Ron and Pat's Thai tour is finally underway! They rolled into Phuket last weekend, and we all spent a couple of days in Kata lounging under our beach umbrellas, enjoying the very nice pool at their hotel, and drinking decorative fruity drinks. The guys were burning up the backgammon board, and only getting slightly sunburned in the process.

Rolling directly from there into little Kuraburi must have been a little bit of a shock, but everyone seems to be adapting well. We got to hang out with the NATR crew before they took off for a fun/work retreat, and it was good for Ron and Pat to meet all the crazy kids Trevor's been working with. We were also happy to treat them to some real Thai food - considerably cheaper than Phuket options, and a lot yummier.

On Wednesday we went with Andaman Discoveries into the village of Ban Talae Nok. Trevor has been out there a lot as the program has been developing, and it was really great for him to watch the community members warming up and getting more involved with visitors, as well as seeing us have such a great time. We drove along the beach and were given a run-down on the tsunami damage, and the rebuilding process. Back at the new community center, we got to meet some members of the soap-making committee, and make our own soap strings. It was neat to see how the ladies have been able to come together and make some supplemental income for the village. Our tour guide, Tui, did a great job of translating back and forth so that we could ask questions and joke around with them.

The villagers who participate in the homestay program rotate, so each home has a chance to play host and the money is more evenly distributed. A woman named Maria cooked us a tasty fish/veggie/rice lunch at her house, and then she and a couple of the ladies helped fit Pat and Tui and I out in headscarves. It was a hot day, and the extra headcovering made it that much hotter! I suppose the ladies must get used to it, though. After lunch we learned how to make roti - a kind of traditional fried bread/pancake. We weren't super-smooth like our instructor, but it was fun. We finished the day off with a row in the mangroves before saying goodbye and driving off into the sunset.

Thursday we went out "fishing" with Bau, a fisherman friend of ours. We only did a little bit of fishing (he said the water wasn't very good for fishing - in terms of tide changes or clarity) but we did get in some primo beach and snorkeling time on a lovely little island. A quick tropical shower on the way in left us completely drenched, and Bau's mom considerately offered us some hot coffee and biscuits to help warm up.

Friday we followed up some fantastic Dim Sum breakfast with a bit more beach time closer to Kuraburi. Very lazy, with books and backgammon. Back in Kuraburi Pat and I both had lovely Thai massages (!) followed by Som Tam dinner with Jeab. Today we did a fairly rough hike up to some gorgeous rock pools on the river. Ron and Pat were troopers on the hike in... Ron came out as the grand champion with 9 leaches! Yay Ron! We were all in agreement that the destination more than made up for any hardships along the way, and we spent a pleasant couple of hours swimming, resting, and sliding around on the rocks before hiking back out.

Tomorrow morning we're off to the Surin Islands for some more great snorkeling, and then we'll be at Koh Phra Tong for yet more beach time. So far team Kostanich has been up for the Thailand challenge, but can they handle another week of sand and sun? I'm guessing yes.

Labels: hiking, Kuraburi, Phuket, sustainable tourism, Thailand

When I started my three month stint with NATR, I was a little worried I wouldn't want to leave. The crew appeared top-notch, the type of work extremely fulfilling, and the amount of backyard recreation truly blissful.

All of these perceptions proved true. Thus to my surprise, and overall contentment, I was ready to leave Kuraburi to fill a void that was growing in me due to Em's absence. While I will miss much about the Kuraburi area, I am stoked to stay connected with the crew by continuing to help virtually for the next few weeks.

NATR is in a transition of phasing itself out in the next few months. It is great to sit back and realize that there are current programs that will carry NATR's foundation into the future. Projects like the Kuraburi Information Center, continued vocational training and English speaking with local groups, various environmental education programs being led by our ACE Expert graduates, and the community-based tourism project I have been working on all will help develop the communities in a sustainable methodology benefiting local people.

Supporting our endeavors, the state of Phang Nga is focussed on developing ecotourism and beginning to put resources into the Kuraburi area. This is both for environmental sustainability and marketing differentiation. The states of Phuket and Krabi began on this "ecotourism" concept but due to high tourism volumes have stopped promoting the outdoor local Thai experience, which is also now harder to find.

It will be a test to see if the Kuraburi area can withstand the lure of big money as developers hope to build the next chain mega-resort destination up the Andaman coast. We believe the people in Kuraburi will resist as many locals have heard first-hand from other villagers in the Khao Lak or Phuket area how things have changed, and in their opinions, for the worse. These opinions are even coming from those who are now basking in tourist dollars, but conscious that their old livelihoods are dying out and their native forests are receding inland.

