Malaysia

Jepidiiiiiiiiii!
Lopuks ometi sain ma ka kuhugi riiki sisse ilma et mul oleks pidanud eelnevalt viisa olema. Ja mis veelgi toredam,see oli taiesti tasuta!
Malaysiasse joudes kimasime kohe Perhentian Saarte poole, mis pidid olema vorratud, kuid kahjuks mulle nad nii palju muljet ei avaldanud kui Tai omad.
Kui ideaalse ranna moodustavad Vesi(selle selgisus), lained, liiv, vaade paikse loojangule ja rahva rohkus, siis molemal saarel oli miskit puudu voi miskit yle.
Hea et nahtud, kuid tagasi ei laheks.
Kyll oli aga tore vaadata tousu ja moona, kus ohtul loksus vesi baari voi restorani, kuid hommikul pidid vaesed paadi mehed kovasti vaeva nagema, et paate veeni lykata.
Ainus pohjus miks ma soovitaks sellele saarele minna on see, et seal on tohutult sisalikke(kuigi usun, et eks neidki leiab mujalt). Tegemist ei ole aga mitte mingi pisikese siblijaga kellel sa void kogemata saba ara otsast astuda. Need sellid on ikka mingi ligi meeter voi 1,5 m. pikad ja ega nendele niisama naljalt ligi ei lahe, raakimata peale astumisest.Pildilt ei saa kahjuks oiget ettekujutust , kuid voin oelda et need on paris agedad ja suured elukad.

Siin onnestus mul ka esimest korda snorkeldada suurte kilpkonnadega ,kuid ma olen paris kindel et mujal maailmas on 100 X paremad kohad selleks, kus vee labipaistvus on kovasti parem ja snorkeldamine seetottu palju nauditavam.
Parast paari paeva saartel, kimasime ida kaldast teisele poole rannikut ja kylastasime Penang saart.
Adamile meeldis seal vaga. See oli kunagi Inglaste kaubavahetus paik Aasias ja seetottu on seal siiani igasugu ilusaid, erinevaid ja huvitavaid hooneid ja palju erinevaid rahvuseid. Nii et kui sul on soov India, Hiina voi mis iganes toiduks--siis koik on kergelt katte saadav.
Saare keskel on aga ilus loodus ja maestik ja kallastel piisavalt randu, kuid need on enamuses hoivatud hotellide poolt.
Minu jaoks oli aga koige huvitavam elamus Penangi saarel puuvilja kasvandus.
Seal sai nahtud kust ja kuidas enamus viljad kasvavad ja millised nad valja naevad. Mirakle fruit--Ime vili!Parast mille soomist void ykspuha mis jalkuse endale suhu panna ja ikka on koigel magus maitse.
Ja minu yks hilisemaid lemmikuid---Draakoni vili!
Esimest korda nagin ja maitsesin seda Bangkoki lennujaamas ja imestasin et ma polnud kunagi sellist, arbuusi moodi kiivi maitsega voi vastupidi, vilja oma elus nainud.Nyyd aga oppisin, et see valjast poolt roosa ja seest valge ning mustade seemetega (nagu kiivigi) vili on vaid 6 aastat vana ja aretatud Tailase poolt kes igasugu kaktuse aretamisel sellise vilja lopuks meisterdas.
Igati ilus ja huvitav asi minu meelest.

