Best Western International has launched its latest property in Thailand with the opening of the new Best Western Premier Amaranth Suvarnabhumi Airport. Located 10 minutes from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport, the 278-room hotel enjoys convenient access with a complimentary shuttle service to downtown Bangkok and major attractions including the BITEC Convention Center.

Accomodation types range from Deluxe Rooms to the Amaranth Suites. Each spacious room is decorated in Thai contemporary style and features amenities including comfortable King or Twin beds, bathroom with choice of bath or shower, LCD television with cable/satellite programming, complimentary high-speed internet access, IDD telephone, large work areas, in-room safe, minibar and coffee-/tea-making facilities.

The hotel provides 2 unique food & beverage outlets. Bua Chompoo, the all-day dining restaurant, provides an assortment of buffet and a la carte menus to satisfy guests’ discerning palates. Situated in the main lobby, the Red Brown lounge offers light snacks paired with an extensive range of teas and coffee in the day, before transforming into a lively lobby lounge after sundown where guests can relax and unwind over cocktails and live music entertainment.

Ideal for business and leisure travellers, Best Western Premier Amaranth Suvarnabhumi Airport offers a range of facilities to satisfy their requirements. The conferencing and banquet facilities include the Amaranth Ballroom, which can accomodate up to 800 guests, as well as smaller venues designed for up to 30 classroom-style seminars. All venues are equipped with state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment and supported by a deluxe business center. Following a day of meetings, guests can retreat to the outdoor swimming pool and fitness center for a refreshing workout, or head to the Ama Spa for a traditional Thai massage and other wellness treatments.

Thailand boasts one of the largest collection of hotels under Best Western International’s Asian portfolio. The Best Western Premier Amaranth Suvarnabhumi Airport joins 11 sister properties across the country in Bangkok, Koh Samui, Krabi, Pattaya and Phuket.

For more information, visit www.amaranthhotel.com or www.bestwestern.com.

Well, it’s Friday morning for me; Thanksgiving night if you’re reading back in my homeland. I’ve had a splendid morning – woke up early, talked to my family via the magic of Skype, and watched the Cowboys win. I hope your Thanksgivings were the stuff of legend, punctuated with an endless trail of gravy. But enough rambling. Here are some things I wanna tell you. Let’s do it quick-hit style.

Categories!!
If you’ll please cast your eyes over to the right side of this here blog (beyond Norm’s picture), you dear readers will notice that you now have a little list of categories from which to pick and choose stories. When I first started this little thing, I had no idea what I was going to be doing or writing about or any of that nonsense. Clearly, I still don’t, really. But last weekend I went through all of my past stories and rants and such, and filed each into a category. So there you have it. Wanna only read my self-important stories involving the deathcycle? Now you can! Or perhaps you only stop by for the Engrish – have at it. It’s a small thing, really. But I hope you like it. If I had a nickel for every time I’d said that…

Baby, it’s cold(ish) outside!
Initially, I was going to tell you that despite living in this tropical climate, it finally was kinda feeling like fall (or something resembling fall) here in Kaohsiung. But as I write this, it’s 11:15 am, and it’s currently 84 degrees outside. As my kids say when they’re disgusted, Aye-yuh! This is not fall. This is madness! Well, ok… it is cooler now than it ever was in July or August or September. We haven’t seen a high above 90 in maybe a month. So that’s all well and good. But last week, it was cold. Or again, cold-ish. The highs were still in the upper 70s or low 80s, but the nights were downright cool. Maybe even all the way down in the 60s! Ok ok, that’s not really cold at all, and as a lover of autumn and the like, it’s not much. But, let me tell you this: riding around on a scooter when it’s 50 or 60 can get pretty damn cold. Perhaps I should invest in a full-head helmet; or perhaps some riding gloves; earmuffs? Or maybe I’ll just figure out a way to bottle molten hot lava, stash it in my little under-seat compartment, and give myself a nice little ghetto seat-warmer.

A very Thai Christmas (and New Year (and (30th) birthday))
So as we all know by now, I will not be going back to the States for Christmas. It saddens me, but it’s true. However, as I mentioned in my last post, how often am I gonna be living in Southeast Asia? I need to be taking advantage of all the beauty around me that’s so close, and so cheaply available. And so I’m going to be in Thailand for Christmas and New Years. I’m meeting some friends in Bangkok on the 26th, but I’ll actually be in Thailand on my own for the 22nd-25th. So yeah, I’ll be alone for Christmas day, but I’m actually somewhat excited for that. I can do whatever I choose and go wherever I want. In all likelihood, it’ll involve Thai food, some sort of cocktail, and the beach. This is good.
And then, on the 28th, said friends and I will travel down to Koh Samui for some sort of epic New Year’s party that they have there every year. New Years Eve will also be my 30th birthday. I have no idea what to think about this. But the whole experience should be great, and I’m pretty damn excited. I’ll keep you posted. Also, if you have any ideas/suggestions of places for me to go while in Thailand, please do share them with me. Your support and generosity power my soul.

Taipei for the weekend
Speaking of going places, I’ll be in Taipei for the weekend with some teacher friends from school. I haven’t been there since my first five days in Taiwan. Now that I have a slightly better grasp on this country, I’m pretty excited for the getaway. I’m gonna try to hit up the National Palace Museum on Saturday, and some hot springs on Sunday. You will find out soon enough if I am successful in fulfilling these endeavors. It actually is going to be cold in Taipei. Like, real actual cold. Do they have lava for sale there?

I finally need another haircut…
…but I’m a bit apprehensive. You know why. Wish me luck tonight.

By Dian Hasan | November 18, 2009

What would a resort stay experience be without a pool? Unthinkable for today’s travelers. They’ve come a long way, playing a central role in creating a distinctive experience and the common denominator as a social hub. Integral to a hotel’s brand identity. Here’s a glance at some of world’s most gorgeous resort pools, sharing the same traits regardless of their locale: sexy and chic!

By Dian Hasan | October 16, 2009

What would a resort stay experience be without a pool? Unthinkable for today’s travelers. Pools have come a long way, playing a central role in creating a distinctive experience and serving as a social hub. Integral to a hotel’s brand identity. Here’s a glance at some of world’s most gorgeous resort pools, sharing the same traits regardless of their locale: sexy and chic!

Thailand is one of the most exotic locations to visit, representing a genuine hot spot for the real estate market. In the past few years, more and more have started to show an interested in Thailand property, and particularly in Pattaya property. We are talking about properties that can either be purchased for personal or business reasons, being an excellent opportunity to invest. All those interested can browse for available properties according to their type or location on the map. Plus, they have the property guide presented over the Internet, offering all the information they need on Thailand property: http://www.asianpropertymarkets.com/

If you have decided on Pattaya property, then you should know that there are some pretty interesting choices available online. You can use the search filter in order to narrow down your choices, entering the city (Pattaya for example), the location (Pattaya East or North), the type of Thailand property (apartment/condo, penthouse, townhouse or villa), the price and the number of desired bedrooms. By taking into account all the information offered, you will be given access to a number of properties that fit your criteria perfectly. Don’t forget to check out the Thailand property of the week and analyze existing offers for properties situated in other locations, including Phuket, Samui or Bangkok.

