Sweet Gutter Sundays....

As much as I love Victoria… I loooove visiting Vancouver. I never have a horrible time and it’s great to see everyone when I am there. I headed over to Vancouver Friday to get some “friend” time in with my peeps. I love that so many of my friends make time for me when I come over and I only wish that I had more time to fit in the other people I just couldn’t squeeze into the short time frame I had. So on Friday I was late (surprise, surprise) getting into Van so I met Chad and Eleanore at a pub to watch the hockey game. It was a great game but what was even better was that the drink specials were double Long Island Iced Tea’s – one of my favorites! I had a few of those and needless to say, I was tanked. Walking was difficult, speaking in complete sentences was not happening and I thought that it was the best time for me to blow some money in the casino next door. One would normally think that means trouble for most, but I know I am luckiest (in casinos) when I am in this state. And that night was no different. I hit the roulette table pretty heavy and was up 400%. Excellent!

A friend then came and met us (loving drunk’n texting!) and I thought that since he lived closer than Chad and Elaenore (and I wanted to make out with a cute boy), that I would go back to his place. Now, I am always up for making out with people, but there is a reason that I normally have a panties-on-policy with guy friends. The morning after was a prime example of why it never works out. There was a little awkwardness (I’ve never had this) and it wasn’t handled well. I would have rather kept my buddy. Note to self, DO NOT GO HOME WITH FRIENDS (or anyone you want to keep as a friend).

The rest of the weekend was rockstar. Eleanore, Chad and I did breakkie at Bon’s and then headed out to Deer Lake park and wandered though it and did a little mushroom hunting. It was a beautiful day to be outside and in nature. It definitely rejuvenated my spirit. Chad dropped us off and Eleanore and I did some shopping at the Army and Navy shoe sale. It really is a trip on it’s own to wander through East Van. There were so many crazies in that part of town and I saw the ugliest tranny I have ever seen shopping in the same section we were. Maybe I was just used to seeing so many hot ones in Bangkok that seeing East Van’s offering was disappointing. After a great sushi dinner Chad, Eleanore, Pamela and I went bowling. So much fun! I don’t care who complains about how lame it may be, the group I went with was a blast! Geoff and Jessica met up with us for some beers and then I left with them as Pam, Chad and Eleanore went home. The rest of my night quickly became a blur. Geoff and Jess were up for partying and we went pretty hard. We wanted to do some dancing so we went to Celebrities to shake our booties. I absolutely love these 2 and they made going out so much fun. I have known Geoff for years from Victoria and he always was that special guy that waited for the right girl to come along and I think he has found her. They were singing for me and I love that they both appreciate great music the same way I do. Geoff is a terrific musician and super intelligent guy. Jess compliments him so well and it’s wonderful to see someone really appreciate the amazing soul Geoff is. There was a little after party at Geoff’s and at some point I passed out on his couch. It’s been a long time since I have done anything like that. Ok, I lied, I meant… in Vancouver.

The next day was Sunday and a day I always anticipate. Not only does that mean that I get to sleep in and read but it always means …. Brunch! And when I mean brunch I also mean the segue way into gutter Sundays!!!

I met up with the Vancouver crew and started the day out right with Mimosas. We met at a cute café on Davie Street and had a great. We alwas know what kind of day it’s going to be like when we start our brunch with double margaritas and Mimosas. After a few hours and photos, our bill finally (!!!) arrived. That was where a giggly Lindsey brilliantly suggested that on our way to her house to get our stuff for a day at the beach, we should stop in every bar on the way and do some tequila shooters. And did we! Ben, Kyle, Lindz and I went to some of the most colourful drinking places Davie had to offer with my personal fave being the “Pumpjack”. When we walked in, I was astounded by the leather bound men and absence of women. I immediately felt at home! On the way, we also stopped at a yard sale (my first one ever!) and all bought a Gutter Sunday souvenir. Mine were a pair or boots for $7 that I realize now as I am sober, that I will probably never wear. Then we headed to Lindz where we had ours of shot gunning beers, making up shooters with random alcohol in her cupboard, and endless photo shoots. I have some of the funniest, most entertaining friends and really, the afternoon went by very fast. And we never did make it to the beach....

Ben and I headed home at some point where we dies on his couch and watched South Park and Political commentary and got ourselves riled up about the American Politicians and their TV. It’s my favorite downtime thing to do with Benny.

Another sweet weekend with wicked friends. - can’t wait to see Sonya next weekend! I have been so busy visiting with everyone since I got back that I haven’t had a chance to be depressed about being back from traveling. Hooray for fantastic peeps and Gutter Sundays!

The end of my trip....

Phew!

It’s been a while since I have written last and it hasn’t been because if lack of things to write about. Let’s see. I finally arrived in LA and I was excited about having Zee come meet me. We have been friends for about 10 years now (maybe longer) and I have been threatening for years to come out and visit him. It just so happened to be his birthday (Happy Birthday!) and unfortunately I was so pooped from the flight that all I did once I got there was nap. The evening was quiet though as Zee ad I just did dinner and a movie. We went and saw 300 and I loved it. Now for most of you that haven’t seen it yet, I strongly advise it. Finally there is a movie about a war that was actually beautiful to watch. What I also loved was that the entire movie showcased 300 extremely beautiful, buff guys. 300!!! Even if there was no plot at all, I was very happy watching the film, but surprise, surprise there is a plot and it is great! It is my favorite movie this year by a long shot. And guys, don’t be discouraged, even though there was no shortage of near naked men (hooray! a movie for us chicks!!!) in fine form, there was a sufficient amount of T&A to keep you watching. Although it is nowhere near the same amount for us ladies (finally!!!) I think there was enough to be considered an apology.

The next day was a great day as Zee and I did some shopping and then met up with Jac and her boyfriend Luke. They had flown in for just a few days on their way back to Australia. We met years and years ago in Ko Phangan and then met up the following year and traveled through Laos. It was great to see her and finally meet the guy I have been hearing so much about. It’s not very often that you meet couples that look and are so connected. I can say that I have only met a few but these two compliment each other so well. Zee took us for a fantastic Mexican meal. It was HIS birthday and he popped for the meal. I have to say that it is just how amazing that guy is and I am so grateful to have wonderful friends like that around.

