Category Archives: Sporting

Greatest Hits: my top 10 SEA photos

In remembrance of the year that has gone by since I’ve started my blog, and the approximate 12 months since I visited Southeast Asia, I wanted to take a trip down memory lane and post my top 10 photos (as voted on by ME) from my travels in SEA, along with a little backstory on each one. All photos were shot on a Canon Powershot SX20 IS.

Without further ado, my personal top 10:

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This photo was taken on a tiny island (if you could even call it that) in the straights of Malacca, just off the coast of Ao Nang, southern Thailand. My friends and I had taken a deep water soloing trip and this was our lunch stop in between climbs. Our guide packed us fried rice and we took our lunch on the outside of a cave with this view of our boat in front of us.

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Taken while touring the grand palace in Bangkok, this row row of “guardians” lined the entire perimeter of the temple housing the Emerald Buddha. I can remember the heat on this day being unbearable amidst all the concrete of the royal complex.

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A spectacular post-sunset shot on Koh Phi Phi, while I was sitting on the porch of my hillside bungalow. At the rooftop bar in the bottom of the shot you can see they were projecting a replay of the nearby filmed movie, “The Beach”.

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The Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Walking into the buildings takes you through a high end shopping mall, including a movie theatre and food court. Outside is a wonderfully clean public park and gardens. After touring the park, my friends and I settled in for back to back movies at the theatre. The movies were one of my most memorable experiences due to the cheap tickets, spotless theatre and absence of previews before the show.

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At sunset, touring the massive complex of Wat Phra Dhammakaya, just north of Bangkok. These statues were situated at the entrance of the massive space used for huge public meditations. The “arena” was larger than any professional sports complex I’ve ever seen, housing over 100,000 people in group meditation. At the center of the concrete complex sits a 5 ton silver Buddha encased by a golden dome covered in 100,000 tiny golden Buddha statues.

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Another sunset, this time within the ruins of Angkor Wat archeological park, sitting atop the elephant temple of Phnom Bakheng, the very first temple-mountain build in Angkor. The temple symbolizes the mythical Mount Meru in the Hindi religion. This is by far the best spot to take in the sunset in the park, but visitors beware, if you don’t get there early, you will be stuck at the bottom waiting in the queue.

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Looking up at my dive partner Dave Ho while training off the coast of Koh Tao for our Advanced certifications. Dave was one awesome dude, an Asian-American, Massachusetts native, who was currently taking a vacay in Thailand from his job in China.

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Inside the compound of the main Angkor Wat temple, just after sunrise. These structures were just massive in person, hard to imagine a monk wandering the grounds hundreds of years ago, just as I was that day. In the shot you can see Kelvin and Sophie, my two traveling buddies I met during the mind bending border crossing into Cambodia. Without them, I don’t think I would have made it to Angkor, nor would I have had near as much fun.

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Looking down on the isolated paradise of Railay Beach in southern Thailand. We had to to scale a rocky, muddy, rooty precipice to get to this unofficial overlook. Railay beach can only be accessed by boat and it is home to a huge community of rock climbers and monkeys, however I was more surprised to find out that Railay is a haven for both cannabis enthusiasts and the LBGT community.

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Just another long tail boat, ferrying passengers from Ao Nang to Railay for less than $5, with the signature southwestern Thai backdrop. Typical Thai ferryman smoking a cigarette while operating a makeshift auto-engine turned prop motor.

Hello Again

5 months since my last post…5 months! I can’t believe how slack I’ve been, but life does have a knack for getting in the way. Since my last post I’ve skipped around 2 different jobs, moved to downtown Asheville NC and grown a pretty righteous beard. I have to say I’m in one of the happiest stages of my life and I do plan on keeping Asheville as my home base for as long as I can. Asheville is exactly where I want to live. For me it’s not some bohemian capital of the south or “cesspool of sin”, it’s a place that allows me access to all the passtimes I enjoy the most while still affording me a feeling of belonging in my native home. In short: being close to the mountains and my family give me all the joy I can possibly stomach.
I am posting today to renew my commitment to blogging. A year ago today I was halfway around the world and in a completely different state of mind, it seems like an eternity ago. My outlook on life is so much different after my experience and I beleive I accomplished what I set out to do in my 1-year mini retirement.
Now being back in the world of working-joes I don’t want to set aside my passion for writing. I plan to recommit my efforts to posting on the reg about my travels, outdoor adventures and general things that interest me. As I revive my efforts to write, I hope you all can revive your efforts to follow along, I appreciate it when you humor me. So, I should be posting some decent content here in the next week or so, but until then, to make up for my winter absence, here is a video I made of me and my sibs snowboarding in Mammoth, California last year – CLICK THIS YOU!

Surfing in Englischer Garten, Munich

Before I get into my current goings-on here in the Southeastern USA, I have a few more stories to share from my recent European travels. If you won’t mind taking a trip back in time with me, smack-dab in the middle of my East to West, European traverse, after an incredible 8 hour train exodus from Venice into the heart of Bavaria, I arrived in Munchen Hauptbahnhof, one of the most impressive train stations I’ve ever witnessed. A true testament to the renowned German engineering, the station was clean, bright, organized and boasting one of the best food courts for a transportation depot I’ve ever experienced.

20121227-204424.jpg After milling around the train station for a while, enjoying the free WiFi (kudos Krauts), I decided to head out into the city and find a place to shack up for the night. I didn’t have to travel far, within 100 yards of the station there were no less than 5 quality hostels to be found. After snooping around a few and checking the rates I settled on the Jager’s Hostel (not sure about the relation to the frat-boy party liquor) and checked myself into your typical 12 bunk, one bathroom, coed backpacker Hilton (I did opt out of the 40 bunk room).

