And now the end is near. (Homeward bound)
Well, we’ve come to the end of our journey and tomorrow (Friday 21st Sept) we fly home. How time has flown. We’ve been away 312 days, visited 5 countries, stayed in 35 different hotels and by the time we arrive back will have travelled over 27,000 miles.
We’ve had a wonderful time and visited some beautiful places. The volunteer teaching in Khao Lak , the orphanage we visited and the kids we met is very special. It was an experience that we’ll always cherish. We’ve met many people on our journey, the majority being warm and friendly. We’ve been so lucky to have made this journey and to have shared our experience with those who have been following this Blog.
Below is a very small sample of photographs of places and people we have seen and met on our journey.
Thailand
Phraya Nakhon Temple – Inside a huge cave
English Camp December 2011 – Ban Biang School
Surin Islands New Years Eve 2011
Home and Life Orphanage
Moken (sea gypsy) kids – Surin Island.
The infamous Hell Fire Pass
Kanchanaburi – War Graves
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Laos
Sunset on the Mighty Mekong
Luang Prabang – Valentine’s Day dinner on garage forecourt.
Buddhist Monks – chilling out in the Mekong.
A tributary of the Mekong.
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Cambodia
Sunrise at Angkor Wat.
The road over the moat leading in to Angkor Wat
Ta Prohm Wat
Hawker selling mangos
Kids begging at the Cambodia -Vietnam border crossing.
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Vietnam
Bloody traffic
Rex Hotel (HCMC) roof top bar
Ho Chi Minh City – Main Post Office
Cu Chi Tunnels – American unexploded bombs.
AK47 – Lynne takes aim
Nha Trang Beach
Chillies and Spices – Nha Trang street market.
Boatman – Hoi An
Painted door – Hoi An
Whistle seller – Lunch break
Catherine and Lauren join us for our 37th wedding anniversary dinner
3 Vietnamese students – Desperate to learn English.
Cheapest beer in Vietnam – less than 10 pence per glass..
Vietnamese Wedding
Sean at the tailors – Late Christmas present.
Topless hairdresser – Hoi An
Hut – Fruit seller An Bang beach Hoi An.
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Malaysia
Patronas Towers – Kuala Lumpur
Patronas Towers at night.
View from hotel – Kuala Lumpur skyline.
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Chiang Mai Thailand
Pool at our Chiang Mai apartment.
Fishing at Bo Sang Lake – Chiang Mai
Storm clouds – Chiang Mai
Tiger – up real close
Wat – Chan Klan Road, Chiang Mai
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Nok the spitter! (English Camp – Ban Biang School)
I decided to repress one on my earlier blogs, it’s one of my favourites. A young Moken (sea gypsy) girl called Nok, who could spit like a navvy!
VTT 3 day English Camp. Tuesday Day 1: It was supposedly a day of watch and learn. Those of you that know me well, know that I cannot keep quiet or still very long and this day was no different! I joined in and gave it everything ( poor little buggers). 
The school is called Ban Bang Niang. It has about 100 pupils, aged from 3 1/2 to 12 years old. When we arrived all the pupils were assembled and the Head Teacher made a speech welcoming us and thanking us for giving up our time to do this. The kids we taught were aged from 8 to 12. All abilities and from different social and economic backgrounds. The kids names were different from what we are used to Cream, Mint, Nok, Mai, Pare, Tiffy, Bow, Bom ,Bang, Tong and Jom. All in uniform, all very polite, with the exception of one girl called Nok, she spent the whole 1 hour of lesson spitting out of the window. Unfortunately we had not yet taught them in English “No Spitting”. In Thailand spitting is a national pastime and perhaps she was in training for a competition that was imminent. The school fed and watered us, for lunch we had Pad Thai (noodles with shrimp) The day finished around 3ish, the kids all stood up and thanked us with a wei (bow) Went back to the hotel knackered!!!
Wednesday Day 2: We had watched and learnt and it was now our turn to run the class ourselves. We had 4 classes, 2 morning and 2 afternoon, our subject ‘Thai food’ and their ingredients. I guess this was for those kids looking for a career in the restaurant/catering business. Fortunately our class was outside and a little cooler with some breeze. Nok must have been a little dehydrated, there was not much spitting until the lunch break.
Friday Day 3: (Thursday was a Bank Holiday). Friday was going to be slightly different. This meant a early start, VTT office by 7.45, school for 8.00. We arrived to see the kids with sweeping brushes and bins cleaning the yard, all kids and ages were involved. After this the whistle blew and everyone lined up and sang the national anthem while the Thai flag was raised. Then we spent the morning on the beach picking up litter. The hotel that was on the beach front provided us with lunch and water. In the afternoon we went back to school and continued with lessons. When the lessons finished, all the kids were presented with a certificate. The head teacher thanked us and presented us with certificates.
Why are we here? On the 26th December 2004 the Tsunami hit Khao Lak. Over 10,000 people were killed, 80% of the English speaking population lost their lives. This school lost over 28 children and adults. A tree was planted for each person that lost their life. Eye witnesses report that the wave was over 5 metres high when it crossed the road adjacent to the school. Fortunately it was a Sunday and the kids were off. This reduced the loss of life significantly. Other parts of the village were less fortunate.
English Camp
We’s cooking class
Living in Chiang Mai we are continually looking for new places to eat and enjoy the Thai cuisine. We found We’s Restaurant on TripAdvisor. Out of 400 restaurants, it’s rated 5.
