Trekking in Sapa

I hardly slept on the 9-hour ride to Sapa last Sunday evening. I was just not used to the rocking of the train, while I would have an easier time if I were on a bus. I had a throbbing headache when I reached Lao Cai, where the train station is, and from there we still drove for 1.5 hours to Sapa.

As I was booked in a package, I was immediately whisked to this garish 2-star hotel with a majestic view of the mountains. Just a note on taking some package for a trip: I had to eat at the hotel for all my meals (which were all underwhelming) and I was restricted with my choice of activities as the tours were also included in the package. Anyhoot, I was there already, what choice did I have? In fairness to the hotel, it was not bad at all, despite it's tawdry decor, which I realized was the in thing for most Sapa hotels (in fact, some had worse sense of style).

Since the morning schedule was free, I took the time to take a long nap, nuzzling under the blanket coz the temperature was just really, really cold. Just before lunch, I went around Sapa's markets where most of the hill tribe people converge to sell their fabrics, dried herbs, etc. By this time, I was freaking cold already so I decided to have coffee on a shop that had a wonderful view-point of the terraces.

In the afternoon, the hotel provided me with a guide who took me to Cat Cat Village of the H'mong tribe. (The guide has his own camera BTW, which I borrowed from him, hence the camwhoring.) Tall mountains served as a backdrop to our hike down, with small rice terraces surrounding us as well. The guide told me that looming right above us is Vietnam's tallest mountain, which unfortunately was shrouded in heavy clouds.

Along the trek, we met old ladies of the hill tribes wearing their heavily embroidered costumes. The trek also brought us to a small waterfalls. From there, it was a steep and muddy climb back to Sapa. Ugh, I did not expect mud at all! I don't care so much for them unless they're on my face but certainly not when they're on my sole.

Today, I caught the sight of Sapa draped in the early morning mist. The trek was a total of 10 kilometers. Oh dear, the guide did not have any idea how I abhor trekking. But then, I was already there. The trek took us to more majestic views of the terraces, reminding me of my trip to Banaue. (The rice terraces in Sapa are definitely less grander than that of Banaue though.) Valleys of terraces stretched before us and behind the mist the paddies glisten in the early morning light.

A few hill-tribe people walked along us. They were very friendly and I was asked several times what my age is and whether I am married or not (can't they see GAY tattooed on my forehead?). They loved plucking flowers and ferns in the hill-sides and they wove these into wreathes that they gave to me. That was really, really nice.

For lunch, we sat on the big rocks that surround a small river. We had baguette and some eggs, cheese, tomato, and cucumber. I ate them separately, except the tomato and cucumber, which I both hate. I realized that we were supposed to make sandwiches out of them when the tour guides did theirs right on the rocks.

After lunch, we hopped on some rocks to cross a couple of rivers and reached the village of the hill tribe people. Quite a number of tourists were around and I was uncomfortable with the idea that we were swarming their village to see how they live. Doesn't that remind you of an African Safari?

I'm back in Lao Cai now, half an hour before my train ride to Hanoi. Tomorrow evening, I'm on my way to Hue.

Wandering in Hanoi

I have one free day to go around Hanoi before I take the night train to Sapa. I decided to just slow down today, and devoted my morning on sleeping, watching TV, and packng my stuff. At 11 am I checked out of the hostel.

Sunday in the city does not mellow it down; it's the same vibrancy and chaos, qualities of Hanoi that has pretty much suited me quite well.

My first stop for the day was the Hanoi Hilton, or the Hoa Lo Prison. It was established by the French to mostly house Vietnamese insurgents. The museum is a thought-provoking glimpse of the harrowing experience of the Vietnamese prisoners who suffered under the hands of the French. After their liberation from the French, it was converted by the Vietnamese into a prison for American soldiers that they caught. On display are John McCain's (spelling?) flight suit when he was captured by the Vietnamese and pictures of him visiting the museum in 2000.

