Koh Phangan

April 19, 2019 Ceraun Loggins

I spent New Years on the beautiful island of Koh Phangan. Home to the infamous and decadent Full Moon Party. Concern gripped me as the date for my departure inched closer. First I was concerned because the forecast said it was going to rain all week which could spell shitty weather for the outdoor beach party. Second, I was concerned because I was staying in a hostel with a friend who had never stayed in one before, and to make things worse this hostel brand was known for being particularly rambunctious.

And Finally, I was concerned because I had planned on avoiding Koh Phangan and the Full Moon Party altogether. The Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan is an event which has achieved icon status in the backpacker community. Through films, culture, and word of mouth this has become a mandatory stop on any backpacking adventure through SE Asia. My desire to skip it emanated from the belief that it is inauthentic to Thailand. When my friends who were visiting insisted on spending NYE in the islands I figured if I was going to be on any island it might as well be Koh Phangan. Once the opportunity appeared to me I decided to love it or hate it based on my own experience instead of letting the dense web of cultural knowledge that surrounds the Full Moon Party cloud my judgement.

The boat ride to Koh Phangan was long and stormy causing many people aboard to get motion sickness. I too almost succumbed but a trick I had learned from a Chinese traveler about massaging your pressure points kept me together. The dark rain clouds dumped their contents over the island of Koh Phangan as we disembarked the boat, everyone ran towards the transportation waiting at the end of the pier.

This photo was taken at noon and perfectly encapsulates the vibe of Slumber Party Hostel.

When I got dropped off at my hostel the clouds had vanished and Koh Phangan looked like the island paradise from the post cards. House music was blasting from the patio of Slumber Party Hostel as I walked up its stairs. A couple of dudes were sprawled out across the astro-turf clearly hung over from last nights party. I looked at the narrow stairs that took you to the rooms and wondered how nice the private room I was staying in was. After check in the attendant led me to my room, only instead of heading upstairs we went across the street. Turns out the private room I had booked was in an adjacent newly purchased property.

My friend John arrived later that night, and when I showed him our room he was shocked. The room was as nice as hotel because it was a fancy hotel before it got bought by the hostel chain. John was very happy that he was finally having a hostel experience, though I had to remind him that our housing situation was an outlier. That night the hostel planned a pub crawl. Travel spaces are dominated by straight white men who bring a colonial baggage that goes unchecked. So it was nice to have fellow black and lgbt person with me to see the crazy conversations I was surrounded by.

When New Years Eve arrived the sun hung bright in the sky and there was no forecast for rain. I had enjoyed my previous days on the island because it did not trigger my claustrophobia like Koh Phi Phi. As well there happened to be this hut on the side of the road run by this family who cooked the most delicious food. After dinner a group of us met on this tiny beach near our hostel to drink before heading down the the main attraction. The attendees were my friend John, four people I met while traveling in Vietnam, and two other travelers staying in our hostel.

Upon arrival at Haad Rin beach for the NYE Countdown party I was surrounded by bare skin, glowsticks, buckets of alcohol, and music. All the bars had an open floor plan facing the beach. Music stacked in large speakers blasting at levels you could hear in a boat off the coast. If you didn’t like what was playing at one bar all you had to do was move 25 feet in left or right direction. The music was very diverse and I found myself dancing on top of a platform to some old school R&B before we ended the year 2017. I looked out at the sea of bodies gyrating and stopped. I had always dreamt of traveling the world but I couldn’t believe that dream had brought me to an island off the coast of Thailand.

After a day of rest I packed up my belongings and attempted to leave Koh Phangan. Normally I buy all my tickets last minute while backpacking to ensure I don’t miss any trips due to illness or malaise. Yet, that day it was impossible to get a boat off the island for at least 3 days. I tried multiple travel agencies and they all laughed me out of their store. I wasn’t too worried about being stuck on an island because I had grown fond of Koh Phangan and this amazing restaurant next to my hostel which made the best green curry rice. What really concerned me was where I would sleep.

Most establishments were booked solid because of the holidays and the fact that there was a Full Moon Party 3 days after the NYE party. Online most places have a 5 day minimum to book lodging around the big beach parties but I discovered that if you go in person they wave most of those minimums. So with a place to stay and a ticket off the island booked in advance I went off and enjoyed my final days on the island. I thought the actual Full Moon Party would be less crowded or wild considering we had all just celebrated NYE, however I was proved wrong. My second expedition on Haad Rin was more an anthropological survey. I studied the attendees as they danced or played fire limbo. I got to explore more of the area and realized that there were more bars then just the ones facing the beach. I also learned of another bar atop the mountains that you have to take a boat to reach.

Koh Phangan is a big enough island that you can find both excessive debauchery and pockets of peace away from the madness. I’m happy I got to experience both for myself and make up my own mind about all this island holds. Subscribe below so you don’t miss an addition to the Archives!

Ayutthaya

April 16, 2019 Ceraun Loggins

Before Thailand existed there was the Kingdom of Ayutthaya known in foreign lands as Siam. The seat of this kingdoms power was a city named Ayutthaya. However in 1767 this city was destroyed by the Burmese causing an end to the kingdom and sowing the seeds for modern day Thailand.

When we ventured to this ancient city by train we rode in the cramped 3rd class car. Despite how crowded the train was vendors still managed to squeeze through with offerings of fruit, juice, and stir fry. Some basil rice and pork quieted my hungry stomach. When we arrived in the city, tour guides waited outside the train station to take you to the historical park. I had assumed the ruins of Ayutthaya was concentrated in one large place, instead it was spread out across 13 different sites. In order to make the evening train back we only had enough time to see 3 of them. We bartered with a tuk tuk driver to take us around and then we were off.

When we arrived at the first Wat, rain threatened to ruin our day, however it was light enough that we didn’t have to run for cover. The first thing that stood out to me was the color of the brick, it was a warm red that stood out against the rainy overcast sky. I loved seeing the way time has affected different parts of the grounds. For examples some of the statues were worn away to nothing but the feet whereas others had whole torso’s still attached. I wondered what this place might have looked like in its former glory.

The rain eventually vanished and the sun came out to join us as we made our way to the second wat.

The second temple we went to was a lot more spread out with huge buildings organized around a central area. Whereas the first grounds we went to were super crowded these mostly empty except for structures so tall that you felt small by comparison. I imagine the priests who walked up those large steps must have had thighs of steel.

The third temple was similar to the second but we didn’t get much time to explore since we had to make it back for the evening train to Bangkok. When you are busy photographing time just evaporates. We sat in the station eating sticky rice and grilled meats happy with our successful outing as we waited for the train to arrive.

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Wat Pho

April 8, 2019 Ceraun Loggins

Right before Christmas I flew back to Bangkok, my time in Vietnam was at an end. I hadn’t planned on returning to Thailand at all but when some friends of mine told me that they were coming by to spend the holidays I had to return to the place that started my SE Asia adventure. When I landed in the airport everything felt different. I was more confident after spending the last 3 months backpacking around SE Asia. I was the tour guide instead of being guided around, there was still a lot that this city had to offer and much for me to learn but I wasn’t as naive. I rolled into my favorite hostel NapPark and gave my friend a hug after she got from behind the desk. After dropping my stuff off we caught up about my travels in Laos and Vietnam. Before I went to bed I wandered around my favorite food stalls and grabbed a couple snacks.

Wat Pho, the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, is one of the most famous temples in Bangkok/ Thailand. Surprisingly, I had yet to visit it. When I first landed in Bangkok King Rama IX, was having his cremation ceremony and you were required to wear black in most of the Old City. So I avoided that area and then whenever I came back to Bangkok I was always passing through. Now that I had some friends here I was finally able to see this majestic place.

