We're not cat people...we're tiger people!

The bridge over the river Kwai

For our final days in Thailand, we decided to head to Kanchanaburi, which is about a 2 hour drive by car, or a 4 - 5 hour drive by bus, which we took. Kanchanaburi is famous for its location near the famous bridge over the river Kwai, which is part of the Death Railway. The Death Railway is a railroad that was meant to cross Thailand and then travel into Burma. It was built by the Japanese in WW2 using the forced labor of POWs and local laborers, all of whom were subjected to absolutely terrible living conditions and brutal treatment by the Japanese soldiers. During the construction of the railway 16,000 POWs and 90,000 Asian laborers

died. During our time in Kanchanaburi, we spent time seeing the bridge, as well as a museum about the prisoners. The next day, we booked a tour with a company called Mellow Treks and were picked up by our guide, Usi, at 6:00 AM. We set off first to the famous and controversial Tiger Temple, which is a Buddhist temple where the monks have taken in and care for tigers. They offer a unique and once-in-a-lifetime experience for visitors, as you are able to get up close and personal with tigers of all ages and sizes. We started out first thing in the morning with an offering to the monks, followed by our first encounter

JEATH Musuem at the bridge.

Baby tigers are pretty cute

with the baby tigers.We were first led to a group of tigers that were a few months old, where we were able to bottle feed them. They were already pretty large, and Senushi's tiger really wanted the bottle. It used its huge paws to reach for the bottle and push her arm down, which Nush was not liking. The bottle was turned over to the handler, and Senushi came to sit by me while we finished feeding. After the feeding we were free to play with the tigers before breakfast. Fortunately, we were one of the first groups to get to see and hold the temple's newest group of baby tigers, which immediately melted Senushi's heart and made her forget about the earlier experience. 

This one is only 3-weeks old and can't even roar

We bottle fed these 1-month old tigers

Taking baby tigers for a walk

A full grown tiger...and us!

They were only three weeks old, and were the cutest and funniest little creatures I have ever seen. They don't know how to walk properly, nor are they able to roar, so they awkwardly walk around while making all sorts of strange sounds.

Giving the baby tigers a bath.

After this, we had a quick breakfast with the monks, before taking our tigers on a walk across the grounds to get them washed. Walking a young tiger feels pretty similar to how you would imagine walking a big house-cat would feel. The tiger kind of walks were it wants, and you just keep up with it as it decides when and where it wants to move. After finally getting to the washing area, we were able to soap up and bathe our tigers, which was pretty entertaining. After the bath, the trip to the temple, made an abrupt switch from entertaining to terrifying as we found out that we were done with the baby tigers and that we were on our way to "tiger island" to play with the adolescent tigers. The adolescent tigers were absolutely huge, and it was really scary to be surrounded by them. When we entered the enclosure, we were given a long stick with a bag on the end of it, and encouraged to use it to play with the tigers. We were both really nervous, but it was a neat experience to see the large tigers up close. After we left the enclosure and breathed a big sigh of relief, we were able to get our picture taken with the full grown tigers and then walk them to the canyon where they would then be allowed to play. We thought the adolescent tigers were large, but they paled in comparison to the big guys.

Playing with the adolescent tigers

After watching the big ones play for a while, it was time to go. We left the Tiger Temple behind and headed for the Hellfire Pass museum, which is built on the site of a particularly brutal part of the Death Railroad. It was a very well-done and touching museum, and it is hard to imagine going through what those people were forced to endure. We spent about an hour at the museum before heading to the beautiful Erawan Waterfalls.The falls consist of seven levels, each of which is very different. We spent most of our time at a level where you are able to slide down a slick boulder into a deep pool. It was a really great time, and the cold water felt great after a long day in the heat.

A baby monkey and its mom

These monkeys are particularly mischevious

There are also some strange little fish in the water that are famous for giving pedicures. If you keep your feet still in the water, you will start to feel these little fish nibbling on your feet. They supposedly just eat the dead skin, but it was one of the strangest feeling I have ever experienced, and neither one of us could take much of it. Overall, it was a fantastic day! Usi was a great guide, and we had one of the best days of our trip.

