January 23, 2010: I have mixed emotions as our journey comes to an end. On the one hand I am ready to be home, to connect with family and friends, to return to work. On the other hand, our holiday has been a rich and rewarding experience and I am sad to see it end.
Thailand has such a cornucopia of people, places to see and things to do. A month allowed us time only to catch a glimpse of what Thailand is all about. Each area we visited wrapped us in its uniqueness and we feel priveleged to have had the experiences we had.
As I reflect back, what we will miss are:
- Ryan and Meagen: they were our reason for visiting Thailand and it was wonderful to spend time together as a family and to experience their world;
- the hot weather (what more needs to be said);
- the food, especially some of the Thai dishes such as spring rolls and cashew chicken, but we also had wonderful Indian food, including Schwarmas;
- the prices, cheap for anything Thai;
- Thai massages, both wonderful and very inexpensive (one hour massages for 200-250 baht which is less than $10);
- the people: the friendliness of the Thais and the Imagine Thailand folks we met.
What I won't miss are:
- squatty potties (the name says it all) which are still quite prevalent in older facilities such as bus stations, etc;
- some Thai food (I'm sorry but pigs intestines and chicken knuckles just shouldn't be eaten);
- not understanding the language - it will be good to actually know what's going on around me (well, at least as much as I normally do).
And so, our journey comes to an end, but our memories will live on.
Signing off until our next adventure,
Maureen (and Glen)
Monday, January 25, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
A drive from Khao Lak
January 17, 2010
We decided to go exploring; we had a free day, a car and beautiful scenery beckoning to us. Our destination: Khao Sok National Park, described by the Lonely Planet (our trusty guide book) as a “Jurassic Park” and “a jungle that is part of the oldest rainforest in the world, where snakes, monkeys and tigers mingle within the tangle of lazy vines”. Since it was only about a sixty kilometer drive from the resort in Khao Lak where we were staying we thought this was a perfect opportunity.
Less than twenty minutes into our drive we saw a sign for a Tsunami Memorial in Ban Nam Kem. Having recently completed reading “Wave of Destruction”, a book describing four families from Ban Nam Kem and their struggles and losses in the December 2004 tsunami, it was interesting to see the area we had read about. A galley walk inside a twelve foot sculpture representing a wave from the tsunami left us with an eerie feeling. Seeing the photos and memorial plaques of some of the victims brought home the realization of the suffering and losses that occurred, some families losing multiple family members. Many nationalities were represented on the plaques but by far the Thai and German names outnumbered others. Standing inside the sculpture, thinking of all whose lives had been impacted by the tsunami, also brought to mind the thousands in Haiti who are currently suffering through the devastating earthquake of only a few days ago.
Less than twenty minutes into our drive we saw a sign for a Tsunami Memorial in Ban Nam Kem. Having recently completed reading “Wave of Destruction”, a book describing four families from Ban Nam Kem and their struggles and losses in the December 2004 tsunami, it was interesting to see the area we had read about. A galley walk inside a twelve foot sculpture representing a wave from the tsunami left us with an eerie feeling. Seeing the photos and memorial plaques of some of the victims brought home the realization of the suffering and losses that occurred, some families losing multiple family members. Many nationalities were represented on the plaques but by far the Thai and German names outnumbered others. Standing inside the sculpture, thinking of all whose lives had been impacted by the tsunami, also brought to mind the thousands in Haiti who are currently suffering through the devastating earthquake of only a few days ago.
Travelling to Khoa Sak National Park, the scenery was breathtaking in areas. Tall jagged cliffs rose out of the surrounding jungle, appearing at odds with the lush green foliage all around us.
A three kilometer trek to find a waterfall in the park reminded us that this is not the rainy season. The southern part of Thailand has almost as many signs for waterfalls as it does for wats (temples) and I’m sure they are spectacular during and after the rainy season. However, in the middle of the dry season (November to February) the waterfall we found was not much more than a slow moving stream.
