wanderye-blog

[wanderye-blog]

Good. I was really concerned about the pet shampoo availability at my local print shop. ... #OnlyInThePhilippines ? (at Makati) https://www.instagram.com/p/BrlwTiYlDli/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=6agiwc4rz8wa

[wanderye-blog]

Okay, I have a new dream: I want to convert a Tuk Tuk into a mini camper, potentially to drive throughout Asia in. Here are my thoughts: 1. It needs to be this kind and not the one with the side car so I can still squeeze into small spaces. 2. Ideally the cab can attach on to any motorcycle in case that needs to be switched out. 3(a). It needs role down plastic protection on the sides for when it rains. 3(b). And a roll down bug net for the nights. 3(c). Or maybe weld in metal walls? 4. I'm thinking a hammock can be tied between the roof and something else I'm parked next to, or have a removable support pole with me. 5. Solar panels on top would be sweet for when I'm in isolated places, with a cover to roll over it in case of bad weather and to look less like a target when parked. 6. Storage panels underneath the back seat that lock. 7. Maybe more storage on the roof, like those car storage containers. Underneath the solar panels of course. What can I say... I live vicariously through my dreams 😍 https://www.instagram.com/p/BqRRUbFFlIo/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1qxver2rz1c49

[wanderye-blog]

How to Get from Krabi Airport to Ao Nung Beach

Upon arrival at Krabi Airport at the beginning of our trip hopping the Thai islands the challenge became getting transportation to our hostel in the Ao Nang Beach. (A reservation we made on a recommendation from a friend whose judgement in good beaches we will now not be taking, since Ao Nang is an incredibly touristy destination where everyone is in your face about what they'd like to sell you and with a beach fit only for walking.)

Prior to our arrival we read online that we could reserve a taxi for about 600 baht to take us from the airport to Ao Nang, and even tried checking Grab and saw that it would cost almost 1000 baht! Crossing our fingers for a cheaper option, we walked over to one of the many bus booths in the airport and asked how much it would cost to get to Ao Nung-- 150 baht and it leaves in two minutes. She sold us our tickets on the spot and we were up, up, and away! The trip was an easy 35 minutes away, though our driver only just guessed at the specific hotel we were staying at, so I recommend taking a screenshot of where along the main road you're staying.

About the Ao Nung Beach...

There isn't really much to say about Ao Nung Beach. If you like restaurants with pushy sidewalk salesmen, overcrowded beaches, overpriced anything, and the Thai culture to be sucked out of your experience, then definitely go. Also, if you're one of those tourists that leave their trash around, go there! We don't want you littering up the rest of the nice, quiet places.

Obviously, I wasn't that big a fan. We left the next day.

[wanderye-blog]

Getting from Chiang Mai, Thailand to Krabi Island (and Back!)

My goal was to plan transportation from Chiang Mai to Krabi and back in the cheapest way possible. Flying seemed to be the quickest and most straightforward way, but there would be a changing of airlines, a baggage rechecking, and ended up being about $140 roundtrip. Since I have more time than I have money, I figured I'd take the time to look into alternate options.

After all my research I've learned that taking a bus is the cheapest way to get from Bangkok to Chiang Mai and vise versa. It takes at least 10 hour and ranges from 480 to 700 baht for an air-conditioned bus depending on the hours of day and season. I took an overnight bus on my trip into Chiang Mai and though it was comfortable enough-- I was able to sleep through most of it, though it was not a very solid sleep and I was still tired when I arrived. Though they did give me a complimentary bottle of water and yummy local snacks!

From Bangkok I took a plane on Nok Airlines into Krabi Airport. It took about an hour and a half and cost around 580 baht for economy class. The seat was comfortable, there was enough leg room, the only noticeably different thing about it was that there was no pocket on the back of the chair in front of me to put my stuff in, which was a first! Instead they had a space that just fit the safety documents and inline magazine. But they did give us a small free bottle of water with some gorgeous artwork on it and their literature available had the happiest characters to ever experience airline distress and the most bizarre things you could possible buy with the place’s bird face logo on it.

As to the whole getting back part, I’ll have to let you now how that goes-- It’s another flight from the Krabi Airport to Bangkok, and then a train from Bangkok Chiang Mai!

[wanderye-blog]

GrabBike in Bangkok

My flight leaves at 4pm, I'd like to arrive at the airport by 2pm, so I'll head over at 1pm. Inflate the timetable as much as possible to give space for the unplanned, because these days I have more time than I have money.

Grab has been the go-to mode of transportation since I've got to Thailand, because the screen can't just see that I'm a foreigner and casually jack the price up. Don't get me wrong though, I've given most other forms of transportation here a fair shake-- The cabs, trains, and subways are all surprisingly clean, the tuktuk is a breezy option, though the songthaew mostly made me nautious... The water bus was by far my favorite, though the distance which it covers is quite limited. So, looking at my Grab screen and seeing a shockingly large price for a car over to the airport caught me by surprise.

