Podcasts about koh samet

Welcome to AllAboutThailand, where today we're taking you on an adventure to the stunning island of Koh Samet in Thailand, as it stands in 2025. This remarkable island, known for its pristine beaches and vibrant atmosphere, is the perfect destination for those seeking both relaxation and excitement. Koh Samet offers a variety of accommodations to suit every traveler's needs. From luxurious beachfront resorts to budget-friendly hostels, there's a place for everyone. Expect to pay anywhere from $70 to $300 per night, depending on the level of comfort and location you choose. When it comes to nightlife, the island doesn't disappoint. You can enjoy a diverse selection of bars, ranging from laid-back beach shacks to upscale cocktail lounges. Sip on tropical drinks while enjoying live music or dance the night away with new friends. For food enthusiasts, Koh Samet is a paradise. Dive into the local culinary scene by trying authentic Thai dishes at the island's fantastic restaurants. Savor fresh seafood by the beach or explore the rich flavors of Thai street food that will leave you wanting more. And of course, there are plenty of activities to keep you entertained. Whether it's soaking up the sun on the sandy shores, snorkeling in the crystal-clear waters, or exploring the lush interior, Koh Samet promises an unforgettable experience. Stay tuned as we delve deeper into each of these aspects, ensuring you have all the information you need for an incredible trip to this amazing island.

Reflecting on the incredible time in Koh Samet, Thailand! The island's brilliance, from stunning beaches to vibrant culture, left us in awe. And let's talk about the food – every bite was a flavor explosion! Memories to cherish forever. Link to All about thailand special edition podcast below https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/lonely-traveler-productio/subscribe

 Ready for some sun? Join Geoffrey for the story of a young woman's trip to the beautiful tropical paradise of Koh Samet, where she quickly begins to learn more about herself and her surroundings. Love Night Falls?

Koh Samet is our favorite islands in Thailand The beaches with there clear water and white sands plus the bars and restaurants lots to do on this lovely island Link to subscribe to the special edition podcast below https://anchor.fmlonely-traveler-productio/subscribe

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A lovely island untouched beaty. Great Hotels beaches and Nightlife. Come and join us

Todd: So I'm here in Bangkok with Jerri and she is Thai. And, Jerri, I thought we would talk about Thai islands.Jerri: Of course.Todd: So there are some major islands. Can you first talk about the major resort islands in Thailand?Jerri: Yes. So as most of you know, Thailand is probably visited because of its islands. So the most well-known ones would be Phuket and Koh Samui, which are both down South in Surat Thani. And yeah, I think those are like the main destinations. They have changed quite a lot since the last 10 years. It's quite developed, so it's an island where, you know, if you really want like a very nice resort and have like a convenient place, like malls are everywhere. There's also like international schools so a lot of people now move to live at Phuket or Koh Samui. It's like a little Bangkok but by the beach.Todd: Oh, really? Wow. And Phuket really developed quickly after the terrible tsunami, right? So it's really rebounded and now it's quite vibrant. Correct?Jerri: Yes, yes, yes. Correct, yeah.Todd: Okay. So both Samui and Phuket are the more traditional maybe tourist package islands.Jerri: Yes.Todd: Are there some smaller islands or less known islands that you would recommend?Jerri: Yes. We have a lot of islands in Thailand. Just near Koh Samui, you have Koh Phangan, which is also known for its full moon party. That is the high season, but Koh Phangan is actually really nice apart from the full moon. If you visit the other less well-known beaches, Hat Rin, which is where the full moon party happens. There's a lot of hidden beaches that is very quiet, very relaxed, and it's not as developed as Koh Samui so you still feel that island lifestyle. There's a lot of small businesses, local shops.Todd: Oh, that sounds nice. You know, I actually have not been to Koh Phangan but I've been to Koh Tao. And that's the diving island, correct?Jerri: Yes, yes, yes.Todd: Yeah. Can you talk about that?Jerri: Yes, of course. So Koh Tao is known for its crystal clear water and corals for diving, so a lot of people go there to get their diving certificate. That's actually the best place to do it. And you can spend like three days there, do the course, and then the island itself is also quite remote. So there's a few stores, not as much as in Koh Phangan. But yeah, it's nice and quiet, and…Todd: Oh, that's beautiful. There's some other ones too, right? So there's Koh Chang. Can you talk about that?Jerri: Yes. Koh Chang is closer to Bangkok so you can drive there. It takes about five hours. It's in Trat Province. Koh Chang is a big, big island. And yeah, some people like it, some people don't, because it's less vibrant, I would say, compared to like Koh Samui or Phuket. But there's a lot of big resorts there and the beach is also really beautiful.Todd: Yeah, I have to confess. It's my favorite island by far.Jerri: Yeah, yeah.Todd: So I first went there 25 years ago and it was really quiet then. I mean, incredibly quiet. And the movie came out, The Beach.Jerri: Right.Todd: I remember when I saw that movie, I'm like, “Oh, that's Koh Chang.” There was nothing to do on the island, and so that's… It's beautiful. It's a natural park, correct?Jerri: Yes, yes. Correct, yeah.Todd: There's another little one near Bangkok called Koh Samet, correct?Jerri: Right. Yes, yes. That's a very popular one, especially for Thais to go during the weekend. It's like a two-hour drive from Bangkok, in Chonburi Province. All you do is you drive there and then you take a quick boat, about 30 minutes. It's also a national park so there's entrance fee, but it's really nice. The beaches are smaller but there's like different beaches and a recommended activity would be just to rent a bike and then drive around the island. Takes about like a half a day but all the beaches have their own unique character, which is nice to see.Todd: Oh, that's so awesome. Actually, when I was there years ago, I don't think they had the road around the island.Jerri: Yeah.Todd: But I remember they had… It was just amazing, beautiful beaches.Jerri: Yeah.Todd: So there's two more that are quite famous or one that's very famous, and that's Koh Phi Phi. That's way down in the South. And there's also Koh Lanta which is not too far away, I think, as well. So can you talk about those?Jerri: Yes. These two I haven't visited. I don't remember visiting them but I know a lot of people go there for its clear water. And Koh Phi Phi, I believe, has the well-known sand in the middle of the ocean that you can walk across one island to the other, and it's known for taking a boat and the water is very clear. And Koh Lanta… Yeah, Koh Lanta, I think it's also known for the same reason as Koh Phi Phi, for its crystal clear water and there's beautiful resorts there, too.Todd: Great. Okay, so I'm going to put you on the spot. If you had to choose one island to visit, recommend one place, where would you go?Jerri: Koh Phangan.Todd: Koh Phangan!Jerri: Without thinking, yes. Absolutely, yes.Todd: Really? And why?Jerri: It's always… It's a place that feels like home to me because my mom is there, as well. So we know the locals, which makes a difference. And also, I think the island hasn't – you know, it's not developed but there's also like things to see and you really feel like you're on holiday, really feel like you're going on an adventure.Todd: Oh, man. I think I want to go there right now.Jerri: Yeah.Todd: I'm serious. I have a week and I'm like, “I'm going to go an island!”

