Cruising around Asia...

Hi from Augusta! I’ve just got back to Augusta after a two week trip to Myanmar. Cato gave me a warm welcome and I am glad to be back. Cato finished the third editing of his novel while I was away, but I am back in time to help with editing the typing. I am looking forward to printing it out in a couple of days time so I can read it. He has worked through the whole manuscript after reading and considering the critique he received from Aschehoug last summer. I admire his perserverance and am hoping he will reap the well earned reward of getting it published. My trip to Myanmar was an amazing experience – on several levels. First of all, I met up with my sister in law, Anne Marie and her husband Michel. Although it was many years since Anne Marie and I had seen each other, it was as if we had talked to each other only yesterday – apart from the wrinkles of course! I thoroughly enjoyed roommating with my niece, Jessica. She is so full of life and has just completed a three month backpacker trip through India and Southeast Asia on her own. We kept to a budget of just under US$40 per day per person including all travel, accommodation, food, guides and souvenirs. This included traveling by local bus, (quite an adventure which I will come back to) by boat, by taxi, by horse and cart, by chauffeur driven car and by plane in addition to walking! And most of the time on non existant roads. We found friendly, clean and often surprisingly comfortable budget lodgings and ate at small local restaurants. It must be said that Myanmar cuisine leaves a lot to be desired… Myanmar is an amazing place....spectacular archeological sites at Bagan (thousands of temples on a flat plain built from 850 ad up to 1300's ). This was during a time of transition from Hindu and Mahayana Buddhist beliefs to Theravada Buddhist beliefs. The murals and carvings depict the misture of beliefs including Nats which are supernatural beings that safeguard the temples. We started our trip in Yangon visiting the golden Shwedagon Paya which is Myanmars’s most famous and spectacular stupa. The wealth of gold and jewels covering the temple is stunning... It rivals the Grand Palace in Bangkok. There were, however, in contrast to Bangkok many worshippers and very few tourists. We spent several hours wandering around and I would have liked to go back on my last day, but opted instead to go to the university area to see where Aung San Suu Kyi is imprisoned and pay my respect. She lives on University Avenue and there are control points before and after the area where she is kept in house arrest. All along University avenue the beautiful old buildings are decaying and overgrown. I was told that the campus was closed after the 1988 student demonstrations and is now only open for graduation ceremonies. Studies are spread all over the city in order to discourage students from organizing themselves for protests. For those who might be thinking of traveling to Myanmar, I can recommend the three Seasons Hotel costing 20US$ for a double room including a good breakfast. The rooms are clean and big with dark Myanmar panelling and a/c, but no window other than in the bathroom. They pick you up from the international airport on arrival for 4 to 6 US$ . Also the handicraft market is not open on Mondays…so plan your stay accordingly… unfortunately I didn’t (perhaps fortunate since I have no space to put anything!!). I can also recommend Nilar Win’s Cold Drink shop near the Sule Paya in the centre of the city…..the most delicious lassi. I even brought a liter of their yoghurt back to Augusta! From Yangon we took the night bus to Mandalay. This turned out to be quite an adventure because the country has virtually no roads outside of the capital....the bus(which was ancient and filled to bursting point, was supposed to take 15 hours. There were only three stops.....but after 3 extra stops due to punctured tire, broken springs and improvised repairs done in a little bamboo hut functioning as a smith along the roadside!!! the entire frame of the bus seemed to collapse and the bus couldn’t budge.....there were at least 4 men on board ready to do repairs and there were lots of old tools...but the bus was literally down on the road at one corner...the whole frame had broken I think. Passengers were left to manage the rest of the journey themselves while the bus was jacked up and propped with bricks and young men disappeared underneath.....We were 170kms from Mandalay. We found a little roadside café and sat watching the local life – carts pulled by oxen, vendors preparing