20121227-204750.jpg Since the sun was shining and I was running on the adrenaline high that a new location sometimes brings, I set out into the heart of the city to try and see a few sights. My main destination for the day: Englischer Garten. Slightly north of the city center, Englischer Garten, is one of the worlds largest urban public parks, larger than NYC’s Central Park. The name is obviously German for “English Garden”, but this is in reference to the style of informal landscape gardening used throughout the 1.4 square mile park, not, ” bad food, worse weather and Marry Fu@?!&$ Poppins!”. It’s an easy walk to the park from historic Munich, just head north from the Glockenspiel and you will walk through some tight city streets and monuments before emerging into open public park space. It was at this juncture during my walk that the sun disappeared and a chilly rain started to fall. Dressed in shorts, a tee shirt and a thin raincoat, I soon realized that my attire was inadequate for the change in temperature. I tried to stay out of the rain as much as possible, but cover was sparse. I ducked under trees, tunnels and awnings until I reached the park proper. Once inside the park there was little I could do to avoid the precipitation, but the tree canopy at least turned the steady rain into a light sprinkle. Heading through the park from South to North, one of the first areas you encounter is the Japanese Garden, highlighted by a pond surrounding a Japanese style tea house. On this particular day, despite the rainfall, there was a festival taking place. I couldn’t quite make out the specifics of the festival, but from what I could gather it was a type of Japanese heritage event that was mainly attended by German youths in all manner of strange Anime-type dress. Many individuals were dressed as Japanese cartoon characters, both human and animal. Interesting to say the least.

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20121227-210503.jpg After getting past the festival tents and traveling to the Eastern edge of the park I came upon one of the most popular attractions in Munich, “The Wave”. The small creek that fed the pond in the Japanese garden turned into a steady stream and then into a full blown torrent. Where the artificial river begins, from a culvert under a city bridge, a raised concrete slab creates an artificial wave that surfers from all around Europe come to shred.

20121227-210712.jpg Even in the cold rainy weather, there were no less than 20 surfers that day clad in full wetsuits, lined up for their turn to jump on the break. Below is a short video I compiled of the riders that day:

After being mesmerized by the surfers for over 30 minutes the cold became too much for me to handle, I had to find shelter and stop my teeth from chattering. I walked the Eastern edge of the park and I shortly came upon an oasis, a small shack selling food and drink! The shack had no obvious name or signage, but it reminded me of something from Hansel and Gretel.

20121228-110338.jpg I stepped inside the small building and bellied up to the counter to order a German specialty: Weisswurst. Literally translating to, “white sausage”, this is a Bavarian specialty that is usually eaten as a snack between breakfast and lunch. Most Bavarians eat their Weisswurst before noon because it is made early in the morning without preservatives and would typically spoil before nightfall. The sausage is made with a combination of veal and pork belly mixed with spices such as parsley, lemon, onions, ginger and cardamom. The sausage is usually served with sweet grainy mustard, alongside a soft salted pretzel. The sausage was light and soft to the taste and a bite with the sweet sticky mustard was a revelation. Since I was breaking the rules and eating my Weisswurts around 4pm, I also opted to add a German Radler to wash it all down. A Radler is a refreshing Bavarian creation of beer mixed with lemonade. I’m usually not the kind of guy to mix fruit in my beer, and I admit I was skeptical before trying it, but this particular blend is on point. Legend has it that it’s creation was a mistake, a sneaky bartender who was low on beer one day, decided to mix lemonade with his remaining brew in order to quench the thirst of the many parched cyclist that approached his tavern. To his surprise, the cyclists came back year after year to have another of these unique beverages and thus the, “Radler” (Cyclist), was born.

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20121228-113126.jpg After filling my belly and getting as warm as I could, I set my bearing south and began to head back to my hostel. Due to my near-hypothermic state I decided not to explore the north side of the park, but I hear there is a fantastic Bier Garten in that section of the park called the Chinese tower. So if you are in Munich, I suggest that you don’t miss out on the Englischer Garten, it was definitely one of the highlights of my time in the city.

Croatia Divers

A good chunk of my stay in Croatia included a weeklong trip to Korcula (core-chew-la), a small island just south of Split in the Adriatic Sea. In Korcula is Vela Luka, a small harbor town on the western end of the island. With a population of just over 4,000 Croats, Vela Luka is the second largest place in the Adriatic Islands. I journeyed to this small town in order to fulfill a “bucket list” experience – diving in the Mediterranean.

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Getting There: I took the Jadrolinja ferry service from Split to Vela Luka for a surprisingly low cost of around $11 (70 Croatian Kuna). Having come from using Thailand’s ferry services rather extensively, stepping into a Jadrolinja ferry ship was the lap of luxury. Upon entering the great hull of the vessel (used for car transport) you take an escalator up to the passenger deck…that’s right, an escalator, stairs are for losers. Once on the passenger level one can choose from a variety of seating options inside the carpeted, teak-wood, air-conditioned interior. There are leather booths, group tables and even massage chairs. There are also several restroom options and a copious snack bar where I ordered 3 too many espressos during the 3 hour voyage. If you’d like to take in the views from outside the air-conditioned comfort there is also a multi-leveled outside viewing/seating deck with shaded areas and picnic tables where you can take in the spectacular island scenery as you cruise by.

