After dropping 2 games last week in embarrassing fashion, we have 2 more regular season games to get back on track before the playoffs begin. Unfortunately, it will be a while till be get back on the field in a game situation, as this week is our bye. By the way, have I ever mentioned how much I hate having 1 game a week and a bye every 6 weeks on top of that.
After losing 2, you want to get back out there and turn things around. Not wait... and wait... and wait. A week from today we play Carine and will have a chance to secure at least a top 2 finish, which will bode well for the playoffs. It is possible if things work out in our favor this week, that we will already have 2nd place on lock.
Meanwhile, away from the diamond life has been good. I have been working just about full time, but making sure that I take time to hang out with friends and take advantage of the Trady's lunch at Greenwood Pub. Best lunch deal in WA... a big steak, fries and a salad for $13. On top of that, it is also a TAB and it has been fun to put dollar bets here and there on the horse races and dog races going on around Australia and then watch the action take place. After all the hootin' and hollerin' at the screen, I normally have as much money as when I started for my efforts. For the big betting boys, a clear strategy has emerged. Always bet on a name that has "Hawk" in it (that is my nickname here). Works like a charm.
A funny thing happened the other day when me and some friends were out to dinner. They had a small selection of Belgian beers, all ridiculously priced. A Duvel for $13 dollars? I was tempted... But when I asked if they had the proper Duvel glass to accompany the beer, they looked at me like I was crazy. I explained what I meant, and they showed me the glasses that they had. None of them fit the bill and decided against the $13 Duvel... the price and lack of Belgian beer knowledge was a disgrace. I may be a cepo, but I have learned a thing or two during my travels. It did make me think of Edward Duvel/Kebab hands in the Brussels Park... good times, good times.
Today I'm off to catch some Aussie Rules Football pre-season action, my first taste of footy. Should be a good one. I will try to be more diligent about updating, but it has been tough with me working so much.
Looking forward to Rachel's return and a visit from Marcus and the Beave!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Big Weekend Followed by Big Week
With a weekend off baseball, Timmy back in town, Kat's birthday and the 3 game Australian Baseball Championship Series in Perth... it was time for a big weekend out.
The line-up was as follows.
1. Perth Heat Game One, L
2. Sleep
3. Work
4. Perth Heat Game Two, W
5. Timmy and Roh's post-game pre-game
Getting ready to go out
6. Night out at Mint in Northbridge to celebrate Kat's B-Day
Timmy Working the poll... about a second before he fell on his face
Action shot, that was not set up or anything... definitely heat of the moment shot
Lee trying to hide the fact that he brought a purse out with him
7. Back to Timmy and Roh's-- Sleep
8. Perth Heat Game Three, W
ABL Champion Perth Heat
9. Weekend Over
Weekend MVP: Woobie
Clutch Facial Expression of the Weekend:Roh
Rookie of the Weekend: Me
Most Inspiring Effort: Waddle
Biggest Disappointment: Timmy (Sunday circa 4:30)
Comeback Player of Weekend: Gabbo
Gabbo pretty much captures the weekend in one facial expression
A great weekend.
This week is a big week, baseball wise. We play a night game tomorrow at Barbagallo Ballpark against 2nd Place Rockingham... a win and we clinch first place. Then on Sunday, we bounce back with another one against UWA on the road. 4 days, 2 games, a chance to clinch first at stake. In between, there is the Balcatta Bears Quiz Night on Friday and pretty much every other time I will be slaving at the bakery. Should be a good one.
In other news, Rachel and my plans for the upcoming year are slowly coming together. More on that in another update coming soon.
For now, Go Bears Go!
The line-up was as follows.
1. Perth Heat Game One, L
2. Sleep
3. Work
4. Perth Heat Game Two, W
5. Timmy and Roh's post-game pre-game
Getting ready to go out
6. Night out at Mint in Northbridge to celebrate Kat's B-Day
Timmy Working the poll... about a second before he fell on his face
Action shot, that was not set up or anything... definitely heat of the moment shot
Lee trying to hide the fact that he brought a purse out with him
7. Back to Timmy and Roh's-- Sleep
8. Perth Heat Game Three, W
ABL Champion Perth Heat
9. Weekend Over
Weekend MVP: Woobie
Clutch Facial Expression of the Weekend:Roh
Rookie of the Weekend: Me
Most Inspiring Effort: Waddle
Biggest Disappointment: Timmy (Sunday circa 4:30)
Comeback Player of Weekend: Gabbo
Gabbo pretty much captures the weekend in one facial expression
A great weekend.