little leaf packets filled with lyme paste, crushed betal nut and aniseed. We eventually crowded ourselves onto a smaller bus with people not only inside but also up on the roof! I was quite surprised that, on arrival, all four of us were in very good spirits, even when we discovered we had forgotten one bag on the original bus....but believe it or not...we were able to pick it up the next day! We did, however, have second thoughts about further local bus travel….mainly due to our limited number of days! Mandalay has also been the capital of Myanmar. Around the city are the three ancient cities called Amarapura with the famous U bein’s teak bridge, Inwa and Sagaing. There are lots of monasteries and I have never seen so many monks before.....the men wear dark saffron robes and the women wear pink! We found ourselves arriving at one monastery together with busloads of tourists just in time to “watch” the monks file into their dining area and eat in silence. The tourists gawking was a far stranger sight than the monks eating….but soon the hoards left and just a handful of us were left to wander around the area. It was interesting to observe all the children and women in the monastery area. After the monks had finished their meal they proceeded outside with their pots to give food to the children and women before doing their washing up. Myanmar has long had a tradition of puppetry so we went to an evening performance put on for tourists which is keeping the tradition alive. We did not get time to go to the Moustache brothers political comedy show which explains and makes fun of Myanmar local customs. But don’t expect any criticism of the junta…..the brothers have previously been arrested for that… From Mandalay we took a boat upriver to visit the ancient sites at Mingun. There, after a visit to the pagoda and temple bell, I made a short visit to the Mingun Sanitarium which functions as a nursing home for the elderly who do not have families who can care for them. The nurse speaks good english and surprisingly she is Christian (surprising because it was a buddhist infirmary). She showed me around and while we chatted I asked about what sicknesses are most prevalent amongst the population generally. She told me a number of diseases such as AIDS, TB, Malaria......but the biggest problem is that the government simply says there aren't any problems. Back in Mandalay we returned to the pleasant Hotel Peacock, $US20 per night for double including breakfast with a hostess who speaks excellent english. She arranged flight tickets, car pickups and was generally extremely helpful. After three nights in Mandalay we took a private car(US$100) with chauffeur to the holy buddhist Hpo Win Daung Caves(136kms). This is a series of temples built from the 14th Century up to the 18th Century into the limestine caves. There are some amazing murals.....this was a bit off the beaten track and along the way we passed through flat country where there is copper mining...the people were working under incredibly poor conditions in a dreadfully dry landscape....I'm sure mining must have looked like that a couple of thousand years ago. In Monywa we stayed at Shwe Taung Tarn Hotel and Restaurant which looked pretty grim on arrival but the hotel building is at the back and is surprisingly comfortable. There is a lovely terrace where breakfast is served (although the surrounding buildings leave a lot to be desired!). They serve a fruit platter which is a feast for your eyes, as well as the usual eggs, toast and pancakes etc..(US$16 for a double including breakfast). Next day we took an all day boat ride down the Ayerwaddy river arriving at Bagan just before sunset. This is a luxury boat by Myanmar standards. It feels a like being back in the colonial times sitting on deck watching life on the river and being served lunch in a ship restaurant! However it is not to be missed. Sometimes the landscape reminded me of the river trip from Battambang to Siem Reap in Cambodia, but the ayerwaddy river is wider, the people much poorer and the landscape incredibly even drier. I spoke to one tourist who said he had done the same trip during the dry season 10 years ago but it had been nowhere near as dry…..is it caused by the global warming that is hitting the areas where poverty is already a huge problem I wonder… As we approached Bagan the thousands of temples which are dotted all over the plain gradually came into view, their gold and red colours enhanced by the light from the setting sun. We stayed 4 nights in Bagan giving ourselves time to pick and chose which of the 