The Buddha is 150 feet long, and he barely fits inside the temple that houses him. As you can see from the header photo his head appears to be mere feet from the ceiling. I imagine they had to build the temple around him because placing this statue inside after the face doesn’t seem like an option.

The temple complex is 80,000 square meters making it one of the largest in Bangkok, and with over 1,000 buddha images placed across the site there is so much to see besides the main reclining Buddha. There are beautiful gardens filled with statues like the one above. I could have spent hours wandering and exploring all the cloisters and courtyards but sadly hunger called and so we made our way to a delicious dinner. I took my friend to a little restaurant which has this dish of fried noodles and ginger that my makes my mouth water just typing this out.

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Hanoi

April 2, 2019 Ceraun Loggins

As a traveler, you realize that there is an insight that can only be gleaned by living in a place and molding yourself to its rhythms. When you flit into a city for days or weeks you might see the the forest but you often miss the trees. It is a blessing when a friend can show you around a new city. They can illuminate the places, moments, and interactions which make a city whole. Thankfully, while in Hanoi I was able to stay with a college friend and experience Hanoi through their eyes which only increased its beauty.

When you travel for a long period of time it’s easy to forget that people live in these places that you explore. Behind every tourist destination is a family trying to make ends meet. Nowhere was this more visible in Hanoi then train street. This street is famous because of the fact that train tracks run down the median of a street lined with restaurants, boutiques, and family homes. I made my way there because it was on the list of things to do in Hanoi. I had hoped to record the street rushing through this narrow street. The train never came, instead I watched as grandmothers hung their wet laundry to dry, as chefs lit their coal on fire to cook their next meal, and as a dog dressed in pajamas peak its head out of a nondescript door. I also saw many other tourists come and go for the spectacle completely missing the beauty of daily life that turned around them.

As we explored Hanoi I got to see versions of things I didn’t expect. For example there is a street in the north of Vietnam dedicated to variations on famous dish pho. Instead of being cut and laddled into soup the rice noodles were used as wraps (pho cuon) or deep fried into delicious squares and then covered with beef, gravy, and herbs. I’ll never forget the day I ate pho cuon for the first time, we woke up that morning and was confused by all the noise coming from the normally quiet street outside. When we peaked our heads over the railings we saw the street bursting at its seams with people huddled around haphazardly made rings. Once we left the house we saw that inside of the rings were cocks fighting each other. The neighborhood had been transformed into a street fighting headquarters. We settled into a booth at a nearby restaurant and watched them quickly turn a pile of rice noodles into the finished pho cuon. Patrons constantly streaming in and out to order food. Later that night when we came back the streets were empty- like it never happened.

My favorite thing about Hanoi besides the skyline was the Old Quarter. An interesting fact about this neighborhood is that it has 36 streets named after a specific trade or guild that used to sell their wares. Many of these streets are still dedicated to their namesake whereas others have evolved into different forms of commerce. On the weekends cars are not allowed in most of the Old Quarter so large groups of people roam around as street performers and food stalls give the area a fair like quality. Sounds of laughter bounce of the walls as the smell of grilled meat fills your nostrils. Hanoi was the only city in SouthEast Asia that I could see myself living in. It had that chaotic energy that makes sense to everyone but foreigners as well as enough touches of modernity like craft breweries and cocktail bars that I could find pieces of comfort.

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Hoi An

March 28, 2019 Ceraun Loggins

On the central coast of Vietnam lies the city of my dreams. It earned this title, not for its temples or lush green landscape but because it’s the center for tailoring in all of SE Asia. Hoi An is the city of a thousand mannequins where streets are lined with stores overflowing with fabrics ready to be crafted into whatever you want.

Hoi An is a tranquil town that used to be the site of a major trade port in Vietnam until Danang replaced it. Now the city is known for its well preserved downtown and its tailoring economy. On any street in Hoi An you will be able to spot at least 4 tailor shops. The outside are always packed with mannequins draped in dresses, pants, and shirts, beckoning you to come in and explore their offerings. Most stores offer most of the same but the real trick to Hoi An is getting them to make clothes custom for you. I scheduled myself a week and a half just to run around getting clothes made.

After I dropped off my luggage at my hostel I started walking around the city my peace was broken when a middle aged Vietnamese woman came up to me asking me where I was from. The point was to get me to come back to her shop and see her clothes, I politely declined but this was not the last time i had this interaction. In a city with so many options you really can’t just follow any old woman into a store. I looked up the best reviewed spots on Trip Advisor and then walked around them examining the fabric they had on offer, the prices for different outfits and the quality of their stitching. After gathering my info I whittled it down to three places and got custom outfits made to see what the process was like before I finally get all the rest of the pieces I wanted made. The entire process takes about 2-3 days for simple things like pants, skirts, dresses but it can take up to a week for complex items like suits.

When I wasn’t running back and forth between fittings I was exploring all that Hoi An has to offer. My favorite part of the city is the old town with its rustic yellow walls and paper lanterns strung across the street like ornaments. You could feel the history as you walked through the narrow alleys and along the banks of the river. Hoi An also had the best Banh Mi in Vietnam, with a stall aptly named the Bahn Mi Queen slinging some of the best ingredients between a french baguette i’ve ever had.

Sadly my days of getting clothes custom made and chowing down on Banh Mi had to come to an end. With a suitcase full of new clothes and a stomach full of food made with joy I headed back to Hanoi.

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Phong Nha

March 25, 2019 Ceraun Loggins

Normally taking buses in SE Asia requires a bit of faith. They rarely leave or arrive on time and you never know where you’re getting dropped of. So when the bus pulled into Phong Nha at 5am directly outside the hostel I was told it would I was very excited. Even better the man who was working the midnight shift was nice enough to let me check into my dorm room early without having to pay an extra night. This meant that the next day when I woke up I was in perfect condition to explore the many caves of Phong Nha

I can remember as a child seeing the commercials for Luray Caverns in Virginia advertising the beauty and splendor of stalagmites and stalactites but the first time I ever stepped in a cave was thousands of miles away in Vietnam.

The first cave we visited was Paradise Cave which was only found in 2005 despite being 100’s of millions of years old. The cave is so big you could land a jumbo jet inside. The stalactites and stalagmites are so enormous it took thousands of years to build. The walls of paradise cave swirled with burnt oranges and sepia tinged yellows. I felt like I had been transported into another dimension.

Vietnam was blowing my mind in terms of the diversity in its geography. Hanoi was downright chilly the couple days that I had been there but as I moved south the temperate and humidity began to rise slowly. Thankfully the cave was cool so I had no trouble admiring all of the interesting patterns and designs that nature had created.

After roaming around Paradise Cave we headed to our final destination Phong Nha Cave- which was known for being the longest wet cave or river cave in the world. Our boat sailed through a mouth like opening in the limestone mountain. It felt like I was crossed into Hades- the water below me the river Styx. As the cave swallowed us I realized there is truly an entire world underground. Some of the largest cave systems in the world have jungles and lakes and weather patterns. I wonder what other secrets and wonders are hidden deep in the earth’s crust. For example this cave was used as a hospital and to store equipment during the American War.

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Ninh Binh

March 21, 2019 Ceraun Loggins

My transition from Laos to Vietnam was marked by noise. It was faint at first but after an hour the soundtrack of the Vietnamese highway was reaching its crescendo. The beat which kept the tempo was the car horn. Whereas Laos was quiet, sleepy, idyllic; Vietnam was loud and brash even in the smallest villages that we drove through on our 24hr journey to Hanoi. Thankfully the journey was nowhere near as bad as the blogs I read titled “The bus ride to hell.” The only tense point being the crossing of the actual border at 6:30am in a dense fog. We were I dropped off in Hanoi at the southern bus station. Bonded by our journey we banded together so we wouldn’t get ripped off by the taxis circling around us like vultures. They tried to charge us double the price to head into the center of town but I haggled down so we only got ripped off by 25% instead of 100%.