This week is a big week, baseball wise. We play a night game tomorrow at Barbagallo Ballpark against 2nd Place Rockingham... a win and we clinch first place. Then on Sunday, we bounce back with another one against UWA on the road. 4 days, 2 games, a chance to clinch first at stake. In between, there is the Balcatta Bears Quiz Night on Friday and pretty much every other time I will be slaving at the bakery. Should be a good one.
In other news, Rachel and my plans for the upcoming year are slowly coming together. More on that in another update coming soon.
For now, Go Bears Go!
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Bears Bats Smoking in KScott
Strange Day... it is Superbowl Sunday and the Superbowl isn't until tomorrow morning at 7.
Bears have been red hot since coming back from the break. Today's victim was Kelmscott, who lets face it, never stood a chance. It was a cruisy 31-1 win... a score I hope resembles a beat down the Pack will give Ben Worthlessburger and the Steelers. One might have thought that the burning in the air was the blistering hot Bears bats, but it was not so.
With bush fires threatening the area, there were bits of ash falling on the field and plenty of smoke in the air. Not great when you have to run around the bases 31 times, but I shouldn't complain as houses were getting burnt down a few neighborhoods over.
On a personal note, after struggling a bit of late, I finally felt comfortable at the plate. I know that I shouldn't put much stake into results from a game like that, but as far as feeling like I have actually swung a bat before, I was pleased with the way things went from a feeling standpoint.
Looking to dial it in for the home stretch, Go Bears Go!
Bears have been red hot since coming back from the break. Today's victim was Kelmscott, who lets face it, never stood a chance. It was a cruisy 31-1 win... a score I hope resembles a beat down the Pack will give Ben Worthlessburger and the Steelers. One might have thought that the burning in the air was the blistering hot Bears bats, but it was not so.
With bush fires threatening the area, there were bits of ash falling on the field and plenty of smoke in the air. Not great when you have to run around the bases 31 times, but I shouldn't complain as houses were getting burnt down a few neighborhoods over.
On a personal note, after struggling a bit of late, I finally felt comfortable at the plate. I know that I shouldn't put much stake into results from a game like that, but as far as feeling like I have actually swung a bat before, I was pleased with the way things went from a feeling standpoint.
Looking to dial it in for the home stretch, Go Bears Go!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Meanwhile Back in OZ...
Sunset at Cottesloe Beach from the other day
I was welcomed back to Oz with a stretch where I worked 10 out of 12 days with the other two days being game days. Things were busy to say the least.
The winter break did little to cool off the red hot Bears, as we have continued our winning ways and sit atop the league with a 12-1 record, two games clear in 1st place.
The weather here has been wicked hot as well, with a 5 or 6 day stretch that was pretty much unBEARable.
Some of the highlights since returning from our trip have include:
Australia Day:
The equivalent to our 4th of July, the day was awesome. The morning started with my first round of Golf in about 5 years. Me, Ft, Gabbo, Frank, and Spooner hit the links hard and I am sad to say I still have the nastiest slice in the history of man, which I attribute to my inside-out baseball swing. Despite hitting the netting at a 90 degree angle from the tee box on the first whole, I bounced back to shoot a cool 61. Unfortunately that was for 9 holes, not 18.
The rest of the day was spent poolside and BBQing at Rikki's parents place. We were joined there by the usual crew of ladies, where we lounged, got into some piss, and played beer pong (the way with paddles). I was horrible. We continued the pool party into the night, when we got a surprise visit from Timmy, who was back from the mines for a few days because of a cyclone. That was cause for celebration and everyone got after it pretty good. We capped off the night by walking up the hill to check out the firework show over the river. I also got plenty of practice saying my Aussie phrases, which I have continued to work into daily conversation. It was a great day to be Australian... or at least in Australia.
