Monday, February 23, 2009

Tahiti

Read about Tahiti today and I found it is very interesting. My family has export import business and one of our customers is in Tahiti. I think it would be nice if I share another one of paradises on earth with you guys. Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of Society Island in the southern Pacific Ocean. The major language that use in Tahiti is “reo Tahiti” but you won’t have any problem if you can’t speak their native language but English. I will give you some idea where Tahiti is. If you look on Google map, you will found it not too far from New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. The ocean is crystal clear and resort builds in the ocean. You can see fishes even if when you are in your house!! You can also enjoy your meal in the ocean as well!! The plane ticket price is about $1600 from Las Vegas. The price is varied depend on seasons. I recommend checking from this blog as well “Tahiti on a budget” to see airfare special price. The price of accommodation is a little high about $200 or more. Please click here to see more images. And also click here for travel information before you go. Check it out!!!!

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Land of the Thunder Dragon

Bhutan’s Crown Prince Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck visit my country in 2006 to celebrate King of Thailand. After that the rate of travelling from Thailand to Bhutan went up double!! Handsome and well-mannered, the Crown Prince of Bhutan has become to the talk of Thailand. He completed his studies in the Foreign Service Program from Oxford University, national defense from National Defense College in India, and innovations in governance from Kennedy School of Governance, the United States.

The Kingdom of Bhutan is a landlocked nation in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalaya Mountains and is bordered to the south, east and west by India and to the north by the Tibet Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China. Bhutan is a small country (same size like Switzerland) and it doesn’t connect to the ocean.

Since Bhutan is a small country and is not well-known by people. It used to be “one of the most isolated nations in the world”, but when all the technology changed, this country has opened the door. In 2006 business week rated Bhutan the happiest country in Asia and the eighth happiest country in the world. The state religion of this country is Vajrayana Buddhism.
If you go to travel in Bhutan, the things that you can buy are handmade products and imported from India and Nepal. Bhutan doesn’t have big a factory in the country, that’s why they have to import products from neighbors. If your main purpose is to shop, Bhutan might not be a good destination, but if you are a stamp collector, you are in the right place. The stamps in Bhutan have various styles such as rectangular, triangle, circle, or 3D. Most travelers in Bhutan will spend most of the time looking around this small country to see their beautiful culture. The major activity in this country is hiking and trekking. People said the regular time of one hiking/trekking trip will take 11 days.

I found many fantastic pictures of this country in a Thai website. I can’t post all the pictures in my page. So, I just put the link under “Related blogs & Links” for you guys to check it out. You might not be able to understand the language above the pictures but just look. I think the pictures already have the meaning itself.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Maya Bay – Paradise on earth (The beach filmed)

Come and enjoy the experience of a lifetime!! This is one of paradises in my country, Thailand. Maya bay is one of the most beautiful bays of Phi Phi Lay where several long white powdery beaches attract visitors here to sunbathe and swim. Phi Phi Lay and Phi Phi Don are the islands that consist of many bays. “Phi Phi lay” and “Phi Phi Don” are in Krabi province southern Thailand and it far away from krabi 40Km. With its emerald crystal sea, secluded beaches, wooded cliffed mountains, colorful coral reefs and undersea life, it is the paradise in the “Andaman”. As you can see in the pictures, the ocean is crystal clear!!! I went to south beaches many times but I never have chance to go to Krabi (there are a lot of beaches in the south of Thailand). There are many activities that you can do at the south beaches. Traveler who likes climbing can climb at Phi Phi Lay as well. There is a challenge cliff that attracts people around the world. Scuba diving and skin diving are very famous. You will love sea life because you can see cartoon fishes, lobster, and colorful coral very closely.

Some places in Thailand still have perfect nature. There is no commercial building but only local people (fisherman) who live there. Most of people in the south of Thailand are Muslim and they are very friendly. Most tourists fly to Bangkok and stay in Bangkok for a few days and fly or bus to the south. If you fly to the south, it will take time only couple hours. The bus will take 10 – 13 hours drive. The price to travel in Thailand is not expensive (The most expensive will be plane tickets). Hotel is about $10 - $50 per night. If you want to live in the hut (no air-conditioning) it will cost $10 – $20 per night. Even if it is not convenience like staying at five stars hotel but the advantage is you will feel the nature very closely!!

Tourists from Scandinavian like to go to there and stay during winter in their country. A lot cheaper and warmer!! Night life is inexpensive as well. You can hang out with friends at the bar and spend only $30 to get drunk. Fresh seafood is a lot cheaper than America (you can’t compare). I went to south beach last summer and I had a big meal with lobster, big crabs, big shrimp, oysters, steaks, fish, and drinks with five people, it only cost $200. Oh…Maya bay was filmed movie “The beach” in 2000 as well!

I just checked tour package from Bangkok to Phi Phi. It cost $200 including plane tickets from Bangkok to Phi Phi, hotel, scuba diving, foods, and boat for 3 days and 2 nights!!! Is that amazing?


Monday, February 9, 2009

K2 Killer Mountain – the world’s most difficult and dangerous climb


K2 is the second-highest mountain on Earth (after Mount Everest). Although the summit of Everest is at a higher altitude, K2 is a much more difficult and dangerous climb. Due to its terrible weather and comparatively greater height above surrounding terrain and a peak elevation of 8,611 meters. K2 is part of the Karakoram segment of the Himalayan range, and is located in the northern Areas of Pakistan, on the border between Pakistan’s northern territories, and County of Xinjiang, China. K2 is known as the Savage Mountain due to the difficulty of ascent and the fact that for every four people who reach the summit, one dies trying. Among the” Eight-thousanders”, K2 has the third highest climbing mortality rate.

The mountain was first discovered in 1856 by the Western world and it took another 100 years before the first men reached the summit in July 1954, an Italian expedition succeeded in ascending the summit. The first woman to reach the summit was Wanda Rutkiewicz, of Poland 1986. The next four women to reach the summit were all killed in climbing incidents. Three of them died descending from K2 itself, among them feted British mountaineer Alison Hargreaves in 1995, and Rutkiewicz herself died on Kanchenjunga in 1992. This led to the legend that K2 carried a “curse on women”. However, the “curse” was broken in 2004 when Edurne Pasaban reached the summit and descended successfully, and again in 2006 when Nives Meroi of Italy and Yuka Komatsu of Japan became, respectively, the seventh and eighth women to summit K2, both descending successfully.

In August 2008 25 climbers reached the summit but nine died on descent after the avalanche swept away their ropes. Even though it is very dangerous, K2 seems to call to the mountaineers for the challenge of the life time. It is considered mountaineering’s greatest challenge!! Even though people face the risk of death, they will risk it to show the athletic ability, endurance and cheer strength of will to say that they have climb the most difficult mountain on planet earth!! The people who have accomplish this tasks their name will be recorded in history for all time. Do you want to try?