Parast ringkaiku oli meil voimalik syya koiki nahtuid vilju nii palju kui syda lustis.
Ok, mul pilti kyll ei ole, kuid aukas! Malaysias on maailma parimad ja mugavamad bussid. Enamus neist on 3 istmega(mitte 2+2 istet korvuti)VIP bussid, kus void rahulikult lasta tooli peaaegu et lamavasse asendisse ja millel on ka lisaks jalatugi. VIIIIimasepeal mugavad!
Votsime siis jalle sellise bussi ja soitsime Malaysia keskele puuvilja ja tee istandustesse.
Jarjekordselt soovitan liiklusvahendiks mootorratast, et siis ei pea mingi turismi bussiga liikuma nende ajakava jargi, vaid lahed kuhu tahad, millal tahad ja kui kauaks tahad.(mul on karvane tunne, et ma pean ka endale tulevikus motika muretsema. Vietnamist sain maitse suhu ja nyyd ei sa enam syda rahu vaid pidevalt kutsub motika poole)
Kuna me olime korgemal magedes, oli ka temperatuur kovasti jahedam ja vihma jatkus ka igaks paevaks. Onneks on meil Adamiga aga head vihma kindlad ylikonnad ja meil ei jaanud ykski tegevus tegemata.
Kui me aga yhest tee istandusest teise kimasime et erinevaid teid maitstajuhtus meil umbes 15km kaugusel kodust selline nali et avastasime korgel mae otsas, et meil on tagumine kumm taitsa tyhi. Kuigi istandus oli juba suletud, onnestus meil laenata koju minevalt tooliselt pumppa. Sellest jatkus aga umbes nii 40 sekundiks ja siis oli jalle kumm vastu maad.
Et ratast paris ara ei lohuks, hakkasin ma Adami korval sorkima(jooksma, mul ei ole o, a ja o tahti-no ise saate aru ju). Noh lopuks ometi avanes mul meie reisil ka pohjus haaletamiseks. Seda ju polnudki veel kogenud. Hea vark aga et valisime Mala ysia selleks riigiks, kuna inimesed siin on fantast sobralikud ja head. Mujal naaber riikides oleks kes teab mis juhtunud voi oleks vahemalt pidanud iga liigutuse eet tasuma. Siin aga vottis mind peale yks kohalik, kes siis mind autos umbes 15-20 min. kaugusele soidutas ratta parandusse, kui vaene Adam aegluubis vihma kaes meie taga katkise rattaga pudistas.
See ei olnud aga ainus kord kui me sobralike Malaisialastega kohtusime. Kord kui kysisime Kuala Lumpuris-Malaysia pealinnas abi , et leida Indoneesia saatkonda, viidi meid autoga peaaegu et ukse ette.
Samal paeval kui me bussi peatuses kaardi abil yritasime otsustada mis bussiga ja kuhu, tuli yks kohalik advokaat meile bussi uksele vastu ja kysis kuhu me tahame minna. Sealt kutsus ta meid bussi, maksis meie eest bussi piletid ja tuli meiega meie peatuses maha, et siis naidata meile oiget teed ja tagatipuks andis meile veel oma mobla # ju hul kui me ara eksime. Et ta tootavat siin lahedal ja ta voib meid iga kell aidata kui t arvis.
No ausona, on ikka vahe vahel naaber riikidel. Ma juba raakisin Tai inimestest ja ma ei hakka seda enam kordama.
Cameron highlandis-(kus need istandused olid) kylastasime ka maasika istanudstja liblika farmivaata kas leiad yles lehtkonna ja lehtputuka?
Petronas Twin Towers(452 m.) http://travel.asianfanatics.net/info/PetronasTwinTowers on nyyd ka oma silmaga ara nahtud. Maailma korgeimad kaksik tornid, kus all on suur symfoonia kontserdi hoone ja yleval mitmekordne kaubakeskus ning muud ari pinnad

Suur tempel
Kui juba laks vaatamisvaarsuste kylastamiseks, pidime ka ara kaima Batu Cave(koopas).
Ega koik sinna ei kipugi, kuna enne kohale joudmist tuleb ikka vaeva ka naha ja trampida ules makke mingi 272 treppi voi midagi taolist.
Enne Malaysiast lahkumist onnestus meil ka vaadata F1 proovi soite, mis osutus ootamatult arevaks elamuseks.
Kuna ma ei oska (vist ei saagi) video klippe bloggile panna, siis tuleb huvilistel oodata kuni ma fotokaga isiklikult kohale jouan, et siis saaks mingit ettekujutust kui larmakad need soidukid on.