BBQ at Timmy and Roh's:
Much of my social life revolves around BBQs. At this Q, I had my first experience with Lawn Balls, a bochi ball (i know i butchered that) type game, where the balls are unevenly weighted and you curve them towards a marker ball. My only good bowl of the day was ruined when Timmy knocked it out of the way.
We rounded out the great night with some catch up coins and other games. Shenanigans were in place, as is the norm.
Night at the Casino:
Went to Burswood Casino with some of the boys and had my first winning night...ever. I am off Cash Creek, but Burswood is a different story.
Other than that, I have continued my Monday night dinner tradition over at the Free household, which has featured some excellent dishes of late. I also am finished working at the Uni Sports Camp for Kids, both a good and bad thing.
As for right now, I am about blogged out so it is time to head to the beach. I will try to keep you guys up to speed with what is going on over here so stay tuned and as always, thanks for reading along. Comments/suggestions always appreciated!
Peace and Love,
Ethan
Singapore
After leaving Rachel in a rushed goodbye trying to catch my flight, I still had some of SE Asia to see. I had a 8 hour layover in Singapore and figured why not get out of the airport and see a bit of the city.
Singapore, with its strict governing, offered a stark contrast to the rest of SE Asia. Extremely modern and clean as a whistle, it hardly resembled the same part of the world that we had just traveled for the last 3.5 weeks. With $1,000 fines for riding bikes in parks, possible jail time for not flushing a public toilet after use or sleeping on park benches, it's no wonder that people obeyed the laws and kept things clean.
A very clean Singapore
This sign is sure to get you off your bike. No riding in the Park!
I spent my time wandering around the parliamentary buildings, court houses, and along the river.
View of Singapore from along the river
Sign says it all
I spent several hours inside the Museum of Asian Civilisation, which had incredible displays and was packed full of information. Like the rest of Singapore, it was very modern in its presentation. Having taken a number of classes on the anthropology of SE Asia, this museum was a special treat for me.
Display at the Museum of Asian Civilisation
After exploring the museum I set off for lunch, heading in the direction of Chinatown. I never made it that far, I don't think, but I definitely found some good food. Of course, with so much selection and people hurriedly ordering from the food court and little semblance of order, I ended up getting something I regretted. It was good, but I was hoping to finish SE Asia on a really high note food wise. I guess that is asking too much.
With time winding down and a decent size commute back to the airport, I was left with some $9 Singapore that I had to spend. With that money, I wanted to get some food before the flight and maybe a magazine.
Having been in this situation several times, where you only have a small amount of money to spend that wouldn't make sense to exchange, and you try to spend it on quality stuff and get as close to spending it all as possible. I pride myself on this ability, but with few options outside the security checkpoint in the budget terminal, I bought a Men's Health Singapore (I know, that is weak) and a cheap sandwich. Turns out my airport expertise failed me. I assumed there would just be seats on the other side of the security, but instead there were TVs, free internet, and plenty of better food options. I was kicking myself when I was a dollar short to buy some dim sum. I would end up finding that dollar I needed in another pocket later, adding insult to injury, but the important thing was that I was now on my flight bound for Perth, a great vacation in the books!
What I thought was a nice shot of this memorial
Interesting/Modern looking building off in the distance
Courthouse? Memory is failing me
Pretty much what Australia is all about... from the eyes of a Singaporean... not far off
Singapore, with its strict governing, offered a stark contrast to the rest of SE Asia. Extremely modern and clean as a whistle, it hardly resembled the same part of the world that we had just traveled for the last 3.5 weeks. With $1,000 fines for riding bikes in parks, possible jail time for not flushing a public toilet after use or sleeping on park benches, it's no wonder that people obeyed the laws and kept things clean.
A very clean Singapore
This sign is sure to get you off your bike. No riding in the Park!
I spent my time wandering around the parliamentary buildings, court houses, and along the river.
View of Singapore from along the river
Sign says it all
I spent several hours inside the Museum of Asian Civilisation, which had incredible displays and was packed full of information. Like the rest of Singapore, it was very modern in its presentation. Having taken a number of classes on the anthropology of SE Asia, this museum was a special treat for me.
