It's Not Rainy Season...It's FLOODING SEASON!!!

Weather in Chiang Rai has been absolutely nuts recently! Had to post some pics of the craziness we've been experiencing. It rains almost every day but usually only for a couple hours. This is no Seattle steady drizzle either. It downpours during big, violent thunderstorms. So exciting but it's causing some difficulties to daily life. The streets flood very quickly causing absolute chaos on the roads. I don't even bother driving the motorbike around because the water level is up to the engine! I've seen bikes stalled because Thai's have no fear of driving through lakes! Our power also cuts out frequently but this is to be expected in a local neighborhood. The locals are well prepared for these outages & utilize candles and alcohol to pass the time. Also, scores of bugs come out randomly. Sometimes, thousands of dragonflies fill the skies in plagues of bible proportions. The clouds fascinate me here. So many different shapes & colors in the sky every night. Makes for interesting sunsets. Also, sometimes there's an aurora-like splash of color in the sky during the day. I'm not sure how exactly this is created, but it's a strangely beautiful sight. I love the weather here...It's so exciting!

Storms A Comin

It's a Warzone Outside

Swimming in Our Street

Can't Believe Thais Drive Through This!

Water In Our Apartment

Yes I'm Wearing my Board Shorts

Buckets Of Rainwater

Bugs Everywhere!

Strange Color in the Skies

Gorgeous Sunsets :)

Kayaks & Caves

It's been 10 months now living in Northern Thailand. We've been all over the country from down south to secluded & not-so-secluded Thai islands, crazy weekends in bustling Bangkok & ancient Sukhothai in the stifling center of the country. Recently, we realized that we really haven't explored the North very much. We live in a beautiful, mountainous jungle environment that flourishes with life during the monsoon season. Needless to say, we wanted explore the region a bit more.

Most foreigners who visit Thailand split their time between 3 places: Bangkok for the lively heart of the country, Chiang Mai for a laid back, culture filled few days and some sand & sun time in the stunning islands. Those with a few more days in their vacations may head 4 hours north of Chiang Mai to the backpacker & party paradise that is Pai. We decided to head even further into the Mae Hong Son Province to the town of Soppong. Halfway Between Pai and Mae Hong Son, Soppong (or Pang Mapha in Thai) is a small market town known for hilltribes, outdoor activities & an abundance of natural treasures.

Our Jungle Bungalow

We heard in passing about this guesthouse in Soppong called Cave Lodge that came highly recommended. After further research & many more positive reviews, we had a final destination. Part of the adventure was just getting there! After a 3 hour bus from Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai, we hopped on a 5 hour cramped minivan that sped through lush jungle, over mountainous terrain & through mysterious mist & fog. Not the type of journey for the car sick, we flew around numerous hairpin turns & were grateful to finally be dropped off in the town of Soppong. Our first impression was of the "bus station" if you can call it that. It's basically a office with a woman at a computer who books minivans. Not a bus in sight! It turns out there are 2 buses that stop there each day so it's more of a roadside stand than a bus station. That said, we were determined to book our minivan back to Chiang Mai for a few days later. Much to our dismay, they were already all booked! Even in the middle of monsoon season where prices supposedly drop due to low tourist turnout, this route was packed. I think it's a reflection of the expansion that the country is experiencing. I'm not sure there is a "low season" anymore. Anyways, we only had one other option for the return - the local 6 hour bus. After accepting our fate, we wandered around the city in search of a motorbike taxi and the next leg of our travel. There were no taxis in sight so we talked some locals into driving us the 9KM to our guesthouse. 20 minutes later & lucky to be alive after a riding through muddy villages & flying up and down unpaved hills on the back of a speeding bike driven by a 15 year old, we were at the Cave Lodge!

Couch Made of Tires at Cave Lodge

This place was beautiful! A rustic, wooden jungle oasis right on a flowing Lang river, it's easy to see why people love it. We enjoyed our dinner in the laid back restaurant/lobby among the countless invisible bugs, birds & bats making their presence heard. Also, we checked out the treks on offer. The place has an amazing selection of kayaking, hiking & caving options. We just couldn't pass up kayaking through caves.

The next morning, we were stoked to get on the water. Unfortunately, the owner wouldn't let us kayak our own crafts due to the danger of the river this time of year. It had recently rained a lot so the water was very high and fast. We each had a local guide who steered while we paddled.  That was fine with us, because, as both of us have sea kayaked before, this was a river with some rapids, and the boats were a cross between a kayak and an inflatable raft.  Totally different ballgame!  A British family joined us on the trip & shared in the special experience. Zigging and zagging through jungle vegetation & between boulders, we came within sight of the highlight of the trip - Tham Lod Cave.

Entrance to Tham Lod

Into the Darkness

Entering the Cave

Considered one of Thailands most impressive caves, Tham Lod is over 1.5KM long and is a sight to behold with cathedral-like proportions. Into the unknown we went! With only our weak headlamps, our vision was extremely diminished. We had to rely on other senses. The musty, damp odor of old cave formation & bat residue, the tricking of the river below & rain dripping above & and the squeaking of thousands of bats blanked in darkness. I paddled aimlessly during 15 minutes of awesomeness! After making it through and stopping to admire the exit point (and the thousands of swifts overhead) we went off with one guide into the jungle in search of another cave.

Cave Exploring

Bats & Stalactites

We eventually came to another great limestone formation that had a small dark slit in the bottom. I didn't realize that we had to slip through this tiny space! It was a rough descent but we all made it into the cave and were promptly greeted by another world. Now, I haven't had much experience caving, so to me this place was astonishing. For the next 30 minutes, we wandered what seemed like miles into the nooks & crannies surrounded by ancient limestone formations. Stalactites & Stalagmites everywhere! The landscape really didn't seem earthly to me. We learned about the cave & it's formations, clumsily wandered around in the darkness & confronted bats & one HUGE spider. Very cool place.

Big Ol Cave Spider!

Jungle Woman

Back at the river, another guide took us up the stairs to the top of Tham Lod. There, the massive main cave opened up to us. The highlight of this cave was definitely the coffins. Over 1000 years ago, Chinese & Shan migrants placed their dead in large teak coffins & scattered them throughout the caves. A bit spooky to come across a crumbling coffin in complete darkness, but very interesting because scientists are still discovering & learning about these ancient coffins.

Old Teak Coffins

The sun came out and we were back on the river for a few more adventurous hours. The rapids were a bit rough in a few places and we could have easily capsized. Very refreshing & exhilarating. I felt like Indiana Jones floating past exotic wilderness, locals fishing & smiling hilltribe women. After lunch, we could see the skies darkening ahead. The inevitable occurred and soon, we were in the middle of a downpour! It was actually very fun to kayak through a rainstorm & we were laughing the entire time. Eventually, we came across a capsized tree that was blocking our path. After some debate, the guides decided to stop & carry the kayaks over the capsized tree! A memorable roadblock. After another hour, we were back on the way to the guesthouse with our caving and kayaking urge satisfied!

Exiting the Cave to Our Waiting Kayaks & Sunshine Before the Storm

That warm shower back in our room was heavenly and set the tone for our enjoyable evening. We spent hours drinking and eating with new friends - that British family we kayaked with, an adventurous Dutch couple & their 4 kids & even a few Americans!

Lovely Bus Back to Chiang Mai!

We were sad to leave the Cave Lodge but our trips are always limited by our schedules in Chiang Rai. We simply can't take week long trips and really explore more remote regions while we are living here. The 6 hour local bus was an experience. It was raining the majority of the time & our broken, rickety old bus chugged clumsily like the Little Engine That Could over the mountains. I felt like I could walk faster. We stopped briefly in Pai and I was so grateful we didn't spend our time there. Extremely annoying, entitled, European backpackers everywhere you look! Eventually, we made it to Chiang Mai, then back home. An enjoyable weekend in Northern Thailand and another experience cherished.

A Magical Place - Erawan Falls

Ever since moving to the Land of Thai, we had heard about the mystical Erawan Falls. Some of our friends had raving reviews about the place and so we were committed to seeing it for ourselves. The problem is that it's so far from Chiang Rai. Located in the Kanchanaburi province outside Bangkok, it was going to take time and effort. Time and effort well worth it! It turned out to be one of the highlights of our experience so far!

We selected a long weekend and took an overnight bus from Chiang Rai. Upon arrival at the BKK bus station we met Jody's friend Alexandria who was joining us for the weekend. We then promptly hopped on a cramped minivan for 4 hours to Kanchanaburi. We weren't there yet. From the Kanchanaburi bus station, we found the colorful, local bus that chugged us the final 1.5 hours to the entrance to Erawan National Park. A long commute, but the beauty of our destination immediately erased the painful memories out of our minds.

Not Too Shabby!

Surrounded by lush jungle, Erawan National Park is best known for it's stunning 7 tiered waterfall. The place is truly one-of-a-kind and therefore is not exactly off the tourist map. There are 2 options for staying within the park - bungalows and camping. Since we were visiting on a holiday weekend and the place was busy, the bungalows were full so we were "stuck" with camping. Let me just say that this was one of the best camping experiences I've ever had! Cheap, local food only a 5 minute walk away, manicured camp grounds & an accessible bathroom with shower facilities! We weren't exactly roughing it. After renting the already prepared 3 person tent, sleeping mats, sleeping bags & pillows, our bill had run up to a massive 150 baht ($5) per person! We chose a supremely located spot overlooking the River Kwae (yes the famous bridge is a few miles down river).
















The good thing about staying inside the park is that all the annoying foreigners leave during the morning and evening. We had the place to ourselves! Most tourists visit Erawan as a day trip from Bangkok, so they arrive at 10AM and are out by 3. We were determined to check out some of the lower falls (more popular & accessible) that evening. I was struck by how many fish there were! Big fish too - not the little minnows you'd attach a hook and sinker to. We joined the locals frolicking in the water and jumped in without hesitation. It was so nice and refreshing after the long day of travel we had.

Swimming with the Fishes in Level 2

Locals With Fish

Never Ending Falls

The falls are named after the three-headed white elephant of Hindu mythology which they are said to resemble, and cascade down 7 limestone levels. Each of the 7 tiers is unique in a shape & character. The cool, clear water emits a beautiful, soothing aqua color. It's a supreme photo opportunity contrasting with the abundant jungle greenery lining the stream. Fantastic and straight out of a fairytale.

Beautiful Level 5

Me and My New Friend At The Top Level

We woke early the next day and hiked up the 2KM trail (steep and slippery at times) which took about an hour. I relished in the fact that there wasn't a soul in sight and we would have a nice, refreshing reward waiting for us at the top. A local dog joined us at the 5th level and became our "spirit dog" and guided us to the promise land. She playfully led us up the trail and constantly waited for us to catch up. I must admit, it was difficult passing each beautiful pool without jumping in, but being the 1st to reach the top was worth the haste. The final falls were absolutely beautiful as the sun came out. Having it to ourselves was fantastic! We spent an hour swimming and lounging around in paradise eventually joined by some friendly Thai "male-models". Little fish constantly nibbled on our toes preying on dead skin on the feet- A similar cleansing can be found at fish spas but these guys were bigger and more aggressive - a strange sensation.

Friends Behind Level 7 Falls :)

Success!

To the dismay of our spirit dog, we decided to start the descent. It was then that we saw some rustling in the trees above us and sure enough a family of monkeys were hanging out! It was cool to see them in their wild habitat jumping from tree to tree. There was an adorable baby in the pack clinging to her mother the entire time. They seemed to follow us from above down each tier. I had to stop at the 3rd level & go down the natural water slide! It was a good feeling to join in on the local activity while gawking tourists snap pictures from the safety of the trail.

The Lil Nugget

I HAD to Do It!

When we reached the bottom, the masses had arrived. We were so glad we got to experience this magical place in relative seclusion rather than share it with hundreds of others. I really can't say enough about our experience at Erawan and highly recommend it to anyone visiting Thailand - just make sure you spend a night.

A Glimpse of Laos - Vientiane

Because I'm not working in Thailand proper, I've had to get new visas to stay here for such a long time. You cannot get a Thai visa inside Thailand itself, so that's forced me to look to the Thai Consulates in neighboring countries. One of the most easily accessible places to get a Thai Visa is Vientiane, Laos. It's for this reason that I've now been to Vientiane twice and have developed a general sense of the city & country.

Sunset Over the Mekong

The Capital of Laos and coincidentally, the country's largest city, feels much more like a small town than a metropolis. This is no Bangkok, Beijing or even Seattle for that matter. I think this is a reflection of the Lao way of life. Known for it's laid back lifestyle, Lao - PDR could hysterically mean "Lao - Please Don't Rush." Despite being the economic center of the country, Vientiane is fairly undeveloped. There are no McDonalds or Starbucks here.

