Extra Extra

News Flash... I have officially copped out. I'm not going to write about the trials and tribulations of travelling in India. Amy has written a great overview so I'll defer to her. I WILL update about life in Mumbai... eventually. Suffice it to say, I'm loving living in the city and spending time with the kids at the school.

We've actually done another set of pics. Some are missing due to theft and camera problems but we did what we could.

More Pics

Yet again, we've finally taken the time to update the pictures. Pics of Thailand/Malaysia are now online.... Until next time!

Tarts in Thailand 2

My harsh criticism of Thailand still stands, however, the second time around (now only in the South) was infinitely more enjoyable than the first. This time around we headed for the legendary sand and sun of the Andaman coast. The popular town of Krabi was the first stop. We'd heard from people and read in the guidebooks that this area is really good for rock climbing... all that karst goes a long way.

Krabi itself seemed to be an average Thai city with plenty of foreigners and therefore lots of fishermen pants and pizza restaurants. The highlight for me was our trip to the beaches and limestone cliffs of Railay. I'd never been climbing outside before and it was a rush! The first climb up a real rock face absolutely terrified me! I made it to the top, but forgot to look around at the breathtaking scenery as I was too busy hanging on for dear life. After this first incident I felt a lot more comfortable and was able to relax, making the day an exciting and enjoyable experience. I loved the challenge and the sense of accomplishment when I reached the top... However, this sense of accomplishment was somewhat lessened when a 9 year old began scaling the cliffs like Spiderman.

Koh Lanta, a large island in the Andaman Sea (about 1.5 km from Krabi town) was next on the list. Koh Lanta is a lovely island, not as tropical looking as the Gulf of Thailand islands, but a LOT less packed with tourists. Here we did a full day of diving, one wreck and two amazing reefs near Koh PhiPhi (PhiPhi island is better known as the island from that movie The Beach with Leonardo DiCaprio). The diving was fantastic, lots of colourful soft coral and we even saw a turtle. Another day was spent lounging on the beach and yet another was spent scooting around the island on a motorbike. Yet again we met up with Nina and Sherri and ended up hanging out on their balcony with an amazing view of the ocean and going on a kayaking trip around some of the islands. I really enjoyed Koh Lanta as there was so much to do, but none of it felt like work.

We said goodbye to Koh Lanta and grudgingly headed back to Bangkok for the LAST time. This time Bangkok was a lot different than previous visits. Firstly, the rainy season is now upon us and it is finally getting cooler (and rainy, imagine that!). Secondly, the Thai lunar New Year (called Songkran) happens this weekend so revelers are out in full force. Songkran gives Thais and foreigners, both young and old, the chance to drench each other with water and apply paint to the faces/bodies/clothes of total strangers. Walking down the street is a dangerous affair as you get sprayed by waterguns and mud is smeared all over your face by people in the crowd. It's really a lot of fun (especially if you don't have a camera in your bag). We've spent the day sitting, drinking beer and getting soaked.

Tomorrow we bid farewell to SE Asia and hop on a flight to New Delhi. I feel like a chapter of the trip closes as we enter the final country - one I imagine will be a formidable rival over the coming months. Only time will tell... Hopefully I'll find myself in India, just like Alanis Morrisette.