Not to be deterred, we decided we would visit Chiaw Lan Lake, about an hours drive east of the Khao Sak National Park headquarters. This lake was created by Ratchaprapha Dam and is said to have limestone outcrops protruding from the lake that reach a height of 960 meters. You can also rent boats from local fishermen to explore the coves, canals and caves, several which were used as hideouts by communist insurgents between 1975 and 1982. Plan B was formed and we set out to find the lake. However Plan B failed to notice that the directions provided for finding the lake were somewhat vague, and while we had seen signs in English for the national park, we had not seen any signs for the lake.
We knew we were in trouble when, after having made several turns, there were absolutely no signs in English. Glen, being the resourceful person that he is, saw a tour bus and decided that it should likely have the same destination as us. Following it seemed like a good idea until the bus turned onto a bumpy, unpaved alley. Deciding that wouldn’t take us to where we wanted to go, we instead meandered streets that were getting narrower, that did not appear to lead to any type of a lake, and where there were absolutely no signs in English. We were pretty sure that if we stopped to ask for directions we would be met with many smiles and nods, for the Thai people are very friendly, accommodating and eager to please. We were also pretty sure there would be absolutely no understanding or assistance, and rightly so, we were the lost foreigners. Fortunately, with Glen’s excellent sense of direction, we were able to find our way to familiar looking territory. While we weren’t able to get to the lake itself and explore its nooks and crannies, we did find Ratchaprapha Dam and were able to look down on the lake.
After a long day of driving, and getting lost only once more, we were happy to make it back to our resort. On our drive back we reflected on how being lost, even just momentarily, had made us feel vulnerable. While we don’t speak the local language, we are “white” and “have money” – two big pluses in a foreign country – and still we were stressed. We thought about others, ethnic minorities, who don’t speak the language, who have no money and sometimes few possessions, and how lost and vulnerable they must feel. Our experience gave us just a very miniscule glimmer of how some people must feel on an ongoing basis. As with so many days in Thailand, while appreciating the beauty around us here, we are very thankful for all that we have.
Khao Lak Orchid Beach Resort where we stayed
After a long day of driving, and getting lost only once more, we were happy to make it back to our resort. On our drive back we reflected on how being lost, even just momentarily, had made us feel vulnerable. While we don’t speak the local language, we are “white” and “have money” – two big pluses in a foreign country – and still we were stressed. We thought about others, ethnic minorities, who don’t speak the language, who have no money and sometimes few possessions, and how lost and vulnerable they must feel. Our experience gave us just a very miniscule glimmer of how some people must feel on an ongoing basis. As with so many days in Thailand, while appreciating the beauty around us here, we are very thankful for all that we have.
Khao Lak Orchid Beach Resort where we stayedA boat excursion from Phuket
Jan 13, 2010: Viking Cove, Pileh Bay, Maya Bay, Monkey Beach, Phi Phi Natural Resort, Bamboo Island; these are the places we visited on our day long boat excursion.
Viking Cove is where nests made from swallow’s saliva are harvested; this is used to make Bird’s Nest Soup, a delicacy for Thai’s.
Viking Cove is where nests made from swallow’s saliva are harvested; this is used to make Bird’s Nest Soup, a delicacy for Thai’s.
Pileh Bay has absolutely gorgeous, sparkling green water nestled invitingly between sheer rock cliffs, a place I would have been happy to spend the day drifting in the warm, salty water, but where we only had a fifteen minute stop.
Maya Bay’s claim to fame is that it’s the area where the movie “The Beach” was filmed. The tens of tour boats and hundreds of tourists busily snapping photos or trying to find their own patch of beach detracted from the natural beauty of the area.
Our favourite spot of the day was Monkey Beach, a small stretch of beach that quickly transitioned into jungle. While this beach also had many tourists the main attraction, small monkeys, were in abundance and utterly charming. A baby monkey slept in his mother’s arms, the father standing protectively by rubbing the baby’s back from time to time. Another monkey, looking old and aloof, appeared disdainful of the tourists’ attempts to bribe him with bananas. Other, younger monkeys showed no such hesitation and freely accepted the goods offered, some swinging on low-hanging branches to reach the bananas proffered by eager tourists. They were engaging to say the least.
