Zesty Nomad

Near the Thai/Laos border in the Nam Kan National Park there is an ecotourism project called The Gibbon Experience. Given the deforestation and development happening all over SE Asia, the project is an important measure to protect the endangered gibbons and preserve a pristine jungle environment.  After a brief safety video I jumped into the back of a truck that would take us the 2.5 hours into the forest to start our trek. The bumpy, dusty ride was made better by the company.. I met Ulrich from Denmark, Brum from the Netherlands and Brooke from Texas and we hit it off immediately, joking about it being Jungle Law from here on in and excited for what the next three days and two nights would hold.  After a quick lunch in a remote village we set off for a hike into the hills.  We walked for about an hour until we were kitted out with our zipline harnesses. Ziplining over valleys makes it much faster to progress through the jungle and allows access to the incredible treehouses dotted thro...

When I travel I love to be able to get around independently and explore at my own pace; a fantastic way to do that in Thailand is on a scooter. Scooter rental places are plentiful in tourist areas and rates are super reasonable. I've been paying between 200-250 baht ($6-$8 US) per day for a good quality ride on the Gulf Islands and up in Chiang Mai.  The roads are surprisingly good, I was expecting Jamaican style killer potholes but most main roads are in good shape, better even than my home of Nova Scotia, Canada.  There's a wonderful thrill you get gliding through the warm tropical wind , enjoying the exotic surroundings, making the journey half the fun.  Even at relatively low speeds it can be quite exhilarating, 60kmh feels quite fast. I have a few tips for other travelers like me that don't have that much experience on two wheels, some that apply anywhere you might rent one and some specific to Thailand. 1. Wear a helmet!   On Koh Tao and Koh Phangan you're definit...

I'm up in the hills of Northern Thailand between Chiang Mai and Pai staying on Papasao's organic farm for a few days. Papasao is from the Karen Tribe and is an expert in local herbs and farming methods. Here on the farm he grows long rice and sticky rice, papaya, banana, tamarind, taro, dragon fruit, squash and is just starting a bee hive for honey. Its a much slower pace of life after the bustle of the city, the air is clean and it's quite chilly at night. It's also very basic and my thatched hut with a Reed mat and mattress is a bit of an adjustment from the fancy 4 star place I was treating myself to in Chiang Mai. I'm here as a volunteer to help where I can around the farm and learn about local flora and fauna. On arrival Papasao made me a herbal bath and next morning made me a poultice for some spots on my skin that have been sore and painful. I then watered the dragon fruit plants which are a kind of cactus. This afternoon I  fished for diamond fish for dinner...

Many guides say that a visit to Bangkok isn't complete without spending some time in one of its red light districts. I decided to put that theory to the test last night, strictly for SCIENCE.... wait look this is the 'exploring the world as a single man' bit from my earlier 'Reasons' post.. sigh..there's got to be some way I can dress up my slightly perverted curiosity as justified.   The three main red light districts are Patpong, Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy. I have read that Patpong is the sleazier of the three and that it is rife with scam artists; a typical one being hit with a huge bill as bouncers lean over you before you can leave the bar - no thanks. Nana Plaza is like a shopping mall full of gogo bars, tends to be frequented by single men and is a bit of a one trick pony. Soi Cowboy is a small street packed with many different kinds of bars and of the three seemed the most approachable, sociable and fun. If you have seen the movie The Hangover 2, the craz...

I passed my open water course today, which is an exciting milestone, something I've had on my bucket list for a while now. The program was hard work, lots of skills development in the water and a fair amount of classroom study as well. Loved every moment though, and my instructor, Adi, from Master Divers was fantastic. I would love to come back to Koh Tao in the future when the visibility is better and I can be on a less intensive diving schedule. It's hard when your expectations are high from previous experience to be underwater and only see 4 meters in front of you. But it's great practice for the buddy system because it was super easy to lose who you are paired up with. Really happy about how much control I had at the end though, was much more confident manoeuvring  around the sea floor. We saw puffer fish, banner fish, clown fish, sea cucumbers and lots of smaller iridescent blue guys. I enjoyed the company of the rest of my dive team which were Saffron, Jen,Megan, Adi ...

