Koh Tao

I tried to tell myself that it didn't matter where I went as long as there was a beach. That might have been true had it not been for koh lipe. Koh lipe mad me realise just how good a beach can be and it took me a long time before I found a beach that was even close to koh lipe's. 

People kept telling me that if I liked koh lipe then I would live koh Tao. Everyone seemed to think koh Tao was the place to go for me and I really wanted to go there. The only problem was that it was so far from koh lipe. I thought it would be better to just go to an island closer and easier to get to. I finally decided on koh mook because it was supposedly even more beautiful than koh lipe just a bit less touristy. Sounded good to me, so I bought the (really expensive) ticket and left the next day. 

I hated koh mook from the first time I saw it. How can you hate an island? Maybe it was because the beaches were not white enough, maybe because I walked with my heavy backpack across the island for 30minutes in extreme heat or maybe it was just because I compared it to koh lipe. Finally, I found a place to stay the night without it being too expensive. U went down to the beach and hung out there for most of the day. Met som Swedish women who told me there would be yoga at the beach later if I wanted to join them. I haven't done much yoga before but yoga on the beach in sunset was amazing and somehow it reminded me of Nepal. After yoga I had dinner with some nice older people from Slovenia. After that I took a walk on the beach and met some of my yoga friends. Turned out they were teaching English in trang, a city on the main land close to koh mook. They invited me to go with them to trang and see their schools, I would have lived to an thought hard about going. I finally decided not to go, mostly because it feels like I'm running out of time and I still have places I want to see. Anyways, it turned out to be an ok day after all.

The next day I went to emerald cave which is a cave you can only reach by swimming. I went together with a french couple and we arrived there earlier than anyone else and got the cave all to our selves. It was one of the most fantastic places I've ever been to! You swam through a pitch black cave 80 meters and then you could see the light with white sand and green water. It felt as if I was in pirates of the Caribbean and that johnny depp would come swimming into the cave any minute to hide his stolen treasures. He didn't show up... Later we heard that if you come later in the day there are hundreds of people there so I guess we were really lucky.

After lunch I decided that I'd had enough of koh mook and decided to go to koh lanta with the French couple. We thought it would take us about two hours to get there but it ended up taking us 5. We had to go on a snorkel boat which stopped on islands and along cliffs for snorkelling. We saw some nice beaches and I saw a small shark! He was just swimming under me when I was snorkelling. I couldn't believe that it actually was a shark until I came up to the surface and people around me asked me if I'd seen the shark. He was just half a meter or so but still, it was a shark! When we finally reached koh lanta I was in a bad mood and could not appreciate the hotel, the long beach or the swimming pool and decided to move on the next day. I'm sure koh lanta is a nice island but it was something about it hat just didn't appeal to me. I think it was too big and anonymous. I like the smaller islands with nice people and nice cafes. Saw a sign for going to koh Tao. The trip would take 18hours and included the night ferry but I jut couldn't resist it and booked my ticket for the next day.

Turned out two of my friends from previous islands were going to koh tao as well so now I'm on one of the best islands together with friends, suddenly I'm not as homesick anymore.

Koh Lipe

Sunset beach

I'm in love! I thought Swedish people were exaggerating when they talked about the beaches in Thailand, but after being here a week I can see that they weren't. My first stop in Thailand was the small island Koh Lipe which is just an hour from Malaysia. Koh Lipe is supposedly an expensive island and I'm starting to realize that now... My plan was originally to stay here for three-four days but I haven't really found a reason to leave yet. I'm a bit worried that I'll be disappointed if I leave. How can any other island be as good as this one? Think I'll hang around here for a couple more days before it might be time for something new and something a bit cheaper.

My beach

Snorkel trip in green water

So what makes Koh Lipe a paradise island? Well first of all it's because of the beaches. My biggest problem in the mornings is to decide which of the many beaches to go to, because they're all amazing. My hotel is located on one of the best beaches and it takes me less than two minutes to walk down to the beach, the water is green and the sand is softer than anywhere I've ever been and white as snow. On the other side of the island there's sunset beach and sunrise beach. Sunset beach has really good bars and is very relaxed and not crowded at all. On Sunset beach you'll also find the famous Porn resort which apparently got it's name from the owner who's name is Porn. On Sunrise beach you'll find most of the fancy hotels with bungalows everywhere. However the entire beach is free for everyone and is probably the longest one on the island. Yesterday I found a small beach on the far end of the Sunrise beach. It was the most incredible place and it was completely empty. Next to the beach is a resort and a restaurant, maybe I'll try that today. Unfortunately I got a bit of a sunburn on my back from a snorkel trip I did a few days ago so I have to stay in the shadow. That's the biggest problem you'll get on a paradise island.

