I Love the Rolling Stones

I just spent way too much money on an iced americano...
but it's raining, this computer is nice, and Stuart is still sleeping.
I am looking at a guy wearing a skirt on TV in this coffee shop. Asia is HUGE for thinking crossdressers are like the funniest form of comedy.

Time to reveal something!

I had been super sick for a whole week, which is part of the reason we stayed in Bangkok so long. But, as of yesterday, miracle of miracles, I'm better!!!
I didn't want to say anything and have my mom worry because I thought it was just bad food poisoning and apparently I was right ... (or something...)

Today, and last night, really, we are in Kho Chang!

Beach town of beach towns!

Expensive, too! Can't find a proper iced coffee for under 2 dollars!
Where have all the street vendors gone???

Decent beach, but quite similar to the ones in Cambodia I think!
I miss that massage was cheap in Cambodia... should've gotten one...

I realized something: When people were telling me that massages are 'SOOO cheap in Thailand!' before we left, that they were really saying 'SOOO much cheaper than Canada' not 'SOOO much cheaper than other South East Asian Countries'

Drat!

Yuck! My iced americano just came and it tastes like I'm back at Starbucks.. siigh, why do they try to westernize?? why!??!

Coffee is my favorite thing about traveling. Pretty sure if I do get a chance to write articles about SE Asia, one will entirely be dedicated to coffee.

A runner just ran by.
Running!! I miss you!!!

Even if it takes me 3 years, I have determined that Ironman training WILL start in 2010!

Speaking of which:
At one of the crazy Bangkok malls we saw the New Balance store was having a crazy sale!
70% off ALL APPAREL!
Of course, since all the malls are intensely expensive, most of the stuff was picked through.
But I did get an awesome running outfit (black and pink shorts, black tank) including the perfect sports bra, for just 30 dollars!
Non runners, you won't think it's that great, but runners, you know that a good new balance sports bra itself is upwards of 50 dollars!

Our trip here was SO LONG!
It seems like all of them are like that...
Stuart and I were reminising about our very worst journey and that was DEFINITELY from Hanoi to Ha Long Bay, and I started writing an article about it just because it was so miserable that it's completely hilarious.

Let me tell you about the room we got:

First we looked with these girls from Denmark at places along the beach ('bungalow style') NOT as wonderful as you're picturing in your head.
I always had it in my head that I wanted to stay at a 'beachfront bungalow'.. but no more!

Oh so rustic...
Kho Chang is very jungely...
which means a pretty much infinate amount of mammels, reptiles, bugs, and arachnids can be found here...
that being said, most of the 'rustic bungalows' opened up to the outside, or had huge spaces under the door leading to outside... where the creatures are...

The woman at one bungalow we stopped at said when she was showing me the room "Animals can get in because it's open, but the good thing is, they can get out, too. If you're in a closed room and an animal is in there from the beginning, it's not going anywhere."
EWW!
and then she paused "It's filthy, really. Really not healthy here." (She was white, middle aged, and I'm guessing, not the owner).
We saw another place that was absolutely beautiful right by the beach... but it was 700 baht... (around 22 dollars) A little over our budget.

We saw this crappy place up by the road... at least it looked crappy from the outside.
We saw a room, a heavenly, beautiful, perfect room:
HUGE, big bed (one bed, finally!!!), big TV, wooden dresser, clean and spotless bathroom with hot water, AC, a table and chairs, and a balcony!!!

500 baht.
More like it, but we knew it was low season.

"We'll give you 400" I said.
"I can not" she said.
"We can't stay here for 500, too expensive."
"We have fan rooms for 300."
"Nope, we're taking air con. 400. For 3 nights, okay?"
"450"
"400"
"I can not. 450. Final."
By this point I think Stu was on the verge of giving up.
We were about to leave and I turned back and said,
"400. Right now. Cash for 3 nights, that's 1200 baht. Okay? 400."
"You stay 4 nights."
"We don't know if we're staying 4 nights. 3 nights, maybe 4, okay?"
"Okay, she said. 400."

VICTORY!
I'm getting good at this bartering thing!
(finally!!!)

Anyway, it's beautiful and perfect and so cheap for this island!

I'm thinking of interviewing someone down at the beach today... maybe one of the fire guys... that might be hard though.
There's these guys that did a fire performance last night on the beach that was freaking awesome.. but who knows if they speak english.
My next best bet, I think, is the expat with the 'unhealthy' bungalows.

We'll see!

The roads here are VERY steep and windey... and yesterday we were in a 'taxi' crammed with about 18 people (it was a pick up with benches in the back that moved as we drove) and three guys were hanging on the back... it was scary! and I'm pretty sure they were scared too (tourists, not locals). That driver must've made a killing though, charging us each 50 baht!

Ok, I was due for a decent update, and there it is!
ps the title has nothing to do with the update... but I do love the Rolling Stones.
I can't get no satisfaction, baby!