Is there any better place to search for Thailand or specifically, Pattaya property? We all know the answer to that question. Real estate companies have built a strong online presence and they are not catering to the demands of Internet users completely. They present available Thailand property for investment, making sure that prospective customers get all the information they need. Real estate specialists treat each client interested in Pattaya property with extreme seriousness, whether the situation involves a family looking for a vacation home or a businessman trying to make a wise investment. Thailand property has a lot to offer, the destination being indeed exciting from all points of view. So, if you want to purchase Pattaya property or real estate found in any other part of Thailand, the good news is that you have an online resource towards you can turn.

The opportunities offered by the real estate market in Thailand are not difficult to spot. This industry has developed tremendously and the changes have paved the way for new opportunities whereas Thailand property is concerned. Making a real estate investment in Pattaya property is a great idea, especially if you’re planning to turn it into a hotel or deluxe building. As for personal reasons, this is a little bit of paradise, a place where you can come with your entire family and enjoy life. Many people choose Thailand property for their holiday homes and what is more interesting, there are a lot of elderly citizens who decide on Pattaya property to be their retirement home.

Online, you have the chance to discover the most diverse offers for Thailand property. Pattaya is indeed one of the most fascinating locations, having a lot of things to offer to its future residents. Buying property in Thailand is simple and you should definitely enjoy the discounted prices while they last!

Until 24 December 2009, for every room reserved at the best available rates online

or through your travel agent, receive a second bonus night for free.

Escape Worldwide now have  their full Thailand 2010 programme available. Check it our at http://www.thaiescapes.co.uk .

Or see our new newsletter with some highlights: http://www.escapeworldwide.co.uk/newsletter/special/Thaisep09.html

I’m a massive fan of Thailand and it has so much to offer. I have to own up and admit that the picture of the pool villa was my room….. simply stunning and far more affordable than you might think.

 Bangkok is a great…mad place and defiantly worth a few nights….

Why not give us a call! 020 8555 5505!

Happy travelling

Darren

Jag tycker att det är från vattnet som Thailand gör sig bäst. Om man bara hittar billiga flygbiljetter till Thailand så är lyckan gjord. Här finns massor av långa och vita stränder med palmer som vackert böjer sig mot vattnets spegelyta. Med “island jumping” kan man söka lugnet på öarna i Andamanhavet. För det är på den här sidan av landet som du ska tillbringa vintern. Då huserar monsunen på öar som Koh Tao och Koh Samui. Utgå gärna från Koh Lanta. I öns nav, byn Saladan, huserar en mängd små resebyråer som gärna servar dig med en båtbiljett. Du kan välja mellan lite större båtar som går mellan Phuket och Koh Lanta (med stopp på Phi Phi) eller mellan Krabi och Koh Lanta (med stopp på Koh Jum), eller så kan du låta dig transporteras med mindre båtar, som speedboat eller långsvansdito. Koh Lanta är den perfekta starten för några dagars nedvarvning efter den långa resan från Sverige. Hyr en moped och gasa söderut. Rym bort från familjestranden Klong Dao, och sätt kurs mot grannen, Phra Ae-stranden, den som också kallas Long Beach och är bäst att bada vid. Fortsätt sedan din färd längs sydvästkusten. Hit har inga enträgna försäljare hittat. De lyktförsedda bungalowhyddorna står i vattenbrynet och här hittar du alldeles egna vykortsstränder. Tycker du om sådana kan du fortsätta båtfärden till norra grannön Koh Jum. Här börjar äventyrslivet på riktigt. Joy Bungalows bjuder på bra boende. Eller välj Koh Muuk om du vill ha nära till fantastisk snorkling utanför grannön Koh Rok. Koh Muuk är mest känt för sin smaragdgrotta, där väggarna öppnar sig till en turkos sal efter den 80 meter långa grottsimturen. Tillbringa eftermiddagen på västkuststranden Hat Sai Yao, öns bästa strand. Här tar du vara på den sena siestasolen som bjuder på storslagen show västerut över Koh Kradan och Koh Rok...

Am reusit sa stabilim programul pentru cele trei saptamani pe car ele vom petrece de sarbatori in Tailanda si, mai ales, sa ne facem rezervari la transport, hoteluri si tururi inca de pe acum. Planul de bataie este urmatorul. Ajungem pe 18 (dupa vreo 13 ore si ceva de zbor direct din Madrid), ne dezmeticim la Ta si Anuchit langa Bangkok in Nonthaburi, apoi pe 19 il luam pe Alexil direct de la aeroport si mergem in satul natal al lui Ta in provincia Chanthaburi (vest aproape de granita cu Cambogia). Este orasul unor preparate culinare senzationale si a diamantelor gigant; daca gasesc ceva pe la cascade sau pe plaja, promit sa nu va uit.

Pe 20 seara ne intoarcem in Bangkok, iar pe 21 mergem o zi in Ayuthaya, sa vedem vechea capitala cu frumoasele ei temple de pe si de langa rau. Noaptea luam autobuzul catre nordul indepartat, destinatia Chiang Mai. Aici program incarcat doua zile si jumatate: resedinta regala, cascade, mers cu elefantul prin jungla, rafting, safari nocturn, cafea proaspat culeasa din gradina localnicilor, vizitarea templelor din orasul vechi, masaj la inchisoarea de femei. Cazare cu 450 bahti camera (adica nici 10 euro) in centru la Banilah. Pe 24, dupa-amiaza, ne luam talpasita (pardon zborul) catre Krabi, in sud, cu o mica escala de o ora in Bangkok (ieftin, pentru un ajun de Craciun, vreo 80 de euro).

A doua zi dimineata avem rezervat un tur cu barca. Vom face inspectia plajelor din Ko Phi Phi, o insula paradis din Oceanul Indian (de abia astept sa vad Plaja Maimutelor si sa fac snorkeling pe acolo). Toata smecheria vreo 30 de euro. Ne intoarcem pe seara, luam masina pe care am inchiriat-o deja si plecam pe coasta catre Khao Lak (200 de km la nord, in zona tsunami), paradisul scufundarilor, una din primele 10 destinatii din lume in materie de asa ceva. Pe 26 avem rezervat turul de scufundari cu WikedDiving, foarte seriosi baietii, in Insulele Similan – parc national acvatic, lanturi de corali si rechini prietenosi. Aici si-a facut veacul si Cousteau, el popularizind Stanca lui Richelieu (mai tineti minte documentarele de pe vremea lui Ceasca, de la Teleenciclopedia)? Dormim iarasi in Khao Lak, dupa care a doua zi traversam Tailanda de la Vest la Est pentru a ajunge de la Oceanul Indian la Golful Tailandei, drum ce va trece prin jungla si Parcul National Khao Sok. Odata ajunsi in Surat Thani, ne suim pe o barca de transport cu destinatia Ko Samui, insula celor o mie de cocotieri. Cazare pe plaja din Jinta, aproape doua zile de relaxare totala…Baut, plaja, snorkeling, baie la cascadele de pe insula, nimic mai mult. Pe 29 seara luam avionul catre Bangkok unde probabil ca vom ateriza in Cartierul Rosu, sa vedem si asta cum arata comparativ cu cele din Tokyo, San Francisco, Paris sau Matasari/Basarab.

