Bits and pieces from my journal from past two weeks

ALLA SUOMEKSI

" I feel tired... Even though we slept quite late because it was raining yesterday so we didn't have to go and water the plants. Late means 7 am :)" Also today we slept late as it is weekend and we have day offs. So they woke us up at 7.30 for bfast. And yesterday I woke up about six because I wanted to go jogging. Not exactly like at home :D But there is no need to sleep later because there is no need to stay up late. Unless we are in Hat Yai and enjoying city life, like pubs ;)

"I got a very good birthday present. A roommate! Claire came from Switzerland and was quite in a shock in a beginning. Culture shock and affects of the long trip luckily were settled with a good night sleep and the next morning she already felt that it is possible to stay in this country for those two months she intended to stay. Now after two weeks we still get along perfectly. We have played all sort of games we can think of and went to Hat Yai to drink some tequilas and beers in English pubs (Claire is half English by the way).

Claire in a our "local" in Hat Yai /
Claire meidan kantiksessa Hat Yaissa

"We both (Claire and me) have a history as scouts so we are both practical people and enjoy being in a nature. We have also adopted couple of animals as we both love different kind of animals. Samu (Edelmann) is our first pet (if you don't count the gekkos and lizards and all sort of insects). Now a days it comes quite often to check out if we have left some bread unattended and we can hear him trying to get attention from the neighbors as well. Our second adopted animal is Bobby, a skinny little puppy dog who got his name after the English policemen." Bobby has been seen now like three times so we know it is alive. But because the locals throw wild dogs with things and slap them if they come too close, Bobby is a very insecure little thing. We managed to get it close with food. Maybe it is too small to be too afraid of people or it was just so hungry. But giving bits of food we got him close enough so we could scratch him. And he ate with a such appetite. I hope we could get a chance to give him a bit more food so it would grow stronger and be able to fight a bit better for his food. He has lost one ear already in those noisy and apparently brutal fights.

Samu (Edelmann)

"Life in here Kok Riang continues stable. Meals still make the rhythm of  the day and we work with small and sometimes with a bit bigger things. When ever the weather is good for working. I wonder what we do now when the weather starts to get more rainy... We have also started to work out because the tasty food and few work load shows easily on the hips :) One needs to be imaginative to find means to work out in this weather. We have had small exercise moments or yoga on the terrace of our hut or even on the back of a moving pick-up truck. And we have gone jogging and cycling (we got bikes on last week!) around one small fake lake. Locals arrange an aerobic-lesson in there every night and it is very famous among the local ladies. Men got their share of a fresh air by cycling around the lake or going around it with motorcycles. The most amazing mean of "exercising" I have seen so far is to go by car (brand new pick-ups) around the lake but with the walking speed...

We decided to stay with our Thai-family for this weekend. The wife of our host comes home only every second weekend from her job and we went to pick her up on Friday. They bought so many western unhealthy things from Tesco Lotus!! We eat very healthily during the weeks (except all the thai desserts we are offered a bit too often :D) so it was quite of a shock to see all those donuts, sweet bread and enormous amount of food. But we ate so well. And me and Claire, we made a pumpkin soup and garlic bread and so delicious smoothie from the fresh fruits. 

We visited many places during this weekend like a market, a temple and even a hospital where we saw one close friend of the family in coma. I assume our hosts think that we want to go and see things when ever we can so they take us with when they go somewhere. We often enjoy it but for example today, we just sat in a car and went around places where we couldn't talk with anyone when we could have stayed at home and read a book. But it has been very interesting to see the places we would never visit without a thai-family. Even the hospital was interesting place to see. So many people just put on the hallways of the hospital and big rooms. Dying ones next to the almost healthy ones. It just requires patience because we don't know where they take us and why. Even though I know now that much Thai so I judge I could already understand more than they are willing to explain, as if it is not necessary to explain to us as we are young and maybe foreigners. Just some cultural differences again. I am on my way to be the most patient woman in the world ;)

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Viime viikolla nukuttiin useasti myohaan koska edellisena iltana satoi, eli meidan ei tarvinnut menna kastelemaan kasveja. Myohaan tarkoittaa siis seitsemaan :) Monesti herataan viimeistaan kuudelta, tai siis kello on soimassa 5.40. On aika upeaa paasta puutarhaan auringon nousessa, istua lavalla ja tuntea thaimaassa niin harvinainen viilea tuuli.

