tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16693331052186466812024-03-13T10:02:21.199-07:00Jumani's Travelogue My journeys and pleasant experiences in Pakistan & abroad. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10943110545015289875noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669333105218646681.post-47781650719130799832014-07-24T14:33:00.000-07:002014-08-04T06:16:45.051-07:00The Malaysian Part <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
The First Surprise!<o:p></o:p></h2>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NtOQOdeuX64/U9Fn-Oy2E2I/AAAAAAAAAZQ/uYNvcqkwanc/s1600/IMG_3912.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NtOQOdeuX64/U9Fn-Oy2E2I/AAAAAAAAAZQ/uYNvcqkwanc/s1600/IMG_3912.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Journey was difficult in this uncomfortable bus</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Penang!
Penang! Penang!”, the bus driver started screaming at the same moment when I
could see the board reading “Ferry to Butterworth”. It was 1:00 or 2:00 in the
morning when we were at the highway, were supposed to get off on the same highway
and catch a ferry to Butterworth, a famous town in Penang.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tq_UAJNf9X0/U9FoHL2a4CI/AAAAAAAAAZk/zq1IE_6QAvM/s1600/IMG_3914.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tq_UAJNf9X0/U9FoHL2a4CI/AAAAAAAAAZk/zq1IE_6QAvM/s1600/IMG_3914.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bus stop in Surat Thani. Buses to Thailand and Malaysia</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Our
decision, after a meaningful suggestion by Wasim, to get off at Kuala Lumpur
instead of Penang as it was too late and we’d find it a little difficult to
find an accommodation and waste a day before we could move to Cameron Highland,
our ultimate destination and reason to come visit Malaysia, made the bus driver
expectedly very angry. All he meant to say that we should have informed him
earlier about getting off at Kuala Lumpur as we booked the tickets for Penang
and he had to take a long turn on highway just for three of us. We had no
choice but to unwillingly listen to his bitter words as we were out of nowhere
on a highway, at least for us, in a new country.</span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CXyNObNYwMg/U9FoVLDfiBI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/4fhYPwA6c_w/s1600/IMG_3917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CXyNObNYwMg/U9FoVLDfiBI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/4fhYPwA6c_w/s1600/IMG_3917.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Having streetfood on the way</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w180_jgZejE/U9FoLzL3yII/AAAAAAAAAZs/jLjiONm1G-Y/s1600/IMG_3913.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w180_jgZejE/U9FoLzL3yII/AAAAAAAAAZs/jLjiONm1G-Y/s1600/IMG_3913.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Several travel agencies on the bus stop</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span id="goog_832901091"></span><span id="goog_832901092"></span>The Initial Plan<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It all
started when we finally decided to cross the Thailand-Malaysia border by road
and after a lot of combined efforts and brainstorming, we found a bus at Surat
Thani bus station. After arriving at the Surat Thani station at 4 in the
evening, the time when the last bus to Malaysia leaves, we were lucky to find a
very comfortable bus from the station and booked the tickets for Penang. It was
my plan to go to Penang and after resting for a night move to Cameron highland
first and then to Taman Negara after spending a couple of days in Cameron
Highlands.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The
Itinerary</span></h2>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Penang</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Penang to
Cameron Highlands – 2 days</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Cameron
Highlands to Taman Negara – 2 days</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Taman
Negara – Kuala Lumpur – 1 day</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kuala
Lumpur to Home <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Somewhere in Kuala Lumpur <o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So the
above itinerary couldn’t be followed as the plan was suddenly changed in the
bus. It was 4:00 in the morning when we were ordered to get off the bus
somewhere in Kuala Lumpur. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Again, a
situation to go with the flow! We asked a couple of people about the hostels
and were told about the China town which was close with lots to options of
accommodation. Instead, we decided to fill our long time empty stomach as there
was a total freedom to eat whatever we wanted. There was a hotel and after we
saw the menu, there was not a chance of sleeping without eating. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was too
much of an appetite! We ate a lot, especially me, after 25 days of surviving on
unusual food in China and Thailand. Then we decided to think about the upcoming
adventures. The luck favored us as we were informed that the bus station was
just adjacent to the hotel and we could catch the bus to Cameron Highland
exactly from the same bus station. It was 6 in the morning but the city woke up
and activities started on, a quite unusual fact for us in Pakistan. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It took me
less than half an hour to grab the tickets to Cameron highlands costing MYR 30.
The bus was expectedly very comfortable as they are in Malaysia and took almost
4 hours from Kuala Lumpur to Cameron Highlands.</span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In Cameron Highlands<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As we didn’t
book the accommodation in advance and, as usual, I was worried a little about
the accommodation which turned out to be a piece of cake at the end. As soon as
we got off the bus we were approached by different guys offering us to visit
and see their hotels on the condition to drive us back if we didn’t like the
place. It didn’t take much time to reach the first place, Dew Drop Inn, and
book a room costing RM 70/night for 3 persons. Again, it was an awesome deal for
us, as we expected an expensive accommodation in Malaysia. </span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7TaNMRHfdUY/U9Four_V0aI/AAAAAAAAAa8/elRyU1KhaoM/s1600/IMG_3964.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7TaNMRHfdUY/U9Four_V0aI/AAAAAAAAAa8/elRyU1KhaoM/s1600/IMG_3964.JPG" height="640" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tea plantation in Cameron Highland</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ER_uy0x2JG4/U9FobwzCcBI/AAAAAAAAAaU/tdQxzRu4i1M/s1600/IMG_3943.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ER_uy0x2JG4/U9FobwzCcBI/AAAAAAAAAaU/tdQxzRu4i1M/s1600/IMG_3943.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cameron Highland</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The guest
house/hotel was on a small hill and provided very beautiful atmosphere and
scenery all the time. There’s a main road in Cameron Highlands with Indian and
local restaurants, famous fast food and offering much to the tourists
interested in shopping.</span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lala9lOtUWc/U9Fok1ydjnI/AAAAAAAAAak/H8nvgyxizq4/s1600/IMG_3933.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lala9lOtUWc/U9Fok1ydjnI/AAAAAAAAAak/H8nvgyxizq4/s1600/IMG_3933.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The guest house, Dew Drop Inn</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kf2c39erPRI/U9FoYJKGfeI/AAAAAAAAAaE/ctZEM1JGmlA/s1600/IMG_3931.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kf2c39erPRI/U9FoYJKGfeI/AAAAAAAAAaE/ctZEM1JGmlA/s1600/IMG_3931.JPG" height="640" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the guest house</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-654OZxyujDs/U9FoZH56QcI/AAAAAAAAAaI/01lhjPNwN_Y/s1600/IMG_3930.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-654OZxyujDs/U9FoZH56QcI/AAAAAAAAAaI/01lhjPNwN_Y/s1600/IMG_3930.JPG" height="640" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Weather was mostly that much beautiful</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Day tours in Cameron Highlands</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After
adventurous day tours on the islands we expected too much from the day tours
offered by hotel management and we didn’t think twice before booking a half way
tour. What we wanted was something adventurous but contrary to that it was a
kind of family stuff. The tour included jungle trekking for 20 minutes, tea
plantations and factories, strawberry farms and bee farms which we were definitely
not interested in. Indian and Malaysian food is generally cheap and easily
affordable on a place like Cameron highland.</span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z2wo_53ENWs/U9Fo4S6FoAI/AAAAAAAAAbU/PW1kb36lCgg/s1600/IMG_3993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z2wo_53ENWs/U9Fo4S6FoAI/AAAAAAAAAbU/PW1kb36lCgg/s1600/IMG_3993.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jungle trekking</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CS2ffzUKngA/U9Fol0B3pWI/AAAAAAAAAas/YuzMp7fJhUs/s1600/IMG_3947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CS2ffzUKngA/U9Fol0B3pWI/AAAAAAAAAas/YuzMp7fJhUs/s1600/IMG_3947.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful scenery of tea plantations</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Things to see<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What we
liked in Cameron Highland was just its calm weather, relaxing environment <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and our hotel which was located up on a hill providing
us the quite nights to let us sit, chat and exchange gossips outside for hours
till morning. However, tea plantations and the beautiful scenery was another reason for us to stay for unintended duration. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RJsym76K6Cc/U9F5CItCxZI/AAAAAAAAAcI/WoILAK5yMmE/s1600/CH+st.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RJsym76K6Cc/U9F5CItCxZI/AAAAAAAAAcI/WoILAK5yMmE/s1600/CH+st.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Street market for cheap shopping</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9XUEyMTw4vg/U9F5ADfZkMI/AAAAAAAAAcA/PsbOo0eJMGw/s1600/cH.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9XUEyMTw4vg/U9F5ADfZkMI/AAAAAAAAAcA/PsbOo0eJMGw/s1600/cH.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Main road and market</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Leaving
Cameron Highland<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bus tickets to different places are easily available from the bus station on
the main road. We were supposed to get back to Kuala Lumpur and catch the
flight back to our final destinations the same night. We left Cameron Highlands
at 12 in the noon and were dropped off at KL central, sort of a station to
catch buses to airport and other location, metro and airport link, in Kuala
Lumpur after 4 hours. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A little
bit of shopping was still remaining and we had to get a locker for half day
till mid night to put our bags safely. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">To the Airport<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Contrary to
the fact that airport link should be the cheapest way to get to the airports,
it turned out to be expensive one for us. One way ticket cost MYR 30 which made me
think about another mode of journey to the airport and the bus turned out to be the
cheapest choice (MYR 10). The buses to both the airports run from the
underground station and the buses are very comfortable. </span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q2WJQsQabqw/U9F3gIu751I/AAAAAAAAAbw/n342XCfs-CY/s1600/kl-sentral-690x517.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q2WJQsQabqw/U9F3gIu751I/AAAAAAAAAbw/n342XCfs-CY/s1600/kl-sentral-690x517.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">KL Central</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gBlmGjz4O-g/U9F3fs8p_TI/AAAAAAAAAbk/C9Bl5C8mFpw/s1600/kl-sentral-inside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gBlmGjz4O-g/U9F3fs8p_TI/AAAAAAAAAbk/C9Bl5C8mFpw/s1600/kl-sentral-inside.jpg" height="223" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A shopping mall, metro and airport link station</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fqa5n8kRJno/U9F3fsKS58I/AAAAAAAAAbo/xbXaF2afPG4/s1600/skybus-0006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fqa5n8kRJno/U9F3fsKS58I/AAAAAAAAAbo/xbXaF2afPG4/s1600/skybus-0006.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cheap buses to the airport</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10943110545015289875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669333105218646681.post-19874871830292423992014-06-25T07:16:00.001-07:002015-07-11T11:49:19.402-07:00The Magic of Islands in the South of Thailand<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br>
<h2>
From Guangzhou to Bangkok</h2>
As I mentioned in the previous part of the blog, it was a great day for me as I was about to be joined by my mates in Bangkok very soon and it was like a life long dream coming true. <br>
<br>
<br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DqVbqB2aS9k/U6nVYUXkF7I/AAAAAAAAARY/i-0bRbDEgNA/s1600/IMG_3550.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DqVbqB2aS9k/U6nVYUXkF7I/AAAAAAAAARY/i-0bRbDEgNA/s1600/IMG_3550.JPG" height="640" width="478"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Metro stations in China are usually that much crowded. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yes, its
Bangkok with a shut down order by the military, on our second night and the
roads were empty like they become in Karahchi when MQM, a political party in
Karachi, known for its violent activities, calls for strike. But the case was different here. </span></span><br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y7GSdA2oOd8/U6nWfiAKPqI/AAAAAAAAASQ/aXdpXZ_-jPg/s1600/IMG_3598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y7GSdA2oOd8/U6nWfiAKPqI/AAAAAAAAASQ/aXdpXZ_-jPg/s1600/IMG_3598.JPG" height="640" width="476"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Khaosan road is closed and empty because of the curfew</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VU_cKaJizm4/U6nWdWhAoFI/AAAAAAAAASM/K5YWYwlFWJU/s1600/IMG_3597.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VU_cKaJizm4/U6nWdWhAoFI/AAAAAAAAASM/K5YWYwlFWJU/s1600/IMG_3597.JPG" height="640" width="476"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, its a main road in Bangkok, quite and empty because of the curfew</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was the
worst news for us as the military imposed curfew in Thailand after 10pm till
5am due to that political unrest. We faced the same situation the previous night
after I arrived at 6 in the evening, on May 21<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup>, 2014, when the
aircraft I was traveling in landed at Suvranabhumi airport in Bangkok. Now was
the time to enjoy the time with two of my best mates, Naveed and Waseem, who
had been keeping me updated about how we would be spending our first night, since the previous night and I found Penpark place
to be the perfect place to stay, neither too close to Khaosan road, backpackers heaven in Bangkok, to get
irritated of loud music nor too far to get separated from one of the great
places to live close to in Bangkok. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oLDvwflk5eA/U6nXCBcmKsI/AAAAAAAAASg/0_rqKmKW6Xw/s1600/IMG_3584.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oLDvwflk5eA/U6nXCBcmKsI/AAAAAAAAASg/0_rqKmKW6Xw/s1600/IMG_3584.JPG" height="640" width="478"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They say Thai food is tasty. I wonder if it is</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span><br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YzkUF8Xm11M/U6nXMU6nyvI/AAAAAAAAASo/RJx8sUsIEBI/s1600/IMG_3609.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YzkUF8Xm11M/U6nXMU6nyvI/AAAAAAAAASo/RJx8sUsIEBI/s1600/IMG_3609.JPG" height="640" width="478"></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me at Penpark place, a perfect guest house</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
</span><br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">My
Companions<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After a
great trip to Kalash together, we always dreamt of a traveling abroad
and Thailand would be the topic. So me and my two companions, Naveed and Waseem
would talk and plan for a lots of stuff to do in Thailand, two months prior to
the trip. On every Saturday night we’d sit, discuss and kill time talking about
the upcoming traveling season. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dmJX33EX54w/U6nYoEz_-fI/AAAAAAAAAT4/gEzNeww_uJI/s1600/IMG_3646.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dmJX33EX54w/U6nYoEz_-fI/AAAAAAAAAT4/gEzNeww_uJI/s1600/IMG_3646.JPG" height="478" width="640"></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the ferry from Krabi to Phi Phi</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Why
Thailand?<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thailand,
mostly famous for prostitution and nasty night life usually makes everyone
suspicious and people like us from such a typical and religious
culture can’t afford such a position in the society. The reason behind such a mindset is that people from Pakistan usually find Thailand to be perfect for such stuff and get involved in the world most ugliest yet profitable
business there. But very few people know about the different side of Thailand. Its
famous islands in the south, jungles in the north, natural beauty, being cheap, convenient and safetywhich makes Thailand one of famous tourist destinations in the world. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<br>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br>
<br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d1ju686CgTg/U6nWvY5vvbI/AAAAAAAAASY/fhBsHQl-4oM/s1600/IMG_3583.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d1ju686CgTg/U6nWvY5vvbI/AAAAAAAAASY/fhBsHQl-4oM/s1600/IMG_3583.JPG" height="640" width="478"></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A pack of pinapples just for THB 20, helps a lot in boiling weather</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
</span><br>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Khaosan Road<o:p></o:p></h2>
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Khaosan
road became famous among the US soldiers during the Vietnam war when they used to
come to Bangkok, very close to Vietnam, to fulfill their never ending lust for
sex and prostitution. Later, it became one of the most famous places among
hippies and other tourists from around the world.</span></span><br>
<br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HippCDwB0mo/U6rZX0QpZrI/AAAAAAAAAY0/fIibNqdyQWE/s1600/khao.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HippCDwB0mo/U6rZX0QpZrI/AAAAAAAAAY0/fIibNqdyQWE/s1600/khao.jpg" height="480" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Home to Backpackers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M38V6w6wBnE/U6rZXs1s4rI/AAAAAAAAAYw/0YZ8Z4LXoyI/s1600/Khaosa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M38V6w6wBnE/U6rZXs1s4rI/AAAAAAAAAYw/0YZ8Z4LXoyI/s1600/Khaosa.jpg" height="428" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glowing night at Khaosan road</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
<br>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Why would I like to stay near Khaosan Road?<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Days and
nights totally reflect each other in terms of activities and fun at Khaosan
road. One can’t imagine what it’d be like at the same place after the sun sets.