I was only in Hanoi for 2 days before I headed south. My first stop was Ninh Binh Province, I was going on a tour organized by Vietnam Backpackers to save myself time and hassle since I had a tight two week window before I needed to be back in Hanoi. We arrived at the ancient capital of Vietnam- Hoa Lu to see some of the old monuments to the Le Dynasty. Hoa Lu was chosen because of the large limestone mountains that provided a natural barrier to everything except mountain goats. The temples that were rebuilt are in honor of emperors Đinh Tiên Hoàng and Lê Đại Hành, their sons, and Queen Dương Vân Nga.

I really appreciated all the detail they put into these temples. From the beautiful carved animals to the pillars and buddhist shrines. The tour took about two hours before we headed back in the van so we could see the Halong Bay of the Land- Tam Coc.

Halong Bay is famous internationally for its dramatic limestone mountains. Just as beautiful lies an area south of Hanoi called Tam Coc. A river winds between tall limestone mountains and rice paddies. The first thing I noticed when we got out of the van was the boats lined haphazardly against the dock. The second thing was the mountains green and sharp against the skyline. We were paired with a rower and a life jacket before climbing into the boats. The trip was smooth and languorous which was surprising given the boats are rowed by their feet which eases the strain on their back.

The boat goes along the Ngo Dong river and is 3km long. When I was looking up at those mountains I felt humbled by nature. The trip takes you through three caves that have been created by the convergence of limestone and water. One of the caves had a ceiling so low I could reach up and touch it, the stone cold to my hands. I asked our guide when the best time to come is and he said right before the rice is harvested, because then the banks of the river are a sea of gold and green. Unfortunately the rice is harvested twice a year once during the blistering hot season and then once again in the rainy season- so I’ll never get to see it in all its glory.

We ended our tour with a bike ride to see the mountains up close and see some burial grounds. Large bulls lay on the side of the road absorbing the setting sun as we biked along these dirt roads. When our tour concluded everyone got back on the bus and returned to Hanoi, I however stayed behind to continue south.

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Luang Prabang

March 14, 2019 Ceraun Loggins

The road to Luang Prabang from Vang Vieng was a bumpy sojourn into the mountains. There was a couple times I was worried the little van we were in wouldn’t make it. And then a couple more times I wasn’t sure my stomach would either. I was beyond happy when we arrived at a rest stop after going up a particularly steep hill. I ambled out of the van and was stunned but the view of the resulting valley below. I was so focused on not vomiting that I barely paid attention to the stunning scenery out of my window.

When the van pulled into town it dropped us on the side of the road and then sped off. After a couple of false starts we finally found a place to stay and I laid down for a nap. Later that night we met up with our friends at the night market. Luang Prabang had the best market I had seen in all of Laos, especially when it comes to food options. Vang Vieng had mostly restaurants and the street food was mainly relegated to sandwiches. In Vientiane there was a lot more street food but it tasted so much like Thai food I couldn’t get a sense of Laotian cuisine. I played it safe food wise avoiding anything spicy or too exotic, even though that is exactly what I wanted to be eating. My eyes had to do what my stomach couldn’t so I examined all the sweets and cakes that lined the entrance to the food market. As you dove deeper savory foods like sausage and fish were being grilled over hot fires. There was even a vegetarian buffet of different sauces and soups that cost pennies.

After eating we walked around the market and I ran into a couple of people I hadn’t seen since Thailand. We caught each other up on our adventures and then parted ways. The most curious thing sold in the market were trinkets made from the metal found in all the bombs dropped during the Secret War in Laos. I had no idea we found a war in Laos and so when I went and did my research afterwards I was shocked. The US dropped more bombs on Laos then all of Europe during WW2. This isn’t just a problem in Laotian history, those bombings still haunt the Laotians to this day. Children and farm works are being maimed because there are millions of bombs waiting to explode throughout the countryside. Obama gave 90 million dollars to clean up those bombs but more money is needed to provide a safe future for Laotians. Learn more about how you can help at the Halo Trust.

The next day a group of us piled into a tuk tuk and headed to the most spectacular destination in Luang Prabang Tat Kuang Si. Tat means waterfall, Kuang means deer, and Si means dig. There is a legend around these falls which state that they were created when an old man dug a hole into the earth. After the water was summoned a golden deer appeared and made its home under a large rock in the falls. The waterfalls are so beautiful it’s no wonder they are quite literally legendary. With aquamarine water created by the limestone rock Tat Kuang Si is hands down one of the most beautiful natural wonders I’ve ever come across.

When you first arrive at the falls there is a museum dedicated to protecting bears from poachers who want to use their bile to create medicine. There is even a bear sanctuary where bears that have been rescued are free to live the rest of their lives in peace. After you pass the sanctuary you walk along a tree line path until you reach pools filled with bright water. As you go deeper the pools get bigger and the water runs faster. Halfway to the waterfalls there is a section that you can swim in and even a mini waterfall to play under. By the time you get to the end you are standing in front of a 50m waterfall that really takes your breath away. If there’s still air in your lungs you can do a 45 minute hike up to the very top of the falls though it is quite slippery and steep.

The next day Emmanuel mentioned this event called Sai Bat, morning alms, where the monks walk through the streets taking offernings from locals. I was unsure if I wanted to go because you have to wake up around 5:30/6am. But when Emmanuel’s alarm clock went off that morning I thought why not. The sun was not yet up to warm the air so it was quite chilly but we continued anyway. The locals give sticky rice and candy to the monks who then share everything they get when they return to the temple. It’s a very quiet activity and was a very peaceful way to start my morning. Sadly my day didn’t end as calmly.

My plan was to spend a couple more days in Laos before heading off to Vietnam. I was going to go by land and unfortunately you can’t get a VISA on arrival by land so I had to get a letter from the embassy. I thought my letter could be used at any land border until I asked one of the women who worked at the guest hose what my Vietnamese visa letter stated. I had hoped to be able to take a bus from Luang Prabang into Hanoi since they were a little cheaper then buses I saw in Vientiane. I was told that my visa was only acceptable at one land border crossing (the one closest to Vientiane) and that my visa was for two days from now meaning I had to take a night bus back to Vientiane that day or else I would have to pay money all over again for a new visa. I said goodbye to my friends hoping that I might be able to see them in Vietnam, and then proceeded on my two day two night journey to Vietnam. The highlight/ nightmare would be a 24 hour sleeper bus from Vientiane to Hanoi which I had read a couple of travel blogs called the bus ride to hell.

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Vang Vieng

March 11, 2019 Ceraun Loggins

There’s a certain rhythm to backpacking. You show up in a new country, you don’t know anyone, and while you’re in the capitol city you meet people staying in your hostel or through sightseeing. They start out as strangers and then over the short time you travel together they grow into something so much more. While in Vientiane I met a couple of people in my hostel while drinking around the table. The intense heat of the day was still present despite the fact that the sun had already set. Cool beers down our throats helped to give us a respite as well as provide social lubrication. Seeds were planted in Vientiane that blossomed in Vang Vieng.

