Food with a Side of Climbing

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When a waking life consists of only two major events, patterns form easily. Life is not complicated. My routine is solely constructed of eating and climbing. Everything else is merely a distraction. Both activities are bountiful, delightful and far more valuable than the cost. Days consist of 4 meals, 3 out of an open air kitchen at the back of a local ladies house. Lovingly called, Chicken Mama, a 5' tall Thai woman filled our empty bellies between climbs. Through nourishment and smiles, Chicken Mama became the mother of an eclectic group of strangers brought together only by a sense of adventure and a passion for scaling rocks. The dinning room consisted of two picnic tables and a small, tattered umbrella. She continually slow roasted barbecue chicken, sending comforting smells wafting across the beach. Food was cheap, portions were large, customers were happy.

Each night, we would break from our regular daily meal spot and pull 3 tables together at a curry shack and eat, drink and tell tails of the cliff. Our conversations would travel the world. From sunset till late after dark, we would dine, converse, learn, drink, argue and flirt. Table talks would always start with the biggest falls and tales from the day.

Early mornings and late nights were magic at Tonsai. The perfect weather boasts a light breeze starting at night sustaining through till early morning. This pushed most of the mosquitoes back into the jungle giving you just enough peace to drift to sleep. The mosquito net became the single most important material item, after my climbing gear. My first night in a beach bungalow was an experience of skin patterning. I went to sleep with a very perforated mesquito net. I woke the next morning to find my body covered in 100's mosquito bites. After that evening, Tiger Balm also ranked very high up on my most appreciated goods. This elaborate body art was only topped by the night I inadvertently shared my mattress with an ant colony. While I slept, they dined. I quickly conditioned myself to sleep through anything. Even with a speckled back comparable to a bad case of measles, the possibility of a bad day was far from achievable.

The following evening, it happened again. The ten hours of climbing each day was just not enough. This is how I found myself 4 pitches up a climb called Humanality, tapping my feet to the Bob Marley blaring from the bar 300 feet below. An LED light from my headlamp was barley noticeable from the moonlight being cast on the rock from a full moon. Finishing the last pitch and lowering off into the night from 360 feet above the ground, I was a happen climber. Only 24 hours had passed since my arrival in Tonsai. 24 hours in paradise.

Climbing "Partners"?

Benga, Benga! I yelled encouragingly to the shirtless Spanish guy I was belaying. I stood on the beach near the connector path between Tonsai and Railay West. The ocean splashed up behind me only 10 feet away. Walking down the beach walked two girls with matching Oakley Sunglasses, carrying roller bags...on the beach. I flashed them a smile and turned to chat with what were two, unmistakably, American girls. (Yes, it really is that obvious) After a few minutes of the typical banter, where they were from and how long they were traveling. One of the Floridians asked if we there were many beaches like this. Thinking that she was talking about beaches with climbing, I excitedly told her that two of the beaches on the peninsula were the same as this beach. She was very surprised. She had not read anything about these beaches in her guide book. She went on to say that she didn’t want to stereotype but it was noticeable how fit everyone was. I casually responded that it sort of comes with the lifestyle. The other American girl smiles and says that she is glad that Thailand is progressive and doesn’t have the same negative social opinions as the US. As I pause to figure out what the hell this American girl is talking about, her friend say comment in response " Yeah...back in Florida, there are next to no gay beaches."

Clearly, take a beach, mix in a severe majority of very fit shirtless male climbers walking around in groups and add European banana hammocks...the outcome can be slightly misconstrued.

Life As I Know It

After only 3 days, I am more used to seeing the top of the jungle canopy than I am at explore below. I am used to seeing sun-bathers as dark specs spoiling the white sandy beaches hundreds of feet below. I spend most of my time eye level with the birds, with a feeling of that I am closer to the clouds than to the sea. My hands know Thailand as the land of endless sandstone and my waist feels empty without a snug harness tightly secured.