At the top of the boulder getting ready to slide down

One Night in Bangkok...or maybe six

We heard all sorts of things about Bangkok before we actually got there: 'Bangkok is awful and dirty' or 'You should just go straight to the high end shopping malls and stay there because everywhere else is awful' or 'Everyone will try to rip you off in Bangkok.' The truth is, we loved Bangkok. Part of it was probably the great place we stayed in. Your money goes far in Bangkok, and we loved our hotel which included a kitchen, *washer and dryer*, fridge, and dvd player. We did spend quite a bit of time shopping because there is GREAT shopping to be had in Bangkok. If any of you are into spending $300 or $400 on a designer handbag or designer watch, you'll think again after a visit to Bangkok. BKK is also known for its plethora of custom tailors. Just because there are hundreds of tailors lining the streets, it doesn't mean it's easy to find a true professional. We found one tailor shop called Rajawongse, which is famous with both President Bush's, former Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge, visiting statesmen, ambassadors and generals, along with spies and Secret Service agents. The family-run business has been around since the early '60s, and you can get a top-quality custom-made suit for the price of a mid-range suit in the States. After 2 fittings, Ryan got his suit and a few custom dress shirts in less than 1 week. Gentlemen, if you're ever in the Bangkok neighborhood-- you've got to visit Rajawongse! Bangkok was surprisingly modern with a great public transport sky train system called the BTS, which we used everyday. There are extravagant shopping malls, great budget shopping, the largest outdoor market in the world (Chatuchuk), state-of-the-art movie theaters, and great food. The Thai people LOVE their King Bhumibol Adulyadej. After the previews and right before the feature film, there is a 2-minute montage on the King and images of his devoted people singing 'long live the King.' When this montage comes on, the entire theater stands up out of respect. I asked a guide later why people love the King so much, and he said it was because of all the projects he's implemented to improve life for the poor. He's also very low-key and down-to-earth, and the overwhelming majority of the Thai people adore him. It's nice to hear about a country's leader doing things right! We left the center of Bangkok to visit the Grand Palace (a must-see when you're in BKK). Its construction started in 1782, and many kings made the Grand Palace their official residence. Everything about it is elaborate and intricate. It's rich in Thai culture, history, and even Buddhist religion. Overall, we had a great time in Bangkok and I'd recommend it to others.

Onward to Chiang Mai and the elephants!

The Pool at Siripanna

 We arrived in Chiang Mai on 29th of April after a 3 hour long flight from Phuket. After arriving at the airport, we took a taxi to our hotel, Siripanna Resort and Spa, and were amazed by the quality of the hotel and the service. The grounds were beautiful, and full of various fruit trees and flowers, as well as a couple of rice paddies. The pool was also really neat, as it was a huge infinity pool surrounded by the gardens. After settling into our room, which was also incredibly nice, we set our for the famous Chiang Mai Night Bazaar in search of knockoff bags and Thai silk. We ended up pretty disappointed in the bazaar, as the quality of almost everything was poor, however, it was a good experience to see the place.

Feeding the elephants sugarcane

 We called it a pretty early night, because we had big plans for the next day: Baan Chang Elephant Park. Chiang Mai is famous for the various elephant parks, where elephants are made to perform. After reading how cruel the animals are treated to force them to learn these tricks, we decided we wanted something different. We looked around online, and found Baan Chang Elephant Park, which is an elephant sanctuary that rescues elephants from all over the country. There, you can sign up to be an elephant keeper for the day.

We were picked up from our hotel at 8:30 in the morning, and driven about an hour outside of Chiang Mai to the park. Immediately upon arrival, we could see the huge elephants and we both started getting really excited. After changing into our stylish outfits and a few words about the park and a safety talk, we were off to feed the elephants bananas and sugarcane. I've grown up around horses and cattle, but being close to something as large as an elephant is a completely different experience. It really sinks in how large they are when you walk up to one of the full grown ones and hold up an entire bunch of bananas, which it then takes with its trunk and then eats the entire

bunch in one mouthful. Feeding the elephants was one of the highlights of the day. You walk amongst the huge creatures with hands full of sugar cane and bananas and see the huge trunks reaching out to you as you walk by. We made an effort to feed the ones in the back, as they tend to not get as much attention as the ones closer to the baskets of food. You can either let the elephants reach at and take the food with their trunks, or you can put the food directly in their mouths, both of which were highly entertaining. There were also two baby elephants that had been born at the park, and they were two of the cutest animals I have ever been near. 

We fed the babies a single banana at a time, and they would regularly trumpet and put on a show for us. Near the end of feeding time, the guide told us that the baby elephant wanted to give us kisses, at which point we took turns standing by the baby, which then put its trunk on your shoulders and kissed your neck. It was one of the strangest and most hilarious feelings and sights that I have ever seen.