The other unique factor in NATR's success has been the lack of mafia intervention. Like most developing nations, Thailand has widespread corruption. Local mafia groups make sure to get involved where there is money. That has been our saving grace. We are not making any money and we are not getting involved in already established money-generating industries such as boat trips to the Surin Islands. So, we have been able to go about our business and support a community-driven process for creating tourism. It will also be interesting to see how the mafia reacts to programs such as homestays when the money does start coming in.

Either way, I feel lucky to have been there during such a transitional stage in little Kuraburi's history and to help push change towards the positive. I look forward to returning with Em and my parents and have a feeling I will be back beyond that.

My last weekend consisted of great jungle wilderness. Most of the crew went out to the Surin Islands, but due to the cost and knowing I will be there for a longer stay in a couple months, I chose to stay on the mainland. Jason and I found the seven pools, a beautiful playground just a few kilometers upriver from the dam we visit regularly. We ended up hiking too far upstream and had an adventurous river-walk/rock-slide back down to the pools.

Then Jeab took us to his uncle's property in Kapong. We went down for a big jungle hike his cousins had planned. With a late morning start, I was thinking it would just be a little stroll to some stream to watch them spearfish. But no, with lots of river walking, some fishing with bamboo poles made on-site, and many waterslides and waterfalls, it turned out to be a fantastic outing. The river walk is a true wilderness experience as you are not using any man-made trail and hence get to places that are literally off the "beaten path".

In addition to this great hike, we attended the funeral of one of Jeab's father's friends both nights we were in Kapong. A funeral in Thailand, and most of the east, is quite different from home. For instance, it lasts a week. They do conduct a more traditional ceremony the first night, but each consecutive evening has a party atmosphere with dinner, drinks, and card games. Again, a great experience. Thanks Jeab for your continued invitations to show me more of your country...I have enjoyed them all.

So, back to my transition here in Hat Yai. Stoked! My next month consists of virtual work helping grow Andaman Discoveries, some intense training for the return trip to the Himalayas, and starting to look for my next work project here after our two months of vacation! With Em's laptop and high-speed internet in our apartment, I am currently setting up the virtual office. Kind of nice to be able to rock out to new music (thanks NATR peeps) while working!

Labels: Kuraburi, sustainable tourism, Thailand

Relative to progress here with NATR & Andaman Discoveries, I continue to spend a majority of my efforts towards website and search engine optimization. While we have a great website, we are trying to make it more available to potential visitors. Google AdWords has generated some visits but more importantly been extremely valuable in providing great analysis for successful keywords, referral sources, visitor demographics, site navigation, etc. We have done some outreach/brochure-drops to partners in nearby tourist areas, but we invest more effort into viral marketing (travel hosts, forums, blogs, word-of-mouth-grassroots-goodness). If you have any suggestions on virtual neighborhoods we should be targeting, please let me know!

We continue to get inquiries for ‘voluntourism.’ While we currently provide a responsible travel option, many outgoing types are also looking to ‘do something’ while traveling. Ya, sounds familiar. So, we are developing programs catered to this voluntourist ranging from a few days of participating with existing village responsibilities to longer term research/monitoring projects. I spent a couple days last week in the village of Tung Dap for an R&D trip.

Tung Dap is a village we have supported on a project level but it is not one of the villages where we currently offer homestays. There are fifty people living in Tung Dap and they all contribute to the community’s sustenance. The lack of a CBT committee and associated tourism expectations was quite refreshing and it was apparent that this village is still collaborating at a roots level. I talked with two women who were gutting the fish from the morning’s catch. Through some chicken dancing and Thainglish, I was able to determine that the ~25 kilograms of fish would be salted, hung to dry, and distributed to all the families of the village evenly.

I had a great experience in all the activities I helped in: picking up garbage with the schoolchildren, making squid traps with the fishermen for the next morning’s mission, and fishing in a fresh water pond with my host Nu. While I struggled at grabbing the fish under water with my hands, I did learn to throw the net. To see more photos of my trip, click here.

In terms of recreation and social life, it seems the last month’s theme has been dinner parties. With volunteers coming and going and new homes to constantly warm, it is not hard to find an excuse to all get together. One weekend we visited Jeab’s uncle’s property which borders a stream and national park land. Last weekend, I had a great paddle off the beach of Ban Talae Nok and into an estuary full of mangroves. The amount of mangrove habitat along this coast continues to amaze me. Enjoying the constant breeze and hence ability to do it in this heat, I continue to bicycle around Kuraburi but will need to step up the training soon for the Himalaya return trip in spring.