Luke, Jac and I then went to Rodeo Drive and Hollywood Boulevard the next day and had a full afternoon just wandering around looking at all the things that tourists should. I was happy to see Robbie Williams walk past us while I was shopping in Barney’s. He didn’t look as hot as I though he would have, but he did just get out of rehab, so we should just give him a break. What I did find shocking was how the paparazzi were already waiting for him when he walked out and waited for his car. Amazing! It’s really as bad as it looks. It’s almost disgusting how people harass “famous” people.

The next was my favorite LA day… Disneyland!!! It was all our first times and it was a blast. Who couldn’t love being at the happiest place on earth? We were lucky, for some reason we didn’t have to wait in long lines. The rides were fun, the company was fantastic and it was a great day to wander around and look at this crazy made up world. I would love to go again, but maybe next time on Mushrooms. Something that Jac, Luke and I couldn’t help but continually point out was how disgustingly obese Americans are generally. It was a huge turnoff to see family after family waddle around and feed their children crap all day. It was crazy that finding something healthy to eat in Disneyland was nearly impossible. There was no shortage of candy, sugar drinks and McDonald’s fries, but salads, anything vegetarian or just regular portions of food (as opposed to super sized meals) was non-existent. I can’t believe that I didn’t see more kids have sugar tantrums around Disneyland. Actually, I would have to extend that to a lot of LA as well. Most places that we all went, there were loads of fast food places to eat, but we had to walk or drive a long way to find just a regular sit down restaurant. I’m surprised at this because I thought that with so many people in LA looking so plastic, I would have thought that it would have prompted some sort of healthier eateries to crop up.

On the way home from LA, I flew business class on Alaskan and I got to sit beside Kathleen Robertson. If you don’t know who she is, she was Claire from 90210. Not necessarily my idol, but she was amazingly nice and hotter in real life.

It was a great trip and it was fantastic to see some familiar faces and lovely friends welcome me back at the airport. I love going away, but it makes me all that much happier to come home to such a great place to live.

I stayed at home for a couple of days and then flew to Seattle to see the Martin Sexton show. I don’t really need to say that his concert rocked as that is a give in, but I can tell you I was more than blown away by his performances. It was like he had tapped into some sort of religious movement on stage and the entire crowd was digging it. The amazing thing about this guy is that sure, his cd’s are fantastic, but his live performances are unforgettable. I have seen a lot of live acts that top my list of fantastic… Pink Floyd, Marilyn Manson, Beastie Boys, David Gray, Ben Harper, Lollapalooza’s (which included Nirvana one year)… just to name a few but, by far, when it comes to a humble musician just jamming for his fans without a massive production and light show, he wins, hands down. Here is a sample of his sheer energy on stage… Martin Sexton Rocks!

I also got a chance to wander around Seattle for an afternoon and check out Pike Place market and also Starbucks original flagship store. I loved Seattle and like San Francisco, it is one of the few American cities that I could live in (if I had to). I also had an opportunity to check out he Human Body exhibit at a gallery when I was there. I am speechless about how beautiful this exhibit is. What they have done (dr’s that is) is they took actual human cadavers and injected it with rubber or some sort of material so that they could then preserve and dissect keeping entire systems intact for viewing. All of them bone structure, circulatory, nerve system, digestion, reproduction etc…. And then they had bodies posed with others or on its own running (with art skin peeled back so you see what muscles are needed), or the male and female form embracing (so that you could see the differences in our bone structure. It was all done artistically and tactfully so that it was thought provoking and beautiful not grotesque. I spent hours wandering through that exhibit and I urge any people who hear of it go to their town - to go check it out.

I stopped off at the boat show in Victoria to visit Cathy at the boat show. It was great seeing her and a few people and once again be around an environment I love - boats!

So now I am home and enjoying things as they happen. My short term plans are… reno the kitchen, garden, work out, have as much fun as possible and look into getting a job. If any of you know of anything seasonal or part time, let me know. Love the fact you got to voyeur onto my journey.

Alright, alright... I'm coming!!!

Hey y'all,

It's been a whirlwind of a trip, but I promise you that I will be making a post shortly. I would like to say that I have had nothing going on, but that would be a big lie. I instead I will just say that I have been too busy. Gotta love you and leave you, but no worries, I will give you a courtesy post shortly and let you in on all the ....stuff!

Muah

You can check out.... but you will never leave!

Back to Thailand!
 
Wow, is this post ever over due.  Must have been all that ‘living in the moment’ I’ve been doing since I landed in Ko Phangan. 
 
The flight from New Zealand was uneventful, but I was surprised to hear the announcement when we landed at 1 am that the outside temperature was 29 degrees!  I am not kidding when I say that it is hot here.  Damn hot!  The average temperature hovers around 34-37 degrees and at night, it doesn’t cool off..  Thank goodness for air conditioning!!!
 
Lucia came up to meet me in Bangkok and we spent a few days being girls and shopping like rock stars.  We also found happy hour (oh bless! 2 4 1 drinks!) at a fancy hotel with a gorgeous pool and rode the motorcycle taxis through Bangkok like locals.   After that much needed girl time, we parted ways with me heading South and her North.
 
Arriving into Ko Phangan is like going home for Christmas break.  It is a familiar place for me that I hold so close to my heart.  I headed back to Haad Yao beach to be welcomed so warmly by the family I always rent from.  It is nice to see them after being away for a month. 
 
I have found a killer house that I am now renting in Haad Yao.  It is cut into the hill so the views I have are amazing.  I have a kitchen with fridge, huge room with a/c (man, it’s super hot here!), and even a bathroom with a beautiful soaker tub. All this, for a princely sum of …. $16 per night.  I am getting more spoiled every time I come here.  Next year I am going to be such a princess… where I am going to stay?
 
The other great thing about coming back to a familiar place is all the friends you have met from previous.  Ko Phangan just happens to be this weird vortex for people.   Once they get here, all the plans about checking out Northern Thailand, Laos or Cambodia end up getting scrapped.  There are so many people who come with great intentions to stay for just a few days and then they end up riding out their month long visa never leaving.  Not so bad, as I have done it more than a few times, but imagine losing days to all the parties all over this island.  Kodiak (a wicked Canadian that threw a party discussed in previous post) laughed about it over dinner tonight when he says that he’s been here for almost 3 months. It’s shocking to a lot of vacationers, who ask him constantly what he does while he’s here, but he just tells them that he has barely any time to hit the beach because of all the parties.  Colin returned today from traveling around Thailand while I was in New Zealand and he said that when he got off the ferry, he knew he was going to see all the same faces that he left here a month ago and the first person he saw was Kodiak who admitted he hadn’t even left the beach, let alone the island and then Kodiak told him where I was.  Colin couldn’t believe that nothing seems to have changed and that we are all still here.  It truly hasn’t, my friend.  As the full moon party nears, a few more familiar faces that I have mentioned in previous posts will be returning for this island’s biggest bash.   I am looking forward to seeing them as well.  This island does have that Hotel California feel to it.  You can check out… but you’ll never leave! 

