A Week Long Christmas

In Thailand, Christmas is celebrated on more than just December 25th. Being odd to begin with since the majority of Thais are Buddhist, a week long celebration was had. The director of English at my school recieved gifts every day of the week after Christmas... jealous! However, I did receive a few presents from my school as well as the company that hired me, OLC. But backing up to Xmas Eve Day, Wes and I ventured to Hat Yai Municipal Park to check out the numerous displays set up for the annual lantern festival starting in January. There were a crazy amount of extremely elaborate lanterns that I'm sure will look awesome when they're lit up at night.

We then hiked up the long path to the very top of the hill to see the shockingly big buddha, which was definitely worth it.

The view of downtown from up there was absolutely amazing! I knew that it's the third biggest city in Thailand, but I never imagined that it was actually this vast!

After devouring too much delicious food at the bbq buffet on Christmas Eve, we went to my by-far favourite bar, Co-Art. Immediately upon entering, we felt the Christmas spirit when some Thais gave us free beers! The great live music made the night even better and we ended up running into many foreigners I'd met before. After a late night there, we got up semi-early to head to Songkhla for a visit with Owen & Kag (the couple I spent my first weekend in Hat Yai with). They took us out to a stunning restaurant right on the water where we devoured the freshest seafood we'll ever eat in our entire lives, guaranteed.

There was a tank that we got to choose our own fish from, which was killed right in front of us then thrown into the fryer. Suprisingly delicious! Other dishes we had were spicy mango salad, yellow curry, sweet 'n sour vegetables and grilled catfish, all quite opposite from the traditional western Christmas dinner! Even though everything was very tasty, Wes and I both missed juicy turkey... although he did get the full-on meal before he left for Thailand (jealous again). Anyway, we stopped at a coffee shop after lunch and enjoyed homemade banana bread and fruit cake over some tea. Owen then drove us all the way back to Hat Yai, proving to be extremely hospitable once again. For dinner, Wes and I treated ourselves to another succulent meal just across the street, thinking we should spoil eachother since the only present we exchanged was simply being together after 2 months apart. Throughout the week we visited various locations that were displaying Christmas decor, including the markets and shopping malls.

These were the only things that made it feel like Christmas! It's harder than you think when the weather is a whopping thirty degrees... definitely a Xmas to remember! So, Merry Ho Ho to you all and I hope this holiday brought you as much happiness and as many memories as it did to me!

We'll be on Ko Samui for the next four days and Ko Phangan for New Years Eve, so look forward to a very interesting post next week!

Teaching 101

Teaching has been going really well, and most days it doesn't even seem like work. My students are always incredibly friendly and make every exchange very entertaining. Most are super eager to improve their English, knowing that it's their ticket to getting a better job. This is very helpful when it comes to my lessons because if they don't understand something they aren't afraid to ask questions. Some even come to my office during breaks to have conversations about random things they want to know more about, for example prom. There are many things that they don't have in Thailand, prom being one of them, but also many Christmas traditions. However, they have incorporated numerous international practices into their celebration of the holiday, caroling being one of them. The school band played a few popular carols during our Christmas assembly and suprisingly, many students knew all of the words! I hear them singing popular songs in English extremely often, even though they most likely don't have a clue what they're saying haha. Listening to their erroneous pronunciation always brightens up my day haha, we all know that it's the effort that counts. One of my favourite lessons is filling in the blanks to song lyrics, the students love it. Sometimes the tune has to be repeated many times until they've clearly heard every blanked out word, but afterwards we all sing together. One girl in particular has an amazing voice, often performing in front of 1000+ spectators at our school. There are more joys than I would have ever imagined being a teacher, discovering new ones every single day. I can't believe that this semester is already half over... I only have 2 more months of teaching in Thailand. Time flies when you're having fun!

It's honestly not a coincidence that my smallest class is my favourite class!

P.S. Wes arrives in three hours! My last two months here couldn't get any better!

The Food Scene

This weekend I discovered my new favourite restaurant in Hat Yai, an all-you-can-eat buffet that you barbeque yourself! For a mear three dollars you gain unlimited access to an astonishing variety of food items that you can cook to your liking... what a steal! In the center of the smorgasbord are big tubs full of marinating meat and seafood, vegetables, pre-made side dishes and lastly, desserts. Although none of the many meats are labelled, there wasn't one thing that I didn't fully enjoy. Everybody was joking that we could've been eating dog and had no clue... but luckily it's not a popular Thai dish so we were safe. However, there were some crazy-looking Thai delicacies, which were avoided for now but maybe one day I'll feel more daring. The combinations some patrons were putting together looked un-barbeque-able haha but who knows. The mini barbeque-type set-ups in the middle of each table are kept at the perfect temperature, and the moat surrounding the grill is filled with a delicious broth to boil anything you desire. There are also ingredients such as rice and noodles to create your own soup with the broth, as well as different spices to choose from.

We spent hours at this gold mine, with some going back for seconds, thirds and even fourths! There was a live band playing which made for a great atmosphere, and it was even one customer's birthday. During the birthday song, oddly sung in English (which I've noticed is very common) sparklers and confetti were exhibited. After stuffing ourselves to the brim, we struggled off our chairs and set out on a walk to digest our amazing meals. Ending up at our favourite bar, Post Laser Disc, we lit up the pool table for the rest of the night while listening to the best band in town perform.

Some of my crew

Paradise - Part 3/3

After a short 1.5 hours on the ferry, I arrived on the beautiful Ko Lanta. Much less of a tourist hotspot than Ko Phi Phi, the accommodation was half as pricey and twice as luxurious. I quickly settled into my private bungalow at Green Garden Resort, then headed straight to the beach palapas. A satisfying lunch and some tropical drinks got me back on track for enjoying the beach life. As I meandered the seemingly endless stretch of seashore, the hot sun eventually began to set. Staring in absolute awe, the vivid hues were constantly rearranging themselves in the sky, creating some of the most spectacular patterns I've ever seen.

The night got even better from then on, firstly visiting with a British girl I'd met on the ferry who was coincidentally staying at the same resort. Ko Lanta was her last stop before heading home after traveling for four years! As you can imagine, she had lots of stories. Secondly, our English speaking attracted a nice American who dragged us out to a beach bar with a live band. Some rowdy Swedes were getting up on stage and belting out the lyrics to absolutely every song they recognized... excellent entertainment haha. On our wobbly walk back, we spotted crawling creatures all over the beach and of course, had to get up close and personal.

Having stopped off at another bar to play countless rounds of pool, we weren't desiring to get up to much the next morning except for laze by the pool (don't worry... it was right beside the ocean). After almost perfecting my tan, I decided to cross a few things off my Ko Lanta list. First up, paying a visit to the Lanta Animal Welfare Center to volunteer to walk their dogs. Notifying the others from the night before, they were gung-ho to join me! We took half a dozen to the closest beach, Phra Ae, which killed two birds with one stone by crossing another item off my list. It was so rewarding to see the pups happily out of their enclosures free in the splendor of the island.

That night was supposed to be a full moon, but it delightfully turned out to be an eclipse! Lanta celebrated it the same anyway, hosting a great DJ at a nearby beach bar and putting on the best fire show I saw my whole trip. Setting it out from among the rest was the flaming skipping rope... terrifying. The crowd was hestitant to jump, but eventually a few daring souls threw themselves into the whirling blaze. It was hilarious to see them escape very soon after, frightened but very invigorated.

The next morning was as idle as the one before... I can just imagine what it must have been like on Ko Phangan! I'll find out on New Years! Anyway, a much needed massage was had and then I finally dragged myself to the animal shelter again. I took the sweetheart of the bunch for a long beach walk, then enjoyed the rest of my day frolicking in the warm ocean. As I packed up my bags that evening preparing for an early morning departure, I wrapped my head around the past ten days in paradise. Concluding that my total costs were almost exactly $300, I'd say that's insanely incredible! A little incentive for you to plan your next vacation to The Land of Smiles eh?

Paradise - Part 2/3

A two-hour ferry over the emerald green sea to Ko Phi Phi was a great start to my next adventure. Spotting numerous remote getaways along the way, we passed Chicken and Bamboo Islands, popular day trip locations from Phi Phi. Docking in Ton Sai Bay, an entrance fee of 65 cents was required as a means of keeping the island clean. It definitely pays off when you realize how wild the beach parties get night after night. But starting on a healthy note, I found myself a cheap room then pumped it up hundreds of steps to the very rewarding viewpoint. 

With the clear blue waters of Loh Dalum Bay on the right, the royal blue waters of Ton Sai Bay on the left, downtown Phi Phi Don in between and Phi Phi Ley in the distance, it was utterly breathtaking. Literally crawling through the jungle down the other side of the mountain, I gained access to the remote side of the island. Beach hopping for the remaining sunlight of the day, I visited Toh Ko, Rantee and Phak Nam beaches. Each spot was spectacular and unique in its own way, with only the more venturesome visitors discovering the sanctuaries. I was in and out of the Andaman Sea probably half a dozen times snorkeling around some great reefs wishing I had scuba gear. Another hour-long hike through the jungle back up the mountain and down the other side, I was exhausted after an early and long day so I hit the hay early. The next day I joined the lazy bums on Loh Dalum beach for a day of rest and relaxation, finally.

Dragging myself up off the fine white sand only to cool down in the not-cool-enough ocean, I worked on catching up my tan to the other bronzed backpackers. A fire show that night was the main highlight of my day, but extremely entertaining to say the least. At one point there were five performers on one stage, whipping their flaming batons and orbs ridiculously close to each other. They even stacked on top of one another to form a pyramid while impressively continuing to fire poi. After recovering the next morning with a fresh fruit smoothie and Thai banana pancake, I cruised for just under an hour over to Long Beach. Passing remote bamboo bungalows on 20-foot high stilts made for an interesting journey, reminding me of the terrible tsunami that hit here not too many years ago. They’ve rebuilt most of the island pretty well, but the devastation is still somewhat evident. After another afternoon of bronzing on smooth golden sands of the lengthy ravishing beach, I never wanted to leave Phi Phi.

However, I’d already booked my ferry over to Koh Lanta for the next morning so I had no choice. I will have to go back one day and visit Maya Bay on Ko Phi Phi Ley, where Leonardo DiCaprio starred in the movie ‘The Beach’. For good reason, that paradise is always packed unless you arrive earlier than I was ever able to wake up. It's true when they say "you never leave Phi Phi… you escape."

Paradise - Part 1/3

A four-hour minibus ride flew by thanks to the chatty Dutch and German boys sitting beside me. Arriving in Krabi town mid-afternoon on Saturday, I hopped on a public bus for a half hour to my first beach, Ao Nang. After wandering the little village and cooling off in the ocean, I grabbed a longtail boat for fifteen minutes to Tonsai Beach where I’d be staying for the next 3 days. After settling into my private bungalow, I admired the stunning scenery while walking the beach. 

As the sun fell it had just cooled down, so the dozens of rock climbers were attempting to scale the surrounding limestone cliffs in the bay. Famous for its numerous challenging routes, climbers flock here from all over the world. I met one in particular who had flown from Israel and was staying for three months… just to rock climb. After enjoying a delicious dinner at his recommended restaurant, I ran into a girl that goes to UVic… what a small world! We eventually migrated over to the atmospheric Reggae Bar to watch the ongoing fire show, poi. The performers were absolutely insane, swinging fireballs inches from their faces. I was right to have been squirming the whole time because one guy actually burned his chest but still continued his routine! Mingling with randoms from all different countries continued late into the night and made for a lazy morning, but a continental breakfast got me going. I hiked over to the neighbouring beach, Railay West, where most of the tourists stay when they visit Krabi. With more expensive accommodation and an equally nice beach, I was glad I’d made the decision to stay on Tonsai.

That evening was entertaining once again, listening to the live music and socializing with other backpackers. On another hike the next morning, I met a Calgarian on the same path. We were headed to the same location so spent the day chatting about strictly Canadian things haha. It took one hour to walk over to Railay East Beach, but only a short path brought us to Phra Nang Beach. It was absolutely gorgeous with limestone formations, soft white sand and crystal clear water. After taking a dip and tanning on the beach, we strolled over to the ‘Viewpoint’ sign and looked straight up. Not expecting to have to climb, we both had unsuitable footwear for a steep ascent. Watching the sweaty muddy people slowly make their way down, we knew sandals couldn’t stop us and conquered the trek no problem. The incredible view made it definitely worth it, overlooking Railay West, East and Tonsai Beaches.

I was sad to leave this paradise the next morning, but at the same time I was excited to get to Ko Phi Phi!

Xmas Spirit Has Officially Arrived

As you may already know, about 95% of Thais are Buddhist and the remaining are Muslim, neither of which celebrate Christmas. This is somewhat distressing, not only for having to work on December 25th but also for spending my first Christmas away from family. On the positive side, New Year's is absolutely huge in Thailand with celebrations continuing for the two weeks before and after January 1st.  However, this does not explain the Christmas lights strung copiously nor the tropical Christmas trees lining the streets...

Anyway, as I was completing some shopping for my upcoming beach getaway, I discovered a cute little path running beside a river that goes right through town. I realized that Hat Yai is becoming more and more hospitable the more I explore the vast city. Also congenial are the Hash House Harriers (H3), a non-competitive social drinking club that organizes a Hash Run every Sunday evening. This has been international for 75 years, but if unfamiliar the 'hares' set out ten minutes before the 'hounds' who follow a paper trail the hares have left for five to ten kilometres. Trails may pass through any sort of terrain and hashers may run through back alleyways, residential areas, city streets, forests, swamps, or shopping malls and may climb fences, ford streams, explore storm drains or scale cliffs in their pursuit of the hare. The trail often includes false trails, short cuts, dead ends, and splits. These features are designed to keep the pack together regardless of fitness level or running speed, as front-runners are forced to slow down to find the "true" trail, allowing stragglers to catch up. Members often describe their group as "a drinking club with a running problem," indicating that the social element of an event is as important, if not more so, than any athleticism involved. Members are typically given a "hash name," usually in deference to a particularly notorious escapade, a personality trait, or their physical appearance. I have yet to learn my hash name as I have yet to attend a hash run, but this will require me to find an old pair of running shoes (not my expensive Reebok ZigTechs) because hashers who wear new shoes to an event are commonly required to drink beer from that shoe. Maybe I'll stumble upon a pair in Krabi, Ko Phi Phi or Koh Lanta next week... somebody must have ditched their sneakers when they got to the beach right?
Not sure if I'll have internet on any of the islands, but if I do then expect some spectacular photos of my next ten days!