Sain muuten syntymapaivalahjaksi kaverin! Claire tuli Sveitsista ja oli aluksi aikamoisessa kulttuurishokin pyorityksessa. Mutta jo seuraavana aamuna maailma naytti paremmalta ja  Claire tunsi etta on sittenkin mahdollista olla taalla se kaksi kuukautta mika hanella oli alunperinkin suunnitelmissa. Nyt pari viikkoa myohemmin tulemme edelleen loistavasti toimeen. Olemme pelanneet kaiken maailman peleja joita vain on tullut mieleen (laivanupotusta, korttipeleja, tehty thaisanoista muistipeli yms yms) ja kayty Hat Yaissa rentoutmassa eli juomassa vahan tequilaa ja olutta englantilaisissa pubeissa.

Hat Yai

Kummallakin meista on partiotausta, joten olemme kummatkin kaytannon ihmisia ja tykataan olla luonnossa. Olemme myos ottaneet hoteisiimme elaimia, ja innolla nimenneet uusia kavereitamme. Samu (Edelmann) oli meidan ensimmainen lemmikkimme (jos ei gekkoja, liskoja ja kaiken maailman otokoita oteta lukuun). Nykyaan Samu nukkuu verannalla ja varastaa kaiken syotavaksi kelpaavan. Toinen elaimemme on pikkuinen laiheliini koiranpentu Bobby, joka on nimetty englantilaisten poliisien mukaan. Bobby on muiden lajitovereidensa tavoin erittain arka, silla kulkukoirat saavat helposti kammenesta tai niita yritetaan hatistaa heittamalla tavaroita. Bobby ei kuitenkaan ollut viela oppinut pelkaamaan tai se oli liian nalkainen, silla saimme sen kerran tulemaan lahellemme ruoanpalojen avulla. Olemme nahneet sen muutaman kerran mutta jos muita perheenjasenia on lahella, emme uskalla antaa sille ruokaa. Eilen saimme heidat ymmartamaan etta olemme nimenneet sen ja ehka he saalivat sita/ meita ja bobby sai tutkia puutarhaa ruoantahteiden toivossa.Toivon etta saisimme Bobbyn kasvamaan vahan isommaksi, jotta se voisi paremmin taistella ruoastaan isompia kulkukoiria vastaan. Tahan mennessa Bobby on jo menettanyt toisen korvansa.

Elama taalla Kok Riangissa jatkuu tasaisena. Ruokailut rytmittavat paivia ja teemme pikku askareita tai vahan isompia projekteja (pihan haravointia, istutusta tai vessan rakennusta) aina kun saa vain sallii. Nyt kausi on alkanut muuttua sateisemmaksi, joten meilla voi olla edessa hiljaisemmat ajat. Olemme myos alkaneet kuntoilemaan, silla makoisat ruoat ja vahainen tyomaara nakyy jo reippaasti lantiolla :) Kuntoilutapoja ja paikkoja loytyy tassakin saassa kunhan vain kayttaa mielikuvitustaan. Jumppaame ja joogaamme vaikka pienen majamme terassilla tai lava-auton lavalla tuulen viilentaessa. Kaymme lenkilla hamaran aikaan ja pyorailemassa (saimme viime viikonloppuna pyorat!!) laheisen pienen tekojarven ympari. Siella jarjestetaan illalla aina airobic johon paikalliset mammat osallistuvat sankoin joukoin. Miehet saattavat ulkoilla pyoraillen tai joskus kiertaen jarvea skoottereilla. Mielenkiintoisin "ulkoilumuoto" on ihmisilla jotka kiertavat jarvea upouusilla autoillaan ja katumaastureilla - kavelyvauhtia. 

