We have met the fabest couple from Canada and due to the political stirrings and a few flare-ups of unrest in Bangkok we have decided to hop onto their (the fab Canadians) itinery of to Laos down the Mekong, head across the border into Laos and eventually end up in Louang Phabang. A big part of traveling involves well traveling and we had a three day trip ahead of us. The first day was a grueling 4 hours back down to Chang Mai and then a long 6 hour to the Laos Border.
We arrived at 9 at night and Lawrence dashed of in the tuk-tuk got us a room thank god as it was the last. It felt like days on the bus to get there, long and boring, we ended up playing I spy and laughing at silly things a lot.
The next morning we woke up early and was sitting in the funny guest house we found on the river in the coolest open restaurant with Laos across the river, someone singing and playing flute, the occasional cock crow, after breakfast we headed for immigration caught a boat across the Mekong to Laos, got visas in the extreme heat and then landed up on a slow boat packed to the full of travelers and a few locals down the Mekong 6 hours+
We arrived in Pakbeng a small little one road town that felt like a frontier town from another era with a couple of guest houses and restaurants, a stunning market (straight out of my wish list no crap just real food market) lots of chickens, dogs, puppies, cats and the occasional pig and goat (one of which we heard squealing for its life as it was slaughtered that morning). Not very Buddhist. The locals here are different from Thais a lot softer not so hardened by years of foreigners abuse. We found a fabulous guest house for about R30 a night hot shower, electricity until 10 - en the whole village shuts down.
I had the most exceptional fish dish from this Local guy who Lawrence met on the boat yesterday, it was catfish with a Soya/oyster sauce (not sure I asked but we were'nt sure of the answer.) Must have been grilled on a flat plate with caramelized ginger sauce. Craig had Lap - a minced pork and a mint dish similar to the Thai dish I like to make. The food was brilliant, fresh and well bloody authentic. Woke up early to the sound of the village coming to life stepped out on our balcony overlooking village and glimpse life Laos Pakbeng style.
The local kids are so gorgeous, I could bring a few home with me!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
New Year and Food in Pai
On the food front Pai is a delight all round, Tiks kitchen was the kids favourite - Phad Thai and noodle soup sorted, us the burnt chilli stir fry, beef, chicken, pork or Liver. Charlies and Leks organic smanic a lettuce salad brown rice and all things tasty and the best lime drink eva.
The afternoon food market was always an option lots of little stalls selling dozens of different dishes served up in Papaya leaves on sticks or in little plastic bags. Our favorite lady opposite the bus station was our source of green papaya salad which we just couldnt get enough of.
One of the best meals happened by accident, a real little local place next to Ting Tong
(one of the happening bars). We didn't have a clue what the deal was but it turned out to be a Barbecue Thai style. A clay pot is placed on top of bricks on your table and filled with coals. This is covered with something like an upside down water bowl with a domed lid and a gully around the side. It arrives with a sizzling piece of pork fat to oil the grill you pour water into the gulley, collect all the different meats/fish from a central table, pick herbs like vietnamese mint, basil, coriander, spring onions, veggies like kale and you place all the green stuff in the gulley place the meat on the top and as the meat sizzles all the juices run down into the water, making a stock while you barbecue, we drank the local rum ate ourselves happy and then the end was a fabulous soup to which we added noodles chillies fish sauce lime juice, yummm.
The liquor deal works like this, you buy a combo which consists of a bucket of ice, a bottle of local rum (Sangsohm) a few bottles of soda and glasses. You run your own cocktail bar from your table.
It's been 10 days and we haven't had a bad meal yet (or a bout of the runs) but damn we have missed the odd cold glass of cold white wine!
We spend Thai new year in Pai, is about saying goodbye to the old and welcoming the new. This is where the water comes in, water is sprinkled on you to cleanse you. But as the days go on its an excuse for a water fight on a grand scale, talk about wet T shirt competition, Water pistols, hose pipes, buckets, drums, people line the roads and as you ride/walk/run past you get drenched. Nicky thought he had died and gone to heaven. He bought a water machine gun and just jumped into the fray for 4 days.
The afternoon food market was always an option lots of little stalls selling dozens of different dishes served up in Papaya leaves on sticks or in little plastic bags. Our favorite lady opposite the bus station was our source of green papaya salad which we just couldnt get enough of.
