Casey & Tina's Thai honeymoon trip report redux
Jul 1st, 2006 | 07:19 AM
#1
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Joined: Mar 2006
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Casey & Tina's Thai honeymoon trip report redux
Casey & Tina's pre-trip report background
Author: lloydboy
Date: 06/25/2006, 02:27 pm
Hi
Over the following days and weeks I intend to post a trip report covering our honeymoon in Thailand and Cambodia.
I have decided to first post some background information. I believe that all experiiences are necessarily viewed through our individual lenses and as such what is acceptible ( or down right good or bad ) is equally individual.
Casey:
I am the new husband. I am the typical Virgo born in the year of the Tiger ( so much so that I think that astrology is ridiculous...of course ). I often describe myself as a combination of wise old man and silly little boy. I am logical, rational, and like things planned. I, however, am not a " stuffed shirt ". I take great pleasure in the simplest of things... a sunset or a childs smile... but I can also appreciate some of the finer things in life.
I am a relatively frugal man who likes nice things ( food, entertainment, accomodations, etc. ). I will pay for medium to higher end items, but I don't think that appearance is worth the money. Occasionally atmosphere is something that will draw me but substance, quality of function and covenience are my priorities. Thusly, the quality of the food is more important that the walls that I'm eating them within...how quiet the room is or comfy the bed is more important than a guy opening the door.
When I go somwhere I like to experience the place. Seeing the people and landscape is as important to me as seeing landmarks and attractions.
I am not a well travelled man. Up until last year I had only been in California and Washington states ( and driven through Oregon... ). Last year I went to Brasil with my then girlfriend Tina. Brasil was wonderful, especially my new family, but that is another story. One of the important things about my Brasil trip to keep in mind is that I planned none of it. This was the first trip in which I was in charge of the planning, booking and logistics.
I graduated high school at 16 my chosen major shot down in college ( that's a long story ).
I have had many occupations in my life. Tile roofer, furniture mover, baker, wine store manager, nanny, elderly care, delivery guy, and waiter.
While I haven't travelled far and wide, I am a man of imagination, deep thought and historical studies.
Tina:
Tina is from Brasil and has a wide range of life experiences. She has seen the best and worst of Brasil and so has her family. Whether it's the slums of Rio or Carnival in Rio... The big cities or her families' farm in Para ( which just got electricity recently )... good times or bad ( including the flood that brought 7 feet of water through her front door ).
She is well travelled, having been to Rome,Venice, Florence, Paris, London, Miami, Argentina, Paraguay and of course all parts of Brasil.
Tina prefers to spend little on accomodations ( why spend more when you are only going to sleep there? ) and always flys economy. She prefers her luxuries to be in the categories of the senses...food, spas, etc.
She is the creative, the spontaneous, the no rules type...she does, however, have just enough caution in her to avoid the potentially damaging entertainment that life can offer.
Tina is currently a massage Therapist and has been a cocoa farmer, store manager, tutor and nanny.
Sometimes both of us need to be dragged to something that we will appreciate once we are there.
Thus endeth the background.
My trip report will be broken up into 6 parts:
1) Koh Samui
2) Bangkok
3) Siem Reap
4) Return to Bangkok
5) Aftermath
and
6) recommendations, do's, don'ts, rights, wrongs, etc.
Each of the first 4 sections will be broken down into 2 subsections...the good and the bad. In the trip reports that I have read I have seen both sides presented as a single report and have decided that I would prefer for people to see my report from completely separate views.
Day 1: Bangkok to Koh Samui
Day 1 we land at BKK at 12:30 AM ( who thought that this was a good idea? ) Immigration and customs are no problem and we catch our transfer to the Erawan Airport Hotel. It's a little warmer than SFO but not too bad. There is an occasional mosquito but nothing like the monsters near Tahoe. EAH is a decent little place with nothing spectacular to say for it with the exception of the large room , location to the airport and the free transfer ( eliminating taxi hassles for newbies who are wiped out from a 17 hour flight ). Comfy enough and we only want to sleep there anyway.
The next morning we wake up with no jet lag ( thank you melatonin ) and it's our first real day in Bangkok !!! Instead of lounging and recovering as planned Tina and I catch a taxi to downtown looking for the fabled "Face Spa". For some reason I think that it's somewhere around Sukhumvit soi 2 and we wander around a little. Shortly we realise that Face is nowhere near where we are but now we are getting hungry.
The sidewalk vendors look totally unappetizing to us ( at least for breakfast ) but we happen upon a hotel tucked away off a steet ( The Grand Imperial?...something grand or grand something... ). It's a decent place with breakfast for 150 Baht pp. At first we think that the breakfast is exclusively asian style but then we see the other side with various western fare. The food is nothing spectacular but it hits the spot.
