Xmas in Koh Phangan

It was the first time I spent a Christmas eve on a beach, wearing flip flops and with kind of unknown people!
No Christmas trees and no Santa Claus with presents, but I have to say, I had so much fun! Sorry mummy! :)
I felt guilty for part of the night, having been raised with the idea that Christmas is time for family and then New Years Eve with whoever you want!

I felt guilty until the bucket started to kick off :)

The night started with a dinner on the Haad Rin beach, where the full moon parties happen! I was in good company: Jo and Sheniz, the two crazy ladies from London; Joe and Steven, the two English guys managing the hotel Ibiza and organising the NYE party; JJ the NYE supporter DJ and Honey, an undefinable sweet (but savory when needed) lady from London...



A few beers, good food...there was even turkey, that's how westernised the south of Thailand is...then a few tunes in the balcony played by JJ and Joe and then we decided to get into the crowd and experience the all Haad Rin vibes!
What can I say?
The things I remember: the smell of petrol coming from the guys doing acrobats with fire, us fighting with balloons on the street, Thais shouting to sell you buckets "Take a bucket, f**k it!", us laughing for nothing and then ending in the private balcony facing the beach, dancing all night whatever JJ decided to play!

It was really good fun, except for the day after when I woke up with a killing headache, in the house of who knows who...with Honey biten by mosquitoes and bugs, JJ with a foot injured and with a sister missing, Jo...the oldest, the one that should take care of the youngest one :)

...ah, and with enormous rack sacks to carry to the next resort :)

Koh Samui and Koh Phangan

Through my friend Leelu, I got in touch with some people from London/Ibiza that are currently managing a "wonderful to be" hotel in Koh Samui! Not knowing in which island to go, I decided to opt for it, at least there where some people to meet over there and Christmas was approaching...
And these guys were also organising a boat and a beach private party from Koh Samui to Koh Phangan for the New Years Eve! It seemed perfect really!

So, I went there...service from the airport included! Steven came and picked me up and took me to the hotel! well...a few interesting things: reception not existent, no kitchen functioning, 40 minutes walking from to the beach, but nice swimming pool, nice guys to hang out with, rooms all personalised with (fake) art paintings and really expensive rates to justifying it all!
So, as long as I really enjoyed the 2 days there, it was too expensive for what it had to offer!

First night I met the other guests of the hotel: Jo and Sheniz, two sisters from London...really good fun and nice girls...I'm kind of still hanging around with them as I write! Then I met Steven, Joe and JJ all part of the Ibiza team and Steven, a really nice guy from Manchester, I think!
We all went out for dinner, then we ended up watching "the cable guy" on a super screen with the projector, facing the swimming pool! Not bad!

The day after we went to the Salina beach and staid there all day, talking, swimming, drinking, making new friends and burning the Bon Fire as a good luck wish!

Next to us there was a restaurant with fresh fish laying on ice in a little boat...just calling to be eaten! So, I did! Had 3 big shrimps just barbecued...it was just excellent!

While the mohitos were making their course through the system, a little amazing girl came to us to sell the orchid necklace...you'll see from the pictures, she was so beautiful and so outgoing...she couldn't stay still! A guy said that the parents use to give them the Red Bull (which here is stronger and more concentrated than the one we have in the West) to keep them awake and excited and go around and sell necklaces!
I have to say, it was impossible not to give her money, and absolutely believable what's behind her (almost sensual) movements! :( ...she's 6 years old!

After two days, for Christmas eve we went to the famous Haad Rin beach in Koh Phangan for the Xmas dinner and a kind of trial of the place that the guys were going to party for NYE!

But the Xmas night is worth it another story...so much fun!



The night of Xmas we slept in a random house and we were all carrying the big ruck sacks as we were planning on moving (and stying ) in Koh Phangan for a few days...
I had booked a place in Koh Phangan through the lady from Chang Mai, so Jo, Sheniz, JJ and I moved there as soon as we collected belongings and people :)
We arrived at this resort, out of no where...of course the site showed an amazing place, but it was the worst I've seen since I had been in Thailand...it seemed it was going to fall part anytime...Sheniz made a hole in the wall just holding herself to put her shoe on...cold shower; compulsory Xmas dinner with no drinks included; mosquito nets with holes that fell from the roof after a few minutes in the room; holes in the pavement..or sort of!

