tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31459085688948419602024-03-14T12:52:23.938+07:00Blake's WorldMY ADVENTURES AND ESCAPADES AS I TRAVEL THE GLOBE AND CONQUER THE WORLD!Blakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07373492014130597619noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3145908568894841960.post-43818998734538793002013-01-16T17:20:00.001+07:002013-01-19T04:03:58.755+07:00Jer gan mai, bpratet Thai. (See you later, Thailand.)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>
</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">“<span style="font-size: large;"><i>It is only in
adventure that some people exceed in knowing themselves – in
finding themselves.”</i></span></span></b></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"><b>
</b>
</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: magenta; font-size: medium;">-Andre
Gide</span></b></div>
<b>
</b>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">I fit practically
everything I own into a backpack and duffle. It's a strange feeling,
putting your whole life into a couple bags. It's exciting.
Liberating. Scarily impermanent. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">After 2 ½ years of living
in Thailand, I'm going home to America. I've known it was coming
since I bought the plane ticket two months ago. It's not a
last-minute decision – not a surprise. In fact, I've been looking
forward to it. Not because I've grown any less fond of Thailand, but
because America the greatest country in the world and it's my home.
It's where my family and many of my friends are, and I'm excited to
be back with them. But even though I've known the time to leave has
been steadily approaching, it didn't <i>really</i> hit me until my
last day, while packing my things for the final time.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The last thing I threw in
my backpack was my lucky Caps hat. It's <i>always</i> the last thing
I put in my backpack – always at the top so it doesn't get crushed.
I can remember when I bought it back in the States before ever
coming to Thailand. It was dark blue then. Now it's a weathered
light gray. I've put a lot of miles on that thing in the past couple years. I've worn it all over Thailand, from the mountains to the
islands. It was on my head, keeping the pouring rain out of my eyes
in Cambodia at Angkor Wat. It kept the Vietnamese sun off my face
every day while I rode a motorcycle for hours and hours down Highway
1. In Laos, I'd pull it down over my brow so I could sleep, just to
kill time on a two-day slow boat down the Mekong. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zVHNE3GUDxs/UPKI4jwVUjI/AAAAAAAABSI/Z-KKJb1GY2s/s1600/packed+bags+&+leaving+Thailand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zVHNE3GUDxs/UPKI4jwVUjI/AAAAAAAABSI/Z-KKJb1GY2s/s320/packed+bags+&+leaving+Thailand.jpg" width="212" /></a><span style="font-size: small;">I've accomplished some
amazing things and had some incredible experiences living and
traveling abroad. I stared at my hat and many of these experiences
flashed through my memory. That's when it hit me: I'm
leaving. Not for a visit or to another town, but actually leaving.
A heavy feeling came over me. Leaving Thailand is the end of not
just a chapter, but a <i>volume</i> in my life. I might occasionally
have a “third-world blowup” and bitch about the inconveniences of
living in a developing country, but I truly love Thailand and the
Thai people. It's become a second home to me and I'm going to miss
it a lot. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">I can honestly say that
I'm a different person now than when I first arrived. I've learned
so much about so many different aspects of life. I'm healthier. I'm
happier. I've had more adventures in 2 years than most people will have in
their whole lives. Do you have any crazy stories? Because I've got
more than I have time to tell. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Perhaps the most valuable
thing I've gained are the relationships I've built. I treasure
these. Living and traveling with people thousands of miles from home
creates a certain bond. Most of the friends I've made have moved on
already, either back home or to a new country. I imagine that they had
the same feelings while packing their bags as I did while packing
mine. Knowing that you'll see those people again – someday,
somewhere – makes it a little easier to deal with. And that's how
I have to think of Thailand too – as a friend that I'll see again
someday.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">I zipped up my backpack
and in just a few minutes my emotions had traveled the full spectrum.
I went from a moment of realization to a moment of nostalgia. Then happy. Sad. Proud. Overwhelmingly thankful. And finally... excited. I'm excited
because I know that this is the end of one series of
adventures, yet so many more are still to come. I'm making a promise
to myself to make sure that I never stop having adventures – that I
never stop having experiences, meeting interesting people, wearing that hat, learning –
that I never run out of things to write about. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">I still have a lot of the
world left to conquer. I better get started.</span></div>
<div style="font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Jer gan mai, bpratet Thai.</i></span><br />
<div style="font-weight: bold;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>So long, Thailand. Until we meet again.</i></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
</div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/vWwgrjjIMXA" width="480"></iframe>
</div>
Blakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07373492014130597619noreply@blogger.com0Bangkok, Thailand13.7522222 100.493888913.2586162 99.8484419 14.2458282 101.1393359tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3145908568894841960.post-54596520537927966452013-01-16T10:16:00.000+07:002013-01-29T09:01:11.556+07:00Long-necks & Monks in Mae Hong Son<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
After Pai, the next stop on the "northern loop" was Mae Hong Son. The drive to Mae Hong Son was similar to the drive to Pai; up and down, side to side, rolling over and through the Thai highlands. When we finally arrived in Mae Hong Son, people were selling t-shirts exactly like the ones for sale in Pai, but the "I survived the <a href="http://blakesworld211.blogspot.com/2013/01/762-curves-to-pai.html" target="_blank">762 curves to Pai</a>!" tagline was replaced with "I survived the <b><i>1,864</i></b> curves to Mae Hong Son!". Mae Hong Son is located on the Thai-Burmese border so you can't really go any further north or west, but I imagine if you could there would be a shirt available for purchase saying just how many curves it took to get there.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xmD3eZd0iho/UPX7YeQvTdI/AAAAAAAABbg/8JTqNrUMzN0/s1600/highway+sign+saying+1864+curves+to+mae+hong+son.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xmD3eZd0iho/UPX7YeQvTdI/AAAAAAAABbg/8JTqNrUMzN0/s320/highway+sign+saying+1864+curves+to+mae+hong+son.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I liked Mae Hong Son from the beginning. It's the most mountainous province in Thailand and it's name means "The City of Three Mists". The town itself is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mae_Hong_Son_Province" target="_blank">"nestled in a deep valley, hemmed in by the high mountain ranges"</a> of the Shan Hills that surround it. Because it's a bit off the beaten path, Mae Hong Son is not nearly as touristy as Chiang Mai or Pai. That's part of the reason it appealed to me. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Our guesthouse (<a href="http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Hotel_Review-g297928-d1232791-Reviews-Johnnie_House-Mae_Hong_Son_Mae_Hong_Son_Province.html" target="_blank">Johnnie House</a>, about $5 USD/night for a fan room) was located conveniently at the center of town, right on a lake. <a href="http://www.hoteltravel.com/thailand/mae_hong_son/jong-kham-lake-in-mae-hong-son.htm" target="_blank"> Jong Kham Lake</a> is small, but charming. It's quiet, kept very clean, and there are restaurants and shops along the outlying footpath. From our guesthouse we had a great view of a beautiful 200 year-old Shan-style temple on the opposite side. Not-so-distant mountains provided an epic back drop to the scene.</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BcDKDyBTxL0/UPX2bKT3W6I/AAAAAAAABXo/FFOf2jsBkbY/s1600/2+view+of+wat+jong+kham+from+johnnie+house+guesthouse+in+mae+hong+son,+thailand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BcDKDyBTxL0/UPX2bKT3W6I/AAAAAAAABXo/FFOf2jsBkbY/s640/2+view+of+wat+jong+kham+from+johnnie+house+guesthouse+in+mae+hong+son,+thailand.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thailand/mae-hong-son-province/mae-hong-son/sights/temples/wat-jong-kham" target="_blank">Wat Jon Kham</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Mae Hong Son's natural setting provides both a place to relax and a place to be active. There's world-class hiking, biking, rafting, and elephant trekking. The province is also home to many hill-tribe villages that have been forced to flee their native land, neighboring Myanmar (Burma), as political refugees. One of these hill-tribe peoples is the <i>Kayan</i> (or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kayan_people_(Burma)" target="_blank">Karenni</a>), also known as the "long-necked" tribe. The women (<i>Lahwi)</i> wear coiled rings that put pressure on the collar bone and, over time, give the appearance of a stretched neck. A few long-neck villages around Mae Hong Son that have become tourist sites. This allows foreigners to get glimpse inside the Kayan culture in addition to providing a source of self-sufficient revenue for the people.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7q1zI3sRCFI/UPX28e0pJvI/AAAAAAAABX0/z7Rz_fX-rQw/s1600/old+karen+long-neck+woman+in+mae+hong+son%252C+thailand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7q1zI3sRCFI/UPX28e0pJvI/AAAAAAAABX0/z7Rz_fX-rQw/s400/old+karen+long-neck+woman+in+mae+hong+son%252C+thailand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I found a map, rented a motorbike for the day, and drove out to one of these villages. It cost 250 baht to enter. According to an information leaflet I was given, the entrance "fee supports their daily needs such as food, medical treatment, children's education, [the] development of their village, and other extra needs". As I walked around these people's village, I felt more than a little uncomfortable. I understood that because they are refugees and have no way of working (or farming, as was their traditional way of life), that this is the only real stream of income that they have, but I still felt a sense of guilt. Some people have gone as far as to label these villages "human zoos" and while I wouldn't go that far, the ethics of such an issue are certainly debatable. I got permission from a few of the "long-neck" women to take their pictures. Afterward, I donated some money in exchange for a postcard, hopped on the motorbike, and left.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Oe42al2yMdo/UPX399I6ukI/AAAAAAAABYE/7wgVMdqysAE/s1600/beautiful+long+neck+karenni+girl+mae+hong+son%252C+thailand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Oe42al2yMdo/UPX399I6ukI/AAAAAAAABYE/7wgVMdqysAE/s640/beautiful+long+neck+karenni+girl+mae+hong+son%252C+thailand.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mkBYfazQQVg/UPX27V1dtDI/AAAAAAAABXw/zDjpxBElzgM/s1600/kayan+long+neck+playing+guitar+in+mae+hong+son%252C+thailand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mkBYfazQQVg/UPX27V1dtDI/AAAAAAAABXw/zDjpxBElzgM/s640/kayan+long+neck+playing+guitar+in+mae+hong+son%252C+thailand.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iIFhJgobRfg/UPX5HRtVCZI/AAAAAAAABY4/9xa8Hy6UdSA/s1600/brittany+is+a+long+neck+in+mae+hong+son+at+mu+kong+hill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iIFhJgobRfg/UPX5HRtVCZI/AAAAAAAABY4/9xa8Hy6UdSA/s640/brittany+is+a+long+neck+in+mae+hong+son+at+mu+kong+hill.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm convinced Brittany is a long-neck descendant</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I had the motorbike for 24 hours and the day was still young, so I made use of it by exploring. The mountain roads may be hell while in a bus, but on a motorbike they're a lot of fun! I raced up and down the rolling hills. Just outside of town I pulled off the main road to follow a steep dirt path up a hillside. Upon reaching the hilltop, Britt and I were greeted warmly by two monks living in a monastery there. They invited us to sit down, gave us cupcakes and water, and showed us around their temple that was still under construction. We spoke in Thai for the best part of an hour on topics ranging from Buddhism to Mike Tyson. They were curious as to what Americans eat, if not rice, and at the end of our conversation they invited us to stay at the monastery and teach them English. This random and quirky encounter was probably my favorite part of the day.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ms0T1JtBoRM/UPX57buh1LI/AAAAAAAABZs/IM_VN4K364U/s1600/friendly+monks+in+mae+hong+son,+thailand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ms0T1JtBoRM/UPX57buh1LI/AAAAAAAABZs/IM_VN4K364U/s640/friendly+monks+in+mae+hong+son,+thailand.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sYIUJAyKuZg/UPX86kST9sI/AAAAAAAABcU/q19m0DCgviQ/s1600/motorbike+riding+in+mae+hong+son,+www.tumblr.com:taggemae%2520hong%2520son%2520loop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sYIUJAyKuZg/UPX86kST9sI/AAAAAAAABcU/q19m0DCgviQ/s400/motorbike+riding+in+mae+hong+son,+www.tumblr.com:taggemae%2520hong%2520son%2520loop.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo credit: <a href="http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/mae%20hong%20son%20loop" target="_blank">abrutalkind</a> on tumblr</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
From there we rode further, on a quest for <i>Tham Pla</i>,<a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g297928-d460517-Reviews-Fish_Cave-Mae_Hong_Son_Mae_Hong_Son_Province.html" target="_blank"> the "Fish Cave"</a>, a local tourist attraction. After an hour of riding and searching we found it, but decided we didn't feel like paying the 100 baht ($3.25 USD) entrance fee. It was, after all, just a cave with some fish in it. We turned around and drove back to town.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
When we got back, we decided to try and catch the sunset from <a href="http://thailandforvisitors.com/north/maehongson/kongmu/index.html" target="_blank">Mu Kong</a>, the local hill that looks over Mae Hong Son town. From the bottom, ascending the hill looked like an exhausting task, but it turned out to be pretty pleasant. The hundreds of steps to the top were well worth it. On top of Mu Kong hill, is <a href="http://www.orientalarchitecture.com/thailand/maehongson/wat-phra-that-doi-kong-mu.php" target="_blank">Wat Phra That Doi</a> Mu Kong, a Shan-style temple, accompanied by two Burmese-style <i>Chedis</i> (stupas) built in 1860. One of the stupas is said to "contain the relics of Phra Moggalana, one of the disciples of Buddha". We walked around and checked out the stupas and the awesome hilltop views. First, I looked out from the viewpoint on the east side. I could see over the entire valley. The town and the lake below looked like a miniature model.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ExH4xWEWhm4/UPX6XgeSCxI/AAAAAAAABag/T4gfnhdDNHs/s1600/view+over+mae+hong+son+from+mukong+hill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ExH4xWEWhm4/UPX6XgeSCxI/AAAAAAAABag/T4gfnhdDNHs/s640/view+over+mae+hong+son+from+mukong+hill.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We went to the other viewpoint to watch the sunset from the cleverly named Sunset Cafe on the west side of the mountain.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h4gYEnaLCsM/UPX6mzIT8_I/AAAAAAAABbQ/L7vsIzeBNRE/s1600/mu+kong+hill+sunset+at+sunset+cafe+in+mae+hong+son,+thailand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h4gYEnaLCsM/UPX6mzIT8_I/AAAAAAAABbQ/L7vsIzeBNRE/s640/mu+kong+hill+sunset+at+sunset+cafe+in+mae+hong+son,+thailand.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
By the time we reached the bottom of Mu Kong hill, there was a night market set up around the lake and a parade going on in the streets. People were dressed up in Northern Thai-style outfits. Some were singing and some did traditional dances. We watched for a while, then retreated to the guesthouse for some much needed rest. It had been quite an eventful day.</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q7u8C2TZ5Mc/UPX61kT94KI/AAAAAAAABbY/x4YQKgJbXcA/s1600/jong+kham+lake+at+night,+mae+hong+son,+thailand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q7u8C2TZ5Mc/UPX61kT94KI/AAAAAAAABbY/x4YQKgJbXcA/s640/jong+kham+lake+at+night,+mae+hong+son,+thailand.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jong Kham lake & temple at night</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The following morning we packed up and took a rickety bus a few hours to the even smaller border town of Mae Sariang where we'd stay just for one night. We were about to finish the loop. The final leg of our northern tour was an interesting one. Our ultimate destination was Mae Sot, where Britt and I would be volunteering for the next couple of months, working with Burmese refugees. Unfortunately, we didn't know that there is no bus from Mae Sariang to Mae Sot. The only way to get there is in the back of a <i>songthaew</i>, essentially a pickup truck with a caged-in bed. To make an insanely exhausting story of even more exhausting ride short, watch this super quick video I shot of the songthaew journey. Seriously,<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8ZxGor8yT4" target="_blank"> <u>watch</u> <u>it</u></a>... It's <i>amazing</i> how many people they can fit into the back of one truck!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/i8ZxGor8yT4" width="640"></iframe>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
After 6 hours of bumpy unpaved roads and being crammed together with something like <b><i>34</i></b> other people (90% of whom were chewing and spitting beetle nut the whole time), we finally arrived Mae Sot. It wasn't fun, but we made it. We were safe and we'd had a crazy new experience. In the end, that's what traveling is all about.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gd4_-eFEIxs/UPVvYXYgdXI/AAAAAAAABWA/HHWs71c0to0/s1600/panorama+view+of+the+lake+in+mae+hong+son,+thailand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gd4_-eFEIxs/UPVvYXYgdXI/AAAAAAAABWA/HHWs71c0to0/s1600/panorama+view+of+the+lake+in+mae+hong+son,+thailand.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">panoramic shot of Jong Kham Lake-- where we stayed in Mae Hong Son</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
Blakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07373492014130597619noreply@blogger.com0Mae Hong Son, Thailand18.7370307 97.87216000000000816.812461199999998 95.290373 20.6616002 100.45394700000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3145908568894841960.post-27020909105219129992013-01-07T15:30:00.000+07:002013-01-16T17:13:42.763+07:00762 Curves to Pai!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: initial; margin-bottom: 0in; padding-bottom: 0.03in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nRZ8YJkA8N8/UMncDMfU2tI/AAAAAAAAAz4/DCX_NtZ7GlA/s1600/Norther+Loop+of+Thailand-+http-::adventurevacationtrip.com:photos:200709:Thailand:01_Mae_Hong.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="365" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nRZ8YJkA8N8/UMncDMfU2tI/AAAAAAAAAz4/DCX_NtZ7GlA/s400/Norther+Loop+of+Thailand-+http-::adventurevacationtrip.com:photos:200709:Thailand:01_Mae_Hong.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the "northern loop"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
After Chiang Mai, the plan was to finish touring the north via the
“northern loop”-- Chiang Mai to Pai to Mae Hong Son-- which is popular
with many travelers. Then, instead of completing the loop <a href="http://blakesworld211.blogspot.com/2012/11/baan-thai-cookery-school-in-chiang-mai.html">back in Chiang Mai</a>,
we'd continue along the Thai-Burmese border to Mae Sariang, and
follow the river to our final destination of Mae Sot in Tak province. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime; font-family: Cracked; font-size: 93px;">Pai</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
The mini-bus ride from Chiang Mai to
Pai was like being on a roller coaster... for three hours. In total,
there's 762 curves, up and down, side to side. The journey is infamous amongst travelers. It's guaranteed that at least one
person in every mini-bus will make good use of their barf bag. On my
bus, it happened to be a pregnant Japanese women. I felt bad for her
as she got sick again and again.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Fo52-X9m0ws/UMndCLn4oNI/AAAAAAAAA0A/TBRw3ZU-hDk/s1600/sharp+curve+road+to+Pai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Fo52-X9m0ws/UMndCLn4oNI/AAAAAAAAA0A/TBRw3ZU-hDk/s1600/sharp+curve+road+to+Pai.jpg" /></a></div>
If you're not too susceptible to car
sickness, it's a beautiful drive up to Pai. In between the crashing
waves of nausea, I'd peek out at the sprouting mountains. I'd
stare for seconds at a time out the window at the budding country
racing by, until the smell of the Ms. Miyagi's sickness slapped me
across the face and brought me back to the reality of my uncomfortable
situation. I glanced at the woman -- her cheeks, the color of the
jungle outside. I looked away and tried to find distraction before becoming sick myself.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ukk6IOLEIfs/UMmHkLGgURI/AAAAAAAAAzA/EKClICgHZBU/s1600/photo+credit-+Haley+Tours+Thailand.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ukk6IOLEIfs/UMmHkLGgURI/AAAAAAAAAzA/EKClICgHZBU/s640/photo+credit-+Haley+Tours+Thailand.com.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
We arrived in Pai and checked in to a
<a href="http://breezeofpai.com/">guest house</a> ($10/night with fan), then explored to see what there was to do. Not much. Pai
is a small, sleepy, mountain town. I liked it. I would've liked it
more if it weren't as touristy. I constantly feel like I'm in
Thailand twenty years too late. I don't even want to think about
what it will be like in another twenty. Still, Pai has a certain
charm about it. It's chilled out, relaxed, organic.
Unfortunately, this makes it big draw for hippies (I swear, I can't
get away from them) and Thai Rastas. When I lived in Surat Thani, there were tons of stray dogs -- literally, packs -- and more than once, they've been aggressive. When walking at night, I'd constantly have an eye open for large sticks or rocks nearby, just in case I needed to defend myself. In Pai, I felt the same natural sense of heightened alertness, but instead of a rabid canine lurking in the shadows, I was worried about the dirty hippies everywhere. Like stray dogs, hippies very well may be rabid -- and without a doubt they have mange. They seem to travel in packs; where there's one, there may be many. Word to the wise, when in Pai, carry a hippy-beater. Better safe than sorry.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y_Y3v8JJjUI/UMmFmCPNn7I/AAAAAAAAAyM/uj5nF7qJsEo/s1600/Bunglaows+on+the+river+in+Pai%252C+Thailand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y_Y3v8JJjUI/UMmFmCPNn7I/AAAAAAAAAyM/uj5nF7qJsEo/s640/Bunglaows+on+the+river+in+Pai%252C+Thailand.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">riverside bamboo huts-- hilltribe style</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
But other than the multitude of unhygienic, "free-thinking" vagabonds, I liked Pai. If I had a little more time and money,
I would've liked to hang around a few days longer. There's waterfalls, caves, and a canyon nearby that are all supposed to be worth seeing. There's also rafting, dirt bikes for rent, or if you're up to it, piranha fishing in the river.
Being on a budget, I couldn't do much. Instead, I spent two days reading, eating good food, drinking good coffee (and beer), and strolling
through the nightly markets. Every night the town's rolling streets
are lit up and lined with vendors selling food, northern-style handicrafts, and
clothes -- particularly shirts with sayings like “I survived the 762
curves to Pai!”