On a sad note, a car hit my cute little puppy, Jackass - the day before I returned.  My other dog that followed me everywhere, Mama, is back by my side and… is once again knocked up.  And even though she answers to Mama, I am starting to notice she is quickly recognizing ‘Knock-up’ as another name she will come to.  She is living with me in my new house and guarding it very well.  I love her company.
 
Ok, now onto a little rant…  I have received a few emails from some of you asking me about the trip and why there hasn’t been any mention of the boys here.  I am aware you are used to my stories and trash talk, but I assure you, I am still the same Merie.  I went on a temporary hiatus to insanity when I agreed to stay away from making out with boys while I was on this trip.  I can’t tell you why on earth I even agreed to such a thing (and of course it was a insecure guy who suggested it!), but maybe it was a bit of a challenge to see if it was at all possible for me to accomplish.  Apparently, it is not. I have tested my limitations and I can honestly share with you all - there is no guy out there I have met, that is worth the wait.  And seriously, it isn’t realistic.   I am surrounded by hot single people on this island, why would I not sample what traveling has to offer????  After this realization that all this was ridiculous (I have only wasted a few months), I am off the wagon.  And, there is no better way to kick off the fun times, than with a quick session in Bangkok.  After being chased by a cute naked English guy for a couple of days (are you looking at my ass?), I began to remember how much fun being single really was!
 
Anyways, I have rented a motorbike to get myself around the island I am having piles of fun.  I have altered my plans to stay in Thailand for longer and I have cut out going to Ontario before LA.  It is too cold to go there after all this heat.   There are a few parties and more pictures to follow, but I really need to get on with my day.  Hope you are all well!!!
 
 

"Live the moment"

How do I sum up the remainder of my New Zealand adventure into one post???? This is going to be a long one, so grab a coffee, or a “flat white” get comfy and get reading…..

All right, at Rotorua I realized that I only had another week in New Zealand. It went unbelievably fast and I still had a few things on my list I wanted to do. My plan of attack initially was to only see the northern part of the North Island and I am so glad that I stayed with it. When I talk with people who spend one day in one town and then another whole day of travel to spend one more day in the next, I think… ‘what are you really taking in?’.

I took a bus from Rotorua to Whangarei (pronounced Fang-a-ree) so that I could do some diving. I ended up in this hostel late in the evening and as I walked into the commons area I spotted across the room one of the Irish girls from Auckland – Patricia! I can’t tell you how happy I was to see someone familiar and also so much fun. This girl is nothing but shits and giggles and all around just fan – friggin’ – tastic. Turns out she was going diving the next day and that was specifically what I was there to do as well. I hadn’t heard from the dive company that I had emailed, so the plan was that I was just going to go with her and plead my way into the dive trip. The next morning I did just that, but I didn’t have to plead very hard. They were more than happy to take another paying customer as they had plenty of room. Now for most people that don’t know this, the Poor Knights is considered to be one of the world’s top ten diving sites in the world by Jacques Cousteau. And it didn’t disappoint us. The fish were massive and the dive itself was amazing. I have to admit, I am not much of a cold-water diver. All the extra gear and weight is a bit of a pain in the ass and getting in the water at first is very shocking.

Patricia and I napped when we got back to the hostel (turns out we were sharing a room – what are the chances!). Being that it was a Saturday night and our last night in town before she went South and I, North, we planned this to be an official bar night. We ended up taking along with us a German guy and another stray Irish man - Blair, who turned out to be quite funny. How do I even begin to describe the club action in wee Whangarei? I think we spent most of the night walking through this town looking into all the bars before realizing there really was only one place that was ‘happening’ (for lack of a better word) and it was appropriately called ‘Danger, Danger”. Not because of the scantily clad women, or the bad music, but maybe because of the lack of …. Ambiance??? Not sure what was missing. Maybe people our own age? Maybe better music without the massive screen that played the video while playing the top 40 song. Maybe official go-go dancers in the suspended cage and not regulars lined up for their slot. It’s a tough call. I spent most of the night wondering what was up. It had a country feel in the bar that made me think that any minute now the locals were going to stop bumping and grinding to hip-hop and start 2 stepping to “my achy breaky heart”. No really, it felt just like that. The highlights of my night??? I would have to say that it was just hanging out with fun people (the Irish seriously are fun), discovering (a little too late into the evening) that the neon green drink special served in the glass beaker was amazing, and actually meeting a local who drove around with his back window shot out. In Canada we call this a ‘hick town’. I wonder what the New Zealanders call it?

With much good-bye fanfare, I left Patricia for Paihia with Blair in tow. How to describe this guy??? Well, I can tell you he is witty and very smart (except that his chosen major was American History – WTF???) and he would probably tell you he is very entertaining. I may have to agree, but I would never do that it front of him. I guess, for the short bus ride North, I would have to say that I was entertained with fantastic conversation but had to stay alert with how quick he could be – it can actually be tiring always having to be ‘on’. Once we got to Paihia and got settled in, we headed off to a Museum with grounds that was the birthplace of New Zealand. It was where the English and the Maoris signed a treaty and decided to live as one country in 1840. This is where maybe my inability to travel with others kicked in, as Blair was museum-ed out and didn’t want to look at old buildings and glassed in artifacts and I could seriously stare at wood all day long. We parted ways for a short while so he could “slow down and live the moment” and I went for a quick walk (only 1 KM) back to Paihia. Funny, we both met up in town… guess I just took a different route to “the moment”. I was thinking how bizarre it was that a semi-complete stranger was telling me that I needed to slow down and “enjoy the moment” when any one at home could have told him that I have a black belt in sucking back time to do nothing. I live 3 months of my winter away in Thailand, lying on a beach doing nothing – every year! I don’t even own a watch. There isn’t a person who knows me that can say that I have never had them wait while I lived a moment or two. Maybe I have started to lose myself on this trip? I need to find my way back!