Elephant kisses and petting the baby elephant

After letting the baby attempt to give us hickies on our necks, it was time to practice getting on the adult elephants in preparation for our ride that afternoon. We were taught the commands that we would need to tell the elephant to let us on or off, as well as how to make it go forward, stop, and turn. When you want to get on, the elephant lays down, and you then attempt to get on its back. After you climb aboard, the elephant stands up, and you really realize how tall they are. We practiced taking the elephants in small loops, and then got off and headed inside for a tasty lunch. After lunch it was time for our big elephant ride. I had been worried that having both of us on the same elephant wouldn't leave enough elephant to go around, but it turns out there is lots of space on an elephant's back. I started out as the driver, with Senushi in back as the passenger. Our elephant was called Mae Dom, and she was a gentle old elephant, however, it turns out that elephant hair is really coarse, and it can be a bit abrasive on your legs. By the time we reached the halfway point my butt was sore, and I was ready to be the passenger for the second half of the journey.  After having a drink of water and learning a bit about the elephants, we set off again with Senushi as the driver. It turns out that riding as passenger wasn't much more comfortable, but we made it safely back to the park and headed straight for the pond where the elephants would get cooled off and we would get a chance to wash them. Senushi wanted nothing to do with the pond, so it was up to me to wash Mae Dom. I trudged into the mud with my bucket and brush, and set about washing the elephant, which was also a lot of fun. After we finished washing the elephants, we headed back to the main building for a shower and then were taken bakc to the hotel. The day at the elephant park was one of the highlights of the trip, and it was an experience that neither of us will ever forget!




A speedy ride in a tuk tuk to the Chiang Mai night bazaar

 



 

Several street vendors at the market

Southern Thailand

First, let's talk about all the good stuff about our Thailand experience thus far: We arrived in Krabi, Thailand on April 27th. Krabi is famous as the jumping off point for many of the beautiful islands in Thailand. You can see beautiful limestone sea cliffs everywhere, the ocean water is always about 85 degrees because it's SO hot here, and the flora and fauna is just gorgeous. The Thai people are also extremely warm and very eager to please guests. As long as you shy away from eating at your hotel restaurant, the food is pretty cheap. As opposed to Singapore and Malaysia, the shopping here is very cheap. You can find sarongs, knock off handbags, and crafts for quite a bargain. As with everything else though, you get what you pay for. To sum it up, everyone will agree that Thailand is quite beautiful. On the flip side, this is a poor country and there are signs of this almost everywhere you turn. The most disconcerting of these indications is how many older Western men you see touring Thailand for female companions. This is a popular stereotype of Thailand that I was hoping would be a gross exaggeration. Unfortunately, the stereotype is just proven as an understatement when you're here. When we were in the Phuket airport leaving for Chiang Mai, we went into a bookshop just to browse. They had all the normal stuff-- magazines, Harry Potter, other New York Times bestsellers-- but they also had a section called "Thai Western Relationships." I was pretty horrified to find titles like "So Many Girls! So Little Time!" This aspect of Thailand bothered me the most and further underscored the consequences of a country's poverty and ill-funded education system. I had to remind myself to focus on the positive in Thailand because the negative would endanger my overall experience in this country. When we arrived in our hotel in Phuket, it was time to relax...and watch the Royal Wedding. Sorry, but I was sucked into the "William and Kate" craze that is SO popular around the world. We went downstairs to eat dinner and had our best meal thus far in Thailand. Come to find out, the hotel and its restaurant were founded and are currently run by an American couple who fell in love with the nearby beaches on their honeymoon. The hotel was such a great value and so was the food at its restaurant (room: $40/night and 3 course dinner for each of us totaled: $20). It's amazing how much they've rebuilt in Phuket after the devastating Tsunami of 2005. A couple of tips for those thinking about traveling to Southern Thailand: nice hotels by the beach are EXPENSIVE even by American standards, Thai food is not like the Thai you're used to in the States and many travelers don't like the fermented fish sauce they use in almost all the Thai dishes here, and while you're here be aware of some of the negative aspects but try your best to focus on the beauty and hospitality in Thailand.

Malaysia: all you (should) do is eat

If you're like Ry and me, and you love food...Malaysia is the place to go! We saw the major tourist attraction in Kuala Lumpur: the Petronas twin towers...but other than that, your options in KL are to shop and eat. As we previous alluded to, the beautiful Kuala Lumpur shopping centers don't exactly match our budget. However, the shopping centers are a tourist attraction in itself and they house great food adventures. Our hotel is beautiful and a real bargain too. It's also just a hop on the monorail to the bustling shopping and eating district of the city. There you will find even more extravagant hotels, tons of high-end shopping, and lots and lots of food. For about 10 ringit (or $3USD) you can great a huge portion of a delicious Malay specialty. This place is not for those worried about their waistlines, but it's still quite a bit healthier than typical American fare.

