Sun, 30°C, Phuket ... it was definitely a strange christmas this year ...
We flight to Phuket on the evening of the 24th of December (because our flight was rescheduled, we spend the evening in the plane with creepy air asia sandwich .... VERY VERY SAD lol) but the rest was ok and as long as I got "teint" everything is fine :D
But anyway I just wanted to thank you all for your messages for my birthday ;)
MERCI LES AMIS VOUS ETES CHOUPI !!!
dimanche 28 décembre 2008
mardi 23 décembre 2008
Bangkok Zoo
Many many freaking sweet and strange stuff there ;)
But the public here is from far the funniest species... people just eat the whole day and don't really care about the animals but just want to be untertained with freaking loud music and shows! Honestly it is pretty sad for the animals :(
Security is also uncredibl poor ... you have only a low fence around the aligators park and just a sign to prevent you from puting your arm over the fence... you can imagine how efficient it is for children!
In the same area as the Zoo (North West BKK) there are also a few nice monuments, which were designed by some random italian artists from the "renaissance"... I don't know if those pictures are really worth it, but anyway here there are:
But the public here is from far the funniest species... people just eat the whole day and don't really care about the animals but just want to be untertained with freaking loud music and shows! Honestly it is pretty sad for the animals :(
Security is also uncredibl poor ... you have only a low fence around the aligators park and just a sign to prevent you from puting your arm over the fence... you can imagine how efficient it is for children!
In the same area as the Zoo (North West BKK) there are also a few nice monuments, which were designed by some random italian artists from the "renaissance"... I don't know if those pictures are really worth it, but anyway here there are:
lundi 22 décembre 2008
Cambodia
Cambodia is a lot cooler than I thought !!!
I mean "cool" is maybe a little stupid from me, as it still remains one of the poorest country in the world with a devastated economy after the red-khmer desaster, but what I mean is that people are very nice and welcoming and Phnom Penh has a nice architecture, some bright avenues, many parks and very good restaurants... I stayed only two days but it was a true pleasure ;)! I went to see the S21 museum: it used to be the prison where the Pol Pot regime killed all their educated co-citizens... 2 millions as a whole! Strangely enough we haven't learnt at school about this period of history of Cambodia, even if the french have many relationship with the country and even if Pol Pot was educated in Paris... pfff
Anyway, Cambodia now has 14 millions inhabitants against 5millions in 1976 ;) but the country is still uncreadibly poor. It looks really strange from the flight, as the country is almost empty> no road, no industry and a very archaic agriculture.
From Phnom Penh we then went to Siem Reap, which basically exists just as a dormitory for Angkor tourists, but is also rather pleasant! I highly recommand the cambodian driving license, it is very easy .... when you want to go ahead a motorbike for instance and you see a bus coming on the other way, you just go and blow a horn (+my personal touch "make a prier", but it looks like the cambodian are always optimistic and don't need the last one :))
As always the organisation of my trip was a catastrophy and hopefully were Ludo and Marine there to plan everything! I have to change something about it... I left Bangkok without having checked a guide about Angkor or Phnom Penh, without having read anything about Cambodia and without even being sure that I didn't need a visa to get in... everything turned out to be fine, I am freaking lucky but it won't last forever, I must change!
So i got the visa at the airport for US$20 and one foto... of course I had no foto, but of course the guy let you go for only 20BTH in his pocket (less than the price of taking the foto) lol It is awfull because there is no incentive for me to be organised here, as I know that I will always get through everything for the same price as if I had be carefull... pffff
Angkor was very nice and I would love to be able to show you some great pictures but of course as soon as Frankou (and his camera+talent;)) are not there anymore, then I am unable to do something correct :(
I mean "cool" is maybe a little stupid from me, as it still remains one of the poorest country in the world with a devastated economy after the red-khmer desaster, but what I mean is that people are very nice and welcoming and Phnom Penh has a nice architecture, some bright avenues, many parks and very good restaurants... I stayed only two days but it was a true pleasure ;)! I went to see the S21 museum: it used to be the prison where the Pol Pot regime killed all their educated co-citizens... 2 millions as a whole! Strangely enough we haven't learnt at school about this period of history of Cambodia, even if the french have many relationship with the country and even if Pol Pot was educated in Paris... pfff
Anyway, Cambodia now has 14 millions inhabitants against 5millions in 1976 ;) but the country is still uncreadibly poor. It looks really strange from the flight, as the country is almost empty> no road, no industry and a very archaic agriculture.
