24/05/2010 Leaving to Krabi

Arriving in Krabi without a plan was a stupid idea. All busses left already, flights were not available. So we booked a bungalow at the beach. It was horrible. A camoingplace offers more luxus. and the beach... well, i would not call it like that.
But again, our guy was great. He booked us a new room in a spa hotel, with all what we wished. So, the next day, we just stayed in the room, I worked, we went to massage, to pedicure, manicure, swimming in the pool, a short walk at the beach and for dinner. No program, just relaxing, lying in the bed and watching out of the window, enjoying the great view.
And on the evening, .... he was with me alone at the beach. A wounderful skyline and he asked about marriage... A perfect evening.

23/05/2010 Waking up in Paradiese

Issam done a great job. when we woke up this morning in our nice nice wounderful bungalow, he demand us, to sit on our beds and close the eyes. He opened the jalousies and we were breathless by the view! He done an awesome job and booked for us a great bungalow first line at THE BEACH, panorama view, big terasse, 2 bathrooms and also outdoor shower with view on Maya bay. And he organized a big breakfast on our terasse. Perfect start in the day!
Later, he chartered a boat for us and we went for snorcheling, shark diving and enjoyed the sea & sun. Lucky me, was sunning without live west, when giant waves were comming and i was almost falling out of the ship. :-) Germany got talent :D

22/05/2010 Taxi-Bus-Plane-Ferry: And than, we are in the Paradies

Standing up very early this morning, taking the Bus to Bangkok, picking up my luggage, taking the plane to Phuket, taking a 1h taxi ride and than the ferry. The sun is burning, and on 17:00 we arrive in Ko Phi Phi. Audrey leads us directly to OUR beach for the next days: A paradies. We just let our luggage fall in the white sand and run into the water.
I am like always the lucky guy, just want to go in with my feet.... Than until the knees, but there is a step in the water, and i fall completely in the sea. (Which is ther 30 cm deep)... Well, just really talented people as I can do so :D
We get in contact with a spanish guy, who gets our new island friend. we do not have a room, we do not have an idea where to stay, how long, or anything else. But we have sun, sand, sea and coctails. This is enough to stay until the night.
The sunset is a dream. pink sky over the turkis sea. Than Issam (the only rested boy, the other were getting lost in Phuket) leave for finding us an accomendation. And he did well.

21/05/2010 We ARE in Asia

Wow... I am in Asia. Ok.. I know, that thailand is in Asia, but in the last days, I never felt it. I was always with my friends, chatting, walking in the forrest, being somewhere... It could easily be Europe.

But today - we are in Anatayula... or similar... i will check it soon - I saw all the monument, which I only know by books. I was sitting there and really realizing: Wow... this is different. Welcome to Asia!

The whole day was fun. I guess I have had the best day of all the trip. The boys organized motor scouters and drove us from sign to sign. WE were sitting on the back, enjoying the sun, the fresh air, the wind and the view. Totaly relaxed.

19/05/2010 Kissing the Tiger

We are in Chang Mai, and of course, we missed our train. So, we have an other 24h hours here. Plenty time for relaxing, making a spa-day and visit the Tiger Kingdom.

I wanted absoilutly to visit the tigers, to hug them and to play with them. Originally, I wanted to do so in Kanaburi, but when we are here, why to waste the time? I got a very cheap taxi from my Spa-Lady. She is a nice girl, dating a man from Swizerland and absolutly in love. She was very interested in learning some lines german, to impress the man. While learning german, she did not concentrate so well on the threatments, which ended up with lot of pain and laughts :D She was really ashamed, so she wanted to help me whereever possible and agreed perfect discounts, and offered us her motorbike. But we did not knew the way, so we took the amazing cheap taxi to our Tigers.

So, we booked a ticket for the new borns and for the 2 years old tigers, as well as a photographer. All in all not cheap, but tigers.... it is special... you should not miss.

I agreed, that we go first to the babies, I was very afraid, the big tiger will eat us. The babies were sooo tiny and still blind. they were sleeping all the time and i could pet them. but because they were so small, we could not hold them kiss them, or do other stuff. So, as a hint for those who want to do the same: take the little tigers, not the babies. (but they are cuuuuuuuuuuuute!)