Todd: So I'm here in Bangkok with Jerri and she is Thai. And, Jerri, I thought we would talk about Thai islands.Jerri: Of course.Todd: So there are some major islands. Can you first talk about the major resort islands in Thailand?Jerri: Yes. So as most of you know, Thailand is probably visited because of its islands. So the most well-known ones would be Phuket and Koh Samui, which are both down South in Surat Thani. And yeah, I think those are like the main destinations. They have changed quite a lot since the last 10 years. It's quite developed, so it's an island where, you know, if you really want like a very nice resort and have like a convenient place, like malls are everywhere. There's also like international schools so a lot of people now move to live at Phuket or Koh Samui. It's like a little Bangkok but by the beach.Todd: Oh, really? Wow. And Phuket really developed quickly after the terrible tsunami, right? So it's really rebounded and now it's quite vibrant. Correct?Jerri: Yes, yes, yes. Correct, yeah.Todd: Okay. So both Samui and Phuket are the more traditional maybe tourist package islands.Jerri: Yes.Todd: Are there some smaller islands or less known islands that you would recommend?Jerri: Yes. We have a lot of islands in Thailand. Just near Koh Samui, you have Koh Phangan, which is also known for its full moon party. That is the high season, but Koh Phangan is actually really nice apart from the full moon. If you visit the other less well-known beaches, Hat Rin, which is where the full moon party happens. There's a lot of hidden beaches that is very quiet, very relaxed, and it's not as developed as Koh Samui so you still feel that island lifestyle. There's a lot of small businesses, local shops.Todd: Oh, that sounds nice. You know, I actually have not been to Koh Phangan but I've been to Koh Tao. And that's the diving island, correct?Jerri: Yes, yes, yes.Todd: Yeah. Can you talk about that?Jerri: Yes, of course. So Koh Tao is known for its crystal clear water and corals for diving, so a lot of people go there to get their diving certificate. That's actually the best place to do it. And you can spend like three days there, do the course, and then the island itself is also quite remote. So there's a few stores, not as much as in Koh Phangan. But yeah, it's nice and quiet, and…Todd: Oh, that's beautiful. There's some other ones too, right? So there's Koh Chang. Can you talk about that?Jerri: Yes. Koh Chang is closer to Bangkok so you can drive there. It takes about five hours. It's in Trat Province. Koh Chang is a big, big island. And yeah, some people like it, some people don't, because it's less vibrant, I would say, compared to like Koh Samui or Phuket. But there's a lot of big resorts there and the beach is also really beautiful.Todd: Yeah, I have to confess. It's my favorite island by far.Jerri: Yeah, yeah.Todd: So I first went there 25 years ago and it was really quiet then. I mean, incredibly quiet. And the movie came out, The Beach.Jerri: Right.Todd: I remember when I saw that movie, I'm like, “Oh, that's Koh Chang.” There was nothing to do on the island, and so that's… It's beautiful. It's a natural park, correct?Jerri: Yes, yes. Correct, yeah.Todd: There's another little one near Bangkok called Koh Samet, correct?Jerri: Right. Yes, yes. That's a very popular one, especially for Thais to go during the weekend. It's like a two-hour drive from Bangkok, in Chonburi Province. All you do is you drive there and then you take a quick boat, about 30 minutes. It's also a national park so there's entrance fee, but it's really nice. The beaches are smaller but there's like different beaches and a recommended activity would be just to rent a bike and then drive around the island. Takes about like a half a day but all the beaches have their own unique character, which is nice to see.Todd: Oh, that's so awesome. Actually, when I was there years ago, I don't think they had the road around the island.Jerri: Yeah.Todd: But I remember they had… It was just amazing, beautiful beaches.Jerri: Yeah.Todd: So there's two more that are quite famous or one that's very famous, and that's Koh Phi Phi. That's way down in the South. And there's also Koh Lanta which is not too far away, I think, as well. So can you talk about those?Jerri: Yes. These two I haven't visited. I don't remember visiting them but I know a lot of people go there for its clear water. And Koh Phi Phi, I believe, has the well-known sand in the middle of the ocean that you can walk across one island to the other, and it's known for taking a boat and the water is very clear. And Koh Lanta… Yeah, Koh Lanta, I think it's also known for the same reason as Koh Phi Phi, for its crystal clear water and there's beautiful resorts there, too.Todd: Great. Okay, so I'm going to put you on the spot. If you had to choose one island to visit, recommend one place, where would you go?Jerri: Koh Phangan.Todd: Koh Phangan!Jerri: Without thinking, yes. Absolutely, yes.Todd: Really? And why?Jerri: It's always… It's a place that feels like home to me because my mom is there, as well. So we know the locals, which makes a difference. And also, I think the island hasn't – you know, it's not developed but there's also like things to see and you really feel like you're on holiday, really feel like you're going on an adventure.Todd: Oh, man. I think I want to go there right now.Jerri: Yeah.Todd: I'm serious. I have a week and I'm like, “I'm going to go an island!”