My beach

Other than the beaches this island also has some really nice bars. Some of my favorite places are right on the beach and if you want people you can find a busy bar, if you want to be alone you can find really relaxed and easy going places as well. Well, as a matter of fact the entire island is a very relaxed place. I hear Swedish all the time mostly smalandska. I have no idea why so many people from smaland comes here but apparently they do. Feels nice to hear Swedish but somehow I haven't talked to many Swedes at all here, maybe because they are more reserved than other people, I don't know. Somehow it feels easier to talk to tourists from other parts of the world. Have mostly been hanging out with people from Germany, France and Denmark. Nice people but now they are all leaving for other Thai places. Maybe it's time for me too to leave soon, I just don't want to be disappointed that's all...

One of our favorite bars with my Koh Lipe friends

Me, Laure and Marco

Bye, Bye Malaysia

Nu är det snart dags att säga hej då till Malaysia. Malaysia har varit regnigt, fullt av svenskar och avslappnande. Fick reda på att de enda direktflygen till langkawi går från moskva och stockholm, så det är kanske inte så märkligt att man hör svenska överallt här. Jag gillar fortfarande att träffa svenskar och att få prata lite svenska men misstänker att charmen med det kommer lägga sig i Thailand där det troligtvis är ännu fler svenskar... 

My friend from Taiwan, Sabrina

Black sand beach (without black sand)

One of the many waterfalls

Petrona towers

Petrona towers

Penang

Så vad har jag gjort i malaysia? Jag har sett kuala lumpur, penang och langkawi. Langkawi var helt klart min favorit av de tre. Vad jag gillar mest med Malaysia är alla glada och hjälpsamma människor. En dam skjutsade mig till exempel till thailändska ambassaden i penang för att hon tyckte det skulle vara för långt för mig att gå. Känns som folk här är genuint intresserade av att hjälpa en så att man får en så bra upplevelse av landet som möjligt, det gillar jag!

En av alla strander pa Langkawi

På tal om hjälpsamma människor så träffade jag just en sån idag. Hyrde moppe och åkte runt i regnet tills jag kom fram till lyxhotellet dentai. Dentai beach är känt som en av de bästa stränderna på ön langkawi men hela stranden är ockuperad av lyxhotell. Var dyngsur när jag kom fram till hotellet och gick in till receptionen för att fråga om jag kunde få se stranden. De sa att det gick bra men att någon ur personalen var tvungna att eskortera mig dit. Fick åka golfbil med en pratglad kille som berättade om dentai och som försökte lära mig lite malai och thai. Vi såg stranden och sedan visade han mig runt på området. De håller just nu på att bygga villor nere vid stranden, från sovrummet kan man hoppa direkt ner i poolen. Så enormt lyxigt ut, speciellt i kontrast till mitt 20personers sovsal med fällsängar. Tar en kaffe här och låtsas att jag är här på lyxsemester. Kaffet kostar för övrigt lika mycket som en natt på mitt hostel och min kaka blev snodd och uppäten av en apa. Låtsas att jag njuter men måste erkänna att jag känner mig mer avslappnad i mitt 20mannarum.

Min sovsal

Imorgon tar jag färjan till Thailand. Mitt första stopp blir inte krabi som det var tänkt utan koh lipe. Skulle boka biljett till krabi och killen i kassan frågade varför jag ville dit, vore inte koh lipe bättre? Surfade och frågade runt om denna lilla thailändska ö och gillade vad jag fick höra. Verkar vara en dyr ö men en mycket avslappnande sådan. Så nu bokades biljett dit och det visade sig att en kille från hostelet också ska dit. Skoj med resesällskap. Om det är någon som har några ideer på vad man bör se, göra eller vart man kan bo så tar jag gärna emot tips!

För övrigt har jag inga planer alls framöver. Ska försöka stanna på ett ställe en vecka eller så för att inte göra av med så mycket pengar på resor samt för att kunna slappna av ordentligt. Har även försökt samla på mig tips från andra backpackers. Verkar som östsidan är bäst så dit ska jag försöka ta mig. Är även lite sugen på att testa dykning men vi får se vad pengarna räcker till. 

On a bus to Paneng

Leaving Kuala Lumpur today. Came to this country because I wanted beaches and to go swimming. So how did I end up on a bus from one city to another city? I will only spend two nights in paneng and then go to the island langwaki which is a famous resort also for Malaysian tourists. It is supposed to be a huge island with a lot of things to see and to do. As long as they have a beach and a few hours of sun then I'll be happy. 