Reisi plaani muudatused

Nyyd siis oleks sobilik aeg anda lugejatele teada, et meie reisi kavas on tekkinud palju muudatusi.
Abiellumisel Adamiga sain ma rohelise kaardi, mis andis mulle koiksugu oigused USAs, kuid kuna ma ei ole siiski kodanik, pean ma riigile oma truudust toestama sellega, et ma ei ole riigist eemal rohkem kui 6 kuud korraga.
Enne kui lahkusime pani meie advokaat sisse palve selle pikendamiseks. Reisi ajal selgus, et onneks sain ma loa olla 6 kuu asemel aasta USAst eemal, kuid kahjuks ei hakanud see kehtima paevast mil lahkusime vaid sellest paevast kui ma sain rohelise kaardi. 16 Mai.Vahet muidugi pole kas ma veedan USAs yhe tunni voi aasta, kuid templi pean ma passi saama, et ei tuleks pahandusi.
Algune plaan oli kyll parast seda jatkata reisi kust jaime poolele, hetkel arvates Louna Ameerikast, kuid siis teatas Adami noorem ode et kavatseb teha Juunis pulmad.
Sellega siis kukkus meie Louna Ameerika reisi plaan valja, kuna kuu aega laheb USAs olemiseks kaduma ja lyhema aja ja raha kulude tottu pole asjal enam motet.( minu lohutuseks voibolla nii palju et tutvusime reisi ajal veel 2 paariga, kellel olid samad sugulase pulma teemad ja nad pidid oma reisi katkestama)
Viimatised plaanid olid aga siiski jatkata reisi Austraaliasse ja Uus meremaale, kuid Tais olles selgus, et (kuna mul Eestlasel on jalle vaja viisat)turismi rohke aja tottu ei saa nad garanteerida, et ma oma passi viisaga saan selleks paevaks katte, kui mul Singaporist lend Austraalia poole laheb.(kahjuks oli lend juba ara ostetud)
Mu kallis arusaaja mees aga onneks ei vihastanud selle peale, et mul jarjekordselt viisa tottu probleemid on(ma tema peale oleks vist kyl vihastanud kui mul tema parast sellised plaanid oleks jaanud tegemata)vaid ytles, et sel juhul voime oma plaane muuta ja kylastada Austraaliat ja Uus meremaad moni teinekord ja lihtsalt tuiata kuni reisi lopuni edasi saarte vahel.
Siin siis meie uus reisi kava.
Malaysia
Indoneesia
Philipiinid
Hong Kong
London
Iirimaa
USA
ja loodetavasti Jaanipaevaks Eestisse ja sealt tagasi USAsse.(see ots jaab aga jalle lahtiseks ja ei taha midagi garanteerida)
Sorry lugejatele, kellel oli huvi naha Aust ja UM pilte. Peate ootama veel moned aastad enne kui me nendeni jouame.

Eesti keele lugejatele

Kuna mu kallis mees sai ka lopuks oma kirjutamisega jarjele, lykkus minu "TAGASI TAIS" jutt tahaplaanile. Kui viitsite nats(oigemini pikalt) alla kerida voi vajutada "tagasi Tais " tekstile, leiate eesti keelse teksti Tais veedetud ajast.

Thailand - Bangkok & The South

Right, so, we headed from Laos to Bangkok and met up with Ingrid's Father and Sister who came to visit us for 12 days. Good Times, always great to have family around.

Bangkok had dozens of great things to see and they're all conveniently located in a single block! It's the Grand Palace and The Great Golden other Things. Whatever. The highlight is a MASSIVE reclining Buddha. Just look at this guy, and some thought I have a big head!


At the foot of this gargantuan tribute to the enlightened are his holinesses' Mother-of-Pearl inlaid feet. It was only AFTER this photo that Adam had the "Don't poke fun at the deity" sign pointed out to him. My Bad! (No joke - "Poke Fun at the diety" was there, in text, next to the world's largest Golden Buddha. Gotta love it)

Just outside the door of the Temple of the Reclining Buddah one enters the Magical garden of disturbing Gnomes.

It's just Creepy.