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k4Kw-Khge6A/UMmFqBwUw5I/AAAAAAAAAyo/2c8SxKAhq80/s1600/northern-style+handbags+in+Pai%252C+Thailand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k4Kw-Khge6A/UMmFqBwUw5I/AAAAAAAAAyo/2c8SxKAhq80/s640/northern-style+handbags+in+Pai%252C+Thailand.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Handmade Northern-style handbags and hats</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
I was surprised at how many Thai tourists I saw there. Most Thai people don't like to travel, especially not without organized tours. However, Pai is one of the few towns popular with Westerners that is
also a prominent destination for Thai tourists. Because of the popular movie <i><a href="http://asianwiki.com/Pai_in_Love">Pai in Love</a></i> that was filmed there in 2009, young
Thai couples can be seen on every street corner taking very cheesy
(very Asian) photos, posing and reenacting screenshots from the movie.<br />
After two days of this I started feeling the itch to pack up and continue my journey. The final nudge came when I was walking through town and bumped into two of the <a href="http://blakesworld211.blogspot.com/2012/11/blake-vs-canadians-in-chiang-rai.html">Canadian hippies I battled</a> in <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JH90_yPL_ug" target="_blank">Chiang Rai</a> the week before. A dreadlocked mullet is always a sign to move on. "Lets blow this popsicle stand," I said to Britt. Our next stop on the loop was <a href="http://blakesworld211.blogspot.com/2013/01/after-pai-next-stop-on-northern-loop.html" target="_blank">Mae Hong Son</a>, and it would turn out to be one of my favorites.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y64XjsapEq8/UMnaTxMJ2TI/AAAAAAAAAzw/hFu_0UJf5eY/s1600/Why+Pai+Doesn't+Stuck-+whatsdavedoing.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="385" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y64XjsapEq8/UMnaTxMJ2TI/AAAAAAAAAzw/hFu_0UJf5eY/s640/Why+Pai+Doesn't+Stuck-+whatsdavedoing.com.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
*photo link #1: <a href="http://adventurevacationtrip.com/photos/200709/Thailand/01_Mae_Hong.jpg">Northern Loop map</a><br />
*photo link #2:<a href="http://parkerworldtour.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/sharp-curve-sign.jpg?w=250"> Sharp Curve ahead</a><br />
*photo link #3: <a href="http://harley-tours-thailand.com/MaeHongSonHarleyDavidsonTour.html">Harley Tours Thailand</a><br />
*photo link #5: <a href="http://whatsdavedoing.com/why-pai-doesnt-suck/">Whats Dave Doing?</a><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;"><b>GO AHEAD AND LEAVE A COMMENT... YOU WON'T...</b></span></div>
</div>
Blakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07373492014130597619noreply@blogger.com2Pai, Mae Hong Son 58130, Thailand19.3588889 98.436666718.8795089 97.8049527 19.8382689 99.0683807tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3145908568894841960.post-18370051563949985422013-01-03T18:18:00.000+07:002013-01-16T14:37:25.320+07:00Top 12 Experiences Of '12<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">2012 was an incredible year; one of the best ever. I'm stoked to see what 2013 brings! Here's a few pictures to illustrate the countdown of my TOP 12 EXPERIENCES OF 2012! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>*For the full blog post, click on the relevant link (title) for each.</i></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"># 12. Many visits to Khanom-- one of my favorite beaches in Thailand</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i6BZHCOuO-c/UOLSvKCCSXI/AAAAAAAABPA/nK4_k1ahc7s/s1600/end+of+the+beach+Khanom,+Thailand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i6BZHCOuO-c/UOLSvKCCSXI/AAAAAAAABPA/nK4_k1ahc7s/s640/end+of+the+beach+Khanom,+Thailand.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a name='more'></a><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zN-mWpIRUco/UOLS4yfzUUI/AAAAAAAABPI/cZ6OpOGpin4/s1600/beach+camping+in+khanom,+thailand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zN-mWpIRUco/UOLS4yfzUUI/AAAAAAAABPI/cZ6OpOGpin4/s640/beach+camping+in+khanom,+thailand.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">beach camping</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YuOKtosDEo4/UOLfBZaDWNI/AAAAAAAABRY/aCaTipQxcLM/s1600/pig+in+khanom,+thailand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YuOKtosDEo4/UOLfBZaDWNI/AAAAAAAABRY/aCaTipQxcLM/s640/pig+in+khanom,+thailand.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">this little piggy went to the beach</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"># 11. <a href="http://blakesworld211.blogspot.com/2012/12/christmas-at-tiger-kingdom-in-chiang-mai.html" target="_blank">Wrestling with tigers at the Tiger Kingdom</a> in Chiang Mai</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QRua_1rxgzU/UOKykqBz0uI/AAAAAAAABFg/3c8Qf5GKaCo/s1600/Blake+hugging+tiger+at+Tiger+Kingdom+in+Chiang+Mai,+TH.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QRua_1rxgzU/UOKykqBz0uI/AAAAAAAABFg/3c8Qf5GKaCo/s640/Blake+hugging+tiger+at+Tiger+Kingdom+in+Chiang+Mai,+TH.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">big spoon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8SCtIzOGqBs/UOKzdSl_65I/AAAAAAAABF8/-78iahD21Qk/s1600/blake+half-nelsoning+a+tiger+at+tiger+kingdom+in+chiang+mai,+thailand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8SCtIzOGqBs/UOKzdSl_65I/AAAAAAAABF8/-78iahD21Qk/s640/blake+half-nelsoning+a+tiger+at+tiger+kingdom+in+chiang+mai,+thailand.jpg" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>got 'em, coach!</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-296oMi9AyWc/UOKyn4lNL7I/AAAAAAAABFw/1DCxad9Ue8o/s1600/kissing+a+tiger+at+Tiger+Kingdom+Chiang+Mai+Thailand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-296oMi9AyWc/UOKyn4lNL7I/AAAAAAAABFw/1DCxad9Ue8o/s640/kissing+a+tiger+at+Tiger+Kingdom+Chiang+Mai+Thailand.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Come here and give me a kiss, ya big pussy!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"># 10. <a href="http://blakesworld211.blogspot.com/2012/11/my-shipping-containerjungle-house-in.html" target="_blank">Living in a shipping container home in the jungle</a></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LsFONZjEcLg/UOK1CtzFvqI/AAAAAAAABG8/t3Bn8Sn7r4U/s1600/Thailand+jungle+shipping+container+home+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LsFONZjEcLg/UOK1CtzFvqI/AAAAAAAABG8/t3Bn8Sn7r4U/s640/Thailand+jungle+shipping+container+home+.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ErmNgHfWqLQ/UOK1L1B7iKI/AAAAAAAABHM/dbkrELysQco/s1600/shipping+container+house+in+the+Thai+jungle!.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ErmNgHfWqLQ/UOK1L1B7iKI/AAAAAAAABHM/dbkrELysQco/s640/shipping+container+house+in+the+Thai+jungle!.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lgjOPvksXFk/UOK1HB3eCfI/AAAAAAAABHE/d7NMd2sy85w/s1600/shipping+container+home+in+the+Thailand+jungle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lgjOPvksXFk/UOK1HB3eCfI/AAAAAAAABHE/d7NMd2sy85w/s640/shipping+container+home+in+the+Thailand+jungle.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jungle crib... Surat Thani, Thailand.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"># 9. <a href="http://blakesworld211.blogspot.com/2012/05/escape-from-kathmandu.html" target="_blank">Private helicopter ride from Kathmandu to Lukla, Nepal</a></span><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ybobBnKP9lA" width="640"></iframe><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JGEwoEOAcdE/UOK3qJY3ZcI/AAAAAAAABII/gHu-N9KcwyE/s1600/helicopter+ride+from+Kathmandu+to+Lukla.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JGEwoEOAcdE/UOK3qJY3ZcI/AAAAAAAABII/gHu-N9KcwyE/s640/helicopter+ride+from+Kathmandu+to+Lukla.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Get in the choppa!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"># 8. Visiting America (<i>twice!</i>)</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TAt8tbXq_gs/UOK43Na50vI/AAAAAAAABI4/X34AsdEG-GU/s1600/Maryland+crabs+and+beer!.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TAt8tbXq_gs/UOK43Na50vI/AAAAAAAABI4/X34AsdEG-GU/s640/Maryland+crabs+and+beer!.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Annapolis, Maryland, U.S.A.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aJS9N0wCdt8/UOK46rkqfSI/AAAAAAAABJA/6zvaiRdLPno/s1600/Paul-Brown+Wedding+at+the+Thayer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aJS9N0wCdt8/UOK46rkqfSI/AAAAAAAABJA/6zvaiRdLPno/s640/Paul-Brown+Wedding+at+the+Thayer.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TKE's at Travis & Nicole's wedding in NY</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yS6w5QafReM/UOLWwpPl_YI/AAAAAAAABP4/bEQcPV6DEGQ/s1600/Mom+and+the+Boys%2521+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yS6w5QafReM/UOLWwpPl_YI/AAAAAAAABP4/bEQcPV6DEGQ/s640/Mom+and+the+Boys%2521+2012.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom and the boys</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hFEITv7kyQs/UOLXliBW-oI/AAAAAAAABQA/kkkmqPAfq8g/s1600/the+4+amigos+at+Dad%2527s+wedding+in+Annapolis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hFEITv7kyQs/UOLXliBW-oI/AAAAAAAABQA/kkkmqPAfq8g/s640/the+4+amigos+at+Dad%2527s+wedding+in+Annapolis.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad's wedding. A healthy bloodline right there.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"># 7. A month spent <a href="http://blakesworld211.blogspot.com/2013/01/762-curves-to-pai.html" target="_blank">traveling Thailand's "Northern Loop"</a></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zskAdIoLU4I/UOK_7YTAfnI/AAAAAAAABMo/qBLs5e4IgqU/s1600/Beautiful+Karen+Long+neck+girl+in+Mae+Hong+Son,+Thailand+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zskAdIoLU4I/UOK_7YTAfnI/AAAAAAAABMo/qBLs5e4IgqU/s640/Beautiful+Karen+Long+neck+girl+in+Mae+Hong+Son,+Thailand+.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Karen "<a href="http://blakesworld211.blogspot.com/2013/01/after-pai-next-stop-on-northern-loop.html" target="_blank">long neck</a>" at the hilltribe village<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
*Check out the <a href="http://blakesworld211.blogspot.com/2012/12/songthaew-overload.html" target="_blank">video of me riding with 30+ hilltribe people in one <i>Songtaew</i> (pickup truck)!</a></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ip3sG27VQdQ/UOK__wNlHTI/AAAAAAAABMw/i0M-WVTcNeU/s1600/Blake+&+Monks+at+Mae+Hong+Son.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ip3sG27VQdQ/UOK__wNlHTI/AAAAAAAABMw/i0M-WVTcNeU/s640/Blake+&+Monks+at+Mae+Hong+Son.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">me with the<a href="http://blakesworld211.blogspot.com/2013/01/after-pai-next-stop-on-northern-loop.html" target="_blank"> monks in Mae Hong Son</a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"># 6. <a href="http://blakesworld211.blogspot.com/2011/12/december-travels-part-i-tiger-cave.html" target="_blank">Return to Khao Sok National Park and Ratchaprapha Dam</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-liDr166Lg6k/UOK-Mng27QI/AAAAAAAABLw/SONpNrWbGgY/s1600/Khao+Sok+DOMINATION.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-liDr166Lg6k/UOK-Mng27QI/AAAAAAAABLw/SONpNrWbGgY/s640/Khao+Sok+DOMINATION.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">conquerors of the cave</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QZ2TUAZMmyg/UOLFsUghPcI/AAAAAAAABOQ/pPGg6UhPTpM/s1600/cliff+jumping+at+Khao+Sok+National+Park+with+Smiley%2527s+Lake+house.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QZ2TUAZMmyg/UOLFsUghPcI/AAAAAAAABOQ/pPGg6UhPTpM/s640/cliff+jumping+at+Khao+Sok+National+Park+with+Smiley%2527s+Lake+house.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G5B64ZnK5u8/UOK-Pn5bQ8I/AAAAAAAABL4/xF796L44XyA/s1600/Rachaprapra+Dam+and+Smiley's+Lakehouse+Khao+sok.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G5B64ZnK5u8/UOK-Pn5bQ8I/AAAAAAAABL4/xF796L44XyA/s640/Rachaprapra+Dam+and+Smiley's+Lakehouse+Khao+sok.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> coolest lake ever... eat your heart out<i> Jurassic Park</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"># 5. <a href="http://blakesworld211.blogspot.com/2012/11/blake-vs-canadians-in-chiang-rai.html" target="_blank">Weekend at Bamboo Nest de Chiang Rai</a></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WyMGrNFEspE/UOK6ZBCqYbI/AAAAAAAABJ8/BE60BGfRZv4/s1600/view+from+the+hammock+at+Bamboo+Nest+de+Chiang+Rai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WyMGrNFEspE/UOK6ZBCqYbI/AAAAAAAABJ8/BE60BGfRZv4/s640/view+from+the+hammock+at+Bamboo+Nest+de+Chiang+Rai.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hOVH2NDr4zA/UOK6aP_J-VI/AAAAAAAABKI/zcNrDnRf8qU/s1600/white+dog+at+Bamboo+Nest+de+Chiang+Rai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hOVH2NDr4zA/UOK6aP_J-VI/AAAAAAAABKI/zcNrDnRf8qU/s640/white+dog+at+Bamboo+Nest+de+Chiang+Rai.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Whitey</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/JH90_yPL_ug" width="640"></iframe>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"># 4. <a href="http://blakesworld211.blogspot.com/2012/12/chiang-mai-2012-half-marathon-and.html" target="_blank"> Finishing my first half marathon</a> and <a href="http://blakesworld211.blogspot.com/2012/11/blakes-racing-for-burmese-education.html" target="_blank">organizing a fundraiser for my Burmese students</a> in Mae Sot</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lMSixoBPjv4/UOK69JByjjI/AAAAAAAABKQ/aghRU1SAXi0/s1600/Britt+and+Blake+Chiang+Mai+half+marathon+and+10k+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lMSixoBPjv4/UOK69JByjjI/AAAAAAAABKQ/aghRU1SAXi0/s640/Britt+and+Blake+Chiang+Mai+half+marathon+and+10k+2012.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DESTROMINATION</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2ZM-yJ-FUOM/UOK78XOvkiI/AAAAAAAABKc/V5Q1unXfh3Y/s1600/Knowledge+Zone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2ZM-yJ-FUOM/UOK78XOvkiI/AAAAAAAABKc/V5Q1unXfh3Y/s640/Knowledge+Zone.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knowledge Zone!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"># 3. <a href="http://blakesworld211.blogspot.com/2012/10/rock-climbing-penis-caves-of-railay.html" target="_blank">Rockclimbing at Railay Beach</a></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zf-FYN7TNno/UOKyAIb81uI/AAAAAAAABFY/7qe7d29wj-8/s1600/Blake+rock+climbing+King+Climber's+Railay+Beach,+Thailand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zf-FYN7TNno/UOKyAIb81uI/AAAAAAAABFY/7qe7d29wj-8/s640/Blake+rock+climbing+King+Climber's+Railay+Beach,+Thailand.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BOLFUImGlkY/UOK0WKKLgwI/AAAAAAAABG0/s31l78kezl4/s1600/best+Railay+Beach+pic+of+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BOLFUImGlkY/UOK0WKKLgwI/AAAAAAAABG0/s31l78kezl4/s640/best+Railay+Beach+pic+of+2012.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"># 2. <a href="http://blakesworld211.blogspot.com/2012/04/ang-thong-national-marine-park.html" target="_blank">Camping at Ang Thong National Marine Park</a></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-koNHW82ACgM/UOK0DUQ5MHI/AAAAAAAABGk/W6VS9dBdfTg/s1600/Ang+Thong+low+viewpoint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-koNHW82ACgM/UOK0DUQ5MHI/AAAAAAAABGk/W6VS9dBdfTg/s640/Ang+Thong+low+viewpoint.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-We_wK7X-Hmg/UOLDs4GnUyI/AAAAAAAABNg/PKbMcELaGfQ/s1600/camping+at+Ang+Thong+National+Marine+Park,+Thailand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-We_wK7X-Hmg/UOLDs4GnUyI/AAAAAAAABNg/PKbMcELaGfQ/s640/camping+at+Ang+Thong+National+Marine+Park,+Thailand.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uJhuAPlbiIo/UOK0FdS4BQI/AAAAAAAABGs/d-o4FQVQTcA/s1600/most+epic+Ang+Thong+viewpoint+picture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uJhuAPlbiIo/UOK0FdS4BQI/AAAAAAAABGs/d-o4FQVQTcA/s640/most+epic+Ang+Thong+viewpoint+picture.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"># 1. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> <a href="http://blakesworld211.blogspot.com/2012/08/ebc-trek-lobuche-to-gorak-shep-kala.html" target="_blank">Mt. Everest Base Camp Trek</a></span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0ufZjf_A7Jw/UOK2BmZo4yI/AAAAAAAABHc/ICMJlzvCGy4/s1600/Blake+on+top+of+Kala+Patthar+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0ufZjf_A7Jw/UOK2BmZo4yI/AAAAAAAABHc/ICMJlzvCGy4/s640/Blake+on+top+of+Kala+Patthar+2012.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top of the World (almost)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q07ue9lWeU0/UOK19IFmKAI/AAAAAAAABHU/hFq4UXxUNLI/s1600/Blake+at+Kala+Pattar+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q07ue9lWeU0/UOK19IFmKAI/AAAAAAAABHU/hFq4UXxUNLI/s1600/Blake+at+Kala+Pattar+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q07ue9lWeU0/UOK19IFmKAI/AAAAAAAABHU/hFq4UXxUNLI/s640/Blake+at+Kala+Pattar+2012.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kala Patthar (5,545 meters/18,192 feet in elevation)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">I'm doing BIG things in 2013 and I hope you all do too. Here's to an incredible year!</span></i></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;">BONUS MENTION: Scuba diving in Koh Tao (forgot about this one)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">Feel free to comment below...</span><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
Blakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07373492014130597619noreply@blogger.com0Thailand15.870032 100.992541000000070.21731199999999973 80.338244000000074 31.522752 121.64683800000007tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3145908568894841960.post-69103233900344223972013-01-02T07:55:00.000+07:002013-01-03T13:06:11.662+07:00Christmas at the Tiger Kingdom in Chiang Mai<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hay0PXbOf_0/UOEJtOoN6_I/AAAAAAAABCw/qAzIz2bQDyk/s1600/tiger+kingdom+sign+Tiger+Kingdom+in+Chiang+Mai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hay0PXbOf_0/UOEJtOoN6_I/AAAAAAAABCw/qAzIz2bQDyk/s640/tiger+kingdom+sign+Tiger+Kingdom+in+Chiang+Mai.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Thailand is well-known for its tiger sanctuaries. They're essentially tiger zoos that allow you to interact with the animals. It's something that has been on my Thailand Bucket List, things to do before I leave the country. I had the chance to visit the <a href="http://www.tigertemplethailand.com/" target="_blank">Tiger Temple</a> when I was visiting Kanchanaburi in October 2011. However, there's controversy over whether the tigers at this facility are drugged (to make them docile enough to be around humans without eating them). After doing some research, we concluded it probably wasn't very ethical, and decided to hold off. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I recently got my second chance while in Chiang Mai for the Christmas marathon. Chiang Mai is home to the <a href="http://www.tigerkingdom.com/" target="_blank">Tiger Kingdom</a>. Tiger Kingdom is humane in its training and treatment of the tigers and there are far less complaints about it, at least that we could find. I only have a few months left in Thailand so this would be my last chance to wrestle a tiger!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /></div>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ac3V2K6H698/UOEE0h3VlkI/AAAAAAAABAc/uXCB83rE73U/s1600/tiger+temple+sign+chiang+mai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ac3V2K6H698/UOEE0h3VlkI/AAAAAAAABAc/uXCB83rE73U/s320/tiger+temple+sign+chiang+mai.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In Chiang Mai, tuk-tuk drivers are constantly offering to cart people out to the Tiger Kingdom-- it's probably a good 20 km outside of town. Britt and I decided to do it on our own. We rented a motorbike (200 baht/day) from the guest house, grabbed a map, in after an easy 30 minute straight-shot out of the city... Hellooo Tiger Kingdom!</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Upon buying an admission ticket, we picked from the various packages. We chose to do one session with the big cats and one session with the small cats (unfortunately, the baby cubs weren't available). We also splurged and paid for a photographer for each cage. The total was 1239 baht/each ($40 USD/each)-- <i>well</i> worth it. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OAG3lCS0EIg/UOEFRSJVZNI/AAAAAAAABAk/lXP-oPt0_SY/s1600/DSC03998.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OAG3lCS0EIg/UOEFRSJVZNI/AAAAAAAABAk/lXP-oPt0_SY/s400/DSC03998.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I grabbed a beer and waited for our turn to get in the cage. After 30 minutes, we entered the tigers' den. The trainers gave us a few obvious instructions on what not to do (i.e. don't touch his face!). We got to spend a few minutes with each tiger. They really are just big lazy cats, laying around, wanting to be pet. It was cool posing with them but they weren't quite as active as I was hoping. First, we got to see the big Tigers.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GWx1_VWoc5Y/UOECh4z3cII/AAAAAAAAA_o/lbhT9omvUzQ/s1600/Tiger+spooning+at+Tiger+Kingdom%252C+Chiang+Mai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GWx1_VWoc5Y/UOECh4z3cII/AAAAAAAAA_o/lbhT9omvUzQ/s640/Tiger+spooning+at+Tiger+Kingdom%252C+Chiang+Mai.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I call big spoon!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Luckily, I remembered to bring my Santa hat and got some pics for my annual Thailand Christmas photo. </div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9AYK_N_52GI/UOEGfO8T1qI/AAAAAAAABAw/lCPTr8S-JMg/s1600/Merry+Christmas+at+Tiger+Kingdom+in+Chiang+Mai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9AYK_N_52GI/UOEGfO8T1qI/AAAAAAAABAw/lCPTr8S-JMg/s640/Merry+Christmas+at+Tiger+Kingdom+in+Chiang+Mai.jpg" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You've been a naughty tiger this year!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
At first I was nervous about even petting them, but after seeing how docile they were, I was surprised with how much I could get away with. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E8unqL1I8k4/UOECnvYzMqI/AAAAAAAAA_w/-EV3DmbJfYg/s1600/biting+the+tail+at+Tiger+Kingdom,+Chiang+Mai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E8unqL1I8k4/UOECnvYzMqI/AAAAAAAAA_w/-EV3DmbJfYg/s640/biting+the+tail+at+Tiger+Kingdom,+Chiang+Mai.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I guess I got a little too comfortable. At one point and I gave a nudge to one of the tigers to try and get him to play. He snapped his neck around and gave me the "eye of the tiger", reminding me that he could easily go Siegfried on my ass any time he wanted. I thought for a moment about maintaining the stare for my Alpha position. On second thought, this was tiger. A freaking tiger. He won. Respect.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yfuGh2u_z_I/UOECV0pWZ9I/AAAAAAAAA_Q/5Y8VvdIER9w/s1600/Alpha+Tiger+at+Tiger+Kingdom%252C+Chiang+Mai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yfuGh2u_z_I/UOECV0pWZ9I/AAAAAAAAA_Q/5Y8VvdIER9w/s640/Alpha+Tiger+at+Tiger+Kingdom%252C+Chiang+Mai.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Eye of the Tiger"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The smaller tigers had some more energy, but were still kind of boring.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-20E022TGcs4/UOEIGrpex8I/AAAAAAAABB8/wRiDDvKf_s8/s1600/playing+with+small+tigers+at+Tiger+Kingdom+in+Chiang+Mai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-20E022TGcs4/UOEIGrpex8I/AAAAAAAABB8/wRiDDvKf_s8/s640/playing+with+small+tigers+at+Tiger+Kingdom+in+Chiang+Mai.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
However... it was much easier to assert my dominance with the smaller ones.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7Zp3tIiRG-4/UOEIMUyFi-I/AAAAAAAABCE/5gauTbkG25s/s1600/wrestling+a+tiger+at+Tiger+Kingdom+in+Chiang+Mai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7Zp3tIiRG-4/UOEIMUyFi-I/AAAAAAAABCE/5gauTbkG25s/s640/wrestling+a+tiger+at+Tiger+Kingdom+in+Chiang+Mai.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Overall, it was a great experience and one of the best photo ops ever. I'd highly recommend hiring the photographer-- we got well over 100 awesome photos put on a CD. Also, if you're allergic to cats, beware. The fact that tigers are just really, REALLY big cats escaped me, and after rolling around with them in their cages, I was sneezing and itching for days! Other than that, the <a href="http://www.tigerkingdom.com/" target="_blank">Tiger Kingdom</a> was great. The tigers are really well trained and while there's no way to be absolutely sure, I don't think that they use drugs here. To cap it off, in one of the cages they even had a Liger, my favorite animal hybrid! It's a little expensive, but well worth it. If you're in Chiang Mai and have the time, check it out!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z9JrPVZpJ_8/UOECZ_vDCUI/AAAAAAAAA_Y/ZRpcFijDI4w/s1600/B%2526B+doing+work+at+Tiger+Kingdom%252C+Chiang+Mai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z9JrPVZpJ_8/UOECZ_vDCUI/AAAAAAAAA_Y/ZRpcFijDI4w/s640/B%2526B+doing+work+at+Tiger+Kingdom%252C+Chiang+Mai.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Take that, Richard Parker!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
FEEL FREE TO LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW</div>
Blakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07373492014130597619noreply@blogger.com9Chiang Mai, Thailand18.7964642 98.66005859999995714.948943199999999 93.49648459999996 22.6439852 103.82363259999995tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3145908568894841960.post-31445568483510192942013-01-01T21:10:00.002+07:002013-01-03T13:18:04.788+07:00BETTER FASTER STRONGER: MY 5 FAVORITE TECH TOOLS OF 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee; font-weight: bold;">My girl Britt's back with another guest post. I'm not the most tech savvy person these days, but even while living in a developing country, she manages to stay on top of what's hot and helpful. step your game up with the newest life hacks and check out these 5 websites and apps to make your 2013 more productive, efficient, and connected.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<header class="entry-header" style="display: block; float: none; width: auto;">
<div style="line-height: inherit;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: small;">ENTER BRITT...</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 25px; word-spacing: 2px;"><a name='more'></a><br /></span></header><br />
<div class="entry-content clear-fix" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
2012 will be known as the year when I finally entered the 21st century by getting an iPhone 3. Yes, an iPhone 3. Yes, I know they’re up to 5 now. But I’m still enamored with the older model and the whole idea of mobile technology with productivity-enhancing apps. My students, on the other hand, wrinkled their noses in disgust when I brought my new prize to class to play some music.</div>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Teenagers, these days, I tell ya…</div>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Though I may be a little late to the game when it comes to acquiring the latest gadget, I still like to make the most of what I do own. After a 2-year technological leave-of-absence here in Thailand, I’m back in action, seeking out the best little lifehacks a girl could ask for.</div>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In case you’re emerging out of a black hole too, here’s a top 5 list of online and mobile goodies that have changed the way I do things this year.</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Terminal Dosis', sans-serif; font-size: 24px; line-height: 31px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: 'Terminal Dosis', sans-serif; font-size: 24px; line-height: 31px;">5.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime; font-family: 'Terminal Dosis', sans-serif; font-size: 24px; line-height: 31px;"> <a href="https://ifttt.com/" target="_blank">IFTTT </a>(If This, Then That)</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I love <a href="https://ifttt.com/wtf" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">IFTTT</a> because it makes my favorite apps and websites play together nicely. Facebook and Picasa used to be like spoiled brats who wouldn’t share the things that I wanted them to share — my photos — without a whole lot of intervention and time.</div>
</div>
<div class="wp-caption alignnone" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; max-width: 100%; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 730px;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<img alt="" height="200" src="https://ifttt.com/assets/r2012/ifthisthenthat-big-1253fc79ae44104d0fa0e8ec6aae2129.svg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="720" /></div>
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9166666666666667em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1em; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">
simple recipes for the web</div>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Now, I can use IFTTT to automate tasks between services. You can use Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, Twitter, or any of the other 30+ services featured. By choosing a trigger (uploading a picture to Facebook, for example), I can then choose what action I want to happen (uploading that same photo to a Picasa web album).</div>
</div>
<div class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_2491" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; max-width: 100%; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 480px;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://teacherbrittanysays.wordpress.com/2012/12/30/faster-better-stronger-but-not-harder-my-5-favorite-tech-tools-of-2012/ifttt-facebook-status-diary/#main" rel="attachment wp-att-2491" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-style: initial; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img alt="save your facebook status updates to a google spreadsheet with IFTTT " class="size-full wp-image-2491" height="99" src="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/ifttt-facebook-status-diary.png?w=470&h=99" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="470" /></span></a></div>
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9166666666666667em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1em; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">
save your facebook status updates to a google spreadsheet with IFTTT</div>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
You can easily and effectively use IFTTT as a back-up system for your online presence. For example, I just made a recipe where anytime I update my Facebook status, it immediately adds it to a Google Spreadsheet with the date and time (<a href="https://ifttt.com/recipes/72241" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">here’s a link</a>). Instant 2013 micro-diary.</div>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Of course, there’s so much more you can do with IFTTT – <a href="https://ifttt.com/recipes" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">check and see what the community has to offer</a>.</div>
</div>
<h1 style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: 'Terminal Dosis', sans-serif; font-size: 3em; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.3em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
</h1>
<h2 style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: 'Terminal Dosis', sans-serif; font-size: 2em; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.3em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">
4.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;"> <a href="http://evernote.com/" target="_blank">Evernote</a></span></h2>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Using <a href="https://evernote.com/" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Evernote</a> is my way of keeping my web research organized. Because it stores notes with a time/date stamp, I can tell you that I actually created my first ever note in August 2008 and my 59th one in December 2009.</div>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I’m not sure why I stopped using Evernote for two years, but in March 2012, we were reuinted and I’ve got around 400 snippets of information saved in there now.</div>
</div>
<div class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_2488" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; max-width: 100%; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 480px;">
<a href="http://teacherbrittanysays.wordpress.com/2012/12/30/faster-better-stronger-but-not-harder-my-5-favorite-tech-tools-of-2012/evernote/#main" rel="attachment wp-att-2488" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-style: initial; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img alt="Remember everything" class="size-full wp-image-2488" height="251" src="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/evernote.png?w=470&h=251" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="470" /></span></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9166666666666667em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1em; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">
Remember everything</div>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Basically I use Evernote to “clip” and store pieces of information or entire webpages that I find useful, using a <a href="https://evernote.com/webclipper/" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">handy little browser extension</a>. This information then gets synced to Evernote Web or my iPhone/Kindle app, where I can file it away into notebooks, tag the notes, or search them later.</div>
</div>
<div class="tiled-gallery type-rectangular" data-carousel-extra="{"blog_id":40804326,"permalink":"http:\/\/teacherbrittanysays.wordpress.com\/2012\/12\/30\/faster-better-stronger-but-not-harder-my-5-favorite-tech-tools-of-2012\/"}" data-original-width="470" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: both; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div class="gallery-row" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 333px; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 465px;">
<div class="gallery-group images-1" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 337px; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 235px;">
<div class="tiled-gallery-item small" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://teacherbrittanysays.wordpress.com/2012/12/30/faster-better-stronger-but-not-harder-my-5-favorite-tech-tools-of-2012/img_0195/#main" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-style: initial; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img data-attachment-id="2473" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":""}" data-image-title="Evernote mobile app" data-large-file="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/img_01951.png?w=319" data-medium-file="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/img_01951.png?w=208" data-orig-file="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/img_01951.png" data-orig-size="319,460" height="333" src="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/img_01951.png?w=231&h=333" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; box-shadow: none; height: 333px; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 2px !important; margin-left: 2px !important; margin-right: 2px !important; margin-top: 2px !important; max-width: 100%; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: middle; width: 231px;" title="Evernote mobile app" width="231" /></span></a></div>
</div>
<div class="gallery-group images-1" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 337px; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 230px;">
<div class="tiled-gallery-item small" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://teacherbrittanysays.wordpress.com/2012/12/30/faster-better-stronger-but-not-harder-my-5-favorite-tech-tools-of-2012/img_0196/#main" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-style: initial; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img align="left" data-attachment-id="2474" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":""}" data-image-title="evernote mobile app" data-large-file="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/img_01961.png?w=316" data-medium-file="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/img_01961.png?w=203" data-orig-file="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/img_01961.png" data-orig-size="316,465" height="333" src="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/img_01961.png?w=226&h=333" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-width: initial; box-shadow: none; height: 333px; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 2px !important; margin-left: 2px !important; margin-right: 2px !important; margin-top: 2px !important; max-width: 100%; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 226px;" title="evernote mobile app" width="226" /></span></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
</div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The search feature is what initially drew me to Evernote. If you take a picture of a business card or a handwritten note, the search feature can read the text.</div>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Evernote actually has many other features in its <a href="http://trunk.evernote.com/" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Trunk</a>, including a way to <a href="http://trunk.evernote.com/app/evernote-food/iphone" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">save all your favorite food memories</a> and an especially schmancy Moleskine notebook. Definitely worth using it in its simplest form, but if you’re ever lost about what to get me or other tech geeks for a present, you can gift <a href="https://www.evernote.com/Gift.action" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">the upgraded version</a> so we can work offline.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: 'Terminal Dosis', sans-serif; font-size: 2em; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.3em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">
3.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;"> <a href="http://www.memrise.com/" target="_blank">Memrise</a></span></h2>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I’ve always read that you can improve your retention of language (or anything, for that matter) by creating mnemonic devices, but I never really tried coming up with any of my own…until I found <a href="http://teacherbrittanysays.wordpress.com/2012/12/30/faster-better-stronger-but-not-harder-my-5-favorite-tech-tools-of-2012/www.memrise.com" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Memrise</a>.</div>
</div>
<div class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_2495" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; max-width: 100%; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 480px;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://teacherbrittanysays.wordpress.com/2012/12/30/faster-better-stronger-but-not-harder-my-5-favorite-tech-tools-of-2012/memrise-splash/#main" rel="attachment wp-att-2495" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-style: initial; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img alt="Learn something new every day with memrise" class="size-full wp-image-2495" height="229" src="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/memrise-splash.png?w=470&h=229" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="470" /></span></a></div>
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9166666666666667em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1em; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">
Learn something new every day with memrise</div>
</div>
<div class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_2493" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; max-width: 100%; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 480px;">
<a href="http://teacherbrittanysays.wordpress.com/2012/12/30/faster-better-stronger-but-not-harder-my-5-favorite-tech-tools-of-2012/2012-12-30-170144_1366x768_scrot/#main" rel="attachment wp-att-2493" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-style: initial; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img alt="a small sample of courses" class="size-full wp-image-2493" height="310" src="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/2012-12-30-170144_1366x768_scrot.png?w=470&h=310" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="470" /></span></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9166666666666667em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1em; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">
a small sample of courses</div>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
With Memrise, it’s simple. Pick a course (Mandarin Reading Survival, for example) and you’re immediately exposed to interesting memes from the community of language learners on the site. Some are pretty amazing for visual learners, like this meme to help you <a href="http://www.memrise.com/mem/82046/this-is-a-picture-of-a-square-mouth-imgstaticuploa/" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">remember the Chinese symbol for mouth</a>. Other memes may play off of other random associations: <a href="http://www.memrise.com/mem/292057/you-drink-coca-cola-with-your-mouth-pronounced-sor/" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">this meme</a> suggests that you remember that “mouth” in Chinese is pronounced sort of like “co” because you drink <span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">C</span><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">o</span>ca Cola with your mouth. Genius, right?</div>
</div>
<div class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_2496" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; max-width: 100%; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 480px;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://teacherbrittanysays.wordpress.com/2012/12/30/faster-better-stronger-but-not-harder-my-5-favorite-tech-tools-of-2012/points/#main" rel="attachment wp-att-2496" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-style: initial; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img alt="My points!" class="size-full wp-image-2496" height="334" src="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/points.png?w=470&h=334" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="470" /></span></a></div>
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9166666666666667em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1em; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">
Almost 90,000 points in Memrise this year</div>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If the available memes don’t work for you, just add your own random association with the sound or shape you want to remember. I didn’t think I was very good at coming up with memes at first, but as time has gone on, I’ve actually gotten a lot quicker at making nonsense memes that work for me. (I won’t be sharing them here, however, because they are usually inappropriate, but hey, that’s what works.)</div>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Memrise also makes learning into a game where you earn points by typing in the correct definition or choosing the correct answer in multiple choice. Imagine if everyone checked and used Memrise as much as you do Facebook – we’d all be speaking 5 languages by now.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: 'Terminal Dosis', sans-serif; font-size: 2em; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.3em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">
2.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;"> <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pocket-formerly-read-it-later/id309601447?mt=8" target="_blank">Pocket</a> (formerly Read It Later)</span></h2>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I simply ahhhhhh-dore Pocket. If Pocket were a lap dog, I would be the kind of crazy that wanted to carry it around to restaurants and doctors offices so I wouldn’t feel lonely ever again. And that’s what has happened, but luckily it’s an app instead of an animal. Combining Pocket with my Kindle Fire has changed my relationship with the web and my computer, because now I can take everything I want to read with me on the road instead of constantly falling down a rabbit hole of links I want to read.</div>
</div>
<div class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_2465" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; max-width: 100%; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 293px;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://teacherbrittanysays.wordpress.com/2012/12/30/faster-better-stronger-but-not-harder-my-5-favorite-tech-tools-of-2012/img_0187/#main" rel="attachment wp-att-2465" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-style: initial; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img alt="read the web later with pocket" class="size-full wp-image-2465" src="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/img_01871.png?w=470" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></span></a></div>