Scrolling through the options I saw a new, unexplored opportunity-- GrabBike. Ride a motorcycle with my chubby backpack and loosely protected guitelele? I was on the fence until I found out it was half the price. Alright, time for an adventure.

I watched him zip over four lanes of traffic I was weary to cross and new I'd be in good hands. He handed me a helmet and hopped on back. My body learned to adapt to this new shape-- my legs balancing my precariously perched instrument between myself and my driver, my hands fumbling behind me to find a firm grip on the bars, my feet perching on pedals placed carefully away from the burning exhaust pipe, somehow my awkward balance of everything not shaking the driver for a second.

After a 30 minutes of riding, a few bumpy roads, and a narrow squeeze between two buses, I made it to the airport just fine and on time. Oddly though, he didn't really know the lay of the land around the airport and kept asking me (as if I knew any better!)-- I suppose most people on their way to the airport don't try to fit all their stuff on a motorcycle.

Sound advice.

[wanderye-blog]

Day 38: To Be Continued! How do you sum up such a perfect weekend? The potential remedy for ny homesickness, the spark for my travel bug, the comfort for my uncertainty. Tomorrow will be my last day in Pai with my new friend Issy! We've been out having far too many adventures to post. It's been absolutely lovely. However, it has made me think a good deal about what I actually want to do with recording my travels and how to be intentional moving forward, so as nice as the day by day thought process many be-- I'll have to take a hiatus here! Hopefully I can redefine what I hope to build with Wanderye and will come back with a fresh plan and a fresh face! See you soon 🙋 https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo4U_XVHzhI/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=17k1y3gvhdc6m

[wanderye-blog]

Day 34: A Crowded Room. Caribou Coffee has it right with these cup warmers! I even had a few of their other sayings posted on my wall back in Minneapolis. Today I briefly visited a room of these explorers... Tourists made obvious by their tone and varied accents that had somehow wandered their way to Chiang Mai, not unlike myself. Surrounded by people who presumably think like me, the very people I hyped up hoping to meet and bond with, yet somehow felt incredibly distant from them. Like they were strangers meant to stay strange, and I was the wanderer whose mistake was slowing down. Perhaps it will wear off with the jetlag, sometimes I say things when I'm sleepy. https://www.instagram.com/p/BouHjSaHMua/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1q7d0mab709qa

[wanderye-blog]

Day 32: Characters. I'm realizing how challenging it is to be in a country where it is totally normal not to speak English. Not being able to even sound out the characters of signs, understand numbers... I've traveled to countries before where there were other languages, but I had a local leading the way, translations to work with, or English characters to look up. This is new ground. Today I was just trying to find a place to print my bus ticket. Google Translate helped a bit in asking around, but the internet was unreliable and they still called out for someone who (sort of) spoke English. Best attempts aside, I was still largely met with eyes of confusion, met by my own of helplessness. Once the frustration passes, or a word is learned, or communication succeeds, there is a beauty to the chaos. I'm more quiet because I'm listening, more curious because I'm learning... The struggle forces me to grow. (Or at least that's what I'm going to keep telling myself 😁) Right now I'm on an overnight bus heading from Bangkok to Chiang Mai where I'm told there are many more foreigners and a lot more English. But is that what's best for me? https://www.instagram.com/p/Bool7lvnL7g/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1pb0c16bqdukn

[wanderye-blog]

Day 32: Hello, Bangkok. It's been 14 hours since I arrived in Thailand and already I've... Got a Couchsurfing host 🙏 Rode the metro And the subway 🚝 Lugged (& broke?) my luggage Realized I somehow packed too much Got lost for a second Found my host!! 😃 Remembered my distaste for humidity Questioned my choosing a humid country Took a much-need shower 😥 Bought bubble tea Saw a billion temples (damn near literally..) Roamed the streets And on (shoddy) sidewalks Made too many comparisons to the Philippines 😛 Ran in front of traffic (And then back again) Shopped in the wet market Took the Waterbus 🌊 (exactly what it sounds like!!) Explored downtown Bangkok Walked forever Ventured through a lovely town garden Got stuck in the rain ☔ Eyeballed our way back to THE WATERBUS Felt like a local Got home Took another shower And now I am Excited to sleep. Hello, Bangkok. And Good Night. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bol9UAan_dS/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=k3zzgzhqiene

[wanderye-blog]

Day 31: Remember that one time I was in Abu Dhabi? ...Neither do I. Pro-Travel Tip: Ask the folks at the kiosk for your gate if there are any "blocked rows". These are seats intentionally left open for people willing to pay to move. If you ask nicely, they are usually happy to move you there for free if no one pays for them by the time they are done boarding! (Got a window seat and a whole row to myself! 😁) https://www.instagram.com/p/BolwgzTHzI3/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=19t0086lp5sxt

[wanderye-blog]

Day 30: Well On My Way. Finally doing it. I'm on the plane, about to leave the USA en route to Bangkok, Thailand. So much planning, re-planning, talking forever about it and I'm finally here. People keep asking me if it's hit me yet. As I enter the air, I'm still not so sure. https://www.instagram.com/p/BoiTgQSHOFl/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=ok8khili03nk

