Bombay Behind the Scenes...

Mumbai (Bombay), India

August 20, 2007
N 18°57.250
E 072°48.667

Even though our friend Abbas was very busy with last minute party preparations, he still found time to drive us around and show us his city. He guided us around the Queen’s Necklace, the waterfront drive along the Arabian Sea. We strolled by the Gateway of India, enjoyed a glass of refreshing sugar cane juice at a famous location and browsed the many shops along the Colaba Causeway. However, on Monday, when Abbas had to return to work, we found ourselves on our own and plenty of Bombay left to see.

We planned to take a walking tour through the Colaba area and catch a few of the remaining sites; however, when we were approached by a man claiming to be a city guide offering a tour we thought we would take advantage of it. We jumped in a cab near the Gateway of India with a promise from our guide—to get us back by 2:00 PM for lunch with Zainab.

Our guide started the tour by taking us to see the Jain Temple which provided some excellent photo opportunities for Marc with its silver doors and intricate paintings. From there we headed to the Hanging Gardens where the majority of the city’s water is collected during the monsoon season. Next, we stopped at the Dhobi Ghat public laundry basins where over 200 people work to wash, dry, iron and fold laundry every day for smaller hotels, laundry shops and restaurants. The colorful hotel and restaurant uniforms blew in the wind as they hung to dry in the hot Bombay sun.

We then took a ride through the back alleys of Bombay; our guide explained that it’s an unfortunate but very real part of the city. It’s rumored over 3 million men, women and children, most unaccounted for by the government, live in shanties with tin roofs and tarpaulin canopies for protection from the sun and rain. Young girls with babies in their arms came up to our window, touching their fingers to their mouths, with a forlorn look on their faces. As always during our travels, we wanted to help, but know simply giving money will likely only sustain a lifetime of begging.

Before heading back to the ritzy Colaba area, we ventured through one of Bombay’s Red Light Districts. Several working ladies stood in doorways that led to make-shift rooms with probably little more than a bed based on their size. Our guide told us there are over 100,000 prostitutes in Mumbai. The shocking stat he shared with us is that 35-40% of the women are HIV positive.

We asked what India is doing about the HIV rate, but didn’t get a straight answer. However, he did confirm Bill Gates recently spent time in Mumbai and donated at least $100M to help with AIDS prevention. We hope more measures are put in place to reduce the rate of HIV and, more importantly, help protect the young ladies forced into the sex trade.

We thought about this sobering fact as we headed to Victoria Train Station to admire the beautiful architecture—it’s nearly a mirror image of the Victoria Station in London and helped move our thoughts away from the poor women and children in the streets.

After a three hour tour our guide returned us at exactly 2:00 to the Merchant’s for lunch— a tasty prawn curry, rice and salad. Making us realize how blessed we are for not only having food and shelter, but to have wonder friends to share a meal with.

We managed fine on our own for the day, but it is really great to have friends to show you around their city!

You Say it's Your Birthday...

Mumbai (Bombay), India

August 19, 2007

N 18°57.250

E 072°48.667

We landed in Mumbai around 10:00 PM local time on Friday night and immediately began seeing the sites of Bombay. Our friend, Abbas Merchant, whom we haven’t seen in six years, was patiently waiting for us at the airport and ready to show us a good time. After dropping off our backpacks at his home and meeting his wife Zainab we headed out to grab a bite to eat. We also talked about the big event scheduled for the following day, their daughter Sana’s 1st birthday party.

The planning for the party started two months ago; renting a hall, picking a theme and creating a guest list. A final invite list was whittled down to 150 guests, all receiving invitations customized with “The Little Mermaid” theme. Party gifts, chalkboards with “The Little Mermaid” and Nemo for younger kids and CD cases for older kids, were personalized for every child attending.

The cake was ordered, “The Little Mermaid” theme, of course, and color coordinated with the decorations in the hall for the evening. Styrofoam cut-outs of Nemo, Little Mermaid as well as hundreds of white, blue and green balloons added to the theme of the event. The stage was decorated with a blue background and cutouts of dolphins, seahorses, turtles, jellyfish and sea plants. A big sign read Happy Birthday Sana. There were plenty of events for the kids including caricature drawings, tattoos, games and a magic show. Everything was perfectly coordinated by the party planner with Zainab’s occasional assistance.

We arrived at the private Cricket Club at 8:00 PM, with the guest of honor herself, and made our grand entrance into the CK Nayudu Banquet Hall. The entire family, dressed in beautifully color coordinated outfits, greeted their guests as they arrived. By 8:30 PM the hall was teeming with grandparents, parents, friends, kids and nannies, all mingling and talking in groups, while sipping fresh watermelon or pineapple juice and munching on chicken sate or corn curd. Everyone treated us like family; welcoming us to India, introducing themselves and chatting with us throughout the evening.

The children were all very well behaved, especially as the night wore on; playing games, watching the magic show (which Marc participated in) and running about playing tag. After the scheduled entertainment concluded it was time to cut the cake! Sana cut the cake in a ceremony where everyone from the family took a bite from the eldest member of the family to the youngest, similar to a cake cutting in a wedding where the bride and groom feed each other.

After dinner it was close to 11:00 PM and most people called it a night. The party was an absolute success with fun had by everyone at all ages.

Marc and I were shocked by the size of the party, larger than many weddings at home, and definitely larger than our wedding. We were very happy to be a part of Sana’s birthday celebration and experience a special celebration in a different culture.

