photos from Thailand

Finally, I've caught up to posting pictures from Thailand. I apologize if the order I've posted my pictures is confusing. If you want to view the photos chronologically, this is the order of my travels:

Tanzania
Zanzibar
Zambia
Namibia
South Africa
Thailand

Just follow the title of the blog post to find pictures from each country.

And now for Thailand!

Ahh, the food. Spectacular, and cheap--hands down the best I've had on this trip. From coconut chicken soup (tom kha gai) to curry fish, they have all your favorites, anywhere in the city. And it usually won't cost you more than $3:



I took the next few photos in the Ko Ratanakosin area, which Lonely Planet accurately describes as "a veritable Vatican City of Thai Buddhism:"

















Thailand's largest reclining Buddha:



The seafood market near Wat Pho (an area also famous for its massages):



Even on an average weekday, the famous (infamous?) Khao San Road is packed with people and activity:



My friend, Manuella, and me sampling the selection of insects, from grasshoppers to worms and cockroaches:



Here we are indulging in grasshoppers topped with a delicate hint of chili powder:



Fight night! Last night was one of Thailand's biggest muay thai tournaments of the year, featuring ten rounds, each showcasing a champion fighter. Anthony, a friend from Hong Kong who happens to be a huge fan of Thai boxing, invited me to the event:



Just to give you some background information, muay thai fighters are usually about 20 to 25 years old, but can compete as young as 15. They are generally between 100 and 130 pounds, and must be at least 100 pounds to compete. Most fighters come from very poor families, and earn a meager $5 their first win. Training is their life; they generally do not go to school. From an early age they train fourteen hours a day, waking up at 5am, running 10 to 15 kilometers, then training until dinner time, with breaks for meals.

The fighters preparing for the fight:





A young fan admiring the champion belt:



The ring:



Fighters punch, kick, and are even allowed to use knees, elbows, and even occasionally head butt. The fights are intense when compared to boxing in the US--for example, even with blood rushing from a young fighter's forehead into his eyes, the referee refused to pause the fight (I was sitting in front of a Japanese woman who was horrified at the sight and started screaming). Fighters are often tripped and thrown to the ground. Some shots of the fights:













In an area near the fighter's corner, there is a section reserved for family members and friends. Not surprisingly, they are among the loudest fans in the place, leading cheers that follow every connected kick or punch:



Thailand's champion fighter receiving some advice:



Following the fights, fighters are very friendly and welcoming toward fans. They usually spend a good amount of time posing for pictures, which I took advantage of:





The final highlight of the night was Anthony's and my waittress, Mimi:



Well, the sun has set since I've been in this internet cafe, and I'm starting to get hungry. I think it's time to head out into Bangkok to see what I can find...

Until next time, I'm wishing you all the best!

photos from Tanzania, Zanzibar, Zambia, and Namibia

Continuing with my picture-posting marathon, I'm posting a few photos from Africa (Tanzania, Zanzibar, Zambia, and Namibia) below. They're posted chronologically, beginning with Tanzania. I took many pictures before Tanzania, of both Uganda and India, but I sent those memory cards back to the US. Unfortunately, I'll have to wait until later to post those pictures.

For now, though, some shots from Tanzania:

While cruising around the Serengeti, Dina and I found a few cheetahs stalking their prey (unfortunately, they weren't successful):





Other shots from the Serengeti:





We were there during the wildebeest migration, which is impossible to capture in a photo:



The Maasai strolling along the plains:



The next couple photos were taken in Ngorongoro Crater, near the Serengeti. Dina described the crater, which was incredibly lush and full of wildlife, as being like Eden:





When we made a bathroom break in the crater, this family of monkeys was guarding the building:





This woman was afraid to leave the bathroom:



Our campsite in Ngorongoro (this is where Dina and I almost ran into a water buffalo, literally):



After visiting the game parks in northern Tanzania, Dina and I traveled to the beautiful "Spice Island," Zanzibar.

The locals enjoying the perfect water:



The famous doors of Zanzibar:





More lounging around on the beach:





After traveling back to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, I boarded the Tazara Express train and headed to Zambia. These are a couple friends I made on the two day ride, Moudy and his daughter, Cherry:



The first class lounge, where I spent most of the trip:



View from the train:



At every town we passed, locals would run outside their homes to wave and greet us:





I eventually crossed the border into Zambia, and, after a day of taxis and bus rides, I finally arrived at Victoria Falls:



There are few guardrails in the park, so you can get very, very close to the falls:









I had lunch with a couple friends, Emily and James, at a hotel that kept zebras on their property:



The view of the Falls from the bridge:





From Livingstone (the town near Victoria Falls), I took a bus to Namibia. These next photos are from the first half of my time there (I posted pictures from the second half yesterday):

A drinking spot in the Kalahari Desert:



The Kalahari grasshopper:



My group and I visited a reserve that takes care of orphaned animals, including cheetahs. I was shocked when I was invited to walk inside the cheetah's area during feeding time, but it was an amazing experience:



















They also take care of warthogs and three-legged pugs:





Sunset at the quiver tree forest:















The trees are called quiver trees because the indigenous people used the bark to store their arrows: