more stuff

This is Saporn and Graham. Graham is from Dublin. We met last year. He's a great travel companion and a very funny man. He asked about my shamrock tattoo. I mentioned my mothers family had come from Ireland after the revolution. "Oh" he says "after 1916". He flies back to Thailand taday to Hua Hin to continue his dental work. Veneers on the front teeth, two implants and two root canals and crowns. Dental work in Thailand is about 1/3 the cost of US and Ireland dentists.
Saporn is 26 years old and 82 lbs and works in a restaurant in Phnom Penh. This is her nephew. When she was 13, she worked 12 hours a day, 7 days a week in a factory. After work she had sex with foreigners to make extra money for the family.
On that light note, it's time to pack to catch a bus toSihanoukville. More later!
Doablah

sum stuff

Mike, Graham and I are livin life large in Phnom Penh. My room is $39! and has a computer in room. It's near Chinese New Year and the town is booked. These are tooth brushes and a razor in a cafe bathroom.
I loaded Picasa into my rooms computer to make these recent stories. Just a few minutes left before heading to Sihanoukville.

Signs

There is an excellant travel office in Kabi. I have used Dao and Tik before. Mike, Graham and I needed to leave Thailand for visa runs. Why not fly to Cambodia? Done and dusted. We also needed to get back to Hua Hin for young Chris' birthday and for Grahams next dental appointment. Not so easy. In "high season'' the bussus were full. It took Tik a lot of calling but she got us back in time.

Oddz and enz

Yum. Catfish!

Oddz and enz

Who the hell are these people?!

On to Krabi

Krabi is the jump off point to nearly all points south in Thailand. Have you heard of Railay, Ko Pi Pi, Ko Lanta, Phuket? Krabi is the hub. It's also a fine little town in its ownright.
We had lunch at a small curb side food stall. There wasn't enough room at one table. The cook boss owner sat Keith with some children at the next table.
We hired motorbikes one day to explore the beaches near by. Here is the local petrol station. I think the cliff behind the smokers is the same one up close.

N S T

Ty arranged hotel rooms for us. The first afternoon Eet (lower right in the foreground) ferried seven of us to a restaurant built over a small lake. We had some great food and I didn't bring my camera! Everyone ordered favourites. It made for quite the feast. I ordered BBq'd squid and Pak Boong, a green vegetable difficult to describe. It's sauteed in oil, capers and garlic, and is very tasty. The women burst into laughter. Pak Boong was growing in the shallow water all around the restaurant. Talk about fresh, organic and local food!
The second day, Ty booked a minivan and driver to venture up the coast to an area called Khanom Beach. The waters here are populated by rare pink dolphins. We didn't see any, as they don''t hang about until spring.
This is Ty in the first photo, Sao, Ty, Mike,and half of Keith in the next one. The lady in red manages the little resort we visited.

Nahkon Si Tammarat

These people had friends pass paggage out the window at a local stop. This lady is selling soft drinks with ice served in plastic bags. A very common way to sell beverages and soups.
Mike and Keith are waiting at the station for Ty and her friend Eet to meet us. Some local foods.

Another road trip

Hallo! Solly. long time no write. Mike has a lady friend from Chiang Mai named Ty. She had recently taken a job in a hotel in Nahkon Si Thammarat. She invited him to come for a visit. A great excuse for a road trip to a new place by night train. Our train arrived in Hua Hin so late, the sleeper cars were already set forbed time. The dining car was closed. Oh well.
We did get several hours in the morning to enjoy local sights before arrival. This is Graham having a cig in the smoking section, which is between the passenger cars.

A day at the beach

Graham, Keith, Mike and I hired motorbikes and ventured to one of the many beaches south of town. An inner tube is 60 cents, grass mat 30 cents. Savvy viewers may remember this beach chair photo from before. The blog will publish four photos, an encore presentation.
We've got out tickets for the sleeper train to Nahkon Si Tammarat tonight. A new English friend named Shane found an alley way bar called PK that blends pitchers of Kamakazis for $6. One evening six of us had 12 pitchers. Oh my Buddah! Keith wants to have one more session before we leave. It should be a sound sleep tonight.
We've been told that there are Muslim troubles in N.S.T. Colin, the owner of TNT bar warned us to stay on lit streets and don't walk alone at night. If we don't fancy it there, we can shoot straight back to HH. Graham will come with Mike and I to Cambodia for our visa run. That will be before the 28th. Plenty of time for more adventure in the south.
Bye for now, Doablah