Two Step

Sawadee kha/kop!!!!

We have deserted to Ao Nang (10 minute longboat ride from Ton Sai) for cheaper internet. We wil try to do this once a week to keep costs down.

A few pics from early on our trip, no climbing pics yet as there's only the two of us at the moment. The climbing here is everything we have dreamt of and much more. Every climb is an absolute joy to be on, even the hard ones - though we haven't tried too many yet, as we are happy to ease on into the groove.

We have been on Ton Sai beach now for about 5 days now and settling in nicely. We have moved from our first bamboo bungalow and upgraded to a brick shelter. Same price - 300 baht - about $10, and it has a flushing toilet, powerful shower, mirror, basin, more room, better security and a nice neighbourhood and restaurant with friendly (read genuine) people. Kind of like moving from camping in Boonah to an apartment in Kelvin Grove. Funny thing is, camping we had a powerpoint to recharge ipod, phone and camera batteries, whereas in the apartment we have to go to reception. Small price to pay though.

We have also encountered some monkeys around about our new place (won't find them in Kelvin Grove) and as evey tourist does, pointed, smiled and said "What cute monkeys!". The thing is though, they are "evil little humans" who take smiling (the baring of teeth) as a challenge. We haven't had any personal confrontations with the creatures (yet) - though we've heard of many second-hand.

Lots of food here - enough restaurants on Ton Sai to eat at a different one for each meal, three times a day, seven days a week. And that's not including the nearby townships of East Railay (Newmarket) and West Railay (Windsor). Sorry mum, the food here is not as good as John's cooking or Thai-Boo-Rin in said Windsor, or Thai Dream in West End. It's all so fatty - everything is fried (but at least you know it's cooked) or boiled (which is OK). Or maybe we're just not used to the 'real' Thai food. Having said that, we haven't sampled all the restaurants yet and although each one pretty much has the same menu, they all have a different taste.

We're just settling into life here. Met up with some friends from Brisbane, and had our first photo shoot yesterday - a freelance photographer doing some shots for "Urban Climber' Magazine and 'Women in Climbing' Calendar. Who knows - we might be famous! Each day blends into the one before and the one after. The day is governed by the tides and the heat. which area to climb at, when to eat, when to siesta, nap or sleep. When to do a waist high wade to the next beach, or catch a longboat to Ao Nang or Krabi. Life is so easy, and yet, it is what you make of it. We have already found a few climbs which could become projects, but have not quite had the energy or inclination to work them yet. We're still finding our feet and the way around. Skin is sore though, thanks for the Hand Jam Freya!

Jumping back a few days, almost a week now, to the departure point: we left Brisbane in a flurry of tears. A hitch at security when the Epirb we had in the Hand Luggage was queried, meant that our GST refund and boarding onto the plane was very rushed. Not the best way to start the trip, but allowed us to hold onto our emotions just a little longer.

Thanks heaps to AJ and Em, giving us a little pressie to open as the plane took off - beautiful pics of Clayton in the little climbing shoes we had given them for Christmas - and two yummy bars of soy chocolate (which we had yesterday thankyou very much)!

The flight was uneventful, which is good for a plane trip. We slept and watched movies, but mostly tried to sleep. They stuffed up our meals - we had asked for our special dietary requirements, but they had mixed up who had what and in what combinations (can you blame them?) and looking at the other passengers' meals we probably could have had what they were eating anyway.

When we arrived in KL we were trashed - emotionally and physically. We found where we needed to check in in seven hours, and then had our first overseas meal of.... wait for it.... Burger King (thanks Gem!). We then spread out on some seats and slept in turns until the person on watch started falling asleep as well. We then poked each other until it was time to get on the plane. We ended up paying an extra $115 or so dollars for excess baggage - more than our fares, but at least we have our climbing gear with us.

Whilst on the plane, we both started daydreaming and conversing in English with the Malaysian-speaking Captain's announcements. Yep, we were REALLY tired.

Watching the gorgeous pinnacles of limestone jutting momentously out of the ocean was great. The excitement just built and built, and then we reached the small un-momentous Phuket Airport. We had our photo taken by customs, and then got bad information from the 'Tourist Information' Counter (anyone who comes here, realise that 'Tourist Information' refers to a counter that a commercial business has taken over and has vested interest in - there are very few that are unbiased!!!)

