So I don't have too many more photos to post cause I've been in Ton Sai for the better part of the last 2 1/2 months!! I love the climbing and the relaxing atmosphere of the small community of climbers here! But I must leave next week my 2 month visa runs out... :(
It's so sad to be leaving the place that has changed my outlook on life! Its hard to explain how relaxed and happy I've become about life. I feel I can stop worrying about all the selfish things I should be doing to improve my life and to think how i can get a good job and blah blah blah. I just want to relax and teach English or find a volunteer job in SE Asia. I just hope everyone can understand me that at this point in my life I have the ability to live simple and help others more effectively than maybe later in my life!
So I found a teaching job in China that doesn't require the TEFL (teach English as a foreign language) course and it pays slightly more than is needed to live. Unfortunately I cannot extend my flight until the teaching job is over. So I feel comfortable to forfeit my ticket home and take the chances on teaching. I don't worry too much about it because once I have the experience of teaching its as good as taking the course and I can teach anywhere in SE Asia. I've thought a lot about it and it is my decision. Plus I'm not even sure that if I come home at this point that I could find a temp job good enough to save up the money needed to get back here to Asia... So this is my thinking and I hope everyone can understand me :)
lots of love, Shana
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Friday, January 2, 2009
Stanton and Dad made it to Thailand!!
Finally!! Stanton arrived a week earlier than Dad and so that he could get his scuba diving certification. 
First he flew into Krabi and we rented motorbikes to go to some nearby waterfalls. 
In Krabi Stanton finds his first take away drink in Thailand, in plastic bags. I guess that has become a norm for me.
Then in Ton Sai we did a little rock climbing and a lot of showing him around the area.
He took his 3 day certification course and really enjoyed his dive instructors. Then the last day in Ton Sai before we went to Phuket to pick up Dad we rented a Kayak to go around the limestone cliffs of the peninsula. 
Then in Phuket we picked up Dad no problem at the airport and stayed in Phuket for the night before heading north to find some diving in Khao Lak. in Khao Lak my Thai friend, Poo, met us and basically took care of us for the entire time we were there, taking us to dinner, driving us to a from our resort, trying to get Dad happy.
The first resort we stayed, Banana Bungalows, was really nice with a pool and nice bungalows. And someone had a pet monkey Stanton was playing with!! (Pic)
One of the huge dinners that Poo arranged for us on the beach in Koh Kho Khao, included too much crab to eat, whole fish, rice, and too much beer for Dad, lol :)
Pic left: Poo means crab in Thai!
Dec. 26 was the 4 year anniversary of the Tsunami, so there was a memorial going on in town where (I think) thousands of people came to remember the terrible devastation on the town of Khao Lak and all the people that died. Everyone lit these paper lanterns that flew into the air, so there was a continuous stream of these lanterns in the sky that you could see from miles away. The money from the lanterns went to the families of the victims and to help still rebuild Khao Lak
Pic left: Dad lights a lantern.
Sunset from another small dinner on Ban Sak Beach. Before we were off to another seafood fest at one of Poo's friends resorts on Koh Kho Khao. We also stayed there one night. The next day Nun, his resort, took us out on the water in his longtail boat, where we saw a dolphin!
After leaving Khao Lak we went to Krabi where Stanton wanted to show dad some of the things there. We went to the Tiger temple where you walk up 1237 steps to the top of the mountain fro a great view over Krabi!
Pic: All three of us on the motorbikes in Krabi.
At the top of Wat Tham Suea.
First he flew into Krabi and we rented motorbikes to go to some nearby waterfalls. 
In Krabi Stanton finds his first take away drink in Thailand, in plastic bags. I guess that has become a norm for me.
Then in Ton Sai we did a little rock climbing and a lot of showing him around the area.
He took his 3 day certification course and really enjoyed his dive instructors. Then the last day in Ton Sai before we went to Phuket to pick up Dad we rented a Kayak to go around the limestone cliffs of the peninsula. 