Oh, and how could I forget…The Rainbow Gathering. I had heard of these hippy fests back at home, but never really knew much about them. We happen to be located just 15 kilometers from this year’s “World Gathering.” Starting on a new moon and lasting one full lunar cycle, the event usually peaks in attendance around the full moon. So sure enough, a group of us headed out for that particular night and had a great time of being “welcomed home.”

Core to its peace and happiness mission, the gathering boasts a no-drug/no-alcohol policy. I really admired this and it made it much easier to engage in real conversation rather than just chaotic-counter-culture-expression I expect at large communal events. After a couple different overnight visits, I left feeling a little mixed. It was a great example of efficient communal living, encouraging acceptance and learning, and consisting mainly of good-willed people. But there was a large group of these “idealists” who appear to shelter their beliefs in their own small circles rather than taking them to more real world scenarios.

Labels: Kuraburi, sustainable tourism, Thailand

Happy New Year!

Before I get into the last week of holiday cheer in Hat Yai, I need to mention a most fantastic hike I was part of a couple weeks ago. Bodhi has raved on and on about "the lake" in Khao Sok National Park and has always wanted to hike into it from Kuraburi. He had finally put the trip together and of course I was in. Here are some photos of the adventure.

We were stoked to be supporting a graduate of our ACE Expert program by hiring Reese to put together the jungle walk. Reese is hoping to be a local guide in the Kuraburi area and completed our six month program of English, computer skills, and small business skills with 21 other ACE Experts. While he realizes the need to learn more English to communicate with future foreign visitors, he is well-versed in the language of the jungle.

We began the hike with a 4-wheel drive ride deep into the woods. From there, we spent a couple hours of walking through thick vegetation until we came to a beautiful spot at the confluence of two waterfalls. The main stream dove down slippery rock into a large swimming pool where we spent most of our afternoon. Reese brought along a small spear that was used to catch fish by propelling it forward with the large rubber band tied to it. While us farang (foreigners) struggled to just hold our breath long enough to get down to the fish, sure enough, the local guides made it look easy. Besides the fish they caught, that night our guides prepared us a camp meal we will never forget while maximizing the use of bamboo - serving dishes, hot water pots, ladles, cups, etc.

Camp is a little simpler in the jungle. Gordy and I lugged a tent in only to realize there was practically no flat, clear space big enough to set up a tent. We made do but watched as the locals prepared a more fitting sleeping arrangemet...hanging a hammock (with mosquito net) between two trees.

The next day we walked in and along the stream for a few hours before hitting the lake where a long tail boat awaited us. Chieow Laan Lake was created by a dam and provides floating access to extensive jungle habitat. We went for an afternoon canoe trip where we heard tons of birds, monkeys, and even saw a great winged hornbill fly right in front of us. We all enjoyed a good night sleep in our floating bungalows before reversing our trip back out.

While we were all proficient at pulling leeches off our lower legs every few minutes, we were grateful to have local guides keep us safe from the bigger dangers of the jungle.

Holidays in Hat Yat
Up in Kuraburi, it was easy not to miss the holidays as there were no signs of it anywhere. Arriving in Hat Yai was a different story. Hat Yai is by no means a big city, but it is one of the larger ones in Thailand and therefore boasts a good size industry of consumerism. Just in my tuk tuk ride from the bus station to Em's apartment, I observed streets lined with Christmas lights and "Merry Christmas" or "Happy New Year" signs on restaurants and retail stores. "Hmm," I thought, "I guess it is Christmas time."

Arriving in the apartment built on the theme and in addition to the lovely girl I was excited to see, there was a small Christmas tree (with presents under it!) and Christmas carols streaming on the laptop. The Holidays were on!

For Christmas Eve we headed to P Noot's place with American Christmas food in hand. Doing our best to get some meat & potatoes like we would have at home was not so easy. We bought a few cooked chickens (close enough to turkey) and then had to resort to KFC (yes, finger lickin' good KFC) for mashed potatoes. Christmas day was the work part of the holiday where I helped "Teacher Em" introduce some Christmas vocabulary and sing lots of "Jingle Bells." We helped her students make ornaments and taped them on a paper Christmas tree in each classroom. It was great to see the admiration she gets from her well behaved students. Christmas night we went a little out of tradition and enjoyed a sushi dinner for two. You can see more photos of our Christmas activities here.

While Thais think Christmas is fun, and a good excuse for shopping, New Year's Eve is one of their major holidays. Last Thursday was an all-day party at Em's school, with the parents coming to watch the students performing on stage all day, and the school putting on a dinner party for the teachers that night. Gordy, a colleague from NATR, was passing through town so joined Em and I for this night of uncertainty. Em's bilingual teaching assistant, Louise, chose not to attend so we were on our own to understand what was happening or expected from us. Gordy and I had it easy as we were just guests. Being the foreign superstar, Em had larger responsibilities such as selecting various costume contest winners, along with giving her mandatory karaoke performance. The night turned out to be quite fun with lots of dancing.