And the party just kept going…. On Sunday the entire family arrived at the Merchant household. This was Sana’s birthday according to their religious calendar; however, celebration begins at sundown the night prior.

Sana was dressed in a traditional birthday outfit for the religious ceremony with her family. All of the women were clad in traditional Indian dress of vibrant colors and meticulously placed sequins. They placed their scarves on their heads, placed a pinch of sugar to Sana, Zainab lips and one for themselves before they rotated foil wrapped coconuts clockwise in front of Sana; as everyone jubilantly sang and clapped “Happy Birthday” to Sana.

I took my turn with the coconuts before we all made our way to a traditional Indian meal at a local restaurant. The birthday celebration continued throughout brunch as everyone talked about how it seemed like just yesterday when Sana was born. The entire family was beaming with pride at the youngest member of their family.

The “official” birthday celebration ended shortly after lunch when everyone, pretty much in a food coma, was ready for a big long nap… except for the birthday girl, of course! Sana was still wired from all the stimulation over the past 24 hours from celebrating her first of many birthdays to come.

South East Asia Wrap-Up...

Vietnam:
Vietnam takes a little getting used to, especially during the sweltering hot summer. After landing at Hanoi International Airport we took the 45 minute drive into the Old Quarter of Hanoi, already dripping in sweat. A sea of scooters zigzagged around our van, some coming straight at us driving on the wrong side of the road; it was like a mad swarm of bees. After arriving in the Old Quarter, the scooters don’t let up, but the beauty and nuances of the city begin to sink in.

We traveled from North to South during our three weeks in Vietnam, starting in Hanoi and finishing in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). This itinerary gave us different perspectives of the government affiliations, the people, the climate and the food. It appears the North still believes in the changing communist government and the messages they broadcast over loud speakers throughout the city, but as we moved south we met people, who whispered and looked over their shoulders, as they discussed their dislike for the government and the need for more rapid change. There is a lot of hope in the country as policies gradually shift and relations with the USA and the EU improve.

Almost frantic construction could be seen in nearly every town; hotels, business complexes and housing. However, the building of much needed infrastructure appeared to be lagging far behind. Those who suffered most, stripped of their nationality and heritage, were always close in the background; they scrapped by, trying to make a living for their family; that is if they were lucky enough to have a family. Many of those who ended up in “re-education” camps after the war are too poor to support a family. The government won’t allow them to work, give them a place to live, and many scrape by on the streets of the large cities. A lot of these people were once teachers, doctors, or other professionals, but they made a mistake in the eyes of the government—they fought for freedom.

Overall, our experience in Vietnam was a positive one, with some definite highlights in terms of sites, shopping and food. The fact that we traveled as a family—Bob, Teddy, Elise, Marc and I—made it an experience that none of us will ever forget. As a family, we also gained the respect of the Vietnamese locals, who smiled brightly when they realized we were indeed a family.

We highly recommend starting in Hanoi and finishing in Saigon. The route still goes from crazy to crazier, but at least Hanoi gets you ready for what is to come in the insane streets of Saigon.

Cambodia:
After finally escaping the chaos of Saigon, we were happy to land in Siem Reap, Cambodia. The vibe in the tourist town was a lot different than in Saigon or other parts of Vietnam. There will still people pushing product, such as postcards, tuk-tuk rides, or tours, but they were more laid back, without the in-your-face approach.

Tourists come to Siem Reap for one reason—to see the great Ankor Wat. We explored several temples during our time in Siem Reap including Tomb Raider, but nothing really compares to the vast structure that is Ankor Wat. The architecture and detail is incredible and then to think the imposing structure was built over 800 years ago. It is truly an amazing feat and well worth the time in Siem Reap.

Cambodia as a whole still suffers from the monstrosities dealt by its government, led by Pohl Pot in the late 70s and early 80s. Millions of educated and outspoken people were killed during the communist regime; ultimately leaving the country full of farmers and laborers. The lasting effects can still be seen. Their desire for education is seriously curbed by the lack of teachers at both the elementary and university levels. Additionally, without doctors, infant mortality rates are between 6-8% and prevention and treatment for common diseases is nearly non-existent. Further, lacking scientists and engineers, the country suffers from inadequate infrastructure and scientific advances. There’s no one to build much needed bridges, roads and power plants or direct them with agriculture advances, food preservation and distribution techniques.

We were personally touched by the people in Cambodia clearly trying to rise and get their country back on track. They all seemed to have hope. However, the poverty was like nothing we’ve ever seen—even in India. We would have loved to have adopted at least one of the poor children if we could, but that really only solves a small part of the overall problem.

The country has a long way to go, but we can do our part by visiting, and making donations to legitimate organizations such as Red Cross, Land Mine eradication efforts, etc. I know we’ll go back—soon.

Laos:
As soon as we landed in Luang Prabang we knew we were in for something special. The people outside of the airport didn’t seem one bit interested in us, or where we were staying that night; we even had to ask for a taxi ride into town. In Vietnam, and even Cambodia, we had hoards of people waiting for us outside of the terminal to give us cheap accommodations, taxi rides, or great deals on an all inclusive tours.

We were shocked at how reserved the people in Laos were, but we absolutely loved it. Of course there were a few peddlers along the main street selling jewelry and other handicrafts, but you only had to tell them No, Thank You once and they would simply move on and leave us alone. When we were looking for a ride to the local waterfall we actually had to find our own tuk-tuk driver to drive us the 60KM to the crystal blue pools in the neighboring mountainside.