Pe 30 nu e vreme de stat, mergem o zi in Kanchanaburi, o locatie cheie in cel de-al doilea razboi mondial. Pe 31 ne intoarcem in Bangkok si pe la pranz plecam catre jungla si muntii din Parcul National Khao Yai, unde vom petrece si noaptea dintre ani. Nu stiu cum va fi, dar cu siguranta ineditul nu va lipsi. Pe 1 dupa-amiaza ne intoarcem in Bangkok unde vom ramane pana pe 4 noaptea cand ne intoarcem. Vom vizita templele, vom merge la o piata plutitoare, vom participa la un meci de box tailandez, ceva masaj si probabil ca viata de noapte.

Bugetul estimat pana acum este de 900 de euro in doi. Probabil cu tot cu mancare si alte cheltuieli vom ajunge la vreo 1400. Sper sa fie acea vacanta mult visata de cativa ani si sa am ce povesti si nepotilor. Pe voi cu siguranta o sa va stresez cu insemnari.

De nos jours l’investissement d’une somme d’argent importante pour le développement d’un site web n’est pas forcément facile pour tout le monde, surtout dans le cadre de l’ouverture d’une entreprise ou pour un particulier désirant se lancer dans une activité secondaire.

C’est pour cela que Core-IT propose des créations de site web à partir de 160.- (CHF).
Ce prix inclus une maquette simple ainsi que le site web et le nom de domaine préalablement choisi avec le client.

L’hébergement du site est facturé par l’hébergeur. Les tarifs peuvent varier selon les services mis à disposition par les hébergeurs.

Le délai de mis en ligne est de 48 heures environ.

Nous proposons aussi le Référencement de site à partir de 50.-, de plus nous pouvons vous inscrire sur différent annuaires du web affin d’améliorer la fréquentation de votre site web.

Nous Produisons aussi des bannières publicitaires animées à partir de 50.-

Disponible aussi pour les utilisateurs de WordPress.

Exemple:

Author: Melville Jackson

Source: ezinearticles.com

With the ever increasing,, thailand hotel, thailand hotel, number of people looking for good, thailand hotel, holiday packages at attractive rates in Koh Samui, renting luxurious villas seems to be a great option. The days when you used to get your holidays booked through travel agents are gradually disappearing. With the Internet in hand, you can research your travel destinations more precisely, thailand hotel, . One of your chief concerns in this regard may be getting your desired accommodation, thailand hotel, .

Koh Samui villas are a good rental choice

With the sea-change taking, thailand hotel, place in the sales distribution methods, the services that are offered to vacationers are also changing. If you have planned a holiday in the picturesque Koh Samui, then renting a luxurious villa is definitely going to be the most obvious option. It is often seen that staying in a hotel may deprive you of being in direct contact with the picturesque scenic beauty of the island. With the pristine waters, idyllic beaches, and unending adventure opportunities so readily available in Koh Samui, you simply can’t afford to miss them out by putting up in some multi-storied hotel.

The beachfront luxury villas in Koh Samui are, thailand hotel, no less than five star hotels. As a matter of fact, the private villas ensure even more privacy, authenticity, and independence to guests. It often costs less than hotel accommodation and also offers scope to the visitors to have a direct interaction with the locals.

Know more about Koh Samui rentals

In Thailand, the boom in the real estate business has given rise to the availability of a large number of holiday homes and private villas. They can be directly rented from their owners on a weekly or a daily basis. You will find that such villas are well-furnished with all the possible, thailand, thailand hotel, hotel, amenities. Often they also have a support staff for cooking and housekeeping purposes. Tour guides are also available. Before you start planning your trip,, thailand hotel, here is a quick look at the facts that you must consider while booking the holiday home over the Internet:

1. Try to get your villa booked directly through the property site in order to avoid other, thailand hotel, charges and commissions.

2. Instead of looking for a house in some villa development, try to find out an individual property. It is so because often the former kind of accommodation is managed by hotel groups.

3. You may plan your trip, thailand hotel, in the off season, but must get the villa booked early.

4. Do not forget to check that the property that you are planning to rent has a telephone number and address listed

Have fun vacationing in Koh Samui and renting the villas for staying. It will be a different experience altogether.

Koh Samui Beach Resort – Karma Samui is a world-class luxury villa resort situated on one of Thailand’s most sought after island destinations, Koh Samui. Set in a tranquil cove overlooking the gulf of Thailand, Karma Samui brings together 36 contemporary pool villas. Book your next holiday accommodation at the luxurious Karma Samui resort today!

Phuket, Similan Island – Westküste Thailands

Auf dem Airport Phuket gelandet, kamen wir noch einmal in den Genuss der Zollkontrolle. Diesmal wurden alle Fluggäste von den Behörden fotografisch erfasst und im Reisepass wurde ein Formular eingeheftet, welches später bei der Ausreise entfernt wurde.