I awoke the next morning in anticipation for 6 days of sailing. I arrived at Great Escapes only to be told that none of their boats could go out because the forecast was calling for heavy winds and a gale. Fair enough. I spent the day in Russell learning more about early New Zealand and I was able to find another museum to wander through. Now without boring you all with the details of the next 6 days, I will just try to tell you this. Sailing through the Bay of Islands was the highlight of this trip. I saw some amazing birds, dolphins, flying fish; amazing scenery… there is just so much. I will post some pics, but they don’t even do it justice. What also made it fantastic was that the owners of the company, Terry, his wife Cindy, Lucy and Dave made dealing with Great Escapes memorable. They were so happy to bend over backwards to make things work out and they even had me over for dinner a few times. Who else does that? Island Cruising, of course, but this post is about New Zealand.

I was only too unhappy to see my travels through New Zealand draw to a close once I got to Auckland. So, back to another long Emirates flight (that will, at least, be safe from bombings!), as I will leave you with my list of top 5 in no particular order….

5 things I wasn’t keen about in New Zealand…

1. Phone calls were freaking expensive! There is no competition so it was 70 cents to call a landline and if you called a cell phone, it would cost you (at a pay phone) $1.20 a minute. One person who owns a cell told me that his average cell bill was $700 a month and that was normal. With Vodaphone having the monopoly, New Zealanders just accepted it as another huge expense they have to pay. Very much like what Canadians would do. Just look at the rising cost of fuel we all pay with minor grumblings.

2. Meat Pies. This is the national snack. They have other things like pizza and kebabs like we do, but meat pies are in every shop and convenience store. All wrapped and warmed for quick consumption. They really are gross. And so bad for you!

3. No hot guys. The Irish girls and I had to agree, there is a drought in this country and we aren’t talking rain. Not sure where they have gone or if they even exist, but if I encountered someone hot in New Zealand, they had a foreign accent.

4. Eating out was expensive and getting to a grocery store was a mission in it self. It was almost cheaper to eat out, as the grocery stores weren’t all that cheap. I was shocked to notice that local made goods such as cheese, milk or bread - was expensive.

5. The car rental companies “hire” you a complete lemon for $45 a day unless you get it for a month or more. When I say lemon, we almost rented a car and it was 10 yrs old and literally falling apart, I mean LEMON. Good thing there was a flat in the tire that we discovered as we drove off the lot. We had to quickly turn around to switch up cars only to have to wait in line with other people wanting to do the same. We bussed from Auckland.

And now… The 5 things I LOVED about New Zealand.

1. The dual flush toilets. For number 1, and for number 2. Saves tons of water per day and I don’t recall seeing a toilet that wasn’t one. Sometimes North America can be soooo behind. Oh and clean, clean, clean.

2. Loved that the Maori culture is celebrated in New Zealand and also recognized. Makes me think how different Canada could have been if the early settlers had signed a treaty early on with our Natives instead of trying to snuff out their culture, driving them into residential schools or reserves or just killing them.

3. Loved all their adrenaline sports. There wasn’t a shortage of things to do at all in New Zealand. I wish I had more time… and money.

4. Loved their transportation system. Not only in the city of Auckland, where there is a free bus for tourists, but also it was cheap and easy to bus through New Zealand.

5. Loved how laid back it felt. Just like home. And it's so green! Man, it made me miss the Island.

Just another note before I take off and post this sucker… but I had a lot more than 5 things to love about New Zealand, but for balance sake (it was hard for me to come up with 5 things I wasn’t keen on..) I had to limit the list to the magical 5.


Back to the Thailand grind… SIGH…. Miss you all and keep the emails coming!

Flying, Action and Culture

I’ve been in New Zealand for a little more than a week now and I have done quite a bit.

First off, I just wanted to mention that I traveled on the Emirates Airline for the first time in my life and now I am an Emirates lover. I heard that they got a lot of service awards and I wasn’t the least bit disappointed. Tons of legroom, bag storage, and the meal service was divine. Normally I am accustomed to a 4-course meal in business class, but in economy I was actually full! Not normal for most airlines, but I would have to rate it even higher than Cathay Pacific and maybe… almost… Singapore airlines. Not only that, but the stewardesses, had to wear these hats that had veils that came across just like what Barbara Eden had to wear in ‘I dream of Genie’.

I landed in Auckland a little jetlagged, but excited and went to a hostel within the city. It wasn’t as bad as I would have thought. I was immediately put in a dorm room with 3 other guys (gotta like those odds!). That’s where I met David - another guy from England. I spent a lot of my time just hanging out and getting my bearings and checking out what this ‘City of Sails’ has to offer. To be really honest, I’d been here before and it’s just like most major cities and I was looking forward to getting out of here. I did et a chance to check out the Maritime Museum, Sky Tower and a few bars, but really I just reveled in the little bit of culture shock I was having after spending some time in a crazy city like Bangkok. The hostel realized after a night that they had put me in a boy dorm and they ended up moving me to a room with 3 other Irish girls. They were a lot of fun to listen to and they were really funny. They put me straight on the situation with the Irish guys and now I know how lucky we have it in Canada with the way our guys are. I was trying to convince them that they need to come to our fair country and try out the guys we have to offer and it sounds like they may actually take me up on the challenge. You Canadian boys will be in a lot of trouble… these ladies are wicked.

David and I headed to Rotorua after a couple of days to head to the ‘cultural capital’ of New Zealand. It is apparently so touristy that it is affectionately called RotoVegas. I didn’t notice too much, maybe because I live in ‘VicVegas”. For the few people that may not be aware of this, New Zealand is known for their thrill seeking activities. The Bungy Jump, Sledge and various other adrenaline sports are all here. David and I headed to the Agrodome where we bought the 4gasm pass that gave us entry to the Swoop (a 10 metre free fall where you then swing for a while), the Free Fall (think skydiving without jumping out of a plane), the Agrojet (this is like being in a race car, only it’s a speed boat going about 100/mph) and our favorite by a landslide… the Zorb! Now, the Zorb is a inflated round, plastic ball where you jump in and either get strapped in or they dump water into it. Then…you roll down a hill. You have to push it around like a hamster ball, but once it gets going, it is like a waterslide. So much fun!

I also checked out the Rotorua museum which used to be a health spa in the early turn of the century and now it’s a museum that houses their history display as well as art. It was fantastic and very interesting. Crazy what rich people used to do back in the day… get into a bath tub full of water and get subjected to electro-shock therapy all for the sake of wellness.