As we traveled outside of Luang Prabang to the more remote sections of Laos, we felt like we were by ourselves in nature. There were very few tourists, no cars, and no motor scooters. Many times the only mode of transportation was by boat, bicycle or walking. We also had a very special experience helping out Roger Vanderbeek, whom we met in South America; delivering money for school to his adopted family.

Overall, Laos was an incredible experience and will not soon be forgotten. We hope the country can retain its relaxed, rustic and innocent quality for years to come.

Thailand:
As soon as we crossed the river from Huay Xin, Laos to Thailand, we knew we were back into a commercialized society. There was only one bank (no ATM), on the Laos side, but on the Thailand side of the river there were ATMs at nearly every corner, it had 7-11s, Toyota dealerships, and Internet cafés throughout the town. It’s crazy how two countries within such so close proximity can be so different.

After relaxing for a few days in northern Thailand (Chiang Rei and Chiang Mai) we headed south to the beautiful beaches of Koh Phi Phi Don. The tropical setting was a perfect way to unwind after several months of constant travel. August is the rainy season in the South, but we lucked out and had perfect weather. The beaches of Thailand are gorgeous and the locals need tourism dollars as they are still recovering from the Tsunami of 2005.

After several nights on the island we spent a few days in Bangkok before leaving South East Asia. We’re still amazed how much the city has changed. Our last visit was in 2001 and we found the city to be dirty, difficult to get around, and, worst of all, the child prostitution was rampant. Now, there is an excellent public transportation system, the shanties that riddled the city are gone, and the government has done a lot to curb the child prostitution. There are signs everywhere discouraging sex tourists, and that sex with under aged children is still a crime and will not be tolerated. This doesn’t mean the sex industry has gone away completely. However, the sleazy guys in alleys offering young girls to you as walk past seem to be gone or at least hidden very well.

Top Sites in South East Asia:
Ankor Wat, Cambodia—Words cannot do justice to this awesome architectural feat. I am truly baffled as to why this wasn’t named one of the Seven Wonders of the World…it truly is amazing. Absolute MUST SEE!

Halong Bay, Vietnam—this is another must see on any itinerary to Vietnam. Located two hours north of Hanoi, the sea of over 2000 islands is spectacular. It’s a surreal experience as you sail between the dotted islands on a junk boat. Stay at least one night on the boat. As you wake up to the islands surrounding you in the morning, you won’t regret it.

Shopping and Food in Hoi An, Vietnam—This was one of my favorite stops in Vietnam. Not only can you get suits, dresses, and shoes custom made for you within 24 hours, but you can try some of the best food in Vietnam. The local specialties Cao Lau (special noodles with spicy pork) and White Rose (shrimp dumplings) can be found on almost every menu. However, the best meal was at Café de Amis where the menu rotates every night.

Koh Phi Phi Don, Thailand—this is a perfect place to relax and get away from everything. The remote island is accessible by ferry via Krabi and has some great beaches to work on the tan. The crowd can sometimes be a little young, and the bars tend to cater to the party scene. Try to stay at Bayside, which is at the end of the beach, and easy to escape whatever party—full moon, half moon, or backpackers—at Hippies. Make sure to catch at least one of the fire shows at the beach bars. Also, make sure to eat at Tuk’s BBQ along the waterfront. It’s definitely not fancy, just a few tables set-up along the ocean wall, but the BBQ chicken and corn is the best in town!

Northern Countryside of Laos—as we trekked through the rice paddies of northern Laos we were shocked at our calm and isolated surroundings. The only people we saw were locals as we walked through the village to find Roger’s adopted family. The experience of delivering the package made Laos special, but we were able to understand how Roger fell in love with this place.

Top Meals in South East Asia (in chronological order of visit):

Restaurant on Corner of Hang Buom and Hang Glay—Hanoi, Vietnam. We found this little place where the locals were eating—we had to try it. The restaurant is set out on the sidewalk where patrons sit on preschool sized plastic tables that disappear during the day. The kitchen was right on the street within sight where all of the meat was grilled. The place was so great we went back a second night.

Banh Mi—Hanoi, Vietnam. We had to walk in circles to find the sandwich maker on the streets of Hanoi, but when we finally found her we were ecstatic. The tasty grilled beef sandwiches, served on a fresh baguette, were glazed with a spicy sauce and topped with cucumbers and cilantro. Yum!

Mandarin Cafe—Hue, Vietnam. This restaurant recently moved to a larger location down the street. The building is slightly unfinished as the owner, Mr. Cu, plans to display his beautiful photography on the walls. There are books of photos that Mr. Cu has displayed in France and Italy. We even saw a few of his photos in Dalat.

Mermaid—Hoi An, Vietnam. We had a spicy beef pot that had the flavors I expected in Vietnam—they were incredible. It was almost like a curry and the sauce was excellent poured over a little rice.

Café de Amis—Hoi An, Vietnam. This restaurant had a fixed menu each night. We were able to order seafood, vegetarian or meat. Since there were five of us we were able to try all three!

Hong Phuc Restaurant—Hoi An, Vietnam. This place is known for its fish wrapped in banana leaves, which was incredible, but I really liked the spicy stir fried chicken. The blend of chilies, garlic, ginger and lemongrass was a nice blend on top of rice.

Hai’s—Hoi An, Vietnam. I was very comfortable at Hai’s from the moment we walked into the place. This was confirmed when I read the note on the menu, “No MSG and all vegetables are cleaned in purified water.” We didn’t have problems at any other places, but the note was refreshing. The chicken with rice was the best we had in Hoi An.