Und nun kommt einer der spannendsten Momente eines Flugpassagiers. Sind unsere Koffer denn auch angekommen? Sie waren es – Gott sei Dank. Nachdem wir dann unser Reisegepäck geschnappt hatten, verließen wir den klimatisierten Bereich und begaben uns zum Ausgang. Im Freien erfasste uns die Hitze dieser thailändischen Region. Die 40°C lassen fast jedes Kleidungsstück zum Schwamm werden. Am besagten Ausgang standen schon viele Mitarbeiterinnen diverser Reiseveranstalter und winkten wild gestikulierend mit Namensschildern der zu erwartenden Gäste. Nach ca. 5 Minuten fanden wir dann auch unseren Chaffeur, welcher uns nun zu unserm Hotel in Phuket bringen sollte. Nach etwa einer Stunde Fahrt sind wir dort dann auch angekommen. Die Zimmer waren sauber und komfortabel eingerichtet. Die gesamte Hotelanlage verfügte über ca. 40 Appartment-ähnliche Zimmer und überall sind exotische Pflanzen zu finden. Auf der Dachterasse des Hotels befindet sich eine kleine Poolanlage die zum Relaxen einladet. Der weitläufige Sandstrand und das Hotel sind nur durch die Bundesstraße getrennt. Noch am gleichen Tag stürzten wir uns in die Fluten des pazifischen Meeres. Es war einfach herrlich. Nach der anstrengenden Reise bis nach Thailand und dem Trubel in Bangkok war der weitläufige und beinahe leere Sandstrand eine wahre Oase der Ruhe. Wir entschieden auch am nächsten Tag einen Relaxtag einzulegen und während des Tages dann für Ausflüge in den nächsten Tagen umzusehen. Bei einem lokalen Veranstalter buchten wir dann für den dritten Tag einen Tagestrip zu den unberührten Stränden von Similan Island mit Möglichkeit zum Schnorcheln. Der Tag am Strand verging sehr rasch und am Abend machten wir uns dann auf den Weg ins Zentrum von Phuket. Dort schlenderten wir durch die Straßen wo uns die exotischen Düfte der Straßenküchen in die Nase stieg und uns Lust auf Thai-Küche machten. Wir probierten die verschiedensten Gemüse und Fleischvariationen auf Spießchen oder mit Reis vermischt. Müde von ganztägigen Sonnenbad und vollgeschlagenen Bäuchen traten wir die Heimreise in unser Hotel an. Der Ausflug nach Similan Island begann schon sehr früh am Morgen, da wir zu den ersten Gästen der Tour zählten, die mit dem klimatiesierten Minibus zum kleinen Hafen ca. 100km nördlich gebracht wurden. Dort angekommen gab es für alle noch Marmelade-Toast und Tee. Selbstverständlich bekamen wir auch alle Schwimmwesten und eine Schnorchelausrüstung. Um ca. 9.00 Uhr legte dann das Speedboat mit rund 20 Gästen an Board ab und brauste mit etwa 100 km/h durch die Fluten. Die turbulente Fahrt dauerte knapp zwei Stunden bis wir den ersten Stopp einlegten und der erste Schnorchelgang begann. Die Welt unter Wasser war geprägt von prachtvollen Korallen und unzähligen bunten Fischen in allen Variationen. Nach ca. einer Stunde fuhren wir dann zur der größten Insel der Similan Islands.

Wer wollte konnte ins kühle Nass springen und zum Ufer schwimmen. Für jene, die es gerne bequemer hatten wurden Schlauchboote für den Transport zur Verfügung gestellt. Nach einem kurzen Spaziergang durch die Insel kamen wir nun im wohl am abgeschiedensten Restaurant der Welt an. Es gab für alle ein köstliches Mittagessen, dass aus einem butterweichem Fisch mit knuspriger Kruste, sowie Gemüse, Salat und Brot bestand. Den Nachmittag hatten wir dann zur freien Verfügung, um die Insel auf eigene Faust zu erkunden. Gegen Abend kamen wir dann wieder ins Hotel zurück. Nach einer Dusche und einem ausgiebigem Abendessen machten wir uns wieder auf dem Weg ins Zentrum von Phuket. Heute Abend soll ein Thai-Boxkampf stattfinden, den wir uns natürlich nicht entgehen lassen wollen. Rund 15 Euro kostete der Eintritt und als Andenken bekam sogar jeder Gast ein T-Shirt. Verschiedene Gewichts- und Altersklassen traten gegeneinander an und es wurde ein aufregender Abend mit Backstageeindrücken.

Koh Samui – perlenweißer Sandstrand & Koh Phangan mit seinen unvergesslichen Moonparties – Ostküste Thailands

Am nächsten Morgen gings weiter Richtung Koh Samui. Mit dem Bus bis zur Fährenanlegestelle nach Don Sak. Nach etwa fünf Stunden Busfahrt und 2 Stunden auf einer Fähre kamen wir am Hafen von Koh Samui an. Mit einem Sammeltaxi fuhren wir zum Appartment, um uns von der anstrengenden Reise zu erholen. Am nächsten Morgen liehenwir uns beim Besitzer der Anlage ein Moped – was ein äußert beliebtes Fortbewegungsmittel der Thai’s ist – und klapperten einen grossteil der Insel ab. Heute war Heiligabend und auch die Menschen in Thailand feierten mit. Es wurde ein wundervoller Abend mit Live-Musik, herrlichem Essen & Wein und dem sanften Rauschen des Meeres im Ohr. Tags darauf besuchten wir einen Zoo mit anschließendem Elefantenreiten. Koh Samui bietet unzählige Möglichkeiten das Land und seine wunderbare Natur zu erkunden. Auf eigene Faust kann man hier sehr leicht die Buddha-Klöster und abgelegene Strände zu erkunden.

Mit einer kleinen Fähre, die voll mit Rucksacktouristen war, fuhren wir auf die letzte Insel unserer Thailandrundreise – die Aussteigerinsel Koh Phangan. Unser Appartment war wieder direkt am Strand und etwa 10 min vom Zentrum entfernt. Die Insel bietet viel Zeit zum Erholen und Auspannen. Freizeitaktivitäten werden hier wie in Koh Samui angeboten, doch nicht in so großem Ausmaß. Bekannt ist Koh Phangan für seine legendären Full-, Half- oder Black-Moon Parties, die je nach Mondphase am Strand oder im „Dschungel“ stattfinden. In einer Waldlichtung, die mit einer kleinen DJ-Bühne und Bars ausgestattet war, fand zwei Tage vor Silvester eine Half-Moon Party statt. Auf den Palmen waren zu Figuren geformten Schnüre gespannt und leuchteten wunderschön im Schwarzlicht. Selbstverständlich feierten auch wir eine ganze Nacht zu den elektronischen Klängen thailändischer DJ’s. Die Fahrt mit der Fähre am nächsten Tag wurde aufgrund zu starken Alkohlokonsums am Vortag zu einer Höllenqual. Mit dem Flugzeug gings dann wieder zurück nach Bangkok, wo wir noch zwei Nächte blieben und anschließend leider wieder zurück nach Österreich.

Hier gibt’s die Fotos!

A brand new luxurious 5 suites residence to rent on Koh Samui Island in the south of Thaïland. Providing the absolute utmost in luxury, Nirvana Villa is truly unique and have everything you could conceivably wish for, setting a new standard in ultimate style and service.

The villa is located in Baan Taling Ngam (south of Koh Samui island) 200 meters above sea level, offering an incredible sea view on the National Marine Park.

There are 5 luxurious suites in the villa that can welcome up to 10 guests. You and your friends will be indulged by a team of six persons, constantly available. Their mission is to make your dreams come true. This is an all inclusive formula. Everything is included in your package. The meals prepared by our Thai Chef (Thai and Western specialities), beverages (cocktails, alcohol, beer, soft drinks, fruit juice, shakers…), the room’s mini-bar, the room service, the concierge…

Plasma screens, DVD, satellite radio and television in all rooms.Wireless internet access in the whole area.

Swimming Pool & Jacuzzi, lounge, wet bar, fitness, Spa & Massages, private cinema, Recreation & billiard room, sound system for impromptu parties are some of the activities available at Nirvana Villa.