One of the best meals happened by accident, a real little local place next to Ting Tong
(one of the happening bars). We didn't have a clue what the deal was but it turned out to be a Barbecue Thai style. A clay pot is placed on top of bricks on your table and filled with coals. This is covered with something like an upside down water bowl with a domed lid and a gully around the side. It arrives with a sizzling piece of pork fat to oil the grill you pour water into the gulley, collect all the different meats/fish from a central table, pick herbs like vietnamese mint, basil, coriander, spring onions, veggies like kale and you place all the green stuff in the gulley place the meat on the top and as the meat sizzles all the juices run down into the water, making a stock while you barbecue, we drank the local rum ate ourselves happy and then the end was a fabulous soup to which we added noodles chillies fish sauce lime juice, yummm.
The liquor deal works like this, you buy a combo which consists of a bucket of ice, a bottle of local rum (Sangsohm) a few bottles of soda and glasses. You run your own cocktail bar from your table.
It's been 10 days and we haven't had a bad meal yet (or a bout of the runs) but damn we have missed the odd cold glass of cold white wine!
We spend Thai new year in Pai, is about saying goodbye to the old and welcoming the new. This is where the water comes in, water is sprinkled on you to cleanse you. But as the days go on its an excuse for a water fight on a grand scale, talk about wet T shirt competition, Water pistols, hose pipes, buckets, drums, people line the roads and as you ride/walk/run past you get drenched. Nicky thought he had died and gone to heaven. He bought a water machine gun and just jumped into the fray for 4 days.
You start losing your sense of humor after about day four and especially when you crash your scooter with your kid on the back. (Nicky poor child crashed first with his mom and then a spectacular wet skid with Dad down the main drag, so Craig and Nicky are sporting excellent war injuries).
Before we knew it we had been 8 days in Pai and so draws to an end our time in Pai. We have met so many people, locals farangs and learned the difference between Sawadi Kap and Sawadi Ka. We are slowly morphing into travellers and its time to hit the road on our next big adventure down the Mekong River.
Before we knew it we had been 8 days in Pai and so draws to an end our time in Pai. We have met so many people, locals farangs and learned the difference between Sawadi Kap and Sawadi Ka. We are slowly morphing into travellers and its time to hit the road on our next big adventure down the Mekong River.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
8 Days in Pai
Lulu and Bill found Paradise Guest House which was exactly what we wanted to find, it was Paradise - cute little bungalows with bathrooms and fans, free wireless internet, a natural spring water fed pool, tropical gardens all owned and cared for by a Gentle Thai family.
Pai is like the name, it conjured up nursery rhymes and lazy do nothing kind of feeling and we were not disappointed. Its a little village backing onto a broad winding river, Pai is filled with an eclectic mix of shops, restaurants, bars, massage, book shops, guest houses and lots of street vendors. Most of the businesses work from converted houses run by the family who live over or behind the shop so you see mama papa granny, granpa and lots of cute Thai babies. No cars are allowed into town so its all on foot, scooters or bicycles.
Scooters are the mode of transport in Pai and for 100 Baht a day (R25) Lou and I were soon whizzing around merrily exploring the town and surrounds.
Yoga keeps you young and flexible and one of our missions for the trip was to continue where we left of in India. We found Mama Lin, a 62 year old - half Thai - half Hindu, ex beauty queen, model, activist, sage, travel agent and much more. We suspect she ended up with Anorexia and at 25 was packed of by her wise mum to live on an Ashram in India. She came back a yogi and has taught the art ever since. She willingly shared her wisdom, taught us to laugh and 5 two hour lessons later we were starting to stretch.
One day found us in a national park with hot springs. Whilst we submerged ourselves in this hot sulphuric water Craig went up to the source and boiled eggs (yes he did) that he bought from the stall on the way up so we ate the boiled eggs with soya sauce for lunch.
As Africans we decided to visit the elephants and go for a ride. Up close Indian elephants are BIG and there are only 2 ways to mount them, up the trunk or up the front leg both seem a daunting task. The first option entails tapping the elephant on the shin and after a few commands from his instructor he helpfully bends his leg so that you step from ankle onto the knee and grab his ear to climb up. The second option involves tapping his trunk prompting him to hoist you up onto his head which was is done without any apparent effort from the Elephant. From there you leopard crawl down his neck and end facing backwards 12 feet off of the ground on a moving beast. Nicky and Lou were on the little ellie (relative term) and Craig and Bill on the big mama. She had a spine like a scaffold plank - sideways, thank god Lou bought cushions because we were riding bare back with just a simple piece of cloth and one rope around the Elephant for some sort of handhold.
The first hour was pretty hellish a slow ramble up into the jungle and then of course down which is pretty difficult on your legs bum etc. Lous and Nickys elephant keep sneezing, blowing snot all over them and Craig was squirming around trying to find a position on top of the sideways plank. We laughed the whole way; I mean what else could you do. During the second half we ambled along the river and then into the river. Its hard to describe the experience it was like riding a whale. Such fun, the four of us, the guides, the ellies and a couple of locals - we were loving it.