Its just like a cheap street market with garments, bracelets, chains and a few
“7 Eleven stores” all around. But after the sun sets, the real crazy fun can be
witnessed with crazy tourists owning the streets. Lots of people from each and
every part of the world come out of their hostels and hotels and can be seen at
Khaosan road. Music gets louder and louder as the mid night approaches and gets
crazy and party stuff gets to its top level by mid night with people dancing
and having fun all around. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Though
there’s no metro station near Khaosan road and transport to and from the
Khaosan road can be expensive sometimes. But it doesn’t have to be mentioned
that one can find transport buses to find access to different places and metro
stations. I always prefer to find an accommodation in the neighbors of Khaosan
road as there are many ways to kill time and enjoy when I’m lonely.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Bangkok
Public Transportation<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bangkok
transportation system is developed and can be said to be much developed
compared with the one in Karachi, Pakistan. The skytrain runs from airport to
Phaya Thai, the last station connected to the metro station which gives access
to several locations in the city. One would love to use metro to avoid taxi fares
and most of all the worst traffic in the Bangkok. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span><br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qqDzxBnF0Zo/U6nVmne1wAI/AAAAAAAAARg/HRVO9WQl2DI/s1600/IMG_3563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qqDzxBnF0Zo/U6nVmne1wAI/AAAAAAAAARg/HRVO9WQl2DI/s1600/IMG_3563.JPG" height="640" width="478"></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ugly traffic in Bangkok</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
</span><br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<br>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Going to
Phi Phi Island</span></h2>
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After
getting frustrated with this curfew scene for two consecutive nights, I left the
hotel early in the morning with Naveed and Waseem sleeping in the room and got
the tickets to Krabi, the town around 800km away from Bangkok, most convenient to
catch ferries to Phi Phi islands and other famous islands. The itinerary was
supposed to be as follows.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bangkok -
Surat Thani by train (7:00pm to 9am) costing THB 700<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Surat Thani
to Krabi by bus (2-3 hours) costing THB 200<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Krabi to
Phi Phi islands by ferry (2 hours) costing THB 400<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The
combined tickets can be bought from several agents on the Khaosan road or the
train+bus tickets can be purchased from Lamphong station for THB 950. It’s always
better to pay the travel agent THB 100 or THB 150 more and get the tickets.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IC141m58eQw/U6nXpBfrs8I/AAAAAAAAAS4/kUVkRCIDkLU/s1600/IMG_3615.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IC141m58eQw/U6nXpBfrs8I/AAAAAAAAAS4/kUVkRCIDkLU/s1600/IMG_3615.JPG" height="640" width="476"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Train station in Bangkok, tourists are sometime more in number than locals</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ETgrJJw6BpQ/U6nX1yibGPI/AAAAAAAAATA/REyYb1kzJow/s1600/IMG_3616.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ETgrJJw6BpQ/U6nX1yibGPI/AAAAAAAAATA/REyYb1kzJow/s1600/IMG_3616.JPG" height="640" width="478"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stand up! Its national anthem. This was normal during military control</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span><br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EI4Fj0BJnkU/U6nX_QK7eDI/AAAAAAAAATY/UxtGOmPkYBA/s1600/IMG_3619.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EI4Fj0BJnkU/U6nX_QK7eDI/AAAAAAAAATY/UxtGOmPkYBA/s1600/IMG_3619.JPG" height="640" width="478"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Train, we traveled in </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--_XxjkPiv9g/U6nYaXYfKuI/AAAAAAAAATg/ctqYkGJC4IQ/s1600/IMG_3620.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--_XxjkPiv9g/U6nYaXYfKuI/AAAAAAAAATg/ctqYkGJC4IQ/s1600/IMG_3620.JPG" height="478" width="640"></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seats are comfortable and turn into bed after 10</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
</span><br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<br>
<br>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Bangkok to
Surat Thani<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The train
was comfortable but it wasn’t up to my expectation which I thought would be
like they are in China. The food is expensive and doesn’t taste too good. One
has to pay the triple price of what they usually pay in the city for a bottle
of water. So it’s always advisable to get your food and drinks with you on the
train if you really want to save some money and spend it for some better
purpose. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The train
got delayed due to some unknown reason and it reached at 10 at Surat Thani
where the buses were already waiting for the passengers. One should not expect
a good and committed treatment in Thailand and should be ready for a little bit
off the track work. As the bus was supposed to take us to Krabi directly and
it’d take two hours but instead we were shifted to a double cabin vehicle and
then had to wait at some hotel for an hour, where we had our food after 20
hours. Another bus came and stopped at different tourism offices to carry some
more passengers. It took 4 hours instead of two and was a difficult journey. It
was 2 in the afternoon and the last ferry to Phi Phi islands leaves at 3pm. We
got the tickets and we were running to the ferry. Just after getting on the
ferry all of our tiredness was gone. With every air molecule striking our body,
we were getting more and more energy. What else could be the source of
relaxation more than being on the board of a ferry to Phi Phi islands and
earphones in the ear with the most favorite songs playing?</span></span><br>
<br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fRTjHsRn4vQ/U6nX5G9gjiI/AAAAAAAAATI/k9N7fGBStgQ/s1600/IMG_3625.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fRTjHsRn4vQ/U6nX5G9gjiI/AAAAAAAAATI/k9N7fGBStgQ/s1600/IMG_3625.JPG" height="640" width="480"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Found some crazy friends to spend some great time</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aoyuoKOlUPY/U6nX7wTiIUI/AAAAAAAAATQ/LOGG4Mw0r04/s1600/IMG_3636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aoyuoKOlUPY/U6nX7wTiIUI/AAAAAAAAATQ/LOGG4Mw0r04/s1600/IMG_3636.JPG" height="640" width="480"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">While on the road to Krabi</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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</div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span><br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C8R3sqAh9aA/U6nYifi79zI/AAAAAAAAATw/Dp6muWKFG9Y/s1600/IMG_3641.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C8R3sqAh9aA/U6nYifi79zI/AAAAAAAAATw/Dp6muWKFG9Y/s1600/IMG_3641.JPG" height="640" width="478"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't they look desperate after seeing the food?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></div>
</span></span><br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<br></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span><br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F90PagDygnw/U6nYsnvsMdI/AAAAAAAAAUA/YJ0Ga3uWjIA/s1600/IMG_3650.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F90PagDygnw/U6nYsnvsMdI/AAAAAAAAAUA/YJ0Ga3uWjIA/s1600/IMG_3650.JPG" height="640" width="478"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No shirts on? No problem, its the trend there to stay topless all the time!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TyQflYLlYuU/U6nY54OLHCI/AAAAAAAAAUY/Vgj-QN57kJE/s1600/IMG_3667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TyQflYLlYuU/U6nY54OLHCI/AAAAAAAAAUY/Vgj-QN57kJE/s1600/IMG_3667.JPG" height="640" width="478"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Its the backpackers place. Its quite revealed</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<br></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e3PWeJayS5o/U6nY1qvqf5I/AAAAAAAAAUQ/LOy9e4dQlcw/s1600/IMG_3662.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e3PWeJayS5o/U6nY1qvqf5I/AAAAAAAAAUQ/LOy9e4dQlcw/s1600/IMG_3662.JPG" height="640" width="478"></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Phi is close</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<br></div>
</o:p><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<br></div>
</span><br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<br></div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Phi Phi
Islands<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Beyond our
expectations, the islands turned out to be a developed piece of land with every expected
facility and a lot of tourists all around. It was very different to see the
flood of people for the purpose of tourism, relaxation and partying. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Phi Phi
islands became famous after the movie “The Beach” in which the famous actor
Leonardo DiCaprio visits the islands after being suggested by some tourist
friend at Khaosan road. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The island
was badly hit by the Tsunami in Indian Ocean in 2004 but unexpectedly gained
its lost name very soon. Today the island is very famous amongst the western
tourist as it offers each and every kind of activities. Party people have their
different part of the beach to feed their soul. There are a couple of very calm
beaches offering very relaxed and quite environment for peace loving minds. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ton Sai
bay is the most famous beach of all, perhaps not the most beautiful one.
There are a number of beach bars on Ton Sai bay and some of these offer a
very lively and happening night life on the Phi Phi islands. Slinky Bar, Ibiza
bar and the Woody Bar are the famous for the fire shows and then beach parties
which goes on till 3 in the morning. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Relaxation
is equally offered during the day time. Set a target of reading several books
in a few days and its always easy to meet the target as one can read the book
on any beach with beautiful scenery around. What could be better than lying on
the beach with nothing on mind but a book in hand and nothing to worry about?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jMZtuO0qds8/U6nZLetAeEI/AAAAAAAAAUw/FoQfrkt7iRw/s1600/IMG_3676.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jMZtuO0qds8/U6nZLetAeEI/AAAAAAAAAUw/FoQfrkt7iRw/s1600/IMG_3676.JPG" height="640" width="478"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stairs to viewpoint. Really a hard job to go up</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span><br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8UuCdWEQcq8/U6nZEgkwwbI/AAAAAAAAAUg/UNNNFZinF_A/s1600/IMG_3677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8UuCdWEQcq8/U6nZEgkwwbI/AAAAAAAAAUg/UNNNFZinF_A/s1600/IMG_3677.JPG" height="640" width="478"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally I was up</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rEMPBQ7T7k0/U6nZmx9WUyI/AAAAAAAAAVg/syBJTe-PgKo/s1600/IMG_3705.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rEMPBQ7T7k0/U6nZmx9WUyI/AAAAAAAAAVg/syBJTe-PgKo/s1600/IMG_3705.JPG" height="478" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The weather got better just before sunset</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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</div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mdrL6J6h-5U/U6nZlT9oGoI/AAAAAAAAAVY/u_pl3qywg5U/s1600/IMG_3712.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mdrL6J6h-5U/U6nZlT9oGoI/AAAAAAAAAVY/u_pl3qywg5U/s1600/IMG_3712.JPG" height="640" width="478"></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Capturing sunset from viewpoint</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
</span><br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
</h2>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DNhkuBR1rhY/U6nbefZV9fI/AAAAAAAAAWI/iX-d7JofkLM/s1600/IMG_3802.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DNhkuBR1rhY/U6nbefZV9fI/AAAAAAAAAWI/iX-d7JofkLM/s1600/IMG_3802.JPG" height="426" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maya bay</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VtvTuy_OsaE/U6nZ_2_SNLI/AAAAAAAAAVo/7Kft90QECpg/s1600/IMG_3719.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VtvTuy_OsaE/U6nZ_2_SNLI/AAAAAAAAAVo/7Kft90QECpg/s1600/IMG_3719.JPG" height="640" width="478"></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1ftkI2TJnbo/U6rGl3OiFKI/AAAAAAAAAX4/EIrj6wfNmhU/s1600/IMG_3893.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1ftkI2TJnbo/U6rGl3OiFKI/AAAAAAAAAX4/EIrj6wfNmhU/s1600/IMG_3893.JPG" height="640" width="478"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Its 5 in the eveining and people are preparing for night scene</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nXRjc2VYJZA/U6rGZINSo_I/AAAAAAAAAXs/vfWozKrufGo/s1600/IMG_3891.MOV" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nXRjc2VYJZA/U6rGZINSo_I/AAAAAAAAAXs/vfWozKrufGo/s1600/IMG_3891.MOV"></a></div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZqXs0Q95b5A/U6rGjSn_xpI/AAAAAAAAAXw/_NID4HvJuzI/s1600/IMG_3866.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZqXs0Q95b5A/U6rGjSn_xpI/AAAAAAAAAXw/_NID4HvJuzI/s1600/IMG_3866.JPG" height="640" width="478"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our usual dinner at Phi Phi, one slice was enough usually</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</h2>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Things to
do!<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Different
entertainment opportunities are available at very reasonable amount of money at
Phi Phi islands. From professional scuba diving to half day tours of different
islands including snorkeling and rock climbing, the activities offer everything
to tourists with a taste of adventure, relaxation or cool fun. The full day and
half day tours cover different islands. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1eQlbO1D07s/U6nbGNiCWDI/AAAAAAAAAV4/uDNZkb5k5u8/s1600/IMG_3738.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1eQlbO1D07s/U6nbGNiCWDI/AAAAAAAAAV4/uDNZkb5k5u8/s1600/IMG_3738.JPG" height="640" width="478"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the longtail boat to half day tour</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<br>
<br>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lKJAZiwQMrM/U6nbqdoso0I/AAAAAAAAAWY/u5l7AImP0TI/s1600/IMG_3756.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lKJAZiwQMrM/U6nbqdoso0I/AAAAAAAAAWY/u5l7AImP0TI/s1600/IMG_3756.JPG" height="640" width="478"></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We didn't sleep the whole night. But it took away all the tiredness </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
</span><br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Railay
Beach<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Arpit, a traveler and a couch surfer from India, we enjoyed talking with about the
things across border and about how we miss the people from behind the border
despite the fact that our politicians and army are always exchanging harsh
words and fire, suggested us to visit Railay beach, close to Krabi, famous for
its rock climbing activity. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Railay
beach is a very calm and, according to some, the most beautiful beach in
Thailand. There are not much cheaper hotels and no hostels on the beach and
mostly there are resorts. Contrary to the fact that the resorts are very good
and located just in front of the beach, the rooms are not too costly. The beach
had its own specialty and was surprisingly too calm and cool. But our minds
were not ready to synch with this relaxed environment after such a happening
life and lively nights in Phi Phi.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Back to Phi
Phi – An Insane but Good Decision</span></h2>
<br>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“We should
go to back to Phi Phi”, suggested Naveed eventually. He actually spoke what was
in our hearts but we were not ready to share beacaue of confusion. He got our
consent the same second and it was decided that we’d leave for Phi Phi. It cost
us almost THB 1000 extra to get to Phi Phi as we had to book a separate long
tail boat and a private car to get to Krabi pier to catch the ferry to Phi Phi.