Each suite is unique. Like a treasure chest. They have all been decorated with the best materials and equipped with high technology to satisfy your utmost requests. King Size beds, plasma screens, DVD players, stereos with MP3 insert, air conditioning, mini-bar, Jacuzzi or XXL bath with view, luxuriously equipped bathroom, separate shower & toilets, desk, luxury towels and bathrobes

FLOWER SUITE & JACUZZI: Is your spirit stirred by flowers? The Flower Suite is for you. Over 50m2 on the main level near the pool. The view on the marine park and its islands is breathtaking. A jacuzzi is bubbling at the foot of the bed. The decoration is by artist Nigsun Chareonsean. Style: Lanna

BOUDDHA SUITE & JACUZZI: Zen dominates the Buddha Suite. Over 50m2 on the main level near the pool. An unbelievable view of the marine park and its islands awaits you. A Jacuzzi is set at the foot of the bed, in front of the French windows. The decoration is made from a collection of statues and representations of Buddha by several sculptors of the Chiang Maï area in northern Thailand.

GRAND VIEW SUITE: If it’s a breathtaking panorama you are looking for then book the Grand View Suite. About 40m above sea level on the first floor. The view over the marine park and the tropical garden surrounding the villa is incredible. An XXL terraced bath separates the King Size bed and the semi-open bathroom.

RED MASTER SUITE: It’s the biggest suite of the villa. The Red Master Suite offers over 80m2 on the first floor. It includes a separate lounge and bedroom along with two bathrooms together with showers. You may welcome all the guests of the villa in your lounge, equipped with the latest technology and connected to the cinema. A second double bed can be set up in the lounge. The colour red dominates. The decoration is by artist Sawanee of Hangdong. Chinese style and Zen atmosphère.

JUNGLE SUITE: You could be alone in the world. It’s the feeling you get in the Jungle Suite. Over 60m2 in a bungalow outside the main building. Nestled amongst palm trees and offering loads of intimacy. You reach it by a romantic lane through the tropical garden with its exotic flowers and their powerful scent. You will enjoy of a large private terrace with view. The open roof bathroom and its bath set under the stars is a jewel unto itself. A second exotic terrace is situated under the bungalow. The decoration is made from elephant sculptures, bamboo and fine wood.

DINNING ROOM & BAR: The dinning room is open on all four sides and overlooks the whole villa. It offers a 180° view. A large table can comfortably accommodate up to 12 guests. Experience a cocktail in the wet bar while chatting with your friends who are nice and dry in the Kitsch en Bar. In the lobby, the central area of the ground floor, a cocktail bar and a second dinning table await you. Ideal to try one of the cocktails that only our barman has the secret of, before or after an outing. Or to have a cappuccino or another speciality available from the coffee machine brought over especially from Italy.

POOL & TROPICAL GARDEN: The pool and the large Jacuzzi allow for over 60m2 of aquatic games on various levels and a wet bar. A large terrace borders the pool, inviting you to relax and sunbathe on the deck chairs and beds made especially for optimal comfort. There is a large exterior lounge to shelter in the shade, allowing to pursue the evening in a most idyllic atmosphere. The villa is surrounded by a natural tropical garden. A magical fountain invites you to dream while the heady fragrance of exotic flowers is all around you.

ACTIVITIES: A large choice of activities is available whenever you wish. Spa (massages, relaxation and body care), Fitness (equipped with professional machines for cardiovascular and muscular training), Cinema (private room for twelve persons, a large choice of films and a popcorn machine!), Recreation room (billiard, ping pong, playstation, poker and board games for the whole family).

Inquire About This Property

W Hotels has opened its 35th property with the unveiling of the new W Boston, marking a milestone in the brand’s ongoing expansion. Located in the heart of Boston near Chinatown and the Theater District, the hotel is designed as a ‘virtual garden’ concept and is the result of a collaboration between local architect William Rawn, TRO Jung|Brannen and New York-based Bentel & Bentel. The building’s glass facade enables light to be subtly transitioned as it filters through into the interior spaces, while the designers have made use of falling water and a modern fireplace to create visual interest of the interior.

The hotel features 235 guestrooms and suites, ranging from W Hotels’ signature Wonderful Room to the Extreme WOW Suite, vividly-designed with high-energy interiors familiar to guests at sister properties around the world. Each room is furnished with the W bed and pillow menu, a spacious bathroom with separate bathtub and rain shower complemented by amenities from Bliss, flat-screen televisions with CD/DVD player and iPod docking station, high-speed internet access, dual-line cordless telephones with voicemail feature, workdesk and a munchie box/minibar.

Dining at W Boston promises to be a gastronomic experience with outlets offering gourmet food and drinks from Michelin-starred Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten and master mixologist Sasha Petraske. Market by Jean-Georges serves a multicultural menu inspired by Asian, French and Italian influences and prepared with ingredients from the New England region. The cozy W Bar boasts stylish spaces to mix and mingle over drinks and light snacks, while Descent, scheduled to open early next year, will be an exclusive underground spot with cocktails created by Sasha Petraske of New York’s Milk & Honey fame.

Business travellers at W Boston requiring conference facilities will have 9 spaces available to them, including the 177-square meter Great Room. Each meeting space is equipped with complete audio-visual support and a teleconferencing system, with business and secretarial services provided by the WIRED business center. Guests seeking a workout can do so at the SWEAT fitness center, or indulge in the variety of spa treatments available at Bliss Spa.

W Boston is the brand’s ninth hotel to open in 2009. W Hotels is on track to double its portfolio by 2011, with new hotels scheduled to open in Athens, Bangkok, Dubai, Hollywood, Koh Samui, London, Marrakech, Paris and Shanghai.

For more information, visit www.whotels.com.

Well, I haven’t logged onto this site for a while, but it appears that it is about time that I did… There is a ton that I haven’t talked about, and I realize most of you don’t have a whole hell of a lot of an idea what I’ve been up to the past few weeks. Let’s take it one phase at a time.

1) Mid-September-Early October: No excuse for not writing. Laziness. However, I was working on a very important piece of personal work that has been completed… TBD

2) October 8 – October 18: Viet Nam. As I mentioned a while ago on Twitter, what a difference a generation makes. 20-something American man excited about a return trip to Vietnam. Unheard of 40 years ago, but this is the reality of today. While a return trip to Vietnam brought with it the potential of mental and physical drama in the late 1960s, it brings with it immense business, cultural and personal possibilities in the 21st century.

The trip turned out to be everything that I imagined it would be- and more. It was a whirlwind week of  seeing all my old buddies, revisiting all my old stomping grounds, and making new buddies and new stomping grounds in the process.  All the while, I was working through a hectic week out of the Ho Chi Minh City office. Some of the highlights include winning a lucky-draw at a EuroCham event, appearing on a Vietnamese TV show, and celebrating Matt’s birthday in traditional MatDay fashion.

3) October 22 – October 25: Koh Samui. This trip was ‘major.’ Wandering around the amazing shores of Thailand’s coast was exactly the retreat I needed, and it reminded me of why I fell in love with Thailand to begin with. The views are stunning, there’s a ton of activities to do, the food is great, and etc. etc. We rolled there- Caroline, Alex, Libby and me- in inglorious fashion- by way of a 12 hour bus ride + 2 hour boat ride. Furthermore, 12 hour bus ride + in the back, next to the bathroom = tragedy. On the bright side, it was still 100x times more comfortable than my bus trip with Beans to Chiang Mai.