We all went for a drink at the bar in the resort...it seemed interesting place at the first sight, then I noticed that there were only men...and many Thai (porn) girls with a few lady-boys! Yes, the phenomenon of lady-boys here is pretty interesting, to say the least! We met a few people from England over there, Barry and company....and I tried to get some learnings out of this phenomenon...I wanted to understand what a straight man finds interesting in a lady-boy, alias a man that looks like a woman but has a penis! Oh men!!!

It was pretty fun...and there was really too much going on..so I went to sleep! I guess a proper trip to Thailand also involves discovering this part of the culture as well as the other! :)

We all moved the day after to Koh Tao, even if I had paid 5 nights there! Not a very clever move :)

Chang Mai and around

Having been for 10 days in the South of Thailand, I have to say that the North is far more interesting! Probably this time of the year the South loses the charm and its Thai personality to embrace (wrongly) the Western influence in everything: food is less authentic, beaches are dirty - except some tiny, unknown and expensive paradises - everything costs more, it's impossible to find a decent place and make a bargain at the same time and you find burgers, pasta and pizza everywhere!

Don't get me wrong, it's fun, lots of fun if it's what you are looking for, but a bunch of 20 years old that come here to get pissed with buckets are just not my cup of tea!

So, in memory of the fabolous old days in Chang Mai, here it is a slideshow of what the north has to offer.



I started with the recommended walking tour from the Lonely Planet guide and I had to stop twice for a foot massage, a bit for pure leisure, a bit because the I walked kilometres with my flip flops and I needed a "help"!
I saw the main Wats (temples)...
I went to visit the women's prisons area where, soon to get freed women earn some money for when they'll get out, by doing massages! It was interesting, I was curious to know why the woman that massaged me, was there, but apparently she couldn't understand what I was asking for. The less educated people, only know how to say "massage", "sexy man", "cheap" and "beautiful"...I guess it's enough to get the Thai charm with Western men ;-)
Yes, it's pretty disgusting to see many Western old, fat belly men walking around hand in hand with young pretty Thai girls...

Anyway, back to the prison experience, it was nice and they were all wearing blue shirts and pants like the Bridget Jones movie, featured in the part when she ends up in a Thai prison! The same!

I took a couple of tuk tuk as I was too tired and felt I got lost, I freed a family of birds from a cage as a sign of good luck...yes, they can invent anything to get money out of tourists, but it seemed a good cause :)

I then went to the Writers bar, it's a bar on the way to the walking tour and, as being recommended by the guide, lots of travellers stop there to write postcards, memories and wondering around to search for interesting people :)

This bar is just on the way to the Sunday Walking street, an endless road with Thais selling any kinds of artcrafts, street food, fish in bottles, fried insects, handmade bags, jewerly and local traditional performance to entertain and create amazing vibes with your walk...

The long road, ends with one of the most amazing temples in Chang Mai...I got there just at the sunset and the view was absolutely spectacular!

In my days in Chang Mai (additional to the Trekking and the visit to Pai) I also went to visit the Doi Suthep, an amazing Wat at the top of a mountain, which also offers an amazing view of the city; a local tribe village and I did the river cruise that shows an interesting part of the city, very poor and very charming at the same time.

Everywhere in Chang Mai (but in all Thailand, I have to say) you'll see the King featured everywhere, Thais stop for a few minutes at 6pm and at 8am when the Royal anthem get played and everyone, no matter what you are doing, has to stop in the honour of the King. No one can spare a bad talk about the King, if you are caught up talking badly about him, you can go to prison! I met an English couple in the boat while I was river cruising and we were talking about how unbelievable is that a nation is so devoted to a King and at the same time live in poverty...and they said: "you have a king too in Italy, Berlusconi"! Funny!

Food?? Never disappointed...amazing everywhere I've been! In fact, I'd like to attend a cooking course before I leave!