I also checked out a few of their other sites, but my favorite touristy thing I did was go to the Mitai cultural performance. That is where we are picked up by shuttle at 6 and then taken to this place where they serve a traditional hangi and then the Maori’s give us a performance and we get to learn about their culture. It really was the best $75 I have spent so far. A hangi is a dinner that is cooked in the earth on top of coals. We were served the most amazing food I have had since being on my travels. The dinner alone was worth my money. And I had for my first time – lamb. I loved it!!!

Anyways, I am off to the North part of the Island to do some diving and sailing. I will post pics here when I get a chance, unfortunately, internet in NZ is really expensive and loading pics up would take forever.

Kisses…..

Week of celebrations

Hey All!

I am in the airport in Bangkok waiting for my flight to New Zealand. I have had a whirlwind few days and I am just now, catching up on my postings. This past week I celebrated Lucia and Geoff’s birthday right after one another. Lucia was a doll and put on a seafood night and invited a whole bunch of us to dine and drink on her. The guest house owner went to the market and got all the fresh goods and cooked it up. Afterwards, we retreated to our balconies, our bungalows are side by side, to have a porch monkey party - Canadian style. That is, basically, where we buy all the goods to make out own buckets instead of paying the high prices in the bars. That way we get to drink more. The English don’t really do this much at home as they are used to going to pubs to socialize, where us Canadians, feel more at home in the kitchen drinking our booze at a cheaper (and also much faster) rate.



The next night was Geoff’s birthday and the guys put on a surprise dinner at the Eagle Pub where the owner cooked us up an amazing feast for free. Turns out, when you drink as much as Geoff at one of your favored pubs (once again a English thing), you get preferential treatment. It’s all good. Geoff is such a stellar guy that he deserves it. Besides, it was his big 4-0. It was also the night before the Eagle Bar party that the same guys were throwing, so there were some birthday fireworks for Geoff that we all enjoyed on a full stomach. Not too much of a crazy night that night as we were all gearing up for the big bash the next night.

During the day, I was kept busy by diving in the amazing Marine park near Ko Tao. It was awesome and I saw some fantastic fish. I ended up talking to someone on the boat ride back about his dive trips in New Zealand and now I am thinking about adding that on my list of to do’s while I am there.

Sunday rolls around with huge anticipation for the Eagle Bar party. Sebastion, Michael, Jamie and Geoff started the planning process with just wanting to light off fireworks and then it morphed into a thousand dollars worth of the goods, as well as DJ’s from London, speakers bigger than Jamie and scented flyers to advertise the event. Haad Yao had never seen a party like this on it’s beach and it went so well I am certain I heard the boys planning next years already. It was a fun night of dancing on the beach and listening to great house music while being fueled by whiskey buckets.
I actually had to pack up and head back to Bangkok via another ferry and train trip the next morning so I partied hard and went to bed early at 5:30 am so I could get up and check out before 10 am. Surprise, surprise, I ended up sleeping in and started packing my month of living in less than one hour. It was a sad ending to a fun month. Everyone came by to say good-bye and all I wanted to do was just say, “Screw New Zealand, I’m staying for another bucket!” But I didn’t. I had no time at all to get to the ferry and I literally ran on. The train ride again was excellent. I shared some time with a Thai lawyer who spent the evening teaching me new thai words and phrases and I only had to use the grotty bathroom once!

Bangkok is even hotter than Hades at this point and now I remember why I normally head back around this time. Sebastion made it up to Bangkok where we hung out and went out for Indian for a change. I also ran into someone from home I know – Bo. Turns out his twin and he are traveling all trough Asia as well. It’s great running into someone you know when you are so far away. We had a nice evening of conversation as well.

So that’s it. Just another plane ride and then new adventure begins.

Miss you all!

M

Jackass, Mama and Mushroom Shakes

My days are slipping away from me as I realize that I have been here a whole month! I am still on Ko Phangan and if I hadn’t already booked my ticket to continue on to New Zealand, I probably wouldn’t leave this place. I am having a terrific time.

The best thing about traveling, to me - are the people that you meet. And this trip has been full of people from all over the world that I am getting a chance to meet and spend time with. I have hung out with some cool American guys who gave me an interesting perspective on their country. Hanging out with them gave me a recharge at a really important time. I was feeling homesick and wanting to go home. Hearing them banter between one another made me think of everyone at home and how everyone was so excited about this trip for me. So I will continue on…..

I am still hanging out with Chris from Surrey and his girlfriend Lucia, and her friend Leyna, have arrived. It has added some fun into the day as now there are more of us to hangout with.




Gizmo and Lidia, from Spain, are still here and the more I get to know them, I figure they are the sweetest people I have met so far.





We went on a snorkeling trip recently and I got reacquainted with a guy I met here last year, Geoff. Turns out he returns to Ko Phangan annually as well. This guy is a true jewel. I also met Michael who is from Denmark as well as some ladies from the States. Michael has turned out to be a riot. He is open about so many things and just generally a good guy to have around. Michael, Jen (American chick) and I, had a fantastic evening of mushroom shakes and whiskey buckets. Then having Geoff meet up with us later to close out the evening was a memorable night on KPG for me so far.




I also have 2 stray dogs that have adopted my bungalow and me. One is a cute white little puppy that looks about 12 weeks old and the other is his mom. Both follow me everywhere and have even taken to swimming with me when I am on the beach. They are adorable. I call the white one “Jackass” because he is trouble at the best of times and his mom is “Mama”. I know, not very original but she was named by another bungalow and I also found out it is the Thai word for dog. The thing I like best about these dogs is that I get the benefits of having a dog - their love and faithfulness, without having to clean up after them or worry about taking responsibility when Jackass goes garbage diving.

So what is coming up that I can tell you about??? I have some diving trips planned, a couple of birthday bashes and a party at a beach bar that will have some killer fireworks put on by some guys I know. Exciting times ahead for sure!

Hope you are all well and having fun. Sandy kisses from Haad Yao….

Paradise found!