No, we couldn’t believe when we got on the ferry. The lever excitement got
higher and higher as the island came closer. This is what we call falling in
love with a place!</span></span><br>
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</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1EdNlFuRBvk/U6ncX2nir_I/AAAAAAAAAWs/7HL4_BR61YM/s1600/IMG_3897.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1EdNlFuRBvk/U6ncX2nir_I/AAAAAAAAAWs/7HL4_BR61YM/s1600/IMG_3897.JPG" height="478" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last sunset at Ton sai bay, Phi Phi</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
</span><br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">
<o:p>Leaving for Malaysia</o:p></h2>
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After
spending two more crazy days at the beautiful island, it was the time to leave
for Malaysia, though unwillingly. The ferry had to leave at 8 and after taking
a sleep of 2 hours we were trying to get ready for the longest journey of our
lives. The plan was to go to Penang, Malaysia by bus or train as mentioned below.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Phi Phi
islands to Krabi by Ferry – almost 2 hours – cost THB 350<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Krabi to
Hatyai by bus – almost 3 hours – cost THB 200<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hatyai to Penang
by bus or train – almost 7 hours <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Somehow, after a long but comfortable journey
we reached Hatyai at 4 in the evening. All the buses for Penang had already left
and we were apparently left with no choice but to stay in Hatyai for a night.
Luckily a travel agent provided us bus tickets which was running from Hatyai
to Singapore. The bus service was provided by some Malaysian company and had a
wifi and was very comfortable.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The ticket
from Hatyai to Penang would cost almost THB 500.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
<br>
</span><br>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">
By Road or By Air?<o:p></o:p></h2>
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The airline
tickets from Krabi or Phuket to Penang or Kuala Lumpur are very cheap if
purchased a few days in advance. Air Asia is usually the best option while traveling in between Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore. The
prices that we expected to be PKR 5000 turned out to be PKR 11000 three days before booking. So, my
decision was to travel by road, which was also the part of my plan prior to the
trip, to which Naveed also agreed reluctantly. It turned out to be a clever decision as it added much to our experience and saved us a good amount of money.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span><br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9EpLbaRwFG8/U6ncbKsOPlI/AAAAAAAAAW0/mzweUy4RCB0/s1600/IMG_3912.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9EpLbaRwFG8/U6ncbKsOPlI/AAAAAAAAAW0/mzweUy4RCB0/s1600/IMG_3912.JPG" height="478" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bus from Krabi to Hat Yai</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C1RkDHnGMw4/U6nc0ftNkpI/AAAAAAAAAXU/MUpCS_tjgD4/s1600/IMG_3919.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C1RkDHnGMw4/U6nc0ftNkpI/AAAAAAAAAXU/MUpCS_tjgD4/s1600/IMG_3919.JPG" height="640" width="478"></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to get transferred to the big bus to Malaysia</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gtsFL7YuBYc/U6rGv-DVnEI/AAAAAAAAAYE/06InvBEjjyY/s1600/IMG_3911.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gtsFL7YuBYc/U6rGv-DVnEI/AAAAAAAAAYE/06InvBEjjyY/s1600/IMG_3911.JPG" height="478" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bus stops on the way for the people to get refresh</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br>
<br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nUU7dZT6yOc/U6rGvWtN48I/AAAAAAAAAYA/Ntx3Sn3Ydnk/s1600/IMG_3910.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nUU7dZT6yOc/U6rGvWtN48I/AAAAAAAAAYA/Ntx3Sn3Ydnk/s1600/IMG_3910.JPG" height="640" width="478"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But we'd rather have street food</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XgJgqCYusJU/U6nc0qDRUCI/AAAAAAAAAXY/szDKZjBPB-w/s1600/IMG_3917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XgJgqCYusJU/U6nc0qDRUCI/AAAAAAAAAXY/szDKZjBPB-w/s1600/IMG_3917.JPG" height="478" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, Malaysia is close enough</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
</span><br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8wsbP4D0pTc/U6ncussMfzI/AAAAAAAAAXM/KZpMLOoWvbE/s1600/IMG_3916.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8wsbP4D0pTc/U6ncussMfzI/AAAAAAAAAXM/KZpMLOoWvbE/s1600/IMG_3916.JPG" height="640" width="476"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Street food on the way. Muslims are all around as you come close to Malaysia</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br>Was it
Penang?<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As usual,
our planned changed just half an hour before the bus driver would drop us at
Penang when Wasim suggested to let Penang pass by as it was 2 am and we’d face
difficulty finding an accommodation at that hour. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“So? What
do we do then? What do you mean?”, I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I decided
to go with the flow as was the situation and a compelling reason. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Our next
stop was ……….. (Read the upcoming Malaysian part of the blog) </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">
Is it safe in Thailand?</h2>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I wonder when people from Pakistan ask this question as living in Pakistan is the most dangerous thing a person can do.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br>Thailand is generally very safe. There's no mugging or killing or kidnapping for ransom. However, there's too much scam in Thailand, specially in Bangkok.</span></div>
<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">
No Tuk Tuk:</h3>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">
Try not to take the Tuk Tuk, we call Rikshaw, in Bangkok. They will probably get you scammed or ask for extra money or will try their best to take you to some brothel or ping pong show. </div>
<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">
Be Carefull before paying</h3>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Always ask atleast two or three vendors before paying for anything. People usually try to sell things for tripple times the reall prices. </div>
<o:p></o:p></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
</span><br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10943110545015289875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669333105218646681.post-1181381117444067692014-06-11T22:11:00.000-07:002014-06-12T13:12:22.914-07:00My Third Quest to Explore China<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 2;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466;">Letting go and Booking Flight<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">“What?” yelled my family
members after listening to what I was telling them about my upcoming plans to
travel for almost a month and, yes, being a part of such a loving and nice
family really makes one month to be as too much time. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466;">It was
May 8th, 2014, when I got out of the bed with a passion to book the tickets and
start a long planned trip. Though it’s almost impossible to get everything
ready in a day but thanks to some of my friends who travel frequently who
inspired me to carry as less and as necessary stuff as possible and get the things done fast, economically and easily. </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Rg2lhfKjCeI/U5ibuAlAgTI/AAAAAAAAAE8/wyp_16O3cnI/s1600/IMG_3156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Rg2lhfKjCeI/U5ibuAlAgTI/AAAAAAAAAE8/wyp_16O3cnI/s1600/IMG_3156.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally sitting with relaxed mind.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466;"></span> </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tjarVvyk1Tc/U5ibtEA2uqI/AAAAAAAAAE4/-GWkXcTyT48/s1600/IMG_3157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tjarVvyk1Tc/U5ibtEA2uqI/AAAAAAAAAE4/-GWkXcTyT48/s1600/IMG_3157.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally got time to have dinner in the aircarft.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466;"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466;">My tools, Sky Scanner and ITA Matrix</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">I was left with only one
choice to fly with Thai airlines besides Srilankan airlines, being the cheapest
one! It was possible for me to find the best option using ITA Matrix software
by Google and one of the best flight booking website, skyscanner.com to which I was referred to by a CS friend. Filtering
the airlines and routes for the best prices for many days finally got me the
best deal and my ticket was finally booked at 12 in the noon. I had to fly at
11 on the same night. I was about the follow the itineray as below</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Karachi-Bangkok-Shanghai</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Guangzhou-Bangkok-Karachi</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">I was wanting this route
because I had to catch a flight to Kuala Lampur from Bangkok which was possible
if I took Thai air. Srilankan airlines no more stops at Bangkok and directly
flies from Karachi-China, taking a stopover at Colombo only. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> While at the Karachi airport I just thought about booking the hostel and it didn't take a long time or effort to find a hostel with Hostel world, one of the best hostel booking websites. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-outline-level: 2;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466;"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-outline-level: 2;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466;">Shanghai, China</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466;">The only
reason behind selecting Shanghai to be the first city to visit China is that it
provides me a straight route towards Guangzhou and some beautiful cities to visit
and see on the way. I reached Shanghai after a long journey which included a 5 hour
stopover at the Bangkok airport where I wasn’t supposed to leave from. I ended
up taking a couple of hours sleep on the airport and killing time walking
around the big duty free shops inside the airport. It was around 5 in the evening
when I landed at Shanghai airport and was out in about an hour towards my
desired place to find my bed rest for a while before going out to see the beautiful
night at the Bund. </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J5wCy495uUI/U5ibucyo1jI/AAAAAAAAAFA/csbWpHk-KR8/s1600/IMG_3159.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J5wCy495uUI/U5ibucyo1jI/AAAAAAAAAFA/csbWpHk-KR8/s1600/IMG_3159.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Suvranabhumi airport</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1Bbo2AK-zcI/U5ibzMEBq5I/AAAAAAAAAFI/d6h1M5F_Mro/s1600/IMG_3160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1Bbo2AK-zcI/U5ibzMEBq5I/AAAAAAAAAFI/d6h1M5F_Mro/s1600/IMG_3160.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My stuff I usually depend on a lot, at Suvranabhumi airport</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-94Uo-fjzLtg/U5ib3ZpsWfI/AAAAAAAAAFY/g9Xnnrgi86w/s1600/IMG_3167.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-94Uo-fjzLtg/U5ib3ZpsWfI/AAAAAAAAAFY/g9Xnnrgi86w/s1600/IMG_3167.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Towards Shanhghai from Bangkok</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466;">Accommodation</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As usual, Shanghai was the
first city for me to untie my shoestrings. My efforts to find a couch in last
minutes didn’t work and eventually hostel booking was the last option I was
left with. Bund is the only area one could prefer to live close to. So do I try
to find an accommodation always close to the Bund. All the famous hostels
including The Blue Mountain Hostel Bund, my preference, were fully booked as
Shanghai and surrounding cities start getting warmer, tourists get attracted towards
this part of China. It was spectacular during the day with being surrounded by
the big buildings. And when the sun sets, one can see a large verity of food in
the streets.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F5zMeXnrJO4/U5icOPg8hxI/AAAAAAAAAGI/KF6nlzZH6cE/s1600/IMG_3186.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F5zMeXnrJO4/U5icOPg8hxI/AAAAAAAAAGI/KF6nlzZH6cE/s1600/IMG_3186.JPG" height="640" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting my food ready (wihtout pork or pork oil is my common slogan in China)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qpqtzW8G9rA/U5icMT4oNEI/AAAAAAAAAGA/QWkvSeCxSF8/s1600/IMG_3181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qpqtzW8G9rA/U5icMT4oNEI/AAAAAAAAAGA/QWkvSeCxSF8/s1600/IMG_3181.JPG" height="640" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside the Phoenix hosel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0SZ-j03gMOI/U5icGLd3vlI/AAAAAAAAAF4/o-F7rWgB5Dg/s1600/IMG_3180.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0SZ-j03gMOI/U5icGLd3vlI/AAAAAAAAAF4/o-F7rWgB5Dg/s1600/IMG_3180.JPG" height="640" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just a street outside the hostel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5Ia9KrhOfzM/U5icD3Xn1xI/AAAAAAAAAFw/R5jR6o9RLOI/s1600/IMG_3178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5Ia9KrhOfzM/U5icD3Xn1xI/AAAAAAAAAFw/R5jR6o9RLOI/s1600/IMG_3178.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Judging different kinds of food to select from</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YrSSqXTTUJ4/U5ib9lYtvKI/AAAAAAAAAFg/e8hd82-ckiw/s1600/IMG_3176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YrSSqXTTUJ4/U5ib9lYtvKI/AAAAAAAAAFg/e8hd82-ckiw/s1600/IMG_3176.JPG" height="640" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My usual source of killing hunger, a boiled corn, available at stores</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tBIR5DE1KSk/U5icO0dYtGI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/jh3O0hdxmCc/s1600/IMG_3188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tBIR5DE1KSk/U5icO0dYtGI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/jh3O0hdxmCc/s1600/IMG_3188.JPG" height="640" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My usual food without pork or pork oil </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3Me1eOaIv_I/U5icS2NDHkI/AAAAAAAAAGY/mQSwlo0s-BU/s1600/IMG_3190.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3Me1eOaIv_I/U5icS2NDHkI/AAAAAAAAAGY/mQSwlo0s-BU/s1600/IMG_3190.JPG" height="640" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plenty of choice but I could barely eat them. Though too much to select from </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-THirYzryg7k/U5icV6zZ8vI/AAAAAAAAAGo/UrWZfmoZLGU/s1600/IMG_3191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-THirYzryg7k/U5icV6zZ8vI/AAAAAAAAAGo/UrWZfmoZLGU/s1600/IMG_3191.JPG" height="640" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dry fruit sold in the street at 11 at night</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wOmiX5igCAo/U5icVxOMX7I/AAAAAAAAAGk/ODehzb5bqpk/s1600/IMG_3197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wOmiX5igCAo/U5icVxOMX7I/AAAAAAAAAGk/ODehzb5bqpk/s1600/IMG_3197.JPG" height="640" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Weather was amazing during the day. Quite better than boiling heat in Karachi, I came from</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JQhLXJbuBAA/U5icby6emcI/AAAAAAAAAGw/NcxbnRDmLP0/s1600/IMG_3209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JQhLXJbuBAA/U5icby6emcI/AAAAAAAAAGw/NcxbnRDmLP0/s1600/IMG_3209.JPG" height="640" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some amazing food to capture in the camera only</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IP1ZydnrtsY/U5icd9gzGyI/AAAAAAAAAG4/sRyMa0Gbuh4/s1600/IMG_3210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IP1ZydnrtsY/U5icd9gzGyI/AAAAAAAAAG4/sRyMa0Gbuh4/s1600/IMG_3210.JPG" height="640" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I just could saw all that with hungry stomach</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-03AKWp4w8z4/U5icuERHgHI/AAAAAAAAAHw/lCnwu4Dc4VY/s1600/IMG_3226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-03AKWp4w8z4/U5icuERHgHI/AAAAAAAAAHw/lCnwu4Dc4VY/s1600/IMG_3226.JPG" height="640" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally got some good and eatable food at a muslim retaurant</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HdnwtDEMhck/U5icspvdeZI/AAAAAAAAAHg/VriW26EKRLU/s1600/IMG_3221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HdnwtDEMhck/U5icspvdeZI/AAAAAAAAAHg/VriW26EKRLU/s1600/IMG_3221.JPG" height="640" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from my hostel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ilq1V03WO0w/U5ick300bVI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/5YkpbGRXhso/s1600/IMG_3213.