Trekking in Chang Mai

I was walking in the street where I was staying in Chang Mai and I stopped to a random travel agency saying that I wanted to do something but not sure what! She persuaded me to do the 3 days 2 night trekking in the mountains and rafting. Not sure what I was putting myself into, I decided to do it, mainly attracted my the elephant riding!
I didn't have many clothes with me so I went to the shopping centre to buy trousers and sandals :)
Still in the trusty mood I left my passport at the lady at the travel agency (the passport, not the copy) and she told me that as soon as she'd made a copy she'd delivered the passport at my guesthouse! The day after (the day I was leaving for the tour) the passport hadn't been delivered yet...for some reason I didn't worry and I went to have breakfast 2 buildings away from my hotel...While I was eating, a Thai guy on a motorbike came to me and said: "are you Maria?"...I was a bit reluctant to say yes, because I never saw him before, and I was worried that something had happened with my passport, but then I said, "how do you know it's me?" He said "I'm your guide for the 3 days trekking. I need you passport". I said that I left my passport to the travel agency but he never got it and without it we couldn't leave.
I kept having breakfast and said that at 9am I would have met him at the agency, but he said, "no, come with me...we need to find your passport otherwise we can't leave"...still not sure how he found out I was Maria :)

Eventually we got the passport, half an hour later...and that was the first hilarious moment with Rony, the guide!

Ready to leave, I met the other people that were going to join the tour: a 42 years old French man, two 26 years old Danish guys, Ole and Per, Neomi, 22 years old from England, Simon, 28 from Essex and a Malaysian family...God forbid, I don't remember the names :)

We went to the botanic farm first to see some amazing Thai orchids, then waited for some other groups and started our trekking tour!

At the beginning it seemed fun...we kept talking and start to know each others, but after a while, it felt wiser to save every bit of breath as it was really hard! Arrived at the top of the mountain (2000m circa) it felt totally worth it...the view was amazing and I felt pretty proud of myself!

Arrived at our "hotel", I was looking for our resort at the beginning until I realised that we where going to stay to the bamboo houses where local tribes live without energy and hot water...It was pretty fun, knowing that we weren't going to have showers for 3 days and the only light at night was the fire and the candles...but hey, lots of services included in the package: automatic alarm at 3am from Mr Rooster, "aromatic herbs" to be burned under the sky, Thai whisky (can't explain you have to try)...and as many stars as you liked :)



I don't know what it was (well I know) but we had so much fun, we kept seeing animals out of the fire: we saw sharks, a couple dancing and even a dragon...Rony kept saying us stories about ghosts and sex...and for some reasons I got into his dreams...he dreamed about me being the Queen and he being a ant that bit me! He was upset with me because when he was reading the fortune, I kept interrupting him asking questions! I'm sure no one is surprised! ;)

The day after we moved onto another "resort", better than the first one, this had a shower, cold of course, right in the middle of the jungle, where we could only hear waterfalls, frogs, dogs, and kids playing, and no roosters at 3am...and us laughing for nothing! Well, almost!

The last part of the package involved rafting and I was not scared, more...I thought I was going to hurt my head on a rock and die...then I kept seeing kids being excited, and I thought, come on MT, if they can do it!! My travel companions kept looking at me saying "are you scared?"...it was so obvious!
I have to day it was amazing, nothing to be scared about and so much adrenaline!! We arrived at a place on the river where we took some bamboo canoas and reached a place for lunch!

Arrived in Chang Mai, I had some challenges finding the places where I was going to stay because I didn't write down the name...but Rony did some magics and left me to the right place :)

I have to say, the company was amazing, the experience unique, the contact with the nature and the sight seeing absolutely fantastic, and the idea that you can survive without Facebook, iPods, make-up and refrigerators, priceless! Well at least for 3 days!!

I guess Per, Ole, Neomi and Simon made it special!

Pai, the land of hippies

My arrival to Pai is the result of word of mouth, no guide mentions about this tiny place, 3 hours away from Chang Mai...
I came here yesterday with a mini bus and as soon as I arrived I saw the scenery from the rest of Thailand (at least what I've seen to date) completely different. Rasta men, flowers in the air, Love & Peace signs everywhere and a kind of local logo "Hippies smell"...smiley people walking on the streets and lots of Thai people...very few tourists! I guess this is the sign of quality guarantee.
Apparently Pai is the holiday place for Thai rich people :)

It really is a lovely little place...everyone walks, or goes around with bicycle or motorcycle...bear in mind that you need 15 minutes to see it all, that's how small it is.