Todd: So I'm here in Bangkok with Jerri and she is Thai. And, Jerri, I thought we would talk about Thai islands.Jerri: Of course.Todd: So there are some major islands. Can you first talk about the major resort islands in Thailand?Jerri: Yes. So as most of you know, Thailand is probably visited because of its islands. So the most well-known ones would be Phuket and Koh Samui, which are both down South in Surat Thani. And yeah, I think those are like the main destinations. They have changed quite a lot since the last 10 years. It's quite developed, so it's an island where, you know, if you really want like a very nice resort and have like a convenient place, like malls are everywhere. There's also like international schools so a lot of people now move to live at Phuket or Koh Samui. It's like a little Bangkok but by the beach.Todd: Oh, really? Wow. And Phuket really developed quickly after the terrible tsunami, right? So it's really rebounded and now it's quite vibrant. Correct?Jerri: Yes, yes, yes. Correct, yeah.Todd: Okay. So both Samui and Phuket are the more traditional maybe tourist package islands.Jerri: Yes.Todd: Are there some smaller islands or less known islands that you would recommend?Jerri: Yes. We have a lot of islands in Thailand. Just near Koh Samui, you have Koh Phangan, which is also known for its full moon party. That is the high season, but Koh Phangan is actually really nice apart from the full moon. If you visit the other less well-known beaches, Hat Rin, which is where the full moon party happens. There's a lot of hidden beaches that is very quiet, very relaxed, and it's not as developed as Koh Samui so you still feel that island lifestyle. There's a lot of small businesses, local shops.Todd: Oh, that sounds nice. You know, I actually have not been to Koh Phangan but I've been to Koh Tao. And that's the diving island, correct?Jerri: Yes, yes, yes.Todd: Yeah. Can you talk about that?Jerri: Yes, of course. So Koh Tao is known for its crystal clear water and corals for diving, so a lot of people go there to get their diving certificate. That's actually the best place to do it. And you can spend like three days there, do the course, and then the island itself is also quite remote. So there's a few stores, not as much as in Koh Phangan. But yeah, it's nice and quiet, and…Todd: Oh, that's beautiful. There's some other ones too, right? So there's Koh Chang. Can you talk about that?Jerri: Yes. Koh Chang is closer to Bangkok so you can drive there. It takes about five hours. It's in Trat Province. Koh Chang is a big, big island. And yeah, some people like it, some people don't, because it's less vibrant, I would say, compared to like Koh Samui or Phuket. But there's a lot of big resorts there and the beach is also really beautiful.Todd: Yeah, I have to confess. It's my favorite island by far.Jerri: Yeah, yeah.Todd: So I first went there 25 years ago and it was really quiet then. I mean, incredibly quiet. And the movie came out, The Beach.Jerri: Right.Todd: I remember when I saw that movie, I'm like, “Oh, that's Koh Chang.” There was nothing to do on the island, and so that's… It's beautiful. It's a natural park, correct?Jerri: Yes, yes. Correct, yeah.Todd: There's another little one near Bangkok called Koh Samet, correct?Jerri: Right. Yes, yes. That's a very popular one, especially for Thais to go during the weekend. It's like a two-hour drive from Bangkok, in Chonburi Province. All you do is you drive there and then you take a quick boat, about 30 minutes. It's also a national park so there's entrance fee, but it's really nice. The beaches are smaller but there's like different beaches and a recommended activity would be just to rent a bike and then drive around the island. Takes about like a half a day but all the beaches have their own unique character, which is nice to see.Todd: Oh, that's so awesome. Actually, when I was there years ago, I don't think they had the road around the island.Jerri: Yeah.Todd: But I remember they had… It was just amazing, beautiful beaches.Jerri: Yeah.Todd: So there's two more that are quite famous or one that's very famous, and that's Koh Phi Phi. That's way down in the South. And there's also Koh Lanta which is not too far away, I think, as well. So can you talk about those?Jerri: Yes. These two I haven't visited. I don't remember visiting them but I know a lot of people go there for its clear water. And Koh Phi Phi, I believe, has the well-known sand in the middle of the ocean that you can walk across one island to the other, and it's known for taking a boat and the water is very clear. And Koh Lanta… Yeah, Koh Lanta, I think it's also known for the same reason as Koh Phi Phi, for its crystal clear water and there's beautiful resorts there, too.Todd: Great. Okay, so I'm going to put you on the spot. If you had to choose one island to visit, recommend one place, where would you go?Jerri: Koh Phangan.Todd: Koh Phangan!Jerri: Without thinking, yes. Absolutely, yes.Todd: Really? And why?Jerri: It's always… It's a place that feels like home to me because my mom is there, as well. So we know the locals, which makes a difference. And also, I think the island hasn't – you know, it's not developed but there's also like things to see and you really feel like you're on holiday, really feel like you're going on an adventure.Todd: Oh, man. I think I want to go there right now.Jerri: Yeah.Todd: I'm serious. I have a week and I'm like, “I'm going to go an island!”

Markedspodden om søppel Velkommen til Markedspodden. Trane Medias egne torsdagspodcast, i dag om samfunnsproblemet søppel. Dagens tema handler nemlig om sammenhengen mellom markedsføring, økonomi og dette søppelet. Det henger sammen Jeg har nettopp kommet hjem fra en ferietur til Thailand. Full av energi møter jeg nå dagene som skal hel-omvendes. Jeg har egentlig tenkt nå den siste tiden å holde på med denne serien som skal handle om privatøkonomi og helomvending, men så er det jo slik at man blir inspirert av de tingene som man møter på og ser i hverdagen. Temaet som nå har klart å inspirere meg er todelt på et vis. På en side har du dette landet Thailand hvor det er varmt og deilig, fullt av folk og masse god drikke. Barna bader i havet, man koser seg i solen og finner den deilige feriefølelsen. Det har etterlatt meg med masse energi, og jeg føler meg skikkelig gira. Derfor ønsker jeg også nettopp nå å ta opp et viktig samfunnstema, som kan knyttes opp mot økonomi og markedsføring. For å ved dette kunne vise hva du kan gjøre i din bedrift, eller ditt liv, for å på et vis komme et skritt videre. Tema handler som sagt om søppel, markedsføring og økonomi. I samfunnet vårt henger alt dette sammen, og det er samtidig noe vi også snakker mye om. Tur til Thailand På vår ferietur til Thailand besøkte vi flere øyer sør for Bangkok, blant annet øyene Koh Samet og Koh Chang. Min kone og jeg besøkte dette landet for omtrent 13-14 år siden. På denne tiden fantes det ikke så mye turisme, og hvertfall ikke noe søppel på