Tana viikonloppuna paatimme pysya kotosalla ja thai-perheemme aiti tuli taas viikonloppuvierailulle. Han kay kotona vain joka toinen viikonloppu, silla han tyoskentelee muualla. Olimme shokissa siita ruokamaarasta (erityisesti lansimaisista epaterveellisista herkuista) joita he ostivat viikonlopuksi. Donitsit, pasteijat ja herkkuleivokset eivat todellakaan kuulu viikkottaiseen ruokavalioomme (saatamme Clairen kanssa kayda salaa ostamassa niita tosin :D ) Kavimme monissa paikoissa kuten temppelissa, markkinoilla ja jopa sairaalassa jossa perheen lahiystava makasi koomassa aivoverenvuodon (nain ymmarsimme jalkikateen) takia. Tuntuu silta etta isantaperheemme ajattelee etta haluamme mita tahansa virikkeita arkeemme joten he ottavat meidat mukaan kaikkialle. Se on ajatuksena kaunis,mutta koska he eivat selita minne me olemme menossa tai miksi me olemme mukana, taytyy lansimaalaisen opetella nielemaan turhautuneisuus ja menna vain mukana/ Nykyaan uskallan sanoa etta osaan sen verran thaita etta mina ymmartaisin mikali he vain haluaisivat selittaa. Mutta tuntuu etta se ei kuulu heidan tapoihinsa ehka koska olemme nuoria tai koska olemme ulkomaalaisia. Luultavasti molemmat.

Niin sita voi loytaa itsensa thaimaalaisesta sairaalasta keskelta potilasmerta tai istumasta autossa tuntikausia vain kaymassa joidenkin sukulaisten luona jossa emme edes keskustele kenenkaan kanssa. Sairaala oli kylla sinaansa mielenkiintoinen tutustumiskohde, silla se erosi paljon suomalaisista sairaaloista. Potilaat olivat suurissa huoneissa ilman minkaanlaista yksityisyytta ja kaytavatkin olivat taynna paareja. Kuolevat ja pienivammaiset vierekkain. Voinkin siis sanoa etta tutustumme thai-perheemme avulla tosiaan sellaisiin asioihin joihin ei lomamatkalla tormaa. Suuri osa naista kokemuksista on positiivisia, mutta kulttuurierot vain aina vaativat vahan sopeutumista. Musta on tulossa kovaa vauhtia maailman karsivallisin nainen ;)

Thai people can really party!

It was crazy! We were wet before we even got out from the bus because the people were throwing water from their pickups when they were passing the bus (you can see how the buses look like from the picture below).



The center of Hat Yai was packed. Many streets were only for pedestrians and everyone had a watergun, bucket or atleast some baby powder.
They mixed it with water and some menthol thing so it was like a paste and they put it to faces of everyone. Someone were polite and even apologized before putting it but mostly they just put it on (hair, ears whole face all in mess :d)





But it was really crazy icy water, hot water and buckets and buckets of water. And loud music, live music and people partying. Very very cool :D

I have to go! Check this out ;) You can see from here how it looked like!

My third new year of the year will be wet

BELOW IN ENGLISH

Olen alkanut ymmartaa, miksi tallaisissa paikoissa on paljon perinteita ja perinnejuhlia. Arki on aika tasaista ja jannia tapahtumia on yleensa aika vahan. Pidin kerran pienta englannin oppituntia naapurin teini-ikaisille lapsille ja heidan tehtavanaan oli kertoa mita he tekivat viime viikolla ja mita he tulevat tekemaan seuraavalla lomallaan. Vastaukset olivat jannia, silla lahes kaikki vastasivat samalla tavalla: 'olin kotona' ja 'seuraavalla lomallani olen kotona.

