Same Same but Different

I found out where all the Swedes go in winter in case you were wondering. They all flock to Thailand and I don't blame them. In my opinion sand and sun is much better than snow and darkness. But anyway, I found myself in Thailand at the end of January to meet up with some friends. We were in Phuket and filled our days with beaches and our nights in tacky bars with go-go dancers. Eventually we did break up the pattern by visiting Koh Phi Phi Island for a snorkeling trip. It was my first experience snorkeling in tropical waters and it was amazing. I saw just about every type of fish featured in Finding Nemo. The water was incredibly clear and on the white, sandy beaches the shells can sometimes surprise you by suddenly moving because there's a hermit crab inside them.

I can see why so many tourists visit Thailand and it's not just the scenery. The food is incredible as well. When I got to Thailand I was excited to try my favorite dishes that I had at the Thai restaurants back home. But the most confusing part about eating food in Thailand (and this goes for Laos as well) is that you're supposed to eat your meal using a fork and a spoon. And the crazy thing is that the Thais don't ever put the fork in their mouth, they just use it to pile stuff onto the spoon. So whoever introduced the fork to this region of the world didn't really do a very good job. Anyway, it tastes delicious no mater how you eat it.

Eventually it was time to head to Bangkok. I fought through the smog to visit some of the palaces and temples, got my teeth cleaned (no cavities!) and a genuine Thai massage (more of a test of my flexibility) but the highlight would have to be one of the day trips that I took. The day started early and while waiting for the tour to get organized I heard some cheering from a nearby bar. I would assume that the bar was full of Americans because they were cheering about a touchdown that the Steelers had just scored in the Superbowl. It was strange to see them drinking coffee instead of beer while watching the game but then again it was eight in the morning. Kind of made me miss home for a minute but then I realized where I was going that day and got over it.

Once everyone got sorted and we were on our way we had to stop at a few boring (OK, OK, important) memorials before we got to the elephant ride. It brought back memories of riding elephants at the circus but somehow the elephants seemed a lot smaller than in my memories. Next was a waterfall with plenty of interesting tropical birds flying around. And then finally we made it to the Tiger Temple. The Tiger Temple is run by monks who first adopted an orphaned tiger and now have lots of tigers that tourists are allowed to pet and pose for pictures with. It was a little disappointing that there was such a huge number of tourists and you were moved around so quickly. Instead of actually getting to experience being up close with a tiger it felt a lot more like a photo opportunity. At least in Africa there was a sense of danger when I was in the lion cage since the guards had some very large guns strapped to their backs and there was nobody waiting in line.

One more stop at another Thai beach on the way south to witness some fire twirling, fire jump rope and participate in fire limbo (did I mention that they're not big on lawsuits in this part of the world). Finally, after deciding that the Thais were just not very generous with visas these days it was time to go to my next destination: Malaysia.

I continued south where the weather got hotter and the culture got conservative. Malaysia is predominately Muslim but thanks to lots of Chinese immigrants there are still plenty of places to buy a beer.

I started out in Penang and loved the combination of Maylay, Chinese, Indian and British cultures living together. I especially enjoyed eating all the different types of food they brought with them. It was also fun to wander around (while tying not to get too sweaty) looking at the great colonial architecture.

Next I was on my way to a place where I could cool off and strawberries are grown year-round! The Cameron Highlands is where all sorts of fruits and vegetables are grown and tourists come to look at them. There are also some really incredible hiking trails. My favorite one went through the "Mossy Forest". I visited my very first apiary (where bees are raised), a tea plantation and a couple butterfly farms but my favorite place was definitely the strawberry farm. I made friends with a wonderful guy from Bangladesh who was running the place. He insisted on feeding me all the free strawberries and whipped cream I could eat. I think he liked me.

Onward to my next stop called Pulau Perhentian Kecil, or in other words, paradise. The island had just opened up after the monsoon season so things hadn't gotten crowded yet. The sand was white the water was clear and the nightly fish barbecues were delicious. It's one of those places where you literally lose track of time. The snorkeling trip was even better than in Thailand. This time I not only go to see Nemo fish but sea turtles, sharks and sting rays. The sea turtles also came on the beach at night to lay their eggs.

I tagged along with some of the people I met on the beach to one of the most Muslim cities in Malaysia: Kota Bharu. The museums were pretty interesting but one night we were wandering around and found what looked to be a night market taking place. Upon further investigation we saw the usual animal parts, clothes and food for sale. After sitting down on the nearby lawn to drink the super sweet colorful drinks we had bought we realized that we might be a little out of place. People were gathering around and a curious woman came over to talk to us. Turns out we were at a very conservative Muslim right-wing political rally. Hmm...there goes any chance of getting security clearance anytime in the near future. We stayed for a few minutes not understanding what the guy at the microphone was saying but observing everything around us. Eventually we felt uncomfortable enough to head out of there.

Taman Negara was where I decided to go next. Time for some more jungle trekking! This was real rainforest. I did a two-day hike through the rainforest where I donated some blood to the local leech population. I was hoping to see some elephants or tigers but instead saw deer, squirrels, woodpeckers and spiders. Pretty much the same stuff I see in my backyard at home. Oh well, I guess it is a little different when they're rainforest squirrels. Ok it wasn't all disappointing. I really enjoyed the challenge of a long hike and felt stronger and happier having accomplished it. The other highlights of Taman Negara were getting to go up on the canopy walkways and seeing the frightening and smelly bat caves.

I was a little bit apprehensive when I arrived in Singapore. I was afraid of doing something like breaking a law I didn't know about. And it was a bit of a culture shock being in a big city after so much time in the forest. The westerners who live there will tell you Singapore is like living in the movie "The Truman Show". They say it feels like a movie set because something that's broken will be fixed by the time you see it the next day. I witnessed this myself. I saw some graffiti on a wall that I hadn't noticed the day before but it was gone the next day when I walked past again. It makes you second-guess yourself whether it was there at all. The city is incredibly efficient and clean just like I had heard it would be. The other thing about Singapore is that they supposedly speak English. However, I can't understand them and they have a hard time understanding me. They speak their own version of English called Singlish and have a strange habit of adding "la" onto the end of their sentences.

By this time I had been in Asia for almost seven months. I had gotten pretty good at eating and drinking my dinner out of a plastic bag but it was time to embark on my next adventure: Australia.