From the prison, I wandered around the wide streets of the area south of Hoan Kiem Lake, passing by a few embassies, including the Philippines'. Photos were not allowed. More wide streets later, I stumbled into numerous magnificent colonial buildings, some of which I did not bother to know their names. Basta they were wonderful! The most striking was the Hanoi Opera House, which could've fit perfectly in Paris.

(1) Hanoi Opera House; (2) Some random building, an example of the beautiful architecture in Hanoi.

I dropped by the Museum of National History, a truly remarkable east-meets-west landmark.

More aimless wandering led me to some tree-shaded parks, which I realized were all over the city. I am truly in love with how they decided to keep the city's trees despite urban growth.

The cool, cloudy weather was just perfect to be outside. I decided to sit in an outdoor cafe, read a book in between watching the traffic crawl. The residents of Hanoi are very serious about their coffee shops. Hundreds can be found scattered all over the city, and they're mostly brimming with people chatting, smoking, or just people watching. This is exactly my kind of thing, isn't it?

Hoan Kiem Lake was beautiful on a Sunday afternoon, attracting a large number of families, lovers, and tourists.

Later in the afternoon, I negotiated my way through the mayhem of the Old Quarter where I eventually ended up in a small restaurant for dinner.

Visiting the Perfume Pagoda

Two hours from Hanoi is the Perfume Pagoda, where I went on a day-trip today. I slept through most of the drive, waking up occasionally to take a glimpse of the verdant countryside. Green fields of rice stretched on both sides of the road and ducks waded in the shallow paddies. Far into the horizon, rising from the mist, were the gigantic karst cliffs, our destination for the day.

When we reached the river, the tour group of roughly 13 people, a mix of both Vietnamese and foreign tourists, boarded a small boat made of steel or some metal.We sat on tiny benches with little leg room. Two women, positioned on both ends, rowed the boat. Thanks to the overcast sky, there was a cool breeze as we enjoyed the one-hour ride along the small and shallow river. The placid waterway was flanked by dramatic, ragged cliffs.

We dropped by a couple of pagodas along the way. These were full of Vietnamese worshipers who were offering food, incense, and money to the gods.

To visit the Perfume Pagoda, we climbed a steep set of steps for roughly 30 minutes. Thanks to my smoking habit, breathing was totally difficult. I thought my heart was going to pop out and I'd simply drop dead in the middle of the winding steps. Finally, we reached an enormous cave that was decked by a number of grottoes. The scent of incense pervaded the cave.

As I was not up for a hike down the bleeding mountain, I opted to ride the cable car. It was actually my first time to ride a cable car, although this one was only 10 minutes (punyeta, walang cable car sa Surigao, ok?). The view was mostly more karst cliffs.

The return trip on the river was very calming. The oars dipping in the water and the passing birds were the only sound we could hear. The cold breeze gently sweeping our weary bodies and the panorama of the blue cliffs rising in the distance were perfect to end the day.

Tonight, I walked around the crowded streets of the Old Quarter. I found a restaurant that served Vietnamese food, and just like the past days I've been here, I find the food extremely bland. I can't believe I'd say this one day, but honestly, I'm missing Thai food already!

Tomorrow, I'd continue my city tour of Hanoi and in the evening I'd take the night train to the mountain town of Sapa.

Cruising Ha Long Bay

I just arrived at the hotel from my overnight cruise trip to Ha Long Bay. Of course, the place did not disappoint. Hundreds of islets stretch as far as the eyes can see. The rocks/islets look ethereal as they rise from the water like an army of rocks surrounding you.

Gazilions of ships, of various sizes and shapes, ply the waters of the enormous bay, ferrying tourists around the tall karst cliffs and islets that dot the area. Yesterday was overcast and definitely cold. But that did not stop me from enjoying the view from the top of the boat, which I shared with 13 other tourists.

We stopped by the humongous Surprise Cave; went kayaking and paddled my self under a partially-submerged cave; and swam in the freezing water. Thanks to the limited power of my camera battery, I have no pictures of these activities. Ugh.