After that, we went to the big tiger.... wow... it was big. I sent my friend first in the cave, because I hope, this will safe me being eated by the cat. I was very afraid to touch it. The photographer told me a lot of poses, I should do with the tiger,hugging him, laying on him, sitting next to him, and so on. I did all, but on every picture you see my nervousity :D Finaly, the tiger eat none of us.

18/05/2010 Going to Burma and Laos

3rd day of our trip. Now we are in the very very very north of Thailand. Mirmar (Burma) and Laos are just 5 minuts away.... so lets cross the boarder!

But first, we went to a cave temple with a lot of monkeys and only 1000 stairs... but... we are trained... Est-ce quelqu'un fatigue? no- ...

It is amazing, very beautiful. And we are the only people there.

In Burma, things are different. Thanks to my big amount of new dollar notes, we saved a lot money by crossing the boarder. The whole procedure with picture, and passportstamp and so and so took only 5 minuts and than.... are we in the biggest fake shopping market I have ever seen. Everything is available... and everything is faked. Even the Koala-Cookies are faked.

We walked around and have had a look on everything... A friend of us got really offended, when they offert him Saddam Hussein Poker cards.

To understand,it needs a bit background information. Almost all of our group are magrebians. People, living in France, but with an immigration background from Algeria, Morokko, Arabia, Egypt, muslime countries. And a big part of our group is really practising their faith. Since we left Moscow, I have not missed one of the 5 prays a day. in the middle of the jungle, in the airplane, in the car, everywhere. I adore this disciplin and have high respect therefore. But I absolut understand them to be offended, when someone offers Saddam Assessoires to them.

After this shock, we went for lunch and entered Laos by boat. It was not real real Laos, it is a island, where we do not require the expansive visa. A island full of souveniers and tourists. We discovered lot of strange drinks and enjoyed our speed boat trip. All in all: a great day!

Direct after the Trek we took a private Bus and went to Chang Mei, where we want to split up our tour in central Thailand and Phuket for the island guys.

17/05/2010 Walking walking walking

Still in the jungle and walking. crossing rivers, bathing in giant waterfalls, enjoying the view. It is great!

And the boys are awesome... when nothing work anymore, they start french army songs... est-ce quelqu'un fatigue? no, n auqun est fatigue. :-)

16/05/2010 Riding the Elefants

9:00 our trek starts. (as noticed in the program)

10:00 some of the boys are sleeping, we others take relaxed a breakfast... it is holyday... :D

Somewhen, we started the trip. First we went by boat to the elefant camp, where we bought banas for our elefant. In pairs of two we were on the seat and strated our trekk in the jungle. After a while we get brave and left our seats and ride on the elefants' neck and head. Our Elefant was a 42 years old lady. With "Bon Bon Bon" we motivate her to raise her trunk and gave her the bananas.

After that, we went again by boat to the other side of a river, and continued our trekk by foot. In a small village, we have had lunch and tried bloody rice with qucumber and chili. I loove blood. Bloody sausages for example... super yammy. and this rice... hmmmm :D

Later we learned how to shoot snakes, and how to hunt birds. Every one of us get a walking stick, which was very sharp at the end, so that we can kill snakes, who might attak us. But so far, there were no snakes.

After a very long walk, we get in the night to a lonely village, where we stayd in simple shats. It was a wounderful eveing, sitting together, eating, chatting, than somewhen, the energy was out and we go on with candels.

15/05/2010 Starting the adventure

Arrived in Chang Rei, Thailand. In the north of Thailand. In the very north. Me and 7 "strangers"... Cool people from Paris, most of them with magrebian background. 6 boys and 1 girl. We took a Taxi from the airport to the busstation and there we fellow the hint from my travel book: "Just stay there with your big back pack and look stupid and helpless... It will take les than 5 minuts and you have an accomodation." Well. it tooks less than 30 seconds and the Tuk Tuk drivers come to us with prospects, offering us good rooms for cheap money. So we found our guesthouse - after we walked 30 min in the wrong direction... with 20kg backpacks and 37 degrees.
The place was great. first thing, after inspecting the rooms: jump in the pool! Than, we organized a 3 day trekk. Here, I copuld see, the arabians, they are really masters in bargaining. Poor Kim, who was our negotiation partner. We gave him a very hard time.
In the eveing, we went to a streetfestival. It seems in Chang Rei, there are not that many tourists. We met 2 other french guys, but this was. All others were Thais, singing, daning and having fun. We learned some of the traditional dances (Audrey changed it to a makarena) and have had our first expiriences with Thai food. new mussles. Even the other were suspective, I ate them (without any problems the days after). Our guys were brave and eat a bench of different bucks, we found new fruits which were delicious and very sweet and strange fanta tasted. Than a absolut heavy rain started and all was suddently over. We waited some minuts unter one of the umbrellas of the sellers, but after 20 minuts, it did not get better. So we started our way home by walking. This monsum was getting more and more heavy, somewhen, a kind police man picked us up and dropped us off at our guesthouse. Wounderful!
On the last 2 meters, me, the lucky one slipped and felt on the floor. my hand and my hips were very hurting. nothing serious, but I have had a hand-biiiiiiiiiiig dark blue for the rest of the holidays.