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Checking In: The Jadrolinja ferry pulled into Vela Luka harbor right on schedule. The next task was to get across the harbor to my destination, Croatia Divers. As I walked along the bay, I encountered the “water taxi”. For 5 Kuna, the water taxi took me and several other travelers across the bay, which was a superior alternative to walking the entire circumference of the bay in the early morning heat. The aquatic taxi dumped us off at its only stop, the Posejdon Hotel and I fixed my gaze on the sign adjacent to the hotel for Croatia Divers. Upon approach it seemed the early morning divers were just getting back in and use of the word Hectic would be an understatement. I walked in the open garage bay door to what appeared to be a counter. People in half stripped wet-suits were buzzing around carrying boxes of gear and rolling carts of oxygen tanks. After standing conspicuously in the middle of this mess for a few minutes, someone finally took note of my existence. Hard to tell of that someone was an employee or client of Croatia Divers seeing as how everyone is either half naked or wearing a salt stained tshirt. My greeter turned out to be Billy, brother of the owner and the general manager of activities during the day. Billy got my info, checked my diving credentials and informed me that since the Posjedon hotel had run out of rooms, I would be put up in a studio apartment one street off the bay. What Billy lacked in hosting ability he certainly made up for with efficiency and a humorous grin. Next on the agenda was getting my equipment. The only piece of diving equipment I carry with my while traveling is my own mask and snorkel as this is commonly the most frustrating (and defective) piece to borrow and its also easy to pack. This means, however, that I do need the rest; regulator, BCD, tank, fins and wetsuit. The only surprise here was getting fitted for a full 5mm wetsuit with hood and booties, which did not give good indication that the water would be warm, contrary to the 90 degree heat of the air.

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Staying There: After the rigors of getting checked in and fitted for diving, the studio apartment was a pleasant surprise. Situated on the second level of a local home, the room had air-con, kitchenette and a sizable balcony overlooking the bay. After talking with some of the divers staying in the Posjedon hotel, the private apartment was a much preferred option. Since the only drawback was no easily accessible food option (rook service didn’t extend across the street unfortunately) the next task was to do a little grocery shopping. Another 5 Kuna water-taxi ride and I was back to the busy side of town and easily found several options for groceries. The combination of some local produce stands and a Konsum market proved sufficent for my culinary needs, the only negative being that i couldnt find any eggs…my search for a high-protien breakfast in central europe continues. Since my first dives started early the next morning, I spent the rest of my afternoon relaxing, writing and reading on my porch as the sun set.

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Diving There: 7:30am, out front of the Croatia Divers HQ, the sun is already beating down on me and my new dive group; 2 Swedish, 2 Finnish and myself (much smaller groups than in Thailand). The Croatia Divers staff seems busy enough, buzzing around stacking gear and wiggling into wetsuits. The whole scene is a bit of an unorganized mess and I start to get the feeling that this is the norm for international diving operations. I begin to organize my own gear into staging and ensure its all working properly (much of the rented gear from CD is well worn). I experienced one of the regulator hoses explode as a Swedish dive partner turned on her air pressure, it nearly took my eardrum with it, luckliy this is why we check our gear before getting out on the water. After another hour and a half of delays, we were loaded into a rubber raft boat and shot off across the bay to begin a busy day of diving.

The water was a revelation, crystal clear, some of the most incredible visibility I could imagine underwater. If only there was any sea life to see! Despite its awesome visibly and unique underwater geography, the Mediterranean surrounding Croatia is relatively devoid of much life. I did encounter a spattering of fish, mostly smaller than my hand, a few lobsters and a few Octopi. The Octopus was probably the most interesting sea creature to encounter, I would find them hiding in the seabed with only their bulbous heads sticking out. After poking at this protrusion, the Octopus would pop out, squirt some ink and elegantly float away. Perhaps the coolest aspect of diving in Croatia was the underwater geography. There are numerous caves, cliffs and overhangs of rock that really give the diver a sensation of flying. Nothing like coming over a ledge drop-off to look down into a clear blue abyss. Another surprise (to me at least) was the temperature of the water. I mentioned getting fitted for a 5mm wetsuit with all the trimmings, but when I first jumped in, the water on the surface was as warm as the air. Even through my first dive of up to 18 meters the temperature didn’t change all that much and I found myself suffocatingly hot. It wasn’t until my second dive of the day did I realize the necessity. 20 meters and below you reach a thermocline that drops the temperature of the water dramatically. It goes from bath water warm to ice cold immediately. It created an interesting spa-like sensation when you are floating over rock formations, dipping into and out of the temperature change and having your body freeze and thaw repeatedly. During one of my dives I was able to tag along on an extra deep dive of 40 meters (I’m only certified to 30m), after spending 20 minutes at 38 meters, I was frozen solid, but it was an incredible feeling to rise back to the warm water and sun above…or maybe I was just slightly Narced.
I got to dive in a variety of locations, such as St. Ivans, Papillion and the Saddle, but there were several dive sites (mainly the caves) that I had researched beforehand and yearned to visit. Unfortunately dive sites have to cooperate with the weather and just like my time diving in Thailand, Croatia also experienced some unusual winds and stormy seas. I tried to inquire (politely) about extending my diving experience with Croatia Divers, if I was able to visit a few of these aforementioned sites. Billy beat around the bush for quite a bit, but ultimately I came to understand that the chances were slim to none, because of the weather history. I appreciate that no false promises were given, but he could have been more direct about it.
All in all, my experience with Croatia Divers was a good one. Despite what some people may have written on sites like TripAdvisor, I found the staff to be kind and welcoming. In fact, almost every night of my stay in Vela Luka I shared either a meal or drinks with members of the staff. The equipment was well worn, but also well loved, of course you are welcome to bring your own. As for their knowledge of diving and instruction, I didn’t find a shortage. Each of my instructors (I worked with almost all of them) gave me the essential rundown and answered any technical or naturalistic questions I asked. The instructors also provided me with a great deal of autonomy, from my equipment to my dives, which was great for me as I learn better by experience. It’s always a pain to have dive instructors looking over your shoulder and scrutinizing your every move. The price was indeed negotiable and I felt I got a good deal, including a great place to stay for the week. I did my negotiating online through email with Marjolein, one of the owners. I highly recommend this method, emailing and requesting a package deal. I would totally reccomned diving the Med to any avid diver, despite its lack of sea life and its chilly depths, it’s an awesome experience to behold. As for Croatia Divers, it’s a mixed bag, I enjoyed my situation, but I can understand a beginner having a rough go of it. If you are an advanced diver with a good attitude, you will have no issues, only a great time.

