Koh Tao View Cliff Resort Ko Tao

... tried to tell us that we "damaged" the bike (which we absolutely had not) and attempted to make us pay some ridiculous amount of money to him, about $60, which is a lot being in Thailand. Unfortunately for me, he had my passport, which I should not have given him, as collateral. When we both refused to pay and said we were going to go to the police, he didn't budge, because the police here are as crooked as he is. Then I swore at him for like 30 minutes ...

... Tai.<br><br>We killed some time and then went to the nearest supermarket to stock up on beverages (40Thb for a large Chang and 85Thb for 35% vol Hong Thong thai whiskey) and then proceeded to consume it back at the hostel with our newly acquired acquaintance, Lenny. We met several other people as we gradually became more drunk; Eric and JJ (from Chile in SOUTH america!), Mike (from Germany) and Julien (from France). We got the taxi into the jungle, where the ...

... you can't miss it.<br><br>To have real Thai food I recommend a road, yes a whole road! Doesn't make sense does it? Maybe I can help. Sairee has a crossroads where the road from Mae Haad comes in. This is a pivotal juncture, for (coming from Mae Haad) a left goes to the beach, straight goes toward more resorts and rolling nothingness (worth exploring), and a right turn (this is important) goes on a road where an interesting little subculture has evolved. When you take this right and walk 100 ...

... bike we climbed a series of narrow stone steps passing through the thick jungle-like interior of the island, the mosquitoes and fire ants glorying in our struggle. At the top we found a huge vertical rock and built into the sign a small little gold pointed temple thing that we surmised was the pagoda. None of the signs were in English so we snapped a few pictures and then headed back down, only slightly more enlightened then before. <br><br ...

... art. While were all going about our oh so busy and important lives, what with schoolwork, friends, sports, and music, we don't even comprehend that there are people calmly sitting at a workbench just using the tiniest brush to patiently paint the face of a little clay figurine. This is how their days are spent. I'm not a patient person, but I imagine there must be a satisfying feeling to look at a painting or chandelier and knowing that it was you who created it. Maybe that's ...

... it was. We got home fully drenched. It was completely worth it just to see what people here do on a normal Sunday morning. It was pretty fun.<br> I'm still adjusting to life here, which is a lot more relaxed without the amount of schoolwork and activities there were in America. I don't have much schoolwork because I don't speak Thai, otherwise I'm sure it would be much different. Lunch everyday is a choice between noodles and ...

... like the famous Ankor Wat temple in Cambodia, and having arrived at the crack of dawn, I was the first to many sights.<br>In fact, I enjoyed my arrival by train, as the sun rose at 7am. The overnight train (having felt again just like being in a washing machine, being jarred forwards and backwards on the upper birth to every movement of the train) left me literally on the ...

... these countries and their people. Now, the lectures and reports in my ASEAN class for my Masters in International Studies many years back were coming back to me. With this trip, I could now translate the concepts into reality. I should have finished that course. Tsk, tsk, tsk.<br><br>In my succeeding entries, let me tell you the beauty each city I recently visited has offered me and my friends. Just hang in there and watch out for more.

... which was...have someone report a missing diver. Get information about the diver's last known location, air, bottom composition (etc..) and then assign people specific jobs (set up O2, call EMS, be spotters on the surface and gear up to go search with you). Then we had to apply a search pattern we had learned, find the diver, surface the diver and then perform rescue breaths while towing the diver back to the boat WHILE removing your equipment and theirs. Then the ...

... were not accustomed to traveling Thai style. Sitting on the floor in proper posture for an hour while a monk gives a talk in Thai language, or eating unidentifiable food at shady looking Thai restaurants can be a little much for some. I'm used to it now. We arrived at the temple at about 6:00 and found the monk working about inside. We were told that this monk went 6 days without eating, drinking or sleeping. He locked ...