From Phnom Penh we then went to Siem Reap, which basically exists just as a dormitory for Angkor tourists, but is also rather pleasant! I highly recommand the cambodian driving license, it is very easy .... when you want to go ahead a motorbike for instance and you see a bus coming on the other way, you just go and blow a horn (+my personal touch "make a prier", but it looks like the cambodian are always optimistic and don't need the last one :))
As always the organisation of my trip was a catastrophy and hopefully were Ludo and Marine there to plan everything! I have to change something about it... I left Bangkok without having checked a guide about Angkor or Phnom Penh, without having read anything about Cambodia and without even being sure that I didn't need a visa to get in... everything turned out to be fine, I am freaking lucky but it won't last forever, I must change!
So i got the visa at the airport for US$20 and one foto... of course I had no foto, but of course the guy let you go for only 20BTH in his pocket (less than the price of taking the foto) lol It is awfull because there is no incentive for me to be organised here, as I know that I will always get through everything for the same price as if I had be carefull... pffff
Angkor was very nice and I would love to be able to show you some great pictures but of course as soon as Frankou (and his camera+talent;)) are not there anymore, then I am unable to do something correct :(
dimanche 21 décembre 2008
New Flat !! eventually
Hot shower and normal bed, 5 minutes from skytrain ... I had been dreaming of it for 4 months, it is now reality :)
lundi 15 décembre 2008
Kao Sok c'est TOP
This will probably be my best tip for Thailand !!
As I said already in my last post, Kao Sok is a National Park in the middle of Thailand with a huge lake and a jungle around it... http://www.khaosok.com, for more infos :)
In fact "national park" in Thailand doesn't really mean the same as in Europe... as always!! Kao Sok was a normal huge jungle until 1982, when 2 years after being recognized as "National Park", Kao Sok was used for a hydropower project! lol From this project they created the lake by flooding the jungle ... in complete accordance to national park philosophy ;)
Anyway now it looks really beautiful. In most of the national parks, you can't really enjoy the landscape as you are in the middle of the jungle and you can just see the surrounding first trees. Here thanks to this lake the view is pretty orgasmic ;) As it is near of Krabi, you still find this characteristic "rock montain" environment, which is so nice!
We stayed there four days and could sleep on huts direclty on the water in a very remote and quiet area, see Giant Hornbills, Varan, Monkeys and even one Gibbon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibbon) during the morning safari (which starts at 6.30am :( )
Oh yes I we also had a rare specimen of swiss girl! Sooo strange those swiss people..lol or maybe just her, but she was great! Everytime someone said something, she managed to speak about herself... pretty stressful! For example Frank said "I hope we won't get rice soup for breakfast..", she answered "oh yes I already had a rice soup in Chang Mai" GREAT or the other german guy said "we booked a tour just for to of us because you never know the people you are with in a group and when you have only one week holliday..." and she goes on "oh yes in Chang Mai we were also in a group." GREAT AGAIN lol and this every single sentence, I could give hundreds more examples... but I won't ;)
Anyway the message is KAO SOK become a AAA rating !
As I said already in my last post, Kao Sok is a National Park in the middle of Thailand with a huge lake and a jungle around it... http://www.khaosok.com, for more infos :)
In fact "national park" in Thailand doesn't really mean the same as in Europe... as always!! Kao Sok was a normal huge jungle until 1982, when 2 years after being recognized as "National Park", Kao Sok was used for a hydropower project! lol From this project they created the lake by flooding the jungle ... in complete accordance to national park philosophy ;)
Anyway now it looks really beautiful. In most of the national parks, you can't really enjoy the landscape as you are in the middle of the jungle and you can just see the surrounding first trees. Here thanks to this lake the view is pretty orgasmic ;) As it is near of Krabi, you still find this characteristic "rock montain" environment, which is so nice!