Lobster Street Side—Nha Trang, Vietnam. We had fabulous lobster grilled on the street with a tasty lime sauce. At 180,000 dong per Kilo the lobster was a real bargain. We sat on the street on the preschool table and chairs slurping every last bite of lobster out of the shell.

Pho 2000—Saigon, Vietnam. We only had what I consider to be excellent Pho in two places in Vietnam and this was one of them (the other was in a remote hillside village of Dalat). The simple, yet complex tasting, broth was exactly what I had been craving since arriving in Vietnam. It’s a large operation, but they’ve got the recipe perfect!

Chiang Rai Night Market—Chiang Rai, Thailand. This was the first place we had authentic, spicy Thai food. The food in restaurants was tamed down and catered more towards tourists than locals.

Cooking Class—Chiang Mai, Thailand. We learned how to cook up our own Tom Yum soup, green curry and spring rolls. Since we were cooking, we could spice it up to our liking—Yum!

Cabbages and Condoms—Bankgok, Thailand. We first visited this restaurant in 2001 and really enjoyed it. The tourists have definitely changed the food in this place, but if you ask for spicy they will fire it up for you, but you must insist. The garden setting is very nice with fans and misters running all the time.

Tuk’s BBQ—Koh Phi Phi Don, Thailand. This guy on the waterfront grills up some mean chicken and corn. We frequented this place at least three nights during our eight on the island. The price was right, the food was fresh and we enjoyed it every time.

Don’t Miss these Towns:
Hoi An, Vietnam
Dalat, Vietnam
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Luang Prabang, Laos
Koh Phi Phi Don Island, Thailand

Not Worth the Stop:
Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam—It is hard to say this historical city isn’t worth the stop, so check it out, but get out as soon as possible. The traffic, scooters and dense population make the place a madhouse. If you’re looking for the Saigon of old, where people meandered through the streets as women and men rode their bikes along side them, it doesn’t exist anymore. Saigon is now a major commercial city in a communist country frenetically fighting its way towards capitalism. If you stay too long it will either consume you or make you crazy… or both.

Udomxai, Laos—This is a passing point from Nong Kaiw to the Thailand border. The town sits in a small valley that is filled with smog. It’s best to keep moving through here without even one night in the smog filled town.

Best, and only, Brewery:
Le Louisiane. Nha Trang, Vietnam. This small little brewery is located right on the beach in Nah Trang. The microbrewery was a nice change from the typical lagers served throughout South East Asia.

Best Lodging:

Note: These are places we personally stayed. All prices are estimates at the time of our visit and are displayed in USD.

Also of note: Our accommodations varied throughout South East Asia. In Vietnam, we had a few beautiful rooms, especially in Hoi An, for no more than $25/night. In Laos, we averaged $4.82 during our twelve nights in the country. It would have been very difficult to spend more on a room in Laos if we tried. However, the rooms were sparse, some with an outhouse for a toilet and a tub of water for a bathing. It was all part of the experience.

Thanh Xuan. Hoi An, Vietnam. This beautiful hotel had a nice pool with a restaurant poolside. The stunning lobby with a miniature waterfall and Coy Pond would have been $300 in Hawaii, but the price was far less here. There was free internet in the lobby and Wi-Fi in the rooms. Double room: ~$18Bayside Resort. Koh Phi Phi Don, Thailand. Each bungalow has a view of the water from a private balcony. It is a perfect spot to enjoy a beer in the evening. The buffet breakfast is superb. Private Bungalow: ~$50

Millennium Hilton Bangkok. Bangkok, Thailand—This brand new hotel along the riverfront in Bangkok is well worth the money. Make sure to check out the rooftop bar with views of the entire city. Double room: ~$100+

Dreams Hotel. Dalat, Vietnam. We felt right at home at the Dreams hotel. The proprietor understands quality and expects her entire staff to adhere to her high quality standards. They do not push travel services, will tell you when something is too expensive, and are very professional. The staff gives straight advice to help the traveler save some money. Double room: ~$20

Wat’s Up? Guesthouse Siem Reap, Cambodia. This fairly new place was clean and only a short walk from the main part of town; right around the corner from the Golden Banana Guesthouse. The breakfast is descent and is served on top of the rooftop veranda. Double room: ~$20

American Dreamin'...

Bangkok, Thailand

August 17, 2007
N 13°43.165
E 100°31.552

After another day at the Indian Embassy we finally secured our visa for India. Nothing like cutting it close since our flight to Bombay is today. We decided to celebrate our new visas by heading up to the 31st floor of the Hilton for Happy Hour. Why not, especially since it is free, right?

Ascending in the elevator, we stopped at the 27th floor and on came Patrick and his friend, Janis. The previous evening we noticed Patrick and his American accent as we made our way back to our room. We had a brief “elevator conversation” and learned he too was traveling for an extended period of time and his friend Janis, from the Bay Area, was meeting him in Bangkok.

We grabbed a table overlooking the skyline of Bangkok and a few adult beverages and immediately started chatting about our travels and upcoming adventures. After a few minutes Christian, another American from Reno, Nevada joined us. He too is traveling for an extended period of time.

We all commented how rare it is to meet other Americans while traveling abroad. During our travels through South America and South East Asia we have met no more than a dozen Americans. Let alone Americans we consider “travelers”; people traveling for more than six months at a time. It’s even rarer to meet American backpackers and travelers at a swanky Hilton Happy Hour. Of course we were all using Hilton points, credits, and any other sorts of credit possible to avoid paying the exorbitant rates, and all of us were taking advantage of the free drinks, breakfasts and afternoon tea.