14/05/2010 Heading Moscow

This morning is great... I moved out of my dorm in Poland (after paying for the "broken" fredge... a sratch, not even from me) and went by bus to the airport. There I have had a small discussion with the lady, how many luggage I have, how some bags have to be interpretated and what I am allowed to take with me. Somewhen, I was only bored by the discussion, grapped enough hand luggage stickers and left her yelling at her desk. Sometimes, ignoring is the effective way of problem solving.
In Moscow, I spent some time with relaxing, shopping and so on... until i get my new plane to Bangkok. While I am sitting in my row, a group of loud, noisy french guys. And I have had to smile.
Imedatly, the guys stand in my row and chat with me. The plane was half full, so we switched the seats and sit together, chat about life, traveling plans, likes and religion.
Somewhen in the night, Issam said to me: " It is scary. I met you 3 hours and 2000 miles ago. I barely know you. But every word you say, comes directly from my heard." :-) hmmmmm :-)
So, this night I slept very well, the Issam, was cute and took care, that I am as confortable as possible in my seat. He covered me, he brought me pillows, he offert me 3 seats of our 4. When I woke up the next morning, he asked me to come with them to the north of Thailand. Well, in Bangkok is a kind of civil war at the moment, I have 3 days puffer and the jungle seems to be interesting. So I agreed. Outside the plane, I met the other 6 people of the group. The boys were storing my luggage at the airport, buying me a ticket to Chang Rei and we speeded with the Taxi to the domestic airport. 1 hour later, we were loud, chatting and laughting in the plane on our way to the jungle.

13/05/2010 The last hours in Poland

Now the time is over. And I am a bit sad. I enjoyed Warsaw, the city covered by snow, the palacst of culture in the night, the parks in the spring, the clubbing in the nights, the food, my friends.

Monday I started with my good bye tour. Said bye to my JCI-fellows. Bye to my 2 best friends Marta and Pawel. Tuseday was the good bye to the professors and people from the university.
Yesterday I said thankyou and good bye to our cleaning woman. She done a great job, which was really disgusting almost every single day. But she cleaned without complaining and gave me the nice feeling using a fresh cleaned toilet. It are the small things in live, which makes you smile every day. The small things, which gives the underlying emotions. And they are so positiv for me and my warsaw.
This evening I saved for saying good bye to my room mate. (Not Anna, she moved out a week ago. since that, here it is sooo peaceful). I will miss her and hope, somewhen we will get in contact, or better, to stay in contact with her.

09/05/2010 Meeting old Friends in Budapest

16 hours bus ride. 16h with 50 polish students from Warsaw. 16h no sleeping seats. But it was worth.
Budapest is an amizing city. so beautiful, the weather was nice, the athmosphere full of romantic... It reminded me a bit to Paris, with all the nice buildings and the small bistros and cafés in the small streets. Defently a great place, which is highly to recommend.

We lived somewhat outside (30 min with the bus) in a "hotel" which was more a campingplace in the middel of the forrest, than a hotel. Funny thing: boys has had cold showers, girls only hot showers... But so hot, you could rarely use them. But it was cheapa nd we all stayd together, so we have had fun.

2 days, i spent with my very old friend Ezsti. She has her Doctor-dissertation in the next week, so she could not join the parties, but we enjoyed ourselfs with walks arround the city and a wounderful evening in a hungarian bath & Spa. I felt so relaxed. And so happy. Even we haven't had any contact the last 7 years, we recognized each others easily. And it was, as we would have never seperated. Also our very special experiences in life show several parallels. We both were in the Hospital in Samara, we both changed our profession, we both have the same private issues. So great to see somethings stays always the same.