Lapset, nuoret ja harvat aikuiset ovat lansimaissa usein tyytymattomia mikali koko ajan ei tapahdu jotain. Taalla arjessa ei tarvitse olla paljon sapinaa, mutta juhlista tehdaan sitten sitakin suurempi numero. Ja juhlia on sitten joka tarpeeseen. Tana viikonloppuna taalla vietetaan uutta vuotta ja suurta vesifestivaalia. Juhla oli perinteisesti vahan erilainen, mutta sita on muutettu hauskempaan muotoon. Juhlimme toissapaivana perinteen mukaan, eli olimme naapurissa missa koko suku oli kokoontuneena ja buddhalaisen perinteen mukaan paikalla oli myos munkkeja. Juhlassa pyydetaan anteeksiantoa ja toivotaan hyvaa onnea tuleavaisuudessa suvun vanhimmilta, eli tassa tapauksessa isovanhemmilta jotka siis asuvat samassa talossa kuin mina. Juhlaan kuuluu paljon mantroja munkkien johtamana, rukoilua, ruokaa ja traditioita joissa kaytetaan vetta (esim. jokainen vuorollaan valuttaa vetta sovanhempien kasien paalle).

Tama on siis juhlan perinteinen osuus, oli oikein mukavaa seurata sita. Sain myos harvinaisen tilaisuuden puhua munkin kanssa. Naiset ovat hyvin vahan tekemisissa munkkien kanssa ja tuntui todella hyvalta kun Lung Jeng luotti minuun niin paljon (lahinna varmaan etta osaisin kayttaytya) ja pyysi minut keskustelemaan hetkeksi munkin kanssa. Vaikken tunne tapoja viela hyvin, tiesin etta se oli iso juttu.

Uusia perinteita on muun muassa juhlan muuttaminen maanlaajuiseksi vesisodaksi. Sain ensimmaisen kasteeni tanaan kun kavimme Tescossa ostamassa tykotarpeita ja lansimaista aamupalaa (croissantteja ja muffinsseja :p) ja perhe skootterin paalla otti meidat kohteekseen. Kun menemme kohta keskustaan niin saamme paallemme sangoittain (oikeasti) vetta. Ja jotta homma olisi hauskempaa on vesi viilennetty jaapaloilla. Eilen kun muutamat vapaaehtoiset tulivat keskustasta he olivat kuin uitettuja koiria. Perinteeseen kuuluu viela naamojen sotkeminen vauvatalkilla, joten suihku on paivan paatteeksi todella tarpeen :D Kamat on jo pakattuna muovipusseihin ja vedenpitava kamera ladattu. Huomenna kerron miten kavi :D

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When I was sort of giving an English lesson to the neighborhood teenagers I asked them to tell me what they did last week and what they will do when they have a holiday. The answers were almost all the same. "Last week I was at home" and "next week I will be at home". There are few possibilities to go somewhere and they don't find the reason to do it.

I have started to understand why people in here are so into traditions and traditional celebrations. Weeks go by quite similar and there are few exciting events. It is a way western young people and adults find hard to live. We need something going on all the time. They don't make a big deal about ordinary life but they make big deal about the celebrations. And there are celebrations to every occasion :) This weekend Thai people are celebrating their new year. It is the third new year for me and for sure again different.

The tradition was different but they have changed it to a bit more fun form. We got to know also the true tradition because the family of my host arranged a party according to the tradition. It is a party for the grandparents. They ask for the forgiveness from them and hope for the good luck. Party included chanting monks, praying, a lot of food and water. Everyone for example spilled water on the hands of the grandparents. I got a rare possibility to speak with a monk when my host Lung Jeng asked me to come with them. I felt honoured and good that he trusted me, because eventhough I don't know the habits I knew it was somehow a big thing.

Now a days the tradition is changed to more fun form, as they have made it as a country wide water war :) I am staying this weekend at Dalaa office in Hat Yai with some other volunteers to experience this festival. I got my first share of it today when we went to Tesco (to buy western bfast with croissants and muffins :p) and a family on top of a scooter shot us with their water guns. When we go to the city center I will get buckets (really) of a cold water poured to my head and to make it more fun the water is cooled with a lot of ice. Yesterday some volunteers who came earlier went to the city center and when they came back they really were soaken wet. And white as ghosts as according to the new tradition people are also putting baby powder to everyone's face. So the shower is indeed needed after this festival :) I have packed my belongings to the double plastic bags and taken my waterproof camera. I will tell tomorrow how it went :D

My neighbor is noisy!