Our party then grew to six when yet one more American, Jenny, Christian’s travel partner, joined us. After making sure we all got our fill of free beverages, happy hour came to a close and the crew (all feeling very good now) decided to hit the streets of Bangkok. We wandered down to the pier, jumped on the hotel shuttle boat, crossed the river, and boarded the Sky Train. We found ourselves very close to the location where we enjoyed the woo-hoo show the previous night. Of course we continued drinking, trading stories, sharing dinner, and simply enjoying the company of other Americans.

Many may not understand how lonely it can be for American travelers today. Americans used to be warmly received in nearly any country. There used to be a sense of excitement when fellow travelers or locals discovered you were from the States. People wanted to talk to you and find out what it’s really like in the fabled land of America. Now it’s different; today the world’s perception of America is not a good, and it’s rare to receive a warm reception. Everyone seems to have an opinion about America; however, the majority of the people we meet have never set foot on American soil, or even took the time to have a proper conversation with an American.

A stereo-type has evolved over the past five years that all Americans are arrogant war mongers. And nearly all conversations ultimately lead to the war in Iraq and George W. Bush. No longer do people have sympathy for America and the heartbreaking events of September 11th. Now it seems America is feared, rather than revered.

This obviously makes it very difficult to engage in conversation with non-Americans. Occasionally we find travelers receptive to the idea that the majority of Americans are not fond of war and sincerely regret the tragic mistakes in Iraq. When we stumble upon these unique people we do our best to repair the damaged image of America; attempting to provide a fairly unbiased perspective on America and issues that we’re faced with in today’s world.

It was wonderful to finally meet a few American travelers, listen to familiar accents and stories and especially not have to discuss international politics. It was a nice ending to our perfect time in South East Asia.

Goodbye Bangkok, hello Bombay.

Back to Bangkok... (Rated PG13)

Bangkok, Thailand

August 15, 2007
N 13°43.165
E 100°31.552

Arriving in Bangkok for our second time in a fortnight we convinced ourselves that it would be easier to take the bus, again, even though or last experience left us both frustrated. The journey from the airport was pretty much the same, except this time we jumped off the bus as soon as we hit gridlock and boarded the overhead train the last 4 KMs to our hotel… at least that’s what we thought.

The oppressive Bangkok weather, nice and humid from the monsoon rains earlier in the day, had us drenched in sweat in a matter of minutes. We busted out for our last few nights in Bangkok and booked a stay at the Hilton. You would expect the Bangkok Hilton to be a large skyscraper and fairly easy to find, right? Wrong! Even though we had the address and the location for the Hilton on two maps, we quickly found ourselves to be running around like rats in a maze.

We walked in circles, up one side of the street and down the other, exhausted and searching, with no luck. Finally we stopped to ask a young traffic cop who pointed at a large white building… “Yes, Hilton, there Hilton.” That makes sense and off we went.

After another 20 minutes of stumbling through alleys, attempting to find an entrance to the large white building, we walked into the gold laden lobby of another hotel and asked for directions. I immediately knew we were not at the Hilton, but Marc asked the guy at the desk is this Hilton? “Yes, yes, Hilton”, was the response. I tried the same question with a lady at the reception desk, similar response…”Yes, this hotel.” Marc was now getting frustrated. Raising his voice he explained, “Yes, I know this is a hotel. Is this Hilton Hotel?” I was glad he paraphrased and didn’t say “Yes, I know this is a f’n hotel, but is this the f’n Hilton?”

Next he grabbed the concierge’s pen out of his hand and asked for a piece of paper. Acting like an uncouth American he quickly wrote word HILTON HOTEL and handed it to the bellboy. It appeared they finally understood, “Ahhhh, yes, yes, Hilton,” and pointed us across the street to a big blue building.

So off we went… smiling at the same Thai families that we now walked by four times, finishing their dinner at their plastic tables and chairs. Finally we found the big blue building. Shit… that place says Raffles International Hotel, but maybe it changed hands recently. We walked through the lobby and saw where “Hilton” had been scraped off the placards. Whew, this must be it; it’s the exact location on the map, maybe it’s now a Raffles.

When we approached the reception desk and asked if we were at the Hilton. The friendly woman at the desk gave us a wry smile and explained the Hilton move from the location 3 years ago. Oh great, we thought, now where is the g’damn Hilton. We pulled out our map from the new Bangkok International Airport and she told us, “No, bad map, bad map, old map”. Let me get this straight… Bangkok has a brand new international airport, but they distribute old, crappy, outdated, maps? Of course they do… why ask, why?

It was now around 4:20 PM, we landed at 1:05 PM, and we had to jump in a taxi to go across town in the middle of rush hour traffic. We were both very frustrated at this point, and to make it worse, Marc decided to remind me how we saved 200 Baht (or 6 dollars) by taking the bus, train, etc.; rather than a cab from the airport.

It took us another excruciating 40 minutes to travel the 10 KM, or 6.2 miles, across the city to our hotel. Both of us were now thoroughly drenched in sweat, hot, tired and very irritable. However, everything changed when we walked into the elegant, high ceiling, lobby of the Hilton. I whipped out my Hilton Honors Gold Member Card and we were immediately whisked away to the 31st floor for to a special check-in area, offered complimentary beverages and snacks, while they checked us into our room.

We tossed our gear in our room, showered and returned to the 31st floor to enjoy a free happy hour, sunset and the city lights. After a few glasses of wine (for me) and several glasses of scotch (for Marc), we decided Bangkok wasn’t so bad if this is where we stayed every time we visit!