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ilq1V03WO0w/U5ick300bVI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/5YkpbGRXhso/s1600/IMG_3213.JPG" height="640" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I spent time sitting at the roof top and chatting with travelers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S-OUPWsIbyk/U5iclt8tDaI/AAAAAAAAAHY/qpY8wM6uRJE/s1600/IMG_3214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S-OUPWsIbyk/U5iclt8tDaI/AAAAAAAAAHY/qpY8wM6uRJE/s1600/IMG_3214.JPG" height="640" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roof top kitchen, restaurant and bar at the hostel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0f44xTNYglw/U5ich1JXjZI/AAAAAAAAAHI/Nzsak_LHl78/s1600/IMG_3212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0f44xTNYglw/U5ich1JXjZI/AAAAAAAAAHI/Nzsak_LHl78/s1600/IMG_3212.JPG" height="640" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice weather and I enjoyed it accordingly</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v_qdZSfHsIY/U5icfQOWmbI/AAAAAAAAAHA/sEN_tz2JMDc/s1600/IMG_3211.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v_qdZSfHsIY/U5icfQOWmbI/AAAAAAAAAHA/sEN_tz2JMDc/s1600/IMG_3211.JPG" height="640" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking for the required items</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X4omg8Fiazw/U5idRBXBnuI/AAAAAAAAAJE/Ed0KbreGQmE/s1600/IMG_3242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X4omg8Fiazw/U5idRBXBnuI/AAAAAAAAAJE/Ed0KbreGQmE/s1600/IMG_3242.JPG" height="640" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We can't see things being sold in the streets</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U_esicatHhU/U5ict6bJWfI/AAAAAAAAAHs/UIy1yE8jPF8/s1600/IMG_3235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U_esicatHhU/U5ict6bJWfI/AAAAAAAAAHs/UIy1yE8jPF8/s1600/IMG_3235.JPG" height="640" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bund, my favourite spot</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lj69lRmXdYw/U5ic5uWnw_I/AAAAAAAAAIE/b4AZZUv6CRs/s1600/IMG_3245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lj69lRmXdYw/U5ic5uWnw_I/AAAAAAAAAIE/b4AZZUv6CRs/s1600/IMG_3245.JPG" height="640" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">People eat these things also</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466;">Some cultural stuff</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466;"><o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">The food ranges from cheaper street food to expensive restaurants and so unusual that one would be ready to pay for capturing the amazing food. There for the first time I realized the importance of food in a typical Chinese culture. Most of the time you’d notice people busy with their touch phones or enjoying food. The i</span></span>mportance of touch phones in their lives can be witnessed on public areas and
public transport where a maximum portion of people on a scale of percentage is
seen to be busy with either a touch pad or a touch phone. Never expect a smile
from and Chinese person when you make an eye contact but if you get in return
it feels great for some moments and you might remember the smile for the whole
day.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /></div>
</span><br />
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466;">Moving to Shaoxing</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My short trip to Shaoxing
and visit to some historically famous places attracted me and decided to go to
Shaoxing after Shanghai which just two hundred kilometers from Shanghai and is
called the textile city of China due to large number of textile factories in
Shaoxing. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Staying with my host in Shaoxing<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">I was invited by Alex, an
Americal-Russian guy, teaching English and Russian, living in Shaoxing Language
University, to stay at his place, a one bedroom apartment in the university
campus, during my stay in Shaoxing. I consider it a good luck of mine that the
time I reached his place another German guy, Vitalis, who then became a good
friend of mine, was also staying at his place. While I was about to go to have
my dinner somewhere outside the campus, Vitalis offered to make some Brazilian
black rice with vegetable, quite different in taste and weight as well. There I
experienced living with the vegetarian people. Their cause seemed quite
justifiable. Two days went by enjoying and judging different kind of life style
of two 26 years old western people, their mind level, level of independence,
level of maturity and love for traveling. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o5vJ87HPY4k/U5idBq-bKQI/AAAAAAAAAIc/O5MJpGD-VWs/s1600/IMG_3251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o5vJ87HPY4k/U5idBq-bKQI/AAAAAAAAAIc/O5MJpGD-VWs/s1600/IMG_3251.JPG" height="640" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting ticket at the bus station</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3VyJWuib1iA/U5idG7W6jWI/AAAAAAAAAIo/USFu8GGJSZM/s1600/IMG_3253.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3VyJWuib1iA/U5idG7W6jWI/AAAAAAAAAIo/USFu8GGJSZM/s1600/IMG_3253.JPG" height="640" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">no english on the ticket to understand things</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xgh2x6SQ0hU/U5idHpW6OZI/AAAAAAAAAIs/2zheqZTssaY/s1600/IMG_3254.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xgh2x6SQ0hU/U5idHpW6OZI/AAAAAAAAAIs/2zheqZTssaY/s1600/IMG_3254.JPG" height="640" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and my stuff on the road, waiting for someone to pick me up</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GKqNi2cq7dE/U5idMwbC3MI/AAAAAAAAAI0/dui4QpJ6-pk/s1600/IMG_3257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GKqNi2cq7dE/U5idMwbC3MI/AAAAAAAAAI0/dui4QpJ6-pk/s1600/IMG_3257.JPG" height="640" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside the university my host lives in</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jrXH7NomO6o/U5n6X4PwxQI/AAAAAAAAALQ/JIdw9WpUzmc/s1600/IMG_3303.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jrXH7NomO6o/U5n6X4PwxQI/AAAAAAAAALQ/JIdw9WpUzmc/s1600/IMG_3303.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me with Alex, my host in Shaoxing</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rZkzFy2xvCQ/U5n5-ZXw2KI/AAAAAAAAAKc/i_P8m5_vBic/s1600/IMG_3258.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rZkzFy2xvCQ/U5n5-ZXw2KI/AAAAAAAAAKc/i_P8m5_vBic/s1600/IMG_3258.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My hosts were so kind to start preparing food </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_HM4rIfkfoQ/U5n6Aib2jeI/AAAAAAAAAKo/CTHf0hIr6kM/s1600/IMG_3259.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_HM4rIfkfoQ/U5n6Aib2jeI/AAAAAAAAAKo/CTHf0hIr6kM/s1600/IMG_3259.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I thought this would be my couch</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aMYO6711QXw/U5n59kB-6PI/AAAAAAAAAKY/CoKUOFAJfDY/s1600/IMG_3262.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aMYO6711QXw/U5n59kB-6PI/AAAAAAAAAKY/CoKUOFAJfDY/s1600/IMG_3262.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Banana Chips as starter</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KrC37rHu-ok/U5n6Lmb7vyI/AAAAAAAAAK0/GN4PnWTtlQQ/s1600/IMG_3264.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KrC37rHu-ok/U5n6Lmb7vyI/AAAAAAAAAK0/GN4PnWTtlQQ/s1600/IMG_3264.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Friends are busy making some quick food, rice with eggs and vegies</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Uj7Ru8ooa54/U5n6Lj5XDOI/AAAAAAAAAKw/lCPS39W8Euw/s1600/IMG_3266.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Uj7Ru8ooa54/U5n6Lj5XDOI/AAAAAAAAAKw/lCPS39W8Euw/s1600/IMG_3266.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brasilian rice, good for health. But I could barely feel some taste as compared to Paki rice</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mMmDZfmVQQw/U5n6Y4rJ4iI/AAAAAAAAALY/e-FycuoLyiQ/s1600/IMG_3273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mMmDZfmVQQw/U5n6Y4rJ4iI/AAAAAAAAALY/e-FycuoLyiQ/s1600/IMG_3273.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">University campus where my host lived</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D5Xpp1Xg6ns/U5n6XaJlHGI/AAAAAAAAALI/tQ17mg6qL_4/s1600/IMG_3274.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D5Xpp1Xg6ns/U5n6XaJlHGI/AAAAAAAAALI/tQ17mg6qL_4/s1600/IMG_3274.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The clean and relavent environment in the university. How could I even compare it with UOK, I was student of\?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, Alex and Vitalis, also surfing with Alex</td></tr>
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<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-outline-level: 2; text-align: left;">
Hangzhou – One of the Two Heavens in China according to Chinese people.</h2>
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Suzhou and Hangzhou are said to be the heavens in China. Falling in love with a city is natural and quite convenient as falling in love with a person may not pay back always. One may fall in love with the places and this happened with me when I visited Hangzhou during the last trip. West Lake in Hangzhou Is the place where one might want to spend a day just sitting and watching the great natural scenery. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A rough experience on the roads of Hanghzhou seeking for help for hours<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></span></div>
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Hanghzou, not being the part of my plan, became a part of my plan when at 9pm I couldn’t find my place and after rubbing my shoes on the roads for several hours in the rain after the Taxi driver dropped me at some location which I told him after looking into my iphone with dying battery. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I was asking for help and direction unsuccessfully, was given a ride by a kind person, who happened to drop me at the wrong place. After requesting at that hotel I got access to wifi and booked the hostel at the moment and somehow was dropped at the location by Taxi at 2am. All the communication part in the story was supported by Google translator. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Eventually, it came to my realization that my hostel was just a few steps away from the famous west lake in Hangzhou. Living besides the west lake is a great experience as the place is surrounded by a large number of trees and mountains which gives a feeling of a place far from a well developed city. Unintentionally, my stay in Hangzhou became longer and I was offered a free dorm by the owner of the in the hostel. She was very fascinated to see me and my itinerary. I was asked to hang the Pakistani flag in the hostel along with other flags in the newly opened hostel and was presented with some gifts, one of which was famous Chinese tea from the Hangzhou city. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GLd9TtrelQw/U5n6mdpc3lI/AAAAAAAAALw/iMRBBjz_hx8/s1600/IMG_3327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GLd9TtrelQw/U5n6mdpc3lI/AAAAAAAAALw/iMRBBjz_hx8/s1600/IMG_3327.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My hostel was just in the middle of a zoo</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Somewhere around Hanghou West Lake</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tourist places are this much taken care of and are kept clean</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The West Lake</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wKVxordiT4k/U5n6_S3n7vI/AAAAAAAAAMY/dool1l4t1A4/s1600/IMG_3380.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wKVxordiT4k/U5n6_S3n7vI/AAAAAAAAAMY/dool1l4t1A4/s1600/IMG_3380.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Path way around West Lake</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Isn't the West Lake beautiful?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, its me. Of course I was there</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l5SwW1zn8jo/U5n7NQLNdPI/AAAAAAAAAMw/Aj3o5JXnpYw/s1600/IMG_3388.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l5SwW1zn8jo/U5n7NQLNdPI/AAAAAAAAAMw/Aj3o5JXnpYw/s1600/IMG_3388.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The scenery all around is well maintained</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J7UNEODyrF8/U5n6xfDXbjI/AAAAAAAAAMA/Mh68Qt_qxSU/s1600/IMG_3356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J7UNEODyrF8/U5n6xfDXbjI/AAAAAAAAAMA/Mh68Qt_qxSU/s1600/IMG_3356.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Found food eventually after walking for a long time around the West Lake</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hostel owner, me and a guy with multiple capabilities</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fF_PgKy6X6E/U5n7c0SY-2I/AAAAAAAAANY/wm1nqaNDfP0/s1600/IMG_3417.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fF_PgKy6X6E/U5n7c0SY-2I/AAAAAAAAANY/wm1nqaNDfP0/s1600/IMG_3417.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was asked to find the Pakistan flag and hand it</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the gifts I was presented with. A hand fan with Chinese traditional painting</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LMkX3g8VCss/U5n7m2BAG4I/AAAAAAAAANo/oFm3HWLoP9M/s1600/IMG_3427.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LMkX3g8VCss/U5n7m2BAG4I/AAAAAAAAANo/oFm3HWLoP9M/s1600/IMG_3427.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What else could I expect more than such a beautiful view at a random place?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Weather was extremely pleasant all the time</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ceqOg4ciuy0/U5n7sW2nbSI/AAAAAAAAAN4/LgwpHHypsM0/s1600/IMG_3437.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ceqOg4ciuy0/U5n7sW2nbSI/AAAAAAAAAN4/LgwpHHypsM0/s1600/IMG_3437.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The environment in the hostel made me play guitar which I'm not too much good at</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaving this beautiful hostel in a beautiful location of a beautiful city</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Railway station, getting ready for a long journey</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jX5pfjSYzBQ/U5n8C0KCMgI/AAAAAAAAAOY/_n18JP-WEO8/s1600/IMG_3443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jX5pfjSYzBQ/U5n8C0KCMgI/AAAAAAAAAOY/_n18JP-WEO8/s1600/IMG_3443.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It felt they were born to eat noddles</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-92m81LG7ftc/U5n8GO8hPQI/AAAAAAAAAOg/bh-xnmO-Xt4/s1600/IMG_3444.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-92m81LG7ftc/U5n8GO8hPQI/AAAAAAAAAOg/bh-xnmO-Xt4/s1600/IMG_3444.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can find the hot water everywhere cause you may have to eat noddle anywhere</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plenty of food but I was supposed to survive on biscuites and bananas</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Again, noddles time</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1c38aEgigUI/U5n8VBLJKSI/AAAAAAAAAO8/h19kgCPPQZU/s1600/IMG_3455.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1c38aEgigUI/U5n8VBLJKSI/AAAAAAAAAO8/h19kgCPPQZU/s1600/IMG_3455.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everyone seems tired after almost 14 hours</td></tr>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466;">A 20 hours Journey to Guangzhou</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0466;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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Who won’t want to experience a fast train experience in China when it costs quite low as compared to air travel? I intended to take the fast train but fortunately or unfortunately the tickets were sold out and what I could get was a seat. Having no experience of such a long journey by road or train, I was afraid and was preparing my mind continuously to go with the flow. Later I understood soon that it was one of the best decisions of this trip as I could’ve never enjoyed judging Chinese people and their habits from so close as I did that day. All the talking was being done using a Chinese-English translator in the phone. In each and ever public place in China there’s hot water available for making instant noodles and drinking hot water, but not a coffee. Yes, they like hot water rather than a hot coffee with milk. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Guangzhou city is a business hub with lots of offices by traders and factories. But, being an old city, it has a lot to offer in terms of culture and skyline. But once you come out of the train station, you can smell and feel the business atmosphere. Public transport is cheap and quite convenient with metro covering many areas and districts of the city. Fortunately, I was invited to a food exchange party organized by a CS friend at his place, where many people from different countries around the world brought their food and I got a chance to taste the food from several countries and make friends as well. <o:p></o:p></div>
