Kolkata, India

Kolkata, India

Kolkata, India

Singapore to Kolkata

-Changi Airport, said bye to Sarah
-Arrived Kolkata; took taxi to center; found a full hostel; moved to an empty guesthouse. Had to pay taxi driver extra, because he said there was traffic!

Kuala Lumpur to Singapore

-Bus to Singapore, stopped in Johor Bahru for lunch. Arrived in Singapore, near the Sultan's Palace + mosque. Walked along Arab St. and found Hotel 81. They only had deluxe rooms available (DVD player!)

-Exchanged money at the electronics building, Sim Lim Sq.

-Took Metro to waterfront. Saw the Merlion, Raffles landing site, the old Parliament Buildings, City Hall, and the Old Supreme Court. Walked to the massive Theater/Concert Hall. Sarah bought opening night tix to We Will Rock You. Walked passed the Raffles Hotel and the Stamford Swisshotel. Took the metro back to hotel.

-Took metro to Chinatown. Dinner at DeliVegi - we had the Fis' head Curry.
-Watched the Pursuit of Happiness together.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

-Batu Caves - 272 steps to the top.
-Chinatown

Kuala Lumpur

-Breakfast with an interesting English couple.
-Taxi to Petronas Towers (2nd tallest in world)
-Malaysia Tourism Center in former mansion of tin millionaire. Batik painting demo.
-Saw a couple having their wedding photos taken inside of one of those underground walkways/subways.
-National Mosque
-Old Kuala Lumpur Railway Station for lunch.
-Jamek Mosque
-Walked around Dataran Merdeka (Independence Sq.)
-Walked across the skybridge of the Petronas Towers.

Penang to Kuala Lumpur

-Took bus to ferry. Ran into Gemma and Lewis from Wales there. Missed bus to Kuala Kangsar, so went to Kuala Lumpur instead.
-Dinner near Bukit Bintang shopping area at Pure Mind - Chinese food served in a pineapple!

Penang, Malaysia

-Botanical Gardens - bought pineapple and chestnuts. Monkeys tried to steal our food by showing teeth. They've been fed by too many tourists and locals.
-Hiked up jungle trail, then onto pavement, all the way to the top of Penang Hill.
-Afternoon tea + scones at David Brown's Restaurant.
-Ran into the Welsh couple while waiting for cable car down.
-Top of Komtar building. Ended up eating at Maharaj.

Georgetown, Penang Island

-Gave up on going to Sumatra, and rented a motorbike. Got stuck in 1-ways and traffic. Made it to Kek Lok Si Temple, largest in SE Asia. We found a veggie restaurant there for lunch. The big Buddha statue was under construction, so we climbed up to the top of the pagoda instead.
-Took the bike along the North coast of the island, all the way to Penang National Park along a winding road. Men were playing kickball; we walked out on the pier; a man and kids were net fishing.
-Rode back to Georgetown in a rain storm. Dinner at Ecco Cafe - fresh pasta and jazz music.
-Walked around Lebuh Chulia, Love Lane, and back to Hutton Lodge.

Georgetown, Malaysia

-Lunch at a Chinese tea house with fish swimming in the bathroom!
-Snake Temple - pit vipers on wooden posts around a Buddha shrine. Snake farm was attached; many different snakes, tortoises, and monkeys.
-Dinner at Maharaj, again.
-Went to the fancy E+O Hotel for drinks, live lounge music, and a walk along the waterfront.
-Walked along pubs on Jalan Penang, and the Dutch girls we met in Beijing months earlier spotted us! Had drinks + played pool with them, some Irish guys, and a Welsh couple.

Koh Lanta to Penang Island

-Early bus, which went onto 2 ferries to Trang. Got bus to Hat Yai. PB+J sandwiches at convenience store-restaurant. Took bus to Georgetown- got lots of info from 2 British travelers.
-Walked past + back to the Hutton Lodge.
-Late night dinner at Maharaj Indian.

Koh Lanta

-Brought bike back - $80 in damage
-Lunch at Where Else? and then Thai massage on beach. Got pulled backwards onto the massage therapist like a pretzel
-Dinner at BeeBee's Village Kitchen inside of a tree hut...fun and delicious.

Koh Lanta

-Rented motorbike. Rode into village. Lunch in a pavillion.
-Rode motorbike down coast towards Mu Koh Lanta National Park. Road became dirt, big hill, construction crew dumping 6 inches of sand on the road. Lost control of the bike going up the steep hill. The bike, Sarah, and I fell over. Minor cuts on our legs. We were covered in dirt and sand - back to resort for showers.
-Biked south at sunset, ate at Blue Moon during a rain storm. Father and son served us a great meal.

Koh Jum and Koh Lanta Islands

-Headed up Koh Pu Mountain through a big tree farm (cashew trees?), hiked into jungle. Saw a monkey, couldn't find my way to summit, so headed back to resort for lunch.
-Longtail boat out to the ferry.
-Arrived in Koh Lanta. We had booked a terrible straw hut. After argument with the manager, we moved to a good bungalow at the Lantas Lodge Resort.
-Swam in ocean, and gave first aid to Sarah's injured toe.
-Pizza dinner at Mr. Wee's Pizza on beach.
-St. Patrick's Day - drinks at Where Else? in a boat-like table, then drinks at the Gecko during a big French bday party.

Koh Jum, Thailand

-Relaxed, went snorkeling to see coral and fish for a few minutes.
-Hung out at the beach bar for sunset, walked upstairs to the restaurant for dinner. Lots of Jenga.