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9166666666666667em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1em; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">
read the web later with pocket</div>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em id="__mceDel" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br style="line-height: inherit;" /></em>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<em id="__mceDel" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Like Evernote, Pocket works best for me because of a <a href="http://help.getpocket.com/customer/portal/topics/209716-pocket-browser-extensions/articles" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">simple browser extension</a>. When I see a link in a post on<a href="http://teacherbrittanysays.wordpress.com/2012/12/30/faster-better-stronger-but-not-harder-my-5-favorite-tech-tools-of-2012/kottke.org" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"> kottke.org</a> or on <a href="http://teacherbrittanysays.wordpress.com/2012/12/30/faster-better-stronger-but-not-harder-my-5-favorite-tech-tools-of-2012/longreads.com" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">longreads.com</a> that I find interesting, I simply right click and hit “Save to Pocket.” Now I don’t have to click “Open in New Tab” over and over again, and Pocket syncs the article to a clean, easy to read, ad-free page on my iPhone or on my Kindle.</span></em></div>
</div>
<div class="tiled-gallery type-rectangular" data-carousel-extra="{"blog_id":40804326,"permalink":"http:\/\/teacherbrittanysays.wordpress.com\/2012\/12\/30\/faster-better-stronger-but-not-harder-my-5-favorite-tech-tools-of-2012\/"}" data-original-width="470" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: both; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div class="gallery-row" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 328px; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 465px;">
<div class="gallery-group images-1" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 332px; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 231px;">
<div class="tiled-gallery-item small" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://teacherbrittanysays.wordpress.com/2012/12/30/faster-better-stronger-but-not-harder-my-5-favorite-tech-tools-of-2012/img_0189/#main" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-style: initial; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img data-attachment-id="2467" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":""}" data-image-title="" data-large-file="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/img_01891.png?w=319" data-medium-file="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/img_01891.png?w=208" data-orig-file="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/img_01891.png" data-orig-size="319,460" height="328" src="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/img_01891.png?w=227&h=328" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; box-shadow: none; height: 327px; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 2px !important; margin-left: 2px !important; margin-right: 2px !important; margin-top: 2px !important; max-width: 100%; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: middle; width: 227px;" title="" width="227" /></span></a></div>
</div>
<div class="gallery-group images-1" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 332px; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 234px;">
<div class="tiled-gallery-item small" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://teacherbrittanysays.wordpress.com/2012/12/30/faster-better-stronger-but-not-harder-my-5-favorite-tech-tools-of-2012/img_0188/#main" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-style: initial; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img align="left" data-attachment-id="2466" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":""}" data-image-title="" data-large-file="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/img_01881.png?w=320" data-medium-file="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/img_01881.png?w=210" data-orig-file="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/img_01881.png" data-orig-size="320,457" height="328" src="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/img_01881.png?w=230&h=328" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-width: initial; box-shadow: none; height: 328px; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 2px !important; margin-left: 2px !important; margin-right: 2px !important; margin-top: 2px !important; max-width: 100%; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 230px;" title="" width="230" /></span></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I used to spend way too much time in college with information overloading me and my web browser. Pocket lets me take everything away from the computer and into my hands, and I love it. No more using the computer in bed!</div>
</div>
<h1 style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: 'Terminal Dosis', sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.3em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;">
1.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime; font-size: x-large;"> <a href="http://lift.do/" target="_blank">Lift</a></span></h1>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I found out about Lift almost immediately after reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Power-Habit-What-Life-Business/dp/1400069289" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">The Power of Habit</a> in late August/early September 2012, and I’ve been hooked ever since. As of Dec. 29, I’ve logged over 850 check-ins to my 20 habits I’m trying to track and change.</div>
</div>
<div class="tiled-gallery type-rectangular" data-carousel-extra="{"blog_id":40804326,"permalink":"http:\/\/teacherbrittanysays.wordpress.com\/2012\/12\/30\/faster-better-stronger-but-not-harder-my-5-favorite-tech-tools-of-2012\/"}" data-original-width="470" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: both; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div class="gallery-row" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 336px; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 465px;">
<div class="gallery-group images-1" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 340px; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 229px;">
<div class="tiled-gallery-item small" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://teacherbrittanysays.wordpress.com/2012/12/30/faster-better-stronger-but-not-harder-my-5-favorite-tech-tools-of-2012/img_0190/#main" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-style: initial; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img data-attachment-id="2468" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":""}" data-image-title="favorite iphone app for 2012" data-large-file="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/img_01901.png?w=307" data-medium-file="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/img_01901.png?w=200" data-orig-file="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/img_01901.png" data-orig-size="307,459" height="336" src="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/img_01901.png?w=225&h=336" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; box-shadow: none; height: 336px; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 2px !important; margin-left: 2px !important; margin-right: 2px !important; margin-top: 2px !important; max-width: 100%; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: middle; width: 225px;" title="favorite iphone app for 2012" width="225" /></span></a></div>
</div>
<div class="gallery-group images-1" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 340px; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 236px;">
<div class="tiled-gallery-item small" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://teacherbrittanysays.wordpress.com/2012/12/30/faster-better-stronger-but-not-harder-my-5-favorite-tech-tools-of-2012/img_0191/#main" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-style: initial; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img align="left" data-attachment-id="2469" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":""}" data-image-title="a few of my habits" data-large-file="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/img_01911.png?w=318" data-medium-file="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/img_01911.png?w=206" data-orig-file="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/img_01911.png" data-orig-size="318,461" height="336" src="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/img_01911.png?w=232&h=336" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-width: initial; box-shadow: none; height: 336px; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 2px !important; margin-left: 2px !important; margin-right: 2px !important; margin-top: 2px !important; max-width: 100%; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 232px;" title="a few of my habits" width="232" /></span></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
</div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Lift mainly helps fulfill the “reward” part of the <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CDUQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcharlesduhigg.com%2Fhow-habits-work%2F&ei=q__eUK6UMszprQfc84GICA&usg=AFQjCNHoLHJF5ym9cK5rg3mDHaNwvsG3DA&sig2=QWKfii6eiQU6l6AktisUHQ&bvm=bv.1355534169,d.bmk" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><em style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">cue-routine-reward </em>habit loop</a> that has always been elusive for me in my previous attempts at breaking a bad habit (or starting a new one).</div>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The problem is that I (and everyone at the gym around New Years) usually only focus on the routine part of the habit, but making sure you have <a href="http://www.quicksprout.com/2012/09/24/15-little-life-experiments-that-will-change-your-life/" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">good cues</a>, low barrier goals <a href="http://zenhabits.net/floss/" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">like flossing just one tooth</a>, and <a href="http://lifehacker.com/281626/jerry-seinfelds-productivity-secret" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">not breaking the chain</a> are just as important to keep a habit going beyond January.</div>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Lift’s features, which you can see in the screenshots above and below, are simple yet incredibly satisfying; addictive in a good way:</div>
</div>
<ul style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: circle; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 2.8em; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 2.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">A big check button to push when you’ve done your habit</li>
<li style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 2.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Frequency and monthly graphs</li>
<li style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 2.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Habit “streaks”</li>
<li style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 2.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Occasional “props” from other users</li>
</ul>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
You also can add notes about what you did or how you felt.</div>
<div class="tiled-gallery type-rectangular" data-carousel-extra="{"blog_id":40804326,"permalink":"http:\/\/teacherbrittanysays.wordpress.com\/2012\/12\/30\/faster-better-stronger-but-not-harder-my-5-favorite-tech-tools-of-2012\/"}" data-original-width="470" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: both; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div class="gallery-row" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 329px; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 465px;">
<div class="gallery-group images-1" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 333px; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 233px;">
<div class="tiled-gallery-item small" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://teacherbrittanysays.wordpress.com/2012/12/30/faster-better-stronger-but-not-harder-my-5-favorite-tech-tools-of-2012/img_0193/#main" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-style: initial; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img align="left" data-attachment-id="2471" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":""}" data-image-title="Graph screen lift iphone app morning pages" data-large-file="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/img_01931.png?w=316" data-medium-file="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/img_01931.png?w=208" data-orig-file="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/img_01931.png" data-orig-size="316,454" height="329" src="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/img_01931.png?w=229&h=329" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-width: initial; box-shadow: none; height: 329px; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 2px !important; margin-left: 2px !important; margin-right: 2px !important; margin-top: 2px !important; max-width: 100%; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 229px;" title="Graph screen lift iphone app morning pages" width="229" /></span></a></div>
</div>
<div class="gallery-group images-1" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 333px; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 232px;">
<div class="tiled-gallery-item small" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://teacherbrittanysays.wordpress.com/2012/12/30/faster-better-stronger-but-not-harder-my-5-favorite-tech-tools-of-2012/img_0192/#main" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-style: initial; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img align="left" data-attachment-id="2470" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":""}" data-image-title="lift my morning pages" data-large-file="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/img_01921.png?w=318" data-medium-file="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/img_01921.png?w=208" data-orig-file="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/img_01921.png" data-orig-size="318,458" height="329" src="http://teacherbrittanysays.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/img_01921.png?w=228&h=329" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-width: initial; box-shadow: none; height: 328px; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 2px !important; margin-left: 2px !important; margin-right: 2px !important; margin-top: 2px !important; max-width: 100%; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 228px;" title="lift my morning pages" width="228" /></span></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
</div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703478704574612052322122442.html?mod=article-outset-box" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Some research suggests willpower is finite and limited</a>, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">other research suggests it only is if you believe it to be so (like the Cranberries’ song Zombie,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"> <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/27/opinion/sunday/willpower-its-in-your-head.html?_r=0" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">it’s in your head</a>). </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">For me, using Lift has been an exercise in strengthening certain habits and then seeing the effects ripple over to other parts of my life, making it my top technology tool of 2012.</span></div>
</div>
<h2 style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: 'Terminal Dosis', sans-serif; font-size: 2em; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.3em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3;">
Honorable Mentions:</span></h2>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;">There are some apps that I didn’t get to make much use of this year but plan on using a lot more when I return to the States. I’ll do a more complete review later, but here they are in case they’re useful to you now:</span></div>
<ul style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: circle; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 2.8em; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 2.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://teacherbrittanysays.wordpress.com/2012/12/30/faster-better-stronger-but-not-harder-my-5-favorite-tech-tools-of-2012/mint.com" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Mint.com</a>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">easy online budgeting software and additional mobile app. I can’t use it with Thai baht, otherwise I’d be using it every day to track where my money goes. Links to your bank account and lets you tag/categorize your transactions and set financial goals.</span></span></li>
<li style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 2.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><a href="http://teacherbrittanysays.wordpress.com/2012/12/30/faster-better-stronger-but-not-harder-my-5-favorite-tech-tools-of-2012/bufferapp.com" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Buffer</a>: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">particularly handy if you live in a different time zone from all your friends and you want them to see your social media updates. You can schedule when and what you want to post, and Buffer adds it to a queue and does it automatically for you.</span></li>
<li style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 2.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/atimelogger/id358979305?mt=8" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">aTimeLogger</a>: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">Randy Pausch’s lecture on</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"> <a href="http://teacherbrittanysays.wordpress.com/2012/12/30/faster-better-stronger-but-not-harder-my-5-favorite-tech-tools-of-2012/www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTugjssqOT0" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">time management</a> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">reminded me that it’s a good idea to track where all your time goes. I’ve used it for 2 days and I’m already surprised at the results.</span></li>
<li style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 2.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/en/app/nike-training-club/id301521403?mt=8" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Nike Training Club</a>: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">interval workouts designed specifically for women. Pick workout focus, intensity and length, set the music, and you’ll hear directions as an on-screen timer counts down how much you’ve got left. Includes instructional videos. Some workout equipment needed but can be modified.</span></li>
<li style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 2.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/stayfocusd/laankejkbhbdhmipfmgcngdelahlfoji?hl=en" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.18s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">StayFocusd</a>:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"> an add-on for Chrome that blocks browsing of certain websites, like ones that rhyme with pacebook and muzzfeed, after your designated time limit is up. Shows a screen that says “Shouldn’t you be working?” The answer is yes.</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">Time to say goodbye to 2012 (or 2555 here) and say hello to 2556. May your workdays be productive – so you can spend time with the people who really matter!</span></em></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">p.s. Anything else I’m missing? Share, please</span> <img alt=":)" class="wp-smiley" src="http://s0.wp.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif?m=1129645325g" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-width: initial; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" /></em></div>
</div>
</div>
Blakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07373492014130597619noreply@blogger.com2Thailand15.870032 100.992541000000070.21731199999999973 80.338244000000074 31.522752 121.64683800000007tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3145908568894841960.post-47973870778607421662012-12-31T20:09:00.000+07:002013-01-03T13:09:02.313+07:00Chiang Mai 2012 Half Marathon and Fundraiser Finale<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-size: large;">THE FUNDRAISER</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
First of all, I want to say THANK YOU to everyone that donated to the fundraiser and supported me in my first 1/2 marathon. Both the fundraiser and the race were enormous successes! With the help of some amazing family, friends, and strangers, we more than doubled the original goal, raising a total of <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"><b>$2,221.89</b>!</span> All the money will go towards education of Burmese migrants in Mae Sot, Thailand. That money will go a long way and do amazing things. It means a lot, both to me and to the students at Knowledge Zone. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4WRjWyxPbU0/UN_DcrIfdiI/AAAAAAAAA9Y/Wej2QZA7K4M/s1600/New+Yellow+Chiang+Mai+Marathon+T+Shirt+2012+Marathon+Monster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4WRjWyxPbU0/UN_DcrIfdiI/AAAAAAAAA9Y/Wej2QZA7K4M/s320/New+Yellow+Chiang+Mai+Marathon+T+Shirt+2012+Marathon+Monster.jpg" width="320" /></a>Regarding incentives-- Level 1 donors, enjoy that good karma! Level 2 donors, you should be receiving a thank you note and picture from a student at Knowledge Zone within the next few weeks if you haven't already. Mail coming from Thailand can take a while so please be patient. Level 3 donors, the t-shirts have been made and will be sent out soon. I have M in blue, L in yellow, and XL in blue. You can expect the shirts around the end of January.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Again, THANK YOU to everyone that donated, cheered me on, or supported this event in any way!</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z36aiH15QRk/UN-tDqLOidI/AAAAAAAAA3A/9fe9Z7feBew/s1600/Knowledge+Zone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z36aiH15QRk/UN-tDqLOidI/AAAAAAAAA3A/9fe9Z7feBew/s640/Knowledge+Zone.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-size: large;">THE HALF-MARATHON</span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In setting out to run my first 1/2 marathon with only 4 weeks of preparation (and in minimalist running shoes), I have to say I was a little intimidated. Prior to the announcement of the fundraiser and race, I hadn't trained at all. My initial goal was merely to finish the race in the allotted time (3 hours). From the onset of training, my conditioning improved quickly but the shoes killed my legs and feet. When transitioning to minimalist shoes, you're supposed to slowly work up to jogging any kind of distance. You're definitely <i>not</i> supposed to run a 13 mile race in the them almost right away. I knew that the shoes would be the biggest challenge for me. After training for the few weeks I had before the race (I'll write a full post on my training later), I felt much better. My conditioning had improved and though my legs and feet still hurt, they felt much stronger. My new goal was to have a respectable finish in under 2 hours.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_4JyVqxR4Wo/UN-wDxZfI3I/AAAAAAAAA4c/6_0mUSRcUGg/s1600/2012+Chiang+Mai+Marathon+Tha+Pae+Gate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_4JyVqxR4Wo/UN-wDxZfI3I/AAAAAAAAA4c/6_0mUSRcUGg/s320/2012+Chiang+Mai+Marathon+Tha+Pae+Gate.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In the end, I impressed myself. First, we crushed the fundraising goal, then I destroyed my personal goal for the race. Not only did I finish with only a few weeks of training and while wearing the minimalist shoes, I had a pretty respectable finishing time...<b> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">1 hour 50 minutes</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">!</span> After crossing the finish line I was surprised to find out that <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">I finished 8th out of 45 people in my category (age 29 & under), and I finished 39th overall (out of a total of 281 people)! </span></b>I even finished before the first-place female runner. There are a ton of incredible female athletes and I respect them all. That said, as a matter of pride, it still feels good to be able to say I didn't lose to a girl!</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">The whole process taught me a lot and was a ton of fun. It was a great experience and though it will be awhile before I take on another endurance event, I know I'll do it again (but maybe I'll wear different shoes next time). Who knows? Maybe a full marathon. I've also always wanted to do a triathlon. Time will tell.</span></b></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-size: large;">THE RACE</span></span></b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EhBt9U9QoBk/UN-yMIZB22I/AAAAAAAAA5g/7nXkG1K1evw/s1600/champion+chip+for+Chiang+Rai+Half+Marathon+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EhBt9U9QoBk/UN-yMIZB22I/AAAAAAAAA5g/7nXkG1K1evw/s320/champion+chip+for+Chiang+Rai+Half+Marathon+2012.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Championchip</i> tracker</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I woke up at my guest house in Chiang Mai at 3:15 am. With my eyes still half shut, I forced down a piece of bread with some peanut butter and chugged some water before getting ready. I pinned my race bib to my <a href="http://www.underarmour.com/" target="_blank">Under Armour</a>, taped the back of my foot where the shoes rub, attached my race chip to the laces, and donned my lucky Caps hat. <i>Today's the day</i>, I thought. Around 4 am, I ate half a Power Bar and a small banana, and walked to the starting point at the Tha Pae Gate.</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I had 30 minutes til the race would start so I walked around to loosen up and check out the other runners. I knew I didn't have a shot at winning, but still my competitive spirit was stirring. I started to size up the competition. There were hundreds of people. Some were old, some young, some fit, some fat. All kinds of people. A young Indian-looking guy came up to me and asked for help putting on his race chip (a sensor that tracks time/distance). <i>Dammit, Mowgli!</i> I thought. <i>I'm trying to get in the freakin zone here! </i>As I attached the chip to Mowgli's shoelaces he tried to make some small talk. It turned out he was actually from Bangladesh and that this was his first half marathon too. I could care less. <i>What is this, Life of Pi? Shouldn't you be on a boat somewhere? Go play with your tiger. </i>I held back.</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
"So, what's your goal?" he asked, referring to a finish time.</div>
<div>
"Not sure. 2 hours I guess." I didn't return the question but he answered anyway.</div>
<div>
"I'm aiming for an hour, thirty-five" he shared before adding very nonchalantly, "but I've only been training for 7 months."</div>
<div>
<i>Dick</i>.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l1uZUBnSNnk/UN-2TtymJzI/AAAAAAAAA6I/Hlu1kalv77o/s1600/Vibram+Fivefingers-slide-mens-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l1uZUBnSNnk/UN-2TtymJzI/AAAAAAAAA6I/Hlu1kalv77o/s320/Vibram+Fivefingers-slide-mens-.jpg" width="259" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/index.htm" target="_blank">Vibram Fivefingers</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I left Mowgli and walked over to the starting area where all the runners were being corralled. It was still dark and the air was chilly, especially for Thailand. I looked around for someone to use as a pacer. I saw a guy wearing <a href="http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/index.htm" target="_blank">Vibram Fivefingers</a> (another kind of barefoot/minimalist shoe). Target acquired. Locked and loaded. At 5 am, the horn sounded. I hit start on my watch and play on my iPod, and I was off. <i>21km to go</i>.</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Almost immediately the Fivefingers guy fell back and I had to pick a new person to pace with. After a few minutes, I settled on a girl with a good steady pace. She had broad shoulders and masculine features. Nothing I particularly wanted to look at for the next 13 miles. However, her pace fit and she had bright striped knee socks, like a candy cane. Easy to follow.</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I eventually started picking up the pace and passing people, being cautious not to overdo it too early. A sign marked the end of the first 5km and checked my watch, <i>26 minutes</i>. Slow and steady. Soon after, I had to pee. I knew this would happen-- for some reason, I always have to pee after about 5km-- so earlier I'd made a mental note of a porta john nearby. I caught my breath as I took a leak. Then it was immediately back to pounding pavement. Within a few minutes I'd caught back up to Candy Cane and passed a bunch of other runners. As I trotted along and found my groove, I listened to my iPod and watched the sleeping city. </div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
4 to 5 am is a weird time in Thailand. Everything is closed for the night, but nothing is open for the new day. There aren't many people out that early and the ones that are are an interesting lot-- a few bar stragglers, monks collecting their morning alms, hookers finishing the night shift. At one point a group of three or four ladyboys stood on a corner watching the runners like we were were the odd ones. "Handsome man! Go! You go! You go!" When I'd daydreamed about having my own personal cheerleaders on the sideline this wasn't exactly what I'd had in mind.</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t_xGQcATme4/UN_Hb05IQyI/AAAAAAAAA-M/h8eil983TDM/s1600/monk+collecting+morning+alms+in+Chiang+Mai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t_xGQcATme4/UN_Hb05IQyI/AAAAAAAAA-M/h8eil983TDM/s400/monk+collecting+morning+alms+in+Chiang+Mai.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">collecting morning alms (photo credit: <a href="http://www.dailytravelphotos.com/archive/2009/03/31/" target="_blank">dailytravelphotos</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Still, I felt fantastic. My lungs were good and my energy was great-- my training approach (which I'll write more about in another post) was paying off! I started passing more and more people, taking sips of water when I could, but never stopping-- only going faster. At what I figured was around the one hour mark, my feet started bothering me. Not cramping, but sore from the minimalist shoes. One thing I'd learned while training is that with these shoes, it's all about form. Whenever my feet started to hurt, I'd correct my posture and concentrate on my foot strikes-- actually speeding up instead of slowing down. Still dark, still cool-- training in the heat was paying off too. I'd been pacing myself with a big guy that was moving at a pretty good pace. I passed more people, one small cluster at a time. The giant bunch that we'd all began was thinning out rapidly.</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1-AKwKpqIjU/UN_GUK6ABuI/AAAAAAAAA-A/ncyuIOh3yG4/s1600/city+walls+Chiang+Mai+Marathon+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="302" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1-AKwKpqIjU/UN_GUK6ABuI/AAAAAAAAA-A/ncyuIOh3yG4/s400/city+walls+Chiang+Mai+Marathon+2012.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">City wall's of Chiang Mai's "old city" <br />
(photo credit: <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/chiangmaiimpressivetour/" target="_blank">Chiangmaiimpressivetour</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
At the half-way point, the course turned back toward the center of Chiang Mai, retracing the first half of the race back to the starting point. Now I was running against the grain. For the first time I saw how many people were behind me. Just when I started feeling good about myself, Candy Cane came out of nowhere. She passed me, then caught up with the big dude that I'd been pacing behind, and then she passed him too. She might of looked like a line backer but she ran like a free safety. Big Dude picked it up a little bit and started using <i>her</i> as his pacer, while I continued to use <i>him</i> as mine. The three of us continued on, one chasing the other, for a good distance. Eventually, Candy Cane's pace was too much for Big Dude and he fell back, sucking air. I took his place, hot on her big manly heels.</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
At one of the water stations, people were handing out small bananas. I took a couple bites of one, tossing the peel on the road. I wished for life to momentarily be like a cartoon, the banana peel taking out any pursuers close behind me. I watched drops of sweat drip from the brim of my soaked hat. My ankles were hurting pretty bad and the pace was faster than I was comfortable with, but I pushed on. I <i>wai</i>-ed a passing monk for some extra good luck. I was tired but I was in the zone. The banana combined with "The Sweetest Victory" (my favorite song from the Rocky IV soundtrack) randomly hitting my iPod to give me a boost of energy. I was pumped.</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A small reflective sign marked that I had 5km left to go. At the next water station, Candy Cane grabbed a cup and slowed down to a jog. I decided to make my move here, passed on the water, and kept going. No more slowing down. I left Candy Cane in the dust. <i>See ya!</i> I figured that I might regret it later but it was time to turn it up. Person by person, I started picking people off, one after another. I'd get the guy in front of me in my sights, then slowly pull him in like a tractor beam until I passed him, then on to the next one. I could see it in their eyes-- they were all burned out. This just pumped me up more. When they looked back into my eyes they didn't see a man, they saw a machine. </div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The sun was rising but the morning was still cool. The finish line was only about a kilometer away but it felt like an eternity. I locked in on a big Eastern European-looking guy-- the Drago to my Balboa. He looked big and brutish but he was moving quickly. (*After the race I found out that his name is Hammer Haus. Seriously. Even his name is intimidating!) He was panting loudly with each stride. His tree trunk legs were matted with hair and sweat. I switched to werewolf mode. He heard my footsteps closing in and he picked up his pace to pull away. We rounded the city wall, the last corner, and then hit a long straight away. The finish line was in sight. I decided to wait to make my move, keeping right on his heels to until we got closer to the finish. He picked up his pace. Me too. I started to pass him. The finish line was getting closer. He stayed even with me, neck and neck. I fell back for a brief second, then <i>BOOM</i>, I hit the afterburners! Full on sprint... <i>What's that smell like, Hammer!?</i> </div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I crossed the finish line and stepped across the final checkpoint pad. The crowd cheered-- not for me, they were just cheering in general, but I pretended it was for me. A staff member took my race chip and handed me a medal. <i>Sweet</i>! (Later, I found out that everyone got one.) I walked to the side to catch my breath and shake out my legs. I was exhausted. I was hurting. I felt amazing.</div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SkhVWS3r8Ds/UN_BpTL7eBI/AAAAAAAAA8U/3NBHIzM30zo/s1600/2012+Chiang+Mai+Half+Marathon+medal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SkhVWS3r8Ds/UN_BpTL7eBI/AAAAAAAAA8U/3NBHIzM30zo/s320/2012+Chiang+Mai+Half+Marathon+medal.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I waited at the finish line for Britt to come across. People were sweating, congratulating each other, taking photos. Some French guy was crying. </div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gbyu4Ukr4Qk/UN_AjHDXBjI/AAAAAAAAA8I/NbjoRUn6dCU/s1600/couple+finishing+Chiang+Mai+half+marathon+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gbyu4Ukr4Qk/UN_AjHDXBjI/AAAAAAAAA8I/NbjoRUn6dCU/s320/couple+finishing+Chiang+Mai+half+marathon+2012.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Britt came across the finish soon after. We spent the rest of the day rehydrating and rehabilitating. We ate lots of good food and got a 2-hour deep-tissue Thai massage. I was sore but I felt incredible. Finishing that race was a big accomplishment. My finish time was 01:50:28. I finished 8/45 in my category and 39/281 in the overall half marathon. Hammer Haus came in right behind me, and Candy Cane finished 10 minutes later at 02:00:44-- she was the first female runner to finish. I retell the story of the race the way it played out in my head. In reality, I finished a full 30 minutes behind the first place runner (he finished at 01:20:00). Even Mowgli beat me, coming in 14th place overall (and he'd "<i>only</i> been training for 7 months"). Still, I did well and I'm proud of myself. The way I'll always remember it, it was an intense battle.</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I leave you with a montage and THE SWEETEST VICTORY...</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/LGlymFqT4-Q" width="480"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
FEEL FREE TO LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW</div>
Blakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07373492014130597619noreply@blogger.com4Chiang Mai, Thailand18.7964642 98.66005859999995714.948943199999999 93.49648459999996 22.6439852 103.82363259999995tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3145908568894841960.post-29132481400285738812012-12-27T08:37:00.000+07:002013-01-03T13:09:37.968+07:00Year In Reading 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">In December 2011 I made a short list for the upcoming new year, not
of resolutions, but of specific goals I wanted to accomplish. Some
were big (trek to Mt. Everest Base Camp... check), some small. One
of the smaller tasks I set for myself was simply to read more. I've
never really been a big reader, but after moving abroad with no
television, traveling and being on the move so much, I have a
newfound respect and enthusiasm for reading. My goal for 2012 was to
read 25 books by the end of the year; roughly, a book every two
weeks. With 2013 just a few days away, I'm pleased to say that I
knocked it out of the park. <b>I read a total of 31 books this year.</b>
To some that may not be impressive, but it's definitely a personal
best and I'm pretty pleased. Some of the books I read were better
than others, but, disaster or masterpiece, I enjoyed them all.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5Qgk9pzVTLg/UNr2JQBBK4I/AAAAAAAAA0o/qmCvFltk7j0/s1600/Books+of+2012-+Reading+Bucket+List.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="475" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5Qgk9pzVTLg/UNr2JQBBK4I/AAAAAAAAA0o/qmCvFltk7j0/s640/Books+of+2012-+Reading+Bucket+List.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">If anyone's looking for something new to read, I've made a list of what I read in 2012, along with a few thoughts.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<ol>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Robinson-Crusoe-Stellar-Classic-Editions/dp/1478227451/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356057653&sr=1-2&keywords=robinson+crusoe" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Robinson Crusoe </span></a>(Defoe)</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Blake's
take:</span> </b>Had to kick off the year with a classic. Despite the
adventure, I struggled to keep my eyes open through parts and had to
really power through the tedious, dated writing. Still, this book is
full of shipwrecks and cannibals and there's a reason that people
have been read it for 300 years. Bad ass recommended.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="2">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/What-About-Running-Vintage-International/dp/0307389839/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356058277&sr=1-1&keywords=what+i+talk+about+when+i+talk+about+running+by+haruki+murakami" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">What I Talk About When I Talk About Running</span></a> (Murakami)</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Blake's
take:</span> </b>Murakami's anecdotal memoir focuses on his writing and his
running. Light and insightful.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="3">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hunger-Games-Suzanne-Collins/dp/B00877R85I/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356058125&sr=1-5&keywords=the+hunger+games" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The Hunger Games</span></a> (Collins)</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Blake's
take: </span></b>Oh come on, everybody's doing it! I have to say, I prefer <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-T7yPJVvXw" target="_blank">Battle Royale</a>.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="4">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Freakonomics-Economist-Explores-Hidden-Everything/dp/0060731338/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356058160&sr=1-1&keywords=freakonomics" target="_blank">Freakonomics</a>
</span> (Levitt and Dubner)</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Blake's
take:</span> </b>I had to take econ twice in college and not because I
loved it so much. However, these guys do a great job of applying
economic principles to “the hidden side of EVERYTHING”. Good
stuff. Interesting, fun read.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="5">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Life-Pi-Yann-Martel/dp/0547848412/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356058210&sr=1-1&keywords=life+of+pi" target="_blank">Life Of Pi</a> </span>(Martel)</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Blake's
take:</span> </b>I really enjoyed this book from cover to cover. Great
read. Probably one of my favorites of the year. I'm curious to see
how the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZEZ35Fhvuc" target="_blank">movie</a> will hold up.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="6">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Naked-Tourist-Search-Adventure-Airport/dp/0865477418/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356058339&sr=1-1&keywords=the+naked+tourist" target="_blank">The Naked Tourist</a> </span>(Osborne)</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Blake's
take: </span></b>Not the best overall, but I
liked the premise. The author argues that modern tourism is just a
fake experience that people pay for... People travel to a new
country, just to sit in the confines of their resort or luxury hotel
by the pool, not to actually travel and experience new cultures and
places. No one <i>really</i>
explores anymore. He ends up in what is possibly the last “unknown”
territory on the planet-- Papua New Guinea-- deep in the forests,
with native peoples that have never seen a “<span style="font-style: normal;">tourist”</span>
before. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="7">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Alchemist-Paulo-Coelho/dp/0061122416/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356058374&sr=1-1&keywords=the+alchemist" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The Alchemist</span></a> (Coelho)</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Blake's
take:</span> </b>Good read. Makes you think... inspirational... yada,
yada, yada...</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="8">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pilgrimage-Plus-Paulo-Coelho/dp/0061687456/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356058401&sr=1-1&keywords=the+pilgrimage" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The Pilgrimage</span></a> (Coelho)</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Blake's
take:</span> </b>I liked <u>The Alchemist</u>, so I thought I'd read another
Coelho book and since some friends of mine had walked the pilgrimage in Spain (<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Way_of_St._James" target="_blank">El Camino de Santiago</a></i>), I thought this book might be interesting.
