the BLUE-EST of them all

2 more islands to go...
and the BLUE-EST of them all

KO PHANGAN

arriving in from Ko Lanta - we were ready for a little more energy and feel from the chilled vibe from Lanta. We found a great place to nest in - Sabaii Bay Resort. sweet, simple bungalows along the water... open air lounge but the final draw was the music - it could of been my itunes. i was won over as well as an excellent dvd collection for a viewing pleasure at any time. we rented a bike and went north to Ao Chaloklum - a tiny fishing village that has longtail boat taxis that took us over to Bottle Beach - 2 coves over which is best to get to by boat as the roads are not so great to ride. Bottle Beach was pristine and lovely. quieter than other parts but well worth the trip. along the north we also came to Koh Ma which is excellent for snorkeling and massages. the coral reef comes quite close up the beach - there is desired path - about 1m wide and 40m long to get out to a swimming area with corals all around you. the turquoise here was piercing. a small island is close by - where you can meander but booties would be greatly welcomed as it is surrounded by the coral reef. ko phangan is known for it's full moon parties - unfortunately, we did not have the timing right for a full moon but we had a black moon party to check out. it is the smallest of the parties, i enjoyed it all the same as it was in one venue - all of us craving one thing or another, dancing in the moonlight and surrounded by fire performances that flashed sparks in all our eyes. day after, was a day of movies and lounging - not much use for anything else. well deserved all the same after that night before. Ao Nai Wok is a great look out point too. it is more along the western coast and looks onto another off the shore island. A's Guesthouse is the place to stop in for lunch and if your wallet allows, they have a glass bungalow pavilion to rent out. Dinners were our night market excursions - each a new tale to taste. the markets are infamous for their feasting at only about 80THB. one evening the rains came... that rain, it does something to me and puts me in a zone that is hard to beat. the contrast of those fluorescent lights against the black sky and illuminated rain, at a sheer downpour - i could wait there for hours and be content. i forgot where i was a few times - but came back to the clatter of sizzling pots and aromas filling the sweet rain air... Haad Thian beach also a bit remote but a find all the same. quiet and restorative here - they have a yoga/meditation resort called The Sanctuary if time allowed, i would of stayed here longer.

KO TAO

i must say -
Ko Tao was the favorite of the islands
.. and the thing is i was not really planning on making it here - it was on the list but definitely on the low end of the totem poll as i was not definite on doing the diving. i am glad i changed my mind. Ko Tao was an excellent choice and will hold a fond part in my hearts of hearts for the island circuit.

we had gotten a recommendation for a dive center from friends in Ko Phangan so we started there... New Way Diving is run by a crew of maybe six dive instructors and groups are no bigger than four - just right size for me. we walked in and i was ready to sign on the dotted line. i signed up for the Open Water dive certification which took about four days. Accommodation was included and the spot was not so shabby, Sunsetburi Resort just across the way - great deal. The first time i went underwater, my body froze and it felt foreign in every way. the breathing was crazy to me. i am so used to breathing through my nose from yoga and now it was all the through the mouth. at first, my brain created a bit of madness and i could not get it down but with practice and got into it and adjusted. the oxygen made me super thirsty every time and sometimes i would have to remind myself to keep breathing, number one rule in diving. the first dive out was some chaos in my head... all that equipment, valves, objects to look after and necessary for survival - it was a bit much and yet again by the second dive, all the unknowns were wiped away and i found my comfort zone. so i immersed myself in the diving for a good four days. we did our deepest dive which was to 18M and finding that weightless buoyancy was bliss. i got it. i understood what all the hype was about. all those technicalities went away and you are just there, wading between the fish and the water world. the area we kept our daily lives to was maybe a 5 block NYC radius and it was fine by me - i loved it, surprising myself to be honest. walking up and down Saarinen Beach was a daily routine - lined with bars and restaurants, we found our niches. One was Blue Wind - wood pavilions with floor cushions were you could wait the whole day out and fresh veggie food. The resort had a yoga pavilion in the back which i tried out. i was out of practice for sure but funny how my body craved the movement - yoga is such a clear, simple means to an end for me. felt amazing after. another constant was the 30THB fresh fruit shakes i picked up to keep my sugars peaked from the immaculate fruit cart vendor. Nights brought us back to the same few venues - and as the days went by, we came to know some of the regulars - Fizz, Lotus Bar and The Office were them along with the constant fire shows that intoxicated me every time. They moved in such a graceful motion, effortless as if the fire and them had an understanding of limits. Dancing, dancing, dancing every night on the beach - under the moonlight shared the stars is a feeling so tactile and full to me. I could not get enough of it. I had a few days to take in other parts of the island's beauty - Freedom Beach and Shark Island are a couple to start with. During high tide along Saarinen beach, the smooth warm waters would rise up to the steps of the resorts and draw you in - a veiling so pleasurable.

As the islands go --- i would say, i saved the best for last.

in an instant

in an instant, this came to me today -

as i was getting lost somewhere between the sea and the sky and listening to "sweet disposition" by the temper trap.

so, here goes -

FULLNESS
A veiling darkness propels a vision
And holds onto a piercing belief
With space and time as it's anchor

The radiance envelopes itself
Into a fullness so vast
Neither the stars nor the skies can bind it

It is this knowing, in a finite breathe
When the self soars
And the spirit manifests
Where possibility is the only choice

A choice to fight
A fight to fly
And in that flight... freedom is living...
And living is fullness.

blue period

well--

picasso had his blue period from 1901-1904 and thailand has been mine since july 2nd... it is the blues that are strongest and what i see -- it is the blues that are so vivid and saturated in a range of hues that make up thailand's existence.

arriving in from delhi a shift in reality to say the least. india was full on with its impact, a force you cannot reckon with whereas thailand is a force that is done with an ease of grace... gentle and light... effortless. the cocoon of blues shedding one by one in layers that also result in a resounding glow.

my first place to land my feet was krabi. a little bustling town where you can jump from the many surrounding islands. i laid my head down at chanchalay guesthouse. perfectly suited as its shades where all the blues of its land. run by two sisters, it had such a welcoming feel to it. first day i did a boat tour to bamboo island, viking cave, piley bay, lohsamah bay, maya bay, monkey beach and hin klang. within these stops, we had a chance to snorkel - open water was my favorite (think i got the diving itch) at night in town, they had night markets where the locals set up shop with rows and rows of pristine, fresh food stalls making dishes to order that absolutely melt in your mouth. both locals and foreigners came together at night with simple plastic chairs and tables. i came to love this thai grandmother whose speciality was baked quail eggs and baked coconut pudding cakes (you get 10 for 10THB). next day i had a go at rock climbing in raleigh. it did me in... it was challenging to say the least. they say it is all legs but my arms told me differently for the few days after. my first climb was about 25ft and then climbs after we went up to 60ft or so... trust is a big part of it. trust in the relay person down on the ground feeding you climbing rope - give and take. at first i kept repeating myself saying "tension" wanting the rope as tight as possible but as time went by i started to let up a bit. the thrilling part is coming down - repelling down the cliff - so liberating!!! raleigh beach is a MUST. we ventured there a few times - the lagoon - the west coast - all so picturesque and lovely.

from krabi, we went to ko lanta.
this island did not possess the killer rock formations as the andaman coast but it did possess a peek into another beauty..