4000 temples we wanted to visit. The temples are varied and interesting – especially the murals and frescoes inside the temples in Bagan dating from as far back as 850 AD. They were often in bright colours and fine details depicting life generally and the life of Buddha. Some we could visit by bicycle, for others we hired a car with driver. It is easy to get lost and not so easy to read the signs which are mainly written in the beautiful squirly Myanmar script. There are plenty of bicycle trishaws and horse and wagons to take you around and they are fun. There are vendors at almost every temple and I wish I had purchased from more of them. I put off buying souvenirs and then regretted not buying at the smaller temples which had some lovely art work on display. All in all I would say that the most special moments are those when you come across an english speaking guide who has a passion for the temple he is taking you around, and, also the moments at sunset when you find a spot at the top of some temple to just sit and watch the sun set over the spectacle of the thousands of temples spread all over the plain. For those who are interested, we stayed at the Golden Express Hotel, a very good choice with comfortable rooms and garden with swimming pool and a good buffet breakfast.. It even had a Bagan temple in the garden. Michel was our culinary guide and in Bagan he picked out a restaurant serving a set menu of Myanmar dishes. I think, at one point, we had 20 dishes on the table. It is worth the adventure of trying out local delicacies but beware…..there are a lot of oddities like green tea paste and a tripe dish to mention a couple. I must admit that I will not be remembering Myanmar for its cuisine…. From Bagan we opted to have a chauffeur driven car to take us over the mountains to Lake Inle in the Shan state, an 11 hour trip.....on non-existant roads consisting of rubble, mud and patches of paved road probably built by the british during WWII. Through the mountains there were gangs of women who were crushing stones by hand...literally...I mean using one bigger stone to crack a smaller one ( I fear it may have been forced labour)....this is their road building....right behind these women were steep cliffs cut in the mountains consisting of cracked dried clay mud...just waiting to landslide down on the little heaps of rocks that the women were crushing as soon as the first heavy rains come. We saw tarmac being poured onto the road by hand using a watering can with holes in it!!! I saw a truck where the big boulders were being offloaded by hand. I have since been told that the military only fly to Inle and so have no personal use for that stretch of road. Caught unawares, the people in Myanmar look solumn. Not surprising considering the conditions they are living under and how hard they have to work just to make ends meet. Every member of a family has to work and most people hold two jobs. I saw many children working. Inspite of the hardship, there are many spontaneous smiles during those moments when eye contact is made. ..it seems we are welcome, and of course for many we are an important source of income. Local people were constantly asking if we would exchange dollars for local currency. Apparently they have to pay a higher rate and can only buy commodities like a fridge, TV or bike with US dollars. I have seldom been in a country where the military is as invisible as in Myanmar! One sign we saw said "ALL RESPECT - ALL SUSPECT".......we wondered about that one. I have read that the junta has employed a NY firm to help them become more popular.....maybe being invisible was part of the advice! It is however VERY evident that an elite few are in control, watching what we are doing and most importantly reaping all the benefits(mainly in Yangon). The poverty is more appalling even than in India. I saw hundreds of women carrying water on their heads over apparently long distances....the plains are horrifically dry...dust everywhere...and miles to fetch water. We went past one damn and for a couple of kms the land was marvelously green, but their irrigation is sadly lacking elsewhere. Farming is still done by ox and cart/plough....it is the first time I have seen dozens of ox and carts moving along the road on an "extra" lane of dust at the edge of the so called main road! People are working the fields with picks and axes and just their hands....its like being back in the stone age. Appalling. At Lake Inle (875m above sea level) we stayed at the Four Sisters (12US$ per double room). It is in fact 4 sisters who run this little hotel