Khaolak Resort Khao Lak

... been warned that in Viet Nam tourists can only take the pricier AC buses and locals won't pick up hitchhikers so tourists are forced to spend money. Many other travelers have complained that Viet Nam has the AC bus system down so well that it's almost impossible to get off the beaten track and see things that are not touristy (one of Greg and my favorite things to do!). We were leary that the same thing would happen Thailand but travelers we ...

... even found the lid of a water heater! All in all, the diving was absolutely fantastic, and even though we didn't get to swim with a whale shark again, we were so happy to have taken part and seen all the amazing things we did... diving is something we are both addicted to :) Many thanks to Lia for her wonderful photos - she was the photographer on the dive trip and took some amazing shots, that I have pinched here :)

... the first day only, we would again be summoned for our third dive at around three. On our return we would have fruit and a fried option (spring roll type thingies) before more free time on the boat. The only change came in the form of the last dive which were a night or sunset dive, which were always followed by an impressive supper. With such an abundance of food, we still always ate most of it, and very little ...

... buddha/shiva/brahma/vishnu/ganesh etc that the weird tendon thing clears up and maybe then i might have a chance to make it to ko phangan. heres the pics: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=1 08163&l=e1dc0&id=553535575 hopefully the next blog will be a little more light-hearted, i think its time for some good karma. ps i forgot to mention yesterday that i saw an iguana crossing the road yesterday which was very cool.

Hi, Well...... we planned to hop aboard a live-aboard for 3days and 2nights of diving around the Similian Islands. However, as we were leaving our bungalow to go to the dive centre, Becky stupidly, but accidently, trapped two of Luke's fingers in the door hinge. So instead of going to the dive centre, the hotel took us to the nearest health clinic to have them cleaned and dressed. Now his fingers must be water-free until the dressing is taken off (one was unbandaged this ...

... mats on a wooden floor with blankets for matresses. After dinner we sit around with the host family. They smoke big stogies with tobacco they have grown, rolled up in banana leaf paper. I take a puff. Pretty good. The night is really, cold and the sleeping bags we were given at the start of the trek are thin. It must have been about five degrees. We all freeze and no one really gets any sleep. Day ...

... have to go to the hospital by ourselves. I wasn't very happy with this arrangement as you can imagine, but I kind of pulled back from my harranguing when GL B nearly burst into tears. He'd helped carry me out after all, and GL A was sending him in to essentially do his dirty work because his English was marginally better and frankly I felt sorry for him all of a sudden. OK, we'd stay in the flea pit and we'd talk about things again in the ...

... they were supposed to is because the buses stop every 5 minutes to drop someone off at their front door. We'll be a few hundred meters from the bus station and it will take us fifteen minutes to actually get there b/c we're stopping every ten feet to let someone off...this is absolutely maddening. Can't these people walk? Needless to say riding the buses here is not a fun experience ...

... a laugh, I continued on my way home, only to hear a faint sound of crying after I had reached the bottom of the hill. Thai kids are fun, and cute, and all the other stuff you want kids to be. But they're absolutely scared to death of white people. So it's tough to get them to do anything except hide behind the kid next to them. But when you do crack that nut, it's a rewarding experience. Last week, at Phupaman National Park, a neighboring volunteer and I went to a camp for ...

... far in Thailand, made by a really nice guy and his mum, who was the wok master!). Itinerary decision: Lynda and I are off on the train--the ssssslllloooooowwwwwwwww (but cheap!) local version--to Phitsanulok, a city on a river north of here. It'll be our jumping off point to Mae Sot, on the western border with Myanmar/Burma, where I hope to visit with friends who are working there.