strendene og vannet - det var et paradis. Nå er det helt annerledes. Vi fikk nærmest et lite sjokk da vi kom hit. Det er kommet mye søppel i løpet av disse årene, og og dette skylles inn på stranden hele tiden. Likevel, førte disse omsdentighetene til at vi fikk se et engasjement blant turistene. Hver eneste dag var det flere av dem som var ute og plukket søppel. Min kone Cecilie er veldig interessert i dette, og ryddet dermed hver eneste dag, mens vi tre gutta hjalp til så godt vi klarte. Det er ganske trist, og er blitt et stort og påfallende verdensproblem. Det kan ikke løses i denne podcasten, men ved å snakke om det, og ved å ta opp temaet, kaster vi lys over det. Det kan føre til at vi fester temaet i hodet og reflekterer over det. Det kan bety noe, og da er jeg med denne podcasten med på å påvirke. Derfor ønsker jeg å ta dette temaet inn i bedrift sammenheng. En strand i Thailand En strand i Thailand kan være som et paradis, med kos, solnedgang og deilig kald drikke i den varme sola. Dessverre med søppel rundt deg. Det er ikke noen plass for det. Det finnes ikke et system på det som her i Norge. Den ene søppelbilen som finnes på øya er bitteliten. Likevel er det viktig å løse problemet så langt det går. Det vil for eksempel være bedre å samle søppelet i poser, enn å la det ligge rundt overalt. Her tror jeg også det er en markedsføringsmulighet for bedriftene i nærheten av strendene, selv om de ikke har sett, eller hvertfall tatt, den helt ennå. På Koh Chang ligger det eksmeplevis mange luksusresorter langs strendene. En dag tok vi en såkalt taxibil ned til ei strand. Vi gikk langs den omtrent 200 meter, før vi tok en taxi hjem igjen. Det var helt grusomt. Se for deg all søpla du produserer i løpet av en uke. Denne søpla inneholder alt fra plastemballasje til spisse glasskår og nåler. Her skal du gå på spasertur, nyte sola og bade med barna dine, men det vil du jo ikke. Hvertfall ikke når du er klar over at det finnes andre finere strender. Bare noen 20 meter unna ligger dessuten luksus resortene med egne svømmebasseng, men dette blir ikke like idyllisk heller når det ikke lenger vil være mulighet for denne spaserturen på stranda. Mulighet for markedsføring Dette er en trist realitet, men det ligger likevel en mulighet for markedsføring her. Hvis de med små butikker, eller små firmaer, benytter seg av mulighetene som ligger i dette problemet, kan det bidra til en ny form for markedsføring jeg tror kan virke svært effektivt. Her kommer vi litt inn på dette med Inbound Marketing, som gjør at selv firmaer med begrensede budsjett kan vokse. Hvis de for eksempel prøver å gjøre noe med dette problemet, og til og med gjør det uten å kreve noe tilbake, får du mulighet til å vise dine ferdigheter, og din tilgjengelighet, på en sann og ærlig måte. Noe jeg kom til å tenke på er for eksempel et tiltak disse luksushotellene kunne foretatt seg. Om de for eksempel for noen ansatte, si 1-2 stykker, og kjøper seg en liten båt, nå finnes det jo til og med elektriske motorer så her ligger det store muligheter for miljøbevissthet, kan de hente opp søppel fra havet hver dag samtidig som de markedsfører seg selv ved å sette deres egne logo på båten. Dette vil kanskje ikke kanskje ikke gi penger akkurat der og da, men det viser at hotellet tar ansvar. Både for miljøet og for turismen. Søppelet bærer muligheter På den samme stranda som vi opplevde som ganske fæl, satte vi oss en for en liten pause fra varmen før vi gikk å satte oss i en taxi hjem. Da kom det et litt eldre svensk ektepar som spurte betjeningen om en søppelpose og en rake, og satte dermed i gang med søppelplukking langs denne stranda. Min kone som tidligere nevnt er svært engasjert rundt dette spurte da om hun ikke kunne få bli med dem, og det var selvfølgelig greit for meg. Selv syntes jeg det var litt varmt, og satt derfor å passet på barna den dagen, men de klarte raskt å fylle en stor søppelsekk. Dette leverte de inn til betjeningen, noe som er fint i seg selv, men også usikkert. Vil noen komme å hente det? Hvordan vil det bli behandlet? Det var en bartender som var ganske god i engelsk. Mens turistene går rundt og plukker søppel stod han og de andre av dem og kikket og lo en smule. Jeg gikk bort og forklarte hva slags muligheter jeg så med dette. Om de for eksempel hadde tatt på seg noen ordentlig knæsj-fargede t-skjorter med bedriftens logo på, og hadde plukket søppel langs stranda i rundt 1 time daglig, kan dette bære med seg et kjempe potensiale innen markedsføring. I tillegg kan man få med seg turister og andre folk på dette. Kanskje tilby dem en gratis øl eller cola for arbeidet etterpå. Om dette hadde skjedd meg, ville jeg kanskje først drukket denne gratise colaen for arbeidet, men videre kjøpt meg noe mat, en middag, noe mer drikke og litt is - og det er plutselig generert en omsetning der og få midler er brukt. Benytt problemet For det er nemlig slik at det er et problem her. Det er alt for mye søppel i gatene og langs strendene, men det finnes også en løsning. Man kan gjøre noe med det, og vise at man bryr seg. Bring engasjement til gjester og folk rundt deg. Det kan være gjennom din bedrift enten det er en strikkebedrift eller terapi. Tør å vise hvem du er. Vis at du er genuin, empatisk og ekte. Dersom du viser at du bryr deg, vil folk bry seg tilbake. Det handler såklart også om at produktet man tilbyr er brukbart og nyttig, men dersom du selv tar kontakt med folk, vil du få igjen for det. Vi dro også på en utflukt. Der vi leide kajakker og padla. For 13-14 år siden spradet Cecilie og jeg under palmetrær og svømte i klart vann uten nærmest et eneste annet menneske. I dag blir vi møtt av et berg av søppel og en haug med mennesker. Under en palme sitter en liten dame i et slags plasttelt og selger brus og mat - og også her ser jeg en markedsføringsmulighet. Om hun for eksempel hadde tenkt litt utenfor boksen, komfortsonen, og gjort noe litt ‘crazy’. Satt opp et stort skilt der hun forklarer at hun er på andre siden av øya og plukker søppel, men at dersom leseren ville ha noe kunne de ta seg en brus eller lignende og legge pengene i boksen. Skap inntrykk Slik er det litt her i landet. Noen selger poteter og gulrøtter der man enkelt nok tar det man skal ha og legger pent pengene i en boks, uten noen betjening som sjekker at du faktisk gjør det. Såklart finnes det mennesker som stjeler, det skjer hele tiden. Likevel tror jeg det beste utgangspunktet ville være å tenke at de fleste mennesker faktisk er ærlige. At verden er et vakkert sted å være. For ved å gå litt utenfor komfortsonen og tenke utenfor boksen, vil en klare å oppnå noe litt utenom det vanlige. Istedenfor å sitte på rumpa og håpe at noen skal komme å kjøpe, når du heller kan bidra til å få verden et skritt nærmere å løse et globalt problem. Gå ut og prat med folk. Ta deg turen og tiden til å få kontakt. Jeg driver med det her og der. Jeg snakker med mennesker som har angst og depresjon. I tillegg jobber jeg noen ganger i min kones blomsterbutikk og har mitt eget mediebyrå. Jeg