and they are very welcoming. The rooms are comfortable but simple, but beware it is very cold up there. I needed 4 blankets! And was wearing almost my entire wardrobe just to keep warm. They serve a big breakfast with delicious marmelade but without fresh fruit. They also run an orphanage and welcome donations. Next morning we took a motor longboat trip which was interesting but very touristy.....its beautiful there but because this it is the show piece for tourists...we found ourselves being taken from vendor to vendor! Traditionally the boat men have stood erect and used one foot to row the long boats with circular movements....this was so that they could see where to maneuver through the thick plants that are growing and floating in the shallow lake....now however there is so much traffic and less plants so that the waterway is mainly open. However the boatmen have obviously been given instructions that whenever a tourist boat goes by they are to stand and row with one leg...it was comical to see how they switched from two handed rowing to the traditional leg rowing as we passed. Apart from the vendors we visited one old wooden monastery where the monks have trained cats to jump through little hoops! apparently the monks don't have enough to do there....so they started to train the cats! And we visited a Karen “longneck” lady(hilltribe clan) with lots of brass rings around her neck and arms and legs. Originally the rings were to protect against tiger attack and also a long neck is considered beautiful. The fact that it is physically dangerous does not prevent a few from keeping up the tradition in order to earn money from curious tourists. On our way back over the lake a storm blew up and it rained and hailed with thunder and lightning. This squall/storm caused a general power cut and the area was still withoug power when I departed 2 days later. Then it was time for Jessica to leave and so we said our goodbyes. I lost my roommate of whom I have become very fond! I feel very privileged to have shared time and confidences with you, Jessica. Three get togethers in the last twelve months is certainly a good start after years of not seeing each other! And as you said, we must keep in contact and make sure we meet up whenever our paths can cross. During that last days of our trip together I had actually tried to stutter out a little french…with a lot of encouragement from my companions. I was feeling that it was very unfair that you three had to speak english on my behalf….and perhaps I was also getting frustrated at not understanding when you were speaking amongst yourselves. All in all, good motivation for having a renewed try to learn French from the French course I have on a DVD! Perhaps ….by the next time we meet….. On my last day at Lake Inle (the day after Jessica had left) Anne Marie, Michel and I went for a day's hiking into the hills together with a guide who spoke good english. That was a lovely day....beautiful views of the lake and mountains and our guide was singing local folklore songs as we went along passing through pretty bamboo villages and stopping for cups of green tea and for lunch. On the steep hillsides they even grow wheat...incredibly big and healthy wheat...making me suspect that the government is supplying artificial fertilization for this showpiece....I also thought some of the rivers looked like they were becoming clogged with the typical green growth that comes from the nitrogen waste from artificial fertilizers. The government apparently approaches most problems by simply denying that they exist or ever existed....so here we were high up in the Shan state ...not far from the Thai boarder and the famous golden triangle.....and I asked.....how long is it since they stopped growing poppies....the answer was....oh we've never grown poppies here. Myanmar is, by the way, one of the biggest exporters of opium! Then it was time for me to say my goodbyes to Anne Marie and Michel. I thank you both and Jessica for welcoming me to travel together with you. It was just my style of travelling and I very much enjoyed your company. And now back on Augusta, Cato is putting the final touches to his manuscript and we are getting ready to leave Langkawi in a couple of days to sail up to Phuket again. I will unfortunately not be able to use the wireless internet once we leave this anchorage, but I am very excited about meeting up with Ellen who arrives on 20th Feb. Here’s hoping that all of you who read this letter have had an interesting start to 2007 with good health and happy spirit! Love Christine and Cato

