//animalbeach.net

Cambodia: incredible Angkor Wat

naabster — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:09:40 +0000

Wow. Just wow! I left Koh Tao because I had some trouble with my ears and couldnt dive for a few days.. Got back to Bangkok and then by Bus to the border to Cambodia, crossed it by foot (what a chaos) and by taxi to Siem Reap - Angkor Wat. Cambodia is really nice so far. Well, everybody wants money from you and/or tries to scam you, even the smallest kids, but you get used to it.

Angkor Wat is probably with Machu Picchu the greatest man-made thing I've ever seen. It is just incredible.

I already spent two days there, including a sunset and a sunrise today - and took already about 400 pics.. I picked just a few to show you here..

It is really hot. I mean really. And soo humid. During the day you are sweating every single minute. But it is worth the effort. I also gave up my plan to get a bike and cycle around. Instead I have my own TukTuk driver who drives me everywhere I want the whole day. And only for 15$ a day. Cambodia is not really cheap. It is so poor, but so expensive. While everything at the temples usually costs one dollar (postcards, statues, flutes and other crap), food and water, transportation and accommodation is really expensive (Dont forget the 60$ seven-day-entrance fee for Angkor Wat).

I'll spend the next few days walking around this area for sure! It is the biggest religious monument/area on the world. Every few meters, you basically stumble over a new temple - and other tourists. Man it is fu**** crowded here.

So, I'll get a beer, you'll get some pics. Have a look and tell me you are envious :) xoxo, Khmike

Leaving Koh Phan Gan to go underwater

naabster — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:09:24 +0000

Hey guys, it took me a while to get the time and a decent internet place to get up some more pics.. Also I will tell you what has happened the last few weeks! For the whole gallery: here you go! (new pics at the end) Finally I left wonderful Koh Phan Gan, but not without spending a more or less fun night at Haad Rin drinking. We tried to walk through the jungle to get some money out of the ATM, but because of the new built dirt road, nobody uses the jungle trail anymore. After 2 hours getting lost in the jungle (we had to make our way with sticks.. lots of ants, spiders etc.) and no more energy to walk 2,5 hours on the road we got a taxi boat. Lol. At Haad Rin, some guys had trouble getting money (he didnt call his parent, who manage his account, so they decided to report him missing at Interpol. Wtf? The poor lad had to talk to some Interpol officer on the phone - hey Mom, I am still ok!)

So it was already late and we stayed for a few drinks, the fire show and.. yeah, a few buckets. Jono got really drunk and so we came back to our beach at sunrise. Well, it was fun, I guess. Two days later I got on a boat to Koh Toa. Scuba Diving!

The Dive Shop Alex and I went with two years ago still exists, but all divemasters changed shop due to some internal management problems. I got this Info the first night on Koh Tao talking to a divemaster trainee, I met along with Rupert & V from Koh Pha Ngan. We had a great night, hehe...

So I went with the new shop, Siam Divers in Sairee Beach. I did an advanced course and some more fun dives - it was really amazing. So much to see and to do underwater. Also diving (and drinking) along: 4 scottish guys - we and divemaster-to-be Sheldon had a real fun time at Lotus Bar & Co :)

Koh Tao is also a really beautiful - and really small - island. I never thought I could spent so much time here.. xoxo, ScubaMike

more pictures from Koh Pha Ngan

naabster — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:00:33 +0000

Hey guys, I am still on this beautiful island - well, what can I do? The food is so good, people are nice, they have super shakes :) But I think about leaving to Koh Tao in the next days.. I want to dive, and Cambodia and Northern Thailand is also waiting for me. These first weeks are gone so quickly. I managed to get a few more pics online. The thumbnails are a bit off center, tho. Be sure to check out the full sized ones. More written stuff when the internets are cheaaper!

Back in Koh Pha Ngan

naabster — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 07:31:27 +0000

Jo. I made it. I am back on Koh Pha Ngan. Staying at the same place, the Sanctuary. It is almost just like 2 years ago. Nothing has really changed. Prices are still the same (internet still 3 Baht per Minute - so I'll be brief and post some more pictures the next days. This place is just special. The first evening I walked into Eden Garden, a restaurant/bar directly at the rocks, King, the owner, remembered me. After 2 years he still knew me. What a great time. He also remembered Alex. So much fun. It is so peaceful here. I think I'll stay here for a few weeks.. Probably stay at one of King's bungalows. Take care, I'll post a more detailed write-up with pics the next days.. xoxo, Chill MacMical

Starting my trip in Thailand

naabster — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 11:35:55 +0000

Jo guys! I am back in South-East-Asia. I arrived on 13th of June after an exhausting flight in Bangkok (we had to switch planes in Abu Dahbi, lots of screaming little children on the plane..).