I was assigned a room in the boat, which was surprisingly cozy, and with a tiny bathroom to boot. The facilities of the boat were quite all right, all these for only $39. The food was awful though.

In the evening, we were marooned in a small bay surrounded by majestic cliffs, with the other tourist boats floating nearby (and I mean there were more than two dozens junks all around). I swapped travel stories with the other tourists while we sipped beer. Because there was nothing much to do, I went to bed early, making sure that the window was open. In the course of the evening, the view from the window shifted as the changing tide continuously rotated boat.

Good Morning Hanoi!

Ugh. This trip started so horribly. As I did not decide to check in my luggage, my Cetaphil and body wash were confiscated at the airport. Is it my fault if I bring a liter of Cetahphil? And apparently, any liquid that's more than 100 ml is not allowed for carry-on bags. Fine, I'm tanga. I did not not know that the no-liquid rule still applies until now noh! Pout.

To top it all, I realized that I left my camera battery charger at home. What can be worse than that?! Arrrrgh!!! I doubt if my battery would last for two weeks, so it's major camwhoring restraint for me. Pout even more.

I changed $150 dollars when arrived at the Hanoi the airport and I was given back more than 2 million doung. Now I can truly consider my self a millionaire!

It was raining when I arrived in Hanoi. My balls shrank because of the cold.

My guest house is located in this charming and relatively quiet street a few blocks north of Ho Kiem Lake, the main tourist area. A winding set of stairs lead to my $8-a-night room on the fifth floor room, which is large enough for three people.

Last night I walked around the vibrant and tree-lined streets of the Old Quarter, with a light drizzle making the evening colder. Hundreds of motorbikes swerve like crazy in the narrow streets of Hanoi. While there are ample sidewalks, motorbikes are parked on them, giving no choice to the pedestrian but to walk on the street while continuously in danger of being swept by a speeding motorbike.

Today the rain stopped but the cold remains and the sky is cloudy the entire day (hello SPF 50?). Just like any decent tourist, I had to pay my respects to Uncle Ho who rests in a massive marble mausoleum. Ho Chi Minh's body is encased in a glass coffin that hundreds of people line up to marvel at. I hardly paid any attention to the corpse at all coz those hot guards were more captivating.

I also stopped by the Army Museum. Spread around the complex are a number of fighter planes, helicopters, and tanks that were captured by the Vietnamese Army during the Vietnam War. Displayed inside the museum are war memorabilia such as photographs, water canisters, helmets, spikes, cars, flags, uniforms, and of course war weapons that were used by the Vietnamese during the resistance movements against the French and the Americans. It was really depressing to take a glimpse of these violent, but pivotal, periods of Vietnamese history. However, you have to give it to the Vietnamese who used ingenuity and persistence in winning the wars against two very powerful countries.

My next stop was the Fine Arts Museum (this was pretty much the highlight of my day), covering samples of work from the pre-historic to the contemporary periods. I was totally awed by the diversity of the styles used in Vietnamese art. One section showcases paintings using lacquer. The colors just pop out and the lines are more solid. In another section, paintings done on silk are softer and the colors are muted. Lovely contrasts!

Most paintings depict the daily lives of the peasants and some subjects are related to war. I especially love the portraits of women. If anything, Vietnamese painters really know how to do fierce! Judging from the rich variety of styles used by painters in the past, their legacy of art in Vietnam continues, making the country one of Asia's art powerhouses. Oh, any art lover would die at the vibrancy of Hanoi's art galleries that are scattered all over the city.

Shortly after lunch, I stopped at the Temple of Literature, probably Hanoi's premiere pagoda.

After sitting in one of the Old Quarter's many coffee shops to ogle at people, I watched Hanoi's famed water puppet theater. There are like six shows a day and they're all packed. Some tourists have to book days in advance to catch a show and today I was just lucky. What do I have to say about the deft puppetry done on water (obviously)? I was smiling the whole time!