we stayed at time for lime - a little guesthouse tucked away, communal area is all done to concrete slabs, chartreuse accents and a white canvas/thatched roof that covers an open kitchen area that offers cooking classes to those that are desiring to learn thai secrets. a tight knit group were taking care of the place whilst the owners where traveling, it felt like family and we were welcomed home with open arms. a laid back, chill vibe with regulars hanging out at the tiny bar overlooking the sea beyond. at sunset both locals and a group of swedes made this place here hangout as they spend months here to learn thai. the owner has set up a foundation for rescued dogs and cats in ko lanta. after the tsunami, many of the workers that left back to their respective homelands left their dogs that they had brought over initially for security. unfortunately this resulted in a high overpopulation of roaming dogs throughout the island. the owner created this foundation just up the street and if you want, they will offer you lodging if you volunteer to take care of the dogs. at the time for lime, there were about eight dogs keeping us company and many, many cats. each time i returned to our bungalow, i was greeted by a handful of cats lounging and snoozing on the patio. the gardens along the bungalows were full with flora and fauna, a little garden of eden. at night, there was a chartreuse light beacon on the beach to find our home amongst the starry night. the first sunset was breathtaking - all corals and lilacs. the locals begun their practice of chofi... a metal chain in each hand with a weighted end that can be lit with flames. i could watch them for hours... they would get in such a groove - it was almost hypothesizing. the next day we took the bike and drove and drove all along the coast of ko lanta - klong nin beach was stunning and lunch at roi thai was not too bad either, that night we celebrated with the crew from time for lime - the manager's birthday.

time had ended here and we decided to try for ko phiphi -
it was going to be a mix bag for me but the pull was to see maya bay -- that precious piece of turquoise bliss. maya did hold its end of the bargain. we also got in another blazing rust sunset amongst the piercing mountains and danced a night away on the beach. our stay in phiphi was short and sweet.

ready to move on...
ready to discover more blues, more seas, next port of entry is ko phangan.

Into The Deep - part II

Into The Deep - part I

into the deep of rajasthan has been a journey well worth it.

india has this magnetic pull that draws you in.. a seduction that you do not even realize has taken over you.. and most probably until much later will i feel the full effect but i can say here and now, it has seeped into me somehow, some way. you have to take it all -- and allow for the parts that may be a bit intolerable to just sit within you.. and then, somehow, some way the beauty of it all reveals itself to me like a chameleon.

india has a level of service i have not experienced before - you ask and you shall receive. a request to make a dress in an afternoon, a request to change/alter custom silver jewelry, a request to call in anything and it will come.

and then there is the people - beautiful. as we moved from one town to the next and going deeper into rajasthan, i witnessed communities and ways of life that were intoxicating in all their ways. yes simple for sure but how they did it, the way in which they do it is mesmerizing. and to deal with them all - you have to go in with all heart. the colors vivid against the muted backgrounds, the contrast stepped up - sandy flax backdrops against hot flashes of fuchsia and indigo.

on this part of the trip we covered ground on...
JAIPUR
- amber fort, old bazaar, palace of the winds, terrace nights looking over the city
NIMAJ BAGH
- orchard estate, jeep safari, village walk, guijars, nimaj palace
JODHPUR
- meherangarh fort, maharaja, on the rocks, sardar market, jain temple
UDAIPUR
- lake pichola, jagish temple, monsoon palace, city palace, monsoon rains

DELHI - mosque, bazaars, khal market, lotus temple, vasant vihar

On our last night in Udaipur, the rains came.
We were having dinner at a restaurant on the other side of the lake, sitting outside, looking at majestic city palace... and then, with all the hopes for the rains to come, they finally did. it was a downpour - fierce and stunning. we all fled to the kitchen for some time and enjoyed the company of guests and staff alike. everyone gleamed with joy - a sparkle in their eyes and a thankfulness that it finally came. they say, it had been a year of waiting for the rains - well its first mark was a magnificent one. we piled into rickshaws (ours had a box of rescued swallows in the back to keep us company) and gingerly made our way back to the hotel - through the flooding streets, dodging cows searching for shelter, everyone soaked to the bone and smiling with joy. at one point, i could not resist and lean outside the rickshaw, skim my hand along the watery streets and let the rains come down... what a perfect ending to our stay in rajasthan. we stayed up until dawn along with geese flying in formation above, while below tortoises and bats were scurrying around the garden.

it was all memorable.
the rains were very much welcomed.

the last leg of the trip was an overnight train to delhi... and i was a bit reluctant to leave rajasthan - i hope to come back to it some day. and as india has shown me so far, especially this past week, it's seduction will stay with me and seep into me much stronger with time.

Into The Deep - part II
photos to follow