Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Anyer, Indonesia

Traveled to Anyer (on the beach) with our friend Moudy, which was about a hour drive. We found a nice hotel overlooking the ocean for a fairly good price. When I first asked the price of the hotel I was given a much higher price than when Moudy asked. When white people ask the price of hotel or food around these parts they always charge more, but if you're local they give you a better deal. The sunset was amazing overlooking the ocean. The weather is extremely warm even at night. We jumped in the pool with a couple other people after lunch and by the time we were ready to leave the pool it was completly filled with Indonesians and we had been in a number of pictures. The street markets here are great! Everything is super cheap. Bryson bought sunglasses for just over a dollar with our local's bartering skills.

Monday, December 30, 2013

Batu Caves, Malaysia

It took me a little over an hour to ride a train and monorail out here, but the crazy thing is it only cost me a dollar. There were monkeys all over the place here. They would steal food from people and I even saw one bite a girl. I guess people would take refuge in these caves during enemy attack or major storms. The outside was interesting but not so much on the inside.

The guardian for those within the cave

Monday, December 23, 2013

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The streets are busy here, but with less motor bikes than Thailand. I've only had a few cokes in my life but I tried one here (accidentally) and now I think I'm addcited. There are massive (6-10 story) shopping malls every few blocks. It amazes me how materialistic they are here (in the city anyhow). Kuala lumpur is lmost always cloudy year-round but still extremely warm and humid. They round their money sales to the tenth of a dollar (something we should do). One of their specialties here is where they dry out meats. Pretty tasty. Christmas eve was absolutely crazy here. Everyone was armed with at least for cans of silly string and just attacked each other. Literally assert least a million people were in the downtown square just outside my hostel. I accidentally caught the bus to the wrong airport.. had to take ashuttle to a different one. Just made it! Spent the last of my ringets, so luckily when I got on the bus they let me pay with American dollars. 

China town
Robotic workers

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Surat Thani, Thailand

This was the first place I've been where I did not see another tourist for the two days I was here. I got a lot of uncertain looks walking around.

I believe I came across one of Thailand's olympic training centers, possibly? The stadium was not well kept nor were any of their other fields.

At night I could hear the protests a few blocks from where I stayed. They would speak in to a high volumed microphone, shouting. This has been going on for months now.

They love their king

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Koh Phangan

I rented a motor bike to explore the island and saw a lot of beauty. I came across this one area market, "Secret Beach." You barely notice it especially rising on on motor bike in Thailand. There were hardly any people there and the sand was soft worth rocks on each side goibg it a sense of seclusion. As I traveled further up the coast I found, "Wipe Out Thailand." It had some interesting obstacles but nothing as fancy as what you see on the show.

I met an Italian guy while walking who loves America and wanted to show me pictures of him when he had visited. He "accidentally" clicked on the wrong file filed worth pictures of Hitler and also himself saluting. He said he loved Hitler and that's when I decided to be in my way. He invited me for dinner the next night which I accepted to avoid any confrontation, but I never did make it.. I also saw someone wearing a Karl Malone jersey which is odd because even in Utah you don't see that, let alone in Thailand.

This is where the hold the full moon parties as well as parties every night a week before and after the full moon. It gets pretty intense but they bring in extra police for drug control.

Fire dancing at all the parties
Sitting in front of a motor bike rental shop
An abandoned temple we came across
Thailand's Wipe Out
Secret Beach
This was the popular side of town where all the day markets are