I sat on the balcony of my new hostel in Vang Vieng when I heard a familiar voice fill the room. Emmanuel had just come back from caving with another girl that I’d met around the table drinking beers in Vientiane. The intensity of our reunion belied the short time we had known each other. We walked through the small town and had drinks on the Nam Song River. I could see the tiny mountains shrouded behind some mist just beyond the river. While even smaller then Vientiane this town had a much more bustling energy. We ended the night at Tifalcony Pizza relaxing and planning the next day’s adventure.

The two main things to do in Vang Vieng are tubing down the river, which used to be such a debaucherous activity in the late 90’s and early 2000’s that a couple people died, and the blue lagoons. Tubing is presently a much less ratchet activity after numerous bars along the river were closed. Thankfully we voted on the lagoons because I wasn’t sure I could survive tubing even if I was sober. We wandered the town a bit looking for food and when we saw a monk leave an empty restaurant we knew that was the spot. We were justly rewarded when all the dishes they offered were authentic Laotian dishes. A lot of the other restaurants in town served pizza or other western staples which did not interest me at all. I tried the famous Laotian dish laab and it was so delicious. Laab is a minced meat salad topped with fresh herbs and chili’s and if your mouth isn’t watering at the sound of that I can’t help you. The portion size was huge that there was no way I could finish it all. So as we departed to head to the lagoon I took the rest to go, which I would come to regret.

There are three lagoons in Vang Vieng and after seeing all three I was underwhelmed. Some of the lagoons were super tiny and others just weren’t that appealing visually. However my favorite part of the trip came as we were leaving the last lagoon. It started to rain suddenly and we ran to our tuk tuk before we got drenched. The rain stopped just as suddenly as it began and in the distance the light broke through the clouds and illuminated the mountains to beautifully. Just when we thought the scene couldn’t get any more beautiful a rainbow appeared. Our spell was broken as the rain reappeared and we piled into the tuk tuk. On the way back to the town we started singing songs from the top of our lungs.

After Thailand I wasn’t sure I would find another travel crew that I really connected with but that trip back to the city was pure unfiltered joy and connection. The next day we kept it chill before heading off Luang Prabang. All was well until my stomach started to feel uneasy in the evening. I left the bar early to lie down but the laab I had taken to go with no way to refrigerate gave me food poisoning. We had planned to take the earliest bus out that morning but I was in no shape to go anywhere. I told the rest of the crew to go ahead but Emmanuel stayed behind to take a later bus with me. We had only known each other for a couple days but the fact that he offered to stay with me really proved the connection was real.

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Buddha Park

March 7, 2019 Ceraun Loggins

Aside from the Patuxai the best part of Vientiane lies about 25 km SE of the city along the Mekong River. Buddha Park or Xieng Khuan (Spirit City) as it is known is filled with over 200 Hindu and Buddhist statues. It was created by Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat a priest/shaman who integrated Hinduism and Buddhism through art in 1958.

The park is accessible by a public bus or a private car, the hostel I stayed at organized a car with a few other people which while more expensive was definitely faster and a much more enjoyable experience. After a nominal fee I entered the park along with a bunch of school children here on a field trip. They scattered across the nice size park and I barely noticed them after that. I felt like I had been transported to a new dimension populated by Gods, dragons, and other entities.

What I really liked about the park was that it really forced you to interact with the sculptures- walking around and between them. Getting up close to examine the details before stepping back to see the larger picture. The tallest structure looks like a giant face with an open mouth going nowhere. Until I stuck my head in and realized that you could crawl around inside. There were mini statues inside and stairs that took you to the roof where you could look out on the entire park itself. Attached to the roof is a large tree like structure known as the pumpkin tower which can be seen below.

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Vientiane

March 4, 2019 Ceraun Loggins

My return from the islands ended the first part of my Thailand adventure. When I arrived back in Bangkok I bought a train ticket to Nong Khai a city which bordered Laos. From Bangkok the train headed North and then West. Packed urban landscapes transformed into rural countryside outside my window. Small cities and towns clustered around the train tracks. When I first boarded the train some woman came by carrying fruit and soda. As the train continued the dishes became more and more elaborate until around dinner time a man walked through the train aisle with a chicken spatchcocked and roasted over a fire. The ride took a total of 10 hours and when we arrived at Nong Khai the sun had set on my last day in Thailand. I hopped in a tuk tuk and made the short trip to the border. I got my exit stamp out of Thailand and then road a bus across the border into Laos. I wasn’t sure what was waiting for me on the other side but I thrived in Thailand and I knew I would thrive in Laos as well.

When I was looking up things to do in Vientiane not much came up. It has a reputation as being one of the “sleepiest” capitals not just in SE Asia but the world. I wandered the night markets after my late night arrival and they did not have the bustling energy I had grown used to in Bangkok. When I woke up the next day I wandered around the downtown area. With a population of around eight hundred thousand people I was able to walk down large parts of the city without seeing anyone. The streets seemed to never know the weight of traffic- the air free of congestion.

Vientiane has a number of beautiful temples, the oldest being Pha That Luang which i didn’t get to see, but through my wanderings i stumbled across some beautiful sculptures and temples celebrating Buddha. The architecture had slight differences from what I had seen in Thailand. It’s clear that Lao and Thailand are like sibling nations.

The crown jewel of the city for me has to be the Patuxai, a war monument built between 1957-1968. It is dedicated to everyone who died fighting the French during the struggle for independence. I loved sitting under it and examining the details in the ceiling. Vientiane was a very relaxing entry into the country of Laos, I had one more excursion around this capitol before I headed north to continue my journey.

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Adventures in the Andaman

October 22, 2018 Ceraun Loggins

My favorite movie growing up was Titanic which must be subconsciously connected to the fact that I can’t swim. In an attempt to face my fears, however, I boarded my second boat in just as many days to go deep into the Andaman Sea to explore the islands around Krabi. As the coast shrunk in my field of vision I eyed the life jackets tucked under the nose of the boat. There wasn’t enough for the number of people on board but I felt confident that if push came to shove I would end up with one. It’s not that I’ve never tried to swim, its just that I drowned during my first swimming lesson and never tried again. But I kept hearing everyone talk about snorkeling in Thailand and figured if there was any chance I would get over my fear of water it would be now.

The boat trip was sponsored by our hostel and it was one of the rare occasions were going on a tour through a hostel was cheaper then arranging it on your own. Ebony and I boarded the boat with about 15-20 other people. Our first stop was Tonsai Beach which Ebony and I had partially seen the previous day. But this wasn’t just any tour it was a party tour so after we got off the boat we all circled up on the beach and shotgunned the free beer we got with our ticket. The group separated and I explored the grassy areas to see if I could snap any pics. I loved the way the tall palms were an accessory to the bright blue sky and fluffy clouds.

After an hour we made our way back on the boat and went further out to sea, for snorkeling. I had to admit there was something so beautiful about being on the water. The rhythm of the boat as it bounces over the waves, the wind whipping around you, the smell of salt in the air. We stopped by this large lime stone rock that stuck out of the sea like a giant thumb. The water had created caves after hundreds of years of water beating against the soft porous rock. They passed out the scant life jackets and a bunch of people jumped into the water to go swim around. The main instructor had hoped we would be able to snorkel here but claimed the water was too murky and so we went even further out to sea.

By this time the coast was the size of a piece of paper on the horizon. The important mix of fear and excitement was churning inside of me as we stopped at our new location. There was another boat present with people snorkeling in the distance. I looked over the boat into the water below wondering what I would see beneath its surface. The instructor pulled out the snorkels and talked about how to use them, this was the first safety demonstration I had paid attention to in god knows how long. When he warned that the snorkels often get foggy I asked how I would mitigate that problem. He suggested we spit into the goggles and then rinse it with some water. The fear and excitement quickly turned to disgust. I started gagging, but told myself it was fine I could get past this. However when they told us that we would have to share snorkels I knew this dream might be coming to an end. If I was in the first round of people with snorkels then I could have convinced myself that they sterilize the snorkels after every trip. But watching everyone spit right in front of me shattered that fragile illusion.