------------------------------

After a month of Thai food, we were ready for a change in cuisine. After Happy Hour ended we set out to find a sushi restaurant in the middle of the city. We enjoyed some fresh tuna, yellow jack, and a few other varieties of fish we can’t get at home. Good, but still not better than the sushi from North Beach Sushi, one of our favorites in San Francisco.

As we wandered down the crowded streets, lined by young Thai women, searching for our sushi restaurant we received several offers for dance shows. After dinner we figured we would catch a show; a compare and contrast between our visit in 2001 vs. 2007. After brief negotiations regarding price, quality of show, and number of drinks, between Marc and a shady looking Thai man, we were swiftly led through several back alleys and a few main streets before climbing a narrow staircase into a dark dance hall with pounding music.

The women on stage were dancing in their bikinis; except for one. She had her bikini bottom removed from one leg and tied to her thigh on the other leg. She was “smoking” a cigarette out of her woo-hoo. Yes, her woo-hoo. Hmmm, does this type of smoking cause cancer?

We followed the shady character to a vacant table where three young ladies immediately started talking to us as in pidgin English as we watched their friends on stage do their thing. Being “fresh meat” in the club the women began to multiply around us, all looking for “tips.” Marc explained to the ladies (that now multiplied to 8) about the tips they would NOT receive. "No more tips, no more tips!" and everyone quickly disappeared into the darkness, with the exception of the two ladies that got to us first. The ladies that remained massaged our arms and legs and made small talk. We explained we were on our honeymoon and staying at a cheap hotel on Sukumvit… lies, all lies. Even though we might act like newlyweds at times.

The show continued on the stage with ladies blowing out birthday candles, blowing horns, shooting ping pong balls, bananas, and pulling flowers out… this was called pussy flowers. The ladies varied in shape and body type. There were only two women I would consider hot, while most looked like they just delivered a baby, rippled belly, stretch marks and all.

Nostalgically, Marc commented about the Bangkok of old, where the grand finale was a young lady with a blow-gun accurately hitting balloons on the ceiling with darts. Oh well, I guess you can’t have your birthday cake and eat it too.

After finishing our beers we headed out… we had seen enough and decided to navigate our way out of the labyrinth of alleyways and back to our hotel. I think we laughed the whole way home.

Back to the Real World...

Krabi, Thailand

August 13, 2007
N 08°03.753
E 098°55.091

We arrived back in Krabi today; we fly back to Bangkok tomorrow. After nine days on the island of Koh Phi Phi Don it was time to head back to a world with cars, tuk-tuks and pollution. We had a fantastic time snorkeling at different reefs, discovering remote beaches by hiking through the jungle and countryside, and simply relaxing on the sand.

As the week on Ko Phi Phi progressed we continued to explore the island in greater depth. It was like unpeeling an onion, the shoreline looked perfect and rebuilt, but as we ventured toward the middle of the island the devastation from the tsunami was still very obvious.

Rebuilding efforts continue as barges move in and out everyday; unloading massive amounts of construction materials and then immediately making their way back to the mainland to get more supplies. We can only imagine what the shoreline looked like months after the tsunami—barges must have lined every inch of devastated beach.

Our departure from Koh Phi Phi was bittersweet. Bitter since we had a wonderful time enjoying the mellow vibe and perfect weather on the island. However, when considering how much still lies ahead, we’re ready to start exploring again. In the short term, we’re traveling to India to see Abbas Merchant, our friend from the infamous NorthPoint Communications days, and a quick visit to the Taj Mahal. Then we’re off to Prague, a city that has intrigued us for years.

We’ll look back at our time on Koh Phi Phi Don very fondly and, of course, plan to visit again… maybe very soon.

Great Balls of Fire...

Koh Phi Phi Don, Thailand

August 10, 2007
N 07°44.128
E 098°46.795

Several of the bars on the island advertise nightly fire shows. We walked by a few, occasionally glancing, but never stopping to fully enjoy the artistic value until Friday night. We weren’t sure what all of the hype was about; however, we decided we couldn’t leave the island without seeing one of these performances.

Our favorite bar on the island is a place called Hippies. Each night they build a sand stage about 10 feet wide and 8 feet deep on the beach. The sand is packed and three pieces of plywood are set on top to provide a solid surface; creating a perfect raised area for the fire performers and inebriated 20’something tourists to dance on later in the evening.

Terraced steps lead down to the front of the stage; built out of sand bags, covered with straw mats, pillows and small wooden tables. Each table has a mini gas lantern to provide a little ambiance. White, plastic tables and chairs are scattered on the beach surrounding the stage; providing an excellent vantage point to watch the show as the cool tide rolls across the bare feet of the patrons.

A large bucket of fire sits on the stage, illuminating the sign announcing the nightly fire show at 11:00 PM. Tiki torches built out of bamboo and coconuts are strategically placed on the beach, marking the territory of Hippies bar. Inside the coconuts are bottles filled with gas and a gauze wick, kind of like a Molotov cocktail, providing a fire path to the main event. Luckily we haven’t seen any explode!

Driving music fills the air. Large speakers pump out 80’s rock, Bob Marley, as well as some of today’s current billboard hits. As the night grows old it seems the music gradually gets louder and louder until the bar reaches capacity. As it gets closer to show time, more and more people stumble into Hippies. The mats and the tables on the beach become prime real-estate, everyone looking for a place to sit so they can enjoy their beverages. The majority of the 20'somethings share Buckets (Vodka or Rum, Coke, Red Bull, and ice) with their friends. Feeling a little out of place we stuck with our trusty ice-cold Singha.

