Photos!

Hey all--finally got some photos up, check em out and use the link at the side as well, i will update frequently i hope!

Tiger Temple? Um, are those real....?

Hey guys! Been a little while since I posted, so thought I might include a lil' update for ya'll to read. Oh and if you're looking for a continuation of the Freedom & Democracy story, forget it, I lost interest already ;) Suffice it to say that I got internet. Then it broke. For like a week. Then I jiggled some cables, and it started working again. I feel like this story is pretty much analogous to life in Thailand. No matter if you're talking about transportation, shopping, bargaining, the weather, services or electricity, things are unpredictable, unreliable and have a habit of kicking you in the teeth when you least expect it. Then again, sometimes all it takes is a little jiggling to fix things ;)

Anyways, hmmm, what else is new...last weekend I spent a couple of days in Katchanaburi with some friends. We stayed about five minutes away from the famous "Death Railway" and the Bridge over the River Kwai from the movie--beautiful scenery, and a pretty crazy history. Anyways, we checked into a lovely guesthouse called the Sugar Cane guesthouse, very quiet, beautiful location and a great (and cheap) little resteraunt overlooking the River Kwai. We arrived at around 2PM on Sunday afternoon, and shortly after took off for the fabled "Tiger Temple" of Katchanaburi, about 45 minutes away by song-taeow (basically a pick-up truck converted into a taxi). The Tiger Temple is exactly what it sounds like, a Buddhist monestary in the midst of a refugee for all sorts of abandoned or injured animals, including a group of tigers. Tourists are taken down to a canyon where the tigers excercise from 3:30 to 5:30, and can then have pictures taken while touching, sitting and walking with the tigers! It was a little touristy, but still very cool--especially when they brought the cubs out for playtime. I have some great photos and an awesome video of the cubs playing--unfortunately I'm having a difficult time uploading right now cause the internet is so crappy here; however, rest assured I will continue to attempt to provide you all with photo evidence.

Anyways, the next day saw us getting up bright and early (8:30AM...yuck!) to visit Erawin National Park and waterfalls. This place was indescribably beautiful--the most incredible waterfalls I have been to yet. There were 7 tiers, and you could swim at pretty much every level (we did, believe me ;). There were also rock waterslide to go down, and cliffs to jump off--in each pool, the water was crystal clear, and schools of curious fish swam around nibbling at toes and legs--please note that this is more then a little surprising when it first happens. At the 7th level--the very top--the waterfall climbs up the mountain to it's source. There is a sign that says "Danger No Climbing" so obviously Sebastian (my german friend) and I had to investigate. We proceeded to climb up some cliffs to get to the very top of the spring, where we swam through a waterfall into a crazy cave! There was a deep pool that went back maybe 10 or 15 meters into the side of the mountain, again with clear water and stalactites hanging over head. This was one of the coolest things I have ever seen or done--swimming through this crushing waterfall at the top of a mountain in the middle of the jungle, to reach a beautiful and untouched cave with an underground pool. Obviously we couldn't take our cameras up--needed both hands for climbing--but i have some good waterfall pics nonetheless, which i will try to upload eventually. Phew. Just telling you about this has worn me out. Pretty incredible, anyways ;).

So yeah, that's all the news for now, I hope everyone at home is doing well, i could use a few more emails friends *ahem*. Or add me on Skype and we will chat. And above all else, know that if you read this blog and don't at least post a "Hi Rob" in the comments, you will be horribly cursed for the remainder of your sad, pathetic life. Which won't be too long! Bwahahaha!!!

Just kidding, hahahaha. But seriously. Post or die.

Victory is mine part II

Aha! Today I drink from the sweet, sweet cup of victory, my friends! Bring me the finest bagels and muffins in the land! You are now in the presence of...well...reading the post of a man who has the INTERNET at his appartment! It's been a long and bitter fight against the powers of darkness, but at last I have emerged victorious from the fray. Ironically, I am writing this from a computer at school, not at home--hey, it's free here, and I have to pay for my own use in the appartment! But that's beside the point. I decided that the best way to communicate this adventure was to make it analagous to current global events. This may be in terribly poor taste--meh, i don't care so much ;) Allow me, then, to recount the tale of how Rob won Freedom and Democracy (aka the internet) for the People of the World (aka the appartment) against the Axis of Evil (aka the Taliban...err wait, Iraq? Iran? I keep losing track...ok, maybe just the minons of True Internet Company Thailand. Whatever.)

It all began when I moved into my place at Rattanakosin Condos, some 4 weeks ago. I inquired as to whether or not my landlord (who will remain nameless) could provide me with a highspeed connection to the above mentioned "Freedom and Democracy". Wincing, he said "oooohh...that's gonna cost you," (minus the Italian accent). Undettered, I insited upon Freedom and Democracy for the People of the World, no matter the cost. After some haggling, he agreed to check out what the best option would be for acquring F&D.

About two weeks later, Dan (whoops) reported back to me, claiming that F&D could be purchased at the local Tesco supermarket for the low, low price of 2000 baht--this deal would include a router and some prepaid Freedom time. As my Freedom ran out, I could recharge it by purchasing prepaid cards. A neat and handy system, I thought. F&D seemed easy to acchieve, so hopes set high, I instructed Dan to go ahead with the purchase--under his name, to expedite matters. About a week later, he reported back saying he had a package for me to pick up (and also that my rent was due). Sure enough, a well-packaged box of F&D was waiting for me at his appartment.

Overjoyed, I paid the man and rushed back to bring F&D to the People of the World! Only to find that the sneaky Axis of Evil had yet to connect an external line to the People of the World. Frustrated but determined to acchieve that sweet Freedom, i began planning my counter-attack.

Err crap, gotta go to basketball, hey we're the finals tonight, undefeated so far! Um, stay tuned to see whether the People of the World emerge victorious against the Axis of Evil in the fight for Freedom and Democracy!

*cue stiring music...fade to credits....*

Victory is mine!

Aha! Skype up and running, look me up, it's rob.boothe i guess and my ualberta email addy (rboothe@ualberta.ca) so that's good, i'm actually leeching somebody else's internet right now but should have mine up by tomorrow, so all you deliquants can call me up! Just got back from a weekend at the beach in Koh Samet, very sunburned but otherwise happy with the white sand beaches, snorkelling on the reef, and swimming in the ocean (not to mention great sea food...mmm...) Also would like to note: men who are balding yet have long platinum blond hair around their bald crown and who are like 50 should not be allowed to wear thongs while swimming. Scratch that, men of all shapes and ages should not be allowed to wear thongs while swimming. Err....make that no thongs at all, regardless of activity choice. That is all.