Zumba On the Mekong

The differences between Thailand and Laos are subtle yet noticeable. On arrival from China in May, we greeted the taxi driver with a 'Sawasdee Krap' (hello in Thai) and he laughed. In Lao, hello is 'Sabai Dee' which means 'How are you' in Thai. A completely different language yet very similar. The currency threw us for a loop. One US dollar or 30 baht is equivalent to almost 8,000 Laotian Kip! We were instant millionaires again. The streets are noticeably dirtier and poorly maintained. Trash regularly piles up on the curbs causing a raunchy stench to fill the air. Despite these differences, we felt as if we were returning home to Thailand after our crazy 3 week Chinese Adventure. The landscape, weather and food is remarkably similar to Thailand (probably because Vientiane is a stone's throw away from the Thai border - separated by the great Mekong River) We spent lovely evenings strolling along the long boardwalk, stopping at the evening market and marveling at the beautiful Mekong sunset & hoardes of Zumba dancers.

Evening Market

Great Banh Mi!

French influence is everywhere. France absorbed Lao into French Indochina after occupying Vietnam in the late 1800's and it wasn't until 1953 that Laos gained full independence. Needless to say, we were all about the french inspired Vietnamese food that Vientiane had to offer. Now, while Laos does have some unique delicacies, it isn't particularly known for having renowned, delicious cuisine. So, we didn't feel all that bad for passing on some of the Lao specialties. We found a great local, Vietnamese restaurant called PVO which we went back to again and again. Amazing Banh Mi sandwiches! The baguettes perfectly crusty, the pickled veggies contrasting with the succulent pork & liver pate. All topped off with fresh cilantro, green onion and herbed aoli. So good! We also indulged in other Vietnamese specialties we could not find in Chiang Rai. While traditional Lao cuisine isn't that much to write home about, the beer definitely is. Consistently known as the best beer in Southeast Asia, BeerLao is the brew of choice in the region and we definitely had our fill in Vientiane. You can find this beer in Thailand but at 5 times the price! We really enjoyed sipping on BeerLao Dark (yes Dark Beer!) while lazily gazing at the beautiful sunset over the Mekong - a Vientiane right of passage.

Quality Brew

One day, we checked out the very cool Patuxai Monument. Inspired by the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, the Arch looks eerily similar to it's French counterpart and it has some interesting history. It originally was built to represent Laos's independence from France, but in 1975, the communist Pathet Lao seized control and renamed the monument in honor of their victory. The concrete it's constructed from was donated by the US with the intention of being used in an airport - hence its nickname "Vertical Runway". It isn't fully finished and there are signs of construction even today. I've heard the government is dedicated to completing it. We climbed to the top and were rewarded with an excellent panoramic view of the central Vientiane.

Bomb Casing Art Outside the COPE Center

Selection of Artificial Limbs

Also, another one of our highlights of our time in Vientiane was the COPE Visitor Center. This local non-profit organization provides orthotic, prosthetic & rehab services for survivors of UXO (Unexploded Ordnance) accidents in Laos. During the Vietnam War, over 2 million bombs were dropped from US planes over Laos. At the time, Laos had an emerging communist government that apparently was in our best interest to "eradicate", so thousands of US bombing missions over Vietnam carried on into Laos. This "secret war" is something we was never aware of growing up in the US so it peaked our interest. Coincidentally, Laos is the most heavily bombed country on earth. Not all of the bombs dropped during the 10 year period exploded upon impact. There are still hundreds of malfunctioned US bombs buried beneath the surface, waiting to explode and ruin lives. It's a great tragedy that the people of Lao still have to deal with incidents created by these UXO's. The permanent exhibit at the COPE center is dedicated to explaining the ever-increasing impact of UXO's on the country (and region) today. They've supplied hundreds of prosthetic arms and legs for people who have had limbs lost due to random explosions. We watched a documentary, read about survivor's stories and even interacted with the devices. It's great work being done by this organization to not only help people that have been tragically affected by UXO's but raise awareness on the issue. Again, as an American, we were never taught about this side of our history, yet it directly involves us and the effects are still occurring today! Understanding the problem is crucial so we don't make similar mistakes in the future.

Transport between the 2 countries is an adventure in itself. The border process at the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge is confusing and corrupt. A Lao Visa costs $35 on arrival from Thailand, but they charged me $36 for some reason and refused to accept my $5 bill that had one slight tear in the end. If you pay in Thai Baht, the 30 day visa is 1500 baht or $48, so i saved $12 just by carrying greenbacks. You really have to swallow your pride in these situations and just go with the flow.

In the end, the Visa runs were successful in both instances and it was nice to get a glimpse into Lao culture. Vientiane is the most laid back capitol city I've ever been to and it's definitely an enjoyable place to spend a few days. We'll be heading back to Laos in a few months - this time in the Northern, more rustic (and beautiful?) part of the country.