We got ripped off by 100 baht (about three dollars) for a taxi to the main road where we caught a bus to Krabi (hailed on the side of the road while it was moving). This bus ride was our first real taste of Thai countryside - a country of halves. Not quite developed, but not quite rural. Bright colours and incongrous mixtures of modern and old - almost like development has taken place and infrastructure is catching up, rather than the other way 'round. They have roads, but no rules. Anything goes, any lane, shoulder, island can be driven on. Lots and lots of mopeds and bikes and tuktuks and bikes with covered side-utes, and sangteuws (covered utes with seats), with too many people to fit comfortably on the respective mode of transport.

We had Thai karaoke playing whilst on the bus - a strangely soothing sound and sight to send you off to sleep. The school girls in the seat behind us crooning softly to the Thai equivalent of U2 (although maybe not quite so famous). If they had the English translation underneath it would make a great way to learn the language!!!

Once we arrived at the Krabi bus station it was a MADHOUSE. Being mobbed by taxi drivers and the heat (coming out of the airconditioned airport and bus) was a bit overwhelming. We were ushered by a nice lady to another 'Tourist Information' counter who again led us astray, but we stuck to our guns (plans - guns were plan B) and took a taxi to a nice little guest house (recommended by Lonely Planet) right near the pier. We unloaded and took a walk along the riverfront. Feeling quite homesick and sorry for ourselves, we bought a pack of Pringles (not even $2) and soaked up our first sunset on foreign soil. Limestone cliffs in the background, longboats in the water, street vendors setting up behind us for the night trade and longboat drivers asking for our custom ("Boat Boat!!" "Rai Lay Rai Lay!!" "Where you go?"). We ate some BBQed Chicken and rice from the Vendors, had our last hot shower and crashed for 12 hours sleep in airconditioned comfort.

We awoke and ate at the guesthouse restaurant and learnt our first Thai - "Kop khun [kha (female)] [Kop (male)]" - "Thankyou". We then went shopping for SIM cards (which was extremely hard as we didn't know what any of the shops sold by looking at the signs). Found the place and had them connect us. This was a great exercise in foreign relations. Most locals speak some English, but not enough to hold a conversation with them. When we were asking one guy where the phone store was, we pointed at his phone and he thought we wanted to make a phone call on his phone (or he thought we were mugging him). We then caught a Songteuw to Ao Nang - a great experience. Everyone has to try it at least once!!! We were hanging onto the back of a ute, watching our luggage closely (the roof racks were very small), and feeling the freedom of zipping through the countryside, soaking in the culture.

The longboat ride to Ton Sai was awesome, mindblowing, incredible. The sea and the rocks were like we were in evey picture we've ever seen of Thailand. It was hard to believe we were actually 'in' it. It's still hard. We lugged our gear (all 60kg of it) up, and up, and up a hilly dirt track, in the middle of the day, searching for somekind of accomodation.

Eventually we found three places - one too expensive, one too basic, and one just right. This became our home for three nights. We got a little concerned with the security as you could easily unscrew (or even just yank) the latch and padlock off the doorway. It was very cute, cosy and full of character and tropical charm, but not really long-term material.

And there we have the journal of John and Tiff so far. We have many more steps to take, and you will hear them all. We have so much more to learn, everyday is such an amazing learning curve - about ourselves and how we approach things, and about this amazing world of ours.

The distance is felt, but made easier by the knowledge that we are in constant mobile contact with our loved ones. If you want our phone number, contact Tiff at rocknrain@hotmail.com or John at odysseus.jfx@gmail.com

Things we love about Thailand: the colour, the shrines on the side of the road, the patriotism (at least the proliferation of flags), the sights (not the smell - mostly sewerage, even in the kitchens), the street food vendors, the way the locals laugh at us when we butcher their language but are ever so helpful in correcting us, the way the rock holds your hand, tying into a climb two minutes from your bunalow, seeing your bungalow from the anchors of a climb, the welcoming calls from bar owners sitting in the shade and languishing in the heat of the day. So much, and yet, home is still so far away. But still, the definition of home has changed, and our perception of it as well.

Hope you are all as well as we left you. Words from home are welcomed and cherished.

John and Tiff
saintrinity