The show started with an amateur fire dancer. His coach sat on the side giving him tips as he threw the flaming baton high into the air. The crowd cheered for him even as the baton hit the ground and occasionally bounced into the crowd. There were a total of seven performers, including two women, who built on each other as they performed with batons and balls of fire on chains.

Each performer had a routine choreographed to their favorite song. As the driving beat of the music amplified, the pace of the baton twirling increased, occasionally catching the sweet smell of marijuana, fire flew through the air, orange trails creating patterns inciting the cheering crowd to order more Buckets. Marc found the women very sexy as they calmly twirled their balls of fire around the stage. Their calculated dance steps were flawless as the fire came within inches of their hair, legs and face.

At the end of the performance a hat was passed around for donations for the performers. We dropped 100 Baht in the hat for the artists who far exceeded our expectations. As we walked away, the crowd, with Buckets in hand, was spilling onto the stage, and we were happy to be moving away from the madness and into our swanky bungalow.

Yup, It's Paradise...

Koh Phi Phi Don, Thailand

August 8, 2007
N 07°44.128
E 098°46.795

Today is our fourth day on Koh Phi Phi Don and we’re literally enjoying every minute. That includes the running water, air conditioning, hot water, clean white sheets, ice-cold cheap beer, fine-grain white sand, the aqua blue Andaman Sea at an ideal temperature for swimming, a very relaxed vibe, and did I say ice-cold beer?

We’ve been relaxing a lot, enjoying beach time, and the beauty of the island. We wake up each morning, open our blinds and look out at the turquoise green water before making our way down to breakfast in the beach side restaurant. Our bungalow, with the excellent views, is definitely the nicest place we have stayed on our trip thus far.

Even though the beach in front of our place is very nice, there’s a small barge unloading gravel about 50 meters down shore (part of the tsunami reconstruction effort) that can get a little noisy. No big deal though… we’ve been simply hiking over the hill about 3 KM to the beautiful, white sand, Long Beach where we sit under a coconut tree to protect us from the sun—which has been shining every day!

The island is stunning. Covering the jagged sandstone mountains are lush green palms, hibiscus, and what appear to be giant ficus. Bungalows are terraced into the mountainside, giving every bungalow a nice view of the water. Koh Phi Phi, located in the middle of the Andaman Sea, was impacted by the tsunami that struck Thailand, Indonesia and other neighboring countries. Although, it appears the natural beauty of the island has made a full recovery, the man made structures have not fully recovered. Many of the bungalows have been re-built; however, many of the villages and non-tourist structures are still in disrepair.

Since this is the low season on the island (the summer is the rainy season) the place is a furry of activity. Barges with heavy construction equipment and materials float along the shore as trucks and bulldozers carry the goods to the actual construction sites. The islanders steadily re-build schools, tourist bungalows, villager’s homes, and restaurants before the tourists arrive in droves October-January.

As we walked through the main village there are entire streets that are still in shambles from the 30 foot wall of water that crashed on the shore. With that being said, it appears everyone is working together and the locals are doing well—the worst is hopefully behind them, with good times to come!

Notes: Marc got a shave from the local barber since the shower and faucet only dispense salt water (only drawback)… as Marc explained, shaving with salt water and no shaving cream is a recipe for a dermal disaster.

After three days of walking by the same little barber shop and the owner, a 20-something Thai kid, asking Marc if wanted a shave he finally succumbed. Marc was expecting a good ol’ straight razor shave, but instead the shave was like a facial hair style.

The air-conditioned shop reeked of beer and alcohol, but was otherwise clean. Marc sat down in a chair for his shave; what we thought would we be a short, efficient process began.

The 45 minute event started with Kid Barber preparing four brand new razor blades for his straight razor. Next he mixed a concoction of shaving cream, covered his face with a surgical mask, and began to apply the cream in striped sections on Marc’s beard. Kid Barber then asked Marc, “You like, OK, good?” Marc unsure what the hell Kid Barber was talking about just sat there looking confused. I expected to hear Marc say “no gracias”, but before he had a chance Kid Barber unfolded a page from a magazine. There was a picture of a very handsome, surfer-looking, man with a beard that had been sculpted into waves. Marc now understood, he chuckled, smiled and said no thanks. Initially Marc thought Kid Barber may have been joking. However, after a few minutes you could tell he was actually a little disappointed that he wasn’t going to be able to apply his artistry.

The meticulous shave continued and after several minutes it became clear Kid Barber was not going let the thick beard of this Westerner escape his blade without some artistic sculpting. Kid Barber shaved Marc’s ear hair, nose hair, neck line, clipped his eye brows, side burns and then finished off Marc’s beard. After finishing, he proudly smiled and called to his assistant in Thai. A young boy raced in from outside, gave Marc a big goofy smile, almost chuckling at Kid Barber’s new masterpiece, and then began applying the facial cream, after shave and ice-cold towels to Marc’s face. The assistant then gave Marc a brief shoulder, neck, arm, hand and face massage.

Kid Barber walked back inside after finishing his cigarette, carefully took Marc’s head and quickly snapped it to the right and then the left. The sound of Marc’s cervical vertebrae cracking filled the room.

“150 baht, thank you, please.” Marc paid Kid Barber, smiled, thanked him, shook his hand and just laughed all the way home.

Check Marc out modeling his new face-hair on our balcony!

