Melbourne

Gonna be hanging out in Melbourne for the next few weeks. Even though the weather is shit it's an amazing city!!! Staying with my buddy Peter at the moment. He's been great since I showed up a few weeks early after my stuff was stolen. Might go to Tasmania on Wednesday and then up to Cairns (Great Barrier Reef) and make my way down the coast to Sydney making stops in Brisbane to visit Alicia and Nigel (cousin and her fiance) and then visit Tim and Brin just north of Sydney.

BKK - MEL

I arrived in Bangkok, Thailand on July 7. Spent 2 days touring around the city and then made my way to Koh Phangan - one of the islands. Beautiful place! White sand beaches, crystal clear blue water - paradise. However, that is what people see. Unfortunately, there is a dark side. Every month there is a 'Full Moon Party - FMP" Thousands of tourists come to party on the beach until the early hours of the morning, after the sun comes up. With the hoards of tourists come quite a few thieves. I have been told they are Thai people, people from neighboring countries as well as tourists themselves. I ended up being a victim of someones greed. Everything was stolen - camera, ipod, laptop, credit cards, cash. Those all can be replaced. It was the pictures, gifts and sentimental items that I wanted back. Originally, my passport was stolen but was then found lying on the driveway to the hotel I was staying at. So in a sense, I met some 'thoughtful theives' (oxymoron) if there is such a thing. They broke into my room without any damage which makes me believe it was an inside job, cut open my backpack which I had locked on the table and eventually stole my safety deposit box right out of the wall. Ripped the entire thing out! I had EVERYTHING locked away because I heard of the theft during the FMPs. But my Mum made a good point - at least i wasn't in the room when it happened. They obviously had a knife since they cut open my backpack and who knows if they would have done anything if someone was there.
Anyways, I stayed a few more days at the hotel in the penthouse suit which I demanded after the incident but still didn't feel comfortable so I took a bus back to Bangkok and jumped on the next flight to Melbourne, Australia.

I'm in Melbourne at the moment, plan to be here for a few weeks. Want to head north to Brisbane to visit Alicia and Nigel and then make my way south to Sydney to see some more friends. It's nice to have friends around again....starting to miss home. Dont' tell my mother! haha

BKK - MEL

I arrived in Bangkok, Thailand on July 7. Spent 2 days touring around the city and then made my way to Koh Phangan - one of the islands. Beautiful place! White sand beaches, crystal clear blue water - paradise. However, that is what people see. Unfortunately, there is a dark side. Every month there is a 'Full Moon Party - FMP" Thousands of tourists come to party on the beach until the early hours of the morning, after the sun comes up. With the hoards of tourists come quite a few thieves. I have been told they are Thai people, people from neighboring countries as well as tourists themselves. I ended up being a victim of someones greed. Everything was stolen - camera, ipod, laptop, credit cards, cash. Those all can be replaced. It was the pictures, gifts and sentimental items that I wanted back. Originally, my passport was stolen but was then found lying on the driveway to the hotel I was staying at. So in a sense, I met some 'thoughtful theives' (oxymoron) if there is such a thing. They broke into my room without any damage which makes me believe it was an inside job, cut open my backpack which I had locked on the table and eventually stole my safety deposit box right out of the wall. Ripped the entire thing out! I had EVERYTHING locked away because I heard of the theft during the FMPs. But my Mum made a good point - at least i wasn't in the room when it happened. They obviously had a knife since they cut open my backpack and who knows if they would have done anything if someone was there.
Anyways, I stayed a few more days at the hotel in the penthouse suit which I demanded after the incident but still didn't feel comfortable so I took a bus back to Bangkok and jumped on the next flight to Melbourne, Australia.

I'm in Melbourne at the moment, plan to be here for a few weeks. Want to head north to Brisbane to visit Alicia and Nigel and then make my way south to Sydney to see some more friends. It's nice to have friends around again....starting to miss home. Dont' tell my mother! haha

Bye Bye Thailand

After an unfortunate encounter with some thieves on the island of Koh Phangan in Thailand - I decided to head to Australia a few weeks early. I booked a flight from Bangkok to Melbourne for Thursday evening.

But before I go, I plan to enjoy at least one thai massage and try my bartaring skills at the local markets.

No Pil-i-pino

After checking out the weather conditions in the Philippines - I've decided to skip the country and head to Australia a little earlier than anticipated. However, I'm hoping to visit Laos and Cambodia as substitutions :)

Porcelain God!

I guess you can say I have been 'praying' to the 'Porcelain god' When you eat anything and everything in India - it's just a matter of time before you know where every toilet in a 1 km radius is located. It sort of becomes a second sense.

13 days in South India has been quite the experience.

I started off flying to Chennai from Dubai (stopover in Mumbai).

Spent a few days in Chennai. Met Aziz and Hafiz who showed me around the city and made sure I was all organized for my travels to Kerala.

On the eve of the 26th - I had dinner at the hotel, checked some email - organized some stuff for my trip and went up to the room. About 15 minutes later I had a knock at the door. When I opened it - there was Aziz, smiling, singing Happy Birthday with a cake and candle in his hands. (The candle wasn't in his hands it was in the cake) We enjoyed the chocolate cake with some good conversation. He returned home to his wife and I went to bed - another year older :)

For my Birthday - I met Hafiz, who took me to a crocodile park. I held a croc, python and turtle. In the evening, we went up with some of his friends and watched a Tamil Movie. No English - no English subtitles. So, I had to use non-verbal interpretation skills to try to understand what was going on. NO LUCK! My skills suck! haha

I had an overnight train to Alleppey where I booked a boathouse to myself for one night. I had a cook and two crew who were great! We travelled down the backwaters of Kerala, also known as the "Venice of the East" Absolutely beautiful! So peaceful! Even with the torrential rain!

I made my way to Kochin. Kochin is famous for the old Chinese Fishing Nets displayed on the waterfront. I also endulged with a Ayurvedic massage. Kerala is known for this type of treatment.

I then made my way back into the state of Tamil-Nadu to "The Temple City" of Madurai. I'll post pictures and they will explain everything. I stayed one night in Madurai and caught an early train to Thanjavur where I am now. (just killing some time before I catch a 6 hour bus back to Chennai...ugh!)

The food that I ate for dinner is still sitting nicely - howerver, I have been sitting for the past hour. I anticipate a mad rush to the toilet once I leave the internet cafe. Wish me luck!