Major Sandwich

Some of the best times on this trip were biking up a jungle trail off the beaten path, swimming in an oasis along the side of a waterfall, and an incredibly awkward boat ride as the tail-end of a major sandwich (see pic- this probably doesn’t make sense anyways.) The food was awesome. I even dabbled into the seafood arena. There is no excuse not to when you are staying along the coast. And, I wasn’t disappointed with it. Having said that, I am still not a seafood guy, in general. Plus, I am incredibly stubborn so I wouldn’t admit it even if I was… Joking.

Overall, Samui ranks highly on my book as far as coastal Thailand cities go. It’s really hard to compare, because all the coastal cities- i.e. Phuket, Krabi, Samui- offer something unique. Samui does strike me as slightly quieter and more serene than Phuket, though. Of course, as with all the aforementioned cities, the vibe you get where you stay depends largely on which specific part of the city/island you choose to stay at. Koh Samui has some vibrant nightlife at certain areas. Plus, it’s pretty close to Pha Nga, which is infamous for its Full Moon party. Unfortunately, we missed full moon party by a couple weeks. Oh well.

Now: Back in Bangkok and back to the same ol’ routine. However, there are lots events coming up on the horizon. With only about a month until Christmas break, I’ve started looking into where my next journey will be to. Top 3: Unexplored Vietnam, Korea, Philippines.  Although, as Koh Samui proves, Thailand has a ton to offer. So, it may be hard to resist the temptation to explore this country a little further with some time off. I’ll keep ya’ll updated here.

Billigt flyg till och inrikes i Thailand

Här kommer lite tips till den som vill resa runt i Thailand med flygplan – och billigt!

Nok Air
Kommer från Thai Airlines och är deras lågprisspinoff. Lågprisflygbolaget Nok Air kom igång 2004 med en prisbild liknande Air Asia. Om man bokar via webben kan man reservera flygstol. Nok Air flyger från Bangkok till Chiang Mai, Hat Yai, Phuket, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Udon Thani, Trang och Loei, från Chiang Mai till Chiang Rai, Udon Thani, Pai och Mae Hong Son.

Orient Thai
Orient Thai som också kallas One-Two-GO flyger både inrikes i Thailand och utrikes till Guangzhou, Hong Kong och Seoul från både Bangkok och Phuket. Bolaget är känt för att ha en ganska gammal och risig flotta, främst gamla Boeing 747, något man ska beakta när man ser prisbilden.

PB air
PB kallar sig det stora lilla flygbolaget och har flygningar inrikes samt till Da Nang i Vietnam.

I’m just lazy. I make no apologies for not updating this blog. I’m living in Thailand for fuck’s sake, I’ll do things in my own damn time. Anyway, lots has happened since the last post so here’s the 5-minute rundown…

First thing is my first scooter accident. I was driving along a road called Wat Po with my colleague Michelle when a pick-up truck pulled out right in front of us. He was waiting at an intersection and decided to move out in the opposite direction to us just when we got within ten yards of him. There was nothing I could do, slammed on the brakes but went straight into his bumper, next thing I know I’m in the road, my trousers are ripped to shreds and my leg is bloody and aching.

Thankfully there was nothing too serious involved. Michelle had a sore knee for a while but it seems to be better, I got it a little worse and have a fuckton of ligament and tendon damage but it’s getting better and I can almost walk down stairs normally after two weeks. The other driver admitted fault and is paying for the hospital and garage bills so I can’t complain on that score. Still get kinda nervy when I’m driving now though.

Next on the agenda – new flat! I got a call from Jason, my boss, a couple of weeks back saying he’s moving out of his place and would like to give me first refusal on it as he wants someone “older and more responsible” to look after it. Hur-hur-hur. I was just about to switch to Jamie’s air-conditioned en-suite room in my old place so was a bit hesitant but decided to go for a look anyway seeing as it’s just on the next Soi down.

Holy fuck.

I walked into a palace. Gleaming tile floors in an open plan living area including kitchen, dining space, living area with flat-screen TV (and cable) and – the icing on the cake – a frickin’ pool table. I shit you not. After seeing this the thought of bedrooms didn’t even cross my mind but I shuffled upstairs and lo, it’s the biggest damn bedroom in town. Kingsize bed, sofa and coffee table, desk, even a sink in the corner.

I think I’ll take it…as dogmatic and close-minded as religious believers.”

Of course with a new flat comes new flatmates and I scored on that front as well. Kelsey arrived in town the day I moved in, I had heard nothing about her so was naturally worried about getting a mentalist, a jesus freak or some kind of antisocial nut. Instead I got one of the soundest people I’ve met so far, a 22-year old American lass whose deeply into anthropology and archaeology and who carries herself with the calm confidence of someone well beyond her years. Plus she has a wicked sense of humour, sometimes quite dry and subtle and other times just ridiculous.

The next day Michelle (aka New Michelle aka Wookie) touched down. I’ll admit I was hesitant here as I’d chatted to her via email and Facebook a lot before she left Canada and she gave the impression that she could tip over that fine line which divides enthusiastic and slightly nippy. Again I had nothing to worry about, she’s just a regular Duracell bunny, bouncing off the walls with a permanent smile on her face and a talent for spewing the most hilarious non-sequitors mid-sentence. Case in point during a card game on Koh Samui – “I wish there were monkeys everywhere instead of dogs, that’d be cool”. Yup, just my style.

That’s another thing that happened, my first trip to the islands. Last week I took a couple of nights over  there with the new flatmates and my friend Em, possibly the  coolest gal in all Surat. Em and I drove our scooters with Wookie and Kelsey on the back, an epic journey for vehicles designed for short urban rides. An hour to the ferry, ninety minute crossing, another hour to get to the beach on the worst roads I’ve seen, populated with the most dangerous drivers in the world. I’ve never been so glad to get off that bike as when we hit Chaweng beach.

It was worth it though, a couple of days of chilling on the beach, good food, a little beer and plenty sunburn. Add to that some excellent card/drinking games and a visit to a ladyboy cabaret show which ended with me covered in glitter and lipstick. Good times…

On the downside there’s been some nasty crime-related stuff going on. A few weeks back a friend of my Thai pal Benz was shot, on Friday night someone was shot outside the club we were at (Thai mafia pretty much run the show here) and I just heard that Wookie, currently on Koh Tao with Michelle, has had her wallet and camera stolen. In fact it’s still not long since Em had her laptop and camera nicked from her flat.

So it’s not paradise. But really, it’s not that far off.