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Eating There: When I wasn’t living it up with my dive team, I spent my evenings walking the tight tiered streets, lined with white stone houses filled with local Croats having dinner on their porches, talking and laughing. It was really a unique experience to see the island life played out in a small town. Locals living off the land or the sea and having their family vacations together just as we do back home. I was lucky enough to befriend the dive boat operator, a Vela Luka native named Bruno. Bruno enthusiastically showed me around the small town in exchange for workout tips (he was an aspiring fitness guru). Bruno introduced me to numerous residents and the local club scene (3 bars). I also have him to thank for one of the most satisfying meals of my life. When you wake up at 5am to get ready for a morning dive, a wholesome breakfast is generally pushed asunder, and after a rigorous day of hauling equipment, sucking canned air and baking in the sun, I can assure you that you will want to eat your weight in calories. After a few days of near collapse from starvation as I searched for a lunch big enough to quench my ravenous appetite, Bruno directed me to an innocuous looking cafe (aka someones house) filled with locals only. Once seated, the waitress didn’t hand me a menu or ask me what I wanted, the food just started coming out. First: A gigantic bowl of soup, literally a serving for a family in a huge salad bowl. It was mainly broth, but lurking at the bottom were deliciously al-dente spaghetti noodles. After polishing off the soup, I was the served the customary liter of Karlovacko along side a big bowl of sliced cabbage in vinegar (same as cole slaw) and a plate of tenderized pork chop with mashed potatoes slathered in gravy. To top it all off, the entire meal (including beer) was only 40 Kuna ($7). This meal definitely makes my top 10 all time.

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I’ll say it again: forget Italy, head straight to Croatia.

Ostrava: Slavic faces, Beautiful places

In my travels I’ve been lucky enough to make new friends and connect with old friends along the way. I tried my best to set up a network of couch surfing in order to release some tension on my bank account and (selfishly) give me built in tour guides to various foreign cities. It’s a highly recommended strategy for any of you would-be vagabonds. Ostrava is one such location and Chris is one such friend. Chris and I worked together at our former Amazon subsidiary, but have both since moved on to greener pastures. Chris’s pasture is currently Ostrava, where he works as a consultant and lives a life of central European luxury in an interesting Czech town that most would not consider to be on the top ten sightseeing tours. Ostrava is within 2 hours of the Polish border and is Czech Republics 3rd largest city.

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A key contributor to energy production, you can see the remnants of the old communist coal mining town that once was. In present day the city has closed its black coal mines and now focuses on more modern methods of energy production and metallurgy, giving it the nickname of “the steel heart of the republic”.My time on Chris’s couch (usually sharing it with his Puggle, Lolly) was well spent as I got to explore a city outside the typical tourist circuit and indulge in more authentic Czech cuisine, scenery and nightlife.

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The highlights of my Ostrava stint include visiting Stramberk castle, a wakeboarding park and several nights spent on the raucous Stoldoni street. Since Chris was given a company car (a sweet Audi)

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he was kind enough to take me to see some sighs outside the city. As I was getting adjusted to the feeling of simply riding in a car again, we were speeding down the unpatrolled Czech highways at over 100mph. One of our first stops was a small lake, which contained a tow-rope wakeboarding park.

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As I normally spend my summers wakeboarding in SC, I eagerly jumped at the chance to try my hand here. Fun ensued, which calls for a video:

Chris also took me to nearby Stramberk, a small town in the Moravian-Silesian region. It lies on the slope of a forested lime hill, dominated by the Trúba castle tower. Because of the town’s location, its many historical buildings and a unique collection of timbered houses from the 18th and 19th centuries, the town has nicknamed the Moravian Betlehem. Nearby there is the Sipka Cave where Neanderthal child bone remnants were discovered.

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The Czech castles I visited were decidedly different than those of picturesque fame, these castles seemed more rustic and functional. Old and medieval, most lacked the flair of their western European counterparts but made up for it in history and authentic style. Just below the castle tower in Stramberk, I was able to enjoy some delicious Czech potato pancakes with strong sheeps cheese and a skewer of bacon wrapped chicken. Washed down with the darker variety of Czech pilsner, the delightfully roasty but clean finishing Kozel.

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To cap it all off, just outside of Stramberk Chris and I got to visit the teadional Czech home of his ladyfriends mother in Koprivnice. There we were showed incredible hospitality and given a variety of snacks, including fresh fruit and one of the best (and largest) pineapple (ananas) cakes I’ve ever tasted.

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One of the more enigmatic attractions I Ostrava is the infamous, Stoldoni street. Every Friday night, young and old flock to this one street lined with bars and clubs. Czech youth will travel from hours away by train, bus and car just to see and be seen on Stoldoni.

