Merry Christmas

My dear readers,
I send out some surprises allready, but i am sure most of them haven’t arrived yet.
Thats why i am giving you another present right here.
it is once again picture time:

And now for all the fans of furry animals…i give you tigers!

Now we take a night train to our next destination… what an adventure.
So long
Ole

from Then to Now

Dear readers,

i am pushing myself to finally write another blog entry.
it has been more than a month, the last time it has been so long between two entries was when i was in the middle of the pacific i think.
At least i have a good excuse 😉

Anyhow lets start at the beginning.
Rose and i explored the mountain springs of the Krabi-province. Blue pools and hot waterfalls were awaiting us in midst a beautiful jungle.
We were quite enjoying these natural wonders and relaxed a little before we took a bus that took us straight into a spooky Bangkok.
We met up with old friends Nico from Infinity and my friend Rawi that i met last time i was in Bangkok. Together we jumped into the Halloween parade on Khaosan Rd.
After Halloween war over we readied ourselves for the North.
Our Hotel-concierge recommended to go up early as the festival of lights “Loy Krathong” would be in full flow. So we jumped in the next available bus to Chiang Mai to catch a view of the lantern fest. It was breathtaking.
Like ghosts or ascending souls all over the sky the lanterns were flying.
In columns of thousands, never ending.
They were rising up to the clouds where the flames where extinguished by the moisture.
On their way up however they created a second starry sky.
The river was full with little floating candles which were joined by descending lantern paper.
Of course we joined the madness and wrote our wishes on a skylight and let it fly to unknown heights.
The next day, we were not really expecting anything and had just changed hostels, we got notice from the monastery: “Now is the time, the next opening is in a week”
We were confused, as a couple days later we got information, that we could just walk in.
But we quickly packed our necessities and i tried to contact my parents, so they wouldn’t be worried when their son suddenly disappeared from the face of the earth for a month 🙂

The monastery was intense to say the least.
Feelings that have boiled unknown, ideas and thoughts that presented themselves and memories well remembered and also long forgotten all tried to keep me from the present moment. Some still do.
Meditation is a great exercise to get calm, to discover inner truths and to build up grey matter in the brain. I hope it will be seen as necessary as brushing our teeth in the future.
But enough of that.
Now i am out and on my way to the next adventure 🙂

So Long
Ole

p.s. Pictures will follow soon.

Vagabonds United

Dear readers,
I have really relaxed for the last 2 weeks, so much so I am not even in the mood for writing. Luckily I have met up with my beautiful girlfriend Rose again and she agreed to write my first guest entry. I am happy, as she is a published author.
I hope you enjoy the fresh style.
Enjoy:

Hello Ole’s fabulous fan club! I am so very honored to have been invited to guest write on his most inspiring blog. Hopefully this will be the final push to start one of my own! https://initiationtowonder.wordpress.com/

So after a month and ½ apart, out of all our infinite choices Ole and I decided to rendezvous in Thailand! A mystical enchanted land and of smiles, elephants, monkey’s, jungle bungalows, massages, alien fruit, white sand beaches, golden naga temples and some of the most epic spicy delicious food on the planet.

We chose Krabi, because of its dramatic cliffs and the beauty of the surrounding beaches and islands. Ole was waiting for me at my gate from my flight from the Amsterdam with a sign saying Chaska which is my Mayan name meaning Star. He’s so sweet and romantic!
It’s the end of the rainy season here, high season starts next month, which we want to miss.
I booked a nice bungalow beneath the famous Krabi cliffs (Aonang Cliff view resort link) for us to stay while we scoped out the area the first few days. The place was so cute with a fabulous pool, surrounded by the towering cliffs, fan palms, tropical flowers, peacocks, baby bunnies and cats. We were so happy to be re-united and our bungalow was cozy and romantic. We relaxed to the sounds of thunder and rain enjoying our reunion immensely.
In the mornings we were awoken with the sound of Thai boxing at the gym next door. We explored the Aonang beach nearby, eating curries on the beach, enjoying mango shakes, mangosteen, spicy papaya salad and Thai massages.
The town is a bit of tourist armpit complete with a creepy red light district but the beach is lovely and we just took our free shuttle back to our cozy and peaceful cliff bungalow, away from all the touristic turmoil.

