South-East Asia is My Osyter

3 Weeks in Burma

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan Coudray) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 09:22:00 +0000

After a long break from updating my blog, here are the best pictures from Burma.

This trip (sub-trip, whatever you want to call it) was memorable for many reasons. They have gorgeous landscapes, a military dictatorship, very friendly locals, incredible trekking and some of the worst bus rides I've been on. Real bad-ass travel memories are made in this country!

Yet pictures speak a 1000 words so I'll let them tell the story.

Inle Lake. Fishermen.

Yangoon. Chilling with the local monks.

Bago. The city of the Buddhas.

In Bagan. One of the most beautiful places I've seen with its 4000 temples.

Sunset in Bagan!

Trekking near Kiaukeme! highlight of the trip with our lovely magician-ex rebel soldier guide called nain-nain.

Bagan!

One of the monastery from the Kiaukme trek.

In Mrauk U, near Mandalay. This kid loved when i took pictures of him.

Mrauk U. We understood quickly why the old kings made this the capital. It's stunning.

One of the floating villages of Inle Lake

Inle Lake. Kids going home from school.

Inle Lake. Luis immortalizes the moment.

Back to Thailand

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan Coudray) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 08:33:00 +0000

Hi everyone,

I haven't been posting much lately mainly because the internet here is 6 times as expensive as everywhere else. But here are a couple pictures from the last 3 weeks... as a prelude for the following post.

Ko Pagnang
Railey. Climbers paradise.

Ko Tao. divers paradise.

Ko Pagnang. Don't worry mom, I did put my helmet on.

Nong Kiau, Mong Noi and Luang Nam Tha -- Trekking, Kayaking and Living Life

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan Coudray) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 07:46:00 +0000

Hello guys,

I just came back from Lao and curently am in Chang Mai in northern Thailand. As many of you know, I got my camera and money stolen in Muang Noi (small village). So I don't have any pics of Nong Kiau and Mong Noi to share. Those places were remote but the trekking was incredible.
I learnt their net-throwing-fishing technique, caught a big one and we had our dinner with Lim and our local guide on the banks of the Mekong.

After that, I headed to Luang Nam Tha, close to the chinese border for the trekking. Visited the surrounding tribes by motorbike and enjoyed the most beautiful scenery in Lao. Then I went on a 2 day kayaking trip in the jungle. Amandine and Joe, my new travel buddies, shared those pictures with me so here there are...

Tomorrow, I'm going on a day trip to a tiger sanctuary and then back to Bangkok the following day. This has been a good place to crash and party after fairly rustic Lao. Because keep in mid that there is a general curfew in Lao at midnight.

Southern Thailand here I come !!!

Luangprabang -- Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan Coudray) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 09:44:00 +0000

This is city as I said in the previous post has got it's European touch (french colonialism era) which makes it beautiful with a great atmosphere. It's one of the only cities in the world that is UNESCO World Heritage site. The trip we took to the nearby falls was the most beautiful place I've been in the world.

Tat Kuang Si Falls

Laungprabang

The Festival and Vang Vieng -- Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan Coudray) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 09:04:00 +0000

Since leaving Nong Kai, I've been travelling with Rich and Ally which has been incredible.

After the fireball festival during which we didn't see any fireballs, we headed straight to Vang Vieng and now Luangprabang. Lao is simply gorgeous, I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

Nongkai, Thailand

We joined the locals for the festivities

Lighting a lantern with our friendly neighbours. They offered us a lot of Lao Lao (local alcohol)

A cool shot from theat night

Vang Vieng, Lao

The 'Blue Lagoon', no one there, the lagoon and this beautiful view.

...A buffalo was there to keep us company

View from our bungalow.

View from our bungalow. That bridge got taken away by strong current the day we left.... we walked on it the first day!

Tuuuuuubing!

Tubing. Bars along the river with big swings and slides!!! Lots of fun

...back in Vang Vieng.

On my Way to Lao -- Nongkai and the Fireball Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan Coudray) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 08:05:00 +0000

I left Ubon a few days ago and decided to make it all the way to NongKai, a couple kilometers from the border. Two buses and 11 hours later I arrived at Mut Mee Guesthouse, a little paradise.

I decided to extend my stay here by a few days to see the Fireball Festival, which is a naturally occurring phenomenon where fire erupts from the Mekong river... in other words it's methane gas ingniting and it happens on the full moon night every October.