[wanderye-blog]

Day 29: Today I had to let go of Bobbi the Van, my makeshift mobile home with a raised bed in the back and storage space underneath. I wanted to travel while living in her, but then realized that right now I want to go father than wheels will take me, so I had to say goodbye. There are a lot of changes right now-- people keep asking me if I'm excited to be leaving for Thailand tomorrow. Heck, they asked me if it had hit back when I was just leaving Minnesota, which it feels crazy to have been one month ago! Honestly, I've been far too wrapped up in where I am to focus on where I'm going. I figure it'll hit me once I'm in the air, over an ocean, or in a foreign land. But for now, I like where I am. 😊 https://www.instagram.com/p/BofnHTgHiAK/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1cp0vovnlznxq

[wanderye-blog]

Day 27: Choose wisely. There are (arguably) two kinds of people who wiggle their way into your inner circle: Those you are stuck with and those you choose to be stuck with. There's not much you can do about those you're stuck with. You might not like them all the time but like it or not, you love 'em. I'm lucky enough to be surrounded by good ones. You can, however, be picky about those you choose to be stuck with because.. Well, you're the one choosing them! Are they good to you? Good for you? Do they charge you up when you spend time with them? What about them makes you smile? All good questions, and don't answer them with excuses. I left a lot of these good people back in Minneapolis and along my travels and I don't tell them I miss them enough! Choose wisely. This picture was taken in a bar where I was surrounded with two people I chose to be stuck with, and I'm damn happy about that. https://www.instagram.com/p/Boair4RnCmS/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=xzaodetwn7f0

[wanderye-blog]

Day 27: (Missed 26. Not doing very well at these days things these days.) I am absolutely charmed. Don't you love when a new town was brought vibrantly to life? A stroll along a bridge with adorable shops and classy restaurants, live music and cobblestone, a river and a railroad. What a surprise, I must say. ❤ https://www.instagram.com/p/BoX0Zm1nUx1/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=7b5j2dl8ewo0

[wanderye-blog]

Day 25: Strings. I missed Day 24... Well, I suppose it could be argued then that I was out enjoying my birthday! A morning of family and thoughts and coffee, an afternoon of forested driving and exploration with my mom, and an evening of amazingly professional barbeque and conversation with new friends. I couldn't have asked for a better start to a new year. ❤ Curious, how our paths weave and tangle, never knowing if or how they may intersect again. In the moment you take it, since that's all you know you have. String them together, and many ordinary moments can end up looking rather exquisite. So stay present, my friends. https://www.instagram.com/p/BoSe8b0HHSw/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=9zf1s2fbwwbj

[wanderye-blog]

Day 23: Dear Age 25... You've been good to me. You gave me freedom and vibrancy, confidence and hunger. You taught me to get what I want and wield carefully the power you shared. I joined a pinball league and rock climbing gym, one just a block from the other. Began a mini-career in music booking and extended roots in the Minneapolis scene 🎶 Embraced who I was as an individual as I explored my romantic opportunities. Sought out comedy shows often because laughing is wonderful. Made excuses to bike when I was too lazy to walk yet too excited to drive 🚲 Finally decided to take the trip I never knew I could take alone. Solidified my friendships that I know will carry into this next nomadic stage of life. Backpacked in the Boundary Waters for the first time and killed it 🌳 Crafted and released my very first .com and began building the Wanderye identity. Decided to go back to school and got accepted to a program in Germany & Spain! Paused that for a year to instead explore Thailand and other Asian bits ✈ Impacted my job the best I could knowing I'd have to leave them. Realized how much they mean to me and visa versa in my heartbreaking last weeks 💔 Bonded with my roommates and the pup as our house grew even homie-er. Rediscovered my health due to the encouragement of my wonderful bestie. Spent every moment with her that I possibly could ❤ Roadtripped with my mom and rekindled our ridiculous friendship. Reunited with a childhood best friend, old college roomie, and endless others 🙌 And ultimately left the job, home, and people I loved to pursue some adventure without an end... Excited to find new purpose, homes, and people to will fall in love with. Here's to 26 🍻 https://www.instagram.com/p/BoN_y7Fn9MH/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1ghbalh1icjrk

[wanderye-blog]

Day 22: Skylines... Mom made fun of the Minneapolis skyline because it was so small, and I had no idea what she meant until I saw New York's. What a difference-- it goes on forever! How could one possibly know it all? Maybe people fall in love with the chaos, the anonymity, the seeming endlessness... And that's good! It's certainly intriguing me the longer I'm here. But I love my simple skyline. It was familiar and picturesque and yet I still wondered what was in each building, though I had probably wandered through most of their skyways at some point hiding from the snow. It was lovely, and it was mine. It's good to have the perspective though. https://www.instagram.com/p/BoLfDjNHJlP/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=ww9uzbhwtbab