Out of Bangkok and into the islands!

(Lots has happened in only a short period of time. And more stories to come, as we are hanging in Thailand for almost 2 months, then heading to Mongolia. There is a problem however. Remember the camera... well we didn't, and it is still riding the train. So pics this episode will be from the archives. Enjoy)



 Angry at not getting AC train tickets
 (pic taken  at Wu Wei Si in China)

Ahhhhh the beach, and the wind, and...WAIT this is the Phillipines











                                                                                            Staying cool at ABC in nepal
Thailand:
May 17th 2010 is our flight out of Hong Kong and into Bangkok. We knew the political situation in Bangkok was getting more and more hostel by the day (check out CNN). We received an e-mail from a friend who said that this time the the "red shirts want blood (sounds scary but..)." Our plan was to get down to the southern island of Koh Tao as soon as possible. Our flight landed at noon and we booked a night train leaving at 7:30 pm that night. So only 7 hours in the fighting capital. Our taxi driver pointed out the smoke in the distance and said that was where the fighting was taking place. As we got further from the airport and closer to the train station, and center of town, the smoke was getting closer. The traffic slowed and our taxi driver became very tense. Little by little we inched closer to the smoky area until we were driving over it. The free way in Bangkok is built above the ground on huge concrete stilts, very good at conserving space. However, the fighting was taking place directly under the freeway. Black smoke was billowing up on either side of the road and between the lanes. We didn't see any actual fighting but the air was very tense (darn political rallies). Soon after we passed the smokey road our taxi sped up and our driver relaxed again and let a smile creep onto his face. He turns to us and says he has to cross that road many times each day and it is very bad in Bangkok. Once we arrived at the train station we dropped our bags off for safe keeping in storage and were off to find some lunch. We had been in Thailand 3 months before and we remembered the lovely food (spicy YUM). Our mouths were watering just thinking about our upcoming meal. We stopped a tuk tuk (motorcycle with a cart on the back) and asked him to take us to a good place to eat. As we were driving to our restaurant we noticed how every shop was closed. Metal gates across all doorways. Later we learned that the King announced a holiday to keep people off the streets and in there homes. We also learned the schools were canceled all over the city for the entire week due to the unsafe conditions. We had asked the information desk when we arrived at the airport to circle the areas where we should stay out of. We had our handy map, but we were in the hands of our Tuk Tuk driver. After several turns and intersections we arrived and a fancy looking restaurant with no customers. We asked are you sure this is a good place to eat. He said, "yes, yes" as he got out of his seat and looked at the restaurant owner in the eye. We thanked him as we handed him 30 Bhat. I have a feeling he gets a little commission every time he brings a foreigner here since it was very pricey and later we realize quite close to the danger zone of the city (it was worth every penny, but yea we got raped). It was even hard to find a little place to just sit and relax amongst all the closed stores. But soon, the time came to hop on our overnight train and sleep the miles away.

Soon after the train started we realized our terrible mistake (terrible doesn't cover it). We had a fan car and not an air conditioned car (no no noooooooo). With our bodies not used to such heat and humidity we did our best to dip in and out of sweaty sleep (Leah slept like a baby, I was up for 90% of the trip). We both had top bunks and no window to let out the heat that lingered on the ceiling only a few feet from our bodies (try sleeping in a humid, 100 degree room some time). The train was delayed 5 hours, and we decided from then on to double and triple check our train tickets (Don't worry Mama French we have AC for you).

Koh Tao soon to be our little home away from home. A friend of mine set up a trapeze here on the island and I was anxious to have a swing. Eight months of travel and no trapeze anywhere in site. As soon as I saw the large vertical aluminum poles and net I felt home. In no time I was up on the pedestal enjoying the tropical island from 20 feet in the air (and got two rips in the hands to prove it). Lovely rolling lush green hills with Palm trees blowing in the wind surrounded me. Taking my first swing I felt a bit like a new born fawn with its first steps. The bar was quite a bit heavier than the one I am used to and as I did my first force-out I bent my arms too much and hit my head on the bar (no damage but she can't remember my name). There goes my first impression. Soon I recovered a bit of grace and regained the rhythm of my swing. The next day my arms and hands ached so much I had to smile. Another lovely feeling of getting back into the swing of things. A few days after our arrival on the island we joined a free diving class. During the into we were baffled by the depth the human body can go underwater without equipment. Records from free diving are unbelievable. Members or our race diving 120 meters underwater with only a rope for reference. Soon we learned the breath up which is the way to breath prior to a dive, and how to become completely relaxed in order to conserve as much oxygen as possible. By the end of day two Rob and I were both diving down the the depth of 20 meters and holding our breath over and minute and a half in order to do it. The deeper we got the more pressure our bodies felt and the more the feeling to get to the surface grew. When I was down deep it is an amazing new world that feels miles away from the surface. However, there was just the rope, lack of air, and water pressure down there. I was happy with the knowledge from the beginner class and felt no more need to push my body to get deeper and deeper, Rob felt differently and continued on the the advanced class. By day three he could hold his breath in a static position, just his face underwater, for 4 minutes 24 seconds. This process looks a bit strange because for the last minute and a half Rob's body was convulsing like a fish out of water (kids don't try this at home). His whole body was telling him to just lift his face out of the water and BREATH (my body is smart, ME????). However, the instructor was right next to him and every few seconds would make sure Rob was thinking correctly and ask Rob to squeeze the instructors hand ( I massed that baby). Rob's main job was to stay calm and relaxed (help help HELP!!!! Ahhhhhh!). It seems that as always the body can adapt to whatever you ask it too as long as you train. (by the end of day five I was diving 20 meters without breath in my lungs and diving 35 meters with a breath)