Lastly, the storm did not affect thailand that much. Ubon was the worst hit and when I was leaving, the roads were floaded and I saw one school pretty badly hit. Anyways, I'm completely out of harms way for now :D

A few pictures from the salakeawkoo sculpture park which was dedicated to a famous Lao Shaman. This place was pretty unreal:

The Real Thailand -- 2nd and Last Week in Ubon

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan Coudray) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:10:00 +0000

This is it, my time in Ubon is almost over. Regretably. It was hard saying bye to the children, the family and my friends here. The 'On the Road' chapter opens up... I'm really excited.

A Tribute to the Children

It's been great to teach the children but also to see the differences in the way things are done and run in this primary school. Children basically run the place and as a result become responsible very early on. Here are some of the things I noted:

Teachers are not in the classrooms half the time yet the children study. The government TV channel is a big tool and explains why there is a TV in each classroom.

They clean their own school, everyday.

Areobics classes are taught by the students (see previous post's video)
Morning anthem and buddhist prayer ran by the students

The school bell is rang by the students

Dishes are cleaned by the students
Students love to learn

The teachers teach

A 5-minute video I made about the students. I love them!

A Trip to Sao Lao Village -- Meeting the Artisans

As my stay in Ubon was coming to an end, and given that the entire village knew there was a farang in their village, my teacher/host wanted me to meet some key artisans.

The Khao-Mao Factory

Here they make a dish that locals love. It's sweet crushed rice, and you usually dip a banana in it... it's soooo good.

The fish-catching Bamboo-basket Maker

The basket is used to catches small fishes that live in the rice paddies. It's excellent food, the equivalent of friture in France.

This man was sooooooo nice. He taught me some tricks of the trade. Told me he makes two of those baskets in one day and sells them for only 40baht a piece (ie: CAN$1.3). He offered me one at the end, but I kindly refused it.

Thanks to my family and their incredible generosity. They have given me everything I could have hoped for. Not for one second did I not feel at home. Thank you!

And they know how to say thank you because the school's teachers, the students and my family gave me so many good-bye presents: bracelets (made by monks to protect me), scarves and food. Thank you!

Tomorrow I'll be heading to Udon Thani and then Vientiane, Laos... I'm leaving Ubon under heavy rain. Apparently 7 years ago Ubon got such bad rain that it was fully floaded to the point where taking the boat was the only way to get the city. I'm off to a bar. Cheers

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Random pics from Week 2

Egg seller

A flying machine

My coke

At a Wat

The Real Thailand -- Culture and Customs (part II)

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan Coudray) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:40:00 +0000

A couple things I missed out on the previous post:

We are in the year 2552
Thais drive on the left side of the road (usually)
They love Disney!
I haven't bitten my nails once since I'm here... I think it's the stress-free environment.

Cheers and thanks for following my blog.

The Real Thailand -- Culture and Customs

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan Coudray) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:40:00 +0000

Do keep in mind that I currently reside in the Isaan province of Thailand (eastern Thailand), and even though I refer to them as 'Thai people', they consider themselves Lao. The great majority speaks Lao at home and became part of thailand when the French (wrongfully) divided Indochina.

A few interesting facts (cultural for the most part) about Thailand:

Never point your feet at someone, especially not at a Buddha
Always take your shoes off when you get in someone's home/guesthouse/temple
Thai girls don't smoke
Thai people love to party.... and love karaoke
Thai people love to crack a good sexual joke
Thai people are so friendly, so don't be shocked if some come sit at your table or invite you to theirs.
Everyone has a pick-up truck or a bike. Thai police are lobbied by the truck companies to keep the road in bad shapes (ie: many pot holes) so that pick-up trucks become the only viable way to get around.
Respect your elders and 'wai' accordingly. Wai is the prayer sign Thai people use to say hello. If the person is younger, you wai at chest level; if their older, you wai at chin level; and if it's a monk you wai at nose level.
Keep cool and relaxed at all times; it's a sign of weakness to get angry or to raise your voice. Road rage and bar fights are virtually inexistant here.
Hot water is a luxury.
There are 3 seasons in Thailand: the hot season, the rainy season (which is ending in 2 weeks) and the cold season. However many refer to it as the hot season, the hotter season and the hottest season... Believe me, sleeping in very humid 25+ degree heat is a big big change from Canada or France. But surprisingly, you get used to it after a few days.
There is no toilet paper here. I didn't know what to do the first time until I understood what the waterhose next to the toilet was for... and believe me it does the job suprisingly well :D

The Real Thailand -- My First Week in Ubon Ratchathani

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan Coudray) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 13:32:00 +0000

Sawatdee Khrab!

I've now been a little outside Ubon for 1 week. This area of Thailand sees very few foreigners which makes it authentic. To be honest it took me 2 days to feel at home and that's when I realized the meaning of stepping outide your comfort zone, because the rewards are HUGE.