snakker dermed med mennesker hele tiden. Det er alltid hyggelig, uansett hvem jeg møter på. Det er viktig å skape inntrykk. Dersom jeg ser plastikk på gata, plukker jeg det opp. Dersom noen ser dette, kan det være med på å skape tillit. Nå gjennom med budskapet Når vi snakker om inntrykk og hva folk prater med hverandre om, så satt jeg og min familie å så på solnedgangen da en annen familie vi tidligere hadde hilst på satte seg ned med oss. Det ble veldig hyggelig og vi spiste middag og fikk en god samtale - og snakket da også om dette søppelet. De hadde plukket søppel hver dag, men møtte på problemet om hvor det skulle legges, og vi delte dermed erfaringer med hverandre. Tenk litt på det. Dersom du selv hadde sett noe som bare kastet noe på gata, bidro til forsøpling - ville du så videre hatt tillit til denne personen dersom du møtte det igjen litt senere den dagen? Tenk litt over de inntrykkene du etterlater deg. Prøv å hjelpe til. Formidle et budskap basert på genuinitet og ærlighet. Dersom jeg hadde sett en båt med en logo som bidro til et renere hav, ville jeg dratt til det hotellet, eller spist hos den restauranten med de knæsje t-skjortene som plukker søppel i en time daglig. Dette er en markedsføring som blir lagt merke til, og jeg er helt overbevist om at kundene vil komme. Mulig å få til mye Det ligger store muligheter i miljøet. Det å gå rundt med familien og plukke søppel, kan bidra til læring, god pedagogikk og det å vokse som menneske. Man kan gjøre det sammen. Her ute hos oss finnes det organisasjoner som plukker søppel som en slags dugnad. Det er svært hyggelig å gå langs kyststien med familien på den måten. Vi fyller sammen med andre opp en stor container sponset av kommunen - og får til noe veldig i lag. Fra nede i Thailand vil det også komme en video på YouTube. Denne spilte vi inn da Cecilie så at et hotell satte ut en plastbøtte og begynte å rydde. Snart begynte omtrent alle turister rundt å hjelpe til, og det var både tragisk men også litt moro å se hvor raskt en stor bøtte ble full av søppel og plast, og en ny måtte settes ut. Nede i Thailand er søppelhåndteringen generelt i dag ikke helt optimal. Kildesortering med stor effekt er ennå ikke helt funnet. Søppelfyllinger har ingen avrenningssystemer, og avrenninger fra søppelet renner dermed rett ut i elver. Den høye varmen fører til utvikling av bakterier i avfall og søppel, lukt, forurensing og sykdom. Heldigvis blir det gjort tiltak. Thailand er det første landet i Asia som deltar i prosjektet «Upcycling the Oceans», der ambisjonen er å redusere søppelmengden i havet, og i Ban Nam Phu Community i provinsen Lamphun har de åpnet et eget opplæringssenter for håndtering av avfall. Her er målet å lære opp interesserte personer til bedre avfallshåndtering, i håp om å redusere mengden avfall til null. På sentrene kan folk få opplæring i det offentlige regelverk, hvordan resirkulere plast, behandle giftig avfall, lage gjødsel og hvordan produsere alternativ energi. Tilbake til salg og økonomi, vil engasjement merkes. Delaktighet vil få ettervirkninger. En bedriftseier med høy tillit vil nok kunne sette prisene litt høyere uten å miste kundene sine. For mange vil nok synes det er verdt å betale ekstra for engasjement, genuinitet og åpenhet. Det henger nemlig sammen: det du gjør, det du ser, det du er og det du får.   I hvilken kanal liker du best å konsumere din interesse? Lyd, film eller tekst? Denne bloggen er også spilt inn som en Podcast. Markedspodden finner du blant annet på spotify, itunes podcast, i tillegg til markedspodden.no og tranemedia.no/podcast. Dersom det er noen temaer du er interessert i er det bare å ta kontakt enten over telefon, data eller gjennom et møte - og kom gjerne med tilbakemeldinger.   Jeg ønsker deg en fortsatt god uke, Markedsføring, økonomi og verdensproblemet søppel med Stefan Lundberg i Trane Media   Kilder http://news.cision.com/no/tourism-authority-of-thailand/r/thailand-tar-sine-forste-skritt-for-a-rydde-havet-for-soppel,c2425302 http://www.thainytt.no/index.php?id=3961339475097555785  

With our sixth trip back to Thailand, we had a chance to explore with our friends that were visiting from the US. It was a fun-filled ten days showing them all that we love about Bangkok, exploring the island of Koh Samet together, and taking in the craziness of Pattaya. In this episode, we discuss Muay Thai fighting, street food, the adult life options, and why Pattaya is built for the male western traveler. Beaches, beer, and scooters. Buckle up. Main Topics Covered: Bangkok Koh Samet Pattaya Why Thailand Rocks Links Mentioned in the Episode: Google Fi - the best phone plan for international travelers Nixplay - unbelievable digital frame to share all of your travel photos Our friends, Chris and Arlene, joined us for ten fun-filled days in Thailand.  If you want more details on Bangkok (this was our 6th trip) check out Podcast 8: In LOVE with Bangkok (and a Visit to the Hospital).  Sukhumvit is our favorite place to stay when in Bangkok.  The Patpong Night Market is wild as hell and a ton of fun. Wat Pho (Temple of Reclining Buddha) is a must-visit location in Bangkok.  Scooters are part of the culture and a great way to see the city and get around.  Koh Samet has beautiful views, an authentic vibe, and plenty of beaches to chill on.  Ao Phrao Beach is the best beach on the island of Koh Samed and is clean, warm, and clear.   We have also visited Ko Phi Phi Islands, Thailand (Incredible Beaches) which are more active than the quiet Koh Samet vibe.  Pattaya is an adult playground with plenty of nightlife options.  Muay Thai Fighting is a must-see event if you love sports. The competition is fierce and the rituals are fantastic. We attended Max Muay Thai for 2,000 baht each. Yes, the price is steep but it was well worth it.  Pattaya is different in Patong with the range of bars and size. We discuss The Insane Nightlife of Patong, Thailand (What to do in Patong 2018). Both are crazy in their own way.  Sign up for our Newsletter to get the latest tips in Travel and hear about our weekly visits around the world

