Koh Kheaw 40 Chaweng

... rubber tree need about 5 years to grow before it is ready to be harvested. The farmers around here made some good income last year when the commodities prices are going sky high. But this year, it is quite unstable, but they said they will live just like any other ressesion. 

Life here is simple. People grow their own vegetables, fruits, and live stocks. So, the large part of money they got from selling the rubber can go into their saving for ...

... from all different places! 4 days later I left Koh Phangan to meet mum at the airport in Koh Samui..unfortunately her flight had been moved earlier and no one had called from the airline (they were supposed to!) so I eventually found her and our lift hadn't arrived! A taxi later we arrived at our bungalow on our quiet bay..it was very peaceful and beautiful! We had our yoga lessons start the next day with Mike, we were taken to his bungalow with no air con so got pretty sweaty ...

... So now she has to keep her leg straight for a week without a splint which is not too cool and Helen is very fragile and has to redress her gigantic grazes which are all over her body daily. So overall, mopeds probably weren't a good idea and I know I will never be getting on one again! but joe will apparently :S but definately not if I can help it. But the accident could have been much worse i suppose so we have to be thankful for that. Sawasdee kaa for now :)

... overlooking the beach -wonderful, the candle lit tables - beautiful. It was an absolute shame that the Thai food they served us was very average at the best. For example, the dessert was a deep fried banana which could have been substituted for a hammer, it was that solid. To be fair, we never ate from the Western menu so there is some hope for them. The following night we ate at a little local restaurant, directly across the road from Poppies, 1/4 of ...

We caught a bus, another bus and then a boat to Ko Samet - the second leg of our much needed two week holiday! When we arrived it was raining and it just got heavier and heavier whilst we were looking for the beach we wanted to stay at. Eventually we found somewhere to stay - a nice bunglaow right on the beach and at ...

... they were the ones that didnt get any 'bookings' that night and were left to hang around the bars. The lads can tell you better themselves about how and where snooker cues went and the one liners that were thrown back and forth between each other...funny stuff. Thankfully they didnt come home with lipstick on their collars ;) The end of the island hopping for south Thailand and back up towards Bangkok for shopping and madness...

... I must say that it bothers me that I can't hand him a marker. I am not unclean. I do not want to engage in an elicit affair. I just want to get through my lesson. But I respect their rules. I am afraid that the feminist in me doesn't like it. After this little dance the Monks loved me. They gave me a long Wai after the lesson. And now they all say hello to me. I finally attached some pictures. Aloy Mak Mai Amber

Saturday I packed my bags and sold my bike..Katie and I headed to the big city of Bangkok in hope to find a new beginnings and a job! . Sunday We decided that we were going to take sometime off from worrying about what is next. We wanted to enjoy the fact that we just finish a course, which was a lot of hard work. Since it was Katie's first time in Bangkok we thought we would see the sights. We were getting ready to try and figure out what to see and where to go ...

... were told that the remaining five obstacles were closed down. Apparently the flamethrower evasion drill was closed for repairs. The camp's success remains to be seen in that the future village trainings are really our measure of effectiveness. Hopefully the student leaders picked up enough during the three days to help their friends understand AIDS and feel more comfortable about sex education in general. The training itself was similar to what students would ...

... rain. And then they'll go out and plant the rice fields every year for the rest of their lives. Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one watching this crazy circus around us. Or maybe just the only one that hasn't seen it before. Needless to say, I want the best for the people of my village. I'm hoping above all else, on the day that all Thais are required by law to vote, that their hopes are realized without a military coup. And of course, that the election office is air-conditioned.