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My stay in Guangzhou was in Lazy Gaga hostel, the one with the best rating and best value for the money where I happened to meet with many people, most of who were there for business and almost all the western were there to teach the English language and earn a good and easy money.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Staff at the hostel is usually very cooperative. And one needs it, specially in China</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hostel was beautiful with all the facilities</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eMtyk2PKAZ0/U5n8vnORk6I/AAAAAAAAAPw/2t9g0OIP2lM/s1600/IMG_3542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eMtyk2PKAZ0/U5n8vnORk6I/AAAAAAAAAPw/2t9g0OIP2lM/s1600/IMG_3542.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luckily I found a kitchen in the hostel. Could make my breakfast at least</td></tr>
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A food exchange party at CSer's place</h3>
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During my three days stay in Guangzhou, I got an opportunity to meet the amaing travelers from around the world who gathered at Ciro's (a Spanish guy with a pure heart of love with traveling, on roads for several years, stopped in Guangzhou to take some rest and continue with the plans) place. They all gathered to taste and experience the food from different countries. We had Russian, Chinese, and European food to taste from. The food wasn't the source of attraction for me to attend the party but the beautiful friends and amazing experience I was about to add into my life. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OTTMy2hmtEo/U5oE0GuInCI/AAAAAAAAAQs/3GtW6G_yoVI/s1600/IMG_3557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OTTMy2hmtEo/U5oE0GuInCI/AAAAAAAAAQs/3GtW6G_yoVI/s1600/IMG_3557.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me with Ciro</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F-VqFQvvvXw/U5n8ifrGrrI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/9vV63mcy4i0/s1600/IMG_3509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F-VqFQvvvXw/U5n8ifrGrrI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/9vV63mcy4i0/s1600/IMG_3509.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some fruits in apple juice</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rmpHgfDfAcA/U5n8jYD2d7I/AAAAAAAAAPc/COIkxR51viU/s1600/IMG_3513.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rmpHgfDfAcA/U5n8jYD2d7I/AAAAAAAAAPc/COIkxR51viU/s1600/IMG_3513.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everyone's sharing something</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IFtof99Vkdo/U5n8qyaCJGI/AAAAAAAAAPo/muWTUMyfXLQ/s1600/IMG_3515.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IFtof99Vkdo/U5n8qyaCJGI/AAAAAAAAAPo/muWTUMyfXLQ/s1600/IMG_3515.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">People from around the world</td></tr>
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Preparing to Leave Chine</div>
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Guangzhou is a well developed city with good means of public transportation. It takes only an hour and RMB 7 to reach the airport with comfort and convenience. Metro routes and system is easy to understand as long as you want to and enjoy doing all this. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready for a journey to other places in Southeast Asia</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xaF6afUi6TU/U5n81oT1JsI/AAAAAAAAAP8/LwdPklWrJO4/s1600/IMG_3549.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xaF6afUi6TU/U5n81oT1JsI/AAAAAAAAAP8/LwdPklWrJO4/s1600/IMG_3549.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Metro stations are usually crowded and sometimes look no less than Karachi airport</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">People rushing in and out everytime</td></tr>
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<o:p></o:p> Where am I going? </h2>
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Some people were already waiting for me to join them somewhere in Southeast Asia. A lot more to was about to come and was to be experienced yet. It was time to do some business things in Kuala Lumpur and enjoy some jungles, islands and highlands. A totally different life and state of mind. New places to come and new kind of funny stuff to enjoy. </div>
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Coming next on this blog is the trip to Malaysia. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10943110545015289875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669333105218646681.post-27306706887318052622014-04-13T08:48:00.001-07:002014-04-13T09:12:22.544-07:00Do you fancy having Chai Paratha at Pyala Hotel, Karachi?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Being politically hit and target of target killings by its own residents, Karachi still has to offer a lot of stuff that can't be experienced or seen in any other big city of the world. Karachi in many ways can be compared to cities like New York and Shanghai and only if it wasn't the target of its own, politically backed locals in 80's and 90's, it would exactly be like the biggest and famous cities of the world.<br />
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One of the famous and culturally rich place in Karachi is Pyala (bowl) hotel, opened 24/7 and offers verity of foods to the locals. Pyala hotel is one of the oldest Chai (tea) hotel in Karachi and has earned popularity because it serves tea in bowls instead of cups and different and good taste. Large number of people which may number in triple digits can be seen outside and inside the hotel even at 3.00 in the morning.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-24GK6EL-SIg/U0qz0x87dyI/AAAAAAAAAqQ/YJQkTKzR4rg/s640/blogger-image--1424019413.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-24GK6EL-SIg/U0qz0x87dyI/AAAAAAAAAqQ/YJQkTKzR4rg/s640/blogger-image--1424019413.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These are different and tasty from other places in Karachi</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Xz9Q15YxdR0/U0q0n-Vab0I/AAAAAAAAAqw/66yNAJqSkMk/s640/blogger-image-1564894123.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Xz9Q15YxdR0/U0q0n-Vab0I/AAAAAAAAAqw/66yNAJqSkMk/s640/blogger-image-1564894123.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making Parathas (Nan dipped in oil)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, its 3:30 in the morning</td></tr>
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Pyala hotel is also famous for massage by masseurs who are traditional masseurs, mostly from Punjab, who would give you head massage or full body massage for an incredible less amount of money. Many people can be seen getting desi (local) massage by these strong men. Besides the location and their style, this local masseurs won't give you less relaxation as compared to Thai massage which is famous for its traditional and professional style for a long time. However the amount of money that they charge, Rs. 200-300, for a full body massage is far more less than what people pay even in Thailand, Baht 200.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Masseur's inventory containing different oils to offer to customers</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ip7yEkmDGBM/U0q0XWBARAI/AAAAAAAAAqg/qi-OKWn7E-I/s640/blogger-image--1787912772.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ip7yEkmDGBM/U0q0XWBARAI/AAAAAAAAAqg/qi-OKWn7E-I/s640/blogger-image--1787912772.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back massage is complimentary with head massage just for Rs. 50-100</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A masseurs sheet to lie on for full body massage. Yes, its dirty but its the thing. </td></tr>
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Karachi, being one of top 3 cheapest cities in the world, still has to offer too much to these people, people alike and tourists around the world who want to visit this beautiful country. As a matter of fact, travelers coming from different places around the world, who I usually meet, never have negative word about the people and are highly influenced by the love and hospitality by the people of Pakistan and specially Karachi.</div>
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This is not the only place but there are many other places alike, offering different taste of life and atmosphere and things which can't be seen in the big and metropolitan cities like Shanghai, Dubai, Bangkok and Kuala Lampur.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669333105218646681.post-38406421959888533982014-01-01T10:02:00.000-08:002014-04-13T09:03:51.505-07:00A day with friends from Germany and Russia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
"We have three travelers at the same time in Karachi. Would you like to meet them?", said Muzzammil, one of the most experienced local travelers and a good friend of mine. "<br />
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Why not? Anytime you decide", said I.<br />
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It was January 1st when I attended a local CS meeting, arranged by Muzzammil, at Zameer Kabab at Bahadurabad, where I met two travelers, Manuell, a professional photographer from Germany and Dunya, a bold girl and committed traveler from Russia who came all the way from Turkey by road. There I was informed by Muzzammil about their desire to visit Shipwrecking yard at Gaddani, the worlds third largest one. The idea seemed interesting to me as I was also waiting for some opportunity or reason to see the same stuff. Saturday was eventually decided for the trip.<br />
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<b>Journey to the Ship Breaking Yard</b></h2>
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The three surfers including another friend from Germany, Janis Zoll, arrived at a "chai hotel" near Hassan Square where we had a Chai and started our journey. It took only an hour when we started feeling fresh air of Highway. Everyone needed to go to washroom so we stopped at a gas station where drinks and refreshments were bought and then the journey resumed.<br />
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We reached the ship breaking yard at 1 in the afternoon and then came the big ship graveyard where huge metal pieces, engines, fans and other different parts of abandoned ships could be witnessed. Two or three hours were obviously not enough to completely see and taking snaps. Though we tried to go up on the ships to see the hard working labor from close but we were not allowed because of safety issues. But who cares about the safety of those labor who work for Rs500-600 wage???<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Muzzammil, looking around the ship graveyard</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Manuell, getting ready to take pictures</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8WaA7ZNn2gc/UsxC7p2co-I/AAAAAAAAAog/b_KZcJwxRrg/s1600/IMG_2546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8WaA7ZNn2gc/UsxC7p2co-I/AAAAAAAAAog/b_KZcJwxRrg/s1600/IMG_2546.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't know exactly which part of a ship is this </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3NaPLTEIgV8/UsxDseSYTFI/AAAAAAAAAos/Vv5-vFIV_fY/s1600/IMG_2547.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3NaPLTEIgV8/UsxDseSYTFI/AAAAAAAAAos/Vv5-vFIV_fY/s1600/IMG_2547.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This one is ready to be </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4nLgHNG3_04/UsxD5kK84KI/AAAAAAAAAo0/mnCBHl2HG7M/s1600/IMG_2555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4nLgHNG3_04/UsxD5kK84KI/AAAAAAAAAo0/mnCBHl2HG7M/s1600/IMG_2555.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Myself and Muzzammil trying to get some air beside this huge fan :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YGt8JAfg5rc/UsxEBW-61NI/AAAAAAAAAo8/0UO0_0tl2Ag/s1600/IMG_2560.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YGt8JAfg5rc/UsxEBW-61NI/AAAAAAAAAo8/0UO0_0tl2Ag/s1600/IMG_2560.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Should be engine or something similar</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X2-werrimfE/UsxEka7QdOI/AAAAAAAAApQ/DLNzXY4SliY/s1600/IMG_2565.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X2-werrimfE/UsxEka7QdOI/AAAAAAAAApQ/DLNzXY4SliY/s1600/IMG_2565.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dunya, wanted to be photographed besides a dead and strange fish anyway</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lHxKLEYKS-E/UsxEjagv_OI/AAAAAAAAApI/kr4QeV8DuxQ/s1600/IMG_2569.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lHxKLEYKS-E/UsxEjagv_OI/AAAAAAAAApI/kr4QeV8DuxQ/s1600/IMG_2569.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Janis, getting some heat from sun on the beach</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k-pFhM4REG0/UsxJUtfw-uI/AAAAAAAAAp0/h4qySB0QJhY/s1600/Workers+and+me+in+Balouchistan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k-pFhM4REG0/UsxJUtfw-uI/AAAAAAAAAp0/h4qySB0QJhY/s1600/Workers+and+me+in+Balouchistan.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Manuell, with one of the most hardworking labor</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Then we started the journey back to home at 4 in the evening. Muzzammil wanted our friends to try Nihari, one of the traditional Pakistani food. So we stopped at Sohail Nihari near Nazimabad and had delicious Nihari which was also liked by the surfers.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DFsAjD5uJF0/UsxEl8mTIYI/AAAAAAAAApY/urRZ-Lz7ljg/s1600/IMG_2572.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DFsAjD5uJF0/UsxEl8mTIYI/AAAAAAAAApY/urRZ-Lz7ljg/s1600/IMG_2572.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Having Nihari at Nazimabad on the way back</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Coincidentally, my friend's reception was on the same night and I couldn't miss that opportunity to invite my friends to experience the local culture and taste delicious food. As a matter of fact, they didn't want to miss that either and were happy to accept my invitation. "Why not? We'll be happy to come", said Manuell followed by Dunya and Janis.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3pHUH_Qoe4w/UsxFF6w1SmI/AAAAAAAAApg/qovONrqJepw/s1600/IMG_2574.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3pHUH_Qoe4w/UsxFF6w1SmI/AAAAAAAAApg/qovONrqJepw/s1600/IMG_2574.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My best friend with his lovely bride</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7pNkpTRafDM/UsxFIBANXgI/AAAAAAAAApo/Wi3vLnYOxtA/s1600/IMG_2579.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7pNkpTRafDM/UsxFIBANXgI/AAAAAAAAApo/Wi3vLnYOxtA/s1600/IMG_2579.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me along with my friend, enjoying chats with our foreign guests</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669333105218646681.post-15941838655657395402013-06-01T23:39:00.003-07:002013-06-02T14:05:29.736-07:00Kalash - Lush Green Fields and Natural Springs<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><span lang="EN-US">A Dream Came True</span></b><br />
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<b><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">“We’d go to Kalash soon”, said one of my
friends while we were having gossips a couple of years back. It was obviously
very difficult or almost impossible for all of us to go together. Then the day
came when we got a chance to celebrate the bachelor party of one of our best
mates. And our destination was decided to be Kalash rather than a beach or a single
night party. Our plan had to be a special and the unique one. We needed a reason and we got a strong one!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><b><span lang="EN-US">Kalash – The Heaven on
Earth</span></b></b></div>
<b><o:p></o:p></b><br />
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Kalash, one of the few most beautiful valley in
the northern areas, some 20kms from Chitral, with its residents who totally differ in
culture, religion and customs from the rest of the country, accessible through
an extremely uncomfortable and dangerous road where a bit of a mistake by a
very trained driver can make us vanish thousands of foots down into the river<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CrNokyPMx8I/UapLeQLe7pI/AAAAAAAAAcg/qWP89ZRgBPE/s1600/DSCN2334.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CrNokyPMx8I/UapLeQLe7pI/AAAAAAAAAcg/qWP89ZRgBPE/s640/DSCN2334.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Check post at the entrance of Kalash</td></tr>