And if the Garden of disturbing Gnomes doesn't get you, these guys will.

Admittedly, these Demons are pretty cool to look at and they probably won't give my nightmares the way that bug-eyed gnomes' gonna.

After the gauntlet of creepy Gnomes and Demons , the Thai's throw this guy at you! Apparently we're all destined to be consumed by the Maori tattooed distant Asianic relative of Mrs. Piggy with his giant Teeth and Mr. T fashion advise. Whoa is Us.

And just as you make see the light at the end of the tunnel, the Thai tribute to "I'm gonna git you sucka" is there at the exit to wish you well on your travels.

A favorite of mine was to stand behind this guy and yell "Two for flinching" to Westerners as they passed.

At this point you gotta ask yourself, Self "What is it with these Thai's"? If you ever learn the answer, please pass it on.

From Bangkok Inx & Co. headed North to Ride elephants (That was SOOO India for me) and I headed South to Railey Beach, home to World Famous...

I spent 4 days climbing amongst the Limestone Cliffs and went really, really high. Lead-climbed a 6b+ so that's good too.



Rejoined team Eesti 5 days later in Kao Tao, a sleepy little island in the Gulf of Thailand that's perfect. Great snokeling here and this is where Ingrid and I notched our second "playing with sharks" experience.

Admittedly, the black tipped reef sharks were as dangerous as 3 week old kittens, but it still gets your heart going when a 5ft shark swims toward you.

We toured the famous Beaches of South Thailand over the next few weeks with stops at Ko Phi Phi, Phuket, Ton Sai, Kangeh, Ao Noi, and others. Yeah!

Tough work, but someone's got to do it.

Beaches ranged from Rocky

to tidal

to Psychadelic

Should you long for further detail, I'd be glad to provide the full report over a few cold ones.

After Southern Thailand Inx and I packed our bags (which gets old on day 217 in case you were wondering) bowed to our favorite Buddah (below) and shuffled off to Malaysia to continue the beach quest...

Let's Get Laos!

From Northern Thailand we crossed (legally this time) this daunting river border into Laos.

And proceeded to proclaim the passage possibly the most picture perfect political provincial posting of all time.


Traveling to Laos was like traveling 50 years back in time (Not that I've actually traveled back in time of course, at least not 50 years back, but I have it from reliable sources that that's what it was like).

While the locals in neighboring ASEAN nations climb over you to win your dollar, commercial exchanges in Laos follow a format closer to...

Adam : I can hear you back there. If you're not going to come out that's fine, I'll just go somewhere else.
Anonymous Server : ----- (That's what a blank stare looks like in text)
Adam : We'd like to order some food.
Anonymous Server : -----
Adam : I would like to give you this Kip I have here in exchange for food, would that be possible?
Anonymous Server : -----
Adam : Do you have a menu?
Anonymous Server : ----- (points to a pile of menus)
<5 minutes later>
Adam : I'll take the noodles and a Banana milkshake
Ingrid : I'll please have the fried rice and a Mango milkshake
Anonymous Server : ----- (Writes nothing down, Walks away)
<15 minutes later>
(Server brings out two plates of fried rice and two Banana milkshakes)
Adam : Ahhh, never mind. Looks Great.
<15 minutes later>
Adam : Check Please
<5 minutes later>
Adam : Check Please
<5 minutes later>
Adam : Check Please
<5 minutes later>
Adam : Check Please
(Adam and Ingrid leave money on table and depart)

Yup, so that's pretty much how they roll in Laos. It was actually a welcomed respite from the intensity of some of the other countries we have been to recently, but if the Laos people were any more laid back they'd be horizontal.

Hey, what time is it in Laos????
NAKED TIME!

That's right, the Laotians are totally cool with the birthday suit. Apparently they sell shirts in child sizes but no pants.

This kid looks so confident he could be Joe Pesci in GoodFellas "Am I funny to you? Do I make you laugh? Funny Funny or Funny HaHa? You're lucky I can't stand on my own, I'm gonna go be naked over there now."