We were offered a very cheap deal to do a 4-island tour from our bungalow resort for staying 4 nights there. We’re not really your typical tourists so it was an experience. The Thai long boats they use here are pretty loud but super photogenic and efficient. Our funny tour guide lined us up like sheep and packed us into a unique wooden long boat. It felt like a elementary school trip. The tour was filled with deaf Malaysians talking in sign language. Our first stop is Pharaong Cave beach where we found herds of Chinese tourists, caves filled with wooden penises and young fit hotties climbing cliffs.
The beach and cliff islands are gorgeous although we only get 40min to look around. Then off to the next island for some zombie tourist snorkeling in life jackets. The place is overrun; the coral is sad but still beautiful. We manage to not have to use the life jackets and swim away from the masses and enjoy the beautiful fishes.
The next island is for a lunch break we set up our hammock and eat rice and veggies overlooking the white beaches and clear blue water of Koh Jub. There is no bathroom for all the tourists and there is a lot of them. Our guide says to go in the water. Eeeeeeeew…
At the last island (Koh Poda) we have a jam session with the monkeys, the place is trashed, filled with tourists and old falling apart buildings, despite that all it’s still so very pretty.
Just as we are leaving the afternoon rain starts and we get soaked on our way back to our bungalow.

We learned quickly that the best food is with the street vendors. Everything is so delicious and I’m amazed that Ole can eat even hotter stuff than me.
Even though the whole time we have been together he never eats spicy things? What a freak.

We moved to a bungalow on a beach called the Dawn of Happiness, the ocean is right out our window with the cliffs in the background across the bay. They are getting ready for a reggae party and have built a cool tree house DJ booth which they say I can DJ in. Lecker!!
We rented a motorbike and head into Krabi for the Sunday night market. We get caught in a rainstorm, its pretty exiting. In Krabi we eat so much delicious street food, Curries, morning glory, mushroom soup, quail eggs, amazing pad Thai, fruits, Thai iced tea and yummy sweets. It’s so fun and romantic.


The next day we finally make it out to Railey beach to scope out a nice place to stay.
We arrive at low tide, which I cannot recommend if you have a ton of baggage, as you will have to walk through several hundred meters of knee-deep water.
I don’t like the vibe in Railey at all. It’s completely overrun by tourist hotels. It’s like a bad movie, back to back tacky resorts, and there is trash everywhere. There are a couple trashed restaurants that look as if an evil curse was placed on them and they are now abandoned, graffiti and garbage everywhere. Pretty zef. We look at a few places but the vibe is sketchy. We do find a bohemian rock climbing spot (the coffee house on the walking track to Tonsai Beach) and drink some chai and try to make friends with the jaded locals.
We go in a cave called diamond cave and play music on the stalagmites.
On Railey west the cliffs create this echo from the waves and all the longboats. It is not very peaceful, yet impressive. We climb over some rocks at sunset to Tonsai beach, which is supposedly a more bohemian spot with more young rock climber types. Its definitely mellower but the vibe is still edgy. We check out a few more bungalows but they are stacked like sardines and smell musty and gross.
After our trip out to Railey we definitely appreciate our beach bungalow a lot more, it’s so mellow and quiet compared to the madness.
The reggae party at the Dawn of Happiness was amazing. My DJ set got cut short as they were late setting up the sound system, but supposedly I was the first person to play in the amazing tree house DJ booth. The bass from my tunes sounded so yummy, it was fun. Then the bands started and Ole played Didge with the first band for 30min or so. He sounded so good.
Dancing to reggae on the sand in the jungle was so fun. We ate sushi and blew bubbles and danced the night away. It was lovely.
Now we are planning our last few days here. Looking forward to the possibility of horse back riding, kayaking, photo shoots, rock climbing, checking out a fossil beach, hot springs waterfall, tiger temples and an emerald lagoon.
Then it’s on to Bangkok for Halloween. We want to dress up as Howl and Sophie from Howls moving castle, or maybe Ganesh and Pārbati. Anyhow enjoy and thanks for reading Ole’s first guest writer on his fabulous, inspiring globe trotter blog!
Tschüs, Tschüs! Rosita.

This is it, all that has happened over here in paradise. I hope you enjoyed her post.