We stayed there four days and could sleep on huts direclty on the water in a very remote and quiet area, see Giant Hornbills, Varan, Monkeys and even one Gibbon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibbon) during the morning safari (which starts at 6.30am :( )
Oh yes I we also had a rare specimen of swiss girl! Sooo strange those swiss people..lol or maybe just her, but she was great! Everytime someone said something, she managed to speak about herself... pretty stressful! For example Frank said "I hope we won't get rice soup for breakfast..", she answered "oh yes I already had a rice soup in Chang Mai" GREAT or the other german guy said "we booked a tour just for to of us because you never know the people you are with in a group and when you have only one week holliday..." and she goes on "oh yes in Chang Mai we were also in a group." GREAT AGAIN lol and this every single sentence, I could give hundreds more examples... but I won't ;)
Anyway the message is KAO SOK become a AAA rating !
samedi 13 décembre 2008
Unexpected reaction ...
The plan for the last few days, before going to Cambodia with Marine, Ludo and Typahaine, was to make a short trip to Kao Sok. Kao Sok is a national park in the middle of Thailand well known for being one of the oldest forest in the world!
I really thought that the bus night to Surat Thani would just be like all the others before ... but I had overlooked the fact that this time, when we would come back to AIT nobody would be there anymore :( Fanny and Daniel wouldn't be home and I would never meet the others anymore at SOM... and it kind of freaked me out in the bus!
It is strange how quickly we grew addiction to our everyday habits and environments and how difficult it is everytime to let it go...no matter how often it already happen, and no matter how we know that we will easily grew new landmarks!
So yes, unexpectedly I was a little bit sad in the bus, struggling not to cry while remembering all the cool (and not soo cool but sweet) memories of those 4 months here!
For someone who claims being misanthrop I have to admit that when I meet cool people, I really get attached to them... or maybe it is the definition of misanthrop...
Anyway it was cool to meet new people and I am almost frustrated that I haven't had more time to discuss with some of them: Fanny was a cool girl ;)
But to be honest, three days later I don't care anymore... I just want to move out of here, get a proper room with a proper bed and a proper warm shower ;)
I really thought that the bus night to Surat Thani would just be like all the others before ... but I had overlooked the fact that this time, when we would come back to AIT nobody would be there anymore :( Fanny and Daniel wouldn't be home and I would never meet the others anymore at SOM... and it kind of freaked me out in the bus!
It is strange how quickly we grew addiction to our everyday habits and environments and how difficult it is everytime to let it go...no matter how often it already happen, and no matter how we know that we will easily grew new landmarks!
So yes, unexpectedly I was a little bit sad in the bus, struggling not to cry while remembering all the cool (and not soo cool but sweet) memories of those 4 months here!
For someone who claims being misanthrop I have to admit that when I meet cool people, I really get attached to them... or maybe it is the definition of misanthrop...
Anyway it was cool to meet new people and I am almost frustrated that I haven't had more time to discuss with some of them: Fanny was a cool girl ;)
But to be honest, three days later I don't care anymore... I just want to move out of here, get a proper room with a proper bed and a proper warm shower ;)
dimanche 7 décembre 2008
Starbucks replica...
Big question ... does the promise not to go to any Starbucks anymore also apply to the Thai imitation that we can find everywhere .. even on the campus?
Here is copying definitely not an issue! lol It is a way of living...
No I hope it doesn't also imply to it, because I have realized that I still sometimes like those creamy, caramel blabla coffee and never going anymore in any king of Starbucks would be tough :/
Here is copying definitely not an issue! lol It is a way of living...
