Back I the 808

Farewell Thailand

BKK airport is huge! I am going to miss how nice the Thai people are when they make a mistake they speak so nice to you you feel like its your fault.

Last foot massage in Thailand

For 150 baht about five dollars you get an hour foot massage. I will miss this much.

Last day in Chiang Rai

Leaving Chiang Rai for Chiang Mai then on route home. Some sad goodbyes.

Thailand border and more

It is New Years in Thailand so some of the temples and areas have celebrations which include water cleansing sometimes in the form of water guns and water fights luckily we were spared from most of it.

One of our stops was at an elephant camp where they take you on rides to the Mekong river.

Day in the hills

Spent the day in the hills of Thailand. We went up to Maesalong the hill area where they grow tea plants. We dropped in on the factory and saw the workers sorting the leaves before they are processed in the tea leaf roller machine.

Then we went to my father in-law's village to see his extended family. They live very simple as a close knit community. Part of the family prepared us lunch and what would roll into dinner. Today I tried some interesting food like bamboo bugs, cooked pig blood, porcupine meat and tree bark. Everything tastes better with a beer and some hot peppers. Later I took a walk to find some ripe lychee and also got to see Thai coffee trees.

Mae Chan, Thailand

We are in town of Mae Chan three hours North of Chiang Rai. We are staying at Katiliya mountain resort a bit off the beaten path with very spotty Internet connection.

Great views and idyllic settings. This area of Thailand still has parts of how it was versus over modernized.

We had a dinner with Yum's extended family. The killed a pig in my honor, actually in my father in-laws honor I just like to think it is for me :)

Leaving Malaysia

We are on Air Asia to Chiang Mai. Then on the road to Chiang Rai. Next update unknown.

Last day in Kuala Lumpur

KL has been a great surprise for it's color, variety, food and diverse cultures. We spent our last day at the bird park and a couple areas including Butik Bintang. We caught our last afternoon thunder storm and even a Muslim fashion show.

Saloma theater and dinner show

Just across the street from hotel Maya we went to the dinner and show at Saloma theater. Dinner was pretty good and the show was great. The dancers put on a great show with ornate costumes and performances from different parts of Malaysia.

Interesting KL day

KL is a very interesting city lots of colorful people, food and sights. Got views from the K L tower and we saw more street food in little India.

We saw a two headed turtle at an animal exhibit and snakes as well.

Best of all went to a feet eating fish shop and paid $1.75 to have our feet fish eaten for ten minutes. I freaked out in the beginning the thought of all those fish biting me was in my head but by the end it was fun and could have stayed longer.

Dinner at the night market

We had dinner at the night market and ate a clay pot dinner prepared over a flame. It was very good and the rice in the clay pot was toasted on the sides.

Just arrived in Kuala Lumpur

Our hotel, Maya, has view of Petronas towers and we got upgraded to a suite, thanks Yum. I also added the night view of the towers from our room.

Last day in Hong Kong

We made it up to Peaks for the view of the city and Victoria harbor. The ride up was very steep and the view was hazy from up top.

Then we walked through Hong Kong park and went to Joy Hing where they serve you the meat they want. You can try to ask or order something but they suggest what they will serve you whether you like it or not. Lots of the workers eat there so it is local good and cheap.

We then made it to Temple street night market for some shopping and spicy crab. It was very hot and spicy it is covered with chili peppers. Then we toured Soho where lots of foreigners hangout.

Hong Kong Skyline

We continued the tour around Hong Kong and went to Kowloon twice for the view of HK, day and night. We also went back to see the shopping districts and found goldfish street or pet street. They had fish, birds, cats, dogs and reptiles. Like some other things in HK the exotic fish was not that expensive. The weather has been hot and sticky and I just took my third shower of the day.

Hong Kong in the middle

I have been able to exercise everyday since the trip began but last night's Macau buffet made it better to walk this morning versus running.

Went from our hotel on the hill to the harbor and noticed there is an older area of Hong Kong in the middle in between the high point and the water front. I guess there is no view from here so developing it may not be as a priority plus they would have to evict a bunch of folks.

Macau, Las Vegas without the strip

Took a day trip to Macau on the ferry which takes about an hour but with getting there, immigration and delays takes close to two hours. Macau is dotted with new and old casinos along with old and new residential buildings.

We saw a few portuguese folks since it was once occupied by them. I think jerk meat and custard pies are also their culinary delicacies that we see around Macau. We had a casino buffet and people were running when the buffet opened to get to the seafood; shrimp, oysters, prawns and sushi. The gambling had dice games I had not seen before.