Quite a bit has happened since our initial post. But first and foremost, we've got some big news, and we might as well let the cat out of the bag. We've been officially invited into the Peace Corps, and our country of service will be... *drum roll*... Cambodia! So for all of you who've dreamed of traveling to Southeast Asia, or simply have a sense of adventure, you'll soon have a place to stay over in this part of the world. Needless to say, we're thrilled to have our assignment. Neither of us know much about Cambodia aside from the basics of its tragic history, and that the people are supposed to be incredibly kind (I was there briefly several years ago to visit the magnificent Angkor Wat temple complex, and I'm ashamed at how little I learned about the country at the time; sorry Lonely Planet, but your history section just doesn't cut it). We're looking forward to doing research. My aunt, a longtime resident of Bangkok, commented that Cambodia is the "wild west" and that the Khmer language sounds like slurred, lethargic Thai. Sounds like we're in for quite the ride!
We'll be leaving to begin our training on July 20th, exactly two months after we arrive back in Seattle from Delhi. Nathan will be teaching English and I will be working with youth. Beyond this we don't know much. We'll keep you posted with any updates... One of the most fortuitous elements of this whole process of discovery is that we received our assignment on Nathan's birthday (more on that later).
But now we turn our thoughts back to Thailand. The day after our grueling 68 mile kayaking trip we embarked on a search for the elusive dugong. The waters around Ko Libong are known to be one of the last homes of this rare cousin of the manatee. We chartered a long-tail boat from the Nature Resort and headed to the dugongs favorite spot with the resort manager, two giggling archetypal German women, and the boatman who was dubbed simply as the "Captain." After some time floating around and gazing out over seemingly empty waters, we began catching glimpses of the sandy-brown backs of dugongs as they surfaced for a breath of air. According to Thais dugongs are auspicious, and the manager assured us accordingly that we are now "lucky, very lucky." During the course of our time on the water we also stood in awe as a pod of dolphins jumped and cavorted near to our boat; climbed out onto a sandbar teeming with migratory birds; and snorkeled with tropical fish of all shapes and sizes. I even got to live out my fantasy of diving off a long-tail boat in the middle of the sea.
No day on Ko Libong is complete without being a spectator at a womens' soccer match - well, at least ours wasn't. Upon hearing word of the goings on, Nathan and I trooped down to the nearby fishing village's school yard. It appeared as if the entire population of the island had turned out for the game. The only non-locals there, we had more fun watching the enthusiasm of the crowd than the match itself. Not to mention that we chowed down on some seriously tasty eats prepared right there on the goal line. Mmmmm, fresh papaya salad.
After our blissful beach-bumming on Ko Libong, it was time to hit the urban fray. We'd enjoyed Trang town so much the last time we were there that we decided to make another stop-over. The tasty smorgishborg at Trang's night market was waiting for us. Armed with the equivalent of roughly $4 US, we tackled four curries, an unidentifiable fishy thing wrapped in a banana leaf, a hunk of fried chicken, mango and sticky rice, a coconut filled crepe-style dessert, a tangy orange-tamarind drink, and a bottle of water. And we even thought to bring our camera this time around.
Our taste buds satiated, we left Trang town the next morning for Ko Lanta, and island in the Krabi province. Our primary reason for coming for this destination was the world-class diving... and oh what diving it is! For Nathan's birthday on the 5th we hopped aboard a Scandinavian run dive boat (I swear, we took the plunge with every Swedish person in Thailand) and cruised out to Ko Ha. "Ko" means island in Thai, and "ha" means five. This collection of karst formations in the middle of the Andaman Sea was strikingly beautiful both above water and underneath. Along with a myriad of coral and fish species, we communed with a green sea turtle, a swimming moray eel which looked like a long undulating ribbon in the water, a banded sea snake, giant lobsters, lion fish, scorpion fish, and a varicose wart slug (it's prettier than it sounds).
That evening as the sun sank into the Andaman we strolled down a lengthy stretch of white sand beach to Time for Lime, a gorgeous Thai cooking school and restaurant with what we have deemed to be some of the world's most delicious food. When we were scuba diving with a school of banded barracuda earlier that day I never would have guest they'd melt so sublimely in my mouth.
Seeing as we just couldn't get enough of Time for Lime, we headed back there yesterday for a spectacular 6 hour cooking class. We are now well versed in the secrets of Thai cooking! Okay, maybe that's a bit of hyperbole, but at least we know where to start. After spending time discussing the cultural elements of Thai cuisine and its key ingredients, we got to try our hand at creating green curry, fresh spring rolls, lemongrass steamed fish with a spicy seafood sauce, and vegetable fried rice. I don't think either of us have ever been so eager to eat our own cooking.
Today we went on another spectacular dive with the same Scandinavian company, this time to Ko Bida Nok and Ko Bida Ni. Highlights from the deep include a leopard shark, blue-spotted stingray, a ribbon eel, a pipe fish, an anemone crab, dancing durban shrimp, and tons of clown fish.
Next up: the jungle. Tomorrow we head to Khao Sok, a national park home to the world's oldest rain forest. We're hoping to wake up to the sound of gibbons calling....