It is starting to feel a little bit lonely travelling alone. Because even though I meet nice people all the time and usually have someone to hang out with it's still not the same as hanging out with people you know. I really like being on a long trip like this but I would prefer to travel together with someone. 

I'm hoping I'll meet some people in Thailand who I can hang out with. Maybe I'll get to speak some Swedish and enjoy the sun at the same time. Feels like it might have been a bad time to go to Malaysia right in he middle of the monsoon but on the other hand it might be less crowded and that's always nice. 

I'm fascinated by this country and how extremely different it is in comparison to Nepal. Malaysia is similar to Sweden in so many ways but the only similarities to Nepal are cheap food and the heat.

Maybe I could find a good beach and stay in Malaysia for a few weeks? It would be nice to stay in one place, but on the other hand it's nice to see as much as possible and I quite like travelling by bus and train (not a big fan of airports). We'll see what'll happen. Maybe I'll really like langwaki or paneng and stay there or I'll leave and feel right at home talking to Swedish people and having drinks by the beach. Sounds alright to me!

Back in Sweden?

Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur

Feels like I've just arrived to a modern version of Stockholm. Here I thought that Malaysia and Thailand would be poor undeveloped countries pretty similar to Nepal, but it looks like I was wrong. 

Flying in over kuala lumpur by night was almost as beautiful as flying out of the Himalayas. The ground was cowered in lights and the sky lit up by lightening, it was amazing! 

Today I've been touristing in Kuala Lumpur (also known as KL). Walked around all day with on of the guys at my hostel. Had a great day and it feels like we managed to see all the main tourist attractions. However, I was most impressed by a huge shopping mall because it felt so different from everything I've seen in Nepal. Felt like home at the same time as it felt like i saw a shopping mall for the very first time. I got really excited about it and started to take a lot of pictures. Not as impressed by the twin towers or the view over the city but still took some pictures of it.

Shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur - impressive

Twin Towers - not as impressive

Kuala Lumpur

Think I'll stay here one more day before I head to a beach in Malaysia (or Thailand). The plan for tomorrow is to figure out where to go next. Any ideas on the most amazing beach in Thailand or Malaysia? Otherwise I guess the best thing is to just ask around and read up on it in one of the guide books. Miss you all back in Sweden, see you in December!

By the way, I have now updated a few of the latest blog posts with pictures.

Going to Thailand

Ever since my family left, Nepal has been a bit lonely. I do have people to hang out with here and I have kept busy by doing nothing. I have spent some time with my friend John who I met in Slovenia last summer. I've also met some Swedish people when I went to rebook my flight ticket. It felt good to speak Swedish again and I have now decided to go to Thailand after Nepal. Thailand will work as a good mix of familiar and exotic. I'm guessing there will be plenty of opportunities for me to speak Swedish in Thailand. Usually I would hate to be surrounded by swedes while travelling but right now I can't think of anything better than that. I'll still meet some locals and other tourists I'm sure so it will still be vacation abroad. Hopefully there will be sun and amazing beaches as well, which I'm sure I wouldn't get if I went straight back to Sweden now.

So the plan right now is to (hopefully) fly out to Bangkok on Wednesday, and then go to some of the islands. If you know any good beaches or other places in Thailand then please let me know! I've heard that it might be rainy right now in Thailand so if I get tired of that i might go to some of the bordering countries and do some sightseeing. I still haven't figured it all out yet and I think I prefer to have it that way. A friend of mine laughed yesterday when I showed him the planning I'd done for this week. Saturday: read in the park, Sunday: read in a cafe and book tickets for Thailand and back to Sweden, Monday: meet a friend, tuesday: lunch with a friend, Wednesday: Thailand?
To my friend it seemed ridiculous to write these things down but I like to have things structured and to know that I'm allowed (or even supposed to) just relax. But I do agree that I don't have the busiest schedule right now...

My sister has all good pictures from their visit but I'll try to get them from her and upload some of them here. By the way, my camera is impossible to upload pictures from onto a computer. Therefore, no new pictures for a while. I'll try to fix it but I'm not too optimistic about it...

Miss Sweden, the grey weather, my family and my friends. What I most of all want to do right now is to go back home but I know I'd regret it if I did. It's just a month left and if I can spend that month on a beach, swimming and reading then I guess I shouldn't complain, right?

