Ok everyone, Sorry that it has taken me so long to get this post with pictures up. I don’t have that many, but they are beautiful. I just switched bungalows because the one I am staying at now is 100 baht cheaper a night than the one I was in before. The power also stays on in this one much longer than the other one, which means my fan runs longer. The place is called “Addaaman Resort” and it suits me well. It is about as rustic as you can get, but the main area has a good restaurant, and internet where I can plug my laptop in.
I have met a good group of people from all over, and have been climbing with a guy from Oregon, and a woman named Ivana who is originally from Russia, but now leads horse rides in the western United States, and climbs here in Ton Sai in the winter. This place is magnetic. Everyone is extremely laid back, likes to swim, climb, and get to know each other.
I have been trying to work out plans to meet up with Laura in Kathmandu to climb to Everest base camp, but so far it looks expensive to do the flight before I start working in Korea. I may have to wait until after Korea and use the money from working there to fund my base camp excursion.
By now I have already banged my knee up, taken skin off of my hands and feet, and had a grand old time climbing on the rocks with all these pros who know I have no clue what I am doing (compared to them) but don’t care and just want to show me more tricks and moves. I found a woman who owns a snorkel / dive shop, and have agreed to build her a web site in return for her taking me out to dive and certifying me rescue diver or above, depending on the time I have here. Fair trade I think.
I have already paid in advance for the next week here, and may stay until I have to do a visa run to Malaysia. I will renew my visa, and head back to Bangkok where I will get my visa for South Korea set up. Once that is taken care of, I will probably spend two weeks in the northern part of the country before I head off to South Korea.
It is so humid here that I only bring my camera out during the middle of the day for the most part. When I wash my clothes, I take them down to the beach to dry out and sting them up while we are climbing. This way they have a chance of getting dry in a day or so.
Below are some of the pictures I have taken so far. I reduced the file size so I could upload them quickly from the peninsula (which every one calls an island because you can only get here by boat…), and not have to go to the mainland to get the faster internet.
Long-tail Boats
My Bamboo Hut
The view from the top of one of the cliffs. We also climb on the ones you see in the background.