Unrelated Jungle Finds Using Depth of Field

Coconuts

Yesterday, I swam in the warm, tropical waters just off the beach of Roatan. While on the beach, I collected coconuts varying in ages. I now sit with a nice warm breeze, on a beautiful rattan chair looking over a turquoise bay – eating my coconuts. Coconuts, I’ve now discovered, have the ability to be savoured; I would now consider myself to be a coconut connoisseur, if you will.

Do you know the textural, and taste difference between a young coconut and a fully matured one? Both have a tough, fibrous husk outside of the hard shell. Once pulled back, the outer shells vary; the mature coconut is quite small, round and extremely tough. They are hard to break through without the help of a machete. Young coconut shells haven’t had time to fully mature, therefor making them much easier to rob of their innards. Coconut milk is made from a mature coconut’s flesh, while the young coconuts flesh is almost gelatinous in texture and is usually consumed raw. The juice or water from the youngling is much more flavourful from that of its elder, and is an amazing natural electrolyte. Eat one.

Welcome to Dubstep

Granted when I heard my first Dubstep song, I was in Thailand on a rooftop bar lit solely by black light, and neon florecent paint. I was diggin' it. And still am.

Check this out:

Angkor What?!

Thai/Cambodia Border

Four and a half hours after you first stepped onto the bouncing bus, you come to the terminal station, Aranya Prathet. Once thought to have brought you directly to the border, you are now faced with an additional Tuk Tuk ride. Through the dusty town, the trustworthy, woman, chauffeur drives you. Finally, you come to a tin roofed building with two unofficial looking lads waiting for your arrival. The other Thai’s onboard the bus are nowhere to be seen. It’s just you, and a German couple, apparently waiting for a Cambodian Visa. The man, dressed in a T-shirt and jeans informs you of the procedure. “You must fill this form out, and since you don’t have passport photos there will be an additional fee”. As you fill out the informal sheet of paper, suspicions rise. You decide to play into their game, and inform them you will come back if you need this particular visa once you get to the border. The man warns against it, and as you crawl back into the Tuk Tuk, he yells back at you “You’ll regret it, and when you do come back I make you pay extra!!”



Scam averted.


Once at the conciliate, you pay the visa fee, receive the official visa in your passport and continue on. (You learn later this was an unnecessary step, as the border does indeed issue every correct visa you need).


The border itself is bustling with activity. Some seem to simply walk through with food stalls, backpacks, and children in hand, paying no attention to any government official, or particular line. Others line up for visa stamps at the ‘immigration’ counter. Once inside the river of border crosees, you are wary of pickpockets. A couple attempts to unzip your pack, but your peripherals are on high alert.

Pick Pocket averted.

The pedestrian traffic is thick, the sun is going down and you no longer have currency or any grasp of language. Incessant taxi drivers nearly pull your pack off in an attempt to win your business. Their friends, who smell like booze, inform you that they are security guards and warn against taking the bus.  Lucky there is strength in numbers, and thank god for meeting another American couple. With a combined effort to negotiate a fair price, you're off on the 2.5 hour ride to Siem Reap ($30)

Expensive cab averted.

 Welcome to Cambodia.

Box

The fan’s drone reverberates off every wall in my box they call a room. The florescent light above me flickers ever so slightly, illuminating every hand print, foot print, and other marking against the walls. The off white wall paint turns a pale toxic green under the single tube light that brightens the room. The one window contains a view of the hallway, and does not supply fresh air or sunlight. This is a typical Thai Guesthouse. I feel fortuned to have hot water, and internet access not to mention an English speaking host. Linens are in fact provided on my single, hard bed. The crisp white sheets accent the virulent wall color. Two pillows allow me to gain comfort in an otherwise institutional room. I’m just glad to have the glow of my computer to complete the picture.

Railey Beach - Just Relax

On the Ferry to Railey

I’ve traded the seven-day-a-week beach party for something a little more relaxed. Railey Beach actually consists of two beaches, and that’s about it. It’s landlocked by enormous, jagged limestone cliffs to the North, and water everywhere else; not quite an island, not quite the mainland either. Long tail boat is the only way in or out, so it attracts a certain type of traveler: someone looking for chilled out beach or rock time.

West beach consists mainly of larger resorts, but has the best white sand beach seen yet. East beach has some smaller businesses, bars, and restaurants, an awful mangrove beach, and that’s about it. There’s a dirt walkway between the two. Similar to Phi Phi, there is no motor traffic here. There aren’t really any roads, or paths either making pedestrian traffic the only mode of transport. Railey literally is two beaches, and the path that connects the two with a few limestone caves around.

The limestone cliffs that enclose the beaches are really unique. Most caves in the world are formed from limestone, and in that, we can assume there are a lot of caves here. It’s true. I’ve walked on whatever small paths I can find to discover untouristed cave systems. Some are large, some are very small. Heaven for me though. Even without a true to the word ‘cave’, the cliffs have formed large stalagmites, and stalactites that just simply hang off the sides. Cave swifts (click to watch), small bats, and geckos are abundant. Railey really is one of the first places I’ve been to where wildlife is still viewable. Gibbons, Macaques, and spider monkeys patrol the place, while squirrels chase each other all day long. Fish are abundant, and are BBQed daily along the beach.

Diamond Cave

From my beach bungalow, I can hear so many interesting noises throughout the day. The morning starts with monkey calls, the ending songs of the cicadas (click to hear), the waves lapping and the occasional long boat. Long boat engines drone out most other noises in the afternoon, but by six the jungle comes alive again with deafening competition for the loudest call between insects and frogs. As I write this blog I hear thunder not that far away. I’m awaiting the afternoon thunder storm in my hammock. The waves are barely heard through the chorus of screaming cicadas, but I do manage to sleep well with the doors and windows open under a mosquito net. Two thumbs up for the tropics.