I allowed my self to get lost in the twisted streets of the Old Quarter on my way back to the hotel. Daytime traffic is crazy thanks to the motorbike drivers who use the motorbikes' handles (is that what you call them?) and horns to drive. The noise made the experience much exciting though as I walked past markets, coffee shops, and old, narrow buildings. OMG, I'm crazy over them old buildings. It's also charming how people love to sit on low stools outside their houses while eating nuts and noodles and gossiping (or at least that's what I think they're talking about).

I have to sleep early tonight as I'm leaving early for Halong Bay tomorrow.

Bitch is Going to Own Vietnam

I wish I have packed my bag like a couple of weeks ago. Right now I don't have done any packing to speak of. I couldn't decide if I'd bring all of my four moisturizers. Or whether I'd just leave the toner behind. I cannot make up my mind on which sunblock to bring - SPF 25 or 50? Do I bring my hairdryer? Strawberry-flavored or super thin (kidding!)? Ugh, too many decisions to be made at the last minute. As it is, I can already see my backpack brimming with toiletries (at least half of my bag is toiletries). How can I squeeze in all my scarves, hats, lingerie, couture gowns, cashmere coats, etc?

And what's all this drama about? It's the big V... yes, Vietnam. A country I've always wanted to visit and that dream is happening finally. Two weeks of backpacking around north and central Vietnam. I'm leaving for Hanoi tomorrow and will drop by Sapa, Ha Long Bay, Hue, and Hoi An, the last three being UNESCO World Heritage Sites. And you know me dear, give me a World Heritage Site and I'm cumming.

I can already imagine all the camwhoring that's going to take place. But the dilemma is, I'm traveling alone; who would take my pictures? I'd figure that out when I arrive there.

What I've figured out as of now is my itinerary, which I carefully laid down on a matrix (oh, I love matrices). Such a nightmare it is pala! The thing with this trip is I'm stopping in several towns and for each I have to figure out how to reach these places and where I'd stay. I decided finally to simply give in to spontaneity and veer away from my obsessive planning. Come what may, sabi nga ni Nicole. Charing!

Drama aside, I'm in desperate need of a major soul searching right now. So god knows how big this trip is for me.

I will try to post some pics along the way.

Xin chào Vietnam! Be prepared to be owned!

Photo credit: Virtual Traveller and Crossing Journal

Whew!

Kaloka! Di ko kinaya!

But after seeing Khao San last Saturday and Silom last night, I'm having second thoughts of joining the water wars for the last two days of this extremely wet festival. This can get too over the top and I can only have a dose of fun before I get bored.

I'm frustrated actually. Too many gorgeous wet people... but they're all barely legal! Can you imagine watching a phalanx of hot young boys with their wet shirts leaving nothing to the imagination? But then dear, you can't touch them otherwise DSWD is going to catch you. So it's true that Songkran is for kids (and perhaps tourists) only. Khao San for instance was like being back in high school. Silom was just the same. I was expecting more men in gay Silom Soi 4 but dahling it was swarmed by teenage girls instead.

On the gay side, PJ and I were at Silom Soi 2 last Friday and the aray of ravishing men completely made my ovaries hyperventilate. Oh. My. Gawd. I nearly died. I thought: who are these people and where have they been all this time? Asian invasion it was! I don't know if they're Chinese, Koreans, Japanese, Taiwanese, Singaporeans, or Mongolians, who really cares? They're gorgeous and only that matters.

In contrast, back at the same bar last night, the people were all jologs. Freaks! Ihatethem! Even the dancefloor was less crowded by that bar's standard on a weekend. I was totally disappointed. But then I realized that there was this BIG cirquit party in CentralWorld starting Saturday evening until tonight. So all the gorgeous fags, I suppose, are there. Too bad I have this upcoming trip so I can't splurge on such expensive parties otherwise I'd surely be prancing my skinny ass in the crowd of hawt men. (Note to self: plan for Songkran 2009 NOW.)

Anyway, after two days of relentless waterh splashing, I'm putting my water gun to rest.

(Photos courtesy of PJ.)

