Love your Mother...

Go see what she created... we did... aka Dunjacks go west little miss sunshine style. I didn't think we could do it, I didn't think we would all survive... I am mean your talking about a ten day road trip with my mother, myself and if that's not enough throw my brother and husband in there. but we did it and we survived... all four of us with the help of a rad conversion van. We racked up a total of 3800 miles cross country. for reals, it was so awesome we might even attempt it again next year.

One night in Bangkok - Day 13 (Bangkok)

it's our last day in Thailand. we are incredibly sad. this country, these people are more than we imagined. we have fallen in love with Thailand. and so we sulk. we wander the streets of Bangkok taking it all in one last time. We wander past street vendors and massage parlours. we venture to the mall and wander through stores. unknown to us Thailand is sending us off in style... we stumble across a sea of teenagers all going crazy for some asian rock band and then we are listening to a live concert the only white people in a crowd of crazy, crazy thai fans. just passed the concert we stumble upon a Thai celebration... something to do with the king or a water festival ?!?! who knows... but the food is amazing and people watching is at its best. We met a family of five, three teens and two parents. Mom is driving the kids nuts trying to get them to practice their english with us. they are clearly embarrassed. its too cute. and so we sit and visit with them. we learn about their lives, how they want to come to America, where they want to go to school and what for. we take pictures and exchange emails. and part our separate ways. really there is no better way to spend our last night in thailand.

And now we are back to wandering, it's getting dark. We catch a street style breakdance off one of the subway stops. its entertaining. its the early nineties all over again. we are exhausted but the city just won't let us go. and so we stay up all night enjoying the street fare. unbelievably with darkness comes shopping. the vendors come out. the mall closes and the street malls open. these people shop all night, every night. we're dumbfounded. when the shopping gets to be to much we settle for our old friend, one last time chaing. we are back on cowboy soi the street with the neon lights, you just can't go wrong in terms of people watching, complete with usual blind man and microphone, hookers and dirty white men. sitting at a bar on the end of the street we listen to one of the most hilarious conversations we have ever heard... a group of english men, one guy has been missing all day and before you know it his friends are shouting at a random man and a thai "masseuse" walking down the streets. it's their friend, dirty bastard! and so he proceeds to join his friends along with his "masseuse" for a round of drinks. The conversation is ridiculous, we can't stop listening. we are laughing and trying so hard to conceal our enjoyment at this ridiculous group of dirty english men.

sawatdee thailand! sawatdee!

Days of Beach & Karma Accruing - Day 11 & 12 (Krabi cont'd)

we sleep in. we have coffee. it's going to be another great day in Thailand. after our hard days of diving we need some beach time. we jump on a longtail boat. off to railey beach. past cliffs, over turquoise waters. yep just like in a magazine. we're on the beach with a beach mat, a beer and a book. another beer, a dip in the water. yep another great day in Thailand. we eat lunch and decide to be a bit more productive. we tour railey east. we explore the island through "mini" rock climbing. we walk along the beach. it's amazing. we grab another longtail home. and we're poolside with drinks. ahhhh.......

Dinner is Ao Nang cuisine. excellent curry. we wander through "bar district" and the back, "back" bars. "hey mister want a massage?" "hey lady want a massage?" weird. time to go home.

Day 12 begins noisy. A thai wedding ceremony. loud! the groom, his family and his entourage make their way through the "village" to ask permission for the bride. drums. and percussion. and monks. its super interesting and super beautiful. we have breakfast. we watch the wedding. we start to get ancy for an adventure.

and the adventure... this might be the stupidest adventure we have attempted yet.. the tiger temple... the first part not so bad, the second just pain stupid. We enter a cave, aka monk temple. about a dozen monks performing their daily chant. the sound is beautiful.

the monks proceed to lunch and we are astonished with the feast they have, all kinds of fresh seafood, it looks delicious. on to the second part.... the buddha.... 1300 steps to the top... 1300. yeah, pretty sure we didn't think this through before we started. one word Yuck!! quite simply it sucked, it was hot and sweaty and there was no water. the stairs were inconsistent.. a short stair, a giant stair, a crumbling stair. it was bad. and the buddha... not that great. the views on the other hand, they were fantastic, although I am not sure they were worth the pain. story is that visiting this buddha and climbing this climb is worth a shit ton of karma... it better be. We hurried down as fast as we could go. towards the end... holy shit! a monkey sliding down the handrail. those buggers can freak a person out!