I have one word for it... WEIRD. Coelho may have lost me with this one.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="9">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Forget-Kathmandu-Elegy-Democracy-Nepal/dp/0143103040/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356058479&sr=1-1&keywords=forget+kathmandu" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Forget Kathmandu</span></a> (Thapa)</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Blake's
take:</span></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> I read this <a href="http://blakesworld211.blogspot.com/2012/05/namaste.html" target="_blank">while in Nepal</a>
to get a better insight and understanding of the country's
(unfortunate) history and modern-day political situation. The historical timeline was interesting, but a little boring. Overall, well-researched and written, and really helpful in understanding why and how Nepal got to its current state.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="10">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/4-Hour-Body-Uncommon-Incredible-Superhuman/dp/030746363X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356058523&sr=1-1&keywords=the+4+hour+body" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The 4-Hour Body</span></a> (Ferriss)</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Blake's
take:</span> </b>After reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/4-Hour-Workweek-Anywhere-Expanded-Updated/dp/1441737588" target="_blank">his best-seller</a>
on how to create income while traveling the world full-time, I thought I'd read
Ferriss' 2<sup>nd</sup>
book (also a best-seller) about hacking the human body. The tag line
says that it's “an uncommon guide to rapid fat-loss, incredible sex,
and becoming superhuman”. Sounds like another cheesy
self-improvement or get-ripped-quick book, but after reading all 500+
pages, I stand by it. It's incredibly well-researched, tested
(usually Ferris, himself, is the guinea pig), interesting, and
entertaining. It's also the only book I know of with it's own trailer (watch it <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIVmsIJyj3A" target="_blank">here</a>), which is pretty badass. Read this, hack your body.</span></div>
<ol start="10">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Into-Thin-Air-Personal-Disaster/dp/0385494785/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356058627&sr=1-1&keywords=into+thin+air" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Into Thin Air</span></a> (Krakauer)</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Blake's
take:</span> </b>This is one of my favorite books and I read it for the
second time while on <a href="http://blakesworld211.blogspot.com/2012_08_01_archive.html" target="_blank">my trek to Everest Base Camp</a> in <a href="http://blakesworld211.blogspot.com/2012/05/namaste.html" target="_blank">Nepal</a>. It's the
story of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster" target="_blank">1996 disaster</a> on the mountain that claimed the lives of
nine people. Krakauer (also wrote Into The Wild) does an incredible
job. He was actually part of the expedition and on the mountain when
the storm hit. In my opinion, his journalistic talents are
unmatched. READ THIS BOOK. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="12">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Walk-Woods-Rediscovering-America-Appalachian/dp/0307279464/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356058686&sr=1-1&keywords=a+walk+in+the+woods" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">A Walk In The Woods</span></a> (Bryson)</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Blake's
take:</span> </b>As always, Bryson is hilarious. This is the true story of
his (mis)adventures while hiking the Appalachian Trail with his
childhood best friend. Funny and informative. Puts the AT on the
Bucket List.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="13">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Emergency-This-Book-Will-Save/dp/0060898771/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356058710&sr=1-1&keywords=emergency" target="_blank">Emergency</a>
</span> (Strauss)</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Blake's
take:</span> </b>Strauss (also wrote <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Game-Penetrating-Society-Artists/dp/0061995320" target="_blank">The Game</a>), in journalistic style,
infiltrates the world of “doomsday preppers”. This book is not
only the story of the lenghts people will go to prepare for a
super-disaster, but also a How To Guide for your own use.
Interesting, funny, extreme. Not gonna lie, I have a survival pack ready to go at all times.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="14">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/4-Hour-Workweek-Anywhere-Expanded-Updated/dp/0307465357/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356058768&sr=1-1&keywords=4+hour+work+week" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The 4-Hour Workweek</span></a> (Ferriss)</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Blake's
take:</span> </b>Ferriss' first best-seller on
how to “escape 9-5 and live anywhere”. I'm half way there.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="15">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Neverwhere-Novel-Neil-Gaiman/dp/0060557818/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356058843&sr=1-1&keywords=neverwhere" target="_blank">Neverwhere</a>
</span> (Gaiman)</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Blake's
take:</span> </b>Really enjoyed this one. Gaiman is awesome. He's done
everything: fiction, comic books, TV, movies, and even children's
stories. This one's a dark, intense, but fun novel about a hidden
underworld that lives in the tubes and tunnels underneath London. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="16">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.michaelbartolomei.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Neverland</span></a>
(Bartolomei)</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Blake's
take:</span> </b>This is the first novel by a great <a href="http://www.michaelbartolomei.com/" target="_blank">friend of mine</a> and soon
to be famous American author. It's about new and old relationships,
and living the dream in California. Proud to say I got to read a
“pre-published” copy.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="17">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Siddhartha-Hermann-Hesse/dp/0553208845/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356058895&sr=1-1&keywords=siddartha+hesse" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Siddhartha</span></a>
(Hesse)</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Blake's
take:</span> </b><span style="font-weight: normal;">I was supposed to read
this high school, but like most assigned readings back then, I opted
for the Cliff's Notes <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/CliffsNotes-Steppenwolf-Siddhartha-CliffNotes-Carolyn/dp/0764544594" target="_blank">version</a>. I'm glad I gave it a second chance.
It's a bit dry and can take some concentration to get through some parts,
but it's short and well-written. I really enjoyed Hesse's storytelling intertwined with philosophy and Buddhism. If you skipped this one
like I did, do yourself a favor and read it. Eat your knowledge.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="18">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Weight-Training-Basics-Fahey-Thomas/dp/0071446478/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356058956&sr=1-3&keywords=weight+training+basics" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Weight Training Basics</span></a> (Fahey)</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Blake's
take: </span></b>Yep. It's a text-book and I read it cover-to-cover.
Don't act like you can't tell.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="19">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Watchmen-Alan-Moore/dp/0930289234/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356059002&sr=1-1&keywords=the+watchmen" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The Watchmen</span></a> (Gibbons/Moore)</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Blake's
take:</span> </b>This was recommended to me by several people and is the
first graphic novel I've read. AWESOME. If you've were turned off by the movie, give the book a try... totally different. Great story, artwork, and
writing. There's a reason why it's on TIME's <a href="http://entertainment.time.com/2005/10/16/all-time-100-novels/" target="_blank">List of the 100 Best Novels</a> of <i>ALL TIME</i>!</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="20">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pretty-Horses-Border-Trilogy-Book/dp/0679744398/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356059143&sr=1-1&keywords=ALL+THE+PRETTY+HORSES" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">All The Pretty Horses</span></a> (McCarthy)</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Blake's
take:</span> </b>My favorite author and
possibly my favorite fiction book. This book isn't quite as a dark
as his other work, so if you haven't read McCarthy, it's a good
starter. Do it; you won't regret it. Cormac McCarthy is one badass
dude and the best writer of our time. That is all.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="21">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Finding-George-Orwell-Burma-Larkin/dp/0143037110/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356058095&sr=1-1&keywords=finding+george+orwell+in+burma" target="_blank">Finding George Orwell In Burma</a> </span>(Larkin)</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Blake's
take:</span> </b>Insightful and informative,
if at sometimes boring. Still, it's an important issue and an
interesting read on the history of <a href="http://blakesworld211.blogspot.com/2012/11/blakes-racing-for-burmese-education.html" target="_blank">Burma</a>-- from British colonial rule
up to the current political situation under the military regime, and
the struggle towards democracy.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="22">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hatchet-20th-Anniversary-Gary-Paulsen/dp/1416925082/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356058013&sr=1-1&keywords=hatchet" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Hatchet</span></a>
(Paulsen)</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Blake's
take:</span> </b>Took a day to re-read this
old survival tale and my favorite book from elementary school. It held
up (kind of).</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="23">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Born-Run-Hidden-Superathletes-Greatest/dp/0307279189/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356059181&sr=1-1&keywords=born+to+run" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Born to Run</span></a> (McDougall)</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Blake's
take:</span> </b>One of my favorite books of
the year. At first, I refused to read it. I'm opposed to the whole
“I'm a hippie, look at me run barefoot” idea, and I don't really
<i>enjoy</i>
distance running in general. However, I finally gave in, and WOW.
Not only is it a pretty incredible story, it's well-researched, and
makes the evolution of running <i>interesting</i>
and ultra-distance racing <i>exciting</i>.
No, I'm not a barefoot convert now, but I am giving the minimalist
shoes a try. Seemed to work well for me with <a href="http://blakesworld211.blogspot.com/2012/11/blakes-racing-for-burmese-education.html" target="_blank">my first 1/2 marathon</a>.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="24">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/No-Easy-Day-Firsthand-Account/dp/0525953728/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356059217&sr=1-1&keywords=no+easy+day" target="_blank">No Easy Day</a> </span>(Owen)</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Blake's
take: </span></b>Whether or not is what
ethical for this SEAL to publish his account of the Bin Laden raid, I
don't know. Was this the most well-written book I've ever read?
Nope. But I will tell you that it's a page turner and a pretty
fascinating look into the world of Special Ops and what it
took to bring down the most infamous terrorist of all time. Give it
a read.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<ol start="25">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tipping-Point-Little-Things-Difference/dp/0316346624/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356057980&sr=1-1&keywords=the+tipping+point" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The Tipping Point</span></a> (Gladwell)</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Blake's
take: </span></b>Gladwell's way of thinking
and writing is truly unique. I really enjoyed this book and
recommend it to anyone interested in psychology, marketing,
networking, or the intricate concept of how ideas are formed and
spread. I'm looking forward to reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Outliers-Story-Success-Malcolm-Gladwell/dp/0316017930/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356520168&sr=1-1&keywords=outliers" target="_blank">Outliers</a> next.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="26">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Meridian-Evening-Redness-West/dp/0679728759/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356059245&sr=1-1&keywords=blood+meridian" target="_blank">Blood Meridian</a> </span>(McCarthy)</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Blake's
take:</span> </b>Earlier, I mentioned <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0679744398/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000059XTH&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=06W3CN0FSFP9ZT8FPZ1S" target="_blank">All The Pretty Horses</a> as one of McCarthy's not-so-dark books. <u>Blood Meridian</u>
is the opposite. Probably the most gory book I've ever read. It's
an awesome story of cowboys, Indians, gun fights, and scalping.
Great characters too. BRILLIANT.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="27">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/100-Startup-Reinvent-Living-Create/dp/0307951529/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356059351&sr=1-1&keywords=the+%24100+startup" target="_blank">The $100 Startup</a> </span>(Guillebeau)</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Blake's
take:</span> </b>Always working towards my
next big idea. OK, I'm still working on my <i>first</i>
big idea. This book is helping.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="28">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/How-Become-Straight--Student-Unconventional/dp/0767922719/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356059391&sr=1-1&keywords=how+to+become+a+straight+a+student" target="_blank">How To Become A Straight-A Student</a> </span>(Newport)</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Blake's
take:</span> </b>Six years in college wasn't
enough. My brother, Sam is making a run at the title and I'm gonna
make sure that doesn't happen. I might as well get good grades while
returning to grace. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="29">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Miracle-Mindfulness-Introduction-Practice-Meditation/dp/0807012394/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356059431&sr=1-1&keywords=the+miracle+of+mindfulness" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The Miracle of Mindfulness</span></a> (Hanh)</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Blake's
take:</span> </b>Deep, bro. Real deep. Think
about it.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="30">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Road-Jack-Kerouac/dp/3499255790/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356059479&sr=1-2&keywords=on+the+road+by+kerouac" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">On the Road</span></a> (Kerouac) </span>
</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Blake's
take:</span> </b>I've been wanting to read
Kerouac for a while. With my upcoming cross-country journey
approaching, what better than now to read this modern classic, the ultimate tale of American
road tripping. Great read.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="31">
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Killing-Lincoln-Shocking-Assassination-Changed/dp/0805093079/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1356521899&sr=8-1&keywords=killing+lincoln" target="_blank">Killing Lincoln</a></span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">(O'Reilly and Dugard)</span></li>
</ol>
<div>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Blake's take:</span></b> I have to say this was one of my favorite non-fiction reads of the year. It's written like a fast-paced thriller rather than your usual monotonous history book. Well-researched and exciting look at the Lincoln assassination and conspiracy, and really gets inside Booth's head. Looking forward to reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Killing-Kennedy-The-End-Camelot/dp/0805096663" target="_blank">Killing Kennedy</a>.</div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>I've enjoyed the transition from tequila worm to book worm. Hopefully, 2013 will bring even more words than 2012.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
PHOTO CREDIT (top):<b> </b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px;"><a href="http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/photobooth/2012/10/books-as-muses.html#ixzz2GDP1JAho" target="_blank">“Art Books, Verona” (2012)/Courtesy <span class="Apple-style-span" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial;">Eli Klein Fine Art</span>.</a></span></div>
</div>
<style media="screen" type="text/css">
.gr_grid_container { /* customize grid container div here. eg: width: 500px; */ }
.gr_grid_book_container { /* customize book cover container div here */
float: left;
width: 39px;
height: 60px;
padding: 0px 0px;
overflow: hidden;
}
</style>
<br />
<div id="gr_grid_widget_1356520701">
<!-- Show static html as a placeholder in case js is not enabled - javascript include will override this if things work -->
<br />
<h2>
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/15780036-blake-shly?shelf=read&utm_medium=api&utm_source=grid_widget" style="text-decoration: none;">Blake's bookshelf:</a></h2>
<div class="gr_grid_container">
<div class="gr_grid_book_container">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9791.A_Walk_in_the_Woods" title="A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail"><img alt="A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320519729s/9791.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="gr_grid_book_container">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15814872-no-easy-day" title="No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden"><img alt="No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1345815909s/15814872.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="gr_grid_book_container">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/368593.The_4_Hour_Workweek" title="The 4 Hour Workweek"><img alt="The 4 Hour Workweek" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320497987s/368593.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="gr_grid_book_container">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/95747.The_Miracle_of_Mindfulness" title="The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation"><img alt="The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320448079s/95747.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="gr_grid_book_container">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2612.The_Tipping_Point" title="The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference"><img alt="The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1344268476s/2612.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="gr_grid_book_container">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/70401.On_the_Road" title="On the Road"><img alt="On the Road" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1355224265s/70401.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="gr_grid_book_container">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/472331.Watchmen" title="Watchmen"><img alt="Watchmen" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327866860s/472331.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="gr_grid_book_container">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/987418.Forget_Kathmandu" title="Forget Kathmandu: An Elegy for Democracy"><img alt="Forget Kathmandu: An Elegy for Democracy" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1300717622s/987418.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="gr_grid_book_container">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/253203.How_to_Become_a_Straight_A_Student" title="How to Become a Straight-A Student"><img alt="How to Become a Straight-A Student" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320524776s/253203.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="gr_grid_book_container">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/469571.All_the_Pretty_Horses" title="All the Pretty Horses (The Border Trilogy, #1)"><img alt="All the Pretty Horses" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1341082426s/469571.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="gr_grid_book_container">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5907.The_Hobbit" title="The Hobbit"><img alt="The Hobbit" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1353852111s/5907.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="gr_grid_book_container">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/394535.Blood_Meridian_or_the_Evening_Redness_in_the_West" title="Blood Meridian, or the Evening Redness in the West"><img alt="Blood Meridian, or the Evening Redness in the West" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1335231647s/394535.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="gr_grid_book_container">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2767052-the-hunger-games" title="The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1)"><img alt="The Hunger Games" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1337857402s/2767052.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="gr_grid_book_container">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48855.The_Diary_of_a_Young_Girl" title="The Diary of a Young Girl"><img alt="The Diary of a Young Girl" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327735300s/48855.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="gr_grid_book_container">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52036.Siddhartha" title="Siddhartha"><img alt="Siddhartha" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320519981s/52036.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="gr_grid_book_container">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/79793.Finding_George_Orwell_in_Burma" title="Finding George Orwell in Burma"><img alt="Finding George Orwell in Burma" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1309287676s/79793.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="gr_grid_book_container">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/865.The_Alchemist" title="The Alchemist"><img alt="The Alchemist" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1287827991s/865.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="gr_grid_book_container">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50.Hatchet" title="Hatchet (Brian's Saga, #1)"><img alt="Hatchet" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347443751s/50.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="gr_grid_book_container">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2932.Robinson_Crusoe" title="Robinson Crusoe"><img alt="Robinson Crusoe" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348668150s/2932.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="gr_grid_book_container">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12605157-the-100-startup" title="The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and Create a New Future"><img alt="The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and Create a New Future" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1345666854s/12605157.jpg" /></a></div>
<br style="clear: both;" />
photo credit: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px;">“Art Books, Verona” (2012)/<a href="http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/photobooth/2012/10/books-as-muses.html#ixzz2GA9q39vi" target="_blank">Courtesy <span class="Apple-style-span" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial;">Eli Klein Fine Art</span></a></span><br />
<br />
LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW... I DARE YOU.</div>
</div>
<script charset="utf-8" src="http://www.goodreads.com/review/grid_widget/15780036.Blake's%20bookshelf:%20read?cover_size=small&hide_link=&hide_title=&num_books=40&order=a&shelf=read&sort=random&widget_id=1356520701" type="text/javascript"></script>
</div>
Blakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07373492014130597619noreply@blogger.com0Mae Sot, Tak 63110, Thailand16.7751826 98.70407499999998916.2886361 98.058627999999985 17.2617291 99.349522tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3145908568894841960.post-61759635853443041582012-12-12T09:59:00.004+07:002012-12-12T10:02:39.106+07:00Songthaew Overload!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">How many Thai people can fit into one vehicle? You'd be surprised...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Check out this trailer for one of my upcoming blog posts!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(It's only a minute and 45 seconds... Watch it!)</div>
<br /></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/i8ZxGor8yT4" width="640"></iframe></div>
Blakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07373492014130597619noreply@blogger.com0Mae Sariang, Mae Hong Son 58110, Thailand18.1594444 97.933611117.678157400000003 97.301897099999991 18.6407314 98.5653251tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3145908568894841960.post-61048533302673144242012-11-27T17:42:00.001+07:002013-01-03T13:11:35.228+07:00Blake's Racing for Burmese Education!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">In
less than 25 days I'm running a half-marathon in Chiang Mai,
Thailand. Did I mention that I have zero training and I'm going to
be... “barefoot”? </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span"><center style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #009933; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 15px;"><br /></span></span></center>
<div style="font-family: Orangutan; font-size: 40px; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Orangutan;"><span style="font-size: 45pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">WHAT?!
WHY?!</span> </span></span></div>
</span></h2>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--AqgFsyVToA/ULRb1pHAZAI/AAAAAAAAAwI/7uovh72JXhI/s1600/Chiang+Mai+Marathon+2012+sponsor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="140" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--AqgFsyVToA/ULRb1pHAZAI/AAAAAAAAAwI/7uovh72JXhI/s320/Chiang+Mai+Marathon+2012+sponsor.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://wikalenda.com/">wikalenda</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
For the past 2 ½ years I've been
teaching English in Thailand. Recently, I left the sun and islands
of the south for a small town on the northern Thai-Burmese border.
For the next three months, I'll be volunteering my time, teaching
English to Burmese immigrants-- economic, educational, and political
refugees-- that fled their country to escape human rights abuses and to pursue the opportunity of receiving a proper education. </div>
<br />
<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post">
<div style="text-align: right;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"></span></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
</form>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Orangutan; font-size: 60px; font-weight: normal;">SO
WHAT ABOUT THIS CRAZY RACE?!</span></h2>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qi-b27CVnfs/ULRQG-AIeLI/AAAAAAAAAvA/HHxBSs1kNEQ/s1600/Knowledge+Zone+Donate+Thailand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qi-b27CVnfs/ULRQG-AIeLI/AAAAAAAAAvA/HHxBSs1kNEQ/s320/Knowledge+Zone+Donate+Thailand.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The primary organization I'm working
with is a local community based organization called <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://knowledgezonevtc.wordpress.com/">Knowledge Zone</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">.
Run entirely by sponsorship and donations, KZ is a learning center
providing free education and professional development, primarily in
the areas of language and computer skills, for Burmese migrants. In an effort to raise my goal of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>$1000</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">
USD for Knowledge Zone, I'll be providing the blood, sweat, and
agony, and hopefully YOU can help by sponsoring with a small (or
BIG!) donation. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-size: large;"><b>At 5 am on December 23</b><sup><b>rd</b></sup><b>
2012, I'll be running a half-marathon (13.1 miles/21 km) in Chiang
Mai, Thailand.</b></span></span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime; font-size: large;"><b>All of the donations will go to providing the students at Knowledge
Zone with new educational resources (school books, stationary, etc.).</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post">
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Orangutan; font-size: 60px;">WHOA!
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN TRAINING FOR THIS ½ marathon?</span></h2>
</div>
</form>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cG3UZG0GRNk/ULS4dYS3gBI/AAAAAAAAAxg/uXfglHq0_oc/s1600/zero+training+for+Chiang+Mai+half+marathon+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cG3UZG0GRNk/ULS4dYS3gBI/AAAAAAAAAxg/uXfglHq0_oc/s200/zero+training+for+Chiang+Mai+half+marathon+.jpg" width="200" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">To
add to the already arduous venture of completing a half-marathon, at
the time of this declaration-- 30 days til race day-- I have had </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><b>ZERO</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><b>
preparation</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">. That means no gym
time (weight training or otherwise) and definitely no conditioning or
endurance training for the past two months!</span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 21px; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Orangutan;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 60px; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></h2>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Orangutan; font-size: 60px; font-weight: normal;">WAIT
A SEC... DIDN'T YOU MENTION THAT YOU'LL BE BAREFOOT?!</span></h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tO8T1P9Uyb4/ULRfQfA-sLI/AAAAAAAAAww/9_dNz8bPllY/s1600/barefoot+running+American+Chiang+Mai+Marathon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tO8T1P9Uyb4/ULRfQfA-sLI/AAAAAAAAAww/9_dNz8bPllY/s320/barefoot+running+American+Chiang+Mai+Marathon.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #009933; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 15px;">photo: jwtintelligence.com</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Well...
<i>sort of</i>. After reading lots of juicy sports literature in regards to
the somewhat new (and somewhat controversial) <a href="http://naturalrunningcenter.com/shoe-reviews/">minimalist</a>-- aka
“barefoot”-- running movement, I've decided that this is as good
a time as any to try it out. Now, I'm no hippy nor am I a sadist.
Running a halfy with zero foot protection would be foot murder (did someone
just say "shoeicide"? *z</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">iiiiinnng</span></i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">!),
and while I'm all for making this endeavor as painfully difficult for
myself as </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">possible</span></i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">...
I do want the race to remain just that-- possible. There's no point
in crawling home with bloody feet 5km from the starting line. So,
instead I'll be wearing New Balance's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/MR00SB-New-Balance-MinimusRunning-Shoes/dp/B0073GPS9C" style="font-size: medium;">Minimus Zero</a> road shoes, which
have a 0 mm heel to toe drop. There one of the "most minimal" shoes on
the market and just about as close to <i>barefoot</i> running as it
gets without letting your skin rub pavement. This is a huge
transition from the traditional running shoe and should be shifted to
over time with gradual training.<i> </i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>Unfortunately,
time is what I don't have, so I'm busting out my old copy of the
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIffOq8AuSw">Rocky</a> soundtrack, harnessing my inner Kenyan werewolf, and hoping for
the best!</i></span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 21px; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-abRSgWNeO24/ULRX6VimA7I/AAAAAAAAAvk/LLWUm3Tv5XM/s1600/evolution-to-running-man.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-abRSgWNeO24/ULRX6VimA7I/AAAAAAAAAvk/LLWUm3Tv5XM/s640/evolution-to-running-man.gif" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-size: 21px; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Orangutan; font-size: 53px;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">BLAKE,
YOU'RE THE MAN, BUT WHAT CAN </span><i><u>I</u></i>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">DO TO HELP?!</span></span></h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">By
sponsoring my run you're helping provide educational needs for my
Burmese students and it just takes one click to donate. 'Tis the
season and what better gift to give than the opportunity for
education. The goal is to raise $1000 by Christmas and every single
dollar makes a difference! It only takes </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">2
minutes </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">of your time
to affect the lives of these students!</span></span></div>
<br />
<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<input name="cmd" type="hidden" value="_s-xclick" />
<input name="encrypted" type="hidden" value="-----BEGIN PKCS7-----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-----END PKCS7-----
" />
<input alt="PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!" border="0" name="submit" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_donateCC_LG.gif" type="image" />
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif" width="1" />
</div>
</form>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">...and just to add some </span></span><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u>incentive</u></span></span><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">:</span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"><b>LEVEL 1-- Donate $1 to $49</b>--</span> I'll personally see that my students send good karma your way for at least a year or two.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">LEVEL 2-- Donate $50 to $99--</span></b> My students will send you a hand-written thank you note and picture of themselves to go along with all that good karma headed your way.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">LEVEL 3-- Donate $100 to $299--</span></b> You'll get one "<i>I sponsored an American teacher and helped him harness his inner Kenyan werewolf to run a 1/2 marathon in Thailand in support of educating Burmese migrants</i>" T-shirt (with my werewolf graphic above), plus the thank you note, picture, and, yes, even the karma!</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">LEVEL 4-- Donate $300 to $1000--</span></b> You'll get a plaque made in your honor with your name and picture to hang on the wall inside the learning center... <i>plus</i>, <u>all</u> of the above!</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
***(For levels 2-4, include your name, address, and donation amount in an email to me at CBShlyGuy@gmail or in the comments below)***</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<input name="cmd" type="hidden" value="_s-xclick" />
<input name="encrypted" type="hidden" value="-----BEGIN PKCS7-----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-----END PKCS7-----
" />
<input alt="PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!" border="0" name="submit" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_donateCC_LG.gif" type="image" />
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif" width="1" />
</div>
</form>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime; font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></u></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">FAQ</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">:</span></span></div>
<span style="color: yellow; font-family: Times-Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">1.
What if you don't finish the race?</span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pv8pBwazOw4/ULRgbnmSrtI/AAAAAAAAAw4/5y1NBmKgYhk/s1600/footprint+on+Chiang+Mai+marathon+2012+knowledge+zone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pv8pBwazOw4/ULRgbnmSrtI/AAAAAAAAAw4/5y1NBmKgYhk/s1600/footprint+on+Chiang+Mai+marathon+2012+knowledge+zone.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">If
I don't finish the race for any reason other than being run over by a
tuk-tuk or by physician's orders, you're donation can be refunded at
your request. But don't worry, it ain't gonna happen.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: yellow; font-family: Times-Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">2.
Can I donate after the race?</span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I
am only taking donations until race day, December 23</span></span></span></span></span><sup><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">rd</span></span></span></span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
2012. More info about the race can be found <a href="http://www.chiangmaimarathon.com/s0201/index.php?pgid=index">here</a>. </span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: yellow; font-family: Times-Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">3.
Can you tell me more about Knowledge Zone?</span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Times-Roman, serif;">Knowledge Zone is a CBO in Mae Sot, Thailand. It is a learning center providing education and professional development for Burmese migrants. There are currently 10 teachers and over 250 students at KZ. All funding comes from donations and every dollar counts. The website is under construction but more information can be found <a href="http://knowledgezonevtc.wordpress.com/">here</a>.</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: yellow; font-family: Times-Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">4.
How do I know if you finish the race?</span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I
will write a follow-up post with details about the race, how much
money was raised for the students, my finish time, pictures, and, if
possible, video of me crossing the finish line.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: yellow; font-family: Times-Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">5.
Why not a FULL <a href="http://www.chiangmaimarathon.com/s0201/index.php?pgid=index">marathon</a>?</span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I
considered it, but as I stated before, I have no problem making this
difficult on myself, but not impossible. <a href="http://www.halhigdon.com/training/51153/Marathon-Multiple-Marathons-Training-Program">Running a full marathon</a>
with less than a month of prep time and in these circumstances would
be pushing it. Maybe next year.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: yellow; font-family: Times-Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">6.
Can you tell me more about the situation in Burma?</span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Some more general information about the political and educational situation in Myanmar (Burma) can be found <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Burma">here</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_Burma">here</a>, <a href="http://newsblogged.com/myanmarburma-latest-news-real-time-updates">here</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Burma">here</a>.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: yellow; font-family: Times-Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">7.
What exactly is minimalist running?</span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">More
information about minimalist running, similar to “barefoot”
running or “natural” running can be found <a href="http://www.livestrong.com/article/549692-what-is-minimalist-running/">here</a>.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: yellow; font-family: Times-Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">8.