Display at the Museum of Asian Civilisation
After exploring the museum I set off for lunch, heading in the direction of Chinatown. I never made it that far, I don't think, but I definitely found some good food. Of course, with so much selection and people hurriedly ordering from the food court and little semblance of order, I ended up getting something I regretted. It was good, but I was hoping to finish SE Asia on a really high note food wise. I guess that is asking too much.
With time winding down and a decent size commute back to the airport, I was left with some $9 Singapore that I had to spend. With that money, I wanted to get some food before the flight and maybe a magazine.
Having been in this situation several times, where you only have a small amount of money to spend that wouldn't make sense to exchange, and you try to spend it on quality stuff and get as close to spending it all as possible. I pride myself on this ability, but with few options outside the security checkpoint in the budget terminal, I bought a Men's Health Singapore (I know, that is weak) and a cheap sandwich. Turns out my airport expertise failed me. I assumed there would just be seats on the other side of the security, but instead there were TVs, free internet, and plenty of better food options. I was kicking myself when I was a dollar short to buy some dim sum. I would end up finding that dollar I needed in another pocket later, adding insult to injury, but the important thing was that I was now on my flight bound for Perth, a great vacation in the books!
What I thought was a nice shot of this memorial
Interesting/Modern looking building off in the distance
Courthouse? Memory is failing me
Pretty much what Australia is all about... from the eyes of a Singaporean... not far off
A Night in KL to round out the trip
All trip we had run into people who said avoid KL, there is nothing there. Well we went there and there was a market... so in our book it was pretty legit.
I don't have much on KL, but it did have some of the coolest signs that we ran into... The no kissing sign on the previous post (which was actually KL but I am too lazy to change it), a sign straight out of zoolander, directing people towards the Center for Slow Learners (I finally found my home), the umbrella sign showing motorcyclists where to go when it rains... some other keepers.
It also had the stupidest metro system I have ever seen. 10 minutes before the train arrives, you queue up in these lines. 10 MINUTES BEFORE IT GETS THERE!!!!! There is a line for only women and a cart in the middle of the trains for only women. The real cluster F occurs when the train arrives and the doors open. All the idiots waiting in line for 10 minutes are so sick of it, they bum rush the train before people get off. So you basically have a mad scramble to get on or get off before the doors close and I'm fairly certain that it creates a breeding ground for pick pockets and that someone, somewhere, sometime in KL has been trampled to death. Just plain stupid.
Anyways, this is a rather anti climactic way to end the writing about the trip, but it was kind of an anti climax at the end... accept for the fact that I went to the wrong airport and had to rush to the other one to get there on time... a damn expensive mistake.
But I made it just in time and before I knew it, I was on a plane out of Malaysia, wrapping up a greeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaat trip.
Women only subway car
The subway lines that don't work and lead to a stampede every time the doors open
KL by Night
Transport/food stall rickshaw
Last real mean in SE Asia... Soup served sizzling with a cracked egg on top.
I don't have much on KL, but it did have some of the coolest signs that we ran into... The no kissing sign on the previous post (which was actually KL but I am too lazy to change it), a sign straight out of zoolander, directing people towards the Center for Slow Learners (I finally found my home), the umbrella sign showing motorcyclists where to go when it rains... some other keepers.
It also had the stupidest metro system I have ever seen. 10 minutes before the train arrives, you queue up in these lines. 10 MINUTES BEFORE IT GETS THERE!!!!! There is a line for only women and a cart in the middle of the trains for only women. The real cluster F occurs when the train arrives and the doors open. All the idiots waiting in line for 10 minutes are so sick of it, they bum rush the train before people get off. So you basically have a mad scramble to get on or get off before the doors close and I'm fairly certain that it creates a breeding ground for pick pockets and that someone, somewhere, sometime in KL has been trampled to death. Just plain stupid.
Anyways, this is a rather anti climactic way to end the writing about the trip, but it was kind of an anti climax at the end... accept for the fact that I went to the wrong airport and had to rush to the other one to get there on time... a damn expensive mistake.
But I made it just in time and before I knew it, I was on a plane out of Malaysia, wrapping up a greeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaat trip.