They squirted gallons of water at a time, they played, they flicked us off, they rolled over, bucking bronco on an elephant! They are magnificent creatures and by the end of the day sitting around drinking Singha beer with the guides we were looking at these domesticated beasts with a whole lot more insight.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Diary from Thailand
Fourteen hours on a jet plane - the one good thing is Singapore airlines has the best movies all the latest so we watched movies till touchdown in Singapore. Slumdog Millionaire - great warm up for Bangkok. A few hours wait in Singapore and boy were the boys impressed with super slick Singapore Airport - Technology for free so kids hit face book immediately. I think the boys thought Asia was gonna be like Singapore! Big surprise ahead!
Second night we left the kids with our friends kids in the oriental and they ordered room service, much to their delight. That night we had a crab that was so succulent, we were all in heaven they do that fried garlic with the skin on with sliced lemon grass and pepper all fried and nutty and delicious , the best Tom Yung Ive ever tasted - its all in the stock deep fried fish, no wine-singa beer or green tea bright lights and plastic tables so local so fabulous and to think we gonna eat like this the whole way.
Our Hotel has a massage shop next door, Nicky discovered massage and massuers discovered Nicky, heaven, just sign for it and pop it onto mom and dads account. Heaven!!!
So we arrived in hot, steamy, smoky Bangkok. Drifting between the ubber 5 star Oriental (where our friends are staying) and our more modest but very comfy hotel down the cluttered, chaotic tuk tuk infested road. Massage massage cheap cheap, only 300 bart, tuk tuk sir! The river is wide and busy, tug boats, water busses, tourist boats. BIG catfish and small crocodiles.
We took a walk through Patpong night market or should I say Pingpong, love you long time alley Craig got that look in his eye, >>>>>>> for shopping got some fake diesel jean pants and we got the boys baggies all started off at 3x the price we ended up paying.
Second night we left the kids with our friends kids in the oriental and they ordered room service, much to their delight. That night we had a crab that was so succulent, we were all in heaven they do that fried garlic with the skin on with sliced lemon grass and pepper all fried and nutty and delicious , the best Tom Yung Ive ever tasted - its all in the stock deep fried fish, no wine-singa beer or green tea bright lights and plastic tables so local so fabulous and to think we gonna eat like this the whole way.
Our Hotel has a massage shop next door, Nicky discovered massage and massuers discovered Nicky, heaven, just sign for it and pop it onto mom and dads account. Heaven!!!
We went on a fantastic adventure looking for a special restaurant for the last night in bangkok very local and extremely hard to find, friends taxi got lost, we got desserted by ours and two taxis later finally found each other again. boy was that a taste experience, a pork dish in a fresh tumeric tamarind sauce, fried noodle dish , a smoked auberjine dish mmmmmmm my mouth is watering, a chilli prawn dish, a green papaya salad, a fish dish with a green mango salsa banana flower salad oh god and then to end it just a sliced delicious mango.
Fell into a tourist trap, overpriced boat trip which ends up at a snake farm eeew it was bad bloody hell, we need to get the SPCA in there, a Bengal tiger in a shoe box I felt so sad and cross the poor monkies, it was hidieous and sad and made me depressed, imagine thats your lot in life. We were delighted to get back and off the bloody boat and away from the relentless touts trying to take you for a ride.
Decided to test our stomachs and ate at our first real street stall down the road from our hotel, we went where all the local lady friends take their sweaty farang dates, then you know the food is good, I had a pork stir fried with chilli and yes a green papaya salad kids are loving all the varieties of noodles and I am loving no junk food for them, we sat and ate delicious street food until the rain came down and drenched us.
Fell into a tourist trap, overpriced boat trip which ends up at a snake farm eeew it was bad bloody hell, we need to get the SPCA in there, a Bengal tiger in a shoe box I felt so sad and cross the poor monkies, it was hidieous and sad and made me depressed, imagine thats your lot in life. We were delighted to get back and off the bloody boat and away from the relentless touts trying to take you for a ride.
Decided to test our stomachs and ate at our first real street stall down the road from our hotel, we went where all the local lady friends take their sweaty farang dates, then you know the food is good, I had a pork stir fried with chilli and yes a green papaya salad kids are loving all the varieties of noodles and I am loving no junk food for them, we sat and ate delicious street food until the rain came down and drenched us.
Three days in Bangkok is enough, Craig on a mission to get out the city so we off to Pai,(pronounced Bye) via Chang Mai.
This is cowritten by Craig and Louise so some of the views do not respresent those of the other xxxx
This is cowritten by Craig and Louise so some of the views do not respresent those of the other xxxx
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