Our favourite spot of the day was Monkey Beach, a small stretch of beach that quickly transitioned into jungle. While this beach also had many tourists the main attraction, small monkeys, were in abundance and utterly charming. A baby monkey slept in his mother’s arms, the father standing protectively by rubbing the baby’s back from time to time. Another monkey, looking old and aloof, appeared disdainful of the tourists’ attempts to bribe him with bananas. Other, younger monkeys showed no such hesitation and freely accepted the goods offered, some swinging on low-hanging branches to reach the bananas proffered by eager tourists. They were engaging to say the least.
A short ways out from Monkey Beach we stopped to explore below the surface. Donning snorkels and fins we discovered the coral reef and the many species of fish and vegetation in that habitat. The snorkeling was better than anticipated; a first for us was seeing a sea urchin.
A buffet lunch at Phi Phi Natural Resort was followed by a stop at Bamboo Island. Unfortunately we weren’t able to attest to the good snorkeling at this spot due to the two to three foot waves.
This area definitely has much to offer – the scenery is absolutely stunning. Too bad there are so many people like us (tourists) wanting to see it all.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Mae Sot touched our hearts
Mae Sot is a small city on the Thai Burma border; one where Imagine Thailand, along with numerous other NGOs (non-government organizations) works to better the conditions of the thousands of the many ethnic groups who have fled Burma. The regime that currently rules Burma runs the country by decree and has consistently been ranked as one of the most oppressive dictatorships in the world, in which widespread human rights abuses are perpetrated by the government against its critics, particularly ethnic minorities.
We had the privilege of touring the Mae Tao Clinic in Mae Sot. The clinic was initially established in 1989 by Dr. Cynthia Maung, an ethnic Karen physician who fled Burma as a result of her involvement with pro-democracy activities. She established the clinic to provide health care for displaced individuals along the Thai-Burma border. The clinic has grown extensively since it was initially created, and in 2004 it recorded over 100,000 patient visits.
We had a tour of most of the clinic areas, but to respect the people who were seeking and receiving care, we did not take photos. The words "organized chaos" came to mind as we toured the clinic. There were people of all ages, from newborn babies that were being held by young parents who looked like children themselves; to others who were likely middle-aged, but who looked very old, worn and tired, their eyes reflecting the pain and hardships they have endured.
We saw tables that were used for beds; they were constructed of wood and had four posts for legs and a slab of wood for people to lie on; most were covered with vinyl and were without sheets or pillows. There was one bed that had a mattress and that could be cranked up to raise the head of the bed; it was rusty and looked at least fifty years old.
The coordinator of the clinic told us that the clinic is not supposed to function as a hospital; on record they are allowed to have only120 inpatients and that is what they record in the books. In reality, she said they often have over 400 inpatients plus the many family members who make the arduous trek to the clinic with their loved ones.
The clinic treats a wide range of illnesses/issues with the most common being malnutrition, malaria and tuberculosis. Often the patients are in severe shape when they arrive at the clinic; because the Burmese are denied health care in their own country, many have to travel long distances under dangerous circumstances to access health care.
The clinic sees many people who have stepped on land mines and require amputations; these patients are transferred to the Mae Sot hospital for the amputation and return to the clinic to recuperate. Much of the budget for the Mae Tao Clinic goes to transferring and paying for care at the Mae Sot hospital when care can not be provided at the clinic. In the prosthetics department the white board had a list of all new referrals for prosthetics; on the January list there were already 7 names, all missing limbs due to land mines. Seven lost limbs within the first week of January alone.