ALLA SUOMEKSI

It was quite of an experience to get my family to the place I live now. You can imagine how my sister and brother were handling the night in my hut when they made a "cockroach check" every night even in that nice hotel, put the bin full of water to plug the sewers in the shower :D and the place I live now is a bug zoo really.

But over all it went well. They were travelling happily on the back of the pick up van and visited the garden and helped with watering. Lung Jeng had been thoughtful and none of the food was spicy. I made some fried papaya and some rye bread sticks (I loooooved to have it from Finland and I carried it to bfast many mornings in Krabi even though my brother was ashamed of me ;) ) and everyone got their tummy full. I think they thought that one night was though enough for them in there and my sister even said that she doesn't understand how I can live like that. Well I am happy that she came, she couldn't understand otherwise how the life is in here and how different it can be from the life in Finland.

That is actually what I thought yesterday before sleeping. How life is so different for me now. My normal life in Finland included about 8 hours work a day, now it doesn't feel like work but is still tiring as I wrote some time ago. I went for drinks with my friends, in here I don't drink at all. I was alone in my apartment and watched tv, in here I have quite few possibilities to be alone unless I am in my hut and I don't watch tv at all. And I will have a roommate on next week I think! In Finland I walked to work, to the bus stop, around Helsinki but here I don't basically walk. I cannot move around alone either because I am not allowed to drive scooter nor car and I don't have a bike yet. Thai people don't understand how someone can walk even to the house of a neighbor so if I say that I will walk some, someone insists to give me a ride :D And many other things such as eating on the floor, being outside all the time and also sleeping outside with all the noise. Now you might think that what noise, it should be quiet and peaceful in that Kok Riang, a place where Google maps cannot reach :) Well it is peaceful but far from quiet!

You have probably heard that karaoke is quite famous in Asia and people are really fond of it :) Well I have first hand experience about it now. Especially on weekends (but almost all other days as well) the neighbors are having some karaoke party and their audio equipment are respectable. They have huge speakers and it sounds really like a summer festival and I have a seat in a first row. But this festival is open for every kind of singers, and they do sing from all their heart. I sleep usually around nine or ten and at that time the party is barely starting :) That mixed to the brutal fights of the neighborhood cats and dogs, gekkos, all the bugs... The noise is really astonishing, I am glad that I am quite good sleeper :p

I admit that I felt quite lonely after my family left. I expected it and its better now but it brought other feelings as well. For example I started to think what to do after this. I had managed not to think that but now I feel that I need to start to think about it so I do something smart and not end up without money to the doorsteps of my parents. So soon it is time to start to think the next step. I still enjoy the feeling that I have the world open but open means so many options and choises! I got a hint about a rental apartment in Hyryla, I have to add that to my "options for the next step-list" ...:D

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Nyt on perhe kaynyt ja lahtenyt taalta taman hetkisesta kodistani. Oli aika kokemus heille ja minullekin :) Sisko ja veli tekivat torakkatarkistuksia jopa siina siistissa hotellissa ja pistivat yoksi roskikseen vetta ja sen tukkimaan suihkun viemarin etteivat otokat kompisi yolla heidan huoneeseensa :P voitte siis kuvitella etta heilla ei ollut hymy herkassa taalla otokkaelaintarhassa :) Kaikki meni kuitenkin ihan hyvin. Jopa aiti istuskeli lava-auton lavalla katseli maailman menoa. Kavimme myos puutarhalla kastelemassa kasvit ja kaikki paasivat hommiin. Lung Jeng oli ollut huomaavainen ja jattanyt chilit pois ruoista talla kertaa. Mina vasasin viela bravuriani eli paistettua papaijaa ja teinpa myos jaaneista ruisleivista leipatikkuja. Oli kylla niin ihanaa saada ruisleipaa! Kannoin sita veljen hapeaksi aamupaloille mukanani ja tein omat leivat buffetissa ;)