Koh Jum Island

-Early bus to Krabi for ferry to Koh Jum/Koh Pu.
-Picked up by a longtail boat, and brought to Oon Lee Bungalows on the beautiful, remote island.

Phuket, Thailand

-Tuktuk ride to airport from a nice driver
-Flew to Bangkok. Flight to Phuket was delayed, and there was no food available in the gate area.
-Arrived in Phuket, checked into a historic hotel, with the 1st ever elevator in the area.
-Dinner at a funky, Chinese influenced cafe.

Chiang Mai

-Pancakes at Da Bakery
-Rode moto up to the top of Doi Sothep along winding mountain road.
-Walked around the temple with golden + jade Buddha statues.
-Drove towards Doi Inthanon mountain, but was too far away
-Lunch at Buak Haad city park.
-Sent a huge package of all kinds of stuff home to lighten my backpack.
-Rode to Wat Phra Singh to see temple.
-Rode to Wat Chedi Luang and had another "monk chat"
-After dinner at May Kaidee's, had massage from the same little Thai lady. This time she gave us some Thai fans. She told us a story about her Swiss boyfriend.

Chiang Mai

Rented motobike. Drove around the city moat. Went to a Tibetan Restaurant on Moon Muong Soi 6 near our guesthouse. Sarah drove the bike back.

Chiang Mai

-DA Bakery for breakfast, right across from our Guesthouse.
Day tour
- Orchid Farm
-Karen Hill Tribe Village (Padaung Tribe). Long neck women w/bronze hoops around their neck from age 6. Some had stretched out ears and black teeth.
-Lunch along the Mae Tang River (watching Elephant Riders).
-Whitewater rafting on the Mae Tang - low water season, got wedged into rocks many times!
-Dinner at May Kaidee's - met up with Gusta and Witney. Drove to Riverside Pub at the Ping River for some live Thai music and expensive drinks.

Chiang Mai

-Overnight bus kept stopping through the night, so little sleep.
-Walked around and found a guest house recommended by a guy from Israel while in Taipei.
-Long nap!
-Massage at little Thai lady's place - she served us fruit, tea and potato chips afterwards.
-Met up with Gustaf and Witney at the Night Bazaar

Bangkok

-Saw Democracy monument and the Royal Palace. Shopped for gifts at the Chatuchak Market. Shopped a bit on Khao San Road.
-Overnight sleeper bus to Chiang Mai.

Bangkok and Kanchanaburi

-Bus tour to WWII Cemetery (Chung Kai)
-Bridge over River Kwai
-Lunch on floating house on River Kwai
-Sai Yok Noi waterfall, hiked to Buddha cave, Death Railway ride.
-Dinner at Ethos- apple crumble and chocolate cake!
-Got a bucket full of a cocktail next to D+D hotel.

Bangkok

Thai cooking class at Mai Kaidee's vegetarian restaurant. Met Steve and Gustaf from MN.
-Swam in the roof top pool in the hotel.
-Had my dentist appointment to fix my tooth, with a temporary plastic veneer.
-More street vendor food on Khao San Road.

Bangkok, Thailand

-Lunch at May Kaidee's veggie restaurant. Amazing Thai food.
-Found a dentist to fix my tooth (which had been missing for over a month)
-Sarah and I met up with a cool Italian dude named Allessandro for dinner.

Siem Reap to Bangkok

Bus to Poipet border town. Long wait on both Cambodian and Thai sides of the border.
-Arrived at Khao San Road in Bangkok. Got the last room available at D+D Hotel (rooftop pool).
-Falafel pita for dinner from a street vendor.
-Went to the Cave Bar, with an indoor rock climbing wall, and a live Thai band.

Siem Reap

-Rented mountain bikes. Went to Phsar Chas market and Singing Tree Cafe.
-Biked up to Angkor Wat, hiked up Phnom Bakeng. Biked to Ta Keo temple for sunset, but cloudy. Biked back to town in the dark.
-Dinner in old market area again. Had a ride in the "stellar" tuk-tuk back to hotel.

Siem Reap

-Long tuk-tuk ride to Kbal Spean
-Hiked to River of a Thousand Lingas
-Tuk-tuk brought us to Banteay Srei. Khmer music played by land mine victims. One man was playing a leaf as a musical instrument. It was awesome!
-On the tuk tuk ride back, there was a big accident just in front of us. Our driver just missed the truck in front of us, and we ran over a motorbike that was hit by the truck. The man driving the motorbike jumped off just at the last second, as the truck crashed into his motorbike. I was shocked that the man survived without injury.
-Dinner at Diamond Hotel, Khmer massage, drinks at Angkor What? and Temple Bar in the old market area.

Siem Reap

-Sunrise at Angkor Wat, along the East Causeway
-Explored the bas reliefs inside Angkor Wat
-Tuk Tuk to Angkor Tom - saw the amazing carvings of giant heads.
-Prasat Palilay temple in the jungle
-Took tuk tuk to the Pre-Rup pyramid temple
-Sras Srang lake - had Amok soup served inside of a coconut
-Bantey Kdei temple. Ran into Tim and Adam who we met earlier in the trip.
-Ta Prom temple - famous for the trees growing out of the stones.
-Sun setting over the Angkor Wat moat
-Met up with Tim in the old market area of Siem Reap.

Siem Reap, Cambodia

-Singing Tree Cafe - Monk Chat with 3 Buddhist monks.
-Mexican food at the Old Market area
-Traditional Khmer massage