Only hours after my arrival, I had settled into a beach-side bungalow, met two climbing partners and found myself hiking into one of the 16 large cliffs that scatter the Pra Nang Peninsula. The routes are perfect. The rock is littered with holes and tufas to make a magical blend of tiring technical routes that require balance, focus and innovative strategies. The routes rocket out from the coast towering 100 meters into the air. The orange-white rock acts as a colorful frame to the beach and jungle. A glimpse up at a cliff in the sun will reveal reflective sparks of light from the bolts used to protect the climbs. This makes all climbers on the ground drool with anticipation of their next send. Approaching the cliff humbles all climber as the excitement builds to step off the ground.

Pra Nang is made up of three beaches; Tonsai, Railay east and Railay West. The climbing is located throughout each of these areas but the climbers have taken refuge in the Tonsai. This is were everyone is in great shape. Everyone walks around with climbing shoes attached to the hip. Conversations are confusing except to the climbing literate. Here, climbers rule all. For a sport where its participants are used to being asked questions like, "So...do you use ropes?" and "I tried that in summer camp when I was ten." the outcasts are now the non-climbers. Tonsai is inhabited by the friendliest Thai people that predominately work to capitalize on the tourism industry and the climbing addicts that are in search of the next great climb. Grungy climbing clothes and bloody knuckles are much more common than clean polo’s and Hawaiian print bathing suits. Here, life is great if you are an enthusiastic climber. Here, life is great if you are a climber. Here, life is just great!

A Baht for Your Thoughts

Tonight it is the full moon here...This means poi (fire dancing) on the beach and slack-lining over the ocean. The Internet, as cheap as it is, costs the same as a night in my resort as it does to post to the blog. So, there is much to be catch everyone up one but it will have to wait until tomorrow morning when I can borrow a laptop and still wi-fi from the fancy hotel in the area. Until tomorrow

A Climber's Paradise

I will apoligize in advance for any grammatically errors or misspellings. My computer screen sits inches away from a bay window that looks out over a pristine beach and perfect floating spires of climbing delight. After only 14 hours of transit bus purgatory, heaven on earth has been reached.

The path to Railay rightousness began almost 20 hours ago. Khao San Road provided ample people watching to rest from the marathon of walking I had done in the last couple days. Trying to emulate the extremely obivious standout toursit mode that only my dad can do, I had my sunburned nose buried deep into an animated map of Bangkok. My shoes contained less then 100 steps before wearing through. I took this as a sign to enjoy a day of relaxation. Only moments later the friendly, chipper, stuffed-up voice of an american accent was heard only a table away. After postive responce from a comment about the acceptability of being american tourists now becuase of our new president, I new I was in for a good company with Nicky and her boyfriend...i'll call him Pieces. After a day of little move movement, lots of politcs, delicous falafal and good conversation, I felt furfilled and confident that I have seen the best of Bangkok.

The maze of public trasportation included next to no english with three bus tranfers. A extreme sports junkie was my seatmate on the bus and we swapped injury horror stories as we counted the hours away. I bootlegged version of the new Wolvereen movie play away at the front of the bus. The movie was so bootleged that all the CGI were in bit data form. It movie encourged imagination. Finally arriving in Krabi provices encouraged us to hurry from excitment to the the inevitable waiting. After buying a boat ticket for a ferry to Tonsai. I lauched into a conversation with a Spinish Haliburton worker as we waited the three hours for required 8 people needed to fill the boat. The ferry ended up being only a 10 minute ride around cliff scattered pennicials and spire arrets islands. Arriving at a beach only a ten minute walk from the beach I desired, I began walking next to a French climber that introduced me to every climber we passed. Turning off the beach into a jungle path brought us to a path that ran parrell to the must perfect climbing I have ever laid eyes on. Unable to contain myslef I pulled out my gear and began hauling up a perfect climb of smooth perfected rock. More to come; the crag is calling.

A Fresh Perspective

I finally broke down. After loosing the ability to sit down without the high probability of falling asleep, I booked a guesthouse and got a good nights sleep. I woke up to a a bright sunny morning and a cold shower. After filling my belly with warm leechee and rice starch slop, I took to the walking street of Khao San. Khao San is described in multiple guide books as the paradise for backpackers and this is the perfect description. 5 dollar rooms, 17 cent meals, lots of English speaking tourists, many shops and a colorful smattering of 24 bars. The latter tends to attract to "European Frat Boy" group but even alpha-male, gym rat, booze hounds are a little more interesting table side in Bangkok.