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</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_Wj7-Ginzh8/UapMNjfZ4fI/AAAAAAAAAcw/9TTfuYClg78/s1600/DSCN2345.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_Wj7-Ginzh8/UapMNjfZ4fI/AAAAAAAAAcw/9TTfuYClg78/s640/DSCN2345.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We at the wooden bridge just before Kalash</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3MITFMIJGz8/UapL-1mqo5I/AAAAAAAAAco/hMXJqsOIU8Y/s1600/DSCN2354.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3MITFMIJGz8/UapL-1mqo5I/AAAAAAAAAco/hMXJqsOIU8Y/s640/DSCN2354.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Road to Kalash</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<b><span lang="EN-US">The Group<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">We, the group of 8 best mates, some of who have already moved to different cities or countries, were too lucky to have gathered for this cause which never
seemed to be possible. Our group consisted of myself, Noman – the source of
energy to the group who joined us from Lahore, Abdul Paracha – the bachelor come
married whose party had to be celebrated, Naveed – without whom we are always
incomplete and who provides us reasons to laugh out loud, Raheel – the only doctor in our group with desi solutions to
sickness during travel, Wasim Yousuf – the most enthusiast one who never gets low, Ahsan – the aircraft
engineer and group's </span>“saqi”, Umair – the photographer and always seems in panic. </div>
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Rawalpindi was decided to be the place where I had to collect them and start
the most memorable trip of my life! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vf1EqG68GeM/UapJfQHpDrI/AAAAAAAAAcE/JpykIFaaR5k/s1600/IMG_1241.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vf1EqG68GeM/UapJfQHpDrI/AAAAAAAAAcE/JpykIFaaR5k/s640/IMG_1241.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We met at a Chai Hotel (tea shop) at Peer Wadai stop, Rawalpindi</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q59-LldbzRk/UapOphijwmI/AAAAAAAAAdQ/HVUbML2Gzjo/s1600/DSCN2227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q59-LldbzRk/UapOphijwmI/AAAAAAAAAdQ/HVUbML2Gzjo/s640/DSCN2227.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">From right- Umair, Ahsan, Wasim, Abdul, Rahil, Noman and me</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b><span lang="EN-US">Rawalpindi to Chitral<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The journey from Rawalpindi to Chitral is a long
one and uncomfortable most of the time. It takes almost 7-8 hours from
Rawalpindi to Deer and then almost 5-6 hours from Deer to Chitral. Buses are available
from Peer Wadai bus station in Rawalpindi. Our journey was comparatively easier as we
hired private Land Cruiser or HiAce. It is advisable to stay and rest in Deer
for a night just to avoid tiredness. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q9WWvJUzj4I/UapJvYDLpsI/AAAAAAAAAcU/Q6FjmNVXYy4/s1600/DSCN2118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q9WWvJUzj4I/UapJvYDLpsI/AAAAAAAAAcU/Q6FjmNVXYy4/s640/DSCN2118.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hired a HiAce for Rawalpindi to Deer</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ww7TwVoNKZw/UapJsKQ-vOI/AAAAAAAAAcM/NLR7N88qGU4/s1600/DSCN2116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ww7TwVoNKZw/UapJsKQ-vOI/AAAAAAAAAcM/NLR7N88qGU4/s640/DSCN2116.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Me, waiting for morning at Daewoo, Rawalpindi </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4bgacLhW_xQ/UapTGiSsT1I/AAAAAAAAAeQ/H34WS6tj2N0/s1600/100_5718.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4bgacLhW_xQ/UapTGiSsT1I/AAAAAAAAAeQ/H34WS6tj2N0/s640/100_5718.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Rawalpindi to Deer motorway</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oNflyTcSeCg/UapTXWLNZBI/AAAAAAAAAeg/7gvWPy52cJ8/s1600/IMG_1263.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oNflyTcSeCg/UapTXWLNZBI/AAAAAAAAAeg/7gvWPy52cJ8/s640/IMG_1263.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Tight security along the way</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b><span lang="EN-US">Itineraries and
Options</span></b></div>
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The initial plan was as follows:</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Karachi to Rawalpindi by air</li>
<li>Rawalpindi to Deer by a private transport from
Peer Wadai staition, Rawalpindi</li>
<li>Deer to Chitral by a private transport after a
night stay in Deer</li>
<li>Chitral to Kalash by a private transport after
a night stay in Chitral</li>
</ul>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qRWuobZJ8ZU/UapNPmKFq0I/AAAAAAAAAdA/fQMMYrsix1o/s1600/100_5691.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qRWuobZJ8ZU/UapNPmKFq0I/AAAAAAAAAdA/fQMMYrsix1o/s640/100_5691.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Karachi Airport</td></tr>
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<b><span lang="EN-US">Lawari Tunnel – An
alternate to the deadly Lawari Bypass<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Our itinerary included one night stay in Deer
and a night stay in Chitral but we came to know only in Deer that the only way
to go to Chitral would be through Lawari tunnel, an alternate to Lawari bypass with very cold inside, water dripping from the mountain and very very dark insid and was constructed by the order of Pervez Musharraf, the former president of
Pakistan, because of a number of accidents reported on the Lawari Top by pass, a
dangerous road with almost 60 zigzag patterned turns, connecting Chitral with Deer. It was our deepest wish to
go through Lawari top bypass and experience the adventure of dangerous journey
but the snow on the top wouldn’t allow us take that road safely with maximum
chances for an accident to happen. It would definitely add much to our
adventure. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UAuK98dcOnA/UapQtDFrqRI/AAAAAAAAAdg/Dv10vyMt5V4/s1600/Tunnel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="479" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UAuK98dcOnA/UapQtDFrqRI/AAAAAAAAAdg/Dv10vyMt5V4/s640/Tunnel.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lawari Tunnel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b><span lang="EN-US">Change of Plan and An
Adventurous Journey<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The plan had to be changed immediately in order
to avoid getting stuck in Deer for a day or two and wait for the tunnel to be
opened as it is usually opened on alternate days due to the construction work
in progress. Regardless of the fact that it was risky to continue traveling
during night, we continued our journey and passed Lawari tunnel before dusk
despite rainfall and heavily secured area with many check posts on the way.
Journey was extremely adventurous as it was thunderstorm and we could see the
depth of the abyss when there was lightening. We were fortunate enough to have
been accompanied by an army personal who made them open the tunnel, specially,
for us. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d1Rb8E-Rww0/UapRrBrLlfI/AAAAAAAAAdw/jGISZx7bE9o/s1600/DSCN2335.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d1Rb8E-Rww0/UapRrBrLlfI/AAAAAAAAAdw/jGISZx7bE9o/s640/DSCN2335.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sometimes the gap between the tyres and the road seems to be not more than a couple of inches</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZjypqFHPTOA/UapRx17TQjI/AAAAAAAAAd4/XbB336iEdu8/s1600/DSCN2355.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZjypqFHPTOA/UapRx17TQjI/AAAAAAAAAd4/XbB336iEdu8/s640/DSCN2355.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The uncarpeted road makes it more risky</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US">Chitral to Kalash<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">We arrived in Chitral at 0900 hours and hired
rooms and started getting rid of tiredness due to a long journey. The river
side hotel was a cheaper choice with fresh feeling of river which is a totally
different environment for residents of a city like Karachi. We moved to Kalash
the next day in a Land Cruiser which took almost 2. Kalash is divided into
three villages named Brumbret, Rumbur and Birir. Bumburiat is the most
beautiful one with many hotels and food options. Like other tourist places
people tried to show us the "cheap rooms" but we went for our own options as
usual and found a very cheap and isolated wooden house owned by Razzak Kapoor.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Razzak Kapoor was a Kalashi who would answer to each and every demand made by any of us. He'd make fresh food of us and unforgettable breakfast everyday. This was the place we always wanted. With gigantic mountains around and sound
of flowing river all the time made us feel fresh all the time. The evenings
were too cold even in May with temperature as low as 4-5 celsius and afternoons
with almost 14 celsius. We spent three joyful days in Kalash exploring
different villages, experiencing Kalashis’ culture, different places and
enjoying the real beauty of nature at its extreme.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Somewhere in Chitral</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hotel at river side in Chitral</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the hotel</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the hotel room's window</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Breakfast would be ready for every late comer</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Pure Desi breakfast with "Jao ki Roti," "paneer" and "Makhan"</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">First day in Chitral - We are excited for the coming days</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">A river was flowing just beside our house</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Road towards the valley</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We all with Ayun, a beautiful valley behind us</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">A congested road towards Kalash</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Photography break on the way to Kalash</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Kalash Road</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6rwkP1riTaQ/UapaYFBhHnI/AAAAAAAAAg8/pL3s_Mo8dlM/s1600/DSCN2444.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6rwkP1riTaQ/UapaYFBhHnI/AAAAAAAAAg8/pL3s_Mo8dlM/s640/DSCN2444.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Our place to stay in Kalash, We owned the whole place and used it our own way</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">We owned the kitchen as well and prepared own food</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">We used this tap and water flowing beside to take shower in the early morning</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">No beds, just mattresses. Felt totally different</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yKjuqcxVr8s/Uapai9oLaFI/AAAAAAAAAhc/i3MaLJIicIE/s1600/DSCN2467.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yKjuqcxVr8s/Uapai9oLaFI/AAAAAAAAAhc/i3MaLJIicIE/s640/DSCN2467.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Our sitting area in the evenings</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Looking for something in Kalash village</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">In Kalashi traditional cap</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">We started teaching in the school</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Met a couch surfer and made him eat tobacco</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Our home in kalash</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">With school children</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">With school children</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Absorbing some heat in freezing weather</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Dinner was ready and we are too hungry to wait</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">With Razzak, whose rest house we hired in Kalash, offered us very good moments</td></tr>
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<b><span lang="EN-US">Some Facts About
Kalashi People<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">We found them very honest, trusted, ethical,
simple and devoted to their traditions. As far as I know after talking to different people they believe in one God but worship in
the ways they won’t like disclose. They have different festivals where they
select their partners randomly and are free to select anyone to marry. They
would run away for some days and then come back to get married properly. Even
an outsider is allowed to marry a Kalashi woman as long as she agrees. Hundreds
of thousands of rupees are spend on funeral and they usually dance and
celebrate the funeral with only close relatives mourning the death of a
Kalashi. They hold a belief that they should celebrate the birth and death
similarly. Previously they used to put the boxes with dead bodies under the sky
but people started stealing bodies and misusing the bodies so they started burying
the dead. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4JAuQwmf9CQ/Uarg-WdbYzI/AAAAAAAAAic/HRHkyYQ7QoA/s1600/IMG_1479.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4JAuQwmf9CQ/Uarg-WdbYzI/AAAAAAAAAic/HRHkyYQ7QoA/s640/IMG_1479.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">A confused but rather a confident Kalashi girl</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SKmK80pO7Ng/UarhMIqza8I/AAAAAAAAAi8/XXOaywS-Oi0/s1600/IMG_1578.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SKmK80pO7Ng/UarhMIqza8I/AAAAAAAAAi8/XXOaywS-Oi0/s640/IMG_1578.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">In a mela</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bbur3d7Q-to/UarhPYrmkdI/AAAAAAAAAjI/Pks3J5Olvpo/s1600/IMG_1580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bbur3d7Q-to/UarhPYrmkdI/AAAAAAAAAjI/Pks3J5Olvpo/s640/IMG_1580.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Women dancing in mela</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FYHqvdVwFKU/Uart2bENUoI/AAAAAAAAAmE/teFiI4E4dQA/s1600/DSCN2764.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FYHqvdVwFKU/Uart2bENUoI/AAAAAAAAAmE/teFiI4E4dQA/s640/DSCN2764.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">A Kalashi girl in festival</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y6toAddBB9Q/Uart30zoNHI/AAAAAAAAAmM/JQk7LD2KFMM/s1600/DSCN2765.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y6toAddBB9Q/Uart30zoNHI/AAAAAAAAAmM/JQk7LD2KFMM/s640/DSCN2765.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Kalashi girls doing traditional dance in festival</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iKRn4FsnQ_Y/UarrgUExUSI/AAAAAAAAAlk/R0WHxF2XG00/s1600/DSC03562.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iKRn4FsnQ_Y/UarrgUExUSI/AAAAAAAAAlk/R0WHxF2XG00/s640/DSC03562.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">The didn't bury the dead until people started misusing the bodies </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O8llU9CvCVY/UarrjIaGjrI/AAAAAAAAAls/OtNsrvVyO88/s1600/DSC03565.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O8llU9CvCVY/UarrjIaGjrI/AAAAAAAAAls/OtNsrvVyO88/s640/DSC03565.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An old opened coffin with skeleton inside </td></tr>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4Ga9gEr3m3E/UarrlJtbEYI/AAAAAAAAAl0/TMymz_34gW0/s1600/DSC03571.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4Ga9gEr3m3E/UarrlJtbEYI/AAAAAAAAAl0/TMymz_34gW0/s640/DSC03571.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Medium they used to worship God like other Paganjs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></b>
<b><span lang="EN-US">Kalash to Kalam and
Sawat - An Idea We Had to Drop Immediately<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">On the third day we came with an idea to visit
Kalam and Sawat valley on our way back to Rawalpindi by taking a bypass from
Deer or Tamergerah. But we had drop that
idea due to shortage of time. It would
however take 12 hours in excess for visiting those places. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7n6ldVsvb_s/Uarq5I3veyI/AAAAAAAAAlc/HVGkwKaXvIk/s1600/DSC03357.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7n6ldVsvb_s/Uarq5I3veyI/AAAAAAAAAlc/HVGkwKaXvIk/s640/DSC03357.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Using map on the breakfast table to plan the next move</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN-US"><b>Rumbur - A Valley in Kalash</b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">On second day we decided to visit Rumber, another valley in Kalash. We hired a land cruiser for Rs. 2500 for almost 6 hours and visited rumbur. We found it as beautiful as Brumbret. We visited their villages in Rumbur and took some snaps.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-938cNOOHpgI/Uarl5ijJm7I/AAAAAAAAAj8/HAokaAVDx-s/s1600/100_6267.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-938cNOOHpgI/Uarl5ijJm7I/AAAAAAAAAj8/HAokaAVDx-s/s640/100_6267.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A breathtaking raod towards Rambur from Brumbret</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BMQTpuof3JU/Uarl7fcLi3I/AAAAAAAAAkM/uMMfpHQkyeY/s1600/100_6298.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BMQTpuof3JU/Uarl7fcLi3I/AAAAAAAAAkM/uMMfpHQkyeY/s640/100_6298.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our ride towards Rumbur</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VGbDBW3lIc4/UarmKH_5GYI/AAAAAAAAAkU/N2FcS2TyVWw/s1600/100_6375.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VGbDBW3lIc4/UarmKH_5GYI/AAAAAAAAAkU/N2FcS2TyVWw/s640/100_6375.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eating fresh Mulberry (Shehtoot)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IH80uB6jtEg/UarmLKKFIRI/AAAAAAAAAkg/ImXhbuoyREk/s1600/100_6411.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IH80uB6jtEg/UarmLKKFIRI/AAAAAAAAAkg/ImXhbuoyREk/s640/100_6411.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rumbur</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mJM4tlUAg4o/UarmNPA26KI/AAAAAAAAAks/z0IdoRNHkeY/s1600/100_6417.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mJM4tlUAg4o/UarmNPA26KI/AAAAAAAAAks/z0IdoRNHkeY/s640/100_6417.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rumbur</td></tr>