Women only subway car
The subway lines that don't work and lead to a stampede every time the doors open
KL by Night
Transport/food stall rickshaw
Last real mean in SE Asia... Soup served sizzling with a cracked egg on top.
Penang
Awesome sign in the back of a cab, highlighting again the more conservative values as we went South
The nightlife we found... all the cabbies playing checkers... I wanted to play, but didn't
We had a day to explore Penang while we waited for Rachel's visa and we did a pretty good job of covering the city.
These chickens are about to be butchered in front of their purchaser
Reggae bars like this in every town we came across
On the list was The Chocolate Boutique, where we sampled about 40 different kinds of chocolate during a tour that lasted about 3 minutes.
Chocolate Factory
Next was a half dozen different temples and a mosque, where we were led into a library and taught about the difference between Christianity, Judaism, and Islam and told why Islam was right, then given a bunch of religious propaganda.
Chinese Temple
Mosque
Said religious propaganda, including my favorite on Crucifiction
Then we wandered through Little India.
Then we stumbled upon a little gem of a cafe/bookstore... Jing-Si Books and Cafe, where we were given the royal tour by Ho, a short, bald man with glasses and a soft voice. Ho was pretty much the epitome of awesome and introduced us to the principles of Master Cheng Yen, the Master whose sustainable products and writings were sold in the bookstore. We picked up some books and did some reading over tea and the best hot chocolate ever. The hot chocolate was like that described in The Polar Express, so rich and good it was like melting down chocolate except better.
Then we walked to the water. Then we walked through the fort, and past the bell tower.
Fort Cornwallis
We ate a few dozen times... really good wanton soup. Then we tried to find nightlife unsuccessfully, but stumbled upon a terrific dance practice where a two man dragon jumped around with extraordinary coordination to the beating of drums.
The dancing dragon
So good
We ate again. Then we retired. That was Georgetown, the place with no sidewalks.
In case you were wondering where to get your hair braided... that would be behind the curry fish head
This guy cooked us some noodles while holding a cig and looking like an absolute G... he was loud with the tongs as he tossed the noodles to perfection. The man means business, so give him some.
Leaving Thailand, Arriving in Malaysia
An interesting part of our trip was the gradual change from Buddhist to Muslim culture as we moved from North to South. When we arrived in Krabi, an increase in head scarves (no offense intended if I called it by the wrong name) and more conservative behavior (less drinking, etc) by locals was very pronounced.
This was a trend that would become even more apparent when we entered into Malaysia. We left Krabi on a beautifully calm morning, with a glassy river interrupted only by the mangroves and limestone that towered out of the sea. Again it was typical travel 'nanigans. To get from Krabi to Satun, we took a van, then a car, then a van, then another van. Like normal, we had no idea what was going on and drivers were yelling things we didn't understand at us and amongst each other. But, like always we made it to the ferry transfer to Langkawi.
On our last van, we were joined by a group of Swedish travelers, Kristofer, Emmanuel, and Emmy and an American/British couple, Heather and Mark. We chatted it up about our home countries and travels during the car and ferry ride, and then ended up sharing a cab with Mark and Heather, who were on a elongated honey moon, traveling the world until their money ran out. We enjoyed their company and ended up eating lunch and staying at the same hotel (right on the beach might I add, just quietly) as them. See below.
It was unfortunate that we had to move along form Langkawi so quickly, because the food was the best we had had on the trip, the vibe was pleasant, and like I said we were right on the beach. It was also sad to leave travel friends, and would have been nice to continue to do some traveling in a group with our new friends from Sweden and AmeriKingdom.
Langkawi has a treehouse hotel... sweet as
Shortly after our arrival, we were treated to a gorgeous sunset that stretched out across the water and endless beach. The beach was buzzing with people (in a good way), the trees were sounding off with bird chirps, and the weather was just about perfect.
For dinner we ate at Telaga Arabic Cafe and Restaurant. The sea platter was perhaps the best of the trip, rivaled only by Padangbai and the Malay noodle dish was the best noodles we had had. We didn't think it was possible to beat Thai food, but it was done... hats off.
We rounded the night off with drinks on the beach and live music at Little Lyla's Chillout Cafe.