We have a lot to catch up on! We have regrettably finished our journey through the intriguingly beautiful Vietnam and have arrived in Laos to continue northward on our voyage to the red giant, China.To listen to the podcast click Here!Due to the sheer number of days since the previous blog, I have combined days spent in the same location. Enjoy. Mar 8th We had previously organised to reunite with two girls we had met whilst on Koh Samet, Sofie and Mari, and join them slowly staggering north to the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi. Having jointly decided with the girls to leave Ho Chi Minh City the following day, this left us all with a full day to see as much as we possibly could of this Vietnamese metropolis. We used the morning to visit the war remnants museum, which had been cringingly described to us as an emotionally evoking experience similar to that faced at the S-21 museum in Phnom Penh. After walking in the heat and humidity that accompanies all large Asian cities, we arrived at a museum surrounded by varying types of grounded aircraft and decommissioned armored vehicles, all marked with the badge of US possession. As we entered the museum, we yet again were reminded of the atrocities of war and the continued struggle consecutive generations face due the effects of Agent Orange. Unbeknown to use both, the museum closed at 12 and would not reopen for an hour and a half, we felt we had satisfied the required visit and left the museum slightly relieved. However, the lack of complete objectivity in this museum did play on my mind, as there was clear bias towards the North Vietnamese. This contrasted heavily with my favourite museum, the Berlin history museum, which chronologically explores the checkered history of Germany in a purely objective manor. Regardless, the war remnants museum was a good introduction to the brutal war a mere 40 to 50 years earlier.We had organised to travel with the girls to Nha Trang, primarily a beach town that was about 10 hours away by bus. It is at this point that I’ll mention that Sofie wasn’t feeling quite well at this point of our journey, which was a reoccurring theme over the next few days. Mar 9th, 10th, 11th, 12 & 13thWe said goodbye to Ho Chi Minh City as we boarded the coast-bound bus, happy to be leisurely heading north along what we later found to be the tourist trail. The bus to Nha Trang took us passed some amazing scenic coastline and picturesque landscapes created by mountains that, without warning, disturbed the uniformly level terrain. As we stopped for lunch in another beach town called Mui Ne, we were introduced to our first taste of Russian tourist domination as English was superseded by Russian in all restaurants and shops. As we arrived in Nah Trang, we luckily arrived directly in front of a hotel that suited us perfectly for the duration of our stay. My only criticism is the fact that Casey and I were asked to change rooms twice starting with an amazing room that was for six people and finishing with a closet built for potentially one and a half. This was because a single girl wanted a balcony… The mind boggles.As we arose the next morning, Mari told us that Sofie yet again was feverish and was an odd green colour, which strongly suggested a trip to the doctor. Waiting for both Sofie and Mari to return left Casey and I to endeavor to the beach where we were shocked to see rather large speedo wearing Russian men precariously scattered along the beach. As the girls returned we were again shocked to learn that Sofie had a mild case of Dengue fever and required three consecutive days of treatment each with a four-five hour session of intravenous fluid administration. Fortunately, this did not tarnish our time as Sofie started to feel fine after the first treatment, and could choose the time of sequential treatments over the following days. We then spent a few uneventful yet relaxing days visiting the beach and trying a plethora of restaurants in the area. We all also went to a massage parlor and enjoyed hour-long massages, something that was quite foreign to both Casey and myself. One night that stands out amongst the rest was the night we decided to visit a mall that had both a bowling alley and karaoke. After about an hour of karaoke in a private room that Casey informed us was not soundproof, I feel the staff were probably happy to farewell the Backstreet Boy singing Westerners. We had decided to catch a night bus to the historic town of Hoi An. The night bus was an adventure in it’s self as we were given the seats at the back that, unlike all the other individualized seats, were five adjoining seats. This did not cause problems for our group of four, yet the lone Austrian girl that had been instructed to join us may have had a somewhat different experience. Mar 14th, 15th, 16th & 17thWe arrived in Hoi An at an outrageously early eight o’clock before we, as was extremely common at the end of every bus journey, were hounded by people to stay at there hotel or employ their transport. We walked from the bus past rows of buildings and shops all coloured a rustic mustard, a reminder of the earlier French influence. We reached a hotel, which we later determined to be run by quite a shady group of people, who insisted we sign a handwritten agreement that if anything went missing from our room it was our responsibility. Unfortunately, Mari was stung by this policy as 500,000 dong (A$25) went ‘missing’ from her bag. After mentioning this missing money, our possessions luckily are still all accounted for. Hoi An was a beautiful town that had a spectacular old town that boasts a tantalizing mixture of Japanese, Chinese, French and Vietnamese influences. The sheer number of tailors made Hoi An the ideal place to go for specifically tailored items, a service we did not employ even though we were tempted by matching felt suits… We spent a day with hired motorcycles and traveled to the UNESCO world cultural heritage site, the ancient Cham city of My Son. Unfortunately, the heritage site did not quite live up to the expectations of a UNESCO heritage site, but the highlight of the day was enjoying the formidable Vietnamese roads once more, with a passenger no less. Getting use to a slightly slower pace whilst traveling in a group suited us all and gave us a good opportunity to relax and reflect on our adventure thus far. It was very different traveling with another pair, but an extremely welcome and refreshing change. The next destination was chosen to be Hué and after being told by a hotel staff member that there were three types of seats on the bus and that the cheapest seat type was unavailable, we bought the tickets that were not near the bus toilet at a dearer price. When boarding the bus for the 4 hour journey we evidently had been conned by the hotel again as this approximately 20 seat bus did not have a toilet or seating allocation. This finalized our time in Hoi An, a place where the buildings are incredibly beautiful, yet tourism had obviously impacted this town, at least partially, for the worst. The next town of Hué was equally as beautiful and our opinion of the people was in a much more positive light. Once again, when we got of the bus, we were dropped at a hotel, the Google Hotel, which was the nicest we have stayed in thus far. We had free Wi-Fi, free coffee all day, free beer after five o’clock, breakfast for US$1 and large rooms with proper showers that had been lacking from each and every room we had previously stayed.Mar 18th, 19th & 20thMari had innovatively suggested we all compete in a self-created scavenger hunt, which saw each member of the group contribute specific tasks to complete with the intention of being issued a corresponding number of points, the team successfully gaining the most points would be named victorious. Some of the more exciting tasks included: swimming in the river, fitting three choco-pies in your