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12.24.2003 Hi there! Merry Christmas Eve! We've been on Ko Samet (Samet Island) for a few days, and I sometimes feel here like I've never actually been on vacation before. Lying on the beach and listening to the surf, maybe drinking coconut milk out of a coconut, perhaps walking out on the rocks, or renting an inner tube for the day (75 cents): these are possibly the most relaxing things I have ever experienced. Julie and I rented motorcycles two days ago and had wildly differing experiences. Suffice to say that Julie will not be attending Sturgis this summer, and that I just might. So anyway, I'm afraid this text isn't nearly as evocative as the photos will be-- rest assured they will be posted immediately upon our return. Typing feels like something of an effort when our most ambitious plans for each day tend to be along the lines of building a sand castle. Hmm... Perhaps I'll go take a quick snooze and rest up before we rent a sea kayak. .: posted by Zander Cannon 1:40 PM Tokyo Time 12.17.2003 We're here! We're here! And we've got pictures, but you'll have to wait to see em, because they're still in our disposable camera. We arrived in Bangkok last night around midnight and luckily had a hotel and taxi already waiting for us (at fairly western prices, I'm afraid; that appears to get better and better the farther you get from Bangkok). Today we went on a tour with a local tuk-tuk driver to a few of the major attractions in the area: a big gold Buddha, a golden monument at the top of a little mountain/hill, and some other things that are important enough that the sun has fried them right out of our heads. The whole taxi tour cost us (not including the entrance fees to the temples) 30 thai baht (about 75 cents US) and took about three hours. How can this poor tuk-tuk driver make a living, you ask? Oh ho ho, don't pity the tuk-tuk driver, he makes a living bringing suckers like us to the various tourist-trap stores where they try to sell us jewelry and custom suits. "Go inside," he says, "Take look. You look, you buy; you look, you don't buy, not matter." Okay, we're thinking, I read about this in the Lonely Planet Guide, but... "Please," he says, "They buy me gas." Okay, fine, give the tuk-tuk driver some gas. Well, anyway, I ended up buying a custom-fitted suit (they'll be by the hotel to do the final adjustments in a couple hours) for 5000 baht ($125 US). When we got back in the tuk-tuk, the tuk-tuk driver asked me what I bought, and how much it cost, and then it dawned on me; this guy isn't making just gas off this racket. He's making a commission. Why, he's probably like those panhandlers in the US, who make like 200 DOLLARS A DAY, MAN, just like Rush said. Well, I wanted a suit anyway, so as long as the suit guy actually shows up, everything's fine with me. I won't have to worry about what to wear to a wedding for the next 20 years (or 20 pounds, whichever comes first). Oh, I should probably add to this post some information that tells you exactly what the hell a tuk-tuk is. It's kind of like the front half of a scooter welded to the back half of a jeep, add a windshield and launch it into rush hour traffic at about seventy miles per hour. Our driver had to be the most fearless human on the planet to drive that three-wheeled dinosaur around the hellish, smoky chaos of Bangkok's streets. All for 75 cents and some gas. And the satisfaction of fleecing some Americans. Tomorrow, off to Ko Samet. .: posted by Zander Cannon 4:39 PM Tokyo Time 12.15.2003 Merry Holidays everyone! Here is our Christmas tree in our apartment. Sadly, due to space restrictions, we had to do our tree as a 1:10 scale model this year.  We hope you're happy and healthy and warm, and surrounded by friends and family. Have a great winter vacation, and we'll see you next year, har har. Now we're heading off for the most traditional and Christmasy place we can think of: Thailand! .: posted by Zander Cannon 7:58 PM Tokyo Time 12.10.2003  Saturday, I had the chance to head out to the Utsunomiya Art Museum. Walking from the bus stop to the museum, I was shocked to see how many leaves are still up on the trees~this late in the season. Japan is really proud of their red maples, and leaf viewing is a national pastime in the fall. .: posted by Zander Cannon 7:39 AM Tokyo Time 12.3.2003  Karuta is a Japanese card game that's kind of like War. When I call out a word in English the kids have got to touch the right card. The person to touch that card first wins the round. On Fridays, when I visit elementary schools, I remember this universal truth...everything MUST be fair (if you don't want 35 crying kids on your hands). So to avoid anyone "cheating," and getting too close to the cards, I just have them put their hands on their heads.  .: posted by Zander Cannon 6:40 PM Tokyo Time 12.1.2003  Saturday night we went to a takoyaki (octopus balls) party. It was at Shingo's (one of Zander's Honda students) house. We were a little nervous, because seriously, we've had 'em before, and we didn't really like 'em. Well...our little eight legged friends were oishi, and the company was wonderful. I brought taco dip...get it taco dip to a tako party? Hi-larious.  .: posted by Zander Cannon 7:23 PM Tokyo Time 
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have a pop-up window.