Have you ever dreamed of going back in time... catching a machine that could bring you to any period of time to discover the past of our civilization? Well if yes, you just need to take a Yagoon airways ... and you will end up in the middle age...

That's it, Burma, Myanamar... one of the most intresting places i ever saw in my life... People, culture; landsacpe just incredibly stopped in time...

It was a relief to meet my Mum there... I was really in the need to feel that the whole traveling was touching to its end... Thankgod i was with them... well actually i would have come back early otherwise... i knew that my Mum was very looking forward to spend some time with me, and i was also. Because i needed to realize how important it is to make your own way, but above all to see, share and spend time with your realtives!!! Also it was such a pleasure to have my Aunty Chritsine with me as my roommate... Michel was great also, it was funny to see him in that mood of being boulemic of visiting just EVERYTHING! Every single stupa

This country is so amazing... landscapes are just astonishing...

On the other hand you are just always thinking of the dark side of the country, you cannot really what is goind on, since militaries are not seen... but at the same time you have that feeling that the population that you see has be thought to be careful with tourist and be friendly... sometimes you can feel its not natural...

I was happy to share those last moments with my family, also the double culture was nice to have... it has been a long long time since people did not get confused with what was our really natioanlity, since we were speaking several languages....

Now i'm back... i took a straight way back home... I can tell you I really missed my provence... i am so happy to be back... even if its hard time... I learnt a lot on myself and others... and even back i'm learning so much... I would like to thank you all for your support!!!

I had some hard times, espacially with some medecines,and i felt very lonely, but it was necessary to achieve for ounce something all by myself, without anyone directly with me, to be able to motivate myself alone. I can tell you i'm quite proud of what i did, prouder then my diplomas, because i'm not someone that can be byherself, and for ounce i did it.

I realized now how important was to take care of people and above all how lucky we were of being here in those countries... Misery is evreywhere, but it does not enable people to keep on smiling and see the goods sides of this world... The humanity is just so powerful, it is such a shame to spoil it. I'm defenitively changed and will for now on be as much optimistic, it is useless to loose time in focusing on little things that are not worth it.

Take care... to all

I send you all my best and all my love!

Life is a matter of experiences and we learn everyday!!!

Now i'm back to learn more about everything and everyone.

Hong Kong... Crazyness... Its just an amazing mix of Asia, London and New York... its an exciting city... you just want to be part of it... and why not thinking about it? I'll see...

However, the arrival was awsome, directly from the airport were i had to pass a gate with those fever camera detectors... weird!!! I got to my hotel in Causeway bay area, then straight took a cab to Kwai Lung Fou to join Alex and Cecile's friend Vincent..; It was a funny situation, first because i don't know him, but more on the fact that i was propulsed in a Business Man world. I joint him at his Annual Office Reception... so all surrounded with ties... Wow, i was talking about my worries on what i wanted to do and so on, well i was right in the middle of reality!!!! Then of course a club, but i came back early!!! Next day, crusing around Hong Kong, for finally finish at the police station (thankgod Vaness & Barth pushed me to go, i would have been too lazy to do it), yes i had to make a report for my Visa card... it took 2hours, talking with a detective and blablabla... actually it was a funny experience, like if i was in a movie... Anyway, later in the evening, i finally got the visa delivered by DHL... wow amazing what they can do to make you spend money!!!

Yesterday was the BIGGG day... after i managed to visit Hong Kong a bit (the Peak, Hong Kong park, and Tea museum) We finally celebrate Barth's birthday!!! Oh dear 30 years old... its just CRAAAZYYY!!! So it meant 30 minuts of 30 presents, a big thrill on the 3rd of March at 11am in Spain (heheheh He wanted to skydive before his 30, no its gonna be on his 30th years; well that was Vaness presents... heheheheh) then we went all around town, in bars and clubs... good fun! Today its a real sunday, like i did not had for a long time, we are all in Renaud's flat, watching tv with aspirine...

Its so nice to be in a flat, i just forgot that sensation... wow!!! Its a good thing it means i'm gonna love it when i get back!!!

I really like Hong Kong, i don't know its different, something special... even if you are right in the middle of capitalism, so it can be scary, at the same time its exciting... Even if i'm not toooo keen on Asia, this not Asia... so why not for a few years... its just an idea, that i must keep in mind...

In 2 days i'm with my Mum!!! Hiihihi i am really really looking forward... I'll be visiting for around 10 days Burma with my Mum, Michel and Christine... Yes yes Christine his joining us... heheheh its sooo cool!!! Hopefully Michel won't get to upset to speak english... hehehehe

Also during that time, no Internet, and no mobile... its a part of the world where communication is not implemented...