I have finally made it to paradise. After a long train ride and 3 hour ferry ride, I arrived onto Ko Phangan. I met a boy form France named Thomas and he is hitchhiking around the world. He has already been to 12 different countries and 4 continenents. We shared a bungalow at my favorite place Haad Yao Bungalows and we have settled in quite nicely into the lazy routine of the islands. Sandy and Lyle found an inexpensive resort with pool just down the beach and they love what Ko Phangan has to offer. I wish that I could tell you about an amazing assortment of adventures so far, but honestly my days have consisted of sleeping, swimming, eating and repeat. The thing I like about this particular beach is that not only is it one of the nicest beaches on this island, but it’s family orientated and people tend to stay here a while. At my bungalows, I see the same families who stay quite a while here again and it’s nice to see them again. I am hanging out right now with a couple from Spain who are here for 2 months and a guy from Surrey who is planning on staying here for a while as well. Once you get down this way, it’s easy to just end up chilling for weeks on end. This beach does have it all though, great snorkeling, a variety of restaurants and there are a handful of pubs and bars that have “parties” on any given night of the week. There is no reason to leave here. It’s going to awfully hard to pry me away from my hammock in a couple of weeks when I have to head to New Zealand.

Lyle, Sandy and I heard about this food festival they were having in the main town of the island called Thong Sala. It’s a 4-day Buddhist holiday so we went to check it out. I have to say that I was very surprised at what we saw. There was a stage set up with live Thai entertainment and all around it was vendor after vendor of Thai food I have never seen before. And the seafood was amazing! We just picked up plates of steamed prawns for $1.50 . It just didn’t seem to end. It really was an excellent way of once again sampling the variety of food Thailand has to offer. I need to mark it down on a calendar for next year!















Anyone who has been to Ko Phangan is aware that other than the taxis (which really is a big open van) the preferred method of transportation by the locals and tourists are the motorbikes that you can rent for $6 a day. And if you have ever been here, you also know that the island has steep hills over most of KPG and that it is dangerous for people who aren’t familiar with the roads or rising a bike. There is something called the Ko Phangan tattoo that you seen on a lot of people which is essentially road rash from a bike accident. I can say that it is more likely that you will see that on the beach than ugly Europeans bathing topless. It really is horrendous and Chris, the guy from Surrey, is lucky to be alive from such an accident. It can certainly put a damper on your holidays as you can’t swim for at least a week and it easily gets infected because of the humidity. On another note, what also surprised me were the ages of the kids riding motorbikes as well. They barely looked old enough to reach the pedals let alone drive their own bike.

Anyways, that’s all for now. It’s getting hot out and I need to get out and enjoy some of this lovely sunshine. Love the emails that I get from all of you. Kisses, Merie.

Going South....

When they mean no frills, they mean it. Lyle, Sandy and I left Chiang Mai on one of their budget airlines names Nok Air. For about $65 we were able to fly 1.5 hours to Bangkok. The agent that sold us the ticket said that all they can guarantee is that it is cheap and safe. That freaked us out a little as we didn’t want to take a flight that may be cancelled and for some reason we weren’t so certain that it was going to fly. They were 2 hours late and changed our terminal. When we actually were boarding, I was amused that the company has a bird for it’s mascot and that the nose of the plane had a huge painted on beak. The stewardess’s were dressed in these cute outfits that looked like we were going out to space and not to Bangkok. I wonder where I can get my hands on one of those?

The new airport is actually one of the nicest that I have seen. It’s all glassed in with all these crazy angles and beautiful flora in the centre. I would have thought we were in a solarium and not an airport. Back to the big city of anything goes. Were here for a few days to sort out our next place. Incidentally, I was able to book my flight to New Zealand. And also my trip to Disneyland! Whoohooo! Sandy and Lyle have decided to fly to Surat Thani and take a ferry over to Ko Phangan and I will take a sleeper train down and meet them the next day. Seeing as I am here longer than they are, and I actually like the train, I figured it was best to just meet in paradise. If only those toilets improved though….

Anyways, just a quickie and some more pics. I am behind on posting this and I am actually already working on my next post. Here are some pics I got off someone from Surrey I met named Chris. This was what he saw in Bangkok....

Hope you are all well!

We'll always have Chiang Mai!

Chiang Mai. >SIGH< What can be said about this city? If I wasn’t so relaxed I could probably think up scores of things, but really, I can’t. I am in the northern part of Thailand where the pace is a lot slower than Bangkok and it is teeming with amazing food and culture. This is normally where travelers go for treks, cooking and language courses, etc… I love coming here. The climate is agreeable. It’s like an early summer day and it’s not humid. And what I like is it that Chiang Mai has all these wonderful little alleys or soi’s where most people just wander thorough. I can honestly say that most of my time spent has just been walking through the neighborhoods and staring at the locals. I am such a tourist!














And if you haven’t heard enough about the food I have been eating… there is more! The great thing about up here in Chiang Mai is that they focus more on natural, whole foods. Like Thai food isn’t already fresh and amazing! It seems like everyone is more focused on healthier living. There are a few herbal steam houses, a lot of yoga studios and places where one can take a retreat. And I am going to have to say that this is the first year that I have noticed the abundance of hippies that have made their way here. Sure, who doesn’t love a great hippy now and then, but I am shocked by how many have come here. Now that I think about it, how do thy travel? I’ve never seen one at an airport? Back home, they hitch hike everywhere or drive old vans. I had no idea that hippies to travel internationally. There are a lot of them that transform over night from Ko San Road, with their newly dreaded hair and cheap new digs, but where have all these other ones come from? Do they dress up a little before they get on a plane?

Something interesting about Chiang Mai is that they have literally built on top of their original city that is hundreds of years old. Everywhere you go, you notice these brick ruins or a crumbling Chedi or Wat. It’s a little bizarre, but atleast they haven’t plowed down their heritage sites for a …. McDonald’s.



















I have fallen into a routine here in Chiang Mai. Morning breakkie at Nice Kitchen, walk, massage, walk through market, shopping, and then before bed herbal steam. Nothing too exciting to write about. Lyle and Sandy have been doing the touristy things during the day and having a fantastic time. So far, they’ve done a trek where they got to ride elephants, a cooking course and they have also gone to the flower exposition at the Royal Winter home. I have just been walking through the city and feeling like a local. One day though I did get lost and I was rescued by these old women from Germany who were coming back from a dog show. They were dog lovers that rescue the stray dogs and steralise them. Thailand has a huge stray cat and dog problem and because they are Buddhist, they just let them wander everywhere. In some parts it can be annoying as the dogs like to travel in packs. It breaks my heart to see all the kitties roaming the streets going through all the garbage. Leo and Subee have it so good! So, these old ladies were in the back of a truck with all these dogs and bags of rice etc… I just climbed on in and they spent the afternoon showing me around and chatting with me. Sometimes, you just have to be open to any experience that comes your way.