Wondering around for a place to stay, I found this amazing bungalow type hotel facing the river...I have pictures on my blackberry as I have been experimenting a few challenges with the 2 cameras I'm carrying. Left the 2 chargers in the rucksack in Bangkok, convinced that I was only going to be away for only 3-5 days, instead it's already more than a week and I won't be back in Bangkok before than a couple of days from now :(
So, no visual memories of Pai, but some postcards and a few presents...I guess for next Christmas :)

Yesterday, after wondering around to explore the village, looking for a camera charger (or even a new camera - unlucky), I stopped in a bar where they make drinks based on wheat grass, which apparently is good for purifying your interiors and boosts your energy! The environment is, needless to say, relaxed and smiley...everyone seems having had lots of "herbs" in many shapes or forms...really great to rent/buy a book and just relax with reggae or chill out music in the background!

I met a couple of lovely Italian hippies and spent a few hourts talking about food (for a change) and how to make the world a better place! The conversation about food started because I had some fried pork bought from the street (I have to say the street food is soooooo good, it seems and tastes better than the restaurant food), but I felt that the consistency and the aftertaste didn't remind me the pork I used to have in other places :)
Then a dog started to follow me and I felt I wanted to vomit...I apologied with the dog, in case what I was eating was his friend :(

I went to the river and lit a "bow" fire...I think bow is written this way, the guy that sold it to me said it was a bow fire...it's a paper lantern that fly with a candle as a wish for happiness and long life...usually, you do it as the New Year approaches.

Need to go back to Chang Mai today, collect my stuff...go to Bangkok, collect the rucksack and hope to find a place to stay in Koh Samui for Christmas as it seems already over booked.

When I'm in Bangkok, I'll upload the pictures from Chang Mai and the 3 days trekking and rafting...

First 2 days in Bangkok

They say that Thailand is the land of gold and not for the precious material, but for the Thai people. It's so true!
The first 24 hours were so fun and interesting...and a bit in my style, as someone would say...Silvie saw me in trouble before leaving so she decided to help me out and book a great hotel for me...close to the famous Khao San Rd (backpackers area), but less crowded and a bit more upscale (a little princess, as someone else would say :))...but she said: "I'll book only one night for you, just to make sure you change your plan as you like, and don't feel obliged to stay there, you'll definitely find interesting people on the plane and decide to go with them".
I was seated next to 2 60 years old ladies from Northern Ireland...(the accent, mhhhh)...with which the conversations went from 'can you help me to use the remote?' to 'what did you write in this space of the immigration form?' :)
At which point I felt really lucky that I had a hotel booked and started to think: is this the beginning of a weird trip? Ah, I forgot: the plane was full of young people! :)
Arrived in Bangkok, there was a long queue for the taxis so a Thai man saw me concerned and approached me to ask if I wanted a taxi - fixed tariff no matter how long it takes - of course, I said yes...I ended up in a isolated place of the airport were dodgy dogs were walking by, paid a 26$, which is an enormous amount here, thinking again: am I being a bit unlucky?
Anyway, eventually the taxi arrived and took me to the hotel...phew!
Arrived at the hotel, I decided to lie down a little bit, just to relax as for some reasons I was exhausted...needless to say that I the little bit became a few hours and I woke up at 10pm...so, I ordered some food in the room and watched a movie!
Morning after I was so excited of seeing Bangkok, so I went out armed with map and not having an idea of were I wanted to go!
So, I just walked...
A man stopped me...I thought this would want something from me, but he just recommended me some places to visit...it was the anniversary of a Buddha (sorry for the fluffiness) and he said: do you know Roberto Baggio? He's a Buddhist now, he comes here often to pray! Go to this temple and pray...
I thought it wasn't a bad idea, so I started walking in the direction he pointed out.
After a 5 minute walk, I was clearly confused so other 2 men approached me (there weren't too many people around, so I thought: here we are, now they are going to steal my bag :(
NO! They were only trying to help me...they showed me a few places I should visit and suggested to take the governmental taxis (tuk tuk), which were cheaper than private taxis...I was a bit reluctant because of what guides say about them: they drive fast and often bikers target tourists to steal bags...also if something happens on a tuk tuk, the travel insurance doesn't cover! I took it anyway :)
The driver (needless to say that I forgot the name) told me that for the 5 stops I wanted to do, and him waiting for me outside, I'd have to pay only 20 baht, which is less than 50pence!
Ok....it was fun and more than once I thought that something was going to happen, but he was so nice and kind...and I manage to see most of Bangkok!
They don't do it for free...from a place to the other I wanted to see he stopped to their "friends' shops" as a deal they have to make you buy something...
It was hard to get from a place to the other...at the beginning it was fun, then it became a bit annoying especially because I had been on that tuk tuk for 5 hours...and the amount of pollution entering my pores was really huge! When they say that Bangkok is polluted, it's true!
Anyway I visited: Wat Benchamabophit, Wat Intrawihan, the Golden Mount(Wat Saket)and the BMK (the biggest shopping centre in Bangkok)...I know, I didn't suppose to go to a shopping centre, but I needed to buy something :)...