International media apparently covered that there was full on Ukranian-style riots over here, but everybody seems to disagree. It is just not the laid back thai style.
So everybody at home, don’t worry its fine here, very fine 🙂

So Long
Ole

Goodbye Thailand – Bangkok never sleeps

My last time in Thailand I spend in Bangkok, after a 10h train ride (which was filled with reading and watching the landscape pass by)

Arriving in Bangkok i immediately went to Khaosan Rd with my CS-host.
….Khaosan is crazy!! Hookers, [a lot of] Ladyboys, loud music, faked passports and a lot of alcohol.
You can be sure every “girl” that shows a lot of skin is probably not a girl…
The next day i, for the first time in my life, went wake boarding.
After about 20 times falling face or ass first in the water, i figured out how to take of.
After 3h of wake boarding i felt really good, exhausted and as i would finally again be sour the next day 😉

In the evening i went to the modern day Bangkok-“Metropolis”
I did not feel like i was in Thailand anymore, but somewhere or should i say some-when in the future.
I bought an Ukulele and a Harmonica, which i already indulged to learn.
And in the evening i found it…i have been looking for it since Mumbai.
A Jazzclub!

Time passed, nights passed, go to bed at 6 in the morning, not knowing  where you will go to bed…Bangkok is indeed a crazy city!
The very last night i spent, dancing like crazy, in an underground DnB-Party @ Democ cafe with amazing DJs (Yaakparty, vivian, and Brwnsugrz)
They powered me to dance for 2h straight, without taking any drugs, not even sugar….believe me that was really good DnB!
(Maybe i was craving for something different then “Gangnam-Style” which they play @ every corner…krai tse roo [who knows])

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then i left.
I miss Thailand already, for the country i was allowed to experience, the people i was allowed to meet, for the things i was allowed to see and the food i was allowed to try.

So Long Ole

Thailand:
I got to know the Thai language pretty well in my time here.
but there is to much to tell you, thats why i will tell you only a few things:
I don’t want – Mai ao
do you think foreign people don’t have a brain – Kun kotoua farang mai mee samong la!
no problem-mai pen rai
i don’t know – mai roo
i don’t understand – mai kow chai

Food: try everything! its all good, stay in a monastery for a few days and try real local food…the more rural you go, the better your experience!

I honestly understand everybody who moves out to live in Thailand, i almost stayed here, but i will definitely come back!

The Issan Rockets and Glass-Hill forest monastry

After taking a bus from Laos to Thailand i am in Thailand now.
Wait a moment… i don’t know why but something is of with that beginning sentence.

I arrived in Si Sa Ket, a town that apparently has a temple completely made out of recycled bottles…and a town of which i only saw a pretty but pretty expensive hotel for the night where the Internet shut down regularily..

But from there i went to Huay Tap Tan to meet Tony’s friend Noi.
She is an elementary school teacher for handicrafts and taught me how to make a palm leaf hat.
Also she can massage very well.

Then i went to the Monastery her brother leads.
And spent 5 relaxing days there, amazing food in the morning, 2-4 showers, and a little meditation.

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One day we were sent to go to see the Issan Rockets…rockets, but they don’t explode when they are up.
“Fireworks that doesn’t explode…sounds a little boring” i thought to myself, and i won’t judge you if you think the same.
Well we all could not be more wrong!

Did i promise to much? I have never seen something that incredible.
The rocket we carried actually won the event with a height of 370m about 1 213.9 feet…as i said, i don’t want to be there when the rocket comes down!
Tomorrow i will go to Bangkok my definite and last stop in Thailand.
Let’s see how crazy it really is.
So Long (and without a sunset)
OLE

Nan – Land of the Ghosts…

…Forgotten!

Nan was a communist region and no tourist was allowed here 26 years ago.
So life is pretty much the old Thai life here.
I mean don’t get me wrong!
Obviously there are guest houses here, and in high season a few tourists, but you can not compare it to those touristic “hell holes” (as my host Tony calls them 😀 )
It is serene here, if you go out of the city, which has basically no traffic, you find yourself in a lush green forest, filled with hidden gumtree plantages, midst the mountains.
The province is full of beautiful National Parks and Wild-live Preserve Areas.
Every small village has its own temple. A little like the churches in southern Europe…just more beautiful, with dragons and mythical creatures 😉
IMG_2206Tony hosted me in his Restaurant, if you are ever coming here check it out! He is an amazing chef and his wife makes delicious Thai food!
He worked as a chef for the Royal Navy for 6 years and now parttime as something i woud like to call extreme cook 😀
Cooking food for 1000’s of people in Afghanistan or in the Papa-Newguenean rainforests …somebody oughta do it

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Sadly enough I only spent 3 nights here, because my timetable kinda gets scrambled by the Songkran Festivities (Buddhist new year -> it becomes impossible to travel) and the end of my Thai visa, so i will go to Laos tomorrow morning.
But i think it will be great, spending a boat ride on the Mekong 😀