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Around 2am the street becomes completely packed, a mass or drunken humanity, I’ve seldom seen anything like it. Perhaps the closest comparison would be Halloween night on Franklin St in Chapel Hill, but the mayhem on Stoldoni occurs EVERY Friday night. Everyone is throwing back cocktails and the popular local pilsner, Ostravar, followed up by dancing, rabblerousing, tail-chasing and most likely a Doner Kebap for fourth-meal. The bars don’t close until sunrise as the out of towers stumble back onto trains and trams to head back home, wether its 5 minutes or 5 hours away. Even though English speakers are seldom found, you can still notice their love for western style and culture. I experienced this love in the form of many free drinks, which apparently led Chris and I to become victims of a date-rape drug one cloudy night. No need for concern, we don’t think anything happened to us as we both woke up in Chris’s hotel with our clothing and belongings in tact. The situation simply led to a, “The Hangover”, type aftermath where we spent the entire next day trying to figure out who, what, when, where, why and how we ended up in that condition. Earlier that night, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves at a concert on Stoldoni, here is a quick clip from the Czech bands set, showing their western love with a rendition of Stevie Wonder’s, Superstitious (coincidentally the lead singer is indeed blind):

Advanced Diving

After the Open Water Diver certification, the second stage for most is the Advanced Diver course. Which sharpens your skills and introduces you to some new diving situations, after completion you are allowed to dive anywhere in the world up to 30 meters. The Advanced course is a series of 5 dives over 2 days with zero time spent in the classroom, just diving and taking your skills to the next level, its also cheaper and you typically get a discount if diving with the same school as your previous certification. For me it was a 10% discount with Big Blue, 3 more nights of free accommodation and a free shirt. Sweetness.
With the Advanced course you are required to include an advanced buoyancy test, a deep dive to 30 meters and a navigation test, but the other 2 dives are up to you. My Advanced course class was simply me and two others, Dave and Wendy. So again I had the chance to partner up with the instructor, Luke, and get one-on-one guidance from a dive master! We chose our 2 elective dives to be a night dive and a fish ID dive. You can also choose an underwater photography dive but this comes with the cost of renting the underwater camera, 1,200 bht, I had my GoPro so I was all set.
We started at 10am with a quick briefing by Luke and a rundown on the dives we had selected. That afternoon we set sail for a series of 3 dives starting with our advanced buoyancy test, requiring us to do a series of maneuvers and floats, in order to test our ability to stay controlled and avoid damaging coral reefs. Part of the buoyancy test was to swim though a plastic square in a number of ways, even upside down and a backwards loop through it.

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After passing our buoyancy tests we were free to roam Liem Thieam bay to take up the rest of our 51 minute dive time. The only other skill test was for me to lead the team on our ascent to the surface. A proper ascent requires that we ascend slower than the bubbles coming out of our rebreather and that we take a 3 minute safety stop at 5 meters from the surface in order for any extra gas to escape our bloodstream. I then inflate the, “safety sausage”, to signal our location to anyone above sea level, and finally proceed to break the surface.
Our second dive was our navigation test, so we were each outfitted with a dive computer and dive compass, divers bling….

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Luckily I did get my orienteering merit badge as a boy scout, so this test was an easy one. Just like in scouts, except instead of in the woods, I was underwater using the bearings on a compass and visual landmarks to navigate myself around the bay without Luke there to guide me. Wendy, Dave and I took turns taking the lead and goofing off since our instructor was not around on this dive.

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The last dive of the day took place around 7pm and was to be our much anticipated Night Dive. The sun had set but there was still enough dusk light to get our equipment rigged and take the plunge into the water with flashlights in hand. As we descended, the fading light combined with the darkness of the water acted quickly to pitch us into total darkness. It was like being in space, floating in darkness, listening to yourself breath though a regulator and seeing only the pillars of light cast by the flashlights of other divers. I stayed close behind Luke, for fear of crashing into a sea urchin or some abrasive coral. In the darkness our torches hit upon many a large Barracuda during their evening dinner hunting. We even happened upon a ray and a hawksbill turtle sleeping under a rock. The coolest thing was that when near the huge barracuda, we could spotlight a smaller fish with our light and the barracuda would have the perfect opportunity to attack the exposed fish.
After about 45 minutes our heads were breakng the surface and we were climbing back into the boat, exhausted but exhilarated by the dive. After getting back on dry land around 9pm and considering our next dive would be at 6:30am the next morning, I fully collapsed into bed to recuperate.

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The next morning was an early one and a blustery one. Our first dive of the day was to be our “deep dive”, wherein we would be taken to maximum depth of 30 meters and tested for any signs of Nitrogen Narcosis, commonly known as being “narced”. The effects of Nitrogen Narcosis are akin to being very drunk and are caused by the amount of nitrogen in the bloodstream at such deep depth. Symptoms can include drowsiness, disorientation and hallucinations. To test ourselves we went through a number of mental skills once situated at 30 meters deep, such as writing our names backwards and adding to 10. We all 3 passed without incident, but I admit I was a little disappointed I didn’t feel anything. I’ve heard stories of grown men chasing down Grouper to try and give them air and women seeing diamond necklaces in the sand while under the influence of Nitrogen Narcosis.
The last dive of the day, and of the entire Advanced course, was practically a fun dive, but we were given flash cards and pokers so that we could pass it off as our Fish ID Dive. I spent most of the dive taking pictures and videos with my camera of the angelfish, coral and hawksbill sea turtle we came across.