Instead I decided I would try and float in the water. I pulled on a life jacket and wearily climbed off the boat. My knees were shaking as I made my way down the wooden ladder the boat rocking with the waves. The water was a lot warmer then I expected. When I was waist deep i decided to let go hoping I would float. The water was so salty that I did but the current was so strong that it began to drag me away from the boat. I quickly grabbed back onto the ladder and just bobbed like an animal clinging to a rope for dear life.

After I pulled myself up on the boat I noticed that the captain kept tinkering with the engine. He pulled a wrench out of his bag and made some adjustments before pulling a lever that previously had started the engine only this time it made no sound. I started to grow concerned as people made their way back to the boat and I hadn’t heard the engine roar to life. Finally he revived the engine and we were on our way. Our final stop was Railay Beach where there is a beautiful cave system and a shrine dedicated to a Princess Goddess. According to tradition to pay your respects you must bring a phallus as a gift so the cave is literally filled with different sized carvings. The sun began to set so we hopped back on our boat and headed back to Krabi. While I didn’t get to snorkel I’m happy I at least got into the water and saw a cave full of penises.

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Krabi

October 2, 2018 Ceraun Loggins

I sat in the airport in Bangkok waiting for my early morning flight to Krabi. I had originally planned to head north at this time. But my plans were turned upside down at the behest of the universe. I listened to her call and went north instead, just in time for Loi Krathong. While I went up there for the festival I was also given a new family of travelers. A family that has now separated: some people heading back home but most headed off on new adventures. I was happy that I was reconnecting with Ebony in Krabi for a couple days. Happier then I expected because I had grown so used to traveling with this community that I almost forgot how to do it on my own. As they called our gate to board I looked out at the tiny plane that was going to take us to our destination and thought back to a comment that was made the last night we were all together sitting under the stars. Someone who had been traveling for longer then I said this was his favorite crew that he had traveled with. Initially I brushed off the statement but now I wondered if maybe it was true. Would I find any travel companions that jelled so completely?

When I landed in Krabi it seemed like all the heat and humidty I had missed while exploring the north of Thailand hit me at once. I got on a shuttle bus thankful for the air conditioning as it navigated its way through the city towards my hostel. Normally my attention is directed out of the window taking in the various sights of my new surroundings but I was hypnotized by a clear take away bag, that contained the drivers lunch, as it swung on the handlebars it was fastened to- reminding me that I was hungry. I got off in front of my hostel ready for a new adventure. It was too early to check in and my friend Ebony hadn’t arrived yet so I left my stuff in the lobby and went to go explore on my own and find some food.

The sky was so blue and full of fluffy clouds that I imagine would taste like cotton candy. There was one main street that took you all the way to the beach. I walked down its wide avenues looking all the different shops. Large lime stone mountains, that kind that instantly signal Thailand, were visible from anywhere you looked. Since I was in the south I figured I would finally eat some seafood, I stopped at the first restaurant and recoiled at the prices. I made my way to the second a few shops down and the sky high prices kept me going. Everything was twice to three times the price it was in Chiang Mai. The prices of some dishes were higher then even Bangkok. Finally I found a place that had crab fried rice for 200 baht ($6) which I thought was high but reasonable. The flavor was delicious but less spicy then the food I was used to eating in the north, but that was nothing a squeeze of fresh lime and some chili oil couldn’t solve. I headed back to the hostel grabbing a bottle of water along the way and snapping pics of the surrounding landscape.

By the time I had arrived back at the hostel Ebony had already arrived and we changed and headed out to Railay Beach. I wore my white shorts with a tan linen crop expecting that this would be a cute trip to the beach and that I wouldn’t have to get wet unless I wanted to. We paid the tickets for the boat and I expected us to be led to a dock where we could board safely, but no they lead us to a beach where the boats bobbed in accordance with the waves that were almost waist high. I placed my phone and wallet in my camera bag which I held high above my head as I waded into the water reluctantly. I tossed them over the deck and climbed up the ladder into the boat. I looked down and saw that the salty water had mixed with the sand slightly staining my freshly washed white shorts. When we were all packed in the rickety boat took us to Railay beach. The water was a beautiful bluish green color and we got a better view of the beautiful lime stone mountains. Despite all the beauty I wasn’t feeling Krabi as much as Chiang Mai or Bangkok. Maybe it was the high prices or the fact that I was still missing my travel crew, or how extremely touristy the area we were staying in.

When we arrived at Railay we hoped off the boat the same way we got in. We got a fruit smoothie before enjoying some time on the beach which was crowded but not unbearably so. We decided to see what else this beach had to offer so we went off in exploration and found a small tunnel that connected to a different beach we had seen on our way over called Tonsai beach. The path there was treacherous because we had to climb slippery rocks covered in sharp oyster shells. On the other side the area the sand was a lot grainer and the tide was pulled out so far that you could see all the rocks that were just under the waters surface. This beach was closer to the limestone mountains so you saw a couple of climbers making their way up and down the rock faces. We realized it was getting late and that we needed to make our way back to the main beach for our return tickets were voided. The tide was coming back in which made our trek even more difficult but halfway through I saw this beautiful rock formation that I knew I needed to grab a picture by, silhouetted against the sun.

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Divanun Guide/ Chiang Mai & Pai

September 27, 2018 Ceraun Loggins

Historical

Chaing Mai

Wats
- Wat Chedi Luang
- Wat Sri Sutphan
- Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
Tha Phae Gate

Pai

Pai World War II Memorial Bridge
Wat Phra That Mae Yen: Temple of the White Buddha, huge buddha statue up a hill consisting of 250 steps

Cultural

Chaing Mai

Loi Krathong Festival
Elephant Sanctuary: There are many to choose from just make sure they are ethical and do not involve riding the elephants.
Songkran: a water festival that happens all around Thailand

Food

Chaing Mai

Khao Soi
Night Markets
Rustic & Blue
MIxology
The Riverside Bar & Restaurant-

Pai

Om Garden Cafe
Pai Walking Street

Miscellaneous

Chiang Mai

Thailand Wow Guest House: The only hostel I will stay at in Chiang Mai. Kai the hostel manager is so kind and sweet and he really gives his backpackers 110%
There are cheap red tuk tuk’s that will take you all across the city for a fair price
Inside of the moat is the older stuff but once you go outside the moat especially to the West you will find a more upscale area with all the digital nomads.

Pai

I stayed at Pai Circus Hostel which I would do again only if I stayed in one of the private bungalows.
If you get motion sick easy then you have to fly into the airport because the road is not a Joke.
You pretty much have to either rent a bike or ride on the back of one to see all the beautiful sights and nature in the area.

Wat's of Chiang Mai

September 25, 2018 Ceraun Loggins

Chiang Mai is a city of wat's the name for Buddhist and Hindu temples in Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos. The word wat is borrowed from Sanskrit and means enclosure. There are so many different temples to see here some are high up in the mountain others are hidden down small alleys and but most are on proud display at the intersection of big streets. It can often feel overwhelming to decide to which temples to go to because you don't want to get burnt out by seeing 4 temples everyday but you also want to take in all their beauty. The two temples I chose to visit before I head for the south was Wat Chedi Luang which is a temple in the middle of the city and has deep historical value and Wat Sri Suphan which is a temple made of silver.