mouth, dancing in the street, wearing team uniforms, wearing a rice hat in all photos and finding a German. Every task was required to be completed with corresponding photographic evidence so each team could successfully claim the points associated with the task. Though it was an extremely close battle, I am happy to say that Sofie and I took out the title of Scavenger hunt 2013 victors, earning ourselves a dinner purchased by the opposing team. The scavenger hunt proved to be a great way to see the city, but traveling’s not all fun and games, our hotel staff made us drink a few beers while playing pool and were upset when we decided to stop drinking free beer… Stressful life.With our Vietnamese visas ending on the 27th, we were keen to head to Hanoi and travel on to the fabled Ha Long Bay. We boarded another night bus where, like all transport in Asia, we battled with seats obviously made for people of a smaller stature. We arrived in to Hanoi, again at an outrageously early time, at a bus stop on the outskirts of town. After finding a taxi to take us to the Old Quarter to find accommodation, we spent the day discussing potential ways to go to Ha Long Bay, enjoying the sites around Hoan Keim Lake, which Casey and Mari decided to run around. It is here that we also enjoyed crab spring rolls, potentially the best spring rolls I have ever tasted. We settled on a planned cruise of Ha Long Bay, which was three days and two nights aboard a junk (boat). This inevitably turned out to be a fantastic option. Mar 21st, 22nd & 23rd We were picked up from our hotel by a bus that took four hours to reach Ha Long City where we boarded a small boat that took us to our awaiting junk. It was a slightly weathered three-story boat that consisted of cabins on the lower level, a dining room, kitchen and wheelhouse on the middle level and a deck with shelter on the upper level. The cabins were extremely nice, and included a very nice bathroom with a proper shower. A short while after settling in our rooms, a very indulgent lunch was served before we were to board the smaller boat to travel to the ‘surprising’ caves, which contained three caverns of increasing size which had been formed through the weathering of the stone over countless millennia. We then had the opportunity to jump in two-person kayaks and go around a few of the smaller islands that make up the much larger complex of infamous Ha Long Bay islands. We were ferried back to the junk, enjoyed another sumptuous meal before being left to our own devices. This included sitting on the deck and admiring the incredible number of other ships that were anchored in the same area as their lights dance on the surrounding, almost undisturbed, water.The following day, a smaller two-story boat picked us up and took us for a very scenic journey to a cove where we had the opportunity to swim, kayak or relax. Casey and I took the opportunity to unobtrusively float around the cove wearing provided life jackets. They cooked lunch for us as they had done the previous day, to the extremely high standard, and then returned us to the junk where we had gained another group of passengers as some people chose to only spend one night on board. The most recent additions decided they’d take up the offer to do karaoke until just after 11, which was amusing at best. We then woke and enjoyed breakfast and lunch aboard the junk while it leisurely sailed back to the original port at Ha Long City. It was amazing, and equality upsetting, how fast the two nights had gone. We again boarded the bus in the opposing direction towards Hanoi, returning to our hotel as if our expedition to Ha Long Bay was just a distant memory or a reminiscent dream.Mar 24th& 25thDeciding we would leave Vietnam and the girls on the night of the 25th, pushing our visa departure date to the utmost limit, we had a full day to farewell two people that we had become exceptionally close to over the passing weeks whilst still being able to enjoy what we were yet to see in Hanoi. In pairs, we ventured out into the city with the intention of seeing all we could. We were lucky enough to see the presidential palace, the outside of Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum (we couldn’t go in because it was only open from 8.30-10.30 every day except Monday and Friday) and enjoyed breakfast, lunch and dinner at one of the many highly recommended Gecko restaurants around Hanoi’s tourist area. Our final day in Vietnam was spent making sure we had everything we needed to leave and spending the fleeting time with our friends before they too left Hanoi that night. As we waited for our bus to collected us from the hotel we said a very somber goodbye knowing our paths would cross in the not too distant future. Our hotel pick up was a man on a motorbike that drove in front of us as we followed him through the streets of Hanoi gradually gathering people. We boarded a small minibus that brought us to a hectic bus terminal. We then boarded the bus that was intended for our journey. I am fearful that Casey and I were accomplices to some kind of underground Oreo trade from Vietnam into Laos as a multitude of boxes filled the seats on the lower levels and under the bus. After being asked to sit in the two seats at the far back of the bus, the remainder of people’s luggage was sandwiched next to us. The bus was truly at capacity. Mar 26th& 27thNo one knew how long the bus was suppose to take to get to Vientiane, the capital of Laos. We were told 20 hours, yet judging by the copious number of unnecessary stops along the way, it could have taken us days. We woke on the morning of the 26thparked at the front of the growing queue by the border awaiting the time it would open. We had a relatively smooth walk across the border where we walked about a kilometre on international soil before painlessly being issued our visa for entry into Laos. The bus ended up taking 25 hours to reach our destination; this was primarily due to the fact we stopped for a two-hour stop for an unknown reason and secondly, due a required tire change. We stepped off the bus relieved to have finally arrived and followed the people on the bus, all whom had bonded over the possibility of spending another night on the road, to a hostel. The hostel was quite nice, but lacked the privacy we were hoping to write the blog and podcast. The following day, we found a guesthouse to settle down in for the day providing an opportunity to write the more then overdue blog post. And that brings us to now!I loved Vietnam; it was a beautiful country with an amazing culture and people. It has definitely been the highlight of the trip for me thus far. Our visa for China is valid for entry until the 8th of April, leaving us just over a week before we want to cross the border. We really aren’t paying Laos the respect it deserves time wise, but we wont rush through the places we do chose to stay. We are hoping everyone is well back home. We are still loving traveling and going strong.Keep posted.