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After the final dive we were taken back to Big Blue, properly logged our dive books and were given the card credentials of Advanced Adventure Divers. The next step, should I choose to take it, would be to become a Rescue Diver or committ fully to the 6 week program of DMT in order to become a dive master and then dive instructor so that I could then work for a place like Big Blue. Many a vacationer have come to Koh Tao for a week and ended up staying a year or more to become a certified instructor and dive master.

Last but not least, you know I couldn’t help putting a video montage together:

Sealab 2012

Koh Tao is a small island in the gulf of Thailand that is world famous for its diving. Calm, clear water, plenty of coral reefs, and sea life that include turtles, rays, whale sharks and a colorful array of fish. These natural wonders combined with the ridiculously low cost of diving make it one of the most thriving diving communities in the world, qualifying over 2% of all the worlds DMTs (dive master in training). So it’s no wonder that I decided to make a return rendezvous with this island when I decided to gain some experience as a diver myself.
My pre-existing diving experience came in the form of a Cozumel, Mexico resort about 15 years ago. The, “dive instructors”, at the resort simply handed me the full equipment, showed me how to put it on and promptly escorted me to the ocean and told me to walk in and start breathing underwater. I also took part in what is called “Snuba-diving” at one point during a family vacation to Hawaii about 10 years ago, which simply amounted to being the joke of the holiday. Consensus: Mexican resorts are irresponsible and Snuba is a joke not worth telling. Coming to Koh Tao and immersing myself in the diving community that exists there truly showed me how serious a sport diving really is.
The first step for any aspiring diver is their Open Water Diver certification, which qualifies a person to dive anywhere in the world up to 18 meters deep with the proper equipment and an experienced instructor. Of the multitude of diving outfits in Koh Tao, I chose Big Blue Diving for my training. Big Blue came highly recommended by my friends and is one of the larger diving schools on the island with a typical class size of 10 students. One might also choose to go with Ban’s Dive school, one of the largest in the world or perhaps a smaller outfit with smaller class sizes and more personal attention such as Rocktopus Diving school. It all depends on the experience you want and the level of personal attention you feel you need.

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My Open Water Diver course was to take place over the span of 4 days and I was offered free, “dorm room”, accommodations at Big Blue as long as I was enrolled. I enrolled the day I arrived on the island and I was to start class at 5pm. After checking out the dorm room accommodations I was satisfied with the free price and lukewarm shower so I proceeded to claim a top-bunk and have a meet-n-greet with my fellow bunk mates, all of which were also divers of varying levels and solo travelers like myself.

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The, front and center, dorms also included the entertainment of all the local pet dogs in the area. To explain; Koh Tao has an abundance of canines, which are readily taken care of by the locals and semi-permanent dive instructors of the island. All the dogs have their own personalities and territories, Big Blue claiming about 4 different pups, most notably the kitchen dog named Sausage, seen here:

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The first day was a classroom setting where myself and a group of 10 others learned the basics of equipment, diving physics and sea life, such as the definition of SCUBA (self contained underwater breathing apparatus) and the hazards of improper ascent and descent (the Bends and lung over-expansion). After class we were provided with textbooks and homework, sent home with the promise of actually being under water the next day.
Day two included a bit more classroom activity, but in the afternoon we attempted out first underwater excursion…in a pool. We were fitted for all the equipment (BC, regulator, tank, mask and fins) and were shown how to properly assemble and wear the get-up. We then proceeded to break up into groups and practice the skills we learned in the classroom. My group included a German couple, an Icelandic couple (I still don’t believe their language is real), and myself. I got to partner with the instructor, Guy, from the UK. We all passed the drills smashingly and were all ready for the next day of actual ocean diving.

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Before we could step into the ocean however, we had to take our Final Exam. The Final Exam consisted of 50 multiple choice questions regarding all the skills we were force fed over the previous two days. I finished first, very confident that I got 100% (offered the reward of a free beer), only to find out I missed 5 questions. Oh well, I still passed and I think that most of the questions I missed were debatable, seems about par for the course with my academic career. In fact, everyone in the class passed, but no one with 100%, but it didn’t matter since we were all juiced for our first open water dives that afternoon. The only real setback was that my previous instructor, Guy, had gotten himself badly electrocuted right before class by trying to use a defunct electric socket. Apparently plugging your laptop into the wall is more dangerous than diving. After a few hours he was OK, but not in any condition to dive, so I was assigned a new instructor and dive buddy, Luke, also from the UK…where else.
Dives 1 and 2 took place at 12:30pm the same day as the final exam. We were fitted for our BC, fins and mask and taken by long-tail boat out to the larger Dive Boats situated in the bay. After a quick 30 min boat ride to peaceful Mango Bay on the other side of the island, we were anchored and gathered downstairs for assembling our gear and getting in the water.

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A little flumbly with the gear and a few hiccups with the assembly, but after our first, “giant stride” entry, we were in the water and descending (we would later learn the “dead Mexican” and “James Bond” entry styles). I was a bit nervous at first, but once my ears started equalizing normally and I realized the beauty around me I was too excited to be scared. Once we reached the bottom around 11 meters deep, we proceeded to get comfortable swimming and then practice a few of the emergency drills we learned in the pool the previous day such as; filling and clearing your mask of water, removing your mask, removing your rebreather and using your secondary rebreather, amongst others. Removing the mask is definitely the hardest one for me, the salt water still burns your eyes and it takes more focus than you think to try and breath only through your mouth without pinching your nose underwater. The total dive lasting about 45 minutes, the longest I’ve ever been underwater for sure, unless you count that old submarine ride at Disney World.
Dive number two took place at Japanese Gardens, a nice outcrop of coral where we once again practiced some skills and worked on our buoyancy and kicking techniques. After skills were complete to Luke’s satisfaction, we were free to explore a bit and take in the scenery. We encountered hoards of Yellowstripe Scad, colorful Bannerfish, tiny Perian Carpet Flatworms and the territorial Titan Triggerfish.