If you've had no training in the past two months, how do you keep
such a Spartan-like physique?</span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times-Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Good
nutrition and great genes.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-size: large;">9. How do I donate?</span><br />
Just click the DONATE button on the top right of this page, or any of the other donate/sponsor buttons in this post... just like this one:<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<input name="cmd" type="hidden" value="_s-xclick" />
<input name="encrypted" type="hidden" value="-----BEGIN PKCS7-----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-----END PKCS7-----
" />
<input alt="PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!" border="0" name="submit" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_donateCC_LG.gif" type="image" />
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif" width="1" />
</div>
</form>
<center>
<embed align="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff" height="200" name="countdown" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" quality="high" src="http://www.countdownclockcodes.com/cd/ccc-cartoons2/show.swf?clickURL=http://www.countdownclockcodes.com/cartoon-countdown-clocks-2/&clickLABEL=CountdownClockCodes.com&flashLABEL=CountdownClockCodes.com&skin=http://www.countdownclockcodes.com/cd/ccc-cartoons2/skins/32.jpg&text=RACE%20DAY%21%21%21%20%20%0DChiang%20Mai%20Marathon%0D2012&untilColor=65280&textColor=16711731&datesColor=16711731&year=2012&month=11&day=23&hour=5&minute=0&second=0&x=65&y=81" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="300" wmode="transparent"></embed><br /><small><a href="http://www.countdownclockcodes.com/cartoon-countdown-clocks-2/">CountdownClockCodes.com</a></small></center>
</div>
Blakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07373492014130597619noreply@blogger.com3Mae Sot, Tak 63110, Thailand16.7751826 98.70407516.5319381 98.388218000000009 17.0184271 99.019932tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3145908568894841960.post-31290543538819619702012-11-19T22:12:00.001+07:002012-11-19T22:12:52.831+07:00Baan Thai Cookery School in Chiang Mai<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
After fending off <a href="http://blakesworld211.blogspot.com/2012/11/blake-vs-canadians-in-chiang-rai.html" target="_blank">unruly Canadians in Chiang Rai</a>, my tour of the north
continued by backtracking three hours by bus to Chiang Mai. The last
time I was in Thailand's “City of the North” was over two years
ago and in an entirely different situation.</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7eri6AkDreE/UKdGu2mGaZI/AAAAAAAAAuM/6hXmP82Zvnk/s1600/Songkran+water+fight+in+Chiangmai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="235" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7eri6AkDreE/UKdGu2mGaZI/AAAAAAAAAuM/6hXmP82Zvnk/s400/Songkran+water+fight+in+Chiangmai.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">During Songkran, you can run but you can't hide!<br />
(photo credit: <a href="http://tlcthai.com/">tlcthai.com</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In April of 2010, I first visited Chiang Mai with a couple of friends during s<i>ongkran</i> on
our way to Laos and Vietnam. <span style="font-style: normal;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songkran_(Thailand)" target="_blank">Songkran</a></span> is the annual
water festival held in celebration of the Thai New Year. Chiang Mai
happens to be home to the biggest and wildest songkran hullabaloo (I
love that word) in all of Thailand. What was once a simple and
traditional celebration has grown to be a week-long music and beer
fueled water war. Every April thousands of Thais and foreigners,
young and old, pillage Thailand's old capital for six or more days of
drenched revelry. Unfortunately, this time my stay in Chiang Mai
would accommodate no such debauchery.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OhMb8xGr2-c/UKdIc-GlXlI/AAAAAAAAAuc/1QlGL_Lgp0g/s1600/Songkran+Water+War!!!+Chiang+Mai,+Thailand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OhMb8xGr2-c/UKdIc-GlXlI/AAAAAAAAAuc/1QlGL_Lgp0g/s400/Songkran+Water+War!!!+Chiang+Mai,+Thailand.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Songkran</i> insanity!<br />
photo credit: <a href="http://www.thaimedicalnews.com/travel-bangkok-thailand-hospital/thailand-traditional-new-year-songkran-2009-photos/">Thaimedicalnews.com</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
No jungle trekking, no Muay Thai fights, and no late nights staring down empty beer bottles. Nope. This time, my four days in Chiang Mai were
spent relaxing, reading, writing this blog, and hammocking in the garden of my guesthouse (<a href="http://chokdeegh.com/" target="_blank">Choke Dee Guesthouse</a>- 350 baht/night). In fact, the most exciting
thing that I did was take a cooking class. Scoff away, but taking a Thai cooking class is something I've wanted to do for a long time. I've
mentioned many times that one of my favorite parts of living in
Thailand is the incredible food, and it would be a shame to leave the
country without at least attempting to acquire some of it's culinary wizardry.</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u5TLG1UEE7Q/UKdAnDF0wbI/AAAAAAAAAtQ/uq_OLpFQHF0/s1600/making+tom+yam+gai+at+Baan+Thai+Cookery+School.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u5TLG1UEE7Q/UKdAnDF0wbI/AAAAAAAAAtQ/uq_OLpFQHF0/s320/making+tom+yam+gai+at+Baan+Thai+Cookery+School.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
For 700 baht (about $22 USD) I
attended a 4-hour "half-day" course at <a href="http://www.cookinthai.com/" target="_blank">Baan Thai Cookery </a><a href="http://www.cookinthai.com/" target="_blank">School</a>. It was great. First, the instructor
walked us through the local day market and showed us how to find the
different fresh ingredients that we'd need for each dish. When we returned to Baan Thai
we broke up into groups depending on what dishes we were cooking.
There were three courses in all. We started with an appetizer, then
a soup along with a rice or noodle dish, and with a curry for the grand finale. For
each dish, the instructor showed us how to
prepare the ingredients and follow the recipe. Then... Cook. Eat. Repeat.</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L1WuNsbNbW4/UKc-ww9NQzI/AAAAAAAAAtI/kBFeiyt_lLI/s1600/the+new+sauce+boss+at+Baan+Thai+Cookery+School!.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="221" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L1WuNsbNbW4/UKc-ww9NQzI/AAAAAAAAAtI/kBFeiyt_lLI/s400/the+new+sauce+boss+at+Baan+Thai+Cookery+School!.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the new <a href="http://shop.epicmealtime.com/collections/t-shirts/products/sauce-boss" target="_blank">sauce boss</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
For my appetizer I made <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_papaya_salad" target="_blank">som tam</a></i><span style="font-style: normal;">
(shredded, unripened papaya salad with lime juice, fresh-ground
chillies, peanuts, fish sauce, and palm sugar). And f</span><span style="font-style: normal;">or my
soup creation, I made </span><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_kha_gai" target="_blank">tom kha gai</a></i><span style="font-style: normal;">
(chicken soup with coconut milk, basil, ginger, lemongrass, and
chilli paste, lime juice, and cilantro)...</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FUneMkP1yHY/UKc7n4XZXRI/AAAAAAAAAsg/RK79xXnVCN4/s1600/Baan+Thai+cookery-+som+tam+&+tom+kha+gai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="339" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FUneMkP1yHY/UKc7n4XZXRI/AAAAAAAAAsg/RK79xXnVCN4/s640/Baan+Thai+cookery-+som+tam+&+tom+kha+gai.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">tom kha gai (left) and som tam (right)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Next, I mastered Thailand's most renowned noodle-dish, </span><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pad_thai" target="_blank">pad Thai</a></i><span style="font-style: normal;">
(Thai-style stir-fried noodles with egg, shrimp, peanuts, coriander, lime, and fish sauce)...</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BrmGJIASnlo/UKc72fs6t4I/AAAAAAAAAso/vP2ZhjUWFhA/s1600/pad+Thai+at+Baan+Thai+Cookery+School,+Chiang+Mai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="430" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BrmGJIASnlo/UKc72fs6t4I/AAAAAAAAAso/vP2ZhjUWFhA/s640/pad+Thai+at+Baan+Thai+Cookery+School,+Chiang+Mai.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">not even flexing.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">I finished strong with my masterpiece-curry, </span><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khao_soi" target="_blank">khao soi gai</a></i><span style="font-style: normal;">
(a northern-style curry famous in Chiang Mai, made with egg noodles,
Indian curry paste, coconut milk, pickled cabbage, and ground
chillies fried in oil). One of my favorite dishes in <strike>Thailand</strike> the
world...</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RAfRK7x8YzI/UKc8cfu2nFI/AAAAAAAAAsw/nhsXjbTMbsE/s1600/best+Kao+Soi+Gai+in+Chiang+Mai!+at+Baan+Thai+Cookery+School.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RAfRK7x8YzI/UKc8cfu2nFI/AAAAAAAAAsw/nhsXjbTMbsE/s640/best+Kao+Soi+Gai+in+Chiang+Mai!+at+Baan+Thai+Cookery+School.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">food porn</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">After we cooked each dish we took it back to the table to taste test our creations. By the end of the class I had learned how to cook four awesome Thai meals, in less than four hours total, and devoured every one of them. I was stuffed. </span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4-1PDq5MM7I/UKc8u2H4k8I/AAAAAAAAAs4/-yEj9QTEV5w/s1600/im+maak!+so+full+at+Baan+Thai+Cookery+School+in+Chiang+Mai!.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4-1PDq5MM7I/UKc8u2H4k8I/AAAAAAAAAs4/-yEj9QTEV5w/s640/im+maak!+so+full+at+Baan+Thai+Cookery+School+in+Chiang+Mai!.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>imm maak maak!</i> Sooo full...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">It was a fun experience and I'm glad I did it. Not only did I get to eat some awesome food, but I learned a lot. We even got to keep our own got our own copies of the cookbooks we used. What's that old saying? </span><i>You can shear a sheep once, but if you teach it how to fish you'll never be hungry</i><span style="font-style: normal;">... yeah, something like that. I know that one day the time will come when I'm somewhere else in the world, and I'll have an insatiable </span><i style="font-style: normal;">som tam</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> craving but can no longer walk across the street and buy a plate for a buck. I'll be ready!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vS3IO_od8Co/UKdESuo_0_I/AAAAAAAAAt0/t8c6J-GkyZA/s1600/ingredients+at+Bann+Thai+Cookery+School,+Chiang+Mai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vS3IO_od8Co/UKdESuo_0_I/AAAAAAAAAt0/t8c6J-GkyZA/s400/ingredients+at+Bann+Thai+Cookery+School,+Chiang+Mai.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bkra6zCXiRA/UKdEztkIzoI/AAAAAAAAAt8/lb84pT-7RG8/s1600/muddling+chilli+paste+at+Bann+Thai+Cookery+School%252C+Chiang+Mai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bkra6zCXiRA/UKdEztkIzoI/AAAAAAAAAt8/lb84pT-7RG8/s400/muddling+chilli+paste+at+Bann+Thai+Cookery+School%252C+Chiang+Mai.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p0YMt9LIpP4/UKdFk1G4qMI/AAAAAAAAAuE/0KUwRy4-oxI/s1600/learning+to+cook+at+Bann+Thai+Cookery+School,+Chiang+Mai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p0YMt9LIpP4/UKdFk1G4qMI/AAAAAAAAAuE/0KUwRy4-oxI/s400/learning+to+cook+at+Bann+Thai+Cookery+School,+Chiang+Mai.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Blakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07373492014130597619noreply@blogger.com1Chiang Mai, Thailand18.7964642 98.660058616.872773199999997 96.1332031 20.7201552 101.1869141tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3145908568894841960.post-80630203692548674632012-11-04T18:55:00.003+07:002012-11-05T11:05:44.559+07:00Blake vs. the Canadians in Chiang Rai<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A busy October. Back to America for
three weeks for my dad's wedding and to visit some friends and
family. Then, just as the jet lag was wearing off it was back to
Thailand, half-way around the globe. I spent a few days in Bangkok
at some old haunts near the oh so infamous Khao San Road, met my girlfriend's parents for the first time, and
showed them around the city hitting the Grand Palace and several
other tourist spots. Having packed up all my belongings and
moved out of my house in Surat, I still had three and half weeks to
kill before orientation for my new job. After four days in the city,
I was already dying to get away from the noise and stink of Bangkok, so north I went. First stop: Chiang Rai.</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cracked;"><span style="color: lime; font-size: 40pt;">Chiang
Rai</span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It took 15 hours on a sleeper train
from Bangkok, then another three hour bus ride, and finally a 10
minute tuk-tuk to reach my accommodation (<a href="http://www.chatguesthouse.com/" target="_blank">Chat Guesthouse</a><b>)</b> in
Chiang Rai town. I checked in and paid for a night (90
baht/person/night for a double bed), took a hot shower, and went to
sleep.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
At 5:30 am Mother Nature sounded the
alarm clock in the form of several screeching roosters just below my
window. My goal for the day was to see what Chiang Rai had to offer
without breaking my budget (I'm paycheckless for the foreseeable
future). For 150 baht (about $5 USD) I rented a motorbike for the
day and followed the free map I got from the tourism authority to
Chiang Rai's famous <i><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/26/thai-buddhist-temple-wat-rong-khun_n_1447032.html" target="_blank">Wat Rong Khun</a></i> (the White Temple).
</div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c0wRJNkdYf8/UJY2MuHWGQI/AAAAAAAAAqE/C7Xi6lX6LcM/s1600/Wat+Rong+Khun+in+Chiang+Rai+White+Temple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c0wRJNkdYf8/UJY2MuHWGQI/AAAAAAAAAqE/C7Xi6lX6LcM/s640/Wat+Rong+Khun+in+Chiang+Rai+White+Temple.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Wat Rong Khun</i><br />
Narnia/Chiang Rai, Thailand.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TNoLV5kqSQc/UJY2VpUCbPI/AAAAAAAAAqM/MsjU-zvhgsI/s1600/Wat+Rong+Khun+Chiang+Rai+White+Temple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TNoLV5kqSQc/UJY2VpUCbPI/AAAAAAAAAqM/MsjU-zvhgsI/s320/Wat+Rong+Khun+Chiang+Rai+White+Temple.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The White Temple</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Reminiscent of a Narnian castle, Wat
Rong Khun is a Buddhist and Hindu temple as well as a seemingly
never-ending art project for its creator, the artist Ajarn
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/26/thai-buddhist-temple-wat-rong-khun_n_1447032.html" target="_blank">Chalermchai Kositpipat</a>. Funded entirely by public donations, the
project began in 1997 with a projected completion date for the year
2070. The inside of the White Temple (which is not allowed to be
photographed) is somewhat of a social commentary and features scraps
of pop culture painted atop of traditionally designed Buddhist walls.
Aside from the beautiful and unique architecture there's also a
gallery with paintings, drawings, and sculptures by Kositpipat.
</div>
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OjI_JBpEBm4/UJYz5UKiubI/AAAAAAAAApc/Tx-Wdgxk_KI/s1600/Brittany+at+Khun+Korn+Waterfall+Thailand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OjI_JBpEBm4/UJYz5UKiubI/AAAAAAAAApc/Tx-Wdgxk_KI/s320/Brittany+at+Khun+Korn+Waterfall+Thailand.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Britt's new friends</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
After Wat Rong Khun, Britt and I
hopped on our trusty two-wheeled rental and sputtered another 20 km
down a scenic connection of badly paved mountain roads until we found
<a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g297920-d2704360-Reviews-Khun_Korn_Waterfall-Chiang_Rai_Chiang_Rai_Province.html" target="_blank">Khun Korn</a> Waterfall. From the entrance of the park it was a
45-minute hike up and down a muddy trail cutting though bamboo
thickets and jungle. Brittany was immediately befriended by three
little Thai girls that were in absolute awe that a foreigner could
speak their language so well. The mist from the waterfall cooled us
off as we took some photos, then back down the trail to the motorbike
we went.</div>
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GpOMEfnsV04/UJYz7HCHhwI/AAAAAAAAApk/HMgA9ogLAV4/s1600/Khun+Korn+Waterfall+Chiang+Rai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GpOMEfnsV04/UJYz7HCHhwI/AAAAAAAAApk/HMgA9ogLAV4/s400/Khun+Korn+Waterfall+Chiang+Rai.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Khun Korn Waterfall<br />
Chiang Rai, Thailand</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We only wanted to pay for the bike for
24 hours, so the next day we were on foot. In the morning, we
checked out <a href="http://www.watphrakaew-chiangrai.com/eng/index.php" target="_blank">Wat Phra Kaew</a> (Temple of the Emerald Buddha). Guess what
I saw? A temple. And an emerald Buddha.</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We killed some time in the afternoon
at the <a href="http://www.pda.or.th/chiangrai/hilltribe_museum.htm" target="_blank">Hilltribe Museum</a> and got our learn on about the local native
cultures and the history of opium in the region... welcome to the
Golden Triangle.
</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Finally, just before dusk, we were
picked up in an ancient Land Rover-style 4-wheel drive SUV by Nok,
the owner of <a href="http://bamboonest-chiangrai.com/" target="_blank">Bamboo Nest Guesthouse</a> where we'd be staying for the
next two nights. About 30 km outside of town, we turned on to an
unpaved driving path and it was all off-road and uphill from there.
Upon arrival at Bamboo Nest we dropped our bags in our private bamboo
bungalow and followed the moonlit trail back to the common area for
a home-cooked Thai dinner. There were six other travelers there
but unfortunately four of them were Canadian so conversation
wasn't exactly electrifying.
</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Noi, Nok's husband and co-owner of
Bamboo Nest, lit us a fire in the fire pit. Britt called it a night
and went to bed. I made the ill-considered decision to stay up
drinking cheap Thai beer with the Canadians and two others. I was
outnumbered and ended up defending America as the subject of a
relentless interrogation. They bombarded me with an unending barrage
of half-witted questions like, “Why do we know the name of you're
president, but you don't who Stephen Harper is?”</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Stephen Harper? Hmmm. You mean the guy in
the wheel-chair with the robot voice that's always talking about
space and time travel and worm holes? Oh. No. Wait. That's
Stephen Hawking,” I half-jokingly answered. </div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In truth, I had no
idea who Stephen Harper is (the Canadian Prime Minister-- thanks
Google). Didn't know. Didn't Care. I don't go around asking stupid
questions to Canadian people like, “Why do you think its okay to
wear denim shirts?” or “Are you growing that mustache because you
lost a bet or are you actually serious?”
</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Outnumbered as I was, I easily fended off these haters from the land of snow and syrup. The truth is, Canadians are jealous of Americans. Robin Williams said it best, “Canada
is like a loft apartment over a really great party”. While things
were still in good spirits I said goodnight to Joni Mitchell and the
other hippies and went to bed. </div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I woke up the next morning with a slight
headache and a dry mouth. It all disappeared when I stepped on
to the bamboo balcony outside of my bungalow. It was a comfortably
cool morning and the sun sparkled off the shiny green jungle, still
wet with mountain dew. Leftover mist trapped in the valley blanketed
rice paddies in the distance. Otherwise it was clear. This is the
type of scenery that Northern Thailand is renowned for. It was an
entirely different kind of beautiful than what I am used to in the
south. The guesthouse was appropriately named. It really is like a
Bamboo Nest in the side of the mountain.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xdqH5-_W7dM/UJZCTdBd5QI/AAAAAAAAAq4/WOpo71Kqf_k/s1600/bamboo+nest+de+chiang+rai+bungalow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xdqH5-_W7dM/UJZCTdBd5QI/AAAAAAAAAq4/WOpo71Kqf_k/s640/bamboo+nest+de+chiang+rai+bungalow.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-218-ivBb-W4/UJZCWXgm8ZI/AAAAAAAAArI/ks5089Wnp94/s1600/hammock+bamboo+nest+de+chiang+rai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-218-ivBb-W4/UJZCWXgm8ZI/AAAAAAAAArI/ks5089Wnp94/s400/hammock+bamboo+nest+de+chiang+rai.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I spent the rest of the day exploring
the compound a bit, but mostly laying around in the hammock on my
bamboo porch. Nok had done a superb job with the landscaping and
there were various flowers, plants, and trees strategically placed to
add that much more to the already naturally impressive terrain. There's
an abundance to do at Bamboo Nest. They offer jungle treks and 4x4
off-roading. It's only an hour's hike to a waterfall and natural hot
springs. If that's too far, a ten minute stroll down the mountain
will bring you to a Lahu hilltribe village.</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Since I've been back in Thailand, the
two days I spent at <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JH90_yPL_ug&feature=plcp" target="_blank">Bamboo Nest de Chiang Rai</a> have been by far my favorite and the most relaxing. It's easily one of my
top 3 places I've stayed in all of my travels. I could go on and on
into more detail about Bamboo Nest, but I figured the best way to
show how great it is would be to show you with a quick <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JH90_yPL_ug&feature=plcp" target="_blank">video</a>. Here's the
newest Blake's World episode... Enjoy!</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<object height="360" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JH90_yPL_ug?version=3&hl=en_US"></param>
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param>
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param>
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JH90_yPL_ug?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="640" height="360" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Want to see what it's like at Bamboo Nest de Chiang Rai? Watch the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JH90_yPL_ug&feature=plcp" target="_blank">video</a> above!</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AE-KF980kM4/UJZCSUFkSOI/AAAAAAAAAqw/KEHwG9qwdc0/s1600/bamboo+de+nest+view+chiang+rai+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AE-KF980kM4/UJZCSUFkSOI/AAAAAAAAAqw/KEHwG9qwdc0/s640/bamboo+de+nest+view+chiang+rai+.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my porch view</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u-_KT-rOLi4/UJZEjNf9FtI/AAAAAAAAArQ/pZHL6l8v25o/s1600/butterfly+bamboo+nest+de+chiang+rai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u-_KT-rOLi4/UJZEjNf9FtI/AAAAAAAAArQ/pZHL6l8v25o/s400/butterfly+bamboo+nest+de+chiang+rai.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo credit: Britt D</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EonccyZVBXg/UJZEkFx122I/AAAAAAAAArY/cesm3DpFQeI/s1600/white+dog+bamboo+at+nest+de+chiang+rai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EonccyZVBXg/UJZEkFx122I/AAAAAAAAArY/cesm3DpFQeI/s400/white+dog+bamboo+at+nest+de+chiang+rai.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Whitey</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br /></div>
Blakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07373492014130597619noreply@blogger.com0Chiang Rai, Thailand19.8737421 99.723267318.9180771 98.4598398 20.8294071 100.98669480000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3145908568894841960.post-87379889629214353902012-11-01T19:49:00.000+07:002012-11-05T10:03:42.701+07:00My Shipping Container/Jungle House in Thailand<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I've lived in a lot of different places since I made move to Thailand in 2010. In Bangkok I had a small apartment in a great part of the city. In Surat Thani, I lived in three different houses with a handful of awesome roommates. But, by far, the most interesting place that I've lived (and my favorite) is a shipping container in the jungle. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It's not <i>exactly</i> as it sounds. It's actually two shipping containers welded together in the middle and renovated into a small "house" complete with electricity and running water. It stands on stilts over a pond in the jungle, just 5 minutes across the river from town. Living in the jungle was an adventure in itself. I'd routinely see giant monitor lizards lazily crawling through the tall grasses and there was monkey that lived a stone's throw away. Not to mention all the cool flora and fauna. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
After six great months in the jungle and almost two years of living and teaching in Surat, it's time to move on. I'm trading the sun and the islands of Thailand's south for the cool, green mountains of the north. <i> Surat Thani, you will be missed</i>.</div>
<br />
Here's a quick video of the <i>jungle crib</i>... (not the best quality)...<br />
<br /></div>
<object height="360" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/STsZKkm0dpU?version=3&hl=en_US"></param>
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param>
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param>
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/STsZKkm0dpU?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="640" height="360" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>
<br />
<br />
And some snapshots...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_W76P2t6gnI/UJH8qPaiepI/AAAAAAAAAoA/claye_o3MDo/s1600/outside+the+shipping+container-house.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_W76P2t6gnI/UJH8qPaiepI/AAAAAAAAAoA/claye_o3MDo/s400/outside+the+shipping+container-house.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">front porch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1Ou9XnD5Mdw/UJH8oZPEhTI/AAAAAAAAAn4/KgmU1vWlnuU/s1600/entry+shipping+container-house.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1Ou9XnD5Mdw/UJH8oZPEhTI/AAAAAAAAAn4/KgmU1vWlnuU/s640/entry+shipping+container-house.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">you may enter...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f11SQx9wLUQ/UJH90VsNxNI/AAAAAAAAAoI/FEV9xR4dIRo/s1600/living+room2+in+shipping+container-house.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f11SQx9wLUQ/UJH90VsNxNI/AAAAAAAAAoI/FEV9xR4dIRo/s640/living+room2+in+shipping+container-house.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">living room area</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RQdSkaMi4fE/UJH8mzA1V4I/AAAAAAAAAnw/sP3gQS0kAZY/s1600/art+room+in+shipping+container-house.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RQdSkaMi4fE/UJH8mzA1V4I/AAAAAAAAAnw/sP3gQS0kAZY/s400/art+room+in+shipping+container-house.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Britt's art room... I wanted a gym.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
And some cool plants growing around the house...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tjVFTIT37aI/UJIBc3N-EPI/AAAAAAAAAoo/uzFGLINbARk/s1600/shipping+container+house+garden1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tjVFTIT37aI/UJIBc3N-EPI/AAAAAAAAAoo/uzFGLINbARk/s320/shipping+container+house+garden1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3KpTDqSqVxg/UJIBd-1ReYI/AAAAAAAAAos/2_sAxFCrI8Q/s1600/shipping+container+house+garden2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3KpTDqSqVxg/UJIBd-1ReYI/AAAAAAAAAos/2_sAxFCrI8Q/s320/shipping+container+house+garden2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LbGdtsWjuxs/UJIBfG9-k6I/AAAAAAAAAo4/pwPR5lwzoAQ/s1600/shipping+container+house+garden3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LbGdtsWjuxs/UJIBfG9-k6I/AAAAAAAAAo4/pwPR5lwzoAQ/s320/shipping+container+house+garden3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>*not pictured:</b> bedroom, bathroom, drawbridge.</span></div>
Blakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07373492014130597619noreply@blogger.com2Surat Thani, Thailand8.9034051 99.01289267.8994891 97.7494651 9.9073211 100.2763201tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3145908568894841960.post-57021970433750792142012-10-26T13:13:00.001+07:002012-11-18T19:28:54.238+07:00Rock Climbing and Penis Caves at Railay Beach!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
During my last semester of teaching I
didn't get to travel as much as I would've liked. My primary focus
was working and saving money. I needed cash for my trip back to the
States and to hold me over through my next gig volunteering in the
north. I did, however, plan and budget for one 4-day trip to Railay
Beach in Thailand's Krabi province. </div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I've been to many of Thailand's most
stunning islands and beaches, but never to Railay. A few <a href="http://www.michaelbartolomei.com/" target="_blank">friends</a> have
told me that, with it's towering limestone cliffs and clear blue
water, it's their favorite beach in Thailand. I was set on spending
some time there before I left the south.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E8fujZI4xQY/UIonPAYdZVI/AAAAAAAAAnI/Y5NX4xNlxr0/s1600/railay+beach+low+tide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E8fujZI4xQY/UIonPAYdZVI/AAAAAAAAAnI/Y5NX4xNlxr0/s640/railay+beach+low+tide.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My girlfriend and I took advantage of
a 4-day holiday weekend in August and hopped on a bus (and then a<i>
</i><span style="font-style: normal;">tuk-tuk</span>... and then a
long tail boat) to Railay. After we
checked in to our <a href="http://www.sunrisetropical.com/" target="_blank">guesthouse</a>, we walked around and toured the small
peninsula that Railay is stretched upon. Railay is only accessible by boat and has three main beaches. Railay West is the most
beautiful beach on the peninsula, but Pra Nang is more... mmmm...