Anyway, now I’m back to teaching and at this moment I’m using this blog as a procrastination enabler to stave off working on dreaded lesson plans. I messed up and covered half of today’s class yesterday, gotta think of a last-minute fix. Methinks a bit of waffling and a game should cover it

The textures and sub-tropical essence of the jungles fade into the distance as the temples rise into infinity and the imagination takes hold in the vision of Thailand, complete in its trinity of flavor. From the hidden province that is Isan in the northeast to the wonder of the elephant rainforests south of Phuket to the magic that is Samui, an island hidden off the peninsulan coast, this country paints of picture of diversity and adventure.

Gliding in the evergreen comfort of Premium Laurel on Eva Air connecting from Los Angeles to Bangkok through Taipei, the expanse of the capital city spreads out below, the 17-hour journey spoiling in its whirl of exceptional lounges, signatures cocktails (such as plum liqueur) and attentive flight attendants. Inside the urban sprawl, the Four Seasons Bangkokprovides an oasis from which to launch our trek. After a relaxing siesta at the pool, a refreshment of champagne, prosciutto and delicious spinach and cheese pizza at Biscotti lead to our main course at the Madison Room with a sizzling rib-eye which ushers us into dreamland.

After a filling breakfast of Kao Tom mixing boiled rice, pork and egg, the ornate spires and carvings at The Grand Palacestretch out inside the intricately carved visages as soldiers stand guard, statues in the midst of the piety of the Emerald Buddha. Walking to a dock along the Chao Phraya River, a longtail boat coasts across the busy channel as a sea craft filled with faith chanting followers leads us through a lock into the back canals of Bangkok. Arriving at the hidden abode ofAmita’s, a Thai cooking lesson commences teaching the spicy and filling crest of a savory creamy chicken curry over rice and a luscious papaya salad pinnacled with coconut milk and bananas.

Our carriage of air conditioned caravan bliss heads away from the bustle towards Pak Chong in the vicinity of Nakon Ratchasima. Chok Chai Farm swirls in the sustainable agro element where ice cream tickles the tongue and Thai Cowboys wrangle. After a soothing in-room Thai Massage at Khao Yai Fah Sai Resort at the base of a reaching mountain, the Thai Western of lore reveals itself at the outdoor Thong Somboon Club. Pork and local Singha drafts lead to cowgirls celebrating as dancing on the line with buckle holding enthusiasm greets the cheers of the night.

The Dan Kwian Village sprawls out as dogs and toads bask in their freedom while, within the workshops, the artisan of clay sculpting unfolds in real time. Walking through the different styles and streets, the etched brilliance makes itself known as small constructed treasures appear before the eyes, priceless in their nature.

Walking through the streets of Korat in the approaching dusk, the stores of gold shine. After miso, sushi and cream of the curry give credence at the Dusit Princess Hotel, the night market within walking distance beckons. There the local flavor permeates as the delicacies of grub, cricket and frog, marinated, grilled and simmering with spice, greet the palette with expectant and unknown anticipation highlighted by a touch of mint. Late night continues as the Coyote Bar rages with a Thai rock band fronted by an excellent guitarist shredding the fantastic as bottled Singha pours and cracked necks increase the resolve with the rhythm of dancing. The race back in pedi-cabs provides exceptional thrill as the speed throttles.

Phimai Temple rises in the pink hues of sunset as the full moon crests over the ruins of this thousand year old site. Standing on the stone, looking up at the ancient spires, the dances begin and food stretches into the night as the tales swirl with sticky rice.

After enjoying the local cuisine replete with chicken, sliced corn, mushrooms and asparagus, the cool and brisk bus of lore arrives at Suvarnabhumi Airport signaling the journey to the South aboard Bangkok Airways. Landing in the darkness of Phuket, the Royal Marina bursts with activity as local culinary treats highlighted by filling sushi mixed with pulsating music promote the dancing of Travolta heating up the light. The Sarojin Resort beckoned us with a spirited ride to Khao Lak an hour away on the Gulf Of Siam. The Lady Sarojin Suite, beautified in its reception and expansive silken organic essence, welcomes with open arms. After a luscious dinner with a spicy curry touch, paper lanterns, a tradition here in the South, were lit and offered to the sky, visible and viable to extreme heights. Offshore at 2am, thunder rumbled in the Andaman Sea as the moon glowed the water.

After a soothing morning stretch on the white beach as trawlers swayed, the transfer to Elephant Hills set the adventure forth. The majesty of Surat Thani, encompassed in the Khao Sok National Park, is a wonder. After checking into our luxury tents, open air and enraptured with the sounds of the surrounding jungle, we venture to the elephant base camp via wind blown transport. The elephants stroll into view with their Mahout handlers on top of their backs. These intelligent creatures line up as we begin chopping their supper of pumpkin, cucumber, corn and pineapple via machete before picking one to feed. Hop Ma, the one I chose, ate with fervor, his trunk grasping the food peppered with sugar cane as pats encouraged goodwill. After climbing aboard bareback with his Mahout Ta Da and riding to the back of the compound, washing commenced with your humble narrator scrubbing this wonderfully gentle animal behind the ears as well as on the back and snout with coconut and soap before rinsing her off in the glimpse of the melting essence of the spire-like mountains.

A longtail boat heads out onto the mythic lake of Cheow Lan as the limestone mountain cliffs rise up straight from the water like gigantic scepters disappearing into the distance. After a lunch of grilled fish aboard a floating raft platform, elephant trekking back at the Hills commenced aboard Poke, the happy elephant, who loved going off on his own to the chagrin of his Mahout while pulling down branches as fellow riders in mounted seats cheered in support. This experience is not to be missed.

Canoeing down the Sok River at the cusp of the tent camp continued the fervor before the bus boarded for the Samui Ferry. Located off the Eastern coast of the Thai Peninsula, the paradise of Samui welcomes with the colors of the mist. The Four Seasons Koh Samui is a miracle in earthly form, its property stretching like Eden from its pinnacle point. The villa, replete with long private pool, vaulted bedroom, private deck and soaking tub, is the height of luxury and worth the trip alone. After a dinner mixing rich Thai salads and prawns that delighted the soul along with a welcome and paradoxical spinach ravioli, the late night welcomed the neon at Chaweng Beach where the music pounded in unison from the open air cocktails of C to My Friend to Me Me as a Havana cigar is lit and the Singha, cold and torrent, paints the boulevard.

After touring the island and changing the visage to truly local via rock stone formations and the overture of the Buddha, the return to the Four Seasons welcomes The Spa, almost treehouse like in its layout, with private villas for soothing of the chi. The 90-minute Siam Fusion, smooth with both medium and gentle pressure, provide a relief of unrelenting bliss. A late afternoon cocktail class highlighted the signature of the creamy coconut Kalalae as an early evening beach soiree kissed the sky while a full moon, burning, crested above the islands.

After an early morning 18 holes at Santiburi, barely 15 minutes away, where the back nine stretches out with angelic views of the ocean and angling increases for strategic play especially on Hole 11 & 17, the rain gently cleanses the land with love and care. Such is the truth of Thailand where diversity reigns supreme. As the plane lifts off from Samui and the blue green heaven sifts below the clouds, the greatness of this experience holds true as the trumpeting of an elephant echoes away.