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The next and final day if diving in the Open Water certification course took place promptly at 6:30am. So the usual Koh Tao nightlife spots of Lotus and Fishbowl we’re without my presence for at least one night. Bleary eyed but excited I showed up at the equipment shack to claim my gear and hop on the long tail boat to be ferried out to the dive boat. The mornings two dives would be at Liem Thieam Bay and Red Rock, two great spots for seeing aquatic life and staying above our depth limit of 18 meters. The skill tests were over for the most part and this final day was about just having fun and enjoying diving. They even send along a film crew with you on the final day in order to produce a video of your group at the end of the day (in hopes that you will buy it). The final 2 dives did not disappoint, I felt much more comfortable and confident in my abilities and got to see a pair of white-eye Moray Eels, Jenkins Stingray, Orange Spine Unicorn fish, Malabar Grouper, Glass Shrimps, Sixbar Angelfish and a Black Blotched Porcupine fish. There was also a fair amount of goofing off for the cameras.

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The diving wrapped up around noon and once our dive books were properly logged I was ready for a nap. Later that evening we were presented with our official “Open Water Diver” certification cards and we all sat down at the Big Blue bar for a beer and the premier of the video that was made for our graduating class. As the video says: Congratulations, Open Water Diver. Next up, the Advanced Diver certification.

Trekking in Northern Thailand, Day 3

Day 3

The final day of our trek I awoke a bit later than expected. I had fallen into a deep sleep I supposed, perhaps due to the previous two days of hyperactivity. I felt sticky and groggy, so first things first I headed to the creek shower for a quick splash of ice cold water to the face. Almost everyone had already risen and were gathered around the community table sipping instant coffee, tea, or sugar water (Imogen). I joined the group, but didn’t really contribute to any conversation until I’d had at least 2 cups of coffee. Soon breakfast was served; Eggs, omlette style, toast and fresh pinapple. We even brought out a few leftover lychees that hadn’t been taken over by the hoards of ants overnight. As we ate I happened to glance into the kitchen/sleeping area where the two local women and Johnny Walker slept and cooked. To my astonishment, one of the women was cleaning and picking the fur off what appeared to be a dead rat. She and I locked eyes for one nervous second and she shot me a smile to suggest, “yeah, it’s a rat I’m eating for breakfast, I can tell you are shocked white boy”. Growing up in a community where squirrels were regularly consumed, I really wasn’t all that surprised, just interested in how she was going to prepare her jungle rat. I watched her chop it up and throw it into a pot over the fire along with some shredded leafy greens. A rat stew perhaps?

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After breakfast, Johnny gave us some personal time to mill around and let our food settle. I spent the majority of that time testing out the set of handmade slingshots the locals had set out for our entertainment. A few plastic water bottled tied to a distant tree limb provided the targets and the ammunition were simply the bounty of pebbles on the ground. I will proudly admit that I became fairly proficient, hitting the target a number of times, my personal best being 3 in a row. Johnny on the other hand, hit 7 in a row. Johnny also showed us about 3 pounds of local mushrooms he had dug up from underground and intended to sell that the famous Chiang Mai Sunday market.

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Soon enough it was time to resume hiking. Johnny told us today’s hike would be a 49 minute jaunt down the creek until we hit the river (Johnny tended to end all his estimations with a 9, I believe because the current Thai King is King Rama the 9th? Just another Johnnyism). We hit the trail and had a pleasurably flat hike along the stream, coming across bamboo groves and some impressive hardwoods. Fairly soon we started seeing signs of civilization once again. A PVC pipe here, a motor bike there, soon enough were full blown riverside elephant camps and rafting put-ins. When we reached our designated put-in for rafting, we dumped our packs and valuables into the back of a pickup truck and walked down to the riverside.

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Lifejackets and helmets were selected and a short tutorial was given by our eccentric river guide. We split up into two rafts, essentially youngsters and “experienced”, myself in the latter group. I was placed up in the front of the boat along with Ollie (one of the Brits) and behind me was Gabby (Ollie’s girlfriend), opposite James and finally Nimisha and the guide, who was quite the amateur comedian. Since this wasn’t my first rodeo when it came to whitewater rafting I was ready to roll and it wasn’t a long wait until we started hitting some whitewater. Apparently the water level was a little low, so there were many rocks and obstacles to avoid, but the rapids were quite akin to a longer version of the Natahala with the muddy consistency of the French Broad. Truth be told I felt safe the entire time but it was an exhilarating ride with a lot of great moments and of course the obligatory splash-fights with the raft full of youngsters. We even had a calm section where we took a swim (or float). Once the rapids had calmed down and the rivers slowed to a manageable pace, we transitioned to authentic bamboo rafts that were used in olden times by the Thai river people. I would liken the bamboo rafts to a bit of a gondola ride, wherein we sat two by two and a “driver” stood at the back with long pole to push and steer (minus he Italian crooning). The bamboo rafts are lashed together with more bamboo, a very versatile plant to be sure, although these rafts did acquire a more modern touch, for added safety strips of motorcycle tire were also used to secure the bamboo shafts together. So, keeping score, we used bamboo for huts, walking sticks, bowls, chopsticks and now rafts.