Time to Get Wet

I just came back from lunch. Thank god for airconditioner, I'm soaking in manufactured cool air now, a sharp contrast to the sweltering heat outside. And I mean freaking, scalding HOT. I need darker sunglasses. I need SPF 1,000. I need to sleep until the monsoon comes.

When I was walking in my soi (lane/alley) earlier, I noticed that several of the food stalls are nowhere to be found. The place that I frequent to for lunch (akin to the turo-turo system back home) is closed as well. Such a bummer. I decided to settle for chicken rice instead (I know, I'm not supposed to eat at all as I'm already obese!) in this stall in the market with burning air blowing from the ceiling fan. Oh my god, the heat was so bad I had to pick up a bottle of Pepsi from 7-11 along the way. Not Pepsi Max. The original, sugar-filled Pepsi. I know, I know, I've been bad lately. Blame it on the heat!

Walking back to my office, I realized that the reason why my favorite food stalls are closed is the fact that Songkran is here. I heard that most people go back to their hometowns during this festival. Songkran is the Buddhist new year and is also celebrated in Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar. For Thailand, it is probably the biggest holiday of the year, much like Christmas (ugh) in the Philippines.

Songkran is marked for its water-throwing revelry, attracting tourists around the world, thus explaining why gazilions of foreigners are all over the place lately.

For most Bangkokians though, Songkran is the time of the year to either go home to the province or stay at home. Most of my colleagues are definitely doing the latter as they are just fed up with the so-called water wars. I totally understand them of course. Staying home is the best option as you cannot go anywhere without getting wet (or so I heard). They even throw water at bus passengers. My foreigner friends who have lived in BKK for some time are opting to stay home as well and completely avoid any street revelry.

As for me, I've been looking forward to this festival since the first day I stepped in the City of Angels. And dahling, nobody can stop me coz I'd be all over the bleeding place starting tonight until Wednesday (April 14-16 are holidays).

I would wear my kamison and ONLY my kamison para bakat na bakat at kitang-kita ang aking kaluluwa! Buwahahaha. Anyhoot, PJ and I are already planning to invade the Songkran hotspots of Khao San and Silom. This should be fun and I shall write more about Songkran in the coming days.

Photo credit: BBC News and Awasu

Losing My Virginity Last Night

Hay back from the long weekend. I realized it had been one week since I last posted here. I was just not in the mood to write last week, although quite a lot of things happened. Like the following resurrections:

• Monday: Missing in Action Sarah popped on YM. I had an orgasm the moment her icon switched to yellow.
• Tuesday: My Auntie Vikki and I found each other on YM. It had been years since we last communicated and we certainly had a lot of catching up to do.
  
• Thursday: I talked to my mom for the first time in a month. Again, she was on YM, with a webcam at that. God, she looked obese!
• Sunday: I talked to Daisy on YM (where else?) after about a couple of months of silence. TALKING is the operative word coz for some reason she can hear me but I can't hear her. It was like having my own radio show no?

Obviously, I was very elated by the sudden surge of these "reunions". Despite that, I was weighed by a composite of dread, restlessness, and a pervading sense of glumness. Last Thursday, having been exhausted with the anxiety of the previous days, I woke up thinking "I would be happy today", which somehow helped me get through the day.

Last Friday, I had dinner with the Pranses, who was in BKK for the weekend. After dinner, we watched some violent movie I refuse to name (baka sisikat pa sya. ching!). It was wonderful to hold his hand in the theater even if the film was the LEAST romantic movie around. Later in the evening, I caught up with my house-mate and his Singaporean friend at Khao San where we had some cocktails while watching rowdy and scruffy backpackers.

Saturday was camwhoring galore. I met my new friend Kiwi in Central World, where we had lunch at a beautiful (and cheap) Vietnamese restaurant. I showed him around Erawan Shrine and the nearby klong (canal). We both took pictures of the city just as the sun was setting down. We agreed how photogenic Bangkok is, especially with all its contrasts. As Kiwi put it, "the city has a fascinating mixture of the hard lines of the steel buildings and the graceful curves of the Skytrain". I could not agree more.