No I hope it doesn't also imply to it, because I have realized that I still sometimes like those creamy, caramel blabla coffee and never going anymore in any king of Starbucks would be tough :/
officially on holliday
That's it the semester in AIT is over... I can't really say that I will miss the campus but it is still sad that it has gone so fast!
I am pretty happy, because we have managed to organised a nice last party with everybody and it was rather fun... We wanted to begun with an "apero" in our Student Village before going to restaurant together, but of course we stayed until 12pm and left directly to Bangkok, without the restaurant step.
We had instead the "Khun Sue" order option ... i can't remember if i already explained about "Khun Sue" already, which is a shame because I have eaten there almost everyday since 4 months now! Anyway, basically "Khun Sue" is the only decent restaurant on the campus, only Thai food of course and the owners are more like a "freak show" (the old women "Khun Sue", the fat small strange waitress, the little girl who everybody find cute, and the three cookers) but it alos the reason why we like it :D It is a family owned place and since a few weeks they accept to deliver us to our places on the campus.. So on Thursday evening, after a few whisky, when everybody begun to feel like eating something we just once again had to go for Khun Sue food!
Piouhhh I can remember very well when I was in Calyon doing my application for this exchange with Kemi and Sophia and it was fucking long time ago...
I am getting nostalgic, just like an old lady!
But anyway, now is time to travel a little bit. We (Frankou and myself) are going tomorrow to Ko Sok to do some trekking in the jungle ... I think it should be relaxing and cool. I read that it is one of the oldest forest in the world and hope that we will see much of the wildlife there ... I love wildlife ;)
I was trying to get some info about the situation in Bangkok today to catch up with the emptyness of this blog for a few days, but I don't get what is going on and I am really not sure that the Thai do either... it is a big mess in the parliament!
But at least everybody has been able to fly away, back to Europe or to Philippines or Australia and honestly (maybe also unfortunately) that's the only thing people here really care about, even the Thai in fact... most of them really just want and need the tourists to arrive eventually in order to make a little bit of money... We were in Bangkok those last days in Kao San road (the tourists area) and Path Pong (the sex area, so also very toutistic normally) and it is very empty!
I am pretty happy, because we have managed to organised a nice last party with everybody and it was rather fun... We wanted to begun with an "apero" in our Student Village before going to restaurant together, but of course we stayed until 12pm and left directly to Bangkok, without the restaurant step.
We had instead the "Khun Sue" order option ... i can't remember if i already explained about "Khun Sue" already, which is a shame because I have eaten there almost everyday since 4 months now! Anyway, basically "Khun Sue" is the only decent restaurant on the campus, only Thai food of course and the owners are more like a "freak show" (the old women "Khun Sue", the fat small strange waitress, the little girl who everybody find cute, and the three cookers) but it alos the reason why we like it :D It is a family owned place and since a few weeks they accept to deliver us to our places on the campus.. So on Thursday evening, after a few whisky, when everybody begun to feel like eating something we just once again had to go for Khun Sue food!
Piouhhh I can remember very well when I was in Calyon doing my application for this exchange with Kemi and Sophia and it was fucking long time ago...
I am getting nostalgic, just like an old lady!
But anyway, now is time to travel a little bit. We (Frankou and myself) are going tomorrow to Ko Sok to do some trekking in the jungle ... I think it should be relaxing and cool. I read that it is one of the oldest forest in the world and hope that we will see much of the wildlife there ... I love wildlife ;)
I was trying to get some info about the situation in Bangkok today to catch up with the emptyness of this blog for a few days, but I don't get what is going on and I am really not sure that the Thai do either... it is a big mess in the parliament!
But at least everybody has been able to fly away, back to Europe or to Philippines or Australia and honestly (maybe also unfortunately) that's the only thing people here really care about, even the Thai in fact... most of them really just want and need the tourists to arrive eventually in order to make a little bit of money... We were in Bangkok those last days in Kao San road (the tourists area) and Path Pong (the sex area, so also very toutistic normally) and it is very empty!
mardi 2 décembre 2008
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