On a few occasions I felt compelled to join the locals but was abruptly halted by my "let's not get caught up in the moment" wife. Rats.

Ultimately, Laos and us got on like Peas and Carrots? No that's not it...
Peanut Butter and Jelly? - Nope
White on Rice? - Nah
The Pope and the Popemobile? - Still not quite there
Cock and Football?

Yeah, that's it, Cock and Football!

First thing we did in Laos was head deep into the Bokeo nature reserve and participate in "the gibbon experience".
www.gibbonx.org
This is a burgeoning conservation project designed to turn tourist dollars into protection for the otherwise naked (like most Laotians) and heavily poached Bokeo nature reserve. The way that's accomplished is by allowing anyone with the funds to spend 3 days living amongst the gibbons in tree houses 45M (~150ft) above the jungle floor accessible only by zip lines! pretty cool, eh?

Like all other experiences in Laos, this had a special local flavor to it...
Adam : Did anyone here sign a release form?
Others : No.
Anonymous Guide : Okay, this is your safety strap, it goes on first. This is your roller and break, break goes in the back. Clip on the roller like this, check that your carabiniers are locked, and push off.
Other traveler : Are you coming with us?
Anonymous Guide : No.
Second Other Traveler : So we're free to zip as much as we like and there's no one in the woods with us?
Anonymous Guide : Yes.
Original inquisitive other traveler : Has anyone ever been hurt doing this?
Anonymous Guide : No, we've never had an accident here EVER.
Adam : You only opened 16 months ago and you were closed for 5 months during the rainy season.
Anonymous Guide : -----

It turned out to be fine though as Ingrid only managed to nearly kill herself once. We slept like babies as the tree house gently swayed back and forth each time a butterfly flapped its wings.

And the view was definitely worth the risk.

Sadly, the closest we got to the Gibbons was their photos on the internet, but we did befriend some monkeys along the way and an Asian Black Bear Cub.

The Cub was found in the possession of three poachers that had killed its mother the previous week. While the circumstances of the bear being there were rather unfortunate, the bear itself was a riot. It behaved so human it was scary! He would roll around on my lap, climb on my chest, then freeze when he noticed his own paw and gave it that look babies give their hands when it dawns on them that they may exhibit some sort of mind control over these unique creatures. Sadly, we didn't photograph the bear because it was dark and we didn't want to use flash (could hurt the little guys eyes ya know).

Our jungle hikes also turned up my very first LIVE millipede, Sans trackball and flying spiders,

And a tree that has adapted to mimic ubiquitous military camouflage! Amazing, what will Mother Nature think of next?


Leaving the Gibbons behind, we embarked on a two day, three bus, epic of an overland trip to Vang Vieng that included one nights stay at the fabulous Laos Bus Stop Intercontinental Resort. 5 stars and they've earned each one!

That was right up there with the 30 hour bus ride in China, but it was all worth it once we arrived in VV. Vang Vieng is the extreme sports epicenter of Laos. 24 hour pirated movies on big screen TV's, $0.50 fruit smoothies, and of course, Tubing.

Riddle me this, where else in the World does the local populous not only allow, but encourage legions of backpackers to get completely hammered whilst floating down a river?

If you Guessed "No need for a waiver Laos", you're right!

I'm at a loss to put the entire tubing experience into words. Sufficed to say it may be the single greatest sporting event of my life. Yes, that would be appropriate.

Don't be surprised if you visit us in the future to find me in on an inner tube in the bathtub demanding that you trade me $1 for a beer, then trying to negotiate a free hotdog.

I will concede however that consuming beer exclusively while sitting in direct sunlight for 8 hours does not make for a pleasant morning. But Laos is very hangover friendly, seeing as how they all move so slowly and all.

My Dad told me that when he visited the capital of Laos when he traveled this region back in 1732, it was nothing more than a few colonial buildings and dirt roads.

Well today it's a thriving metropolis with fancy government buildings

a Subway system

and Ingrid's favorite, Commies!

Guess some things never change.