After some searching on the 'net we get the address for face and catch another taxi. When we get to the address we find... nothing !!! We find out that we are on the wrong part of soi 38 but a lady tells the driver where that is around a couple of corners and there we are...Face. Very nice...a quiet little oasis in the middle of Sukhumvit. We find out that Face is more than a spa...it is a bar and 2 restaurants and a bakery. Unfortunately we find that they have a shortage of staff due to illness so we can't get a couples massage. We haven't the time for both of us ( we have a plane to Koh Samui to catch ), so Tina lets me get the massage. As a treat they give her a free 15 minute neck massage. The total bill is 1400 Baht and we don't know that each other is tipping and wind up giving the therapist a 450 Baht tip !!! Probably her equivalent tips for a couple of days.
Next we go back to EAH, get to the airport, get in a Turboprop ( yikes !!! ) and off we go. The landing is rough...REALLY rough. 3 points one at a time, but we survive. The trams that get you at the plane remind me of an old California theme park whos name escapes me, but they get us to our baggage and we start looking for a taxi. One guy gets us and we walk to his van and soon we are at our resort.
Lawana is very nice indeed. The bungalows might be a little close to each other, but they are nice, clean and pleasantly decorated. The staff is wonderful and the pool is just right and just a few steps to the beach. The breakfast buffet is very tasty and the dinner menu is also. Tina has fresh fish barbequed and with sweet & sour sauce three times there ( two dinners and one lunch ) and raves about it. They set up a little candlelit restaurant at the waters edge every night and the sunset view is magnificent. Theses are accomodations that I would recommend to anyone that has room for $60 per night in their budget.
That's day 1, day 2 coming soon,
C & T
Author: lloydboy
Date: 06/25/2006, 02:27 pm
Hi
Over the following days and weeks I intend to post a trip report covering our honeymoon in Thailand and Cambodia.
I have decided to first post some background information. I believe that all experiiences are necessarily viewed through our individual lenses and as such what is acceptible ( or down right good or bad ) is equally individual.
Casey:
I am the new husband. I am the typical Virgo born in the year of the Tiger ( so much so that I think that astrology is ridiculous...of course ). I often describe myself as a combination of wise old man and silly little boy. I am logical, rational, and like things planned. I, however, am not a " stuffed shirt ". I take great pleasure in the simplest of things... a sunset or a childs smile... but I can also appreciate some of the finer things in life.
I am a relatively frugal man who likes nice things ( food, entertainment, accomodations, etc. ). I will pay for medium to higher end items, but I don't think that appearance is worth the money. Occasionally atmosphere is something that will draw me but substance, quality of function and covenience are my priorities. Thusly, the quality of the food is more important that the walls that I'm eating them within...how quiet the room is or comfy the bed is more important than a guy opening the door.
When I go somwhere I like to experience the place. Seeing the people and landscape is as important to me as seeing landmarks and attractions.
I am not a well travelled man. Up until last year I had only been in California and Washington states ( and driven through Oregon... ). Last year I went to Brasil with my then girlfriend Tina. Brasil was wonderful, especially my new family, but that is another story. One of the important things about my Brasil trip to keep in mind is that I planned none of it. This was the first trip in which I was in charge of the planning, booking and logistics.
I graduated high school at 16 my chosen major shot down in college ( that's a long story ).
I have had many occupations in my life. Tile roofer, furniture mover, baker, wine store manager, nanny, elderly care, delivery guy, and waiter.
While I haven't travelled far and wide, I am a man of imagination, deep thought and historical studies.
Tina:
Tina is from Brasil and has a wide range of life experiences. She has seen the best and worst of Brasil and so has her family. Whether it's the slums of Rio or Carnival in Rio... The big cities or her families' farm in Para ( which just got electricity recently )... good times or bad ( including the flood that brought 7 feet of water through her front door ).
She is well travelled, having been to Rome,Venice, Florence, Paris, London, Miami, Argentina, Paraguay and of course all parts of Brasil.
Tina prefers to spend little on accomodations ( why spend more when you are only going to sleep there? ) and always flys economy. She prefers her luxuries to be in the categories of the senses...food, spas, etc.
She is the creative, the spontaneous, the no rules type...she does, however, have just enough caution in her to avoid the potentially damaging entertainment that life can offer.
Tina is currently a massage Therapist and has been a cocoa farmer, store manager, tutor and nanny.
Sometimes both of us need to be dragged to something that we will appreciate once we are there.
Thus endeth the background.
My trip report will be broken up into 6 parts:
1) Koh Samui
2) Bangkok
3) Siem Reap
4) Return to Bangkok
5) Aftermath
and
6) recommendations, do's, don'ts, rights, wrongs, etc.