Onward to Malaysia

We didn't realize that the day we needed to leave Singapore was also a public holiday-- Good Friday. That's what we get for losing track of what day of the week it is. Our hostel manager called about six different bus companies before he found one with just two seats left leaving for Melaka, Malaysia. We grabbed the last two seats and headed for Melaka, a cultural and historically rich town in Malaysia. Getting across to Malaysia from Singapore is no quick trip...you need to go disembark the bus to get through Singapore customs, get back on the bus, and disembark the bus 10 minutes later to get through Malaysian customs (the line took about 1.5 hours). It was worth it though because Melaka was a charming place to visit. Our homestay was very modest, but it was much more genuine compared to the luxury hotels that line the main roads. We only got to see Melaka at night since that's when we arrived and left the next day, but we had delicous food and saw the notable mark the Portugese and Dutch colonists left on Malaysia throughout the small city. After one night in Malaka we headed for the metropolis of Kuala Lumpur-- known for the Petronas Trade Twin Towers (once the tallest buildings in the world) and its urban setting full of shopping, great eats, and affordable lodging. We're staying in our first real hotel on this trip!! So far Kuala has been pretty cool, but we haven't seen a lot. The Malay food is ridiculously good, and I'm determined to learn how to cook it back home. Today we went to one of the many multilevel malls nearby via the Monorail and got the most recent Harry Potter on dvd to watch back in the room (it cost the equivilent of $2). We're going to see the Petronas towers tomorrow!

Goodbye Melbourne, Hello Singapore!



Melbourne Center



Spending the day at Docklands and Crown in Melbourne

Our final days in Australia were full of friends, family, food, and sightseeing. It seemed like every night we were invited to a friend or family member's house for a delicious dinner.
I was truly amazed with everyone's generosity and their insistance on making sure there was plenty of gluten-free food and dessert around. During the days, we spent time seeing the highlights of Melbourne, including the docklands, the absolutely massive Crown Center, a picnic in a park where we hoped to see kangaroos, and Dandenong Mountain. Melbourne is a beautiful city with a lot to offer culturally, and despite only seeing a kangaroo from afar, we had an amazing time! The week really flew by and we found ourselves wishing we had planned to stay in Melbourne for a few more days. On Wednesday morning, Uncle Dariush dropped us off at the airport on his way to work, and we had our first semi-major problem with our trip.

Dinner at Aunty Lina's (one of several generous hosts who made gluten-free meals for me)

The MRT- a very efficient metro to get around Singapore

We had planned on flying into Singapore and then taking the bus overland to Malaysia, but when we reached the checkin counter, the person insisted that we had to show some kind fo proof that we had a ticket out of the country or else we wouldn't be able to fly.

A hawker stall in Chinatown

Since we had planned on buying a bus ticket when we got to Singapore, and because it was heading into Easter weekend, we found ourselves in a bit of a bind. In the end, we were forced to purchase a throw-away ticket out of Singapore in order to fly.

Just one of the delicious dishes to choose from in Singapore

It was a very frustrating experience, especially because when we made it to Singapore, no one asked us for proof of our departure plans...

Shopping is EVERYWHERE in Singapore! Too expensive for us...

Anyways, we arrived in Singapore, and took a shuttle to our hostel, The Mitraa. Accomodation is ridiculously expensive in Singapore, so the hostel was definitely not the nicest place we had stayed in, but it was good enough for what we needed, and the extremely friendly and helpful staff made it a much better experience than it would have otherwise been.

A popular Malay dish called Nasi Lemak (one of Senush's favorites)

We walked to a hawker center close by for our first taste of Singapore's famous food. I was overwhelmed by the selection and the cheap prices, but we ended up settling on some chicken rice, which was delicious. The next day, we set out on the MRT (Mass Rapid Transport) to explore the city.

Singapore: a view from the top (we snuck up to the 70th floor of the Swissotel for this shot)

I found that Singapore isn't a place for me. It seems like the primary reasons to go to Singapore are to shop and to flaunt your wealth. There were massive high-end shopping malls on every street corner, and I still have no idea how so many malls right next to eachother can stay in business. We spent the day trying food and walking around the city. We went to the iconic Raffles Hotel, which is known as the birthplace of the Singapore Sling cocktail. Everything about Singapore just screams decadence. If you decide to visit and do anything but eat, make sure your pockets are brimming with cash... Our next stop is a homestay in Malaka, Malaysia.