Bangkok (BKK) itself didnt change that much. Everything is more or less same-same. On Khao San Road (KSR) there are still the same shops, TukTuk drivers still give you a hassle and try to drive you to PingPong shows and the frog-Frauen are froggin around as always.

Beer on KSR is great as always - I had a few after I arrived and thought about you guys (not really...). Alex, you know at which place :) Also I had a haircut, eat some of the best food in the world and bought a guide book for cheap.

Nex day, I went to the MBK shopping center. On the place before, there was some sort of japanese Comic festiva: Lots of Thai Teens dressing as comic heroes and performing on stage. Oh my, I had a good laugh! Thai girls screaming and totally freaking out - good times.

But I also got what I came for: CF cards for my camera: I bought 3 cards each holding 8GB storing space and paid about 90 euros. Thats ok, I think. BKK is starting to get on my nerves, though. Constant hassle on the street, smog, noisy... Apparently there are only ugly Britains and Aussis around right now. The girls are chicks and the guys just tell me about this Thai woman and that women they had in Indonesia for 4 weeks - wtf? What is wrong with all those people? (I met some nice guys too, but still..) I have to get out. Kho Phan Gan is my first choice - but there is a Full Moon Party on the 18th. I really dont want to see all the FullMoon-Druffis right now, so I decide to go west to Kanchanburi, near the border to Burma.

Kanchanburi is a little, laid back town on the river Kwai. And yes, there is also the famous Bridge over the River Kwai - although by day this bridge is not that impressing. I have a little bungalow directly on the river, with a few on the bridge. It is cheap here, and not many people around. Apparently this town is a weekend party town for BKK Thais. I can imagine that, there are more bars than tourists right now. I also decided to travel on as many public busses as possible- its just so much fun riding a bus on which everyone else is Thai, loud Thai pop music is played all the time and bumpy roads shake you into your slumber. All those "VIP" Minibuses can kiss my a.

I rented a bike to get around town. But you better drive slowly - it is raining season, but that doesnt mean its cold. About 35 C, 80-90 % humidity and mostly cloudy. I get into town to get something to eat, and the old american Vietnam veteran who runs the first (!) bookshop in town recommends a really delicious Massaman Curry across the street. Later, I stop by for a beer (he also runs a little bar - you have to go with the flow..) and I meet his buddies: apparently all veterans who stayed after the war. Speaking Thai and all they still are super rude to their (Thai) wifes. I drink up and go back to my place. On the veranda of my bungalow I finally find some peace and time to get rid of all the stress from the last days\weeks\months.

Today, I drove around town, visited the railway museum, the cemetery, some other museum (they didnt spell the word "railway" right once, but they had at least 10 different ways they tried..). Esp. the Thai part of town was fun to drive through. I think I didnt met western people for most of the time, as the main sights of this little, dirty town are some waterfalls and stuff outside town. I probably will see some of this stuff tomorrow or.. well I 'll see :)

I had a bit of problem to get some pictures on this server, but it should be working now. I'll try to add more pictures when I find some time and working internet connection. Check out the gallery! I am happy to hear from you, just drop me a line or leave a comment. Oh, and one more thing: The best shower in Thailand is a cold shower! xoxo, Pad Thmaichael

2008on366: February 07

naabster — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 22:59:40 +0000

WOOOOOOOOOOOT!!!!! Yeaaah! I had my last - MY LAST - exam in university today!! So when I finish my diploma thesis in May, I am free to rock the world.

2008on366: February 06

naabster — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 22:58:15 +0000

Today Alex made some really "interesting" food. It is some thai cabbage and ale and some other "interesting" stuff...

2008on366: February 05

naabster — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 22:58:05 +0000

OHHHHHH! It is Fasching! I never new, that fasching in Munich is that popular.

2008on366: February 04

naabster — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 22:48:28 +0000

another day learning. hopefully, all this over soon. And I hope I dont have to seen the Holzkirchener S-Bahn station at night any more. It is ok, if I dont have to go home at the middle of the night and just sleep at Peter's place, though...

2008on366: February 03

naabster — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 22:42:52 +0000

The "Deutsch-Österreichische-Freundschaft" was once again re-newed. We (Flinz and me) met these people some years ago in Morocco. So, Rita is going to Cuba. Damn, I really want to go somewhere right now.