Well, we’ve definitely discovered that this competition will be all about endurance. With 23 days left to go, our category is the tightest! Less than 30 votes continues to separate 1st place and 5th! Pretty amazing. No doubt all of the teams vying for Koh Samui will continue to put in a great effort!

Again, thank you all for your encouragement and support!

Sooo my dear friends and family, I know you have been waiting for this a long time – and here it is: My first Thailand Monthely.

Alright, I don’t know really where to start at but, but things have been far different from what I’ve seen in the Middle-East.It started at the airport of Bahrain where I had a stop-over and stayed for about almost twenty hours at the gates to the world.Which wasn’t that bad, because you recognised all the other people walkin’ around the airport in the same time period-so I had a couple of chats to a lot of really nice people.With a massive delay, finally they announced that Gulf Air flight to Bangkok was ready for boarding.It was a strange feeling, because there were three different major cultures, a lot of Asian people, then Arabian fellows and of course Western people – I lhave been looking to the Asian people most, so I kind of knew what will expect me for the next three months. I went into the plane, took a seat, had my meal – grabbed a bear and instantly fell asleep until the stewardess woke me up again and that we are about to approach Bangkok International Airport! I had a window seat and so I had a great view over the landscape of Thailand.

It’s Thailand time, I thought for myself and I was in a good mood and ready to explore my next destination!At the passport check-counter was a really big sign that said: “Welcome to the Country of Smiling Faces”, which prooved to be absolutely right! So I grabbed my backpack, met up with the German girls I met in the plane and we were directly heading out of the airport, and they said oh my god this is so hot out here – and I was smiling, because compared to Oman and the Emirates, this was quite cool! After paying for a taxi about 4 Euros into the city between four of us, the taxi driver dropped us at the legendary backpacker street ‘Kao San Road’, with an amount of backpackers you would probably never see in a time span of ten years in Oman – wicked – but awesome! So we found quite a cheap accomodation and spend the day pretty much in walkin’ around and explore the tiny square we lived in! The same day we talked to a lot of locals who highly recommended us to leave Bangkok city as soon as possible due to elections and public demonstrations! So we bought right away a train ticket up north to Chiang Mai and left the next morning with two quick stops in Ayuttaya and Lop Buri. Ayuttaya was quite interesting and stuffed with old temples, Buddhas, Chedis and ruins. And Lop Buri was the monkey’s place to be – seriously, we got out of the train station, walked for about five minutes and the first litlle monkey showed up, followed by hundreds. The funny thing is if you give them a bottle of water, they take it and drink it!

After a short delay of the night train, we arrived mid-day in lovely Chiang Mai.A quite big city but with character and easy to orientate in, since the city’s city is surrounded by water and an ancient wall. We found a really cheap guesthouse for less than 3 bugs a night including a nice atmosphere and swimming pool! That’s where I met a bunge of people I’ve been travelling for a long time in Thailand. Justin, Dean, George and Sam and of course the three German ladies Tanja, Rini and Natalia from mother Russia – we all did the jungle trekking together which was absolutely awesome and one of my favourite things so far in South-East-Asia that I have experienced! It took us three days in which we hiked in total for about seven hours, enjoyed a massive and super fuckin’ funny bamboo raft and had the joy of riding an Elephant for nearly an hour – which wasn’t in the eleohants’ minds.But anyway, we had a great time, met locals, even helped them working on a rice field and enjoyed local food and a soccer match between local kids and us travellers!

After the trek, almost everybody decided to leave down south – and after a few days of hesitation I grabbed my backpack and made it within less than 36 hours the 2000 kilometers down south to Surat Thani. From there I travelled by nightboat, which was a kind of freighter, to Koh Pan-Gnag. I really enjoy Thailand because you meet people from all over the world – just everywhere – and almost everybody is some kind of same minded. So so, the day I arrived there was really nice, shallow chrystal clear blue/green water – awesome! I ended up staying about three weeks on the east-coastern Islands.Where I actually hopped from one island to the next one, including tourist island Koh Samui, which was my least favourite but still dad a good time on it! And then there was Koh Tao, a small divers’ paradise located two hours north of Pan-Gnang.Staying there for about 4 nights and celebrating Natalia’s birthday – which was one of my greatest nights going out on my travels! But the day must have come at some stage, the day that people from whole south-east-asia come to celebrate what some people consider one of the biggest beach parties in the world: The Fullomoon Party on Koh Pan-Gnang. Which is something I kind of had to do – and it was worth it! We met up again with Canadian Justin and the English lads to have a sleepless night, full of dancing and partying!! The whole beach was full with 6,000 to 10,000 people and that’s nothing compared to the high season, where almost 30,000 people come! But partying has an end and after we all recovered after this tremenciously night / 24 hours / or whateva’, everyone followed his own path again and so did I.

I went north of Koh-Pan-Gnang, a place called Bottle Beach, so damn nice and astonishing atmosphere that I ended up staying there instead of two nights almost ten!! Super chilled-out. nice weather and the hosts were not just normal hosts, they gave you this kind of feeling, feeling a bit home! And that’s where I found a treasure in the sea. Okey, some might don’t believe this, but it’s true. I guess almost everyone has seen the movie “The Beach”, and I’m sure you somehow remember the scene, where they did a night swim and were surrounded by lightning phospherous that showed up as they moved in the water? Ohh yes! The other night on Bottle Beach, a few Irish llads and me went out for a swim and it was for real!!! That was absolutely, well something you can’t put in words, something I will never forget in my life! Imagine everything around you is dark and as soon as you move, some small with any electricity filled up phospherous begins to shine – and thousands, no millions of them – wow!

But then the chill-out zone in me closed, and my inner watch told me it was time to leave, heading back north again! So the other day I bought a ship / bus / train ticket which took me withiin the same time up, as it took me down!! So arriving in Chiang Mai, it was a good feeling having left behind expensive party islands and spending too much money – and now open again for culture and maybe other countries, since Chiang Mai is not far from the boarders to Birma, Laos and Cambodia. So I settled myself down in a nice and cheap guesthouse within the city’s city, and some days later Justin showed up again. Which was really cool, he gave me the last inspiration on doing a meditation course for 26 days, which seems to be long, but I already changed my next flight to South Africa for the end of October! Yeah, so the last couple of days I was hangin’ out with Justin, doing some really cool activity like going to art galleries and doing some awesome shots with my camera! I think it’s the perfect time to leave for the temple, and I am sure I will go further north to other countries after my retreat!!

Sooo, I hope you guys enjoy reading my stuff and in total the whole homepage!! It would be really awesome getting some feedback or anything like that – and hey, if you have any questions or whatever, write on my wall or send me a personal message through the contact form. You will hear from me again after I found the karma!! So everyone out there: Have a good time, enjoy everyday as it would be the last one and – fuck – let’s rock n’ roll!!

Cya and big hugs

Love n’ Peace