Archive for April, 2011
Krabi’s Tiger Cave Temple
By Tony on April 29, 2011 | 1 Comment »
The Tiger Cave Temple just outside Krabi town is known for its big caves and big views. But what really captured my attention was the big trees along the nature walk behind the temple. One tree in particular stopped me in my tracks. It had to be the biggest buttressed trunk of any tropical tree I had ever seen anywhere in the world. It was bordering on the dimensions of a » Continue reading this post »
Beautiful Beaches and Barbed Wire
By Tony on April 27, 2011 | 2 Comments »
The modern incarnation of Phra Nang fascinates me on so many levels that I could write a book on this one single beach. Phra Nang is stunning, preposterous, perfect, horrifically flawed, a sham, a jewel, a white-powder contradiction. It’s also a rather unique achievement.
At some point in the second millennium, I strolled across a flawless, deserted version of Phra Nang that was truly deserving of the word perfect.
The beach was so perfect that humanity decided to carve into the jungle which backed the beach and construct the Rayavadee Hotel, a luxury resort designed to cater to exclusive individuals who like their decadence sitting in the middle of what was once a pristine natural location. Marketing hyperbole swirled, travel magazines swarmed, and Phra Nang was declared the most beautiful beach in Thailand. As of this posting, Rayavadee lists its rates between $750 and $5,300 per night, depending on just how much decadence you require. Ouch, that beats our $11 room in Krabi town.
Now, I know what everyone is expecting, yet another lecture on how humanity is destroying nature – oops, I just did that – too late.
No, the focus of this post is on something far more mundane, yet strangely fabulous. And that is the fact that » Continue reading this post »
Penises for a Princess
By Thomas on April 25, 2011 | 4 Comments »
Let me start by saying that this posting is not about me, contrary to what the photo or the title may suggest.
During a recent island-hopping trip, our guide Ooh told us the local legend behind the Princess Cave, a small shrine in the karst at the southern end of Phra Nang beach.
“The cave is inhabited by the spirit of a princess who killed herself there,” Ooh said earnestly, looking around to see our reactions.
“What happened?” a Danish woman asked curiously.
“A long time ago,” Ooh continued dramatically, “her father wanted to marry her off to a man in a foreign land. During the sea journey, she was kidnapped by pirates.”
“And then?” Tony probed » Continue reading this post »
Look What the Kat Dragged In
By Thomas on April 23, 2011 | No Comments »
We frequently meet up with people who we have met earlier during our multi-year journey. While Tony and I are still on the same trip, all of these guys have gone home in the meantime, and come back to Asia for their next vacation.
Recently, we crossed paths with Kat in Krabi town. She’s the first traveler from the Rishikesh crowd we’ve run into again. It’s almost been three years since we spent a week together in India, talking hours on end during the monsoonal downpours. This time around, Kat brought rain again. Call me superstitious, but I see a trend here.
Kat just wrapped up her 3-month Asia adventure which included India, Nepal, Thailand and Cambodia. Unfortunately, she had to cut her trip short and is now back in Britain after she got Dengue fever, food poisoning and another mystery virus – all at the same time. Rather than pepping herself up on papaya salad and chicken satay, she’s back home probably eating kidney pie and trifle (or whatever the British eat). Get well soon and thank you for a great reunion, Kat. Next time, it’s our turn to visit.
So everyone out there, friends, family or anyone reading our blog, let us know if you are coming our way. We love company and can’t wait to meet up with you!
Krabi Karst and Beaches
By Tony on April 21, 2011 | 4 Comments »
Just a quick glimpse of TnT exploring the beaches and karst landscape of the Thai province of Krabi, one of the most stunning regions on the planet. No lectures on crowds or over-development. Today, just a vision of nature at its best.