I have also had a fantastic few days with this rock star guy from South Africa who had a lot to tell me about what the gay steam baths are like here in Thailand. And after an amazing Italian dinner and horribly strong cocktails at a Thai reggae bar, I lost him forever to the Go-Go bars of Chiang Mai. Charlie! Where have you gone!?! We'll always have Chiang Mai...



So there you have it, my Chiang Mai experience in one post. We are heading down South soon for some beaches and diving. I hoe you are all doing well. I have added some pics of the markets as well just below. I could spend all day looking at all their different fruits and vegetable displays. I love hearing from all of you. Can you believe it's been 2 weeks? I thought it had only been a week. Where is the time going?

Kisses, M.

Train toliets leave alot to be desired

Ahhhh Chiang Mai…..




Lyle, Sandy and I were only to happy to leave Bangkok for a little something slower paced. We booked our train tickets to Chiang Mai and boarded the night train. The train is an experience on it’s own and to be honest, one of my favorite ways to travel Thailand. On a train you get your own little sleeping compartment, which is kinda like camping and you are on with a bunch of other travelers which makes for meeting people a lot easier. You can move around, enjoy the scenery and your stuff is secure. It’s fantastic. The one draw back that I can find is the grotty bathrooms. You get your choice of the squatty or the toilet, but really you are hovering anyways so it doesn’t really matter. And did I hover! All the years of nagging from my aunt and mother to never sit on a public toilet has paid off in full! As many of you are already aware, I have a bit of a phobia of public bathrooms. Rarely am I without wet wipes and anti-bacterial cleaners. This trip has been no different. I sanitized the whole bathroom before I could convince my little bladder that all was safe for my princess pee to be released. The toilets literally run onto the track. You can see the train tracks as you look down the hole. I would not want to be living anywhere near the train tracks. It would be so smelly!



We’ve been having a really relaxing trip so far. Lots of fantastic conversation and I have had quite a few conversations with the locals to practice and learn more Thai. I am hoping that at some point this trip I will be able to take a Thai language course. We’ll see how it all works out. Lyle and I have also been into playing a lot of cards and he has still to beat me at crib. I am a crib champion here in Thailand.

The scenery from the train to Chiang Mai was stunning. A lot of hills, flat lands and rice patties. Looking out the window you see farmers in their fields with their water and banana plants. It’s gorgeous.

I found a fantastic guesthouse in the old part of Chiang Mai for 300B ($10) that has double beds, and a private bath. It’s perfect! I want to move in and stay forever. This cute guesthouse is run by a American couple who have been nothing but helpful. And, the best part? Wi-fi in my own room!!! Hooray! I love how technology is progressing so quickly.

We’ve only so far had a terrific vegetarian lunch and a walk through Chiang Mai and already I am so much more relaxed than Bangkok. I guess it’s the islander in me. Looks like I will be here a while. Let me know of there is anything I should look into doing. I love hearing from all of you. Kisses!!!

Bangkok!

Bangkok…. What a place! I can honestly say that so far, I haven’t ever been to any city even close to Bangkok. I’ve developed a love/hate relationship with this city. I love being here, the weather (except for all the humidity - curly hair people unite!), the people and the food. Oh the food! I can write for hours on the variety here. I should have been a food critic. But I have also grown to dislike how quickly this place is changing with the huge amount of tourists coming here. It changes every year and some streets don’t even look the same from year to year. And the amount of pollution in this city is horrible. Manila is the only place I can say is worse. What can one expect from a city of 6 million people and how many thousands of tourists??














Lyle and Sandy have turned out to be fantastic travel companions. They are so easy going and willing to try anything that it has made this trip a lot of fun for me. They are seeing Thailand for their first time and reminding me greatly of how it was my first time. They are making me stop and appreciate it at a slower pace and I have even tried a few foods that I hadn’t tried before. They are also keen on trying all the hawker stalls so I have been eating my way through Bangkok. Sandy has been laughing about how she couldn’t understand last year why I always talked about the food here, but now she sees why. Not only is the food tasty and cheap ($1 for pad Thai and a spring roll), but you can’t turn your head anywhere without seeing something yummy. Honestly, I think Lyle and I have eaten our weight in fresh fruit. The pineapple here can’t be beat and at 25 cents for half of one, what else would I eat?













So far, in Bangkok we’ve had some weird weather. It rained the first 2 days we were here which is really unusual for Bangkok in January. The rainy season is normally April – June. So there is a lot of talk everywhere about Global Warming and how it is affecting everyone in the world. I have to agree. Since then, it has been really sunny and warm. I know, a little rain? But there is no such thing as a little rain in Thailand. When it starts to drizzle you run for cover because in a few minutes, you get dumped on. You might as well be in a shower. We are heading to Chiang Mai later tonight where the locals here warn us is cold (14 C). Lyle and Sandy had a little chuckle as it was freezing in Vic when we left.

The last few days we’ve spent a lot of time shopping. It is a shopping haven here and since it is their first time I gotta just let them get it out of their system. It helps that I speak a little Thai as the bargaining can sometimes get fierce. But really, I think bargaining is my favorite thing about the shopping. I found myself last night bargaining for stuff I didn’t even want! Too fun! We went to Pat Pong Road last night. It is a night market where on either side of the market is all the sex shows. It’s a weird experience trying to shop for shoes with ladies in bikinis trying to get you to watch a pussy show. There are some things in Thailand that maybe need to stay behind closed doors and not be discussed. The things these women do with their bits is just not natural. I’ll leave that up to all of you to find out for yourself.

Lyle and Sandy have been venturing out to some of Bangkok’s tourist attractions as well. They checked out the Grand Palace yesterday. They got scammed for their first time and then got smart to avoid a second close call. Right when they got out of their cab, a person approached them and put bird seed in their hand. Then they gestured for them to throw it to feed the birds. Not knowing what to do, they just threw it like they were told. Then the Thai person said, “300 Baht!” What! Now, what I would have done was just walked away, and I guess Lyle tried to, but the person started to create a scene. And like any good Canadian he just paid up to avoid it. These Thai people sometimes can read the good people soooo well. The good thing is that they won’t ever fall for it again. Welcome to Thailand!