Another shock after Hong Kong... I LUUUUVVVV CONTRASTS... hehehehe

Hi all!

I'm heading to Honk Kong tomorrow! I'm already home in my head... but only for the bad part... thinking about what i sould do or not? Hard time, because i feel useless here! Anyway, its nice toi have news from you... you are mostly doing good!

Take care

Hello everyone!!

I'm sorry not to write to anyone those days, i just don't feel that good!

So i was in Cambodia with my german friend Erik during our long long journey we met Nick a very cool English guy! The days i spent there were very special, a mix of India and Thailand... What i mostly enjoyed was spending time with those 2, it was much fun and i felt with old friends... I don't know something special... On the other hand, thankgod they were there because i did not like Cambodia that much... I mean the people are nice and all that, nice landsacpe... But it was me, i think  did it too quickly, and did not manage to take my time to appreciate the atmosphere... I was also sooo excited by the idea or meeting up with Barth and Vaness! Also i finished my trip by Phnom Phen, and that was not very exciting! I did in one day the 'museum' and fields where happened the genocid... it was just terrible and choking!

After all that, i went to Koh Pangan to meet up with Barth and Vaness that was soooo cooollllllllllll!!! Holidays in Holidays... Thailand is a nice place... but more for holidays then for travelling... So i feel like a bit spoiled!! In 2 days i'm going to Hong Kong, that's cool... Barth does not know... hehehe Then i go straight to Burma... to meet my Mum!! Then home... Koh Pangan was chilled... friends guesthouse, with little cottage just in front of the sea at only a few meters from the water!!! Good laugh, anf fun.. a part from the fact that i feel stupidly off the bike... and have all my back and arm scratched!! It happened at the end of the journey, when i thougt that the crapy road eneded up... to finally start again, know that i had put back the gas... But no worries i'm okay! Just a bit desperate to see that each time i'm supposed to spend a few days near the water, i have a moto accident! nervermind

I'm thinking a lot of what is going on in my life and what i'm gonna do when i come back... what is going to be my reaction? So i don't know i have so many questions, and i feel i can't answer to any... Its a bit confused in my head!

But for sure its not the same to travel with you mates... i feel like if i was approching step by step the reality! Also with some questions that appear for Jeanfi! Its hard time now, because good time is nearly over... and for now its more a question of organization for the future then for a 4month period of travelling!

Other thing my visa card is used by someone else... so deep shit for me!! Need to get throught the whole opposition thing...

Sorry not in the mood to write! I need more time to explain what i saw, and felt! It's a bit confused in my head those days...

Anyway, i got my visa to Burma and i'm going to Kho Pangan to join Barth & Vaness... por fin!

So enjoy the pictures!

What a great start 2007!!! Actually 2006 ended very very badly with actually 8 bombs around Bangkok...Party was nearly canceled... But i managed to get my way... and I met Eric a German guy... we had a great party.. that was just crazy.. I loved it!!

I was soo disappointed not to manage to catch up Olivier, a cool French guy that lives in bangkok!! Actually his party was canceled because of the bombs, and after i mean with the crazyness i just did not manage to reach him... Hoepfully i will have more chance to see him a bit longer when i come back... Because yes tomorrow Cambodia for a very short while until the 8th, then I join my lovely wicked friends Barth and Vaness in Kho Pangan..

Byee

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU.... PLENTY OF FABULOUS THINGS FOR 2007!!!

ANYWHERE YOU ARE IN THE WORLD HAVE FUN!!!!

Ps: So tell me Ajda, how was your come back?? / And you David, what about your Indian outfit? / Laurene, cuidate mi nena, te hecho de menos guapa...

Bisoussssssssss

Koh Lanta...

You know paradise? You know those quite moment that you can share with someone you love... well that's it... Don't need any coments, because it was just fabulous!