It’s not the easiest place to find but we persevered and tracked it down. It’s definitely not fine dining with fancy tables and linen. In fact the tables and chairs are all a bit wonky and very rustic. A young girl who took our order wasn’t quite surly, but she definitely conveyed that there were places she’d rather be.
The food we had was amazing, the Thai fishcakes were probably the best we’ve ever had. So good in fact that we signed up for We’s cooking course just to learn how to make them and learned a whole lot more!
We thought we were pretty knowledgeable about Thai veg, fruit, herbs and spices but found we were missing a lot when We took us to the local market.
The young girl that served us on our first visit is in fact We’s daughter. Her name is Chip, but decided to change it to Jam. The last time we went she must have been on the happy pills, she was totally different. She sat at our table while she had her dinner and she talked so much she almost made our ears bleed! She told us about her school lessons and her friends who comprise one girl and two ladyboys. We were a bit surprised about this and when we asked how old the ladyboys were, she told us they were the same age as her – 12!
We cooked 10 different dishes (pictures below)
It’s two weeks before we come home and we will being eating here again…
Shake and Kidneys
I have required the medical services in Thailand twice now.
The first was at the end of June when I needed to see a GP because I was experiencing some swollen lymph glands in the neck (looking a bit hamsterish). There is no national health here, so it’s Pay As You Go.
To be fair, the experience was not that unpleasant. Made an appointment, arrived early, was late going in, receptionists the same disposition as those in the UK. Lets just say: for the Land of Smiles they let the TV adverts down. When my name was called I was escorted by the nurse, not sure what gender, but hey ho, does it matter?
The nurse weighed me and took my blood pressure. The doctor came in, poked around, felt in the right place and confirmed it was nothing to worry about, just a virus. A course of antibiotics would clear it up, if not come back in ten days. Total cost including drugs, 200 Baht (£4). Less than half of a prescription in the UK.
My latest sortie with Thai health care was a little more serious. I had a pain in my back for a couple of days and thought it was due to sitting awkwardly on a lakeside when fishing, so I had a massage thinking that it would help and it did, for about two days. The pain returned and I started to feel bit off colour. On the Wednesday I started with the shakes, shivers, headache, but no fever. Lynne tried to call a doctor out, but apparently they don’t do home calls. So reluctantly, it was a visit to the hospital. We were recommended to go to Chiang Mai Ram Hospital; expensive but allegedly a good place for ‘farangs’ (foreigners).
The taxi dropped us off at the front entrance, the doors were opened by two smartly dressed hospital employees, warmly welcoming us “Sawadee Ka”. My first thought was this could be expensive.
I registered and waited to see the doctor. The wait wasn’t too long and after checking me out, the doctor decided to admit me. The next question was “Do you have insurance ?” Yes I do. I have now become a VIP!
A wheelchair was summoned and I was kitted out in a a mask. Because of the symptoms: temperature, aching bones and joints, they suspected it could be Dengue fever. I was taken upstairs and delivered to my room. Private room, with en-suite, cable TV, kitchen, microwave, kettle, dining room table, additional bed and two easy chairs, not forgetting Wifi.
After a number of tests and blood samples taken, it was deduced that I had Acute tublo-interstitial nephritis. Bloody hell that sounded serious. First thought was, will I make it through the night? Sounded bad, in fact it was a simple kidney infection.
Two days in hospital, then four days as an outpatient and all is well. The service I received was OK. The food was no better than the notorious National Health food.
Before I could leave I had to settle the bill. Grand total inclusive of food, drugs, lab work, kidney scan and consultations: £850. This included the two people who open the door when you leave and thank you for using Chiang Mai Ram Hospital.
Today, Monday, feeling much better.
Walking Street – Chiang Mai
Walking Street is in fact called Rajdumnern Road and is located on the inner-east side of the moat near Tapae Gate. The street is blocked off every Sunday from traffic for a market that starts at 14:00 and lasts until 22:00, with local craft persons operating stalls along.
Unlike the Night Bazaar on Chang Khlan Road, who peddle many fake designer goods,(it’s good for designer sunglasses, dodgy DVDs, Louis Vuitton handbags, etc..) On Walking street market, excellent hand made items are displayed and sold. At the 5 temples (Wats) on this road you can enjoy real Northern Thai food and snacks.
You will see the Thai version of busking, some bands that play traditional Thai music outside the numerous Temples you walk past, school kids performing traditional dancing, others playing Thai instruments, the monies collected go towards further education (here in Thailand it must be paid for). There is one little boy, probably no more than 5 or 6, just stands there with a hoola hoop spinning it on his hips. Exploitation? Not sure. If you have nothing, any way to make a living is OK. Severely disabled people begging: again no disability pensions here.
It’s busy and noisy, but very enjoyable. The crafts, clothes, carvings on display show that here at least skills have not diminished, unlike in the UK.
Stripey things with teeth, claws and long tails…..
We’ve spent a number of weeks here in Chiang Mai and previously done most of the sights and seen enough Wats to last a lifetime (although I do like a colourful Wat). The one tourist attraction we’ve stayed away from was Tiger Kingdom Chiang Mai.
Why? We read about the one in Kanchanaburi, where all the tigers are given sedatives and have their claws pulled and when they are old they are killed and sold for Chinese medicines.
Anyway, we did a lot of research and it turned out that Tiger Kingdom Chiang Mai runs quite a reputable establishment and run a successful breeding programme. When the tigers reach a certain age they are then re-located to other zoos around the world.
Knowing this, we decided that it was an opportunity too get close up with big cats.
Below are some of the photos.