We also took the ferry system down the river to get to Wat Po today. It’s a crazy system where you have these little open boats and they stop at jetty’s and pick people up. It’s like a bus, only on the river. It is the fastest and easiest way to get around Bangkok. The weird thing is that it stops only for a moment and then takes off so if you aren’t quick you can miss your boat or worse, fall into the water as it pulls away. It is so different from what we would ever do in Canada (unless you take a BC Ferry from Gabriola Island).

Anyways, I am getting ready to head to the train station and travel North. I have a few other things I am planning, so you will have to just follow along to find out what I am up to.

Before I even get to Thailand....

A long overdue posting… well, I guess I should work my way through the week just to get you all caught up on what has been going on with me.

My last night in town, Gunner was wicked enough to organize a dinner and drink affair at the Canoe Club. I have almost forgotten how cool of a place it is and it is now on my hit list when I get back into town. It was a great turnout and I thank everyone who attended. Highlights of that night? Too many to mention, but here are a few….


• Christa and I trying to convince Gunner that Thrifty’s online shopping is the way to go. Especially, since she is now an invalid. And then later, James suggesting Thrifty’s online.

• Sharing a couple of meals with Jorgen and he eating “the lions’ share of the fish”. You really are my favorite eating date Jorgen, brunch or dinner.

• Getting attacked by Dan when I first got there so he could give me a good bye kiss. And lip locking long enough for him to prove to Jorgen he really is a man. No tongue folks, he’s a happily married man.

• My first Jolly Rancher shooter, thanks to Dan. Yum!

• Coaching sweet Jennifer on how to give someone the finger and really look like you mean it. You looked waaayy too innocent the first few times.

• Andrea and I got Miriam to pose for us as I took pictures of her eating calamari. Really, she looked so hot with the tentacles hanging out of her mouth. I am certain it is going to show up on this blog some time…..

• And Kelly, finally, showing up to say Good-Bye. Thanks lady, you’re my girl!

Seeing everyone at dinner made me realize how lucky we all are to have stayed together as long as we have. I hope that we will make more of an effort for more of those occasions, as I hate to have to go away just to see everyone. Can any of you actually believe I showed up on time???!!! It’s a new first for me and one of my 2007 resolutions - try to be more punctual.

I went home early like every good girl should to pack and organize and instead, I chatted with a terrific friend on the phone for most of the night. Needless to say, I didn’t get any sleep before I left. Can you blame me? I’m going to Thailand!!!!

I arrived at the Victoria airport with Sandy and Lyle, only to run into Diane and Laura on their way to Vegas. They looked so excited and it was funny to find out we were on the same flight to Seattle. We looked so excited I had to have a picture.


Once in Seattle, poor Laura got picked on by security to go through all her bags. She was there for quite a while and it was short of a cavity search. I guess she doesn’t look that innocent to the Americans. I thought it was so amusing that I tried to get pictures of her during the process, but got taken down by 2 security guys. Note to self - pictures of airport security in the US, a very big NO.

The flight was long and we were very exhausted, but finally arrived in the Land of Smiles one piece. It’ very hot and humid, but a welcome change from the snow and rain we’ve been getting in BC. That’s abut it for now. I have to get back to touring Bangkok before I head to Chiang Mai. My next post will start my travels….I assure you.

Public urinals and other musings...

Well, just a few more days before I head off onto the surreal experience of plane travel. I've had quite a few great nights out with some terrific friends the past few weeks. I've had a few oppertunities to really play some thoughts out in my head. This is what is going on up there....

One of my favorite nights recently was a trip to good ole Big Bad Johns with the girls. Started off the night with the usual Jagr Bombs and then that was it for me. It really was a great blur after that. I was feeling cozy amidst all the peanut shells on the floor and the bras strung all over the walls. In true Merie Musing fashion I started to think about opening my own bra store with all the neglected lingerie left in the bar. Even when I am super drunk (you know me well enough to know how often that happens), I know that the boob trays I wear are expensive. What are these ladies thinking!?!? And the size of them! How do these ladies walk out of a bar after needing to wear a bra that large, to then go without? Do they maybe live in town? I, definately, would not be able to go far.

I was only happy to read recently that Victoria has now decided to invest in some sort of public urinal facility for the late night revellers of our Victoria scene. Now, before anyone gets all excited, it's not like the fancy high-end ones that San Francisco have built so that the ladies can also enjoy a clean, private pee. It is more like a plastic triangle, that you pick a side and pee into. Four guys max per urinal at a time. Nothing too fancy, as we've spent way too much city money on a arena, just basic porta-potty, urinal style. The interesting thing I noticed is that we like to have ours chained to signposts. Uncle Duffy was only too kind to explain to us ladies that it's because the party animals coming out of the bars not only like to use them, but then tip them over. I tell you, you couldn't pay me enough to have the city job of removing them at 4 in the morning. No way! Besides, I am still waiting on the lucrative contract job coming up to clean out the stray bras at BBJ's.

On a side note, I welcome a new person into Chateau Merie. His name is Pete and he is from Ontario. Somewhere in Ontario - where even fellow Ontarians can't place his 'foreign' accent. Alas, cooking dinner for Byron and pimping him out to my friends wasn't enough to make him stay in our humble city and I have had to find another person in his program and from his province to fill that void. What I can say is that Subee and Leo are adjusting quite well to the new friendly face and I know I am leaving my cats in excellent hands. Not only that, but this weekend, Pete and I conquered the unchartered territory of power tools. Glad to say we both survived and are now better people because of it. That is just another funny story I will have to tell when I run out of silly musings.....

And a big shout out to another wicked friend from Shaniaville, Ontario who I have had the pleasure of spending some fun times with the last few weeks. BC hasn't be the same without ya.

Hopefully I will see some of you this Friday for dinner and drinks at some place Gunner is organizing. It would be great to see some of you before I head off. Peace out peeps!

The Inaugural Post

Welcome! My personal blog of thoughts and activities. Would love to think that this could be a regular thing, but who knows how far this will go? The start of 2007 brings the buzz of so many cool things.... travel, possibilities, adventure... there is alot out there. So, as I navigate my way into aceing this blog thing, bear with me. I'm certain this is going to be a fun way to keep in touch and for you to see what is going on in my world. Please feel free to comment on here, your opinions are just as valuable as mine are.


Oh, and this is me and my aunt's friend in San Francisco. I'm the one in the pink.