Sam and Orna Stay July 24, 2009
Posted by Martin in : CouchSurfing, Friends , add a commentWe just hosted Sam and Orna for four nights.
Sam is Australian and Orna is Irish. They are traveling the world together and are heading to Koh Tao and then to Vietnam where they plan to teach English for 6 month.
Tik and I were both busy working this week but got the opportunity to take them for dinner at Fah Sai restaurant and, today to Crepes and Co for brunch.
Kanchanaburi Safari Park July 6, 2009
Posted by Martin in : CouchSurfing, Friends, Leisure, Thailand, travel , add a commentThe following morning we visited the safari park.
I’d seen videos of this park online and looked forward to how close we could get to the giraffes. The park itself was great value; 300 baht for westerners, 130 for Thais.
Outside the park we had the opportunity to play with an excitable lion cub and have a group photo with a pretty lethargic tiger.
The park itself was as I’d imagined it, animals so used to tourists that they stuck their heads right into the car.
I found the zebras a little aggressive. They constantly snarled and jumped at the giraffes in a bid to get into our windows. (more…)
Weekend in Kanchanaburi July 5, 2009
Posted by Martin in : CouchSurfing, Leisure, Thailand , add a commentOur Couchsurfing friends David and Sharon were only meant to stay with us one night. Even before meeting them I felt bad that we’d not get more time with them as they were an extremely interesting couple with a positive and proactive attitude and a lot to share. Thankfully we managed to convince them to join us for a weekend in Kanchanaburi as I was keen to visit the safari park there.
We chose a bank holiday weekend so a few guesthouses were booked up but we were lucky enough to find Sams Rafthouse which is along the river Kwai and not far from the infamous (and infamously dull) railway.
Although we were planning on only modest accommodation Tik was excited to be offered the VIP rafthouse with fully fitted bathroom. At 800 baht for the night this was very reasonable and the room was clean and well-maintained. We were looking forward to sitting outside on the floating patio and getting to know our new friends.
We sat outside on the porch, discussing life until late.
Eddie Teaches Us To Juggle June 19, 2009
Posted by Martin in : Friends, Leisure , add a commentOur Couchsurfing friend Eddie taught us to all to juggle today.
We are currently hosting Eddie, a lecturer from California and Teague from England. We were also joined by Patrick and Simone.
I’m a few hours away from being able to juggle but even after an hour with Eddie I’ve made a lot of progress. Tomorrow I’ll go out and buy my own balls to practice with.
Bang Naampeung ‘Floating’ Market May 24, 2009
Posted by Martin in : Leisure, Thailand , add a commentWe go frequently to Bang Naampeung ‘Floating’ Market as it’s close to my favorite park when I want to go jogging. Tik’s a fan because of all the unusual foods available there.
The market is about 30 minutes away from our apartment, across the suspension bridge which goes outside of Bangkok. The market has quadrupled in size in the last year but luckily it’s still off the tourist map.
I am reluctant to call this a floating market because it’s really a market by a canal. Only a few vendors actually use boats.
Here’s a selection of photos taken during our two most recent visits.
Face Bar Restaurant & Gazebo Rooftop Bar, Bangkok May 23, 2009
Posted by Martin in : CouchSurfing, Leisure , add a commentWe met up with a lovely couple through Couchsurfing today.
Stefan and Aileen are a similar age to us and we had a lot in common. Sadly, although they have been living in Bangkok for many years, we met them just a week before they relocated to the Philippines.
We were also jonied by their friends Arare and her partner (forgotten his name already, sorry). We began the night at the stylish ‘Face Bar’ in Sukumvit which is styled very much like a spa resort. They offer Japanese, Indian and Thai food.
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Elisa, Hector & Sameer Stay May 18, 2009
Posted by Martin in : CouchSurfing, Friends , add a commentWe have so many wonderful Couchsurfing experiences that sometimes I fail to take photos or update our blog about them.
The most memorable guests are usually those who cook for us and Elisa, Hector and Sameer came at a time when we weren’t too busy with work and could all relax together.
Elisa and Hector are Spanish although they’ve been all over the world for the last 7 years. They have just completed a round-the-world journey and are heading to Koh Phangnan to study to become yoga instructors and, when they complete their course will head to Brazil to teach at a school there.