After that "adventure" it is definitely time for Ao Nang beach again... to lay in the shade... to read a book... to nap... to get a massage... to drink beer, now this is more like it! Matt wanders he finds wild monkeys playing in a stream, swinging on a swing and eating fruit, it's like watching a bunch of kids at a playground. pretty amazing. Next up, a repeat of yesterday... poolside with drinks. It's our last night in Krabi. we eat at Blue Mango it is fantastic. we can't leave without lighting our lanterns. Accruing yet another round of karma. Make a wish... I wish, I wish we never had to leave.......

Another hard day - Day 10 (Krabi cont'd)

7:30am dive pick-up. This time we get the Dutch assistant. no keith. it's a long boat ride out to Phi-Phi Island. the weather is perfect. the Dutch guy is interesting. dive #1 is mostly for fun. AMAZING. AMAZING. absolutely AMAZING. these are the dives people dream for, and certainly should not have been our first one, nothing will ever compare. corals are beautiful, fish are beautiful. we see 5 sharks. 5 sharks!! are you kidding me? we're practically swimming in an aquarium. we finish our skills. we take a break on the boat. I am speechless. Matt is speechless. we've experienced something we never have before. it's simply great. dive #2 is for fun. we motor to a different island. right back in the aquarium. we see 5 giant sea turtles. 5! they are beautiful creatures. along the way one more shark this time a sleeping leopard shark. okay one more time... AMAZING! the dives wipe us out. a long boat trip back and we are officially certified divers!

for the evening we take a break from Thai food. it's pizza at lavinia. as we eat we watch the circus street show going on outside on the sidewalk. okay not really a circus but none the less great people watching. one man, one monkey and a floundering business. it's starts with a handshake and surprise there is now a monkey crawling up your arm, oh you want a picture? flash! okay 5 bucks. what? you're mad... oh you mean not everyone enjoys a live monkey crawling on them? people are freaked out. we are thoroughly entertained. On top of it the monkey man is chewing leaves "leaves that fuck up the mind" with an occasional drug run to get more supply. hmmm... any correlation with Chaing beer? The street show dies down so we wander. wander up and down the strip, through the street shops. we stop for hagen daas. we're back home. home? we wish.

Sit down take a load off - Eve of Day 8 + Day 9 (Krabi)

Ahhh.... ocean air. this resort is amazing. the architecture is brilliant. there is not much else to ask for with the exception of a beer and a smoke on a fantastic balcony, now it's complete. We wander across the street for thai dinner. again Chaing, we love you. sound of waves, moonlit sky, floating paper lanterns it just doesn't get any better.

Day 9 starts with a bang. we are picked up by Keith. Keith, the english, rugby-playing dive instructor. 4 dives over two days. i am a bit nervous... i mean the pool scared me and now we're supposed to do this in the ocean? first dive is fun and beautiful! 2nd dive is for skills... mask on, mask off. we pass. scuba isn't that bad, it's peaceful and calm. we are back on land and ready for adventure. Motorbike #2 it is. we search for gasoline. the pump once found, is basically a glass container with a hose, interesting. we try to make small talk with the locals who own the gas contraption but they don't know english and every time we speak they laugh. and we laugh.


we're off, on a dirt path, along the ocean, to who knows where. Ao Nang beach it is. at the end of the non-descript path we land at one of the most fantastic strips of beach bars we have ever encountered. Outdoor massage, hammocks, drinks, food, shit... even elephants. we find a seat at the last Fisherman's cafe and order our friend Chaing. we watch the sunset. instant relaxation. it's dark and time for dinner so to town we go. food is okay, fried peanuts as app = one plate of peanuts, too funny. every waitress is a lady boy and ours ends every interaction he has with us with "one moment please." love it! we grab ice cream. we jump on the bike and cruise the strip. High on Chiang and motorbiking, its lovely. we don't last long... to bed by 9:30.