Why couldn't we have more time?
Well it turns out the ferry didn't leave until later, so we had a good chunk of the next day to enjoy Langkawi. We spent the morning on the beach outside our hotel, joined by Mark, Heather, Kristof and Emmanuel. While the boys shot the shit in the water and kicked a soccer ball around, Rachel and Heather, who turned out to be from Savannah, just a short distance from Beaufort, chatted. We were having a good chat and then I got stung by a jelly fish and we decided it was time to get out. We returned to Lyla's chillout for lunch before catching the ferry to Penang and Georgetown where Rachel needed to pick up a Thai visa for her volunteer work. Along the way, Rachel almost adopted the baby from the seat in front of us. The mother handed the baby over to Rachel without the request, she was happy to take the kid.
Again we stumbled upon a awesome night market, this one more of a food court with all the Asian food types you could possibly imagine and live singing and karaoke. Dim Sum? Get some!!! Sushi? Yes please. Shishkabab? Can I say yes? I can confirm that one of the many food paradises is located on Leith st and Penang Rd in Georgetown.
This was a trend that would become even more apparent when we entered into Malaysia. We left Krabi on a beautifully calm morning, with a glassy river interrupted only by the mangroves and limestone that towered out of the sea. Again it was typical travel 'nanigans. To get from Krabi to Satun, we took a van, then a car, then a van, then another van. Like normal, we had no idea what was going on and drivers were yelling things we didn't understand at us and amongst each other. But, like always we made it to the ferry transfer to Langkawi.
On our last van, we were joined by a group of Swedish travelers, Kristofer, Emmanuel, and Emmy and an American/British couple, Heather and Mark. We chatted it up about our home countries and travels during the car and ferry ride, and then ended up sharing a cab with Mark and Heather, who were on a elongated honey moon, traveling the world until their money ran out. We enjoyed their company and ended up eating lunch and staying at the same hotel (right on the beach might I add, just quietly) as them. See below.
It was unfortunate that we had to move along form Langkawi so quickly, because the food was the best we had had on the trip, the vibe was pleasant, and like I said we were right on the beach. It was also sad to leave travel friends, and would have been nice to continue to do some traveling in a group with our new friends from Sweden and AmeriKingdom.
Langkawi has a treehouse hotel... sweet as
Shortly after our arrival, we were treated to a gorgeous sunset that stretched out across the water and endless beach. The beach was buzzing with people (in a good way), the trees were sounding off with bird chirps, and the weather was just about perfect.
For dinner we ate at Telaga Arabic Cafe and Restaurant. The sea platter was perhaps the best of the trip, rivaled only by Padangbai and the Malay noodle dish was the best noodles we had had. We didn't think it was possible to beat Thai food, but it was done... hats off.
We rounded the night off with drinks on the beach and live music at Little Lyla's Chillout Cafe.
Why couldn't we have more time?
Well it turns out the ferry didn't leave until later, so we had a good chunk of the next day to enjoy Langkawi. We spent the morning on the beach outside our hotel, joined by Mark, Heather, Kristof and Emmanuel. While the boys shot the shit in the water and kicked a soccer ball around, Rachel and Heather, who turned out to be from Savannah, just a short distance from Beaufort, chatted. We were having a good chat and then I got stung by a jelly fish and we decided it was time to get out. We returned to Lyla's chillout for lunch before catching the ferry to Penang and Georgetown where Rachel needed to pick up a Thai visa for her volunteer work. Along the way, Rachel almost adopted the baby from the seat in front of us. The mother handed the baby over to Rachel without the request, she was happy to take the kid.
Again we stumbled upon a awesome night market, this one more of a food court with all the Asian food types you could possibly imagine and live singing and karaoke. Dim Sum? Get some!!! Sushi? Yes please. Shishkabab? Can I say yes? I can confirm that one of the many food paradises is located on Leith st and Penang Rd in Georgetown.
Phi Phi Lives Up to the Hype
We spent hours on the computer several times trying to figure out a way to get accommodation on Koh Phi Phi Don, the Thai island that everyone wants to go to. With the Full Moon New Years Eve party just a few days before, it seemed like everyone and their mother had already booked every place full. We decided not to risk showing up on the early boat with all our stuff only to end up taking the last boat back the same day after not finding a place to stay.