Em will write more later about the New Year's Eve party and other fun outings.

Labels: sustainable tourism, Thailand

Yes I know I've been working on marketing and with that comes crazy buzz words like "untouched" or "real," but I feel very fortunate to be on the North Andaman coast right now. The place is truly not (and hopefully won't become) disturbed and almost every day I seem to be experiencing some new jaw dropping location or activity.

Today was no different as I helped take a film crew (iHot TV out of Bangkok) into Tung Nung Dam. Real tough work as every time I visit a village I feel it's more a privilege than a work task. Today no different and again the film crew was impressed with the experience...traditional coastal living is not just foreign to the typical westerner but also to the Thai urban go-getter. Today was a better experience for me as some of the local villagers I'm starting to see often are warming up to me and saying that even though there is a language barrier it is no barrier to the fun they have when hosting foreigners. The day concluded with a full-moon longtail boat ride back to the pier...quite serene.

So, the last week or so...swimming under waterfalls, finding great mountain biking terrain, more sunset swims in the Andaman, a day in Ban Talae Nok helping host a sports day, a day in Tung Nung Dam gathering research on a local hike, a BBQ/bungalow warming party at a fellow volunteer's, and last night we supported the only other NGO in town (Swiss Development Corporation) at their closing party. The entertainment was quite slow as it was traditional Thai fun...karaoke without any spunk. It is very common here (and most of Asia) to sing karaoke even though you have a horrible voice and are just standing on stage with your hands in your pocket. Even some regional political leaders attending sang in this same banal fashion. Sure enough, NATR was called upon to sing a song. Even though the average Thai singer is bad, I am far worse, so don't worry, I stayed seated. But Erik and Bret got up and put together a gut-wrenching with laughter, and possibly a reputation-damaging performance to Michael Jackson's "Beat it." Hilarious and very frightening for Bodhi (our Director). While it was definitely extremely entertaining, they also seemed to be praised from most all the crowd, including the high-ranked politicians, but you never know if they are just saving face and looking for ways to deport us and our program soon. According to our good friends at SDC, it was all good.

On top of this, a bunch of us went out and spent last weekend on our own island at Ao Koh Kwai. Yes, you can still get your own tropical island in Thailand! Jo's boyfriend Bau is a local fisherman and was our transportation and food gatherer for the weekend. While he struck out on Friday, he delivered on Saturday with some stingray and baracuda. The stingray was a little chewy while the baracuda had tasty tender meat. For appetizers we often ate oysters and snails found in our bay. The snorkeling was very decent albeit one intense zone of sea lice. These things have been in most of the waters I've swam in around southern Thailand but usually just a short single-pointed sting. There was one section off our island exerting much more force with hundreds of concurrent stingings that felt like you were getting electrocuted. This rightfully aborted our group of three grown men's attempt to swim around the island.

The untouched Thailand bias was strongly enforced during this trip as I constantly looked at the mainland's coastline and saw nothing but beach and forest. Oh wait, there was one siting of a white building but otherwards...nature.

Work is great...starting to feel like I'm adding value both in terms of marketing progress and overall teamwork. We had a beyond belief November with 22 guests going through Andaman Discoveries, and more rewarding, the fact that four of them told us they had life-changing experiences in the villages!

While it all seems peachy, community-based tourism is no simple task, and our most attractive feature is also our largest obstacle. Their happy-in-the-moment attitude does simplify their existence and is apparent to guests visiting their lifestyles. But meanwhile, we are trying to teach them ways to preserve this attitude through long term thinking, vision, and planning. This is tricky and needs to be done carefully. To help them maintain their livelihoods forever (something they truly want...unless maybe someday huge amounts of money persuades them otherwise similar to traditional tourism development where the locals are "bought out") we feel tourism in their communities needs to provide supplementary income only and never detract from their traditional sources of sustenance. This means the number of tourists must remain limited. So what am I doing in marketing, well, we are not at capacity yet. Marketing is a main facet of this program I doubt the villages themselves will ever truly understand or be able to conduct. This is OK as long as they understand the significance of marketing and that there is a cost for this need.