Wat Chedi Luang started construction in the 14th century. However, it wasn't until the 16th century that it was finished. The grounds were originally composed of 3 smaller temples. A powerful earthquake destroyed the main stupa, a mound-like structure that holds Buddhist relics and is used as a site of meditation, and it presently sits in a state of beautiful destruction. The rest of the grounds is still in tack and full of beautiful little details and statues. In one of the rooms, the walls and ceilings are all decorated with a detailed story of gods and monsters from Thai mythology.

Hands down the most beautiful temple I've seen in my life was Wat Sri Suphan. It was originally built in the 1500's as the main temple for the silversmith village. The temple itself was built and rebuilt so many times over the years but it wasn't until the early 2000's that it was covered in a mixture of aluminum, silver, and zinc. In the sunlight the entire temple shines so magnificiently, I could stare for hours.

Unfortunately, women are not allowed in the temple due to the idea that either they will be corrupted or they will corrupt the holy objects buried 500 years ago. But there is more to see then just the temple on these grounds. From 5:30-9pm Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays you can chat with monks about whatever you want to. As well on Saturdays there is a big market that radiates from the temple. Though, its not as big as the Sunday market.

Chiang Mai has so many Wat’s to choose from you really can’t go wrong, next time I visit I want to go to the Wat Phra That Doi Suthep which is located in the mountains overlooking Chiang Mai. But whatever you do remember that you don’t have to see everything just because you are traveling. Its ok to take some time and be picky otherwise you will exhaust yourself and won’t find any enjoyment in the sights that you do see. Traveling long term is always about striking the right balance! Subscribe below so you never miss an addition to the Archive!

Siam Rice Cooking School

August 31, 2018 Ceraun Loggins

As we ground the ingredients pictured above with a mortar and pestle. Our instructor stated that you can tell a lot about how someone makes love by how they make curry paste. She said that people who pound the mortar and pestle together harder are better in bed and as she said this everyone increased their pace as a smile slowly spread across their face. Back from my adventure in Pai, this cooking class in Chiang Mai was a great way to recenter myself in my body after an amazing trip. Even better I was doing it with my friend Rika whom I had originally met in Bangkok. She was like the mother of our travel group and it felt right to be spending my last days in the north with her. I would have never gotten to experience the magic of Loi Krathong if it wasn't for the initial seed that she planted and the community she brought along the way.

The morning started with a trip to the local market. The city that unfolded before me from the back of our tuk tuk was a familiar one. There's so much beauty in familiarity. There's some irony in the fact that while traveling I'm most happy when I feel a familiarity in an unfamiliar place. The tuk tuk stopped to pick up a couple more people before we got to the market. Our guide lead us down concrete floors lined with tables filled with bright colors. She stopped in front of one covered with bright green herbs. She began to explain the three types of basil used in Thai cuisine: thai basil, holy basil, and lemon basil. We smelled each one and got a sense of the different notes they contained. She then showed us the difference between ginger, that we eat in America and galangal which is what they use in Thailand.

She sent us away to go explore on our own. As I wandered down the twisting aisles I thought back to the markets I would wander in DC when I was younger. The fruits and vegetables were different but you could still spot the penny pincher arguing with the vendors. The mother gathering her daily harvest to feed her kids. The stages were different but the roles were very similar.

There was a group of 6 of us gathered to learn how to make Thai cuisine. Rika and I, this gorgeous German couple and then two other individuals. The first dish we made was soup. I choose to make my favorite Tom Yum. It was surprising how easy it is to whip together. In fact throughout the day I was shocked by the fact that once you finished chopping everything the actual cooking time was very low.

Two different chefs took us through the seven course menu. We took breaks in between each dish to eat our creations. The photo above is the pad see ew my second favorite Thai dish after pad kra pao. Cooking is a really fun communal activity to do with friends and if you're solo its a great way to make new friends. Rika and I chatted with the other attendees about their travels and how they liked Chiang Mai. They gave us tips for some southern cities they had just visited and we raved about Pai.

My favorite part of the day was when we learned to make curry paste from scratch. We each got to choose the type we wanted and I went for the jungle curry one of the spiciest in Thailand. Everyone else had a couple chilli's in their paste but mines had triple that amount. I can no longer pay the $12-15 in the states for mediocre thai curries now that I have seen how easy it is to make from scratch. I preemptively asked for some coconut milk before I started eating to soothe my taste buds. It wasn't the hottest dish I'd ever eaten but it was for sure up there and in spite of all the heat you still got a sense for its deep and delicious flavor. I left with a full belly and a brain full of techniques I couldn't wait to try on my own.

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Pai

August 8, 2018 Ceraun Loggins

The tiny minivan careened around another blind curve. The road to Pai from Chiang Mai contains 762 hairpin turns as you go up a mountain- this ride is not for those who get motion sickness easily. I thought I'd be fine but a third of the way up the mountain my stomach started to get upset. The view, while pretty was doing nothing for my motion sickness, there was no horizon for me to focus on. Just steep valleys filled with trees quickly replaced by tall rock faces and shacks build precariously on the edge. A tiny Korean woman behind me looked like she was ready to blow. Next, to me, the Chinese man was massaging his girlfriend's hand in between her thumb and index finger. I repeated the same act on my hand and I could feel my stomach start to calm. I asked if he had any more tips for fighting motion sickness when we stopped for a break halfway up the mountain. He gave me some tiger balm to rub under my nostrils. The remedies kept my stomach under control for the second half of our journey until at last hilly mountainous jungle gave way to a small town filled with people, motorcycles, and dogs.

My friends from Bangkok and Chiang Mai had checked into the Pai Circus hostel the day before. I stood at the bus terminal waiting for my shuttle to arrive. While I waited I looked around the dusty street taking in my new surroundings. The air up here was very cool even though it was the middle of the day. Tourists wandered around in front of storefronts that boasted vegan foods and rasta sensibilities. When the cart arrived to pick me up I got to see the rest of the tiny town of Pai. All the buildings were short and squat made mostly out of wood tons of shops advertised handmade trinkets and yoga sessions. Pai was truly a hippy paradise nestled in the mountains.

Upon arrival at the hostel, I was taken aback by the gorgeous views of the surrounding area. The hostel itself consisted of a large open air lobby. All of the rooms were scattered around the edges of the perimeter. In the middle was a couple hammocks, a pool with a sign saying it would be fixed in one day, that was up the whole 3 nights I was there, and a covered area for the bar. While everyone else reserved a nice bungalow I tried to be cheap by staying in the shared room for one dollar less. But when I walked in and heard the floors creak underneath me I knew I had made the wrong decision. This was, however, the cheapest accommodation I had found so far so I shouldn't be surprised that I could see through the wood slats to the ground underneath. Each bed came with its own mosquito net and a solitary fan hung in the corner incapable of cooling the entire room due to its angle. I laid my belongings under my mosquito net praying to god I'd be able to sleep come nightfall.

I found my friends at the bar and we exchanged hugs before getting a quick bite to eat. We went to go eat at one of the shops across the road from the hostel. There was a rooster making noise in a cage below us, tiny ants crawled across the table, and an unreliable Wi-fi password was scribbled onto the menu. As we waited for the food to arrive I learned that the previous day someone in their van had vomited all over my friends Noah's stuff during the ride. And my friend Walt got into an accident on his motorcycle as he navigated the unforgiving terrain, getting his very own Pai tattoo.