This island is very pleasant to visit... wonderful beach, nice people, nice food and athmosphere... We found some really nice spots espacially the one called The Last Beach... it was fun!

Merry Xmas to all!!!

So.. THAILAND!!!! WOW that was a real choc for me… I really felt I was coming from the middle age period into modern society!!

The first 2 days, while I was waiting for Jeanfi, I stayed in the tourist place in Koa San. As usual in the lonely planet for India, this kind of place was not that touristy… but THERE it was just like if I ended up in the middle of California… So many americains… so many foreigners, surrounded by bars, music and fake t-shirt of all kind… I hated it!!! And felt so not into it…Of course I found everything you need on earth when you are consuming!! So it was quite funny after I asked Jeanfi to bring so many things for me like those baby towels… Actually next to my Hotel I found a BOOTS… hahahaha I felt home… Of course your habits just come back in a click, and I went straight in a beauty salon to get a Thai massage… I just stayed in my room at night watching TV and those Xmas movies… It was soooo weird after I had experienced so far, either in Indiaor in my last day in Kathmandu!!! Thailandis definitively ASIA… the people, the atmosphere and the ORGANISATION… actually this is what you expect an organized country… It has its good and bad sides, because of course its much easier to travel and to found what you need, but also it takes out the adventurous side of the trip and the authenticity!!! But I think you must get off the main tracks to found real Thailand…

On THE day, I went to found at the airport Jeanfi, it was really really cool!!! I was a bit afraid to found him in bad shape after his work and journey… but no, as usual Jeanfi was in a great mood and so happy to arrive!!! He didn’t even had a quick nap… just straight to visit and a massage, of course!!! We spent our first thai dinner in a great place, of course we immediately spotted the BOBO ( bourgeois boheme)  area and found an exceptional place… with only young Tai people with a rock bad playing live music… it was so nice!! And the Thai people are just awesome and so friendly warm people!!! We really enjoyed it.

The next day, we (and I, because so far I just did not do ANYTHING expect that massage) we went all around Bangkok, long tail boat, temples and we ended up in a HUGE mall, it was so funny and so modern again… just another world, because its even more modern then certain parts of Europe…

Then, we took a plane on the 25^th to Phuket, and stayed one night in Kao Lak, one of the most divested place in 2004 by the Tsunami… now you have less touristy, which is not bad… so we spent Xmas eve there.. next to a reggae bar… nice. It was quite complicated because I really thought we would get there on the 24^th. But the timing was not good, no flights on the 23^rd and only one boat very early in the morning on the 24^th. So we had to wait patiently on the coast.

After all we managed to catch up with Christine and Cato. I was so excited to join them. For the one that don’t know, Christine is my aunt, she has been sailing around the world with Cato (her husband) under the Norwegian flag for 9 years!!!!!!!!! So that was a big big moment for me to see FINALLY their floating house!!! Now I must admit, I know they are really doing good… just check the pictures!!! I was so pleased to share xmas with them. We don’t have that many chances to see each other on the Venediger’s side and to gather especially for those special moments!! So just imagine, also going off for the 1^st time away from my family and friends, and during such a trip, how pleased I was to see them… Jeanfi had also a great time I think and enjoyed snorkeling for Christmas and share moments with us. I was so happy that he could realx a bit, and take time with me for xmas, far from his relatives.

Jeanfi also was amazing on the fact that he was the Xmas father, I had so many presents even my stockings filled up with l’Occitane presents, champagne and Foie gras…and xmas carols!! Hehhehe so it was perfect!!! Even if I missed my family!! But I can’t complain, and just wished they were here!!!

Today, we took our boat back to the coast, and now staying for the night in Krabi to reach Ko Lanta tomorrow morning and stay there until the 29.

Now I’m in the Thai mood, and get along well with it... the landscape are just Fabulous, and impressive… finally I get used very quickly to the cleanness of the guesthouses and the efficiency of their organization in terms of transport and comforts!!!