<i>interesting</i>.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0uXql8G2qaI/UIoj-yNdWuI/AAAAAAAAAmU/v1go6fFK-0Y/s1600/penis+cave+tham+pra+nang+nok.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0uXql8G2qaI/UIoj-yNdWuI/AAAAAAAAAmU/v1go6fFK-0Y/s640/penis+cave+tham+pra+nang+nok.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It's home to <i><a href="http://www.krabi-hotels.com/railay-beach/railey-beaches.htm" target="_blank">Tham Pra Nang Nok</a></i> (Princess
Cave), a cave dedicated to an ancient fertility goddess. The cave is
full of hundreds of phallic symbols of all kinds-- big, small, wooden, plastic--
as well as garlands and offerings to the goddess for “increased
potency and prosperity”. </div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rEuovvtEhrc/UIoj9wgC88I/AAAAAAAAAmQ/h5itrbbQ2sw/s1600/penis+cave+railay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rEuovvtEhrc/UIoj9wgC88I/AAAAAAAAAmQ/h5itrbbQ2sw/s400/penis+cave+railay.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unless you're talking about Vietnamese currency,<br />
I never want to see "hundreds of dong" again</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i-KlDzl2Q6M/UIoj_56Jh1I/AAAAAAAAAmg/KOgM3x5j2U8/s1600/railay+penis+cave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i-KlDzl2Q6M/UIoj_56Jh1I/AAAAAAAAAmg/KOgM3x5j2U8/s400/railay+penis+cave.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
After I finished my photo shoot with the giant wooden penises (or is it <i>peni</i>?), I needed something to bring my self-confidence back up. We strolled up the small Walking Street and I booked a half-day of rock climbing at <a href="http://www.railay.com/railay/climbing/climbing_intro.shtml" target="_blank">King Climbers</a>, one of the many rock climbing shops that Railay is home to. Krabi province is world famous for its limestone walls and first-class rock climbing. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CcCrAAH07_c/UIocqXXS3qI/AAAAAAAAAlQ/6p394alsGiM/s1600/DSC01449.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CcCrAAH07_c/UIocqXXS3qI/AAAAAAAAAlQ/6p394alsGiM/s400/DSC01449.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The next morning, Britt and I met our
guides, grabbed our gear, and followed the shoreline. The sand
turned to jungle and quickly we found the giant stone face that we
were to scale by five different routes. A brief tutorial on
knot-tying and gear rigging was all we were given before the guides
let us loose upon the rock. As I gracefully floated to the top
of what normal humans think of as a challenging climb, I could hear the
guides talking to each other on the ground below. I couldn't make
out exactly what they were saying in Thai, but I think it was something about
how I reminded them of an angel. I briefly paused at
the top to look over my shoulder and take in the incredible view of the bay behind me. Then, I pushed off the rock and effortlessly
repelled back to the ground. The guides' faces were awestruck, like they just found out Spiderman really <i>does</i> exist.</div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KEhCGjDe-GI/UIocTuOpkrI/AAAAAAAAAk4/wmRuGy0pQbI/s1600/DSC05097.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KEhCGjDe-GI/UIocTuOpkrI/AAAAAAAAAk4/wmRuGy0pQbI/s320/DSC05097.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>got a light?</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Later that night we went to dinner at
the last bar on the beach, creatively named Last Bar. I ate good
food and enjoyed a bucket of booze while I watched the fire show. Fire
shows are popular for nighttime entertainment on most Thai beaches. Between one and ten locals perform dances and acrobatics while
twirling ropes, sticks, and other primal props, all soaked in oil
and lit on fire. It's wise to always be paying attention during one
of these shows. More than once, I've seen a handler lose control of
his flaming baton, sending it like a medieval fireball into the crowd
of spectators. Fortunately, on this night there were no such
mishaps.</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The following day, we booked a
snorkeling trip that had been recommended by friends. A long tail
boat took us to a few small islands off the coast to snorkel, swim,
and lay on the beach. The water was cloudy and visibility was low so
I challenged Brittany to a jumping contest on the beach. I clearly
dominated.</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-br-PeQGjboA/UIoZz6haMeI/AAAAAAAAAkc/-gm_2FkfWFY/s1600/DSC05114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-br-PeQGjboA/UIoZz6haMeI/AAAAAAAAAkc/-gm_2FkfWFY/s320/DSC05114.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Th3UXhe6s8c/UIoZy1EtIAI/AAAAAAAAAkY/ErFcEI38gXc/s1600/DSC05113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Th3UXhe6s8c/UIoZy1EtIAI/AAAAAAAAAkY/ErFcEI38gXc/s320/DSC05113.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">didn't spill one drop</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
At dusk, the boat pulled ashore a
private island for us to watch the sunset, while the crew cooked up a
BBQ seafood dinner on the beach for us. While we waited for our
food, Brittany wanted to redeem herself from her horrible showing in
the jumping contest and challenged me to a cartwheel contest. I'm
not quite sure what she was thinking. I've been told that my
cartwheel execution is reminiscent of a young Kerri Strug. Again, I
dominated. </div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3XlamLmOrhM/UIobTQ2X2mI/AAAAAAAAAko/Xi_mLeiu8Cg/s1600/DSC05154.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3XlamLmOrhM/UIobTQ2X2mI/AAAAAAAAAko/Xi_mLeiu8Cg/s320/DSC05154.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tIR3dj1fUxY/UIobUTaIC7I/AAAAAAAAAks/_z7IHFifvh8/s1600/DSC05155.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tIR3dj1fUxY/UIobUTaIC7I/AAAAAAAAAks/_z7IHFifvh8/s320/DSC05155.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> On the way back to Railay beach, the
boat stopped in the middle of the bay for some night snorkeling. I
jumped in and the water immediately lit up all around me with the
glow of thousands of phosphorescence. I swam underwater and it felt
like I was in outer space. Holding my breath I threw out some
ferocious karate chops and ninja kicks, each one trailed by a bright, yellow and blue, electric glow. Then, I almost drowned and realized that I was </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>not</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> in
the Matrix and swam back to the boat to take me home.</span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
All in all, Railay was great. It's a
beautiful beach with tons of activities and it isn't as overcrowded as many of the islands are. It's a bit more expensive then other
places, but still, a 4-day vacation (including transportation,
accommodation, food, drink, rock climbing, and snorkeling) only cost
me about 6,000 baht ($200 USD). Hopefully, before I leave thailand I'll
get one more trip to the south. If I do, I'll definitely visit
Railay again.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T1Q3cQrV_hQ/UIoewGQctEI/AAAAAAAAAlY/VALTLlRFEt8/s1600/DSC05132.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T1Q3cQrV_hQ/UIoewGQctEI/AAAAAAAAAlY/VALTLlRFEt8/s400/DSC05132.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-13wio0ZXY4o/UIoe5eBBDjI/AAAAAAAAAlg/mF9A40RmHsg/s1600/low+tide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-13wio0ZXY4o/UIoe5eBBDjI/AAAAAAAAAlg/mF9A40RmHsg/s640/low+tide.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">low tide</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Blakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07373492014130597619noreply@blogger.com2Nopparat Thara Rd, Ao Nang, Mueang Krabi, Krabi 81000, Thailand8.02523500283288 98.7677764892578127.9623455028328793 98.688812489257813 8.08812450283288 98.846740489257812tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3145908568894841960.post-63897916292184588122012-10-18T11:23:00.000+07:002012-11-05T10:07:23.334+07:00The Best Food in Surat Thani- My Picks!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The south of Thailand is renowned for it's delicious and spicy cuisine. Surat Thani, where I've called home for the past two years, is no exception. The following is a quick video I put together of what I think are the best dishes from some of my favorite local restaurants in Surat. </div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<object height="360" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/FpVgVoT8frw?version=3&hl=en_US"></param>
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param>
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param>
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/FpVgVoT8frw?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="640" height="360" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The total video is about 8 minutes in length so if you want to skip around, the featured foods and restaurants are below. *In Surat Thani, many of these restaurant names are written in Thai. Since most of my friends and I cannot read Thai, we've made up these nicknames for the restaurants based on their location or what is served there (i.e. "Corner Guy" is a small hole-in-the-wall eatery run by one <i>guy</i> on the <i>corner</i> of an intersection). Enjoy.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SHN2IEMUW0s/UH99QIiz5GI/AAAAAAAAAjM/1dJZB7NbhQA/s1600/pad+see+euw+wiki.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SHN2IEMUW0s/UH99QIiz5GI/AAAAAAAAAjM/1dJZB7NbhQA/s200/pad+see+euw+wiki.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">pic from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/" target="_blank">wiki</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Place: <span style="font-family: Cracked;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">“Corner
Guy”</span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Dishes:</div>
<ol>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><b>pad see euw</b></i>- stir
fried noodles with vegetables, chicken, and brown sauce</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><b>yam yawd ma praew</b></i><b>-</b>
fried coconut tips with a spicy salad (more like a dip) of lime,
seafood, and vegetables</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Place: <span style="font-family: Cracked;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">
“Earth Zone” </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Dishes:
</div>
<ol>
<li><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XedlsaMR6kY/UH9_sK6wDGI/AAAAAAAAAjs/BpMIbCbrlx8/s1600/dumpling+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XedlsaMR6kY/UH9_sK6wDGI/AAAAAAAAAjs/BpMIbCbrlx8/s200/dumpling+pic.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">pic from <a href="http://joyfulabode.com/" target="_blank">joyfulabode</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><b>kao rad pad ka praew gung</b></i><span style="font-style: normal;">-
Fried Thai basil and spices with spicy shrimp over rice with fish
sauce, chili, and garlic. I add a </span><i>kai dao </i><span style="font-style: normal;">(fried
egg) on top.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i>kaew
muu sap</i></b>- Chinese style, crispy fried dumpling stuff with minced
pork and spices.</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Place: <span style="font-family: Cracked;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">“Rice
Soup Place” </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Dishes:</div>
<ol>
<li><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KvNJ8wB-8NU/UH-ASCjZGGI/AAAAAAAAAj0/afBt6-qdeb4/s1600/kao+tom+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KvNJ8wB-8NU/UH-ASCjZGGI/AAAAAAAAAj0/afBt6-qdeb4/s200/kao+tom+pic.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">pic from <a href="http://oomamee.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">oomame</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><b>kao tam</b></i>- breakfast
soup of boiled rice and spices (I add egg and pork and lots of crushed chili)</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><b>batong go</b></i>- fresh
donuts served with condensed milk</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Place: <span style="font-family: Cracked;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">“Kampan”</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Dishes:</div>
<ol>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><b>massaman curry</b></i>-
Muslim curry dish ranked # 1 by CNNgo's <i>50 Most Delicious Foods</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
in 2011. It's delicious flavor comes from coconut milk, brown sugar,
peanuts, potatoes, cinnamon, fish sauce, palm sugar, and Thai chili,
cooked with giant chunks of chicken breast.</span></div>
</li>
<li><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xnIrr6RIIqg/UH99oaQweqI/AAAAAAAAAjU/mT4RXqmyWbs/s1600/massaman+curry+wiki.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xnIrr6RIIqg/UH99oaQweqI/AAAAAAAAAjU/mT4RXqmyWbs/s1600/massaman+curry+wiki.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">pic from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/" target="_blank">wiki</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><b>kao
saway</b></span><span style="font-style: normal;">- white rice
(served aside the massaman)</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Place:
</span><span style="font-family: Cracked;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-style: normal;">“Good
Health” </span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Dishes:
</span>
</div>
<ol>
<li><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0IZt19g_pL8/UH9-C9LI9JI/AAAAAAAAAjc/vCHQcA4zf9Q/s1600/green+curry+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0IZt19g_pL8/UH9-C9LI9JI/AAAAAAAAAjc/vCHQcA4zf9Q/s200/green+curry+pic.jpg" width="169" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">pic from <a href="http://satay.com/" target="_blank">satay</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><b>geng keaw won gai</b></i><span style="font-style: normal;">-
Thai green curry with chicken. This spicy curry is blend of
onions, chili, cumin, lemongrass, minced garlic, brown sugar,
cilantro, basil, and lime juice, with plenty of vegetables and
chicken tossed in the mix. Served with white </span><i>kao saway</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
(white rice).</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><b>red curry with tofu</b></i><span style="font-style: normal;">-
I don't support tofu nor this dish so I don't know what's in it.</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"></span><br />
<span style="font-style: normal;"></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"></span><br />
<span style="font-style: normal;"></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UZ99l63Uyy4/UH9_cu6it-I/AAAAAAAAAjk/LBCJgtpOZTg/s1600/pad+ka+prao+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UZ99l63Uyy4/UH9_cu6it-I/AAAAAAAAAjk/LBCJgtpOZTg/s200/pad+ka+prao+pic.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">pic from <a href="http://6268226397_149995c3ed_z.jpg/" target="_blank">flickr</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Place:
</span><span style="font-family: Cracked;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
“Shack By The River” </span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Dish:
</span>
</div>
<ol>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><b>pad ka praew</b></i><span style="font-style: normal;">
(</span><i>gai, sai kai dao</i><span style="font-style: normal;">)-
Thai fried basil and spices with minced chicken over white rice. I
add a fried egg on top. Chicken broth soup comes on the side.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
</li>
</ol>
</div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
*Not mentioned: "Rice Lady", "Muslim Fried Chicken Stand", "Chain-link Fence Place"</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Blakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07373492014130597619noreply@blogger.com3Surat Thani, Thailand8.9034051 99.01289267.8994891 97.7494651 9.9073211 100.2763201tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3145908568894841960.post-34737464547333548582012-10-04T17:22:00.000+07:002012-11-05T10:08:16.499+07:00Food at the Surat Night Market<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"Sooo, what do you eat over there?" is a question a get a lot from friends and family. After two years, I'm finally leaving my Thai town, Surat Thani, to try my luck in the north of Thailand. The food in the north is very different from the southern Thai cuisine I've grown to love so much. In an effort to help capture some memories of the south's amazing tastes and smells before I leave, I decided to put together a blog dedicated to my favorite Thai eats in Surat. This way, everyone back home can get an idea of what kind of food I've been eating and I can have an excuse for visiting all of my favorite restaurants one more time. Instead, of taking pictures of food and scribbling a few boring sentences about what it's ingredients are and what it tastes like, I figured I'd give <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ck6wB-78Xaw&feature=plcp" target="_blank">video</a> blogging a shot (now all my friends that can't read can follow along too!).</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jMk8fAYycB4/UG1eNRApVUI/AAAAAAAAAio/I2c_lR9tF3o/s1600/night+market+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jMk8fAYycB4/UG1eNRApVUI/AAAAAAAAAio/I2c_lR9tF3o/s320/night+market+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #009933; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 15px; text-align: -webkit-auto; white-space: nowrap;">photo credit to <a href="http://chungkingdiary.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">chungkingdiary</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ck6wB-78Xaw&feature=plcp" target="_blank">first</a> installment of my food-based mini-series, I take you to one of my favorite places to eat...<b> </b><i>(talad senjao) </i><b>The Night Market.</b> Just like every other Thai town, Surat Thani has an evening market where hundreds or even thousands of residents flock to buy and sell. Whatever you're looking for the night market has: clothes, jewelry, puppies, DVD's, but most of all... delicious FOOD. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Thai people love food and the night market is recognized as a prominent aspect of Thai culture. In Surat, we have four main markets: (1)<u> the <i>day</i> market</u>- where you can find all your raw meat and sea food for sale early in the day; (2) <u>the <i>Saturday</i> night market</u>-- only open on Saturday nights, mostly consisting of clothing, knockoff goods, and handicraft vendors; (3) <u>the <i>Sunday</i> night market</u>-- only opens Sunday nights on the far end of the pier and is mostly food vendors; and finally, (4)<i> <u>talad senjao</u>,</i> which is the common night market, located near the Tapee River. It's smaller than the other markets, but open every night of the week to sell a variety of merchandise and food. Take a look at the quick <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ck6wB-78Xaw&feature=plcp" target="_blank">video I shot at <i>talad senjao</i></a> to see some of my favorite night market grub. I tried to keep it short and <strike>sweet </strike> spicy! Enjoy!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>*Featured:</b> <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pad_thai" target="_blank">Pad Thai</a> </i>(Thailand's most famous stir-fried noodle dish) and <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Som_tam" target="_blank">som tam</a> </i>(shredded green papaya salad, muddled with lime, seafood, Thai chili, palm sugar, and other veggies)... <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ck6wB-78Xaw&feature=plcp" target="_blank">Check it out</a>!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Ck6wB-78Xaw" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
In my next post, I'll take you around town to some of my favorite restaurants in Surat!</div>
Blakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07373492014130597619noreply@blogger.com2Surat Thani, Thailand8.9034051 99.01289267.8994891 97.7494651 9.9073211 100.2763201tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3145908568894841960.post-26715098050381282112012-09-15T10:37:00.000+07:002012-11-05T10:08:42.800+07:00Suan Nai Dum... THIS PLACE IS THE $#%!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">A few weeks ago, the Thai teachers in the English Department at my school invited me to their end of the year weekend retreat. We left early Saturday morning for Koh Pitok, a small island off the east coast of the Chumpon province. It was supposed to be about an hour and a half drive to the coast. The Thai teachers told me that on the way, we would stop at a beautiful garden called Suan Nai Dum (<i>Garden of Uncle Black</i>). I had no idea what to expect... garden? Boorrrring. Right? WRONG. It turned out to be the highlight of the weekend, even better than the island we were heading to. Suan Nai Dum is, quite literally, <i>the shit!</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 17px;"></span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><i>Brittany was there too and she already wrote about <a href="http://www.bangkokpost.com/travel/local-destinations/parks-and-zoos/listing/suan-nai-dum/22316" target="_blank">Suan Nai Dum</a> as an article for our company's <a href="http://superenglishsurat.blog.com/" target="_blank">website</a>. I'm going to be lazy and use her article as a "guest post" here on my own blog... </i></span></div>
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><i>Enter Britt...</i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 17px;"></span><br />
<div style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">_________</span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 17px;">
<div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">SUAN NAI DUM</span></b></div>
<div style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">Our recent visit to Suan Nai Dum convinced me that Thai culture is more full of toilet humor than I ever conceived. Otherwise, how would this statue – a giant, giant pile of poop – be possible?</span></div>
<div class="mceTemp mceIEcenter" style="font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<dl style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<dt style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://superenglishsurat.blog.com/files/2012/09/DSC01656.jpg" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-1544" height="385" src="http://superenglishsurat.blog.com/files/2012/09/DSC01656-1024x681.jpg" style="height: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" width="580" /></span></a></dt>
</dl>
</div>
<div style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><a href="http://superenglishsurat.blog.com/2012/09/05/suan-nai-dum/" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Suan Nai Dum">Like Shelby wrote</a>, Suan Nai Dum is a rather interesting rest stop in Chumpon, on Highway 41. More than just a beautiful garden, it was also “proclaimed by the Ministry of Public Health to be a Thai public toilet learning centre, which is regularly visited by students and organizations,” <a href="http://www.tourismthailand.org/See-and-Do/Sights-and-Attractions-Detail/Suan-Nai-Dum--5629" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand</a>.</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">All of the toilets are fully-functioning and they’re creatively constructed into various venues, like the Sky Toilet (360 degree views!), Tarzan and Jane toilets, a Pig Butthole toilet (?!), and the toilet that was voted Toilet of the Year 2006 – certified by someone who has the awesome job of being a Toilet Ambassador.</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://superenglishsurat.blog.com/files/2012/09/DSC01636.jpg" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><img alt="sky toilet" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1545" height="385" src="http://superenglishsurat.blog.com/files/2012/09/DSC01636-1024x681.jpg" style="display: block; height: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" width="580" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">"SKY TOILET"</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://superenglishsurat.blog.com/files/2012/09/DSC01668.jpg" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1546" height="385" src="http://superenglishsurat.blog.com/files/2012/09/DSC01668-1024x681.jpg" style="display: block; height: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" width="580" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">sign for the treehouse-style "Tarzan Toilet"</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://superenglishsurat.blog.com/files/2012/09/IMG_0102.jpg" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1547" height="541" src="http://superenglishsurat.blog.com/files/2012/09/IMG_0102-e1347163913733-768x1024.jpg" style="display: block; height: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" width="406" /></span></a></div>
<div style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<a href="http://superenglishsurat.blog.com/files/2012/09/DSC01679.jpg" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1548" height="385" src="http://superenglishsurat.blog.com/files/2012/09/DSC01679-1024x681.jpg" style="display: block; height: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" width="580" /></span></a></div>
<div style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">Though the toilets were certainly amazing, I also found myself drawn to the informative and lighthearted signs (which were, of course, posted on toilet seat lids). These offered some insight into Thai language, which “has countless of idioms and proverbs [sic] linked to the word ‘shit’ for teaching morals to children.” These are some seriously golden nuggets of wisdom (khee – said in a falling tone – means excrement):</span></div>
<ul style="font-size: 13px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://1.cdn.blog.com/wp-content/themes/alltuts/images/bullet_list.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 9px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><a href="http://www.thai-language.com/forums/t/linguistics/vocabulary/t5410" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Fon tok khee moo lai</a> (ฝนตกขี้หมูไหล): bad people meet together</span></li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://1.cdn.blog.com/wp-content/themes/alltuts/images/bullet_list.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 9px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">Khi moo raa khee maa hang (ขี้หมูราขี้หมาแห้ง): not useful, nonsense (don’t split hairs)</span></li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://1.cdn.blog.com/wp-content/themes/alltuts/images/bullet_list.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 9px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><a href="http://thai-language.com/id/222980" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Hen khee dee gwaa sai </a>(เห็นขี้ดีกว่าไส้): <em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">lit.</em> to see shit as better than entrails/family (blood is thicker than water)</span></li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://1.cdn.blog.com/wp-content/themes/alltuts/images/bullet_list.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 9px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">Gin bon ruan khee rot lang ka (กินบนเรือนขี้รดบนหลังคา): <em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">lit. </em>eat in the house, shit on the roof (to bite the hand that feeds you) [<a href="http://travel.wikinut.com/Thai-Proverbs/kpbdjf2q/" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">source</a> / <a href="http://www.thailandfriends.com/archive/index.php/t-46734.html?s=82c41c67a2355af99a9829905ab34231" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">source</a>]</span></li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://1.cdn.blog.com/wp-content/themes/alltuts/images/bullet_list.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 9px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">Gum khee dee gwaa gum tod (กําขี้ดีกวากําตด): <em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">lit.</em> grabbing shit is better than grabbing farts (having something is better than having nothing) [<a href="http://travel.wikinut.com/Thai-Proverbs/kpbdjf2q/" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">source</a>]</span></li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://1.cdn.blog.com/wp-content/themes/alltuts/images/bullet_list.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 9px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">Maa khee mai mee krai yok hahng (หมาขี้ไมมีใครยกหาง): <em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">lit.</em> nobody lifts the dog’s tail when it shits (self praise is not recommended). [<a href="http://travel.wikinut.com/Thai-Proverbs/kpbdjf2q/" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">source</a>]</span></li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://1.cdn.blog.com/wp-content/themes/alltuts/images/bullet_list.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 9px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><a href="http://www.thai-language.com/id/208513" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Hen chaang khee khee dtaam chaang</a> (เห็นช้างขี้ ขี้ตาม): don’t try to shit as large as an elephant’s shit (curb your lifestyle to match your means) [<a href="http://travel.wikinut.com/Thai-Proverbs/kpbdjf2q/" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">source</a>]</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">Those last three are my personal favorites. Thai language also has some good euphemisms for using the bathroom, including “go to the paddy,” “go to the dock,” and “go to the jungle.” <a href="http://thaitranslation.wordpress.com/2008/11/03/polite-v-vulgar-part-two-bodily-functions/" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">This site</a>also mentions, “If you are a woman and you <em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">bpai det dork mai </em>(‘go to pick flowers’)<em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">, </em>you might actually be going to the loo, while the equivalent for men is <em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">bpai ying gratai </em>(‘go to shoot rabbits’), expressions which no doubt have their origins in the fields.”</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">If you listen for it, you’ll hear the word “khee” used a lot. Yes, it’s a waste product (as in feces), but it could also be snot, (khee muuk), cigarette ash (khee boo ree), or even eraser shavings (khee yaang lohp). When “khee” is placed in front of adjectives, it’s an idiomatic prefix implying a negative personality trait – all of which is detailed on this<a href="http://thai-language.com/id/133007" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> thai-language.com</a> page. For example:</span></div>
<ul style="font-size: 13px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://1.cdn.blog.com/wp-content/themes/alltuts/images/bullet_list.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 9px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">khee mao (<a href="http://thai-language.com/id/132912#def2" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;">ขี้เมา</a>): drunkard, very often drunk</span></li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://1.cdn.blog.com/wp-content/themes/alltuts/images/bullet_list.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 9px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">khee niaao (<a href="http://thai-language.com/id/133003#def4" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;">ขี้เหนียว</a>): stingy; miserly; parsimonious; cheap</span></li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://1.cdn.blog.com/wp-content/themes/alltuts/images/bullet_list.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 9px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">khee leuum (<a href="http://thai-language.com/id/131380#def3" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;">ขี้ลืม</a>): absent-minded; forgetful</span></li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://1.cdn.blog.com/wp-content/themes/alltuts/images/bullet_list.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 9px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">khee gluaa (<a href="http://thai-language.com/id/131576#def5" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;">ขี้กลัว</a>): “scaredy-cat” — “chickenshit”</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">Some of my Mathayom girls actually come up to me quite often and say “bpuaat khee” (ปวดขี้) – which I’m pretty sure translates to “I’m dying to crap.” Not entirely sure if this is polite or not, or if they just think I can’t understand them.</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<a href="http://superenglishsurat.blog.com/files/2012/09/DSC01621.jpg" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1549" height="385" src="http://superenglishsurat.blog.com/files/2012/09/DSC01621-1024x681.jpg" style="display: block; height: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" width="580" /></span></a></div>
<div style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">As you can see in the sign above, Suan Nai Dum also offers a taste of Buddhist philosophy. A sign near the entrance to the garden explains:</span></div>
<blockquote style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 90% 0px; border-left-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-left-style: dashed; border-left-width: 1px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">The amazing distinctive “Thai Toilet” reflects Thais’ philosophy of life through their positive and creative thinking about toilets. They appreciate the significance of toilets as “the place for disposing both physical and mental sufferings.”</span></div>
</blockquote>
<div style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">Another sign, describing the Underworld Toilet, notes:</span></div>
<blockquote style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 90% 0px; border-left-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-left-style: dashed; border-left-width: 1px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">This place is located beneath a volcano where it is believed to be the hottest abyss of hell. Remarkably, the atmosphere inside the toilet is pleasantly cool. This help to reinforce the message that “the surroundings cannot bring happiness, if your mind is unhappy”, or as a Buddha Proverb says, “Heaven exists in our soul, while Hell exists in our mind.”</span></div>
</blockquote>
<div style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">Our whole visit to Suan Nai Dum was unexpectedly hilarious and memorable, and it reminded me how much I like Thai peoples’ easygoing and lighthearted way of looking at life. We never would have encountered this magical place had we not been with Thai people, traveling like Thais do.</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">So next time someone tells you that you’re going to a garden with amazing toilets, don’t be skeptical! You could be going to Suan Nai Dum … or, if you’re in Korea, you might just be visiting <a href="http://en.rocketnews24.com/2012/07/12/toilet-theme-park-opened-in-korea-there-is-a-rational-explanation-for-this/" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Mr. Toilet’s toilet theme park</a>.</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<a href="http://superenglishsurat.blog.com/files/2012/09/DSC01616.jpg" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1550" height="385" src="http://superenglishsurat.blog.com/files/2012/09/DSC01616-1024x681.jpg" style="display: block; height: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" width="580" /></span></a></div>
<div style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<a href="http://superenglishsurat.blog.com/files/2012/09/DSC01655.jpg" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1551" height="385" src="http://superenglishsurat.blog.com/files/2012/09/DSC01655-1024x681.jpg" style="display: block; height: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" width="580" /></span></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kYKMRTVFars/UFP2JS3yS7I/AAAAAAAAAiE/GoEc8Yh6TvU/s1600/Blakes-world+suan+nai+dum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kYKMRTVFars/UFP2JS3yS7I/AAAAAAAAAiE/GoEc8Yh6TvU/s640/Blakes-world+suan+nai+dum.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">..."squat pots" are a Westerner's worst enemy.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="sociable" style="clear: both; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px !important; margin-right: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rCAQ0Qqct98/UFP0NfbP46I/AAAAAAAAAh8/HV4RGCEQYPw/s1600/Suan+Nai+Dum+poop+museum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rCAQ0Qqct98/UFP0NfbP46I/AAAAAAAAAh8/HV4RGCEQYPw/s320/Suan+Nai+Dum+poop+museum.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">At the gift shop... poop-themed tea sets, salt &pepper shakers, you name it...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1fa2e1;"><br /></span></div>
<ul class="clearfix" style="background-attachment: initial !important; background-clip: initial !important; background-color: initial !important; background-image: none !important; background-origin: initial !important; border-bottom-style: none !important; border-color: initial !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-width: initial !important; color: #333333; display: block; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; text-indent: 0px !important;">
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; display: inline !important; float: left !important; list-style-type: none !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px !important; margin-right: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px; width: auto;"><a class="option1_32" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Stuff%20Thai%20People%20Like%20%237%3A%20Toilet%20Humor%20http%3A%2F%2Fsuperenglishsurat.blog.com%2F2012%2F09%2F09%2Fstuff-thai-people-like-7-toilet-humor%2F" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://1.cdn.blog.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/sociable/images/sprites/option1_32.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: -288px -32px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; color: #1fa2e1; display: block; float: left; height: 32px; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px !important; margin-right: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; text-decoration: none; width: 32px;" target="_blank" title="Twitter"></a></li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; display: inline !important; float: left !important; list-style-type: none !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px !important; margin-right: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px; width: auto;"><a class="option1_32" href="http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsuperenglishsurat.blog.com%2F2012%2F09%2F09%2Fstuff-thai-people-like-7-toilet-humor%2F&title=Stuff%20Thai%20People%20Like%20%237%3A%20Toilet%20Humor&bodytext=Our%20recent%20visit%20to%20Suan%20Nai%20Dum%20convinced%20me%20that%20Thai%20culture%20is%20more%20full%20of%20toilet%20humor%20than%20I%20ever%20conceived.%20Otherwise%2C%20how%20would%C2%A0this%20statue%20-%20a%20giant%2C%20giant%20pile%20of%20poop%20-%20be%20possible%3F%0D%0A%0D%0ALike%20Shelby%20wrote%2C%20Suan%20Nai%20Dum%20is%20a%20rather%20interest" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://1.cdn.blog.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/sociable/images/sprites/option1_32.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: -64px 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; color: #1fa2e1; display: block; float: left; height: 32px; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px !important; margin-right: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; text-decoration: none; width: 32px;" target="_blank" title="Digg"></a></li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; display: inline !important; float: left !important; list-style-type: none !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px !important; margin-right: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px; width: auto;"><a class="option1_32" href="http://delicious.com/post?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsuperenglishsurat.blog.com%2F2012%2F09%2F09%2Fstuff-thai-people-like-7-toilet-humor%2F&title=Stuff%20Thai%20People%20Like%20%237%3A%20Toilet%20Humor&notes=Our%20recent%20visit%20to%20Suan%20Nai%20Dum%20convinced%20me%20that%20Thai%20culture%20is%20more%20full%20of%20toilet%20humor%20than%20I%20ever%20conceived.%20Otherwise%2C%20how%20would%C2%A0this%20statue%20-%20a%20giant%2C%20giant%20pile%20of%20poop%20-%20be%20possible%3F%0D%0A%0D%0ALike%20Shelby%20wrote%2C%20Suan%20Nai%20Dum%20is%20a%20rather%20interest" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://1.cdn.blog.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/sociable/images/sprites/option1_32.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: -32px 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; color: #1fa2e1; display: block; float: left; height: 32px; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px !important; margin-right: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; text-decoration: none; width: 32px;" target="_blank" title="Delicious"></a></li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; display: inline !important; float: left !important; list-style-type: none !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px !important; margin-right: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px; width: auto;"><a class="option1_32" href="https://mail.google.com/mail/?view=cm&fs=1&to&su=Stuff%20Thai%20People%20Like%20%237%3A%20Toilet%20Humor&body=http%3A%2F%2Fsuperenglishsurat.blog.com%2F2012%2F09%2F09%2Fstuff-thai-people-like-7-toilet-humor%2F&ui=2&tf=1&shva=1" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://1.cdn.blog.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/sociable/images/sprites/option1_32.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: -160px 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; color: #1fa2e1; display: block; float: left; height: 32px; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px !important; margin-right: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; text-decoration: none; width: 32px;" target="_blank" title="E-mail"></a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</span></div>
Blakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07373492014130597619noreply@blogger.com3พท. 4043, Chumpon, Srinagarindra, Phatthalung 93000, Thailand7.6157251 99.95768497.1121020999999995 99.3259709 8.1193481 100.5893989tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3145908568894841960.post-70136529651446137752012-09-08T21:42:00.002+07:002012-11-05T10:09:34.477+07:00Return to Kathmandu!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6Z8bP8TBkVg/UEslY2yGNAI/AAAAAAAAAgc/R24g7nMFdpg/s1600/Buddhist+parade+in+Lukla,+Nepal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6Z8bP8TBkVg/UEslY2yGNAI/AAAAAAAAAgc/R24g7nMFdpg/s400/Buddhist+parade+in+Lukla,+Nepal.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">random Buddhist procession passing by in Lukla</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I woke up with a headache but for the first
time in a long time it wasn't because of the elevation. This time I
had <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chhaang" target="_blank">chhaang</a></i> to thank. <i>Chhaang (</i>not to be confused with the Thai beer of the same pronunciation)<i> </i>is the local Sherpa brew-- it literally means "nectar of gods". The
previous night my friends and I had a few too many celebration drinks
and now it was time to get on an airplane back to <a href="http://blakesworld211.blogspot.com/2012/05/namaste.html" target="_blank">Kathmandu</a>. We were able to move our
flight up so that we wouldn't have to wait around in Lukla for another day. After
breakfast, I packed up my belongings and paid the bill at our lodge.