First 2 days in Bangkok

My little man dropped me at the shopping centre and he wanted my number so he could come and pick me up today as well...he was a fun man...we tried to communicate for what was possible considering his English...I gave him 50baht (it's around 1 pound)!
I don't think I want to do another day on a tuk tuk, though it was fun!
I managed to buy a pure sapphire and natural lavender soup in the shops he "forced me to stop"!
I stopped to a beauty salon for a proper treatment to end up the day: wax, pedicure and Thai massage...amazing!
To summarise: I really felt amazing...men stopping me in the street trying to help, a woman that sold the sapphire told me 3 time I was sooooo beautiful...she gave me her number asking me to call her in the evening to take me out (Damon would like this); the Thai masseuse (woman) kept touching my arm's hair telling me how amazing they were...at the first I thought she wanted to wax my arms...no: they love them because they don't have them! :) The taxi driver that took me to the hotel after almost 12 hours wondering around, asked me if I wanted to be his girlfriend even if we leave far away, at which point I said: Italians don't like relationships on a distance, we need to see and stay close...so, he said: ok, we can be friends; so, can I take you out tonight?
Mhhhh...I said I would have called him later, but I fell asleep and woke up at midnight!
I have to say, I never felt in danger and the kindness of Thai people is just amazing...they are there to help, knowing that the tourism is the main font of richness and treat tourists as gold!
Leaving tomorrow morning for Chang mai (and around), then Laos and Cambodia!! This time I'm not alone :)

My leaving party in London

In my favourite place in London with my favourite people...just what I needed to make me feel lucky, loved and with 20 reasons to come back!
Finally I got my rucksack to be filled in (still in the same conditions I got it: with the mosquito net, the torch and the puryfing water)...yes, can you believe it? I'm leaving in 24 hours and I still haven't packed!
Thank you for the pressie, for your company and for being in my life!!




Waiting now for additional 4 arms to help me move my stuff to the lovely Del's house and then I can concentrate on packing!!

Love you all and I'll be missing you so much!! But I won't disappear...got the Blackberry this morning...let's make it more email led communication (it's cheaper)...but, I'll let you know if I buy local Sim cards!!

xxx

40 Collingbourne Rd

I bought a new great camera...a second hand Canon 350D...and I'm experimenting it in my house. Still need to read the instructions, but I took some shots that also show some great details of the 40 Collingbourne Rd house, which I'm very unhappy to leave.
I've had such a great time in here, unfortunately only for 4 months...but as I've learn in the past years, every good things come to an end...and we don't want to believe so..


So, I decided that, instead of thinking of the closed doors (leaving Collingbourne Rd, for instance) I'll think to all the gates that this event could open...
So, I'm leaving London for 4 months (or, so) and when I come back I'll look for all these gates, here or in Italy...someone is saying that I'll fall in love with a 'tangero' in Buenos Aires and never come back, but I know this is not possible (the never come back thing) because I'm too Italian to live so far away from my family and my homeland...but, it's better not to make too many statements at this stage!
Let's enjoy the new camera, the discovery era I'm approaching to and we'll see where it will lead to :)
I'm definitely enjoying the journey...it's fun!