Outpatient areas included a dental clinic, eye clinic (where they do cataract surgery), pediatric care, mental health, chronic diseases clinic and a perinatal clinic. Inpatient areas included a birthing center, pediatrics and a medical/surgical area. The clinic generally has 300-500 outpatients per day; there were 2700 babies born in the clinic in 2008. They have a lab where they can do basic tests and a pharmacy (inpatient and outpatient). They also have a Health Information System department – a room with several computers where volunteers enter demographic information into a database on all patients who receive care.
Mae Sot is on the border of Thailand and Burma, the two countries separated by a river, but with a "friendship bridge" between the two countries. The border is very porous and many people either cross the bridge or come across on a water taxi (a large inflated inner tube). While crossing the border does not pose much difficulty, travelling further into Thailand does. As we took the bus in and out of Mae Sot it was stopped numerous times so the Thai police could check passports and ensure that people from Burma did not enter further. They were okay to stay in the refugee camps or to work as migrant workers in the Mae Sot area, but without proper paperwork (which many could not obtain) they could not go further. Their options were very limited. 
We had the privilege of touring the Mae Tao Clinic in Mae Sot. The clinic was initially established in 1989 by Dr. Cynthia Maung, an ethnic Karen physician who fled Burma as a result of her involvement with pro-democracy activities. She established the clinic to provide health care for displaced individuals along the Thai-Burma border. The clinic has grown extensively since it was initially created, and in 2004 it recorded over 100,000 patient visits.
We had a tour of most of the clinic areas, but to respect the people who were seeking and receiving care, we did not take photos. The words "organized chaos" came to mind as we toured the clinic. There were people of all ages, from newborn babies that were being held by young parents who looked like children themselves; to others who were likely middle-aged, but who looked very old, worn and tired, their eyes reflecting the pain and hardships they have endured.
We saw tables that were used for beds; they were constructed of wood and had four posts for legs and a slab of wood for people to lie on; most were covered with vinyl and were without sheets or pillows. There was one bed that had a mattress and that could be cranked up to raise the head of the bed; it was rusty and looked at least fifty years old.
The coordinator of the clinic told us that the clinic is not supposed to function as a hospital; on record they are allowed to have only120 inpatients and that is what they record in the books. In reality, she said they often have over 400 inpatients plus the many family members who make the arduous trek to the clinic with their loved ones.
The clinic treats a wide range of illnesses/issues with the most common being malnutrition, malaria and tuberculosis. Often the patients are in severe shape when they arrive at the clinic; because the Burmese are denied health care in their own country, many have to travel long distances under dangerous circumstances to access health care.
The clinic sees many people who have stepped on land mines and require amputations; these patients are transferred to the Mae Sot hospital for the amputation and return to the clinic to recuperate. Much of the budget for the Mae Tao Clinic goes to transferring and paying for care at the Mae Sot hospital when care can not be provided at the clinic. In the prosthetics department the white board had a list of all new referrals for prosthetics; on the January list there were already 7 names, all missing limbs due to land mines. Seven lost limbs within the first week of January alone.
Outpatient areas included a dental clinic, eye clinic (where they do cataract surgery), pediatric care, mental health, chronic diseases clinic and a perinatal clinic. Inpatient areas included a birthing center, pediatrics and a medical/surgical area. The clinic generally has 300-500 outpatients per day; there were 2700 babies born in the clinic in 2008. They have a lab where they can do basic tests and a pharmacy (inpatient and outpatient). They also have a Health Information System department – a room with several computers where volunteers enter demographic information into a database on all patients who receive care.
The clinic is staffed by many volunteers and while they do have assistance from numerous doctors from other countries, a key focus of the clinic is to train and equip the local communities with the skills and knowledge necessary to manage the clinic.
I would dearly love for anyone who complains about our health care system in Canada to trade a day in this clinic; we have so much to be thankful for.