The four of us made the short walk over to the airport, eager to get
off the mountain.</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I should've known as I walked up to the
<a href="http://blakesworld211.blogspot.com/2012/05/escape-from-kathmandu.html" target="_blank">Tara Air</a> counter that there would be bad news. Even though the
weather in Lukla was clear and calm, so was not the case at our destination and our flight-- the last flight of the day-- had been
canceled. The airline rep pushed back our reservations to the second
flight out the following morning. This is exactly what happened when we began the trip, trying to get from <a href="http://blakesworld211.blogspot.com/2012_05_01_archive.html" target="_blank">Kathmandu to Lukla</a>.</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xTHG2mHRkkM/UEsl0d_nduI/AAAAAAAAAgk/qBHNcxubmkU/s1600/Bud+tallboy+in+Lukla,+Nepal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xTHG2mHRkkM/UEsl0d_nduI/AAAAAAAAAgk/qBHNcxubmkU/s320/Bud+tallboy+in+Lukla,+Nepal.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">who needs 3-D glasses when you've got beer goggles?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Frustrated, we checked in to at a hotel
across the street. I killed the rest of the afternoon in a small
internet cafe/ coffee house that had a huge TV playing movies. They sold
Budweiser tallboys-- the first I'd seen anywhere in Asia-- and I took
full advantage. I sprawled out, taking up the long couch in the
common area, and drank beer while watching Tron 2 on the big screen. It was in
3-D, but I didn't have the glasses. By my third Bud tallboy I was
able to see the missing third dimension.</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The next morning I woke up with fingers
crossed. Luckily, the weather was great and everything went as
according to scheduled. At 7:30 am, we boarded our flight out of
Lukla back to Kathmandu. I was excited and a bit nervous as the
plane set for a brief pause at the top of the runway-- then it made
it's charge. We rapidly approached the end of the runway. In Lukla,
when the runway ends... so does the ground. If the plane doesn't have
enough speed to take off, it will go face first off the edge of the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXtl0d3TT1c&feature=plcp" target="_blank">runway</a> (and
mountain), plummeting into the valley below. We charged for 100
yards and just before we reached the edge of the cliff, our pilots
pulled up and we took flight. As we soared through the Himalayas like a badass terodactyl, I soaked in the last views of the
magnificent mountain tops peaking through the clouds. (Watch my video of the sweet takeoff <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXtl0d3TT1c&feature=plcp" target="_blank">below</a>...)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
THIS. IS. SWEET...</div>
<object height="360" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/qXtl0d3TT1c?version=3&hl=en_US"></param>
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param>
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param>
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qXtl0d3TT1c?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="640" height="360" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: 1.00pt solid #000000; border-left: none; border-right: none; border-top: none; margin-bottom: 0in; padding-bottom: 0.03in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Once we were in Kathmandu we cabbed it
to the backpacker district of Thamel where we'd stayed before. My
friends and I checked back in to <a href="http://www.travellershomenepal.com/" target="_blank">Traveler's Home</a>, one of the best
guesthouses I've ever stayed at in all of my travels. They greeted
us with hugs and congratulations and quickly opened up two rooms for
us. I took a much-needed hot shower and happily changed out of my awful trekking
clothes.</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_L2eNH6PLJI/UEsmRuuEdBI/AAAAAAAAAgs/LcmDYwTg6jY/s1600/Traveller's+Home+in+Thamel,+Kathmandu,+Nepal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_L2eNH6PLJI/UEsmRuuEdBI/AAAAAAAAAgs/LcmDYwTg6jY/s320/Traveller's+Home+in+Thamel,+Kathmandu,+Nepal.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">back at <a href="http://www.travellershomenepal.com/" target="_blank">Traveller's Home</a> (Thamel-Kathmandu, Nepal)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My first stop was the barber shop. I
got a haircut and a shave for the first time in over a month.
Finally... clean. The rest of the afternoon was spent walking around
Thamel, doing some light shopping-- a few souvenirs and
gifts. As we walked, shop owners through buckets of water on the
dirty streets to keep the dust down. Relentless honking from the
city traffic made me anxious. It had only been a few hours and I
already missed the mountains and their quiet. My friends and I decided to get out of <a href="http://blakesworld211.blogspot.com/2012/05/namaste.html" target="_blank">Kathmandu</a> immediately and we booked bus tickets to Pokhara for early the next morning.</div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Pokhara is known as Nepal's second
city. It's a small lake-side town sitting at the foot of the
Annapurna mountain range. I looked forward to
getting some rest and relaxation and sitting lakeside with a beer in
hand for a few days. Pokhara seemed to be just what I needed.</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p2l0h5R3CDI/UEsmnM7EadI/AAAAAAAAAg0/aFCZQguZT-M/s1600/chaos+in+Thamel%252C+Kathmandu%252C+Nepal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p2l0h5R3CDI/UEsmnM7EadI/AAAAAAAAAg0/aFCZQguZT-M/s640/chaos+in+Thamel%252C+Kathmandu%252C+Nepal.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the chaos that is <a href="http://blakesworld211.blogspot.com/2012/05/namaste.html" target="_blank">Kathmandu</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
</div>
Blakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07373492014130597619noreply@blogger.com0Lukla Airport (LUA), Lukla - Everest Base Camp Trekking Route, Chaurikharka V.D.C. 56010, Nepal27.687778 86.731388927.684263 86.7264534 27.691293 86.7363244tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3145908568894841960.post-70137677674141893522012-09-05T19:17:00.004+07:002012-11-05T10:11:33.540+07:00EBC TREK: Back to Lukla (Days 10-13)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-inr6SoRjVHM/UEa_Fge4yKI/AAAAAAAAAfE/_1xdrHq9eRc/s1600/view+yak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-inr6SoRjVHM/UEa_Fge4yKI/AAAAAAAAAfE/_1xdrHq9eRc/s640/view+yak.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>DAY 10: Gorak Shep to Dingboche</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We began the return trip by hiking
back to Dingboche. We made a quick pit-stop in Lobuche, but only for
as long as was necessary. About half-way back to Dingboche (from
Lobuche), the wind suddenly picked up, there was an instant drop in
temperature, and thick clouds rolled in right on top of us-- all this
accompanied by a light snowfall. After almost getting lost in the fog, we finally arrived back at Dingboche-- two hours after we'd
planned. </div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This time we stayed at a guesthouse
recommended to Leanne by a Sherpa-dude that she met in Gorak Shep
(Moonlight- 200 NRS/night). It was infinitely better than the
guesthouse we stayed in the last time we were here. Everything was
new and clean and it was run by a friendly family staff. The common
room was actually warm (that yak dung stove actually worked) and each
bedroom had it's own bathroom. For us this was luxury accommodation
for $2.25 USD/night! I ate Indian food-- <i>Daal Baat</i>-- for
dinner and they gave me free refills. Then, the Sherpa-dude that ran
the guesthouse sat us down for a pretty incredible story.</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ygLUBQuanoQ/UEa-4G7LnsI/AAAAAAAAAe8/LxJ63gSpKNI/s1600/shrine+near+tengboche.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ygLUBQuanoQ/UEa-4G7LnsI/AAAAAAAAAe8/LxJ63gSpKNI/s320/shrine+near+tengboche.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He told us of how his son had summited
Everest seven times-- once, he summited twice in one week-- before
his was 27 years-old. On one expedition he and another Sherpa saved
the wife and daughter of a rich client going to the summit. To repay
his thanks for saving his family, the millionaire flew the two
Sherpas to the U.S. where he owns a watch company (<a href="http://koboldwatch.com/" target="_blank">Kobold</a> watches). The
thankful millionaire put the two Sherpas up and paid all expenses for
10 months as they trained and learned everything there is to know
about watch-making. Now, the two Sherpas run the <a href="http://koboldwatch.com/" target="_blank">Kobold</a> factory in
Kathmandu, make more money than they could've dreamed of before, and
they never again have to risk their lives in the mountains. Pretty
sweet story. </div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>DAY 11: Dingboche to Tengboche</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
For the first time in a long time I
woke up feeling pretty refreshed. We had an early start and the
weather on the trial was great all day. As we continued to drop in
elevation the change was noticeable. By the time we reached the
treeline (about half-way back to Tengboche) I felt much more
energized, clear, breathing was easier, and I was even to get down to
a short-sleeve T.
</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DBJNHd4nYwY/UEa8_uSDuqI/AAAAAAAAAek/oax4SsveAqs/s1600/goatcowsheephorseyak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="229" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DBJNHd4nYwY/UEa8_uSDuqI/AAAAAAAAAek/oax4SsveAqs/s320/goatcowsheephorseyak.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby Himalayan Goatcowsheephorseyakdog...<br />
AKA... the Remus.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
On a hillside I noticed what I first
thought was yak that had strayed from home. He was stumbling and
making strange noises and I got closer I decided that it was more
likely a super-hybrid of a goat-cow-sheep-horse-yak-dog. This may be
what many people have witnessed as the legendary yeti or abominable
snowman. I call him by a new name... the Remus-monster.</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MFQuc3yJzlU/UEbDITlQn6I/AAAAAAAAAfU/18GxhSnn2Lk/s1600/YETI+SKULL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MFQuc3yJzlU/UEbDITlQn6I/AAAAAAAAAfU/18GxhSnn2Lk/s320/YETI+SKULL.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"YETI SKULL" at a Buddhist monastery</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The second half of the day's trek was
much longer than any of us had remembered and the ascent at the end
was seriously steep. When we had set out on our return trip I
thought, “Well, it's all downhill from here... literally!”
Wrong. I guess I never noticed all the downhill sections of the trek
on our way up to <a href="http://blakesworld211.blogspot.com/2012/09/ebc-trek-gorak-shep-to-everest-base.html" target="_blank">Base Camp</a>. When you're walking downhill it's easy
and there's no reason to remember that specific section of the hike.
However, on the way back, alllll those descents are now ascents and
there's no way around them. By the time we reached Tengboche we were
all beat. We checked in once again at the Bakery where Mike and I
mashed chicken burgers and fries (<i>No more Sherpa stew!</i>), apple
pie, for two much-needed and well-deserved beers. </div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qyB8Wkz6Lgc/UEa9_sqa8bI/AAAAAAAAAes/iRkn62h64fE/s1600/Tuborg+beers+in+Tengboche.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qyB8Wkz6Lgc/UEa9_sqa8bI/AAAAAAAAAes/iRkn62h64fE/s200/Tuborg+beers+in+Tengboche.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<b></b><br />
<b></b>
<b></b>
<b></b>
<b></b>
<b></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b>DAY 12: Tengboche to Monju</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We got started at 9 am and the first
task was to tackle the mountain that Tengboche sits atop of.
Luckily, this time we were going down. Still, it was steep and rocky
and five steps into the descent, Brittany fell on her ass- not off to
a happy start. <a href="http://www.michaelbartolomei.com/" target="_blank">Mike</a> went ahead and I walked with Britt and Leanne.
It took Mike only 45 minutes to get down and it ended up taking the
three of us closer to an hour and a half. We rendezvoused at the
bottom of the mountain and Mike decided to go ahead again, at a
faster pace, and meet us at Namche Bazaar.
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NQa6p40w5WY/UEa-kHvLe5I/AAAAAAAAAe0/_KKgjy2Btuc/s1600/torn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NQa6p40w5WY/UEa-kHvLe5I/AAAAAAAAAe0/_KKgjy2Btuc/s400/torn.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8mFRVy01Vv0/UEbBt5QT_pI/AAAAAAAAAfM/3gQviPbHUdM/s1600/saw+in+Namche.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8mFRVy01Vv0/UEbBt5QT_pI/AAAAAAAAAfM/3gQviPbHUdM/s400/saw+in+Namche.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doin work!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Slowly but surely we went up and down
over peaks and through valleys and finally we arrived back at Namche
and met Mike at the Everest Bakery. We ate (I usually don't support
veggie-burgers, but this place did it right), rested, and got back on
the trail for the final leg to Monju ( or Monzu). It took about 45
minutes to descend from Namche but other than the uneven terrain it
was fairly easy. Together, we crossed the suspension bridge that I
remembered so vividly from the first half of the trek and we pressed
on at a good pace to <a href="http://wikitravel.org/en/Monju" target="_blank">Monju</a>. Just as it was getting dark we checked
in at Mt. Kailash (guesthouse) and sprang (700 NRS/ $7.85 USD) for a
room with a bathroom and a hot shower.</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The day's trek was supposed to take
about four hours, instead it took closer to seven. I let Britt take
the first shower and I laid on the bed resting from the long day.
This hot shower added an extra 200 NRS to the cost of the room, but I
didn't care. I deserved it. When Britt finished I walked into the
bathroom eager to get clean and warm with the hot water.
Unfortunately, she used all of the gas for the heater and I was
sprayed with ice water. At least it woke me up.</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b>FINAL DAY of trekking- DAY 13: Monju to
Lukla</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Everyone was up and ready to go in a
good mood. We ate breakfast at Mt. Kailash and enjoyed the deck-view
overlooking the river not too far below. It started out as a
beautiful day and the weather was perfect. I was still sick but felt
much better and was really enjoying hiking again. The lower altitude
was so much better to hike in. There's thicker oxygen to
breath and
birds to listen to. Once again below the tree line, you trade the dusty landscape for waterfalls and rhododendrons. The scenery is sightly and the weather is
enjoyable.</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We made a pit-stop in <a href="http://blakesworld211.blogspot.com/2012/07/ebc-trek-lukla-to-namche-days-1-3.html" target="_blank">Pakding</a> and ate
some steamed <i>momos</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> for the last time.</span>
We filled our water bottles and started out on the final leg of our
two-week ultra-trek and... rain. Everyone had rain gear except for
Mike who wrapped himself in blue plastic and looked like a
Smurf-wizard. I didn't mind the rain. I actually enjoyed it. Thick
fog and clouds rolled in to accompany the rain and swallowed us
whole. It felt like we were on the path to Moridor. Good thing the
<a href="http://www.michaelbartolomei.com/" target="_blank">Smurf-wizard</a> was there to protect us.</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We hobbled along the cobble stone
path, over a couple more bridges and conquered the closing ascent of
our trek. At the edge of town in Lukla, we passed through the
archway that signified our start, and now our finish.
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T8WPWzYUeZs/UEbI1QXhf1I/AAAAAAAAAf4/zDxhp5927ew/s1600/EBC+TREK+2012-+FINISHED!.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T8WPWzYUeZs/UEbI1QXhf1I/AAAAAAAAAf4/zDxhp5927ew/s640/EBC+TREK+2012-+FINISHED!.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>crossing the finish line..</i>. VICTORY!<br />
<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
CHECK OUT THIS SHORT VIDEO I THREW TOGETHER FROM THE TAIL-END OF THE TREK... I ORIGINALLY PUT IT TOGETHER WITH MUSIC BUT GOT A COPYRIGHT NOTICE ABOUT TH ZEPPLIN SONG I USED SO HAD TO TAKE OUT THE AUDIO... WORKING ON IT...</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<object height="360" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_DocdSfGkhY?version=3&hl=en_US"></param>
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param>
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param>
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_DocdSfGkhY?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="640" height="360" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>
</div>
</div>
Blakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07373492014130597619noreply@blogger.com0Khumbu, Sagarmatha National Park, Khumjung 56000, Nepal27.7833333 86.7527.7552368 86.710518 27.8114298 86.789482tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3145908568894841960.post-12808753632817325152012-09-03T08:09:00.001+07:002012-11-05T10:12:30.718+07:00EBC TREK: Gorak Shep to Everest Base Camp (Day 9)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The day that I'd been waiting and
working for had finally come and all I felt like doing was sleeping.
The previous day's scramble up Kala Patthar had pushed me to my
limits and I was now laying in bed feeling worse than ever before
during the trek. I had a fever. I couldn't breathe through my nose.
My throat felt like it was swollen shut and every cough felt like it
was tearing it open. I finally gave in and started taking the
<a href="http://www.traveldoctor.co.uk/altitude.htm" target="_blank">Diamox</a> to help subside the symptoms of the mountain sickness since we
wouldn't be going any higher in elevation after Base Camp. Mike and
the others asked if I wanted to take a rest day but I just wanted to
get it over with. Nut up or shut up. </div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cracked;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Everest
Base Camp</span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--98HUD1tnVk/UENl2OYDC4I/AAAAAAAAAdY/6yvEstg-nic/s1600/DSC01013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--98HUD1tnVk/UENl2OYDC4I/AAAAAAAAAdY/6yvEstg-nic/s320/DSC01013.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The hike to Base Camp takes about 6 ½
hours roundtrip. Unless you bring your own tent there's no lodging
or accommodation at base camp. We didn't bring tents so we kept our
rooms in <a href="http://blakesworld211.blogspot.com/2012/08/ebc-trek-lobuche-to-gorak-shep-kala.html" target="_blank">Gorak Shep</a> another night. The plan was to trek out to the
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khumbu_Glacier" target="_blank">Khumbu Glacier</a> upon which Base Camp sits, walk around, take pictures
of the camp and the icefall, and then head back to Gorak Shep before
the sun went down.</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Once we started walking I felt a
little better. The trek out there was pretty easy-- walking along
rocky ridges with a few gradual ups and downs. Whatever mercy the
terrain showed the cold made up for. It makes sense that the
farthest point in our journey would also be the coldest.
</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
By the time we reached Base Camp I had
tons of good pictures. There were some great shots of Base Camp still in the distance and a few of both the the glacier
and icefall. Still, the best views of were from <a href="http://blakesworld211.blogspot.com/2012/08/ebc-trek-lobuche-to-gorak-shep-kala.html" target="_blank">Kala Patthar</a> the day
before. In fact, because of it's location you can't actually see
Everest from Base Camp. Even so, there was plenty to take in.
</div>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0VWClaVmpq4/UENmC7qR3vI/AAAAAAAAAdg/YXAtVBfgQYU/s1600/DSC04581.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0VWClaVmpq4/UENmC7qR3vI/AAAAAAAAAdg/YXAtVBfgQYU/s640/DSC04581.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Khumbu, baby. Glacier chillin.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I walked into Base Camp and I could
hear creaking and cracking of the blue glacier below my feet. I'd
made it to the finish line. I'd reached my goal. This was it.
5,364 meters in elevation. 17,598 feet. EVEREST BASE CAMP... and
all I wanted to do was take a picture and get back to my room in
Gorak Shep and go to bed. As terrible as I felt, I tried to
appreciate the moment.
</div>
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RgM-1DtaWsM/UENmeElwD3I/AAAAAAAAAdo/yMu03FiQHeE/s1600/DSC04588.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RgM-1DtaWsM/UENmeElwD3I/AAAAAAAAAdo/yMu03FiQHeE/s320/DSC04588.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>"YOU DISRESPECT THE MOUNTAIN!"</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
When you reach Base Camp, there's a
boulder covered in graffiti-- decorated with prayer flags and the
signatures of those that made it this far. In the background, a
blanket of white lay speckled with the orange and yellow of so many
trekkers' tents. My friends and I waited for other groups to finish
and then took our turn taking pictures next to the makeshift monument. Leanne
had a plan the whole trip to take a picture at Base Camp in her
bikini and she had every intention of following through. Despite the
freezing cold, she stripped down and posed in her two-piece only to
get sternly yelled at by several Sherpas for “disrespecting the
mountain”. </div>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UGoBnEktO2k/UENmx7OvxHI/AAAAAAAAAdw/KpSO2uFHlYg/s1600/good+one.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="489" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UGoBnEktO2k/UENmx7OvxHI/AAAAAAAAAdw/KpSO2uFHlYg/s640/good+one.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THE CREW</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Leanne and <a href="http://www.michaelbartolomei.com/" target="_blank">Mike</a> wanted to stay at Base
Camp a little longer to walk around and check it out. Britt and I
were satisfied with what we'd seen and done and decided to head back.
The wind picked up and it was long, cold trudge back to <a href="http://blakesworld211.blogspot.com/2012/08/ebc-trek-lobuche-to-gorak-shep-kala.html" target="_blank">Gorak Shep</a>.
We arrived just as the sun was falling behind the mountains. Garlic
soup and lemon tea was my victory meal. After dinner I fell into my
bed exhausted and accomplished. After nine long days I'd
reached my goal but the journey was far from over-- I still I had to
go all the way back.</div>
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oQOMPDSA-_U/UENm-9FuLmI/AAAAAAAAAd4/EVpRDXyU8Tg/s1600/ebc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oQOMPDSA-_U/UENm-9FuLmI/AAAAAAAAAd4/EVpRDXyU8Tg/s400/ebc.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arriving at Base Camp... more tents beyond the ridge but not much to it.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fqtOeDNVxic/UENnPOgggUI/AAAAAAAAAeA/ObVYj8L496w/s1600/naptown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fqtOeDNVxic/UENnPOgggUI/AAAAAAAAAeA/ObVYj8L496w/s640/naptown.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">rep the Naptown jersey. yeeeahh buddy.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<object height="360" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pLZkbkJ5UVA?version=3&hl=en_US"></param>
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param>
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param>
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pLZkbkJ5UVA?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="640" height="360" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>
</div>
Blakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07373492014130597619noreply@blogger.com1Everest Base Camp, Sagarmatha National Park, Khumjung 56000, Nepal28.0072222 86.859444427.9511457 86.7804804 28.0632987 86.9384084tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3145908568894841960.post-43783627160215530232012-08-31T12:07:00.002+07:002012-11-05T10:13:39.967+07:00EBC TREK: Lobuche to Gorak Shep & Kala Patthar (Day 8)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e-G8KcdFPN0/UEA9eYRLGTI/AAAAAAAAAbY/7sxAkpN8uq0/s1600/DSC00991.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e-G8KcdFPN0/UEA9eYRLGTI/AAAAAAAAAbY/7sxAkpN8uq0/s400/DSC00991.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Level ground leaving Lobuche... <i>nice and easy</i>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> We woke up early to get a good start on
everyone else in Lobuche. It was said that there were only a few
guesthouses in Gorak Shep, our next destination, and I didn't want to
risk spending another night in this infested slum. Still, as we were
getting ready at 6 am there were already entire teams setting out
before us. We hurried and ate our egg breakfasts, paid for the
deficient accommodation, and set out.</span></div>
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7DcBNw5DNnQ/UEA93sBKDJI/AAAAAAAAAbg/4iWRxsb5J90/s1600/DSC00993.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7DcBNw5DNnQ/UEA93sBKDJI/AAAAAAAAAbg/4iWRxsb5J90/s400/DSC00993.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>View from atop the rocky bluff</i>-- those little black dots on the left side<br />
are people trekking below</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Mike and I went ahead to try and get
to Gorak Shep quickly so we would have rooms for the night. The
first 40 minutes was rocky, but flat and easy. There was a short but
steep ascent up a rocky bluff. Then up and down, up and down, up and
down cold and windy winding paths. By the last ascent we had caught
up with the first groups to have left Lobuche that morning and ended
up passing them. We made good time (1 hour, 58 minutes to be
exact) from Lobuche to Gorak Shep.</span></div>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_Cei9nPDOrE/UEA-age1g9I/AAAAAAAAAbo/-xIM2NfC8yk/s1600/DSC04580.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_Cei9nPDOrE/UEA-age1g9I/AAAAAAAAAbo/-xIM2NfC8yk/s640/DSC04580.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> We checked in at the first lodge we
came to (Himalayan Lodge & Restaurant-- 300 NRS/night) and got
two rooms. We dropped off our bags and doubled back, finding the
girls about a half hour behind. We helped them with their gear and
guided the way. It was only a little after 9 am when all of us
arrived in Gorak Shep (5164 m/16,942 ft)-- the original base camp for
Mt. Everest. The day was young and the morning's trek had been one
of the easiest of the whole trip. We decided to take advantage of
our extra time and make a day trip and hike up <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kei4BTWqsLg" target="_blank">Kala Patthar</a>, a nearby
mountain sitting below “the impressive south face of Pumori”. I
stood and looked up at Kala Patthar, dark and rough. “It doesn't
look that bad,” I said. In the following hours I would eat those
words.</span></div>
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">
</span>
<br />
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: Cracked;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Kala
Patthar</span></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">
</span>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Just
next to the our lodge in Gorak Shep is an open field of dirt, an
ancient lake bed, with a makeshift helicopter landing pad made from
large rocks. On the other side of this dirt lot is the foot of the
mountain Kala Patthar. It pales in comparison to the size and beauty
of its surrounding neighbors, Lhotse, Everest, Nuptse, and Pumori.
It is dark and dirty and littered with giant boulders. There's no
wonder </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Kala
Patthar</i></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
means “black rock” in Nepali. It looks dead, like a mountain of
the moon. Still, I was surprised to hear that it takes 2 to 3 hours
to reach the top. Again I mumbled to myself, “It doesn't look that
bad.”</span></span></span></div>
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A0omAR8xjwI/UEA_V6CdgbI/AAAAAAAAAbw/fyOTdcjl0jE/s1600/DSC04577.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A0omAR8xjwI/UEA_V6CdgbI/AAAAAAAAAbw/fyOTdcjl0jE/s400/DSC04577.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shortly after starting the hike up Kala Patthar-- the<br />
town below shrinks and the mountains grow.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> After
already having hiked 2 ½ hours that morning, we set out to tackle
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kala_Patthar" target="_blank">Kala Patthar</a>, where the views of Everest are second only to Everest's
peak itself. Mike and I started out with strength and energy and
before long the girls were behind us and out of sight. The weather
was decent. Almost immediately I realized that the ascent was
steeper than it appeared. We stopped about half way up for a short
water break, to catch our breath, and to check out the view so far.
Below, the settlement of Gorak Shep now looked like nothing more than
a small campground. </span></span>
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LTfbBBNfE18/UEBCm245YdI/AAAAAAAAAcI/Et8AWv9yKjA/s1600/DSC04564.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LTfbBBNfE18/UEBCm245YdI/AAAAAAAAAcI/Et8AWv9yKjA/s320/DSC04564.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> We
climbed and we climbed. Ridge after ridge, I thought I'd be able to
see the top but nothing was revealed except more even ridges and even
more rocks. So on we went and soon enough, the top was in sight. I
battled the wind and dug into the hard, cold dirt and pushed forward
until there was no more trail. Sharp and unstable knee to waist-high
boulders now covered the ground and the hike turned into a scramble.
</span></span>
</span></div>
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Using
my hands for balance and leverage I proceeded just behind Mike, only
being able to take three steps at a time without having to stop and
catch my breath or sit down from dizziness. The unforgiving terrain
and temperature combined with being sick and with exhaustion began to
weigh heavy. I was more fatigued from the early morning hike than I
realized and the extreme elevation was taking it's toll. There had
been previous sections of the trek that were difficult and there had
been more than one time where I was uncomfortable, to say the least.
But at this moment more than any, only a few dozen rocky meters from
the peak, I was truly struggling. Even Mike the Mountain Man-- who
before now had been healthy and seemingly unaffected by the altitude
and the physical labors of the trek-- was having trouble making his
body do what he needed it to do. I felt exhausted, nauseated, and
lightheaded. Mike and I looked at each other. We looked at the top.
So close-- maybe 50 yards away--So far. I sat to catch my breath
one more time and gathered my composure. I lifted my head and looked
above at the nearby summit. It was wrapped in strands of prayer
flags and I stared at them blowing in the wind like a finish-line. I
got up and pressed on. </span></span></span></div>
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> I
climbed and jumped and fell over boulder after rock. The prayer
flags started to get closer and soon the 8 or 9 people waiting at the
top had faces. I sucked in the thin air as we scrambled forward over
the last few rocks and to the top. The top. I made it. <a href="http://www.michaelbartolomei.com/" target="_blank">Mike</a> and I
high-fived, sat down, and ate a Snickers at 18,300 feet (5,550 m). I
looked around at the panoramic view and after only a few minutes of
rest I felt fine. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fPqkUBFFTbc/UEBEO3MVa8I/AAAAAAAAAcY/ywaxrSxTjxg/s1600/DSC04561.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fPqkUBFFTbc/UEBEO3MVa8I/AAAAAAAAAcY/ywaxrSxTjxg/s640/DSC04561.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h1uLelYfvs0/UEBEzXt1xUI/AAAAAAAAAcg/M4dm06946JY/s1600/DSC04557.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h1uLelYfvs0/UEBEzXt1xUI/AAAAAAAAAcg/M4dm06946JY/s320/DSC04557.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> The
view was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. At the top, of
this mountain, Kala Patthar, suddenly turned into a little hill. I
felt like I was sitting inside a bowl. We were surrounded by the
Earth's most impressive giants. There's no wonder the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kei4BTWqsLg" target="_blank">view</a> from Kala Patthar is called the "Crown of the Himalayas". I looked all around and then locked
my eyes straight ahead and stared into the distance. I was taking in
the world's second-best view of Mt. Everest. Far below, yellow dots
speckled a distant glacier. These were they tents set up at Everest
Base Camp-- the ultimate of our trek.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> From the very beginning, the trek had been full of ups and down, both literally and figuratively. But at that moment everything was worth it. We
took pictures of the mountains and of ourselves and when the wind
started to pick up even more we decided to go back down. Twenty
minutes into the descent... “No way... Is that...? It is... Holy
$*#%!”... it was the girls. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--eTHzgW5LCg/UEBFeU5fjYI/AAAAAAAAAcw/WumIDEzi1xw/s1600/DSC04573.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--eTHzgW5LCg/UEBFeU5fjYI/AAAAAAAAAcw/WumIDEzi1xw/s320/DSC04573.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> We were happy to see that they never
quit. I have to say, I was really impressed. Today had been
incredibly demanding and they were determined to make it to the top.