There is a suit shop occupying every other store front. This makes battering extremely easy. The technique I perfected is just tell them the store next door gave offered lower prices for more. The will fall over themselves to reduce to the cost and through in 10 free ties. As it as been almost an hour since I have eaten anything. I must eat. My body has gotten used to constantly consuming new and exciting foods. I wouldn't want to disappoint.

Seamless Sleeplessness

I have officially entered hour 32 without sustained sleep. The pulse of Bangkok flows energetically through the city and is not hindered by my personal lack of sleep. Immediately after logging from last blog, I stepped out into the humid dawn morning. Moments latter I found myself huddled around a overturned cardboard box with three young-ouns slinging domino's at 20 Baht a game. With "Domino" being the only word that we had in our common vocabulary, the three children excitedly yelled "Domino, Domino" as they through the tiles at a dizzying pace. After 4 games a 80 lost Baht, I collected my bruised ego and let the youngest of the lot buy my consolatory bag of sweetened rice mush. The demon vendor handed me the thin sandwich bag filled with the molten hot lava drink and said "You Drink! Drink!" I would assume the taste could be equated to sweetened liquid oatmeal but I could only taste the comforting familiar flavor of the peeled burnt tissue from the roof of my mouth. Though presumable tasty, this will probably rank as the worst food product consumed on this trip.

Dazed from the sever flesh wound, I found myself wandering the main strip of Central Bangkok watching street cart after street cart chopping vegetables and making a rainbow of curries that dilated my pupils as glimpsed into the base of each wok. Feeling the early morning was too calm, I challenged an old lady to a scallion cutting contest. If there is one thing I took away from the CIA, it was speed and precision a Julianne of scallion. This woman had know idea what was in store for her. Three knifes were strapped to the side of the cart with worn handles waving proud in the air. I reach forward grabbing my obvious weapon of choice...Asian Cleaver. This was a good as over. We both prepped our large pile scallions and drew a crowd of 4 other street food prep cooks. I was feeling confident. Nothing could stop me.

Sitting on the stairs in front of "Victory Statue" felt slightly ironic. The sun peaked cheerily over the buildings, clearly taunting shameful defeats. At this point, I did what anyone would do in my circumstance. I bought a bag of fried dough balls, perched myself against a bootleg CD booth and rocked out to the Juno Soundtrack. Apparently, I picked the right booth on the right street, for only fifteen minutes passed before my solo toe tapping became a group of English speaking Thai High School students. Thai lesson began promptly and I received an F+ after only 5 minutes. I continued to slaughter the language as the sun rose over the building bring the 95 degree weather with it. The children disappeared for school, the Juno Soundtrack played through and my time to move on became clear.

Chatuchak is Bangkok in the purest form. Over 5000 stalls and take up 35 acres. This weekend-only market is a maze of semi-circle grid shops with only three entrance/exits that allow access to the 300,000 visitors that come each day. Also called Talaat Jatujak or JJ by the locals. This wonderland of Thai Culture resides on the northeastern edge of Bangkok. The air train arrived at 7:55 am and I set off toward the vast market below. I walked through the gates ready to be impressed and I see a empty line of locked storefronts with bright colored graffiti run as far as the eye can see. I wander through to see only an occasional storefront ajar with smiling face peering out from behind a cup of Thai version Cafe con Leche. After a quick loop through a park adjacent to JJ's, I returned back to the market. In only a half-hour, the market began to wake. Woks began to warm, pathways were swept and the market began to wake. This is a paradise for; clothes shoppers, pet shoppers, foodies, fish lovers, plant lovers, Buddhists, tourists and locals alike. For 3 hours, I zig through stores and zagged through food stands. The smells changed every two steps, the temperature change from room to room and sounds flowed throughout halls, twisting together at frequent intersections to create new sounds all over again. It was extensive, exacting and communal. Every section of shops was divided by food vendors with authentic specialties. It was hard to go more than a block without a mouthwatering Thai treat filling the void. Alas, when relative humidity broke 100% without raining, it was time to stay off the feet and seek cool liquids. Let the suit shopping begin!