After our Huck Finn cruise we walked back up the riverbank to have our final lunch. Pad Thai was served and we were allowed a proper shower and change of clothes at a small picnic area near the river. Johnny Walker was able to meet up with a few of his fellow guide buddies where we were informed that they actually call him Johnny “Wanker”, the Thais and the Brits really got a kick out of this, hand gestures a-plenty.
We took a group picture and gave Johnny a sizable tip for all he had done for us over the course of 3 days. “Oh my Buddha” he proclaimed one last time before he then herded us back into a covered truckbed for transportation back home to our respective Guesthouses. Once back in civilization it was an immediate hot shower, promptly followed by a Thai massage and a good ol’ American style burger with a coconut shake, seemingly always more gratifying when following a camping trip.
I had a great time trekking in the mountains of Chiang Mai with many experiences I will never forget and making some friends that I believe will stay in touch and perhaps be valuable contacts when I travel to other countries. I highly recommend a trek of any length to anyone visiting northern Thailand, just make sure to pack smart, pack light and ensure that the trek you choose fits your experience, athletic ability and comfort level with the outdoors. As Shakespeare once wrote, “A rose by any other name still smells as sweet”, I find this to even be true with respect to Trekking in Thailand and Backpacking in my native homeland.

Fin.

Cliffhanger

Rock climbing is much more than an activity on Railay beach, it is a passion. Climbers flock to this renowned site for the stunning limestone cliffs on both land and sea. Professional climbers from Europe and North America come here toting cameras seeking sponsorship and fame while the less individualistic Thai (and Malaysian) locals simply climb for the love of the sport. A visitor to Railay can sign up for many different climbing courses and excursions. Full-day, Half-day, 3 day, full belay, soloing and more.
There are also numerous places to climb without using a guide. My friends and I chose to do some very adventurous hiking/climbing when wendecided to seek out a secluded lagoon that we spotted on map of the area the day before. We took a short walk from our hotel to the vertical trailhead and began our ascent. Barefoot and shirtless, we were thinking this would be a quick 30 minute round trip. Thailand is notorious for a lack of signage or warnings (Dad you would be furious). Helmets? Waivers? Warning signs? Never. In Thailand common sense and luck determine your fate.
Despite not having a guide or harnesses, there are many spots where ropes have been secured for assistance to free climbers, however, the maintenance and slickness of these ropes are tricky variables. Danger be damned, we would not be thwarted, so up we went, using dirt, tree, root, rope and rock to pull ourselves to the top.

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We came upon the first waypoint, a cliffside view of the entire Railay beach area…stunning.

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But our quest was for the lagoon, so we continued. We walked along the rim of the precipice before we reached an obvious area for descent into what appeared to be our lagoon crater. There were no ropes here but the grade wasn’t quite vertical so down we went. We descended about 300 vertical feet into thick jungle only to find that at the bottom was nothing but swamp. “maybe it’s just low-tide for the lagoon”, we reasoned, and back up we went.

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Upon reaching the top, I was feeling quite accomplished and worn out from renewing my climbing skills (Climbax of Asheville would be proud). As we took the trail back I chanced to take a small detour trail which upon further exploration, led to another giant yet deeper crater in the limestone and jungle. Peering down over the edge, I could see the blue-green waters of a lagoon! I called the boys over for a look at the more technical and treacherous climb down. Our egos would not be denied this lagoon, despite bare feet, slick mud and tired muscles.

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What followed were about 10 adrenaline packed brushes with near death as we climbed down 3 vertical-plus overhangs with only our hands and bare feet and the occasional slippery knotted rope between life and a bone crushing fall. This descent was also about 300 feet, but much more rocky and vertical. I was the first down to gaze upon one of the most gorgeous sights I’ve ever seen, a blue lagoon, surrounded by caves and stalactites. It was circular and completely enclosed with a diameter of about 100 feet.

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The more professional climbing experience I chose was deep water soloing with an outfit named Hot Rock Climbers. Deep water soloing involves climbing without harnesses (like we did the day before) however you are given proper climbing footwear, a guide and taken out to the limestone towers out in the deep waters of the Andaman sea.

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There were a total of 6 of us that day, Travis, John and I and a couple from Portland as well as our guide, an Australian named Michael who has been living and climbing in Railay for years. Our long-tail boat took us out to several different island rock formations where we attached a short bamboo ladder to access some great climbing spots. (see Michael attaching one of the more challenging ladders).

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We were ferried around to several of the rocky islands in the area, including, Poda, Chicken, Hong, and James Bond islands. At each stop we attached the ladder and started climbing. Once you made it to the top (or lost your grip) you fell into the deep waters below. Climbing and cliff jumping? This is soooo my bag baby! Below is a quick video of a fun traverse I tried, until I lost my grip and took a unexpected plunge.

We stopped for a fried rice lunch at a picturesque island beach and explored some inland caves which contained hoards of bats and guano (thank you Ace Ventura for introducing the word Guano into the vernacular of everyone in my generation). One of our group members from Portland (Bryan) explained that the acid rain reacts with the limestone to form the massive stalactites in an almost wax-like manner, that appear everywhere in this part of Thailand.

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After lunch was more climbing and some snorkeling until we were dead tired. We all escaped the day without injury, aside from sore feet, hands and a small cut on my forehead that i received from bumping into a stalactite. We sipped cold Singha and Chang and reflected on the literal heights we reached that day as the long-tail boat ferried us back to Railay.

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Here is a video of the highest and most exhilarating free climb/cliff jump ive ever done ( I was the only one of the group to do it).

I hope you all enjoy reading about this as much as I had fun doing it. I can imagine spending a good amount of time in Railay but alas I must move on to new adventures. As always, your comments and feedback are greatly appreciated. Hopefully I will make it to a larger city area sometime soon so that I can post longer videos as many have requested!