We are here in Phuket -- enjoying the rain (well not really enjoying it very much at the moment...). We had the longest train ride EVER to get down here. It turns out that the south has been experiencing a high amount of rainfall for the season -- so high that the train tracks were flooded at several points along the route... slowing our progress down to 2-5mph for a couple of hours. It was strange to wake up and look out the window (it was an overnight train) and see people walking through streets with water up to their wastes.

But we finally arrived in Phuket. Found our hotel. And are in the process of trying to decide what to do. The tentative plan at this point in time is PADI diving certificates here in Phuket where we have a room already paid for (paid back when we were in Bangkok the very first time).
Then it's off to Phi Phi Don island for some climbing and possibly more diving (depending on costs). After that we're off to Railey Beach -- near Krabi. Why? Climbing of course!!! Huge overhanging cliffs. With routes that are 2-4 pitches of 5.7 climbing... and rappelling back down through the empty space below you. A place where they warn you not to smile at the monkeys or they'll throw... well we just won't even go there.

After that it's another couple days in a National Park down in this area -- before turning around and catching a bus to the train to a plane. Yup.

Anywase, I'm off to go investigate places to sleep and scuba locations...
Catch everyone in a day or two!!

Did I mention it's raining right now?

Well... as usual for us, we are running late so I am leaving this rather abruptly. We picked around 60 pictures that we both liked and show a variety of the activities and experiences that we saw in Northern Thailand and Laos. Today we are off to Southern Thailand and the beaches and islands down that direction!!!

Pictures are here:
http://squeeek.com/brent/images/albums/2005-11-25_Northern_Thailand-Laos/

Just a quick email from here in Laos. We're not staying very long in this country as we are itching to get down to southern Thailand and get on some climbs and get our diving certs. Whats funny is that it feels as though we have only spent one actual DAY in Laos -- which would be a tipical Visa run. BUT -- we'll have been here for 5 days by the time we leave. See... we spent a couple days getting to Luang Prabang.

A slow wandering boat (did I mention it is slow?) took us from the border of Thailand to a small village two days ago. Yesterday we got back on the slow boat and spent another 8 hours getting bored out of our minds (I read an entire long book with several hours to spare) meandering down the river. Now don't get me wrong. The views were amazing. And did I mention the climbing possibilities? But still -- 8 hours on a boat that is about 10m long is just way too long -- epecially while we are cramped up with tons of other peoples. And do I mean TONS of other people. They were filling the boat so that there were people who had to stand. It was crazy.

But tomorrow we start our slow trip back to bangkok. We should be there on Wednesday morning if everything works out the weay it should. That'll be 9hrs on a bus tomorrow to Vientenne, a 30min taxi ride to the border, a 5 minute walk across the bridge at the border, a 20minute tuk tuk ride to the train station, and an overnight train back to Bangkok -- hopefully arriving at 6:30am (meaning we'll arrive in Bangkok around 8am or so).

Then it's on down to the islands of Thailand!! Where we'll sit around on beaches being lazy and doing nothing (or climbing or diving...) -- but it'll be by choice!!

Laos is definitely an interesting country that should be explored -- only with bus and boat as the only forms of transportation, and a limited amount of time, we just can't see a whole heck of a lot of it. Ah well... that'll have to be the next trip!!!