Our next stop in Mae Sot was at the AAPP (Assistance Association for Political Prisoners). In Burma anyone can be arrested for being involved in democracy activities and peaceful demonstrations, sometimes being sentenced for up to 7 years without a fair trail, for something as simple as distributing a pamphlet. The AAPP is a group that works to collect information about political prisoners and prison conditions, and to give assistance to political prisoners and their families. Most of the members are ex-political prisoners who are forced to live in exile; in Burma they are intimidated and harassed to prevent them from participating in political activities. The man who spoke to us had spent two lengthy jail terms in Burma for his political beliefs. He was living in Thailand because he did not want to return to jail again; while he didn’t speak in detail of the torture he endured, his voice choked with emotion as he remembered.
Our next stop in Mae Sot was at the AAPP (Assistance Association for Political Prisoners). In Burma anyone can be arrested for being involved in democracy activities and peaceful demonstrations, sometimes being sentenced for up to 7 years without a fair trail, for something as simple as distributing a pamphlet. The AAPP is a group that works to collect information about political prisoners and prison conditions, and to give assistance to political prisoners and their families. Most of the members are ex-political prisoners who are forced to live in exile; in Burma they are intimidated and harassed to prevent them from participating in political activities. The man who spoke to us had spent two lengthy jail terms in Burma for his political beliefs. He was living in Thailand because he did not want to return to jail again; while he didn’t speak in detail of the torture he endured, his voice choked with emotion as he remembered.
We visited three schools in Mae Sot; two where our "Tarts for Thailand" had provided funds to install a filtered water system. Kwe Ka Baung school brought tears to my eyes. Made of concrete, it isn’t really a school – it is two very run-down town-houses built over a market in a busy section of town. Over 400 migrant children go to this school and over 135 children also live at the school. There is no area for the children to play outside; there were no toys and very few educational materials for the children. The children who called this home slept in the same area they ate and studied. At night they pulled out their woven mats and placed them on the dirty concrete to sleep. It was truly heart-wrenching to see these conditions.
The next two schools still had many needs but were in much better shape than Kwe Ka Baung. Hsa Mu Htaw school is located in a more rural area, and while they struggle to feed the children who attend that school (about 120 students with 35 who live there) they were very hospitable and served us with fresh water (from their new water filtration system) and fresh fruit. The head-mistress of the school takes pride in her school and loves the children. She was a teacher in Burma for many years and started this school 10 years ago when she fled the conditions in Burma. She told me stories of children who come to the school, whose parents move on to find jobs and who never see their children again. She told me how the children cry for their parents, especially when they are sick, and it breaks her heart. She has no children of her own – she calls the children at the school “her children”. They are very fortunate to have her – she is a lovely person and very appreciative of the assistance provided. She showed us her ledger; with the provision of the water filtration system the school is able to sell clean drinking water to families in the community at a cheaper rate than elsewhere. This benefits the families and provides an income to the school to pay for the associated electrical costs and helps them to supplement their food budget.
The last school we saw was the United Christian Nursery School, a school where Imagine Thailand was doing an assessment to better understand their needs. We met with the head-master of the school, along with all of the teachers, even though it was a Saturday. This school has 9 teachers but only funding for 7; they receive 21,000 baht for teacher’s salaries so each teacher receives approximately $78 Canadian per month (less than $4/day). Because of funding cuts they will no longer receive rice beginning in June, a major staple in the children’s diets. They also have a need for a new roof on
the preschool; there is no ventilation in the existing roof so it becomes like a “bakehouse” during the hot season.
On our last day in Mae Sot we went to a garbage dump; not to drop off trash, but as it was International Children’s Day we went to participate in a celebration with the children and families that live at the dump. Again, the people living at the dump are migrants who have fled the conditions in Burma. They make their living by sifting through the garbage at the dump, selling some of what they are able to salvage.The owner of a local Mae Sot restaurant, along with who-ever else wants to volunteer and contribute, brings food and other supplies to the residents at the dump each year on International Children’s Day. There were approximately 200 children and adults that were living there; a school had been established at the edge of the dump and that is where the celebration took place. Most of the children were dirty and many had no shoes.
They were fed a Burmese noodle dish, fruit, water and juice, and ice cream cones for dessert. Many of the children came back numerous times to ask for additional fruit, hording it in their pockets or making pouches out of their shirts, or finding an empty bowl to store it in, saving it for the future. Music truly is an international language, and as the music and dancing started the children really came out of their shells.