So long Ole

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Goodbye Pai, tribes and sunsets

I enjoyed easter, made an evil April fools joke with my friends at home and relaxed a lot!
Now it is time to move again.
Next big stop: Nan
then LAOS!!! YEEHAA!! …hrrm…or something like this

I picked up the ukulele and really consider getting one for my big boat journey from the Philippines to Australia.
Ukuleles are just so much more social then a Didgeridoo 😉

Anyhow that was a short post so enjoy the new gallery:

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I can only recommend Pai! it is amazing here!
I love you all 🙂
So long Ole

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Secret Hot Springs and More Pai Adventures

I feel free!
There is no time the gates close, no plans, i can finally do what i want! 🙂


Hang on… i could do that all along 😀
Well i guess being locked in the massage school after 21.00 was kind of restricting, and now it has to get out!

I rented a scooter and explored the Wilderness around Pai.
There are 2 Hot springs near Pai:
The pay-200baht-ones, and the Off-the-beaten-track-ones where you only pay 20Baht/person and 20B/bike

How to get there?
Drive on the Mae Hong Son road for 11km, enjoy the beauty of the landscape, and when you think you are too far, drive a little more 😉
You find the Sign on your right side (see gallery), and then you will have to go through a “rollercoaster-ride”… many many very steep hills.
I was very happy to have a manual bike, and even that couldn’t do every hill with another person on the back 😀

But the Hot Springs are amazing, the only people there were the harvesting farmers, digging out garlic, salad and other vegetables.
maybe i will go again tomorrow 😀
On our way back we went to “Mor Pang Waterfall”, which is really cool because the water has polished the stones to water slides!
It’s so much fun!
If you are more into extreme stuff, and have a good aim, you can jump of the high boulder into the pool (it has one deep spot 😉 )

This trip was just … just….WoW ! (i am just realizing that wow actually looks like one of these smiley’s (^_^) (T_T) O.o )

And the rest of the evening i just read the first book of the Panem trilogy, and i am almost done with the book 😀
Also i gave a massage and earned some pocket money…i feel good!!

The only thing i need now is a good party!
Then the rest will settle on its own!

 

I think i will look for the abandoned guest house soon, and maybe spend a few nights there!

So Long Ole
p.s. i hope you can hold out the freezing temperatures over there!
but perception of temperature is relative…and i have a 20 degree drop every night 😉
p.p.s. i totally forgot about easter 😀

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Goodbye ChiangMai, Hello Pai

So yeah, i spend 40 days in Chiang Mai!
Meditating, Massaging, Bone-cracking, Visa-Waiting, Face-rubbing and TokSen-ing (i have no idea how to describe this! Its like hammering a wooden stick on the muscle. Despite the sound of this, it is so relaxing everybody i treated fell asleep 🙂 )

But now its enough, i moved on – to Pai!
And it is very beautiful! The first 2h here i was in awe, moving around with an open mouth and unable to concentrate on finding a place to eat,
then i stopped, but only because it was dark
Pictures:

The road from Chiang Mai to Pai has 762 curves, and i actually got a little sick …maybe it was the food i ate before
So i just drank a lot of water, to get rid of the feeling.
So much that i had to go to the toilet very bad for the second half of the drive 😀 at least i did not think about the curves anymore.

Now i am staying in a really nice place, that has cool bungalows, a pool, free breakfast and a circus school, so maybe i will start learning some firestuff 🙂

Yeah so i am looking forward to bathing in the hot springs, because it gets really cold at night, i am freezing right now…what is this, i cannot wear shorts and tshirt at 10pm? 20degrees? COLD!!

I really like the vegetarian food here, i hope to pick up some nice recipes…maybe if you want i can make a recipe special 🙂

Tipps for visa extension:
Chiang Mai immigration opens at 8am ( be there at 7.00-7.30 because you will wait very long.) and has a lunch break.
I was there at 8.30, and got to the counter at 15.30 :/
so bring time
There is a copyshop w/ picture possibility so don’t worry you just need your passport.

 

So long Ole
p.s. Answers to the postcard quiz
1)All of the Ladys were boys
2)The pictures showed an Escalator in chinatown…i think it has not been in use for the last 20 years 😀
3) Every Answer was right 😛

p.p.s. I figured something out :

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a Massage Message

Gallery

This gallery contains 37 photos.

My dear readers, in 2 days i finish my last massage Course. A lot has happened in the last few weeks…well…not really I massaged and learned a lot, maybe that counts 😉 I went to a workshop and met many … Continue reading