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<b>No Phone, Internet or Easy Access to Outsiders</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Yes! It was ultimate freedom. There were no mobile phone signals, internet or other wireless communication medium. The thing we likes was that we had no worries about what was happening with our business or family. We would call our home or office once or twice a day to make sure everything is going as they should. The shopkeeper, as usual, became friend with us and would inform us if there was a phone call for us. So actually we were free all the time!<br />
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<tr><td><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aKEM6pEiXAM/UauwPboMJkI/AAAAAAAAAmg/vWHc2MqvyN0/s1600/100_6555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aKEM6pEiXAM/UauwPboMJkI/AAAAAAAAAmg/vWHc2MqvyN0/s640/100_6555.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">The shopkeeper whose phone we used and who gave us special services without any money involved</td></tr>
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<b><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></b>
<b><span lang="EN-US">Towards Rawalpindi and
Then to Karachi</span></b><br />
<br />
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">On the fourth day, with mixed moods of joy and
sorrow we had to move back towards Karachi as we had to disperse again. We left Chitral at 0010 hours and started the undesirable
journey towards Rawalpindi which took almost 15 hours and made us too tired to
take train or bus. We took an option to travel by air towards Karachi the next
morning and spent the last night at Peer Wadai bus station in Rawalpindi. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kvcoHz99ZCA/UaroIA-HvaI/AAAAAAAAAk8/AxxXTbAk28Y/s1600/IMG_1710.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kvcoHz99ZCA/UaroIA-HvaI/AAAAAAAAAk8/AxxXTbAk28Y/s640/IMG_1710.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting for the Lawari tunnel to be opened</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q_hL2yCODHs/UaroTUyjhBI/AAAAAAAAAlM/6CNpSrMRApI/s1600/IMG_1714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q_hL2yCODHs/UaroTUyjhBI/AAAAAAAAAlM/6CNpSrMRApI/s640/IMG_1714.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our ride - A comfortable one</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dWuqb-PyJOA/UauxOwXDUxI/AAAAAAAAAmw/YtgfB10DihY/s1600/DSC03642.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dWuqb-PyJOA/UauxOwXDUxI/AAAAAAAAAmw/YtgfB10DihY/s640/DSC03642.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">The driver was continuously smoking weed despite we were scared. "I can see wider roads after smoking weed", he claimed</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GKGWI-53vT0/UaroK85m-KI/AAAAAAAAAlE/9QrJ1g7s6vc/s1600/IMG_1750.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GKGWI-53vT0/UaroK85m-KI/AAAAAAAAAlE/9QrJ1g7s6vc/s640/IMG_1750.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Islamabad Airport</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669333105218646681.post-23133051986170534902013-02-01T00:00:00.000-08:002014-04-13T09:03:27.592-07:00China - Planning, Preparations and Using Couch Surfing.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wRcviXnxQI4/UMlTGvLdoQI/AAAAAAAAAXc/Ba0RoHCfp0M/s1600/IMG_0185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wRcviXnxQI4/UMlTGvLdoQI/AAAAAAAAAXc/Ba0RoHCfp0M/s640/IMG_0185.JPG" height="640" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colombo Airport.. Ready to travel.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Planning to use Couch Surfing</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It was September, 2012 when I actually planned to visit China again
partly for business and partly for fun and Thailand on my way back. I was
highly motivated to use couch surfing over my trip and started sending requests
to different users in different cities. Muzammil, a very sincere friend of mine
from CS Karachi group, guided me about who and how to send requests and how to
sort out the cheapest fares. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Finding Cheapest Air Fares</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I used Skyscanner.com and ITA Matrix Software to sort out cheapest
flight for the trip. ITA worked for me and found cheapest flight, Srilankan
Airlines, from Karachi to Shanghai via Colombo and Bangkok. It cost me almost
59000 and was relatively much cheaper as compared to the only option behind,
Thai Air, which would cost 78000. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Using Couch Surfing</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I'd like to share some mistakes that I made initially while sending
requests. True hosts and most of the experienced CSers don't like copy-paste
requests. Obviously you shouldn't be sending similar requests to all the users.
This was what I was doing just to save some time and avoid frustration but just
to know that there were no replies or replies only from newest CSers who I
couldn't trust due to low trust factor. So, eventually, I started sending personalized
requests to users and soon there were responses. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I got invitations from a girl and a guy in Shanghai, a polish couple in
Ningbo, a guy in Shaoxing, a guy and a polish couple in Suzhou, a guy in Yiwu.
That was more than enough that I was expecting. I wanted to use couch surfing
just for a different experience and not for saving some money. And definitely
it was an awesome experience. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I Like Hostels!</span></b></h2>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As a matter of fact, if planned, accommodation in any big cities of the world is never expensive at all. It was my previous trip to China when I came to know about the
hostels. Hostels in China and Thailand cost me almost PKR700-800 only. Not a
big deal at all! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Shanghai</span></b></h2>
<br />
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As I reached Shanghai at 11am, once more I checked with my potential hosts
and the guy from Shanghai who wanted to host me. There was some problem and I couldn't surf with him. I told him that I was already going to
another host. Then I called my second potential host and she was
very happy to know that I was already in Shanghai and wanted me to wait till evening as
she wasn't at home. I decided to go to the hostel I stayed in before as I was too tired and needed some good rest after a long journey. I got
another call from her that she had told her friend to receive me and take me to
her apartment. I didn't feel comfortable either and decided to go to the
hostel. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Shanghai was very cold and grey and the weather was quite possibly the source of
depression and tension. This is what people usually say about grey weather.
Next day I moved to my host's apartment. It was my first couch surfing experience. We shared different
stories, cultural values, shared Chinese and Pakistani songs and had dinner. It felt like a very old friendship. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Their Life and Culture</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></h2>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw their culture and life style first time so closely. Their youngsters are smart, sharp, hardworking, independent, intelligent and responsible. Like my host who was 24, brave enough and confident, living alone in Shanghai for completing her masters and met
her expenses by her own self. And the fact is that she was very confident,
smart and worked too hard whole day to meet her requirements. Chinese people
are fond of comparing too much. They tend to have latest mobile phones, pads
and laptops and never like to be looked behind other mates. They would work
hard only to accomplish that goal. Then they have to find a partner to get
married with. Its necessary for them to find a partner and let their parents know about that. If someone is unable to find a partner, parents would look for
them and arrange a meeting in a restaurant where both of them could meet, see
and talk to each other for a long time. Still, its never parents' choice!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: medium;"><b>Food</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: medium;">Finding Halal food is a challenge in China. However, I liked it and used to have anything that was available. Sometimes depending on biscuits and milk even. Duck eggs are available to help you get rid of hunger. Usually there's no Coffee or tea is available in breakfast. China is very famous for different kinds of tea but its just like water with leaves in it. It tastes not more than ordinary water. </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JaYq7yqRPL8/UMVX70u06TI/AAAAAAAAAWE/iyAms33SZxw/s1600/IMG_0332.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JaYq7yqRPL8/UMVX70u06TI/AAAAAAAAAWE/iyAms33SZxw/s640/IMG_0332.JPG" height="640" style="cursor: move;" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chinese Grean Tea - This is what they always offer and it just doesn't have any taste.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Lizards, sea insects and other small reptiles or insects are easily available in the streets. They would prepare BBQ of your selected insects with a few minutes and are not too expensive. AMAZING! <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cA50eelIwNg/UMVZkFAuOQI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/0j4zEoJjrbA/s1600/IMG_0348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cA50eelIwNg/UMVZkFAuOQI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/0j4zEoJjrbA/s640/IMG_0348.JPG" height="478" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I don't know which insect it it but its ready for BBQ.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IbSrTngyQ3E/UMVZ2VgjC2I/AAAAAAAAAWY/qD-w9fMh8T4/s1600/IMG_0350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IbSrTngyQ3E/UMVZ2VgjC2I/AAAAAAAAAWY/qD-w9fMh8T4/s640/IMG_0350.JPG" height="478" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looks like chicken but its actually some sea food.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I often used to eat something like boiled bread with vegetable which they called "Pauzza" in Chinese. I used my Chines to English dictionary in iPhone, which had always been very helpful in explaining things a little. For example I told them Pauzza and then I opened dictionary to translate vegetable into Chinese which was "SU KI". So I ordered them "Pauzza Su KI" just to avoid Pauzza with Pork:). I liked it by the way. It was my favorite item as it often helped my fill my stomach when I had nothing else to eat. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z8pX0mZiU4Y/UNHI7X6Gd-I/AAAAAAAAAZg/UIpJvY0ebfU/s1600/shengjian-baozi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z8pX0mZiU4Y/UNHI7X6Gd-I/AAAAAAAAAZg/UIpJvY0ebfU/s320/shengjian-baozi.jpg" height="243" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pauzza </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Tourists Places in Shanghai</span></b></h2>
</div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><b>The Bund<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A very famous area among tourists with sky scrappers and Hongpoa River.
It always feels very relaxed and cool to just go and sit on bench beside the
river and observe people taking photos all around and having fun. Although the
weather was too cold but I much better than summer specially for those who hate
summer like me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MQm64UQY76w/UMbF-GjMuXI/AAAAAAAAAXA/ZIr5BzgGgxo/s1600/IMG_0563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MQm64UQY76w/UMbF-GjMuXI/AAAAAAAAAXA/ZIr5BzgGgxo/s640/IMG_0563.JPG" height="640" width="478" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r6J0wAAcVIY/UMGZ3Pg3srI/AAAAAAAAAPg/PIT3-YXujw8/s1600/the_bund.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r6J0wAAcVIY/UMGZ3Pg3srI/AAAAAAAAAPg/PIT3-YXujw8/s640/the_bund.jpg" height="478" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Bund at night.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><b>Nanjing Road</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Just a few hundreds meters ahead is the famous street called Nanjing
road. This place is famous among tourist shopping lovers.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L_8o_Ss9g7Q/UMGdDLsx68I/AAAAAAAAAPw/oWnV76Z-WRI/s1600/nanjing-road-night_6678_600x450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L_8o_Ss9g7Q/UMGdDLsx68I/AAAAAAAAAPw/oWnV76Z-WRI/s640/nanjing-road-night_6678_600x450.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It feels awesome after dark at Nanjing Road</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><b>Yuyuan Garden</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: medium;">One of the historic sites with some ancient construction, built by some rich and famous person, Yuyuan garden is worth visiting to get some idea about Chinese civilization. </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OCGOZFuX9yU/UMGeS3rUuLI/AAAAAAAAAP4/yChaZmqsuI4/s1600/IMG_1129.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OCGOZFuX9yU/UMGeS3rUuLI/AAAAAAAAAP4/yChaZmqsuI4/s640/IMG_1129.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yuyuan Garden</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Transprtation in Shanghai</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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Shanghai metro is definitely the most convenient and cheapest way to travel around the city. Almost with 10 metro lines, the underground train system covers almost every part of the big city like Karachi. The ticket range from 3Yuan to 8 Yuan at most. As a backpacker, I never travelled in Taxi during my whole trip. Taking metro from airport to hostel and then using public transport buses where there's no metro. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vo1EakMXBRI/UMGfBbvOSWI/AAAAAAAAAQA/C396XWJebsA/s1600/IMG_0940.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vo1EakMXBRI/UMGfBbvOSWI/AAAAAAAAAQA/C396XWJebsA/s640/IMG_0940.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The clean and relaxed journey never makes you feel tired</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b>Things to remember</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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If you are going to look for Halal food, get it written in Chinese by some friend. I got written "no pork or pork oil". For me, its always fun and adventurous to keep walking in streets and look for required halal food and sometimes depending on biscuits and cakes when I don't find any.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ukjxsyxyb-8/UMLYl3dOuBI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/gsGjLjpu7qM/s1600/IMG_0522.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ukjxsyxyb-8/UMLYl3dOuBI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/gsGjLjpu7qM/s640/IMG_0522.JPG" height="640" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finding Halah food on streets is what I enjoy too much</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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No one is going to understand English and you feel it specially at train station and bus stations. So get details written in Chinese to avoid difficulties and frustration. Everything, however, gets done anyway but getting things written in Chinese makes me avoid frustration.</div>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669333105218646681.post-21736176042736489762012-12-13T03:24:00.003-08:002012-12-19T06:33:04.423-08:00Thailand - Bangkok and Koh Samet<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I wanted to get relaxed and have totally personal time in Thailand. When I reached Bangkok I was feeling like my soul was free and I had some time to enjoy my life. I didn't like Bangkok much because its a busy city like other busy cities out there. I needed silence, calmness, relaxation and an atmosphere without depression.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Accommodation In Bangkok</b><br />
<br />
I booked my hostel in Bangkok one day before me arrival. As usual, as a backpacker, I took skytrain or metro from the airport and avoided Tuk Tuk not only this time but during my whole trip. As I already read about the misguidance provided my Tuk Tuk drivers. My hotel cost me almost US$6/day. Again, HELL CHEAP! It was an 8 bed mixed dorm and the hostel was situated in Chrao Krung road which is a clean area unlike Patong or Khaosan road.<br />