Mae Sot is on the border of Thailand and Burma, the two countries separated by a river, but with a "friendship bridge" between the two countries. The border is very porous and many people either cross the bridge or come across on a water taxi (a large inflated inner tube). While crossing the border does not pose much difficulty, travelling further into Thailand does. As we took the bus in and out of Mae Sot it was stopped numerous times so the Thai police could check passports and ensure that people from Burma did not enter further. They were okay to stay in the refugee camps or to work as migrant workers in the Mae Sot area, but without proper paperwork (which many could not obtain) they could not go further. Their options were very limited.
As we heard people's stories and saw some of the conditions where people lived and went to school, we were deeply saddened. It is a reality so very different from ours. Yet, we also saw how individuals and organizations from countries across the world, including Thailand and Burma themselves, are providing assistance and truly are making a difference. We loved our time in Mae Sot and are very thankful we had this opportunity.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
White Water River Rafting in Thailand
January 5: As we set out for our Thailand trip I certainly didn’t think we’d be white water river rafting, but that is one of the activities offered in the Chiang Mai area, and one that Ryan and Meagen suggested we do. Ryan, Meagen and Candace all had to buy shoes as they only had flip-flops and shoes were required (or sandals that had a heel strap). Notice Meagen showing off her blindingly white shoes (purchased at the Sunday Night Market for 120 baht, approximately $4).
We had done this activity together as a family several years earlier, rafting the Thompson River in B.C., so it seemed fitting that we all do it together again in Thailand. After doing some research (you just have to love Trip Advisor) we discovered that Siam River Adventures was the group to go with. As we traveled out to our rafting site we weren’t too sure how much of an adventure the trip would be; while our guide assured us that even though the water level was low, there were lots of class 4 rapids that would be exciting, the water we passed looked very calm and tranquil. Our road trip to get to our base was in itself an adventure; our van traversed through the mountains on what we would consider “serious four wheel driving” back home, passing elephant farms and several mountain villages along the way. Apparently we were fortunate; during the rainy season it is not uncommon for people to have to get out of the van and push it through some of the really rough spots – we didn’t have to do that.
When we got to our destination we were served a buffet lunch; fresh pineapple, bananas and sticky rice roasted in banana leaves, and a variety of thai dishes with rice. This was followed with a safety talk and we were impressed with the focus on safety – very similar to our experience in B.C.
All of the staff were Thai, and while they didn’t all speak fluent English, they had the basic commands down pat – “on the job” (assume normal position), “paddle forward”, “paddle backward”, “paddle harder”, “to the right”, “to the left”, “lean in”, “get down”, “hang on” and “high five”. We were sure they said some of the commands just to see us move around in the boat – they all had a great sense of humour and they thoroughly enjoyed their job.
While there were some tranquil spots where we could sit back and relax, our guide was right – there were lots of class four rapids that we thoroughly enjoyed!
When we got to our destination we were served a buffet lunch; fresh pineapple, bananas and sticky rice roasted in banana leaves, and a variety of thai dishes with rice. This was followed with a safety talk and we were impressed with the focus on safety – very similar to our experience in B.C.
All of the staff were Thai, and while they didn’t all speak fluent English, they had the basic commands down pat – “on the job” (assume normal position), “paddle forward”, “paddle backward”, “paddle harder”, “to the right”, “to the left”, “lean in”, “get down”, “hang on” and “high five”. We were sure they said some of the commands just to see us move around in the boat – they all had a great sense of humour and they thoroughly enjoyed their job.
While there were some tranquil spots where we could sit back and relax, our guide was right – there were lots of class four rapids that we thoroughly enjoyed!
Glen, Maureen and Candace's boat: (the Thai guide loved teasing and splashing Candace)
High fives for a job well done!Ryan and Meagen in another boat (they were the trouble-makers, starting water fights with the others :)
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