Mike and I decided to go back up again, this time with Britt and
Leanne. We took more pictures at the top and as the temperature
continued to drop and the wind steadily picked up we raced back down
Kala Patthar. When my feet touched that sandy lot at the bottom I
felt happy. I felt bruised. I felt sick. I felt accomplished. But
most of all, I felt like a nap. The following day was a big one-- I would finally attain my goal and journey's end of reaching Base Camp.</span></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dUblKnr1Zqk/UEBFbb-rznI/AAAAAAAAAco/v0k7N-Ngcpo/s1600/DSC04575.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dUblKnr1Zqk/UEBFbb-rznI/AAAAAAAAAco/v0k7N-Ngcpo/s400/DSC04575.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aEr2mcJsSmU/UEBGCkHXImI/AAAAAAAAAc4/V-nIi92v4BM/s1600/DSC01009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aEr2mcJsSmU/UEBGCkHXImI/AAAAAAAAAc4/V-nIi92v4BM/s1600/DSC01009.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div>
</div>
</div>
<object height="360" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/kei4BTWqsLg?version=3&hl=en_US"></param>
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param>
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param>
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/kei4BTWqsLg?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="640" height="360" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>
</div>
Blakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07373492014130597619noreply@blogger.com0Kala Patthar, Sagarmatha National Park, Khumjung 56000, Nepal27.9833333 86.816666727.9272448 86.7377027 28.039421800000003 86.8956307tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3145908568894841960.post-52563246408359854252012-08-19T21:31:00.001+07:002012-11-05T10:14:41.078+07:00EBC TREK: Dingboche to Lobuche (Day 7)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Vc7Sq_pgspw/UDC-pjCSKnI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/ib-0V6hFdJM/s1600/DSC04494.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Vc7Sq_pgspw/UDC-pjCSKnI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/ib-0V6hFdJM/s400/DSC04494.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CnUyMadC5js/UDC8u5jOGnI/AAAAAAAAAZA/mIW1HfikX-w/s1600/DSC04493.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CnUyMadC5js/UDC8u5jOGnI/AAAAAAAAAZA/mIW1HfikX-w/s400/DSC04493.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The night before we were told that
there are only a few guesthouses in Lobuche and that they fill
quickly so we'd need to get an early start. We did not. After
finally getting on the trail around 8:30 I was not happy. It was
windy and cold and there was still snow on the ground from the night
before. With large tour groups on the trail ahead of us, Mike
decided to hurry and go ahead so that we could be sure to get a
guesthouse for the night.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I fell back with the girls and we
picked up the pace, making up time. We climbed out of the valley
that Dingboche sits in and the morning fog thinned. Other than the
cold, the first half of the day's trek proved fairly easy with only
gradual slopes and some of the best mountain views we'd seen yet were
revealed.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mIIYF7UZbOo/UDC8-bnAXCI/AAAAAAAAAZI/GZSnb7wrR4Q/s1600/DSC04495.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mIIYF7UZbOo/UDC8-bnAXCI/AAAAAAAAAZI/GZSnb7wrR4Q/s640/DSC04495.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The whole morning had been spent
following a steep mountain ridge that finally descended to a small
river cutting through another valley. We crossed a walking bridge
and stopped briefly for a water break. We'd arrived at the most
challenging section of the day's hike. Just ahead was a steep ascent
up rugged and rocky terrain. It was quite literally an uphill battle
that ended up taking us almost 45 minutes to reach the top. </div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-abwiJm6VEPM/UDC_i7y-TJI/AAAAAAAAAZY/xR8t_ws96S8/s1600/valley+massive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-abwiJm6VEPM/UDC_i7y-TJI/AAAAAAAAAZY/xR8t_ws96S8/s640/valley+massive.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZCSbf7N7IGs/UDDAmNZVgDI/AAAAAAAAAZg/AoEf8pmhZ50/s1600/scott+fisher+chorten.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZCSbf7N7IGs/UDDAmNZVgDI/AAAAAAAAAZg/AoEf8pmhZ50/s320/scott+fisher+chorten.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Memorial for world-class climber Scott Fischer who died<br />
leading an expedition up Everest</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Once we reached the top we stopped for
a break and to take pictures of the awesome scenery. Upon the
hilltop were masses of stupas and <span style="font-style: normal;">chortens</span><i>.
<a href="http://www.mountainkingdoms.com/blog/the-chortens-of-nepal/" target="_blank">Chortens</a></i><span style="font-style: normal;"> are more than just decorated rock
piles. They</span><i> </i><span style="font-style: normal;">are</span><i>
</i><span style="font-style: normal;">shrines-- stone monuments for
Sherpas and trekkers who have died on the mountain. This area of the trek was covered with them. </span>After we'd caught
our breath and captured some great photos, we pressed on, trekking
for another hour until we reached Lobuche. </div>
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cc-Zv1y-7SY/UDDCeWndJII/AAAAAAAAAZo/AMkE7n8Ucxk/s1600/DSC00978.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cc-Zv1y-7SY/UDDCeWndJII/AAAAAAAAAZo/AMkE7n8Ucxk/s320/DSC00978.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">prayer flags and chortens</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Snow was falling lightly
as we arrived and it continued all night. The weather was no longer enjoyable. Worse than snow were the constant cold and fierce winds. To
add, the terrain was getting more and more rugged-- more like what
you would picture when thinking of a desolate, bouldery terrain above the
tree line. Streams were now iced over and the ground was frozen and stiff. The beautiful mountain
landscape in the distance was a pleasant but brief distraction. I was sick of being cold. Sick of dry eyes, chapped
lips, and a runny nose. Sick of being sick. Sick of tea, coffee,
and hot chocolate-- but they were the only damn way to keep warm. But this is what we'd come for-- a challenge and an adventure to Mt. Everest. It was definitely both.</div>
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CWPhytvvXqo/UDDEJkxgNFI/AAAAAAAAAZw/GuPMReb1yok/s1600/Lobuche+sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CWPhytvvXqo/UDDEJkxgNFI/AAAAAAAAAZw/GuPMReb1yok/s320/Lobuche+sign.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Should've said "Welcome to Hell"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Mike arrived at
Lobuche an hour earlier than Brittany, Leanne, and I. Luckily, he
was able to get us two rooms (if you can call them that) for the night.
It was by far the worst place we'd stayed so far. Two dirty
mattresses laying inside of wooden box with a hard-plastic window.
A paper bag type cloth covering the thin plywood walls was the only insulation.
There was no flooring, just a plastic tarp covering the hard frozen dirt that was the ground beneath us. It was the most basic of protection from the elements,
shielding us from the snow and wind and nothing more. The cold was
inescapable. It was almost as bad as being outside.</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yrgwGCJ3bEY/UDDML266fBI/AAAAAAAAAa4/UNn7kZ58RzU/s1600/Lobuche+room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yrgwGCJ3bEY/UDDML266fBI/AAAAAAAAAa4/UNn7kZ58RzU/s320/Lobuche+room.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my "room" in Lobuche (check out the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVjGzzL3HCM" target="_blank">video</a> below for more)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We dropped our
bags and looked around outside. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobuche,_Nepal" target="_blank">Lobuche</a> is much smaller than any of the other "settlements" we had stopped at. It consists of nothing more than a few lodging establishments and is infamous for its filthy simplicity. And so we headed to the common room. It was slightly warmer there,
only because this is where everyone was. It was a large room with
tables and chairs and there were two yak dung stoves that
seemed to produce nothing more than stink, definitely no heat. Cold cold cold cold
freaking cold cold. and sick. and COLD. At this point I was
considering taking the <a href="http://www.traveldoctor.co.uk/altitude.htm" target="_blank">Diamox</a> to ease the impact of the elevation. For
the rest of the night, I sat reading in the common room, bundled up.
I saw a suspect-looking Sherpa dude wearing flip-flops eyeing up my
boots. I had taken them off and put them next to the stove-heater to
warm up. I quickly put them back on for fear of them being stolen.
The last thing I needed was to be stuck on top of this mountain with
bare feet. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
WANT TO SEE THE CHORTENS, SOME MOUNTAINS, AND MY "DELUXE ACCOMMODATION" IN LOBUCHE? CHECK OUT THIS QUICK 2-MINUTE CLIP I PUT TOGETHER FROM DAY 7...</div>
</div>
<object height="360" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bVjGzzL3HCM?version=3&hl=en_US"></param>
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param>
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param>
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bVjGzzL3HCM?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="640" height="360" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It was another
night of me going to bed early. The next day we were to walk to
Gorak Shep, only about two hours away but supposedly even less of an
establishment than Lobuche. We'd have to be walking by 7am if we
wanted to get rooms. The good news: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorakshep" target="_blank">Gorak Shep</a> would be our last
stop before reaching our goal of Everest Base Camp.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2vZGTATHJY8/UDDIVg2lsRI/AAAAAAAAAaY/jORkSBu2UhI/s1600/mountains.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2vZGTATHJY8/UDDIVg2lsRI/AAAAAAAAAaY/jORkSBu2UhI/s640/mountains.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><u><b>NOTE</b></u></i><i><b>: </b></i><span style="font-style: normal;">
The aforementioned book that I finished that night was <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Forget-Kathmandu-Manjushree-Thapa/dp/0670058122" target="_blank">Escape from Kathmandu</a> by Majushree Thapa. This is a great read about the
political history (or lack thereof) of Nepal and I 'd highly
recommend it to anyone traveling to Nepal or interested in the
country's past and current struggles. It's a bit tough powering
through the dry history of the political parties and leaders, but
ends up being very eye-opening and I'd even say suspenseful. This is
probably one of the best books addressing the current Nepalese
political state, the situation with the Maoist rebels, and their
fight to establish a real democracy. Eat your knowledge-- c<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Forget-Kathmandu-Manjushree-Thapa/dp/0670058122" target="_blank">heck it out</a>!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CYjDJWh-DGE/UDDHz8_GwXI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/tyZPnw4Ncmk/s1600/DSC04509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CYjDJWh-DGE/UDDHz8_GwXI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/tyZPnw4Ncmk/s400/DSC04509.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Blakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07373492014130597619noreply@blogger.com1Lobuche, Sagarmatha National Park, Khumjung 56000, Nepal27.9595 86.789944427.903398999999997 86.7109804 28.015601 86.8689084tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3145908568894841960.post-8466403942507631692012-08-13T13:51:00.002+07:002012-11-05T10:16:07.736+07:00EBC TREK: Acclimatization in Dingboche (Day 6)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>End of day 5:</b><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We approached like cowboys riding in
on a nearly dead town. It was silent except for the wind whipping
against the prayer flags. The town should've had an Old West name
like Misery or Tombstone but instead it was called Dingboche.
Dingboche is small and simple. There are couple general shops, a
bakery (there's always a bakery), two obnoxiously overpriced “internet
cafes”, and a few teahouses.
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pm7uRz5uuGk/UCiXI0bKjyI/AAAAAAAAAXg/g-vT5SaM17A/s1600/DSC04468.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pm7uRz5uuGk/UCiXI0bKjyI/AAAAAAAAAXg/g-vT5SaM17A/s640/DSC04468.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Welcome to Dingboche<br />
Population: 201<br />
Elevation: 4530 m/ 14800 ft</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We settled on the first one we came
to, creatively named Dingboche Guesthouse and Restaurant. Again, we
negotiated free accommodation for buying all our meals here. It was
a plain guesthouse. The bed rooms were small and smelled of their
thin plywood walls. No running water and no electricity. The common
room was a good size. It consisted of a small stove-heater in the
center. Each wall was lined with a pillow-covered bench. Each
bench had a table in front of it. If this were an Old West town
there'd of been a big bear or bull skull on the wall, but we were in
Nepal so instead they hung the skull of a yak. </div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dOrL6AOzwuc/UCiVdekkSpI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/bAP-wJPi2JU/s1600/common+room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dOrL6AOzwuc/UCiVdekkSpI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/bAP-wJPi2JU/s320/common+room.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> The common room at Dingboche Guesthouse </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If I was a cowboy, the Sherpas would
be the Indians acting as friendly guides and liaisons to their native
land. Sherpa people lead simple but not easy lives. It's always
cold but the Sherpas never look bothered by it. Perhaps it's because
they've inhabited the eastern Khumbu region for hundreds of years.
Although most Sherpas don't get much of a formal education, they all
speak English (a valuable and necessary skill for the tourism
industry). After generations of living at and adapting to high
elevation, the Sherpas have the ability to perform strenuous labor
with less oxygen, making them the best mountain climbers and guides
in the world. Generally, they're short in stature, but noticeably
strong. They have a unique ethnic look, not obviously east-Asian or
Indian. The visibly genetic traits are uniquely their own. Friendly
sun-squinted eyes decorate a weathered face with rosy cheeks. Every
Sherpa has rosy cheeks.</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-75XadMru3eI/UCiglAk2OII/AAAAAAAAAYA/E8rHR6NL53E/s1600/Sherpa+mom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-75XadMru3eI/UCiglAk2OII/AAAAAAAAAYA/E8rHR6NL53E/s400/Sherpa+mom.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big Momma Sherpa... ran the guesthouse</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Day 6 </b>(2<sup>nd</sup> mandatory
acclimatization and rest day)<b>:</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The extreme elevation does something
to a person's bladder. On average I would have to wake up four times
every night to pee like a race horse. This was not fun. An hour or
so after finally falling asleep I'd get an uncomfortable urge. I'd
pull off the large wool blanket that was the only thing keeping in the
warm bubble my body heat created. At night, it felt just as cold inside as it
felt outside, minus the wind. It would take a minute for me to rub
my eyes and find my head lamp and turn it on. Then, I would trade
the wool booties for my hiking boots as to not soak them in the other
people's urine that covered the bathroom floor. There always seemed
to be a small puddle or stream surrounding the toilet where prior
pissers' flash lights or aim or both had failed them. It was like a
moat. A pee moat. It became like a game to me and I got pretty good
at it. Standing on one side of the moat and peeing into the toilet
on the other. I thought of it more like the 3-point line in
basketball. Having to go really bad at that elevation, there's
already a decent amount of pressure allowing you to shoot from a good
distance. Combine that with a slight backward lean and you get a
beautiful golden arch. If need be you can pinch a bit towards the
end to create the garden hose effect. This, along with a few
well-placed grunts are essential for sinking the last few drops.
After this, I would return to my room and form a new cocoon in my
blanket, only to sleep another hour and a half before having to wake
up and repeat the process.</div>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: 1.00pt solid #000000; border-left: none; border-right: none; border-top: none; margin-bottom: 0in; padding-bottom: 0.03in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The next day greeted me with my usual
morning headache and cough. I dressed and went into the common room
for some apple porridge. After eating I walked around the town to
see what it had to offer. I saw smoke coming from a small
establishment with beer signs in the window and a Sherpa man welcomed
me inside. He handed me a cold beer and led me to a backroom where a
man-on-man game of Russian Roulette was taking place. Old Sherpas
were cheering and smoking cigarettes and taking shots of Himalayan
moonshine as they placed their lowly bets on which contender would
pull the trigger for his last time. And then I... okay, okay... none
of this last paragraph really happened. The truth is, when I went
out to find what the town had to offer, I quickly discovered that the
answer was absolutely <i>nothing</i>. It was a ghost-town. I saw a few yaks, some rocks, and a tumbleweed. Sorry, no gambling Sherpas
with pistols.
</div>
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_yIZzNXyeqo/UCiXEknE-fI/AAAAAAAAAXY/2z_o6J6JCeM/s1600/overhead+of+Dingboche.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_yIZzNXyeqo/UCiXEknE-fI/AAAAAAAAAXY/2z_o6J6JCeM/s640/overhead+of+Dingboche.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">view of Dingboche from a hill top... not much to it.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Only 10 am and already bored, I
returned to the guesthouse and paid for a hot shower-- my second
shower since the trek began. The further along the EBC trek you go,
the higher the price is for a shower, especially a hot one. I paid
400 NRS (about $5 USD)-- later on I saw prices get as high as $20
USD! Many people go the entire trek without taking a single shower.
The shower that I used was in a small outside shack. It consisted of
an electric water-heater with a hose that was rigged to a pail with
several holes drilled in the bottom serving as the shower head. I
washed my body and washed my clothes. Steam filled the shack and
cleared my sinuses and for a minute I felt normal again. I would
have happily paid twice as much. </div>
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QW1MSYMWHz0/UCiiJsv9yAI/AAAAAAAAAYI/5x_3spbOOVg/s1600/Britt+bundled+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QW1MSYMWHz0/UCiiJsv9yAI/AAAAAAAAAYI/5x_3spbOOVg/s320/Britt+bundled+up.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">keeping warm</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The rest of the day was spent in the
common room. I rotated between reading, eating, sleeping. The
temporary sinus relief from the hot shower was short lived and my
head began producing surprising amounts of green and yellow mucus.
It was pretty impressive actually. I blew my nose every three
minutes and the pile of Kleenex on the table in front of me grew
larger as the hours went by. Other than my book, the only
entertainment was watching the two year-old Sherpa baby named Lokba.
He waddled around the common room and make faces at us while his
mother broke up “yak chips” for the furnace with her bare hands.
I hope she washed them before making my dinner but I doubt it.
</div>
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xQb-20hPyuM/UCiibeNIeFI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/DD0j4qHTRpc/s1600/DSC00954.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xQb-20hPyuM/UCiibeNIeFI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/DD0j4qHTRpc/s640/DSC00954.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lokba Sherpa</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
At night the common room filled with
other travelers. I watch through the window as a thick fog rolled in
and visibility outside was reduced to less than 10 feet. Sitting at
the table next to us, was a middle-aged Japanese trekker and his
guide. Mr. Roboto kept to himself and didn't speak to anyone, unlike
his guide who, like most Sherpas, was friendly and talkative. The
guide and my group made small talk and we asked some questions about
the upcoming days of the trek and what to expect. He told us that
our next destination, the town of Lobuche, only had a few guesthouses
and that they filled quickly so we should get an early start in the
morning to beat the large guided groups of trekkers. Waking up early
meant going to bed early so I took his advice and, already exhausted
from a day of doing nothing, I went to bed.</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FYHPY_Z5dmw/UCiis9-p3FI/AAAAAAAAAYY/IVyxKXBle3Y/s1600/Sherpa+family.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FYHPY_Z5dmw/UCiis9-p3FI/AAAAAAAAAYY/IVyxKXBle3Y/s400/Sherpa+family.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VQUSkn4E1zY/UCii2nSVTHI/AAAAAAAAAYg/oCZnrEIHNWg/s1600/heater.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VQUSkn4E1zY/UCii2nSVTHI/AAAAAAAAAYg/oCZnrEIHNWg/s400/heater.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
Blakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07373492014130597619noreply@blogger.com0Dingboche 56000, Nepal27.8923026 86.831446927.8852856 86.8215764 27.899319600000002 86.841317400000008tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3145908568894841960.post-7539522319999807742012-08-11T17:34:00.000+07:002012-11-05T10:17:05.761+07:00EBC TREK: Tengboche to Dingboche (Day 5)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I had a splitting headache and a
grating cough. Nausea, fever, and fatigue cramped my body. I would
continue to wake up in this manner for the next ten days. The
horrible cold was bad enough and now the altitude was getting to me.
It was like having a hangover without getting to have fun the night before. I'd previously made the decision to try and complete the
trek without using of <a href="http://www.basecampmd.com/expguide/diamox.shtml" target="_blank">Diamox</a>, a medication for treating
altitude sickness (<a href="http://www.basecampmd.com/expguide/ams.shtml" target="_blank">AMS</a>).
</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i> Eat your knowledge</i>: Diamox is
helpful for adjusting to breathing the thin air of high altitudes and
relieving the symptoms of AMS. However, it doesn't actually treat
the sickness. This can be dangerous. The symptoms are your
warning signal that something is wrong and if they're being
suppressed, you may not realize the severity of the condition.
Continuing on with a trek and climbing higher in altitude while sick
can be deadly. For this reason, I was avoiding taking the Diamox.</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AbKGbb3kuPQ/UCYwtxdGNyI/AAAAAAAAAV8/kc6-ili4rMY/s1600/horse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AbKGbb3kuPQ/UCYwtxdGNyI/AAAAAAAAAV8/kc6-ili4rMY/s320/horse.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This guy greeted me when I opened the door from my room</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I put two more layers on top of what I
already was wearing. I was expecting to feel a rush
of freezing wind and to see a layer of fog like the night before when I opened the door . I
was pleasantly surprised when I felt sunlight on my face and the
air was clear and crisp. Instantly my ailments seemed to fade. </div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Outside, several groups of early
risers were walking around on the green grass taking pictures of the
Tengboche monastery and taking in the views. The legendary mountain
vistas that were guarded by the fog the night before, were now
perfectly visible. I wandered over to a group of people looking and
pointing and overheard them spouting off the names of several distant
peaks. I followed the direction of their pointing fingers and
noticed one that stood out from the others. It was far away, but
it's beauty and size were apparent and intimidating. A trail of snow
crystals whipped from it's summit and seemed to stand still, frozen
in the air above the mountain. I was taking in my first view of Mt.
Everest.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i8HNVOV8scE/UCYxLGT2lzI/AAAAAAAAAWE/-FRvjPYYcYg/s1600/first+view+of+Everest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i8HNVOV8scE/UCYxLGT2lzI/AAAAAAAAAWE/-FRvjPYYcYg/s640/first+view+of+Everest.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first view of Everest... you can see the snow-whipped peak on the left.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I met up with my crew at the bakery,
mashed an apple pancake, and we hit the trail once again heading to
our next checkpoint, Dingboche. We weren't on the trail long when a
man jogged by us wearing only a light jacket, a small backpack, and a
number pinned to his chest. Then another and another, each coming
from the direction we were heading. A yak-train crossing a small
suspension bridge forced to stop for a few minutes and we had the
chance to talk to one of the runners. He told us that he was
competing in the world's highest marathon, the <a href="http://www.everestmarathon.org.uk/" target="_blank">Everest Marathon</a>,
starting at Gorak Shep (5184 m) and finishing at Namche Bazaar where
we were two days earlier. I couldn't believe it. I was having
trouble just walking around and this dude was racing in a freaking
mountain-marathon.</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IZnLfPINXQA/UCYx3JZsWyI/AAAAAAAAAWM/Z5ckwxnnprc/s1600/yak+train.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IZnLfPINXQA/UCYx3JZsWyI/AAAAAAAAAWM/Z5ckwxnnprc/s320/yak+train.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leanne and Brittany trying not to get run over by the yak train</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
With my ego a bit deflated and
self-confidence slightly bruised, I continued on. My friends and I
followed the winding river far below us as we trekked along the
mountainside path. For much of the trek, we could see Everest and
several other fabled peaks far in the distance. The first half of
the trek was pretty easy, mostly descents or small, gradual ascents.
After two hours we stopped in a small town (Pangboche) on the river for lunch.
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zE1tr9PvRRY/UCYyd6xINXI/AAAAAAAAAWU/l_i_w7_cKMM/s1600/shrine+thing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zE1tr9PvRRY/UCYyd6xINXI/AAAAAAAAAWU/l_i_w7_cKMM/s400/shrine+thing.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We ate and started hiking again and
shortly after, I realized that we had passed the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree_line" target="_blank">tree line</a>. This is
the “edge of the habitat at which trees are capable of growing”.
I don't recall the exact elevation, but the tree line is much higher
in the Himalayas than in North America. I hardly noticed the
transition from lush forests to the suddenly barren terrain. Tall green trees were replaced by colorless rocks and small shrubs. Harsh winds picked up as we proceeded through the rocky valley. I
thought of the woman in Kathmandu that gave me a free buff to protect
my face and I was thankful. Coming out of a daydream I rounded a
bend and in the very near distance I saw our destination. We'd made
great time and after only four hours total, we reached Dingboche (4,530 meters) where we would stay the night and again the next day for our second
mandatory acclimatization camp.</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-POdUGxJuZfI/UCYyvDC0m2I/AAAAAAAAAWc/Z0YXsksEbi4/s1600/river+valley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-POdUGxJuZfI/UCYyvDC0m2I/AAAAAAAAAWc/Z0YXsksEbi4/s400/river+valley.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">from beautiful...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7ZvBagHstM8/UCY0pU4U_sI/AAAAAAAAAWs/MDFgBdQP6k0/s1600/barren.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7ZvBagHstM8/UCY0pU4U_sI/AAAAAAAAAWs/MDFgBdQP6k0/s400/barren.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... to barren</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4mvf0TX9eXE/UCY12p4sbiI/AAAAAAAAAW0/5GGl_hig_Bo/s1600/DSC04443.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4mvf0TX9eXE/UCY12p4sbiI/AAAAAAAAAW0/5GGl_hig_Bo/s640/DSC04443.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Blakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07373492014130597619noreply@blogger.com0Dingboche 56000, Nepal27.8923026 86.831446927.8852856 86.8215764 27.899319600000002 86.841317400000008tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3145908568894841960.post-6418322749433129882012-07-18T21:55:00.001+07:002012-11-05T10:18:03.519+07:00EBC TREK: Namche to Tengboche (Day 4)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
At 7:30 I finished my cheese omelet
and cinnamon roll at the Everest Bakery, ready to leave Namche Bazaar
for the tiny mountain-top town of Tengboche. The day started out
beautifully. The weather was perfect, bright and clear. It was the
first time since reaching Namche that I didn't need a jacket. We
weaved our way up and out of Namche, a giant nest in the side of a
mountain. As soon as we reached the peak and the trail rounded the
ridge there were insane mountain views in every direction. I could
see far in the distance. There were ivory snow caps above and an icy
river carving its way through the valley below. The trail itself was
one long, snaking pathway wrapped along side the mountain.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ad7CoRiCoOQ/UAa-7ieu3LI/AAAAAAAAAT8/lFanOvTVwYA/s1600/DSC04350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ad7CoRiCoOQ/UAa-7ieu3LI/AAAAAAAAAT8/lFanOvTVwYA/s640/DSC04350.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
An hour into the hike we came to a
Sherpa woman in the middle of the trail. She was sitting on a chair
behind a table with a box of money. It read “donations” and next
to it was a log for passing trekkers to sign. She manned her post
with a smile and I gave her the equivalent of a dollar, a voluntary
toll. The log displayed the names and countries of hundreds of
trekkers that passed before us. I wrote my name. Next to it, large
and with pride, I represented in giant capital letters... <i>U.S.A.!</i></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZkShPfUuT9w/UAa_O60B5UI/AAAAAAAAAUE/BT2qe7r-urk/s1600/DSC04341.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZkShPfUuT9w/UAa_O60B5UI/AAAAAAAAAUE/BT2qe7r-urk/s320/DSC04341.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ya gotta pay the troll toll</i>...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I took pictures as
we walked. I closed my eyes and concentrated. I tried to burn the
scenery into my memory. I always thought that I preferred the beach.
I <i>do</i> prefer the beach. But there was something magnificent
about the mountains that struck me. Something ancient and grand. It
was awesome in the true sense of the word.</div>
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Iqx9_wxeSbo/UAa_qSMi5sI/AAAAAAAAAUM/QMQIpYajQ6s/s1600/DSC00881.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Iqx9_wxeSbo/UAa_qSMi5sI/AAAAAAAAAUM/QMQIpYajQ6s/s640/DSC00881.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal;"> The
first half of the hike was fairly easy. When I felt my knees
bothering me a little bit, I realized that we had back walking
downhill for quite awhile. The difference in altitude from Namche to
Tengboche is only about 500 meters. The hike so far had been so easy
because, after hours of progress, my friends and I had gradually gone
</span><i>down</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> in elevation.
Now we had to go back up.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NEX_4LIUsFY/UAbAMGpY2ZI/AAAAAAAAAUU/gfuYCFXM9Rw/s1600/DSC04316.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NEX_4LIUsFY/UAbAMGpY2ZI/AAAAAAAAAUU/gfuYCFXM9Rw/s320/DSC04316.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"> We
crossed a small suspension bridge and came to the foot of the
mountain that Tengboche sits atop of. The day's final climb was a
steep 610-meter ascent. The dirt trail was filled with obstacles,
fallen trees and small boulders to trip over. It zig-zagged back and
forth all the way up to Tengboche.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GjEDL-8UaN4/UAbKJzbJulI/AAAAAAAAAVI/q-_wnqfmvvM/s1600/DSC04363.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GjEDL-8UaN4/UAbKJzbJulI/AAAAAAAAAVI/q-_wnqfmvvM/s320/DSC04363.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6Wizsi6ATc8/UAbCXFT78lI/AAAAAAAAAUk/CRX9g0Q6Xi4/s1600/DSC04321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6Wizsi6ATc8/UAbCXFT78lI/AAAAAAAAAUk/CRX9g0Q6Xi4/s320/DSC04321.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-style: normal;"> Mike
power hiked ahead of us. Britt and I trailed far behind and Leanne
was somewhere in the middle. We were still sick and the long day was
starting to take it's toll. I notice Brittany wasn't looking too
good. We'd foolishly skipped lunch and she seemed tired and
frustrated. I offered to switch packs for awhile. I put heaved her
pack on to my shoulders. “Holy shit! A midget? Is that what you
have in there?” I knew her pack was heavy but, </span><i>WOW</i><span style="font-style: normal;">!
We continued up the trail and I was impressed that she'd gone so far
with so much weight! She didn't find my jokes about packing extra
granola bars, clothes, and possibly an anvil very funny. The sky
turned cloudy, foreshadowing bad weather ahead, so we bundled up. We
toughed out the remainder of the treacherous trail and reached the top before dark. </span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"> Mike
greeted us as always, full of energy. He'd already arranged rooms
for the night at The Gomba Lodge (200 NRS/night). On the way to the
room I looked around Tengboche. The tiny “town” consisted of a
handful of tea houses and a beautiful Tibetan Buddhist monastery. It
was positioned like a fortress on an open plain at the top of the
hill we'd just conquered. The Tengboche Monastery is the largest
</span><i>gomba</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> in the Khumbu
region of Nepal. It was originally built in 1916 but was annihilated
by an earhquake just 18 years later. It was then rebuilt only to be
destroyed for a second time by a fire in 1989. Volunteers from
around the world helped to construct the monastery that stands there
today.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2qJaWrmNMic/UAbDW0PvkAI/AAAAAAAAAU0/PwuR1ol-_Fs/s1600/DSC04388.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2qJaWrmNMic/UAbDW0PvkAI/AAAAAAAAAU0/PwuR1ol-_Fs/s640/DSC04388.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tengboche Monastery</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-style: normal;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"> We
were now at 3,867 meters in elevation and as soon as the sun began to
set the air became frigid.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">I walked around outside admiring the
monastery and taking pictures. I watched as a few yaks and some
horses roamed the giant field freely. I stared into the distance
searching for the panoramic Himalayan views that Tengboche is
renowned for. The peaks of Tawache, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, Lhotse,
Thamserku, and the mother of them all, Everest, are all visible from
Tengboche.</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"> The
sudden change in temperature had pushed a thick cloud over the town.
Q</span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">uickly and stealthily
the fog crept in and laid on top of us like a damp blanket. The
mountain views would have to wait til morning.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We ate dinner in
the warm bakery attached to our tea house. We talked about the
incredible views and the arduous hike at the end as I nursed my sore
throat with lemon tea and apple pie. The day had been full of peaks
and valleys, both metaphorically and literally. I went back to the
room and laid in bed, fully dressed and under a gigantic wool blanket
trying to get warm. A failed attempt to read put me to sleep and
continued the trend of an early bedtime. It had been the most scenic
view day yet, but also the most demanding. </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<object height="360" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/FHzBqaMMG20?version=3&hl=en_US"></param>
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param>
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param>
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/FHzBqaMMG20?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="640" height="360" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pZS-DY2gRc0/UAbL3rtjMdI/AAAAAAAAAVY/IeWOru1_yzA/s1600/DSC04383.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pZS-DY2gRc0/UAbL3rtjMdI/AAAAAAAAAVY/IeWOru1_yzA/s640/DSC04383.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tengboche the next morning, clear and crisp.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aEF5GXaekuw/UAbNuW8qpwI/AAAAAAAAAVw/fbpoVXbE8Os/s1600/DSC00910.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aEF5GXaekuw/UAbNuW8qpwI/AAAAAAAAAVw/fbpoVXbE8Os/s640/DSC00910.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">prayer rock. one of <i>many</i>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Blakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07373492014130597619noreply@blogger.com1Dingboche 56000, Nepal27.8923026 86.831446927.836166600000002 86.7524829 27.9484386 86.9104109