We'll be leaving to begin our training on July 20th, exactly two months after we arrive back in Seattle from Delhi. Nathan will be teaching English and I will be working with youth. Beyond this we don't know much. We'll keep you posted with any updates... One of the most fortuitous elements of this whole process of discovery is that we received our assignment on Nathan's birthday (more on that later).
But now we turn our thoughts back to Thailand. The day after our grueling 68 mile kayaking trip we embarked on a search for the elusive dugong. The waters around Ko Libong are known to be one of the last homes of this rare cousin of the manatee. We chartered a long-tail boat from the Nature Resort and headed to the dugongs favorite spot with the resort manager, two giggling archetypal German women, and the boatman who was dubbed simply as the "Captain." After some time floating around and gazing out over seemingly empty waters, we began catching glimpses of the sandy-brown backs of dugongs as they surfaced for a breath of air. According to Thais dugongs are auspicious, and the manager assured us accordingly that we are now "lucky, very lucky." During the course of our time on the water we also stood in awe as a pod of dolphins jumped and cavorted near to our boat; climbed out onto a sandbar teeming with migratory birds; and snorkeled with tropical fish of all shapes and sizes. I even got to live out my fantasy of diving off a long-tail boat in the middle of the sea.
No day on Ko Libong is complete without being a spectator at a womens' soccer match - well, at least ours wasn't. Upon hearing word of the goings on, Nathan and I trooped down to the nearby fishing village's school yard. It appeared as if the entire population of the island had turned out for the game. The only non-locals there, we had more fun watching the enthusiasm of the crowd than the match itself. Not to mention that we chowed down on some seriously tasty eats prepared right there on the goal line. Mmmmm, fresh papaya salad.
After our blissful beach-bumming on Ko Libong, it was time to hit the urban fray. We'd enjoyed Trang town so much the last time we were there that we decided to make another stop-over. The tasty smorgishborg at Trang's night market was waiting for us. Armed with the equivalent of roughly $4 US, we tackled four curries, an unidentifiable fishy thing wrapped in a banana leaf, a hunk of fried chicken, mango and sticky rice, a coconut filled crepe-style dessert, a tangy orange-tamarind drink, and a bottle of water. And we even thought to bring our camera this time around.
Our taste buds satiated, we left Trang town the next morning for Ko Lanta, and island in the Krabi province. Our primary reason for coming for this destination was the world-class diving... and oh what diving it is! For Nathan's birthday on the 5th we hopped aboard a Scandinavian run dive boat (I swear, we took the plunge with every Swedish person in Thailand) and cruised out to Ko Ha. "Ko" means island in Thai, and "ha" means five. This collection of karst formations in the middle of the Andaman Sea was strikingly beautiful both above water and underneath. Along with a myriad of coral and fish species, we communed with a green sea turtle, a swimming moray eel which looked like a long undulating ribbon in the water, a banded sea snake, giant lobsters, lion fish, scorpion fish, and a varicose wart slug (it's prettier than it sounds).
That evening as the sun sank into the Andaman we strolled down a lengthy stretch of white sand beach to Time for Lime, a gorgeous Thai cooking school and restaurant with what we have deemed to be some of the world's most delicious food. When we were scuba diving with a school of banded barracuda earlier that day I never would have guest they'd melt so sublimely in my mouth.
Seeing as we just couldn't get enough of Time for Lime, we headed back there yesterday for a spectacular 6 hour cooking class. We are now well versed in the secrets of Thai cooking! Okay, maybe that's a bit of hyperbole, but at least we know where to start. After spending time discussing the cultural elements of Thai cuisine and its key ingredients, we got to try our hand at creating green curry, fresh spring rolls, lemongrass steamed fish with a spicy seafood sauce, and vegetable fried rice. I don't think either of us have ever been so eager to eat our own cooking.
Today we went on another spectacular dive with the same Scandinavian company, this time to Ko Bida Nok and Ko Bida Ni. Highlights from the deep include a leopard shark, blue-spotted stingray, a ribbon eel, a pipe fish, an anemone crab, dancing durban shrimp, and tons of clown fish.
Next up: the jungle. Tomorrow we head to Khao Sok, a national park home to the world's oldest rain forest. We're hoping to wake up to the sound of gibbons calling....
After 68 miles, we emerge victorious!
A Chou Leh woman making Jen's papaya salad
These women took their game serious
Local spectators enjoying the football match
This dolphin put on a show for us!
Surveying the land (of deliciousness)
We bought the one in the middle...
Better than KFC!
We weren't the only ones who had a tough time deciding
Foodie translation:
Our masterpieces
Nathan after a dive in the Koh Haa Lagoon
The "Killer" Knife
Mortar and Pestel ,
Foodie translation: "3 stars" in Thailand=
Holy Shit
Our masterpieces
Nathan after a dive in the Koh Haa Lagoon
The "Killer" Knife
Mortar and Pestel , the key ingredient to Thai Curry
Wow!! My mouth is watering from just reading about your Thai cooking and feasting experiences! I hope you'll have time when you're home on your two month break to cook us all a feast! (hint, hint!) :-)
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