Peace out Thailand

We left the islands reluctantly & checked ourselves into the On On hotel in bustling Phuket, the same spot Leo's character in the Beach stayed; it was a classically beautiful building- high ceilings & the same sino-portuguese style that is found throughout Phuket... but the walls were indeed paper thin & a good night's sleep was a gamble. We spent our second day on a tour of Phang gna bay. Most famous for it's towering limestone formations that jut randomly out of the water and it's surrounding mangrove forests, Phang gna was breathtaking. After visiting another monkey-swarmed cave wat, a longtail boat took us through murky jellyfish filled waters & around the stacks to see James Bond island & for a heavenly seafood lunch in the Muslim village of Panyi which is built entirely upon stilts.


The next day we left paradise behind & flew way North to the cool summer breezes of Chiang Mai. The city, whose old center is built within the walls of a giant moat, operates at a relaxed pace despite it's size. We visited a few of the well-known wats, one located deep in the woods. We became smitten with the practice of the wats up North to hang proverbs from the trees written in both Thai & English. Examining a set at Wat Phra Sing alongside a group of novice 14/15 year old monks, I was asked to read aloud a quote on appreciating the buddhist dharma to the giggling orange group. We also decided to check out a massage program operated by the local female low-security prison. The inmates are taught Thai massage and allowed to work through the program in order to save money for once they're released. I now firmly believe criminals give the best rub-downs. We finished our visit off at the intense night bazaar: endless blocks of souvenirs to be bargained for- we're officially pros. 600 Baht? What about 150? :)

We head East today to Chiang Rai where we initially planned to go on an overnight jungle trek into the Hilltribes. After spending some time at the Hilltribe museum, we decided against the trek for a couple reasons. First, the message in the museum is that curiosity is killing the culture of these once primitive tribes who are now becoming focused on & purely driven by tourism. Some tribes are actually started by entrepreneurs & are a complete farce set up to please tourists looking for a freak show of long-necked women. We also realized we're a bit pressed for time. We have to get through Laos, into Vietnam, & to Hanoi for our Volunteers for Peace program by February 12th, & apparently that's not a simple task. So tomorrow we head early to the border town of Chiang Khlong where we'll cross between old Siam & Indo-China on a little boat to Hua Xin where we will then cross immigration & get a Visa into Laos, take a couple 6-9 hour slow boat rides down the Mekong River, & stop to spend one night in some random town called Pakbeng before reaching Luang Prabang. Wish us luck, check back*

Jenny & her friend @ the market