Last days with my family

Sista dagarna med familjen spenderades i kathmandu. Vi flög från Pokhara och hade fantastisk utsikt över Himalaya. Dagen spenderade vi med att turista i en festivalfylld stad. Det är diwali(även kallat tihar) som firas nu. Som bekant har nepaleserna en hel del festivaler, denna festival var uppdelad i olika delar. En dag var hundens dag, en dag kråkans och sista stora dagen var brödernas dag. Men mest av allt firas laxmi, som är en av de största gudinnorna inom hinduismen. Hon är gudinnan för välfärd och pengar. Samtidigt firade urinvånarna (newari) sitt nyår, nu är det år 1133 i newari år, 2069 i nepali år och 2012 i europeiska år. Smidigt och inte det minsta förvirrande, eller?...

Gott nytt 1133!

Jattedockor valkomnar oss utanfor hotellet

Konstverk av tikka finns i varje gathorn

Kathmandu

Julljus for att fira diwali

Sju olikfargade prickar har man i pannan under denna festival

Fullt pa gatorna

Det var folk som dansade på flak inne i stan, ljus tända och vackra målningar på gatorna. Vackert men om man tyckt kathmandu varit högljutt och kaosartat innan så var det inget mot hur det var nu. Vi lyckade trots allt festivalande att göra en hel del shopping, se durbar square i både kathmandu och bakthapur, se apor i swayambhu templet och att besöka min värdesyster och hennes man. Vi var effektiva och det var skoj att ha någon att göra saker tillsammans med.  Nu har familjen precis lämnat mig och även om kvällen känns tung så tror jag att det kommer kännas bättre imorgon. Jag har värdsystern och en annan kompis här som jag kan umgås med, vilket känns bra. Jag är alltså inte helt ensam trots allt. Dessutom är nepaleser de snällaste människor man kan träffa. Ikväll gick jag och pratade med en tjej som jag träffade på gatan och blev sen bjuden på te av hotellpersonalen som tyckte jag såg ledsen ut. Alla tar hand om varandra här och inkluderar istället för exkluderar, vilket vi allt för ofta tenderar göra i Sverige.

Bakthapur

Bakthapur

Kathmandu

Kathmandu

Kathmandu

Mamma i Kathmandu

Maria i Kathmandu

Kathmandu

Kathmandu

Kathmandu

Kathmandu

Mamma i Kathmandu

Kathmandu

Poon Hill

Vandring med familjen till Poon Hill

Fem dagars vandring i Himalaya är nu över och vi är tillbaka i Kathmandu. Vandringen var molnig men bra ändå. Vi gick ca 6timmar om dagen upp och nerför stentrappor. Vi gick genom rhododendronskog och genom bergsbyar. Höjdpunkten skulle varit soluppgången från Poon Hill men efter en timmes vandring uppåt kunde vi bara se moln. Som tur var kunde vi se soluppgången från stugan där vi bodde på morgonen efter.

Maria, en molnig morgon pa Poon Hill

Soluppgang over bergen

Tyvärr blev både jag och Maria dåliga under de två sista dagarna av vandringen. Jag fick höjdsjukan och maria magsjuka. Höjdsjukan gjorde att vi var tvungna att gå ner 1000  höjdmeter och när jag vaknade på morgonen kändes det som jag knappt kunde lyfta benen, jag spydde och hade inga krafter alls. Guiden fick hålla i mig hela vägen ner och vi fick stanna på en sovpaus mitt på dagen, trots det orkade jag inte gå hela vägen. Som tur var fanns det bilväg en kort bit så vi hoppade in i en jeep och kunde på så vis korta ner vandringen med ca två timmar. Väl framme vid kvällens sovlodge så var det marias tur att bli dålig. Först trodde vi det berodde på jeepturen (som var aningen skumpig) men åksjuka brukar sällan hålla i sig en hel natt. Troligtvis var det en släng av magsjuka/matförgiftning som hon fått. Det gick som tur var snart över och nu mår båda jag och Maria prima!

Jag i vart kalla sovrum

Maria, i vart kalla sovrum

Vandringen tog på våra krafter och vi var nog alla rätt nöjda med att få åka tillbaka till Pokhara efter fem dagar vandring. I Pokhara gick vi i affärer, njöt av solen och fick välförtjänt massage. Jag sprang även på några av mina gamla trekking- och volontärsvänner. Mycket kul när man känner igen folk på gatan i dessa tidigare väldigt främmande städer. Det visar på hur litet Nepal är, eller så handlar det snarare om att alla turister åker till samma ställe...

Rhododenron skog

Fish Tail (ett vackert berg) syns om man tittar noga i mitten av bilden

Ett av manga vattenfall utmed vandringsstigen

Pappa och mamma i en av de kallaste lodgerna