Teaching English to kids at Sao Lao. How could you not fall in love with them all?! They are sooooo motivated to learn, they want to play with you all the time and are so thoughtful. I'm the first farang (foreigner) they meet. Here are a couple things I noted:

Teachers asked me about my girlfriend the first day we met, it made me smile.
children take there shoes off in class

children have so much respect for elders

dog and hens run freely in the school
some children that are not from the school come to my classes

Went with one teacher and 3 school girls to meet locals from the village. Two of them insisted to take me on their tak-tak -- a small tractor they use in the rice paddies.

Finally, this weekend I visited Ubon and went to the Lao border to see the 2-colored river and some beautiful waterfalls.

Saturday was Youth Day in Ubon, children were all displaying different talents. Those girls were dancers.

Night time on Ubon's main square. Everyone is playing sports as its the only bearable time of day.

At the Soi Dao waterfalls

Soi Dao waterfalls

A 100km ride to Ubon on the back of my host family's pick up truck

What makes this area of Thailand so special are its people. They're all smiling and so nice. Coming here makes you feel like a star, random people want to take pictures with you and many want to get to know you. With such attitude, the language barrier virtually disappears.

Bangkok -- First Impression and First Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan Coudray) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 09:03:00 +0000

This is the first post with pics of the 2 days I've now spent in Bangkok.
This is a whole other world, the weather and hot and humid, the people are kind and the food is something else.

In the Palace: Golden monument that hosts Buddhist scriptures

46 meter Buddha, the biggest one in the world

In a tuk-tuk

No comment

Eating some delicious chinese food in Thailand. Cost: 0.8 bucks

A monk at the Grand Palace

The 10kg Packing List -- When Less Means More

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan Coudray) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 21:30:00 +0000

Before leaving there are a bunch of things to do (ie: shots, buying cheap tickets, passport...), but one that will keep you awake at night is the famous packing list.

The 2 big rules I followed

The biggest recommendation I got was to pack light -- ultra light. So I did, and I got less than 10kg of gear (roughly 20 pounds). This guide from the Travel Independent was a tremendous help.
I decided against taking a sleeping bag. It takes room, it's heavy and most guesthouses have sheets so I only brought a sleeping sheet.

My Packing list

Basic toiletries
Medication
bathing suit
3 pairs of shorts
2 pairs of pants
4 T-shirts
2 shirts
1 fleece
5 pairs of underwear/socks
1 pair of sandals
clothing line
camera + usb keys
ipod
2 books
photocopies of drug prescription
photocopies of passport + id
water drops
swiss army knife
notepad + pen

I'll find out whether that was enough...

My Rough Itinerary -- 7 Months of Freedom

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan Coudray) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 13:53:00 +0000

Phu Quoc Island, Viet Nam. Courtesy of Nick DeWolf Photo Archive

I travel without much planning as I found that your best guide are the people you meet along the way.

So here is what I'll call my flexible itinerary:

September 10th -- Land in Bangkok after 22h of travelling

September 12th -- 12h of trains to Ubon Ratchathani.

September 15 - 30 -- I'll teach English to Thai children outside Ubon.

October -- Destination: northern Laos (Vientiane, Vang Vien, Luangprabang, Huay Xai and all those villages)

November 2nd -6th -- Full Moon Party on Ko Phangnan

November -- Hammacks, sand and beaches in the South of Thailand. Along with everything that comes with it.

Dec 9th - I'm Flying to Hanoi in Northern Viet Nam to slowly make my way down to Ho ChiMin City without forgetting Phu Quoc Island... I laughed too the first time I heard the name.
Christmas on my own in Viet Nam... probably the only down side of this trip.

January 9th-11th -- Quick transit through Singapoure.

January, February and March -- Australia 2010!

I welcome any recommendations and comments and I promise to keep you up to date with pictures ans stories.

First Post

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan Coudray) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:45:00 +0000

courtesy of yywai

South-East Asia is my Oyster

I'm off to Bangkok on September 2009. I'll discover and experience SE Asia for roughly 4 months and will head straight to Sydney for a 5 month-long Australian road-trip.

What will make this year long gateaway interesting to follow are my objectives and destinations coupled with a limited budget. Real life traveller.

Who Am I?

I'm a recent graduate in marketing from Queen's University in Canada and I'm looking to loose myself to find myself (borrowed from an Australian Tourism commercial airing in Canada). I'm originally from France where I've lived for 12 years, and I simply love travelling.

I caught the bug too.

Getting Ready

Since I'm not starting to travel until September, I'll organize myself right here by posting among other things:

- destinations and hidden paradises

- ways to survive financially: doing the coolest jobs on the planets

- gearing up

- life philosophies

and much more...