Each of the first 4 sections will be broken down into 2 subsections...the good and the bad. In the trip reports that I have read I have seen both sides presented as a single report and have decided that I would prefer for people to see my report from completely separate views.
Day 1: Bangkok to Koh Samui
Day 1 we land at BKK at 12:30 AM ( who thought that this was a good idea? ) Immigration and customs are no problem and we catch our transfer to the Erawan Airport Hotel. It's a little warmer than SFO but not too bad. There is an occasional mosquito but nothing like the monsters near Tahoe. EAH is a decent little place with nothing spectacular to say for it with the exception of the large room , location to the airport and the free transfer ( eliminating taxi hassles for newbies who are wiped out from a 17 hour flight ). Comfy enough and we only want to sleep there anyway.
The next morning we wake up with no jet lag ( thank you melatonin ) and it's our first real day in Bangkok !!! Instead of lounging and recovering as planned Tina and I catch a taxi to downtown looking for the fabled "Face Spa". For some reason I think that it's somewhere around Sukhumvit soi 2 and we wander around a little. Shortly we realise that Face is nowhere near where we are but now we are getting hungry.
The sidewalk vendors look totally unappetizing to us ( at least for breakfast ) but we happen upon a hotel tucked away off a steet ( The Grand Imperial?...something grand or grand something... ). It's a decent place with breakfast for 150 Baht pp. At first we think that the breakfast is exclusively asian style but then we see the other side with various western fare. The food is nothing spectacular but it hits the spot.
After some searching on the 'net we get the address for face and catch another taxi. When we get to the address we find... nothing !!! We find out that we are on the wrong part of soi 38 but a lady tells the driver where that is around a couple of corners and there we are...Face. Very nice...a quiet little oasis in the middle of Sukhumvit. We find out that Face is more than a spa...it is a bar and 2 restaurants and a bakery. Unfortunately we find that they have a shortage of staff due to illness so we can't get a couples massage. We haven't the time for both of us ( we have a plane to Koh Samui to catch ), so Tina lets me get the massage. As a treat they give her a free 15 minute neck massage. The total bill is 1400 Baht and we don't know that each other is tipping and wind up giving the therapist a 450 Baht tip !!! Probably her equivalent tips for a couple of days.
Next we go back to EAH, get to the airport, get in a Turboprop ( yikes !!! ) and off we go. The landing is rough...REALLY rough. 3 points one at a time, but we survive. The trams that get you at the plane remind me of an old California theme park whos name escapes me, but they get us to our baggage and we start looking for a taxi. One guy gets us and we walk to his van and soon we are at our resort.
Lawana is very nice indeed. The bungalows might be a little close to each other, but they are nice, clean and pleasantly decorated. The staff is wonderful and the pool is just right and just a few steps to the beach. The breakfast buffet is very tasty and the dinner menu is also. Tina has fresh fish barbequed and with sweet & sour sauce three times there ( two dinners and one lunch ) and raves about it. They set up a little candlelit restaurant at the waters edge every night and the sunset view is magnificent. Theses are accomodations that I would recommend to anyone that has room for $60 per night in their budget.
That's day 1, day 2 coming soon,
C & T
Jul 3rd, 2006 | 09:15 AM
#2
Original Poster
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 141
Likes: 0
Koh Samui day 2, part 1:
After a yummy Lawana Resort breakfast ( I have two, one when I wake up at dawn and another when Tina wakes up ) we managed to get ourselves to the front desk in time for our transfer. The air conditioned van arrives at exactly 7:30 and takes us to our destination for the day...at least our temporary destination.
We chose the Blue Stars Kayaking tour through the Anthong National Park for our first real day in Thailand...by real I mean one full day without a plane trip. The dock we arrive at has several boats, some of which are roped together side by side, and we cross a couple of boat "bridges" to get to ours. While not brand new it appears to be a respectable craft. the Captain is German ( and so are several of our fellow adventurers ) and is very pleasant. After fruit & coffee and a brief description of what our day plan is we are off.
The ride is stable but the guests on board aren't very talkative, which I am, but no worries...I have my Tina. The two hours or so that it takes to get to the first of our excursions passes and we arrive at ANP. Gorgeous...tall islands along with little dots. Not sandy low lying islands but rocky ones. Some of the islands appear to be individual hunks of smooth solid rock jutting out of the ocean. Others are larger with trees and an occasional sandy beach.
After our Captain goes through a little decision making, counting and re-counting, and a brief lesson on kayaking, he decides that we have few enough people that we can go out as one group and down to the kayaks we go. The kayaks are stored below and, after donning life vests, we exit the rear and climb into one. Neither of us have done much kayaking but it's pretty simple. Tina wants me to paddle, steer, and take pictures but I explain that I am not that multi-armed god...