I've moved to a smaller island; Koh Tao is only an hour from Koh Phangan on the catamaran. It's a sweet little place and even more chilled if that was possible. I'm here for my PADI Open Water certification course which will allow me to dive anywhere in the world afterwards. I've loved scuba since my first experience in Riviera Maya, Mexico; breathing weightless underwater exploring reefs full of colorful sea creatures is one of those peak experiences you don't forget. Unfortunately the visibility under the water isn't great here at the moment, so you have to be right up on the sea floor to see anything. Hopefully it improves, but I'm still building the diving skills I need to jump on a dive later on this trip or anytime I like in the future. Not much chance for sightseeing outside of the course, but I did take a scooter ride down to John-Suwan lookout last night which gave impressive views of two sandy bays and the hills of the island in the distance.

For 8 years I have watched my friends from Halifax Maryz and Pierre have adventures in India and Thailand and I was excited to be able to catch up with them in Koh Phangan. Every Friday and Sunday at sunset they lead kirtan on a small beach at Pirate Bar, near Shritanu.  Kirtan is Hindu devotional chanting in Sanskrit, it follows a call and response style, where the leader sings each line and then the crowd repeats it in response. It has the effect of building energy steadily and many of the chants speed up in the middle before slowing and drawing to a close. Maryz and Pierre accompany the chanting with guitar and harp. I went both nights and loved every moment, definitely a highlight of my time on the island. I will get to see my friends again later in April in Dharamasala, up in the hills of Northern India.

A number of savvy friends told me about this intimate, 300 person all night techno party that takes place in Eden Bar on a secluded beach that you can only reach by long boat. The long boat trip on its own was an exhilarating adventure, the water was quite choppy and we caught some serious, stomach churning air a few times. I arrived at the bar early at around 9.30pm, with the party scheduled to start at midnight. It being a Buddhist holiday they weren't serving alcohol until midnight, so I enjoyed a coconut and sat in the corner. Before long I was overhearing two English speakers at the next table and we got to chatting - a cute kitten running around the place was the perfect ice breaker.  Jack and Julia are friends from Berlin, he is English, she is a New Zealander - both were lovely and we hit it off and hung out all night, watching out for each other.  The crowd steadily built until midnight and by 12.15 the dancefloor was already jamming. The music was melodic techno, starting...

I made it to Koh Phangan, after a gruelling 23 hour train, bus and ferry journey from Bangkok. On the way I met Janine and Marcel, both Germans and fellow solo travelers. We hit it off famously, sharing travel stories and talking about everything from Marx to Brexit. We plan to hit a couple of the parties here together this weekend, including Lost Paradise, Ban Sabaii and Samsara.  It's gorgeous here, textbook tropical haven, perfect temperature and this Singha and Green Curry Shrimp are just what the doctor ordered. My host BeauBo at the bungalow I'm staying at met me at the ferry and was simply delightful and funny. The place is great, simple but clean and well appointed. Turning in early tonight, I didn't get any sleep on the noisy train last night and the call of a fresh bed beckons.

I was up early this morning to beat the heat and caught a ride to Wat Arun Ratchavaram, a magnificent temple complex on the banks of the Chao Phraya river. It's name means The Temple of Dawn and it has deep historical significance to the history of Thailand. From the moment I stepped through the gates I was in awe and enveloped in a calm peaceful power. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city it felt like an oasis of tranquility and beauty, morning birdsong provided a perfect soundtrack to the visit. I will allow the photos to speak for themselves. 

Bangkok is hot, smoggy and humid.  It has a funk to it, nothing like the pungent assault of Delhi or Mumbai but still you don't want to linger too long by the sewage grates. The mix of modern shiny windowed skyscrapers and decrepit, foliage strewn old low rises makes for a fascinating urban sprawl, something that happened over time rather than as the result of a plan. I'm enjoying my first coconut in the midday heat, it's delicious and vital, so different from the canned stuff I drink at home. The pace of life on the street is less frenetic than I was expecting. I adjusted the speed I was walking, not quite to a late summer Montreal saunter but close to it.  Today I have low expectations of myself. Picked up a sim card for my phone and going for a massage and a nap to shake off the jetlag. Tonight I will explore the bar scene local to my hotel in Nana.