Instead, we opted to do an all day boat trip similar to the one we took to the Similan Islands. Well this trip ended up being not as well done, but the snorkeling and sights were certainly no letdown! The Phi Phi Islands were spectacular, with dramatic limestone cliffs appearing to melt into the jade and turquoise water below. Although a bit rushed, we stopped at viking cave, emerald lagoon, Maya Bay (where The Beach was filmed), Monkey Beach, Phi Phi Don Island (where all the accommodation was booked), and Bamboo Island. Again we had a good crew, with a friendly English couple, a friendly German couple, and a Canadian gal who was burnt to a crisp. We took the seats at the front of the boat, which proved to be genius... until it started raining on our way back. All in all, another outstanding trip.
Again I will rely on the picture slide show to take you through the day...
Chicken Rock from the boat
Viking Cave
Entering Emerald Bay... Unreal
Look at all the fish around Rachel... literally all you could see were fish
Snorkeling Emerald Bay... and yes, I know I look sweet in that life jacket
Maya Bay and the beach from "The Beach"... only problem is you can't really see the beach because there are too many boats in front of it. Everyone wants a piece of Leo. Gorgeous place.
I almost caught Rach in a Russian Supermodelwannabe pose, almost
Monkey Beach, the stage for the next Monkey Shines movie
Phi Phi Don, party central and one of the most naturally beautiful places I have ever seen... it's a shame people can't take a little better care of it
Backtracking... The unlucky shorts. Remember when I mentioned buying a pair of shorts in Bangkok and the huge bargaining sess I had... well after sitting in something the first time I wore them that made it look like I pooped in my pants (I promise, I didn't), we dropped them off to get washed. This was the first time I had my laundry done all trip... i brought 4 t-shirts, 3 underwear, 1 pair of shorts, bball shorts and boardies. i had been doing all my laundry in the sink up until this point ( I know, I am rugged like Bear Grills). Well the one time I had laundry done, the woman died my lucky shorts pink. And so marked the end of the shorts (until you see me wearing them around Perth).
Instead, we opted to do an all day boat trip similar to the one we took to the Similan Islands. Well this trip ended up being not as well done, but the snorkeling and sights were certainly no letdown! The Phi Phi Islands were spectacular, with dramatic limestone cliffs appearing to melt into the jade and turquoise water below. Although a bit rushed, we stopped at viking cave, emerald lagoon, Maya Bay (where The Beach was filmed), Monkey Beach, Phi Phi Don Island (where all the accommodation was booked), and Bamboo Island. Again we had a good crew, with a friendly English couple, a friendly German couple, and a Canadian gal who was burnt to a crisp. We took the seats at the front of the boat, which proved to be genius... until it started raining on our way back. All in all, another outstanding trip.
Again I will rely on the picture slide show to take you through the day...
Chicken Rock from the boat
Viking Cave
Entering Emerald Bay... Unreal
Look at all the fish around Rachel... literally all you could see were fish
Snorkeling Emerald Bay... and yes, I know I look sweet in that life jacket
Maya Bay and the beach from "The Beach"... only problem is you can't really see the beach because there are too many boats in front of it. Everyone wants a piece of Leo. Gorgeous place.
I almost caught Rach in a Russian Supermodelwannabe pose, almost
Monkey Beach, the stage for the next Monkey Shines movie
Phi Phi Don, party central and one of the most naturally beautiful places I have ever seen... it's a shame people can't take a little better care of it
Backtracking... The unlucky shorts. Remember when I mentioned buying a pair of shorts in Bangkok and the huge bargaining sess I had... well after sitting in something the first time I wore them that made it look like I pooped in my pants (I promise, I didn't), we dropped them off to get washed. This was the first time I had my laundry done all trip... i brought 4 t-shirts, 3 underwear, 1 pair of shorts, bball shorts and boardies. i had been doing all my laundry in the sink up until this point ( I know, I am rugged like Bear Grills). Well the one time I had laundry done, the woman died my lucky shorts pink. And so marked the end of the shorts (until you see me wearing them around Perth).
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