Then in Phuket we picked up Dad no problem at the airport and stayed in Phuket for the night before heading north to find some diving in Khao Lak. in Khao Lak my Thai friend, Poo, met us and basically took care of us for the entire time we were there, taking us to dinner, driving us to a from our resort, trying to get Dad happy.
The first resort we stayed, Banana Bungalows, was really nice with a pool and nice bungalows. And someone had a pet monkey Stanton was playing with!! (Pic)
One of the huge dinners that Poo arranged for us on the beach in Koh Kho Khao, included too much crab to eat, whole fish, rice, and too much beer for Dad, lol :)Pic left: Poo means crab in Thai!
Dec. 26 was the 4 year anniversary of the Tsunami, so there was a memorial going on in town where (I think) thousands of people came to remember the terrible devastation on the town of Khao Lak and all the people that died. Everyone lit these paper lanterns that flew into the air, so there was a continuous stream of these lanterns in the sky that you could see from miles away. The money from the lanterns went to the families of the victims and to help still rebuild Khao LakPic left: Dad lights a lantern.
Sunset from another small dinner on Ban Sak Beach. Before we were off to another seafood fest at one of Poo's friends resorts on Koh Kho Khao. We also stayed there one night. The next day Nun, his resort, took us out on the water in his longtail boat, where we saw a dolphin!
After leaving Khao Lak we went to Krabi where Stanton wanted to show dad some of the things there. We went to the Tiger temple where you walk up 1237 steps to the top of the mountain fro a great view over Krabi!Pic: All three of us on the motorbikes in Krabi.
At the top of Wat Tham Suea.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Only 1 week in Malaysia
After being in Ton Sai for nearly 1 month I had to make a "border run" to Malaysia to get a new entry stamp on my passport and more time to stay in Thailand.
This is a very beautiful mosque on Penang Island, my 1st of 2 stops in Malaysia.
Up on Penang hill, the tallest hill on the island, at Kek Lok See, a Chinese Buddhist temple. Malaysia has three main demographics, the Chinese Buddhists, Indian Hindu, and the Malay Muslim, all in a Muslim country. And for the most part everyone gets along great so you can be walking along one street and feel three completely different cultures.
The view from the top of Kek Lok See temple.
Then we tried to hike to the top of Penang Hill but we didn't make it all the way so we stopped for this view.
.
The most shocking thing in Malaysia were these Anti Zionist stickers. But don't let me mislead you I only found these in a few little shop/stalls in the bus stations, and all the people I met in Malaysia were friendly, and even in the mosque where they told me about the history of the Muslims in Malaysia.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Hat Ton Sai
Welcome to Hat Ton Sai/Railay the rock climbing capitol of Thailand!!Over there you can see the beaches of Ton Sai and behind it are the couple hundred meter cliffs to climb on. I took this picture from the view point between Railay and Phra Nang. I hope the map can help my descriptions a bit.
Me and my friend Trac, from New Zealand/China.
Climbing up Groove Tube, on Fire wall! One of the "Must climbs" in Ton Sai.
Boldering on Phra Nang beach.
Craig belaying Nick on a 6c on Phra Nang beach.
Veiw of Phra Nang beach from Escher World (one of the climbing sites). 
Rapelling down Thaiwand wall when the sun was setting!!! GET DOWN FAST YOU DON'T WANT TO BE WALKING BACK IN THE FORESTS IN THE DARK!!!
Sabastien, from France, getting ready to climb at Thaiwand wall. You can see from Railay west across to Railay east from up there!I'm also working a bit in Pyramid Bar during the nights.
Chai the owner of the bar.
En, Chai's cousin, a very strange boy indeed that works there.Sunday, December 7, 2008
More pics from the Philippines
I know these posts are somewhat out of order...sorry
Here are the rest of the pics and some of what I did my last week in the Philippines.
I went to Dumagette after leaving Apo island with the 2 other backpackers and stayed the night at Liberty's home in Valencia. That weekend was a big festival of something I could not understand.