The next day we congregated in bungalow D17 discussing our plans. The group had decided to rent motorcycles to go explore the countryside. Rooted in my fear of bikes I decided to stay back not wanting a Pai tattoo of my own. However, due to some unforeseen circumstances, I got a second chance to go with them and I decided to take it. Travel is about facing fears so I decided to not let this one stop me from having my nature adventure. I got on back of Noah's bike despite this being his first time driving a motorcycle and dug my nails into his side. The wind whipped around us as we gained speed, threatening to knock me into traffic. The town flew by us as we made our way to our first destination the Mor Paeng Waterfall.

The paved streets soon gave way to gravel which then gave way to dirt littered with rocks. As you can imagine the suspension on the motorcycle was shit so Noah and I bounced so hard I thought we were on a mechanical bull. Fields of rice grazed my peropheral vision as cows wandered in their pastures. When we arrived at Mor Paeng my legs were a little wobbly but I was alive. We had to climb down a trail from the road and then climb up the slippery rock face of Mor Paeng. For a second I thought I had come for nothing but I found a way to climb up the mountain without ripping my pants or dropping my camera.

Once I reached the top I saw local Thai men doing trick jumps into the pool of water that formed at the top of the waterfall. People took turns swimming as different travel groups came and went. We chilled there for about an hour before heading off to our next destination. I climbed on the back of Noah's bike with more confidence then I had previously.

During my second ride I no longer had to hold on for dear life. I was content with my hands hovering near his waist. Ebony was taking video while sitting on the back of Kieran's bike but I wasn't that bold. We passed by a huge Pai sign and advertisements for strawberries as we headed towards the Pai Canyon. We pulled up on the side of the road next to a collection of other motorcycles and a roadside food stall. After walking up what seemed like an endless set of stairs- a large plateau greeted us with steep cliffs and bright greens contrasting against the dusty yellows and reds of the rock.

Past the trees, the mountains rose up to reach the sky on the horizon it was a beautiful view that would be great during sunset. I sat down and looked out into the vastness of nature. Looking back this was when the seed of my love for nature was planted.

That night we sat on mats at a local bar- it was our last. We marveled at how we went from strangers to close friends in a matter of weeks. I couldn't imagine traveling the rest of Thailand without their humor and support. I thought about the nature of friendships in general, how can I bring this level of openness to the "real world?" Yes backpacking and the isolation of being in a foreign country created a bond that is highly situational. But that doesn't mean that we can't carry this openness with us in our every day lives.

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Chiang Mai

August 1, 2018 Ceraun Loggins

I opened my eyes on the pale morning after Loi Krathong to the sound of zippers- which signaled that backpackers were off to their next destination. Goosebumps traveled across my exposed skin as the fan swung side to side. The curtains on the bunk beds rippled slightly as the air swept past me. I slept for a little while longer before getting up to see my friends off to Pai. With the big festival over, Chiang Mai began to decompress and instead of following the tourist caravan out of the city I decided to stay one extra day.

Since my arrival in the airy mountainous town of Chiang Mai I've been busy. From feeding elephants at a sanctuary to going to a muay thai fight, making my own Krathong and going to a lantern release- I've had no time to relax. Cities and town reveal themselves in the slow moments when you lazily walk down a street, not when you rush around with a predetermined list to be checked off. As well I needed some alone time. In almost an instant I went from traveling solo to having a crew of 6 other people to eat and explore with. I wanted to journal about my first three weeks in Thailand and the connections I had made.

I started off my day by heading to Wat Pan Whaen one of the numerous temples around my hostel, Thailand Wow. Then I ate at a small restaurant next to it that is only open 4 hours a day 5 days a week. I had tried several times to eat at this place but it was always closed. When I sat down there was a mother and daughter who worked at the shop seated by the door. One other customer sat back in a far corner while Thai game shows played on the television. Someone came over to me and asked what I wanted and I said, Khao Soi, the only dish on the menu. Five minutes later the famed dish of the north was sitting in front of me. The mustard yellow soup with egg noodles and chicken leg topped with crispy egg noodles. My first bite was a combination of crunchy and soft, sour and spicy. Heaven was an IV with this broth dripping into my system. Invigorated I continued my quiet exploration. Taking random streets to see where they lead, window shopping all the stores-learning a city the only way feet know how. I walked into every small temple I found on my path admiring the attention to detail and the bright colors. Except for old Catholic cathedrals, religious houses in the USA take after Protestant values and can be a tad austere.

My lazy day was coming to an end when I stumbled across a huge stage and a street lined with stalls. At first, I thought this was a remnant of the Loi Krathong festival, but every Sunday they have a huge market in central Chiang Mai. A perfect place to pick up souvenirs or just eat local food. Days no longer matter when backpacking, they fold into one another so I had no clue it was Sunday. Instead, you mark the time by the nights before you have to move on to the next city and this was my last. The Sunday market was a fury of activity, vendors were selling everything from jewelry to socks, essential oils to sculptures. I was rifling through a pile of souvenirs when I noticed everything go eerily quiet. Looking up I noticed all the Thai people had stopped moving at the stall. Creeped out, I walked away to find the whole street frozen in time. People were stopped mid-order. The few foreigners looked around at each other in total confusion but I stood still hoping the situation would elucidate itself. Seconds later a sound came across the loudspeakers and I figured this must have been in response to the recent cremation of the king. Instead it was the Thai National anthem which plays twice a day in public spaces and the radio/tv et cetera. Aside from a national sports game I can't remember the last time I heard the USA national anthem in a public space.

When I made my way back to the hostel I sat in a nook and journaled some more. A mixture of fear and excitement flowed from my pen. Even though it was less than 24 hours I was already missing my travel companions and I couldn't wait to meet them in Pai the next day. Some new people had arrived by the time I had finished but I wasn't in the mood to talk to them. Navigating solo travel means stealing away any time you have by yourself because you are often not alone. Either you are surrounded by people in the hostel or the tourists and locals you meet while exploring. Through my headphones, I could hear some of the conversations they were having about where they were from and where they were headed. The backpacker cycle would continue with or without me.

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Loi Krathong

July 23, 2018 Ceraun Loggins

Amber dots danced across the midnight blue sky! They numbered in the hundreds but soon thousands of hopes, dreams, wishes, and prayers would clutter the horizon. Floating off in the distance taking away people's doubt and fear- leaving room for abundance. The embankment I sat on across from the main temple was illuminated by the full moon. Boats made of flowers floated past us as individuals and groups let off their own lanterns. We waited wondering, if whoever was out there would hear us! Grant us the joy and freedom from the sorrow we have placed into these objects made of paper, metal, and fire.

Loi Krathong, is an annual festival celebrated in Thailand, and some neighboring countries, during the 12th month in the traditional Thai lunar calendar. This typically falls in late November according to Western metrics of time. The festival typically lasts about 3 days. Loi means to float, while Krathong is a banana trunk decorated with flowers that is floated down the river. When I asked my Thai friend View what the festival celebrates she told me that rivers are very important to Thai people and that this festival celebrates and honors all that its done for us. In Chiang Mai, Loi Krathong is celebrated along side another festival called Yi Peng where floating lanterns are launched into the air. The combined spectacle makes for the most beautiful thing I experienced during my travels.

The first day of the festival our hostel manager Khai took us outside of the city to Mae Jo where a private lantern release happens around the same time as the festival. The event at Mae Jo is often confused as the Yi Peng festival but it's not sponsored by the Thailand Association of Tourism. To get inside costs about $100 dollars but to just watch the lanterns you can snag a seat along the river bank right outside.

To travel through SE Asia is to travel in a state of perpetual naivety. Information is not something you're given either because they know you'll complain or because they don't have the information themselves. For example, I didn't even realize the event I went to wasn't apart of the Yi Peng festival until I sat down to write this travelogue. We were told by our hostel manager, Khai, that we were going to see the highest concentration of lanterns let off at the same time. We thought early afternoon was a bit early to be leaving for an event that doesn't start until the sun sets but we were stuck in bumper to bumper traffic at 2pm. We stopped by a convenience store to grab some road beers before continuing our journey in one of the many red taxis that dots Chiang Mai's city scape.