Elama taalla on kylla niin erilaista. Sisko sen huomattuaan totesi, ettei ymmarra miten mina voin asua taalla. Heille yksi paiva oli varmasti tarpeeksi. Mutta olen iloinen etta he kavivat. Sisko ja muutkaan eivat millaan voisi kuvitella miten erilaista elama voi olla muualla kuin Suomessa jolleivat olisi tulleet tanne vierailulle. Maistuu varmasti elama siistissa kodissa sitten paremmalta :)

Mietin eilen illalla kuinka elama tosiaan on lahes kaikilta osilta erilaista kuin Suomessa. Kotona tein noin kahdeksan tunnin tyopaivaa, taalla tyo ei tunnu tyolta,  mutta kuten aiemmin kirjoitin on valmiustilassa oleminen rankkaa. Kavin Helsingissa ystavien kanssa ulkona, taalla en juo edes yhta kaljaa perjantain kunniaksi. Liikuin Suomessa paljon kavellen (toihin, bussipysakille, ympari Helsinkia), taalla en oikeastaan kavele minnekaan. Thaimaalaiset eivat ymmarra kavelyn paalle, jopa naapuriin saatetaan menna skootterilla. Aina jos lahden jonnekin kavellen joku tulee ja ei lahde ennen kuin hyppaan kyytiin :D Tama kylla sitten vaikuttaa myos siihen etten oikeastaan voi liikkua itsenaisesti. En saa ajaa autoa enka skootteria eika minulla ole viela pyoraa. Muutenkin kotona vietin aika paljon aikaa yksin katsellen esimerkiksi telkkaria, taalla ei yksinaan oloa ymmarreta joten en ole oikeastaan yksin kuin majassani. Siihenkin tulee muutos kun saan luultavasti ensi viikolla huonekaverin :)

Nukkuminenkin on aikalailla erilaista. Yksi syy on tietenkin se etta nukun tavallaan ulkona. Mutta toinen syy on se etta hiljaisuudesta ei ole tietoakaan yollakaan. Varmaan ajattelit etta taalla Kok Riangissa, Google Mapsin ulottumattomissa taytyy olla hiljaista ja rauhallista. No rauhallista on muttei todellakaan hiljaista. Olet ehka kuullut etta aasialaiset ovat erityisen innostuneita karaokelaulajia. Minulla on nyt ensikaden tietoa asiasta ja saankin lahes joka yo olla yleisossa ihan eturivissa. Naapureilla on todella kunniotettavat audiovehkeet ja niissa ei aanta saastella. Tuntuu kuin olisi musiikkifestivaaleilla paitsi etta tama festivaali on avoinna kaiken tasoisille laulajille. Lauluun sekoittuu sopivasti naapureiden kymmenien koirien ja kissojen verisia taistoja seka gekkojen ja kaikien maailman otokoiden aantelya. Melu on todella allistyttava, olen iloinen etta olen aika hyva nukkuja :)

Taytyy myontaa etta olin aika haikea kun aiti, sisko ja veli jatkoivat matkaansa. Onneksi pienen sisaisen kiukuttelun ja  suruttelun jalkeen olo on parempi. Ja osasin kylla odottaa sellaisia fiiliksia. Mutta sita en osannut odottaa etta heidan vierailunsa toi mieleen sen etta tama kokemus loppuukin joskus. Ja sita varten olisi hyva miettia vahan mita sita seuraavaksi aikoo ettei sitten rahattomana ilmesty vanhempien etuovelle. No sita valttaakseni tein kylla jo jotain varotoimia etukateen mutta kaipa sita rahaa pitaisi jostain tulevaisuudessa saada. Olin onnistunut (niin kuin halusinkin) unohtamaan tulevaisuuden ja elamaan hetkessa, tosin vain kuukauden. Mutta nyt pitanee ruveta pikkuhiljaa miettimaan tulevaisuutta. Olen vielakin onnellinen etta minulla on maailma avoinna ja pullollaan mahdollisuuksia. Sain muun muassa vinkin vuokra-asunnosta Hyrylassa, kyllahan sekin pitaa kirjata "mita seuraavaksi-listaan" :)

