute real estate agent in her mercedes. We checked out some of Bangkok's finer ex-at lodging, complete with pool, security and modern furnishing. Shane will have a KILLER apartment by the time we get back to Bangkok.
We also checked out the Grand Palace, a number of Wats including the largest reclining buddha, the emerald buddha, the tallest buddha, got thai massages (only one so far Holly -- i am just about ready for another down by the ocean!), went to the zoo, road the water taxi, and had a few dinners out with shane and friends. One day, we laid down for a nap at 3pm and slept until 7am the next day. That was terrible! But we needed the sleep after the long journey. We have eaten some AMAZING meals, everything here is so fresh and tasty. I got eaten alive by mosquitos one night at a resturant by the river, i did not even see any of the bugs biting me!
Bangkok River Taxi
The river taxi in Bangkok was very close to our guesthouse, and we took that many times. One day, the boat was very full, and Chad hopped aboard, but I heard the tough thai lady yelling and could not get on. The boat zoomed away with Chad aboard, and me still on the platform. We held our hands out to each other but they would not let him get off, and the boat was too far gone! I was standing all alone on the dock, separated and a bit nervous. 20 minutes later, the next water taxi came on, but it was full.
Meanwhile Chad was waiting on the other end, and that taxi arrived, without me on it. He was worried and did not think i had any money and that that was the last boat of the day. Luckily i did have some baht, and got on the next boat, and arrived safely back to meet him at the pier. It was a good lesson to always have a meeting place and make sure we both have money.
The Weather
The weather has been unseasonably cool for Thailand. Shane took us to a fun rooftop barbecue for a friend's birthday where the thermometer dipped to 65F. The thai girls started a fire in the BBQ to try to stay warm, and all the expats could not believe how cool it was. Every day from 11 - 3 the sun is hot and intense. Chad and I have made the mistake of sleeping in late and having a late breakfast, only to hit the town at 10 or 11, just in time for the hot sun. The sun beats down, sucking the life right out of us. We need to get into a schedule to work around the afternoon, equitorial heat.
Ko Tao, JJ's Resort
We woke up this morning after a very restless night of sleep at the Sunset bunglows. After a great dinner overlooking the bay, we had to use our headlamps to find our way back to the bungalow, about a 30 minute walk through unlit dirt paths. We finally made it back, only to be greeted by crabs bustling about the 2 foot high steps up to the bungalow. We didn't sleep all night because the craps were crawling all over our rooftop. Atleast that is what we think it was. The location was beautiful, but the crabs and the questionably construction quality creeped me out.
We headed back to the main beach, and found a new place to the night. It is less remote, but close to restaurants, dive shops, and the water. I signed up for a yoga class tonight, and Chad is down by the ocean, doing some snorkeling. We are considering doing the intro to scuba diving, as this is one of the premier and most inexpensive places in the world to SCUBA dive.
Until later, I am off to the ocean for some swimming and maybe a massage! Please leave us a comment if you are checking in on our travels, we would love to hear from you!
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Holidays 2008
What a great send off from friends and family! We are off to the airport, but first, some pictures from the holidays.
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Leaving on a Jet Plane
Wow! We are off tomorrow already. We are spending today getting all the last minute details together and also trying to organize our house and our life here in Minneapolis to run without us while we are gone. We are getting the house into shape for Chad's brother to stay here while we are gone, including cleaning up the fish and iguana residences, cleaning out my closet and dresser, cleaning out the fridge, and putting together lists of emergency numbers.
My biggest task for today is working on Chad's taxes. YUCK. We are also doublechecking our packs and finalizing our finances. We are hoping to finish everything up by dinner time so we can head to the Nook for one last american cheeseburger before three months of delicious and spicy thai food.
Last night we had a going away ladies happy hour at our house. Thanks ladies for stepping out on a Monday! It was so fun to see everyone!
Thanks everyone for all the support and encouragement, we will try to check in via this blog when we can!
My biggest task for today is working on Chad's taxes. YUCK. We are also doublechecking our packs and finalizing our finances. We are hoping to finish everything up by dinner time so we can head to the Nook for one last american cheeseburger before three months of delicious and spicy thai food.
Last night we had a going away ladies happy hour at our house. Thanks ladies for stepping out on a Monday! It was so fun to see everyone!
Thanks everyone for all the support and encouragement, we will try to check in via this blog when we can!
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