First stop was a big truck derby, where hundreds of Filipinos came to cheer on these enormous 4-wheelers around a muddy track with hills
and tracks that they kept getting stuck in.
Then we went to one of the famous Filipino cock fights, where the Filipino men gamble on the roosters killing other roosters. They put a sharp blade one one foot of the rooster so when they claw at each other they end up able to kill the
other rooster. And betting is done by screaming your bet until you find someone to bet with. So "Tres biya, tres biya" mean 300 piso on the underdog...
The next morning before leaving Glen, Liberty's driver, took Adriano and I to nearby waterfalls that I now cannot remember the name.
Arriving at Camiguin. This island is famous because it has more volcanoes per area than any other place in the world... also a very beautiful and green island.
Filipino satay on Camiguin.
Kitibawasan Waterfalls that don't fit wholly in the picture
Hot springs made into a recreational area for the Filipino people.
White Island, just off Camiguin. There is no vegetation or people living on this Island, just sand, and you can walk from one side to the other in 10 mins!!
Sunset from White Island.
Dinner on Camiguin.
So, I stayed just a few days on Camiguin and then took a boat back to Bohol.
My Filipino friend, Junril, that I had met last time on Bohol showed me a few things around the Island. Like this deserted funny animal sanctuary that had a lot of different animals but only 1-2 of each and all were in cages too small for them.
The ape was trying to groom me :)
The oldest church in Bohol.
That was the end of my trip to the Philippines and I can't wait to go back someday to see more!! And the people there really are amazing!
Here are the rest of the pics and some of what I did my last week in the Philippines.
I went to Dumagette after leaving Apo island with the 2 other backpackers and stayed the night at Liberty's home in Valencia. That weekend was a big festival of something I could not understand.
First stop was a big truck derby, where hundreds of Filipinos came to cheer on these enormous 4-wheelers around a muddy track with hills
and tracks that they kept getting stuck in.Then we went to one of the famous Filipino cock fights, where the Filipino men gamble on the roosters killing other roosters. They put a sharp blade one one foot of the rooster so when they claw at each other they end up able to kill the
other rooster. And betting is done by screaming your bet until you find someone to bet with. So "Tres biya, tres biya" mean 300 piso on the underdog...
The next morning before leaving Glen, Liberty's driver, took Adriano and I to nearby waterfalls that I now cannot remember the name.
Arriving at Camiguin. This island is famous because it has more volcanoes per area than any other place in the world... also a very beautiful and green island.
Filipino satay on Camiguin.
Kitibawasan Waterfalls that don't fit wholly in the picture
Hot springs made into a recreational area for the Filipino people.
White Island, just off Camiguin. There is no vegetation or people living on this Island, just sand, and you can walk from one side to the other in 10 mins!!
Sunset from White Island.
Dinner on Camiguin.So, I stayed just a few days on Camiguin and then took a boat back to Bohol.
My Filipino friend, Junril, that I had met last time on Bohol showed me a few things around the Island. Like this deserted funny animal sanctuary that had a lot of different animals but only 1-2 of each and all were in cages too small for them.
The ape was trying to groom me :)
The oldest church in Bohol.That was the end of my trip to the Philippines and I can't wait to go back someday to see more!! And the people there really are amazing!
Friday, December 5, 2008
Pics from Liew's wedding
I attended Liew's traditional Thai wedding on Nov. 2. It was one of the best experiences since traveling!! The wedding was so beautiful with old Thai traditions and also some Chinese traditions because her husband Fey is Malay-Chinese
.
.Liew and her friends before the gift giving.
Liew's friends explained everything about the wedding to me. Thank you sooooooo much to them!!
Exchanging of wedding rings and gifts from the bride and groom's parents. Everything was done on the living room floor of Liew's house.
The guests poured water over the new couples' hands to wish them a prosperous future.
She finally wore her wedding gown but only for the reception. There were 5 times more people at the reception than the wedding and it was a huge meal with maybe 12 Thai dishes!!!Such a beautiful day!!!
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