Monkey-life in Aonang, Krabi

Here in Ao Nang life is relaxed. We eat (a lot of small sweet bananas which wouldnt pass EU-criteria) we chill out by the pool, sun bath on the beach and enjoy the family around us. Quite of a monkey life :) And it is so nice to be with my family. Of course they are awsome (my mom is awfully proud when she is presenting us as her children :p) but it is so nice to eat with some people that i know and like and to be able to point out funny things and laugh at them together (yesterday we saw a spitting shell with my brother :) ).







We have been in Krabi for six days now and it is time to leave this place. Our first hotel was amazing. It is next to the beach (my brothers wish when choosing a hotel) but it also has pools (my sisters first criteria) so we can choose. And a veeeery nice breakfast. It was my criterIa. My mothers only criteria was that the hotel needs to have an AC :D so this one met all the criterias.







On sunday we decided to leave our "home beach" and went for a small trip to an island close by. It was funny little island called Tube island and by noon it had lost all the beach because of the high tide. For me it was quite funny but my sister would have preferred to sit on the beach instead of those rocks in that tiny island :p But the water was warm and the views awsome so we enjoyed it even though it wasnt exactly what we had thought of.







Yesterday we rented scooters. I was driving and had my mom relatively not scared behind me and my brother had my very scared sister behind of him. Driving on the left side wasnt at all difficult and our 30 km trip to national park went very well. We saw also some elephants on the way. Poor things were on duty.





Unfortunately my brother had fever so we just briefly visited the national park and its almost dried waterfalls. But there was enough water to dip a bit and cool down. Over all the scooter trip went better than expected (by couple of people in my family :p) and they got a chance to see something else than just crowded beach. Some more culture shock ahead because the will travel with me back to Hat Yai and to Kok Riang to visit my current home for one night. Lets see what they think about the drive on the pick up van :)



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Elämä maistuu täällä Aonangin rannalla Krabilla. Syödään (paljon herkullisia pikkubanaananeja jotka eivät kyllä läpäisisi eu-kriteerejä), juodaan, lekotellaan rannalla ja nautitaan perheestä ympärillä. Varsinaista apinan elämää :)



Ensimmäinen hotellimme oli ihana. Se oli rannan tuntumassa (veljen toive hotellia valittaessa), siinä oli pari ihanaa uima-allasta vehreällä sisäpihalla (siskon toive) ja ihana buffet aamiainen (sehän oli minulle tärkeää). Äidin ainoa kriteeri oli että hotellissa on ilmastointi, eli saimme kaikki toiveet täytettyä tällä hotellilla. Makuuhuoneessa oli jopa kylpyamme verhojen takana ja kaiken maailman spa-tököttejä. Kyllä kelpasi :)



Nautimme pääasiassa rannasta ja kaupoista (siskolla ja veljellä säästöt polttelivat) mutta kävimme myös yhdellä pienellä saarella nimeltä Tube. Nousuveden myötä ranta hävisi ja jouduimme istuskelemaan kivillä tai vedessä. Mutta onneksi se oli lämmintä :) Kaloja oli jos minkä näköisiä ja paljon ja snorklailimme veljen kanssa niiden perässä auringonpalvomisen välissä.



Eilen kävimme skoottereilla kansallispuistossa. Ajoimme veljen veljen kanssa sujuvasti vasemmanpuoleisessa liikenteessä. Sisko oli aika peloissaan veljen takana (tosin jo illalla aika oli kullannut muistot :p) mutta minun takanani istunut äiti oli yllättävän rauhallinen ja nautti erilaisten maisemien katselusta ja paikalliselon näkemisestä. Pian sitä tulee lisää sillä hieman skeptinen poppoo seuraa minua Hat Yaihin ja Kok Riangiin yhdeksi yöksi näkemään miltä minun nykyinen asuinpaikkani oikein näyttää. Saa nähdä mitä ovat mieltä avolavakyydistä ... ;)