TravelStream™ news feed for member rn0556 on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/rn0556 en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Thu, 10 Jul 2008 10:46:24 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rn0556/1/1215683820/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rn0556/1/1215683820/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rn0556/1/1215683820/tpod.html Thu, 10 Jul 2008 10:46:24 -0400 Thailand

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Chaing Rai, Thailand

Day 6

We left Bangkok early to get to Don Mueang Airport. This is the airport used for domestic travel within Thailand. We were terrible; we went straight for the Burger King Egg sandwich. Our flight was little over an hour. The scenery from the air was farm land, mountains. We landed and met our guide; our first destination was the monkey cave. This was a long steep mountain with lots of rocks, and a stone stair leading to a cave. We were worried that the monkeys could get very aggressive so we decided to trek the mountain without the food. Probably a good idea. From the ground we saw some monkeys high in the trees but we didn't see any on our climb up. At the bottom of the mountain there was a pond with carp, which we fed. We passed one group on the way up the stairs that were coming down and they assured us that the cave was close and that it was worth it to continue. It was very pretty inside the cave, I think we have some pictures. At the top of the cave it started to rain heavily.

Our next stop was the Myanmar boarder you could easily walk across but we decided to have lunch at the boarder town and walk around the markets on the Thailand side this was the only time we really were approached by aggressive sales people mostly the people selling sun glasses. There were sun glass, pocketbooks, hats, many different types of nuts and fruit.

Our next desist nation was the golden triangle known for its opium trade. The farm land here is rice fields, rubber trees and corn field. We passed two boarder stops to check for drugs and immigrants. We stopped at the village of Ban Sop Rauk, which was known to be the center of the opium traffic. We stopped at the large golden Buddha. The area of the triangle is very pretty with the Mae Kong River and the mountains as a back drop. The opium museum was interesting they showed how the opium crop was harvested, and the various myths on how opium plants began, and items used to cook and smoke the opium. After walking around the museum we went towards the large golden budda and took a smaller version of the long tail that we had been on in Bangkok, we drove toward the myamar boarder and we landed on the Laos boarder an area called Done Xas, Not much more than a little market for wares but the items were different then we saw before. A lot of hand carved items and whiskey with snake and scorpions in it. The tourist was a bit much, rudely trying to barging their way out of a three dollar necklace.

We returned to Chaing Rai for the night, we were both hungry so was got a map and had found a spot recommended in the tour book near the clock tower, we never made it we passed this Italian yes I said Italian restaurant that smelled too good not to stop and there was a little dining area with air conditioning for us tourist. The bread sticks were homemade and delicious, the antipasto was ok a second thought we should of forgone this choice, but pizza was excellent , thin crust no sauce just the way Michael and I liked it, We were so happy with the main course we tried dessert, apple, nut pie and vanilla ice cream. The crust was flat, with cashews and raisins; the ice cream was actually an ice cream cake but good. We had no internet so we have to wait to send this with the pictures. Bye
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rn0556/1/1215227460/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rn0556/1/1215227460/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rn0556/1/1215227460/tpod.html Fri, 04 Jul 2008 23:26:34 -0400 Thailand

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Bangkok, Thailand

Day 3,
Long tail boat ride to the temple and through the cannels, we started with a trip down the main river Chao Phraya River. There are many vendor looking to sell trips on the river all seem to be the same price but all did not have an English speaking guide which explained a lot about the culture of the people. These boats are amazing and fast they are skinny and long will try to get some pictures of them for you to see . The river is very busy and there are alto of boat traffic not only long boats but barges and boats used are ferries to get the people across the river, otherwise you need to climb alto of stair and walk across the bridge. The main stop was Wat Arun Rajwararam, The Temple of Dawn, It is an amazing temple that was dedicated to the 2nd reign of Chakkri Dynasty. It has many steep stairs, I made up one landing, Michael was braver and continued up. After visiting the temple we took a tour of the cannels on our long boat, during one stop local came up to the boat to sell items, most items are under $10.00 and they are not unique alot of the vendors sell the same things. We saw alot of local people fishing in the cannels from their homes or docks . Most of the docks are weathered and are rotting-out. These channels are protected by locks in case of flooding from the main river. And this trip which was about 2 hours We decided to go back and finish at the Aquarium.. Haven't yet acquired a taste for the local fair. Tomorrow we are going to go to the weekend market which is supposed to be very large. bye
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rn0556/1/1215227280/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rn0556/1/1215227280/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rn0556/1/1215227280/tpod.html Fri, 04 Jul 2008 23:10:33 -0400 Thailand

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Bangkok, Thailand

Day 2

We were still becoming oriented so we went back to the Parragon only this time we took the sky train, clean, with security at every entrance. The aquarium we very nice it is call Siam Ocean World, the best part was the tunnel, you actually walk through a glass tube and the fish swim around you. You also rode on a glass bottom boat with an English speaking guide, the last part of the aquarium was a 3D movie, but the power went out and we got tickets for another day. While at the mall there was a large electronic exhibit with all the new electronic and an amazing photo exhibit.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rn0556/1/1215226920/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rn0556/1/1215226920/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rn0556/1/1215226920/tpod.html Fri, 04 Jul 2008 23:06:37 -0400 Thailand

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Bangkok, Thailand

Hi we arrived in Bangkok early on Wednesday morning. Michael had it all figured out, he was going to sleep the entire trip and then he would't have jet lag. Well he did sleep the entire trip but not sure about avoiding the jet lag. After the long trip and on and off sleep was not able to sleep in the morning. So I tried to orientate myself with the city. Michael and I took off on foot. Streets are very crowded many motorcycles with some people wearing surgical masks. Many street vendors selling food. I had been advised not to try the street vendor food and I can see why, no sanitation and no refrigeration. Dog also roam freely. The people are polite and friendly. If you get off the beaten path communication is a problem. Michael wanted to sleep so I ventured off on my own. I had read enough of the travel books (I had two Thailand , Fodor's and See it Thailand also by Fodor's. The See it book had more pictures which were good for orientation but the other book really gave more factual information. I decided to go to the big mall mentioned Saim Parrigon. I took a cab; the mall was huge 6 floors, clean, with security everywhere. You needed to pass through a metal detector to get it. On the bottom floor is an Aquarium said to be the largest in Asia and the top floor housed a convention center and movie theater including an IMAX. Sleep was now the order of the day.
bye for now still trying to figure out how to get the pictures load
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rn0556/1/1214747340/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rn0556/1/1214747340/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rn0556/1/1214747340/tpod.html Tue, 01 Jul 2008 05:17:04 -0400 Thailand

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Port Charlotte, Florida, United States

Hi all, thank you all for sharing our adventure with us. Here I am packing, getting all items secured outdoors, thinking that I am forgetting something. Needed to shop last night for power adapters, call bank about travel to Thailand so that my ATM card would work. This morning I received an email from Delta letting me check-in on line and print my boarding pass. Boy do things change. So here is the travel scoop. We leave from Fort Myers at 7:40 in the morning tomorrow Monday. Then 11:20 from Atlanta to Seoul, South Korea we arrive there at 3:10 on the 1st. We leave for Bangkok at 8:25 and arrive on the 1st at 11:55pm local time. (bloggers rule) We are in Korea now waiting for the connecting flight to Thailand. The flight here was 14 hours, Michael thinks he has jet-lag beat . He pulled an all nighter and then slept the entire trip. we will see how he does tomorrow.. this is michael and rose signing off from Seoul Korea.
]]>