At long last we pulled to a stop along a nondescript road lined with tuk tuk's and tourist buses. We walked about 200 yards from where we parked before stopping. Khai gestured toward a patch of of overgrown grass and weeds and told us this is where we would watch the lanterns. The area looked like it needed a weed wacking before it was fit to host anyones butt. But Khai saw what we couldn't. He walked straight into the unruly nature and tamed it with his flip flops. Methodically and intentionally Khai carved a path of flattened grass. When the weeds proved no easy challenge he just pulled them out the ground. By the time he was finished we had a nice patch of ground to ourselves. However we would have brought blankets and towels if we had known we'd be sitting on the grass.

Our area became the most coveted spot and latecomers tried to colonize. But Khai shooed them off, telling them to clear their own ground. With our space secured, we went off and explored. We walked down a narrow one way road separated by a stream from its twin. There was a restaurant and a convenience store at an intersection about 700 yards from where we initially stopped. Those are normally the only businesses around for miles, however due to the event a micro-economy was set up closer to the temple with stalls selling meat skewers, mango sticky rice, and other delicious treats. Hours past and the sky was illuminated once again though this time not by the sun but by thousands of lanterns. As we drove back to our hostel we could see that the sky was still pregnant- full of dreams.

The next day we woke up and set about making our very own krathongs to sail down the river. Tired after yesterday celebrations we asked if we could schedule it later in the day but Khai insisted that we start earlier- that the krathongs were more difficult then it seemed. The foreigners scoffed at this idea but sure enough a couple hours deep into the craft we were stumped trying to make the leaf cones. The process started out so easy and then grew with each passing step increasingly more complicated. Some people just gave up and designed their own ships, like the photo in the middle. The table was full of broken banana leafs, stray metal pins, and bright pink and yellow flowers by the time we were done.

The mental energy to took to make the krathong exhausted me, It was like origami but instead of paper I was using leaves and flowers. In the photo of all our krathongs mines is the last one on the middle row. Before we left for the parade most of us took a nap. When we walked the streets later that night during the parade I had a new appreciation for the time and skill that went into the krathongs I saw for sale- both intricate and simple.

As we made our way to the Ping river after the parade I began to appreciate the quieter ceremony from the previous day. It was harder to enjoy the festival because there was so much happening at once. Lanterns were falling from the sky, fire crackers pop Pop POPing all around you, bright colors dotting through your peripheral vision, the smell of grilling food, the constant shouting and yelling. Police tried to guide the chaos and protect order but there was nothing to protect. Just people pushing in unison. We stood under a tree along the bank of the Ping river. Lanterns launched from the bridge illuminated the sky while those with too much to carry caught on fire and sank into the water below. Krathongs of various sizes also sailed by illuminated by candles and incense. Further down the river I spotted people fishing out krathongs that had money in them.

Khai was explaining the history when a burned out lantern came crashing down out of the sky calling his krathong to fall out of his hands and roll down the ground. Thankfully it was caught before it reached the water. But that wasn't the only time we had to be careful of firey lanterns dropping out of the sky. After sailing out boats we made our way to the crowded bridge. The wind was not kind today and so lighting lanterns became a treacherous act. Khai pictured above was truly the best hostel manager I had the entire time I traveled through South East Asia. He made sure to create personal connections with everyone who stayed at his hostel. He threw family dinners and planned cultural events and really tried to turn his hostel into a home for anyone who stayed a couple nights. The amazing environment that he created allowed for the relationships of the travelers to really deepen. I'm so happy that the universe brought me north and I got to experience such a beautiful and enriching tradition with these amazing crew of new friends.

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Doi Inthanon Elephant Park

July 12, 2018 Ceraun Loggins

An overnight bus dropped me off at the north eastern corner of the city of Chiang Mai. The cool morning air was a stark contrast to the sweltering conditions of Bangkok. One of Chiang Mai's red taxis picked us up and went about dropping us off at our various hostels. Thailand Wow was quiet when I arrived but my friends soon woke up and were discussing tomorrow's activities namely a trip to go see elephants which Rika was specifically excited for. I remembered her talking about how elephants were her favorite animal back in Bangkok.

Now I'm not a huge animal person, they are smelly and have their own internal lives and motivations that we can never access, but even I was excited to be face to face with an elephant. The journey into the mountains took us a couple hours. First a taxi picked us up at our hostel around 8 am. As we left the town behind and the scenery became more rural we began to see signs for all kinds of elephant sanctuaries. We saw people riding elephants who were apart of a different tour company and I was thankful that we had found an ethical sanctuary that did not allow elephant riding. Our second vehicle, a flat bed truck, was used to descend deeper into the mountains after the taxi could take us no further. The truck dropped us off at a nondescript patch of land that was missing elephants. They told us we had to make the rest of the way on foot and thus began a perilous climb down a steep set of natural stairs cut into the dirt with a piece of bamboo that could barely hold itself up to steady our downward climb. Now I wore flip flops because I knew we'd get muddy and I didn't want to ruin my nice shoes but those shoes were about to cause my downfall because they had no traction to grip the earth. After I made my way down the stairs the only thing between the elephants and I was this makeshift bridge to cross a small but quick moving stream. I prayed to whoever was listening that my camera and I would not get washed away.

To prepare us for the elephants we were told to change into bright red traditional clothes so the elephants would recognize us and we were each handed a bag full of sugar cane. You should have seen my face when they told us we had to climb some more before we were to reach the first elephants of the day. If I had known we were going on a nature hike then I would have planned differently. My flip flops barely clung to the slightly wet rocks that lined the route to the elephants. But all of that faded away, when I heard the elephant trumpet echo through the woods. Up above were two elephants. A huge fully grown mama with her adolescent child.

You know mentally that elephants are huge creatures but until one dwarfs you its hard to fully grasp. Even the child looked like it could crush me if it got to excited. Despite their size they were so gentle, delicately plucking the sugar cane out of our hands with their trunks. We had to call out a Thai phrase three times to get their attention. The mother stood still making everyone come to her, but the child happily stomped around trying to get as much of the sugar cane as possible. While they were distracted eating I took the time to touch their skin. I never thought about how hairy elephants were, but up close you could feel all the tiny hairs that cover their body. The skin was leathery and warm.

As people started to run out of sugar cane the adolescent started grabbing at our bags. It was time to go but before we headed back down we got elephant kisses. Their trunk was heavier then anticipated as it briefly latched itself onto our faces.

Afterwards, we made our way back down and met another pair of elephants. This one had an even smaller baby elephant that couldn't have been more then a couple months old. I wanted to pick it up and cuddle it but the animal still weighed a couple hundred pounds. It ran playfully around us even knocking a few people over as it drank water.

We took a break for lunch and escaped the suns rays under a hut with a thatched roof. I washed my hands vigorously before eating the meal prepared for us. It was simple, some noodles, chicken and veggies and yet there was so much flavor. Afterwards, I lied on a mat and listened to the sounds of nature. Trees swaying in the wind, the stream bubbling by, elephants trumpeting in the distance.

We finished the day by giving the elephants a mud bath though I refused because I was pretty sure the elephants pooped in the mud pool. Sure enough not even 5 minutes into the mud bath I spotted the elephants pooping and peeing. Everyone then made their way to the stream to rinse off the elephants and you realize that elephants are extremely ashy animals, their skin taking on a rich grey color when wet.

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