<br /><b>Festival in Bangkok</b><br />
<br />There was a Loy Kratong festival during those days. In the festival people make a beautiful Loy Kratong with banana leaves and tree. People make or buy Loy Kratong and float it in the river with a wish in mind with a believe that their wish will be fulfilled. The CS community arranged a gathering where we all made our own Loy Kratong and then went to float it in the river. We were the largest group of people on the roads and the river.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3ZDkXl4a0c4/UNHPPR0kXdI/AAAAAAAAAZ0/GLa9QBaF7t0/s1600/148721_10152290781085203_161719575_n.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3ZDkXl4a0c4/UNHPPR0kXdI/AAAAAAAAAZ0/GLa9QBaF7t0/s320/148721_10152290781085203_161719575_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kratongs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IgCGKq117EI/UNHPR_Nu-XI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/ouJk2kTy62I/s1600/405102_10152292763805203_254075040_n.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IgCGKq117EI/UNHPR_Nu-XI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/ouJk2kTy62I/s320/405102_10152292763805203_254075040_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making Kratongs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FhIDl_bCBwc/UNHPUWrwwlI/AAAAAAAAAaE/SmIAXt0Eft4/s1600/405139_10152292762045203_650140233_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FhIDl_bCBwc/UNHPUWrwwlI/AAAAAAAAAaE/SmIAXt0Eft4/s400/405139_10152292762045203_650140233_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the CSer is making mine. I found it boring.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ymEvz079iRo/UNHPXAw2gRI/AAAAAAAAAaM/WEnGB2PF6Rg/s1600/46214_10152292764340203_2032517443_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ymEvz079iRo/UNHPXAw2gRI/AAAAAAAAAaM/WEnGB2PF6Rg/s400/46214_10152292764340203_2032517443_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">last minutes! Every one was busy.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l6YhqT1bWmY/UNHPY_mWidI/AAAAAAAAAaU/9uKPAAPR4Sc/s1600/534696_10152292765695203_330189141_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l6YhqT1bWmY/UNHPY_mWidI/AAAAAAAAAaU/9uKPAAPR4Sc/s400/534696_10152292765695203_330189141_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful CSers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ahMbtU5oZiM/UNHPa_S_-YI/AAAAAAAAAac/hURu--iNVeI/s1600/65127_10152292761575203_643982738_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ahMbtU5oZiM/UNHPa_S_-YI/AAAAAAAAAac/hURu--iNVeI/s400/65127_10152292761575203_643982738_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thai people were damn good at making Kratongs.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Going beyond Bangkok.</b><br />
<br />
<br />
I had planned to go Krabi and Koh Phi Phi, one of the few most beautiful islands in the world. But due to a full moon festival train tickets weren't available and time wasn't in my favor as well. So I decided to go to Pattaya, one of the ugliest, nudest and crowded beach near Bangkok, which is not my taste. So, after consulting with CSers and tourists offices in Bangkok, I later changed my plan and went to Koh Samet, one of the beautiful islands in Thailand.<br />
It cost 200baht from Bangkok to Ban Phe from where a ferry cost me 50 Baht to the island.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<b>Accommodation in Koh Samet</b><br />
<br />
As a result of little bit misguidance, I booked an expensive hotel in Koh Samet which cost me US$18/day which I immediately changed after only a single day. The next hotel was just like a hostel but my room was private with separate washroom which was quite acceptable for me as it cost me USD7/day.<br />
It was Papa Rogers guest house who was a 75 years old active man from Finland and had many many interesting stories to share.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BabjMAYvM3M/UNHDUVa7jyI/AAAAAAAAAZM/7bSW0j_4MlM/s1600/IMG_0998.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BabjMAYvM3M/UNHDUVa7jyI/AAAAAAAAAZM/7bSW0j_4MlM/s400/IMG_0998.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hdFlDWElF3U/UMmy75GS2ZI/AAAAAAAAAXw/Y24IPXTS-6Q/s1600/IMG_0925.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hdFlDWElF3U/UMmy75GS2ZI/AAAAAAAAAXw/Y24IPXTS-6Q/s640/IMG_0925.JPG" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coconut trees add much to the beauty of the beach </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The beaches were clean, calm, beautiful and the best thing was that there was traditional Thai massage available right at the beach. It feels very good to have Thai massage after bathing.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N8vim4_RmMs/UMmzNVawubI/AAAAAAAAAX4/3dopAGEP6Ug/s1600/IMG_0935.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N8vim4_RmMs/UMmzNVawubI/AAAAAAAAAX4/3dopAGEP6Ug/s640/IMG_0935.JPG" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Island has 7 beautiful beaches</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wRNr9A3slyk/UMmzeybtXTI/AAAAAAAAAYA/3SZcbtLHB78/s1600/IMG_0937.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wRNr9A3slyk/UMmzeybtXTI/AAAAAAAAAYA/3SZcbtLHB78/s640/IMG_0937.JPG" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plenty of stuff to get involved with on beach which won't let you get bored</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qUkvxqmQJUE/UMm4Mbe7QcI/AAAAAAAAAYg/OPC1mFn3BHU/s1600/IMG_0890.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qUkvxqmQJUE/UMm4Mbe7QcI/AAAAAAAAAYg/OPC1mFn3BHU/s640/IMG_0890.JPG" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even on streets people walk without shrits. </td></tr>
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Koh Samet is a very small island at a distance of 200 km from Bangkok and then 30 minutes by ferry, with 7 beaches all of which have different taste and beauty due to diamond sand and clean beaches. Some of them are crowded and others are silent and calm. Some have very rough night life while some would just offer light music with light noise waves. It has only one road which leads to different island and make people feel if they are totally separate from outside world. Accommodation range from 250 Bath to 4000 Bath per night. Motor bikes are available for as cheap as 300 Bath per day. Despite being an small island, I didn't want to leave it after 3 days even. Restaurants offer many activities after sunset and it goes on overnight and sometimes some great activities can be enjoyed for absolutely free.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ORaSqjMEPBU/UMm5uqmRD_I/AAAAAAAAAYo/vxDzWSWQAXc/s1600/IMG_0874.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ORaSqjMEPBU/UMm5uqmRD_I/AAAAAAAAAYo/vxDzWSWQAXc/s640/IMG_0874.JPG" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Having dinner at beach like this is a very good experience</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669333105218646681.post-85356664738276713492012-12-09T01:46:00.000-08:002012-12-19T06:12:04.923-08:00Shanghai - Yixing - Hangzhou,- Shaoxing - Yiwu<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Railway is definitely a better choice when compared to long distance buses. Its not because traveling by bus is uncomfortable or dangerous but railway is cheaper, comfortable, faster and safer. But railway tickets are needed to be booked in advance. Because usually the earliest train is booked and the earliest ticket that we can get is mostly after 2-3 hours.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CyHRCHlggR4/UMNR_ncvv4I/AAAAAAAAAQ4/1JMMLcL3zUs/s1600/IMG_0405.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CyHRCHlggR4/UMNR_ncvv4I/AAAAAAAAAQ4/1JMMLcL3zUs/s640/IMG_0405.JPG" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Booking tickets for train</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buses depart exactly on time.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the train</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Platform</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting area inside bus station</td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Yixing</span></b></div>
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Two hundred kilometers from Shanghai is a small and infamous city of Yixing. It has several tourist sites but normally even Chinese don't know about Yixing. I visited a famous cave in Yixing only and took a two days stay over there. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_MAjvWraFYU/UMNgDrszBII/AAAAAAAAARc/HcpqcFo2k-g/s1600/IMG_0273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_MAjvWraFYU/UMNgDrszBII/AAAAAAAAARc/HcpqcFo2k-g/s640/IMG_0273.JPG" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before the cave</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HxsIz8WdWro/UMNgNMgdebI/AAAAAAAAARk/6Rb2bEKgWL8/s1600/IMG_0315.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HxsIz8WdWro/UMNgNMgdebI/AAAAAAAAARk/6Rb2bEKgWL8/s640/IMG_0315.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cable car 80 Yuan ticket included four activities.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8yfxnMcnh-k/UMNgwaqz8II/AAAAAAAAARs/zRbDN2cfWBY/s1600/IMG_0319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8yfxnMcnh-k/UMNgwaqz8II/AAAAAAAAARs/zRbDN2cfWBY/s640/IMG_0319.JPG" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Statue built in olden days</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-__s8CinwP2Y/UMNhRZmpR9I/AAAAAAAAAR0/hRFK-6W7Tao/s1600/IMG_0329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-__s8CinwP2Y/UMNhRZmpR9I/AAAAAAAAAR0/hRFK-6W7Tao/s640/IMG_0329.JPG" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A very big Buddhist temple. Actually a place with many many temples and one grand temple.</td></tr>
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Hangzhou</h2>
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On second day I moved towards Shaoxing and reached Hangzhou which is a big city and very famous among tourists. They call Hangzhou and Suzhou as heaven on earth. While I reached Hangzhou at 8 pm, I came to know that there was no bus to Shaoxing. It was quite a adventurous situation as no one could understand english and there was no guidance at all about where to spend night. I had no accommodation and wasn't wanting to afford an expensive hotel. I called a CSer who was supposed to host me in Shaoxing. Luckily he was on his way to Hangzhou and invited me to surf with him in Hangzhou at that time.<br />
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They were bunch of cool guys and I stayed with them that night. We had awesome having street food, watching movie at their home, talking, exchanging knowledge. It literally felt like we had been old friends. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RBXU9MqAQY8/UMNknxnWNcI/AAAAAAAAASE/-8MG4sQVB94/s1600/IMG_0355.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RBXU9MqAQY8/UMNknxnWNcI/AAAAAAAAASE/-8MG4sQVB94/s640/IMG_0355.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Having street food</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S2IlA3CX_k0/UMNlXTm1S7I/AAAAAAAAASM/GJmxNnE8aFc/s1600/IMG_0351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S2IlA3CX_k0/UMNlXTm1S7I/AAAAAAAAASM/GJmxNnE8aFc/s640/IMG_0351.JPG" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting her make halal foof</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-e4h4bjqxutI/UMNmVBGo89I/AAAAAAAAASU/x9HcyQUh0I4/s1600/IMG_0358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-e4h4bjqxutI/UMNmVBGo89I/AAAAAAAAASU/x9HcyQUh0I4/s640/IMG_0358.JPG" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Having fun at home</td></tr>
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Next day me and my host, Nenad, went to west lake which is one of the most famous sites in Hangzhou. It was extremely beautiful place although with some artificial beauty and efforts to make it more beautiful and comfortable for tourist. But still its a must visit place in Hanghzou.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1QO4COhVOD4/UMRcitZcV6I/AAAAAAAAATI/yfTx9Szn_bM/s1600/IMG_0363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1QO4COhVOD4/UMRcitZcV6I/AAAAAAAAATI/yfTx9Szn_bM/s640/IMG_0363.JPG" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">West lake, Hangzhou</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5x-npNWzT8Q/UMRc2KEJvBI/AAAAAAAAATQ/cQWJCBH0JCA/s1600/IMG_0377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5x-npNWzT8Q/UMRc2KEJvBI/AAAAAAAAATQ/cQWJCBH0JCA/s640/IMG_0377.JPG" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pagoda</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9hcBg_W6nCU/UMRdHQ3ahsI/AAAAAAAAATY/YD2czK7I2CA/s1600/IMG_0382.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9hcBg_W6nCU/UMRdHQ3ahsI/AAAAAAAAATY/YD2czK7I2CA/s640/IMG_0382.JPG" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">West lake, Hangzhou</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-flS6tL0RR-8/UMRdWC608GI/AAAAAAAAATg/8WjBB6u4ST0/s1600/IMG_0401.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-flS6tL0RR-8/UMRdWC608GI/AAAAAAAAATg/8WjBB6u4ST0/s640/IMG_0401.JPG" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> West lake, Hangzhou.</td></tr>
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Yiwu</h2>
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In Yiwu, I was received, entertained, hosted and guided by a very nice person named Claude. We had a party with his friends on the night I reached Yiwu. I always wanted to see Yiwu's big and very famous Futian market where shopkeepers mostly don't understand english and still conduct millions of dollars of business everyday. Sometimes people talk business and bargain with the help of calculator only. As there's no verbal communication possible in english. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ce0iiGNxA6A/UMTBBEYe9VI/AAAAAAAAAU0/n4-7zsHViWg/s1600/IMG_0528.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ce0iiGNxA6A/UMTBBEYe9VI/AAAAAAAAAU0/n4-7zsHViWg/s640/IMG_0528.JPG" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With my host in Yiwu</td></tr>
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Suzhou</h2>
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One of the most beautiful cities in China and very close to Shanghai, Suzhou is very famous for its gardens and temples. One of its famous street in Ping Jiang Lu where I stayed with my hosts as well as in hostel for a day. I visited a famous lake and Ping Jiang Lu in Suzhou and couldn't explore more as it was raining all the time with very cold weather. This is, like Hangzhou, is said to be heaven on earth.</div>
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For people who like adventure like me, can rent a bicycle from hostel or any where for as cheap as 2 Yuan/hour and go for exploring Suzhou on bicycle. Its fun exploring city and having different kinds of food on streets.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DjsELChJhms/UMTCkA_38HI/AAAAAAAAAVA/94IVsu-3czA/s1600/IMG_0626.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DjsELChJhms/UMTCkA_38HI/AAAAAAAAAVA/94IVsu-3czA/s640/IMG_0626.JPG" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Construction in progress near lake</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SgQgzggF_Ew/UMTCyXOkmUI/AAAAAAAAAVI/P1OMjfPm9bQ/s1600/IMG_0627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SgQgzggF_Ew/UMTCyXOkmUI/AAAAAAAAAVI/P1OMjfPm9bQ/s640/IMG_0627.JPG" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Suzhou lake</td></tr>
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My hosts in Suzhou were a Polish couple who lived on Ping Jiang Lu in a well decorated house and who had a separate room for guests. As their house was on Ping Jiang Lu, there was no point of getting bored.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7tevax2jNkk/UMTDBA3y6oI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/vhVPk6kjUQI/s1600/IMG_0646.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7tevax2jNkk/UMTDBA3y6oI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/vhVPk6kjUQI/s320/IMG_0646.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My hosts in Suzhou - In a Japanese restaurant. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qnRDA9Wo9iU/UMTDNVp0DRI/AAAAAAAAAVY/a0Y0BsWAocg/s1600/IMG_0678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qnRDA9Wo9iU/UMTDNVp0DRI/AAAAAAAAAVY/a0Y0BsWAocg/s640/IMG_0678.JPG" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bicycles can be rented for cheap money</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KBGvZLO8Z9w/UMTDbRqWV_I/AAAAAAAAAVg/ztuVHywhiHY/s1600/IMG_0704.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KBGvZLO8Z9w/UMTDbRqWV_I/AAAAAAAAAVg/ztuVHywhiHY/s640/IMG_0704.JPG" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ping Jian Lu</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SvuD9e2-gtk/UMTDoqgyp_I/AAAAAAAAAVo/SbpygfOLpHY/s1600/IMG_0708.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SvuD9e2-gtk/UMTDoqgyp_I/AAAAAAAAAVo/SbpygfOLpHY/s640/IMG_0708.JPG" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ping Jian Lu</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0