http://blogs.BootsnAll.com/west/ 5 weeks - Chiang Mai to the Andaman Coast en-us 2005-03-05T05:45:09+07:00 http://blogs.BootsnAll.com/west/archives/009110.shtml Our final days in Bangkok consisted of doing last second shopping and escaping from the heat, pollution and noise of the city. We had to capitalize on the great deals we found in the markets, so it was inevitable to... Final Thoughts coywest 2005-03-05T05:45:09+07:00 http://blogs.BootsnAll.com/west/archives/008940.shtml I'll try not to go into too many insignificant details about our shopping excursions in Bangkok. We've spent days going from stall to stall and market to market searching for gifts, home decorations, t-shirts and countless other goodies. Each day... Out and About coywest 2005-02-28T11:32:59+07:00 http://blogs.BootsnAll.com/west/archives/008838.shtml We've done our best to conquer all the major attractions in Bangkok... and we're doing a terrific job. We read in the Lonely Planet that it is pointless to try and see everything in one visit. I can see why.... Out and About coywest 2005-02-26T20:50:02+07:00 http://blogs.BootsnAll.com/west/archives/008837.shtml The next morning we hopped on another river boat and headed straight towards the Ratanokosin and Banglamphu parts of Bangkok. This part of the "old city" is a bit ironic. On the one hand there are massive museums and temples... Out and About coywest 2005-02-26T19:49:18+07:00 http://blogs.BootsnAll.com/west/archives/008834.shtml Our hotel is located on Surawong in the Silom district, which consists of high-rise office buildings, fancy restaurants, and long strips (like Patpong) filled with whorehouses, nightclubs, massage parlours, and swanky little pubs. It's an ironic mix of entertainment centers... Out and About coywest 2005-02-26T19:24:32+07:00 http://blogs.BootsnAll.com/west/archives/008691.shtml For our first full day in Bangkok, we decided to tackle the massive area that contains the Grand Palace, Wat Praw Kaew (the home of the Emerald Buddha), and Wat Pho (the home of the Reclining Buddha). We managed to... Out and About coywest 2005-02-22T20:02:39+07:00 http://blogs.BootsnAll.com/west/archives/008656.shtml I spent the entire evening with my leg sitting on a bag of ice. Every four hours I popped ibuprofen and massaged the swollen areas of my calf. Shaunna found an ace bandage in her bag, and I used it... Stumbling coywest 2005-02-21T23:33:55+07:00 http://blogs.BootsnAll.com/west/archives/008654.shtml After a couple of glorious days of chilling by the pool and zipping around Koh Lanta on a motorbike, we decided to take a guided tour of Ko Rok. This wondeful little island chain consists of two islands connected by... Out and About coywest 2005-02-21T23:10:01+07:00 http://blogs.BootsnAll.com/west/archives/008650.shtml As a continuation fo some of the thoughts included in my last entry, I have included a few more details of this trip that have stuck out, particularly with regard to cultural differences. I mentioned before that Shaunna and I... Random Ramblings coywest 2005-02-21T22:19:26+07:00 http://blogs.BootsnAll.com/west/archives/008541.shtml Ever since we arrived in Thailand, we've wanted to take a cooking class. It's a pretty common excursion for tourists here, and there are classes in just about every city. We were going to take a class in Chiang Mai,... Out and About coywest 2005-02-18T14:00:16+07:00 http://blogs.BootsnAll.com/west/archives/008540.shtml After my last entry, we decided to spend a long, wonderful day hanging out by the pool. We wanted to use Koh Lanta as a relaxing getaway before we head to Bangkok, which will be all hustle and bustle. So... Out and About coywest 2005-02-18T13:25:49+07:00 http://blogs.BootsnAll.com/west/archives/008451.shtml We have spent a great couple of days relaxing in the sun listening to the sound of the waves and the whispering of the wind. I am pretty positive that we are two of, perhaps, 10 total guests staying at... Stumbling coywest 2005-02-16T11:45:57+07:00 http://blogs.BootsnAll.com/west/archives/008422.shtml Well, we finally tore ourselves away from Ao Nang. The slow-pace lifestyle and wonderful island hopping was terrific, but (as is the case on trips like this) it's easy to get stuck somewhere and waste your precious travel time. We... Stumbling coywest 2005-02-15T12:02:42+07:00 http://blogs.BootsnAll.com/west/archives/008334.shtml We did the last island-hopping tour for the week... to put it plainly, we're burned, tired and ready to chill out for a bit. But that's not to say that we didn't love every second of it. After Poda and... Out and About coywest 2005-02-12T19:06:39+07:00 http://blogs.BootsnAll.com/west/archives/008318.shtml I wanted to add a few more interesting details about our travels so far. I keep trying to add these to the entries, but I always feel rushed (since the timer is ticking) or the Beer Changs make me forget... Random Ramblings coywest 2005-02-11T19:20:35+07:00