The Vietnamese restaurant

Klong near Pratunam during sunset

Scenes from Erawan Shrine

Erawan Shrine is probably the most popular shrine in the city, with hordes of locals and tourists offering stuff for their prayers to be answered. I don't believe in those things of course but I couldn't help wishing that things would go better with me in the coming days. While we were there, the scent of joss sticks wafted in the air and competed with the fumes from the passing cars. People with shopping bags hanging from their arms knelt in front of the shrine, offering garlands of yellow flowers. The shrill of traditional Thai music is played to the noise of the congested intersection.

Kiwi and I moved to Siam Paragon where we met PJ and L. After dinner, Kiwi had to rush back home to prepare for his date later in the evening, while PJ, L, and I crossed to Siam Square to check the wares sold on the street. (No shopping for me coz I'm saving for a trip later this month.) While we were walking down the street, I did not realize that the paparazzis have been hounding me. Damn, I should get bodyguards already. Buwahahahahahaha.

Sunday was my saddest day by far. I don' know why. I woke up to the sound of rain and when I saw the heavy clouds from my window I just felt miserable, coupled with deep despair. Watching episodes of Project Runway on Youtube lifted my spirits a bit. Later in the afternoon, when I felt that I was not entirely over my bout of sadness, I took a relaxing boat ride downriver. I had dinner at PJ's, after which we took the bus to Khao San Road. We sat on the pavement and watched people, while we drank beer and smoked.

Yesterday was a holiday. I felt lazy to do anything else but watch the last episodes of the fourth season of Project Runway. My mood yesterday improved a lot, thanks to the show. Give me campiness and I'm happy.

Later in the evening, while smoking in the bathroom and waiting for Mr Muscle to work on the bathroom floor and the toilet, I got a call from someone that weed is available somewhere. I swear I haven't tried any illegal substance before. EVAR. But for the longest time I've been curious about weed. Everybody's telling me that it's pretty much harmless so why shouldn't I try it di ba? So off I went to lose my virginity with drugs (drugs ba ang marijuana?).

After smoking a short stick, and feeling a throbbing sensation on my eye sockets, I went back to my room and went down on my knees cleaning my bathroom. I know, I enjoyed my first experience with illegal substance scrubbing tiles and the toilet. To be honest, I did not feel any different. I just felt a BIT numb, similar to being intoxicated with alcohol. Like I thought, yun na yun? Ugh. Exhausted, I crashed on my bed and took a long nap.

Krabi Rules!

Our day in Ao Nang started at six in the morning as Julius and I only have half of the day to explore Krabi before we travel back to Bangkok in the afternoon. 

The town was still silent when we left the hotel; the beach was deserted except for a few joggers. Boats for Raileh, our destination for the day, don't leave Ao Nang until eight. So PJ and I had a couple of hours to waste, which we spent camwhoring (what else?). 

Half an hour before eight, and quite impatient already, we found a group of locals hoisting their cargo into one of those long-tail boats. PJ, who can speak some Thai, negotiated for us to hop on their boat and shortly thereafter we were cruising the bay of Ao Nang on a boat decked with beer, mineral water, and ice (I figured those people were bringing supplies for some resort they manage in Ao Nang). 

The sunrise was beautiful in the bay, with colossal cliffs, popular with rock-climbers, dropping directly into the blue water.

Ao Nang in the morning and our boat ride to Raileh Beach

In ten minutes, we reached Raileh Beach, which rests on the end of a peninsula. The cove on which it sits is surrounded by more imposing cliffs, making Raileh a rock-climber's paradise.

(I actually remember the first season of The Amazing Race stopping in Krabi, and from what I remember it seemed that they had a rock-climbing challenge in Raileh.)

The beach was still coming to life when we reached the beach. Some tourists who were booked in hotels right on the beach-front were having breakfast while some people paddled in the water in kayaks. I would've loved to do some rock-climbing and kayaking but we simply did not have enough time, instead, we quickly took pictures of the amazing place.