Happy Valentine's Day!We have finally left the beach and are in our second country, Cambodia.To listen to the podcast click here!9th FebAfter waking up relatively late due to a long night of celebrations for Casey’s birthday, we had decided to stay in Koh Samet for two more nights. We found out that our current room has been previously booked, so we had to find some new accommodation. We walked around for about an hour in the rain trying to find a hotel, until we eventually found one just around the corner. Fortunately for us, the hotel was much nicer then the first and at the same price of 500 baht, or approximately A$16 for us both, was a steal. We inevitably spent the day relaxing by the beach reading, before Casey enjoyed a run on the beach. The day was then finished off by having dinner with some friends we’d made the day before, by the beach of course.10th FebAs our final day on Koh Samet, we decided to make it count with some serious beach work. I, unfortunately for me, was roomridden due to a very mild bout of the runs, the first victim of what I’m sure will inevitably reoccur during our trip. Luckily that passed within a few hours and I was able to join Casey on the beach where he had accrued additional sunburn whilst reading his book and taking photos as you have probably seen in the tabs above (if not, check them out!). We enjoyed a bit of a workout session on the beach before a light run and enjoyed our final night by having another dinner on the beach at a place we’d frequented every night bar one.11th FebWe were keen to go to Cambodia, and utilising the liberated Lonely Planet guide we had an extremely rough idea about how we intended to get there. We got off the island much later the expected and luckily were ushered to a minivan company, which did visa runs to Cambodia. They suggested we headed to the city Pailin, just across the border and then make our way to Battambang. We had no idea where Pailin was as it was not listed in the lonely planet, so we spent the next few hours on a bus that dropped us in a Thai city just near the border that we still have no real idea about. After waiting at an outdoor restaurant for an hour, we were both forced to learn our first real words in Thai, the words for “public toilet”. This was mainly due to Casey’s failed attempt of a hand rubbing gesture, which made a lady gesture towards a tap….. We caught another minivan to the Cambodian-Thai border, which was typical of a Thai town, happy people, colourful, graveled roads and buildings that I still would have considered pretty rudimentary, until we crossed the border and saw the ultimate contrast. The border crossing was relatively painless, but as we crossed, we were hounded by men pulling up on motorbikes for lifts and taxi rides on the now dirt road. We ended up acquiring the help of an English speaking tourist advisor (who obviously would get commission out of any sale he assisted in) we reluctantly paid for a taxi to Battambang as the suggested alternative was to stay in a hotel that looked like it would be robbed the second we fell asleep. The roads we travelled down were mostly ungraded as we avoided potholes after pothole as we passed houses that were now made of wood and straw in the most part, we could visually see the difference between Thailand and Cambodia, and the harsh history of the country really did start to become highly evident. The taxi driver was in fact one of the men that had been stalking us down the street earlier, yet through his limited English, we could tell that he was actually a really nice guy as he stopped off at picturesque locations so we could take photos. After working out the debacle of paying the driver in Thai Baht and American dollars, which we have now learnt is interchangeable with Cambodian currency, the Riel (1 to approx. 4000), we found a nice hotel. Battambang was obviously quite a touristy town, but it was a nice place to start in Cambodia.12th FebThe night before we had organised a Tuk Tuk with three other people to go around and see the local sights of Battambang for the day. We first ventured to the Bamboo train, which is just a rectangle formed by pieces of bamboo to utilise abandoned French train tracks. This was great to get a few pictures of the Cambodian countryside. We then went to a very old yet beautiful temple that was reached via a rather steep set of stairs at Phnom Banan. We then went to the only winery in Cambodia and had a wine tasting.  There is a reason there is only a single winery in Cambodia. I have a feeling we were drinking gasoline infused with grape juice…. Our final and most confronting destination so far was to a set of temples; bat infested caves and “The Killing Caves” at Phnom Sampeau. Visiting the latter definitely put things into perspective for us, as we learnt about the bloody atrocities committed by Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge during their relatively recent reign. This did not completely hinder the enjoyment of seeing the temples in the area, visiting a monastery where monks were living and accidently disturbing numerous classes of students in a school as they all wanted to wave and say hello as we passed. We then watched a consistent stream of bats leave their cave for roughly 20 minutes. It was truly incredible to see them uniformly weave into the distance and even more interesting to watch from a platform next to the head of a 30 metre Buddha being carved into a cliff face. We then went back to town and enjoyed a traditional Cambodian dinner with our friends from the Tuk Tuk.13th FebWe decided to set out towards Siem Reap, which is the town that is within reach of Ankor Wat. We boarded a relatively small boat that uncomfortably took roughly 9 hours to reach Siem Reap port, passing by floating villages and the friendliest people, always waving and smiling. We then caught a Tuk Tuk into town finding out that most accommodation was full at this point, spending an hour with our packs trying to find a place to stay. We had to break the accommodation budget for the first night, yet we had a pretty nice air conditioned room. We ventured out into Siem Reap to discover how expectedly touristy it really was. There’s a street called “Pub street”, enough said. We visited the night markets, which is really just stall after stall of relatively similar merchandise such as the Khmer scarf.14th Feb – Valentine’s Day!That brings us to today, a day we have decided to relax and try to recover from the sunburn and peeling that has been inflicted on us whilst on Koh Samet and the boat ride from Battambang yesterday. We had a nice scrambled egg breakfast with the most amazing bread either of us was expecting in Asia (probably due to the French influence on Cambodia). We are preparing our next few nights here and our trip to Ankor Wat and the surrounding temples, which is one of the main reasons we really decided to come to South East Asia, hopefully it’ll live up to the hype. Unfortunately for the day, we are each other’s Valentines....We are loving the people we are meeting and the unexpected and different experiences we are already having. We can’t believe it’s only been 9 days. Hopefully it keeps up and you’ll keep reading about our adventures. Hope all is well back home, we both send our love.Make sure you check out the photos on the Cambodia page and add your e-mail address to the subscription box on the left to keep updated.Keep posted.

We arrived in Thailand safely!To listen to the latest podcast click here!5th Feb:We arrived at about 8.00pm into Bangkok airport and as soon as we left the airport terminal we really realised how hot and humid Bangkok was, and the climate we would have to get use to for the next 3 months! We caught a cab to our hostel (which we later discovered was overpriced) passed pristine roads and billboards setting an almost facade for the Bangkok we were still to meet. When we arrived at our hostel we were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the accommodation. The place was clean and seemed quite nice. We went for our first walk in Bangkok to get something to eat in this foreign city that was evidently no stranger to westerners. We finally settled on Fish Ball soup from a street vendor as our first meal, wondering if food poisoning would follow (It did not), we actually quite enjoyed it. We then bought a few beers, Chang being the beer of choice in Thailand, and headed back to the hostel. It was there that we met three French Canadian girls who had done a bit of traveling around India and Nepal, and were just arriving in Bangkok themselves. We worked out that we would travel around Bangkok with them the next day and then end up at Khao Sarn road (the tourist street). We then enjoyed a very humid night.6th Feb:We woke in the morning and left the hostel with the three girls heading for the river to catch the ferry to Old Bangkok. We slowly made our way to Khao Sarn road where we enjoyed a beer dispensing devise I've never seen, called a Tower. We had a pretty good night, discussing the possibility of leaving Bangkok, having no real idea where else we could go.7th Feb:Casey asked the question "Are we still leaving today" and I agreed. We would go south towards the beach. We found an abandoned old Lonely Planet book and Casey picked an island, Koh Samet. We then took the skytrain, a minivan and then a ferry to the island (It wasn't as easy as it seems). We walked around Koh Samet until we found accommodation, just paying for a room with a fan because you had to pay more for airconditioning. We then enjoyed a beer and dinner on the beach before falling asleep early.8th Feb:Casey's birthday! Casey went to the police gym, at the invitation of a policeman. We then enjoyed swimming before we decided to hire scooters to travel to the other side of the island. We traveled on what we later discovered to be a walking track, which was worse then many dirt roads I've seen back home, always hard for scooters. We decided to turn back and enjoyed a nice relaxation session on the beach, which we are currently paying for with extreme sunburn, which is giving us both grieve right now. We are going out to celebrate Casey's birthday tonight, and hopefully meet some people we've been seeing around.Make sure you check out the photos on the Thailand page and add your e-mail address to the subscription box on the left to keep updated.Keep posted