Sameer is from El Salvador and is probably the biggest Couchsurfing fanatic we’ve yet met. Current he has about 145 positive references and is one of the ambassadors from El Salvador. Sameer’s had a very interesting life and is in Thailand to complete some advanced diving courses in Koh Tao.
Back From Japan April 20, 2009
Posted by Martin in : japan, travel , add a commentWow, with about 2,000 photos and a fortnight of non-stop eating and sightseeing, Tik and I have really got our work cut out to update the blog. We’re organizing the photos as I type.
Here’s a selection of the stuff we’ve been busy with: (in no particular order)
A Night On The Town, Tokyo – Japan Day 12 April 16, 2009
Posted by Martin in : CouchSurfing, japan, travel , add a commentWe’d arranged to meet Aikiko (and her friend Yuka) in central Tokyo to experience authentic tokyo nightlife.
Aikiko is a fellow Couchsurfer and both her and her friend Yuka spoke perfect English, have a very sharp sense of humor and we couldn’t have hoped for better hosts to spend our time with.
After an enjoyable dinner together we went to a bar in Omoide
yokocho (translates at ‘memory side-street’).
The area used to be a popular haunt for Yakuza but nowadays it’s safe, friendly and very fun.
We enjoyed refreshing beers here and also an assortment of grilled nibbles such as the mushrooms below.
The bar was only small and after about 90 minutes we were asked to vacate our seats for waiting customers but got a lot through some great food, drink and conversation during that time.
We left Aikiko and Yuka about 10pm and headed for a Pachinko parlor to finish off the evening.
Okonomiyakis at A Japanese Bar – Japan Day 9 April 13, 2009
Posted by Martin in : CouchSurfing, japan, travel , add a commentAll that cycling made us hungry and, although we were planning on meeting friends for dinner we couldn’t resists heading into a traditional Japanese bar to sample their Okonomiyakis that they cooked on the hot plate in front of us.
Hanami Picnic in Maruyama Park, Kyoto – Japan Day 7 April 12, 2009
Posted by Martin in : CouchSurfing, japan, travel , add a commentTik and I had really been looking forward to this Couchsurfing event, and we were certainly not disappointed.
Staying With Michael – Our First Couchsurfing Host April 8, 2009
Posted by Martin in : CouchSurfing, japan, travel , add a commentWe spent a total of 6 nights with Michael in his apartment in Mukomachi.
The Longest Day(s) – Japan Day 1 April 6, 2009
Posted by Martin in : japan, travel , add a commentTik and I had a very busy week before leaving for Japan, mainly in tying up loose ends so we could afford to be uncontactable for 2 weeks as we were not expecting to have a phone nor internet access whilst we were there.
Also we hosted three friends that week, Carey who was to house-sit for us and also Greg and his partner Shao-Yi from Couchsurfing who spent a night with us too.
It didn’t take long to pack although Sunday was hectic to say the least. Tik and I sped all over Bangkok to pick up last minute necessities including a guidebook about Japan which, in hindsight we probably should have acquired a month earlier.
The flight was uneventful but took just 4 hours rather than the 8 we expected. As they took some time to settle us down and served food a few hours before landing we managed just over 2 hours of uncomfortable sleep on the plane before landing in Osaka at 7am. At this time we’d had a total of about 6 hours sleep in 2 days, with a busy week beforehand. Thankfully excitement set in and kept us energized.
Our first ever Couchsurfing host Michael would not be available to meet us until 7pm so we had 12 hours to see the sights before we had a place to stay. We left our bags at the station and decided to head to Osaka-Jo (Osaka Castle).
The Flashpackers April 4, 2009
Posted by Martin in : CouchSurfing , add a commentNothing epitomizes the word ‘flashpacking’ better than Greg and his girlfriend ShaoYi.
Posing here with their netbooks, downloading movie torrents and uploading photos to facebook, both travelers prepare themselves for their next leg of adventures in India.
Carey Comes to Stay April 4, 2009
Posted by Martin in : Friends , add a commentMy friend from England, Carey, arrived April 1st to spend 3 months in Thailand.
He’s going to be staying in our apartment whilst we visit Japan and will be living the enviable lifestyle of working remotely with his clients who are in the UK.