The park is beautiful. We paddle to and through several islands and venture under huge out croppings. We go through caves which, while not spectacular with stalactites and such, are very cool. We realise very quickly that this was an excellent choice for our first day. Fun in the sun, a little excercise ( not a lot ), and pretty scenery. After about an hour we wind up back at the boat for about twenty minutes of swimming and snorkling. The water is pretty cloudy and while the swimming is nice there isn't much to look at. I am not at all disappointed, having come for the above water scenery.
Next we go to an island with a beach and kayak from there to another island which turns out to be the island where they filmed part of the Blue Lagoon. We get out on the beach and hike up for about ten minutes ( whew !!! ...what a climb in the heat !!! ) barely beating out a large tour group. Another beautiful spot. The inland lake is fantastic and so are the views of the ocean and surrounding islands. The Captain said that we could climb this barefoot and after doing it I think he has vibram for feet. Very craggy... he told me afterwards that he says that so that people won't climb in flip-flops which is very dangerous. We have about a half hour to rest and swim followed by some leisurely kayaking back to the boat. We get off early and dwell under some outcroppings that we didn't visit the first time around. Lagging behind the others a little we take our own little tour and enjoy the last of what turned out to be a great experience. Another two hour boat ride and half hour transfer gets us back to Lawana, a rest, a swim in the pool,
a massage for Tina, a shower and preparations for our first glimpse of Koh Samui's nighjt life...but that's a story for the next posting...
Casey & Tina
After a yummy Lawana Resort breakfast ( I have two, one when I wake up at dawn and another when Tina wakes up ) we managed to get ourselves to the front desk in time for our transfer. The air conditioned van arrives at exactly 7:30 and takes us to our destination for the day...at least our temporary destination.
We chose the Blue Stars Kayaking tour through the Anthong National Park for our first real day in Thailand...by real I mean one full day without a plane trip. The dock we arrive at has several boats, some of which are roped together side by side, and we cross a couple of boat "bridges" to get to ours. While not brand new it appears to be a respectable craft. the Captain is German ( and so are several of our fellow adventurers ) and is very pleasant. After fruit & coffee and a brief description of what our day plan is we are off.
The ride is stable but the guests on board aren't very talkative, which I am, but no worries...I have my Tina. The two hours or so that it takes to get to the first of our excursions passes and we arrive at ANP. Gorgeous...tall islands along with little dots. Not sandy low lying islands but rocky ones. Some of the islands appear to be individual hunks of smooth solid rock jutting out of the ocean. Others are larger with trees and an occasional sandy beach.
After our Captain goes through a little decision making, counting and re-counting, and a brief lesson on kayaking, he decides that we have few enough people that we can go out as one group and down to the kayaks we go. The kayaks are stored below and, after donning life vests, we exit the rear and climb into one. Neither of us have done much kayaking but it's pretty simple. Tina wants me to paddle, steer, and take pictures but I explain that I am not that multi-armed god...
The park is beautiful. We paddle to and through several islands and venture under huge out croppings. We go through caves which, while not spectacular with stalactites and such, are very cool. We realise very quickly that this was an excellent choice for our first day. Fun in the sun, a little excercise ( not a lot ), and pretty scenery. After about an hour we wind up back at the boat for about twenty minutes of swimming and snorkling. The water is pretty cloudy and while the swimming is nice there isn't much to look at. I am not at all disappointed, having come for the above water scenery.
Next we go to an island with a beach and kayak from there to another island which turns out to be the island where they filmed part of the Blue Lagoon. We get out on the beach and hike up for about ten minutes ( whew !!! ...what a climb in the heat !!! ) barely beating out a large tour group. Another beautiful spot. The inland lake is fantastic and so are the views of the ocean and surrounding islands. The Captain said that we could climb this barefoot and after doing it I think he has vibram for feet. Very craggy... he told me afterwards that he says that so that people won't climb in flip-flops which is very dangerous. We have about a half hour to rest and swim followed by some leisurely kayaking back to the boat. We get off early and dwell under some outcroppings that we didn't visit the first time around. Lagging behind the others a little we take our own little tour and enjoy the last of what turned out to be a great experience. Another two hour boat ride and half hour transfer gets us back to Lawana, a rest, a swim in the pool,
a massage for Tina, a shower and preparations for our first glimpse of Koh Samui's nighjt life...but that's a story for the next posting...
Casey & Tina
- even I can come with 10 mins of hiking!
Aug 3rd, 2006 | 03:44 PM
#7
Original Poster
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 141
Likes: 0
Sorry for being absent so long guys & gals. I've been going through a lot this past month, I fully intend to complete this trip report but it's going to take a little more time to get to. I am fine, Tina is much better now and we are planning on buying a new place soon. There has just been a huge pile of miscellaneous to deal with...
Get back to you soon
C & T
Get back to you soon
C & T