Is This Paradise?

Koh Phi Phi Don, Thailand

August 5, 2007
N 07ฐ44.128
E 098ฐ46.795

The Star Guesthouse in Krabi was possibly the seediest place we’ve stayed during our trip. After wandering around the town for several hours, just wasting time to stay out of our room, we finally decided to call it an evening. We pulled out our sleep sheets, tossed them over what appeared to be blood stains and cigarette burns on the spongy mattress and took advantage of the free night—you get what you pay for, right? I didn’t sleep much… I couldn’t stop thinking about rats and cockroaches nibbling on my toes. Although we never saw any such vermin, I’m sure they were out there… lurking.

The hour and a half ferry ride to Ko Phi Phi was tough. The hyper air-conditioned cabin was felt like a meat locker, the sea was rough, and the chronic smell of diesel exhaust gave me a horrible headache. We were very happy when we saw the island in the distance, knowing we were close to fresh air and, most importantly, beach time

After jumping across the stern of two adjacent boats and onto the pier, we were welcomed with the typical chaos. However, to our surprise there was actually someone from the Bay View Hotel waiting for us. We grabbed our gear waded through the water and boarded a longboat to the hotel. The brochure described the deluxe bungalow with a view, but we weren’t expecting too much after reviewing several places on the internet. However, when we walked into our bungalow on the hill we were pleasantly surprised. The hardwood floors led us to the sliding wood and glass doors, opening to a beautiful veranda overlooking the bay. It was clean, had hot water, AC, TV and a clean bathroom. Luxury… perfect.

After organizing our room and grabbing a bite to eat we headed down to the beach. Our place has a private section on the beach with comfy lounge chairs. The weather was warm and overcast with a sun break every now and then. We relaxed, read our books, and waded into the water to cool off. However, since we are only seven degrees north of the equator, the water felt more like a lukewarm bath than a refreshing cool-down—it was still fabulous.

After a night in the worst, I think we ended up in one of the best. The gorgeous views, the beach, and the relaxed atmosphere make it a place I look forward to calling home for the next eight nights.

Oh Bangkok, Time Has Changed You...

Krabi, Thailand
August 4, 2007
N 08ฐ03.753
E 098ฐ55.091

Two steamy nights in Bangkok, two freezing hours at the over-air-conditioned Indian Embassy applying for visas, and two more glorious hours making changes to our Around the World ticket with a United Airlines ticket agent, we finally boarded a plane bound for the beach.

We’ve been land-locked for a couple months and looking forward to beach days for quite awhile… now we just need the weather to cooperate. Our intent was to take a boat directly to Ko Phi Phi Don as soon as we arrived. However, since we missed the last boat to the island by 45 minutes we found a cheap (and I mean cheap) place to stay the night. No need to go into graphic detail about the flophouse, but Marc was able to negotiate a deal with the woman "managing" the dwelling for a free night since we booked tomorrow’s boat to the island and accommodations on the island through her. Even though it’s a free night’s lodging, I feel like we should be getting paid to stay here… anyway, we’ll be off to Ko Phi Phi tomorrow.

----------------------

While we were on the plane today we discussed our time in Bangkok and how much the city has changed since our last visit in 2001. The city is still a madhouse, of heat, humidity, smog and 9 million people (thank goodness their small). However, it appears everyone driving a scooter or tuk-tuk back in 2001 traded them in for a brand new car. The days of scooters and tuk-tuks swarming through the streets like insane schools of fish are gone (they must have moved to Saigon!). The scooters that remain sometimes use the sidewalk to get out of the mess of cars clogging the streets, terrorizing the pedestrians who actually use the sidewalks to walk!

All the cars on the road are new and there are a lot of them! The traffic moving through downtown is some of the worse we have ever seen—complete and total gridlock. People sit in the luxury of their new air-conditioned automobiles… and sit and sit and sit. For example, when we arrived in Bangkok our bus from the airport sat through three light cycles without moving… it did not move an inch! We finally got out and walked the remaining 4 KM to our hotel. About 40 minutes later, as we walked through the front door of our hotel, we looked over our shoulders and our bus was only meters behind us.

No one seems to be smiling as their sit in their new cars; they just look forward or talk on their phones, not honking their horns or pounding their steering wheels in frustration, just sitting, staring – almost catatonic. We wondered if this is what they imagined their lives to be like when they bought their new cars. Are they happier now sitting in the solitude of their $25,000.00 cocoons? If so, it sure doesn’t look like it.

The increase in traffic might have been a negative, but Marc was pleased we could enjoy an icy cold Singha in near silence. It’s strange, since scooters are now an endangered species, the honking and beeping of horns is almost non-existent… almost eerily quiet as compared to our last visit.

Another added bonus is the sex trade seems to have simmered down. There are still young Thai women walking the streets and gathering in bars looking for work. However, their numbers have decreased and the remaining girls are not nearly as aggressive as in 2001. I can actually go to the restroom and leave Marc alone without him feeling like he’s going to be accosted by a team of women all promising him the best time of his life. This is probably the result of better financial times for all of Bangkok.

Bangkok has really grown up since our last visit. A huge construction and technology boom has brought large, high-end shopping malls (equipped with water slides and IMAX Theatres), office buildings, several swanky hotels, and restaurants touting top-end international cuisine. However, intermingled with every high-rise and shopping mall you still find shantytowns, and extreme poverty. For many it appears to be a better, brighter Bangkok, but for those who never caught the tail of this roaring tiger it remains the Bangkok of old and most likely a bleak future.