Asking a few locals, we located the winding path to Pranang Beach. The walk to the said beach took us though the marshy beach of Raileh East and through limestone walls where we caught sight of a few squirrels and birds.

Raileh Beach early in the morning

Another side of Raileh cove

I died at Hat Pranang. The moment I had my first glance of the beach, I was running towards it, shrieking "Ohmygawd ohmygawd ohmygawd ohmygawd!!!" (repeat 3,000 times). 

I honestly don't know how to describe the place; I fear that I would not give it enough justice. If there was anything on my mind the whole time I was in Hat Pranang is that I wish the Pranses was with me *blush*.

A family of locals were having a picnic near the small cave and except for them we pretty much had the beach to ourselves. While rushing towards the small cave that had phallic offerings (cute!), I did not notice that PJ had conjured his inner mermaid and was already swimming in the emerald water. 

The water was really, really tempting but I thought, damn, if I got wet it would not look good in the pictures. I know, I have set my priorities right! We explored more the cove and camwhored like we owned it.

Hat Pranang, bitch!

Hat Pranang, baby! Wish you were here, guapo.

Hat Pranang is the best beach I've seen in my life. I'm sorry Surigao, but Hat Pranang just nailed it. I swear. 

On the other hand, I haven't really seen all the good beaches in the Philippines. I haven't been to Pagudpud, Boracay, Bohol, Palawan, or Bantayan and I can only hope that at least one of them would bump Hat Pranang off the top of my list. But for now, it sits right there comfortably. 

I wonder how the other beaches in Krabi would fare, having missed Kho Phi Phi and so on, not to mention the beaches in the other parts of Southern Thailand (there are still numerous!). I'd soon find that out coz my friends and I already planning a trip back to Krabi in mid-May. 

Tang ina, I'd stay longer and explore more beaches, at least in Krabi. Methinks: At naging convert daw ako into becoming a beach bum? Katakot! Note to self: You hate beaches, remember?

A number of tourist boats started to arrive in the cove, bringing with them hordes of orange tourists. So PJ and I decided that it was time to go back to Raileh where we caught a boat back to Ao Nang. 

Damn, Ao Nang was already crowded when we got back. Obese people were sunning themselves on the beach. I don't get it, if I were that enormous I would never EVER leave the house, much less hang my flabs in the beach only to ruin the scenery. I know, I know, I''m a weight Nazi (what's new?). And oh dear, I saw some topless women! I've never seen so many mammary glands in my life!!! I'm traumatized, I swear!

PJ and I had a big lunch at the street-side food stalls and went back to the guesthouse to freshen up. Since we had an hour to kill, we took pictures of Ao Nang town and lingered under the midday sun, watching the long-tail boats bobbing in the water. 

We then took a 30-minute ride on a songthaew back to Krabi town where we camwhored in the jetty set amidst a verdant mangrove forest and some distant karst formations. A couple of hours later we were on a bus bound for Bangkok.

Ao Nang at noon

At the jetty, Krabi Town

Now I'd take this chance to thank PJ for being such a nice traveling companion. He was very, very patient with all my whining about the mosquitoes, the heat, the sand, and just about anything. 

He was also a willing photographer to such an extremely demanding model (that's moi dear). PJ really came prepared for the trip, his costume and accessories in particular. 

Three sunglasses, two scarves, one sarong, two swimming trunks, and a host of cleavage-bearing shirts. As a tribute, I present the changing face of PJ.

The diva of them all. Jabo!

That concludes my entries about the trip to the south of Thailand. 

I am very much impressed with the ease of traveling in this country. The bus stations are relatively clean and efficient, the buses are comfortable, the boats leave on time, the people at the guesthouses are honest and accommodating, and in general, the people are very friendly and helpful. 

And dahling, don't get me started on the amazing infrastructure (highways, seaports, and airports) otherwise I'd sound like I came from some other planet. And for those traveling with a budget, it is surprisingly VERY cheap to go around.

For more pictures of this last section of the trip, check this out.