They are getting pretty good at delivering the product, but continuously take for granted the efforts we put into bringing them business, organizing tours, and being Uncle NATR with deep pockets. Due to the large amounts of tsunami relief money that fled into Thailand, some of the local people assume that westerners will just keep on giving. Then there is the normal corruption factor where we are learning there is a strong likelihood that one village's leaders are pocketing most of the "community fund" money. The community fund (20% of all revenue) is intended to benefit the entire community through needed projects. It could be worse, we could have local mafia all over us (and they are starting to pay close attention) as we become successful in bringing in tourism money. The only reason mafia are not involved in our business already is because we created a new market...when it comes to the bigger, already developed businesses such as scuba diving around the Similan Islands, oh yes, they are in control. I do not totally understand the extent of "mafia"...it doesn't seem to be anything dangerous and does seem to be prevalent in all facets of business. One reporter estimated that over 60-70% of all business in Thailand is mafia related or corrupt. My best guest is if the mafia is involved it basically means there is a large sum of money laundering going to certain people.

So, yes, I do ask myself at times what are us idealistic white folks trying to do here. But the answer is simple, you gotta believe. As far as tourism goes, I am a huge believer that we have two key attractions: nature and culture. Now we must work on ways to continue to have these.

Labels: Kuraburi, sustainable tourism, Thailand

The visit to Hat Yai was fantastic...not so much because of Hat Yai but because of that special gal living there! While we are both really loving our personal endeavors, it is clear that we are much more whole when together. O.K., enough of the mooshy stuff.

Hat Yai was also quite fun as I got to visit with the people that take good care of Em. My first night there we went out...not talking about the going out Kuraburi-style sitting under a bamboo thatched roof at the only establishment that does not blare Karaoke. I'm talking about actual bars and do I dare say clubs. The first bar boasted 20' walls of glass with the latest Hollywood and Thai celebrities on large posters hanging from the ceiling. The food, drink, and atmosphere was great but I was a little spooked when one of the three bathroom attendants immediately started massaging my shoulders as I was trying to take a leak. After finally getting him to stop, I was able to relax enough to do what I intended. The next place was even swankier (and no bathroom attendants) with live music and a bar that glowed! Pitt and P Noot do a great job of inviting Em everywhere and it was real clear that this is not just out of courtesy but they really enjoy Em's company.

Besides those festivities, I relished in the luxuries of Em's city apartment. Just a twenty minute walk from the city center, it is only two minutes from markets and full-time vendors offering anything you want (fruit, baked goods, sweets, various Thai dishes, etc). More important than its location, is the comfort to be found inside the apartment. I basked in the A/C, granite tiled bathroom, and technological luxuries such as full-time internet and music! We even picked up a borrowed TV and DVD player towards the end of my stay.

I got back to Kuraburi Sunday evening and sure enough, the crew was celebrating the visit of an old volunteer by throwing a dinner party at Tu's place. It was great to hear comical stories of the last week and more progress with our current programs. For the latest and greatest at NATR, check out the recent update. The next day we spent a lot of time visiting Bret in the hospital as he contracted the weakest strand of Malaria (not to worry, he is real sure he caught it hiking in Cambodia, not cute-little Kuraburi). That evening a few of us hung out on Jo's (neighboring bungalow's) deck listenting to music and playing with cicadas. These large insects are crazy with their sounds!

Yesterday evening I jumped on a bicycle and had a great adventure in the foothills southeast of town. Admiring the crazy oranges and pinks illuminating different portions of the sky (a common evening skyscape here), I cycled through small villages exchanging consistent "Hellos" and "Sawadee kraps." I was hoping to somehow make a loop back above my bungalow, but darkness made me take the known (backtrack) route home. It turns out there is no connection as this road just keeps going deeper inland servicing small villages. Besides the couple unfriendly dogs who were difficult to see until they were at ankle knawing range, the ride home was very serene and complimented by distant lightning that helped illuminate the asphalt in front of me.

A couple updates on the bungalow front: I upgraded a couple weeks ago to a slightly larger bungalow (double bed compatible) and most importantly one that has a hammock on the deck. I am still in the same cluster, but now a little farther from the road which does reduce the car noise and increase the jungle sounds (currently dominated by cicadas). One moring before we went to work, Jo and I were interrupted from a morning cup of coffee by some commotion in a pond behind our bungalows. It turned out a neighbor had called in the local snake expert to help untangle this young boa constrictor from some fish nets.

The jungle theme is still foreign to this mountain man, but amazing in its abundancy to support life and I continue to gain new admiration for its beauty. I am very content but thinking I could stay content while also relishing in some snowy mountains later this season! The time of year and the fact I recently revised the India ski articles have me thinking there is no reason to miss skiing all together this year (thanks to many friends who have questioned my sanity when I stubbornly thought a high alpine visit could detract from my cultural experience here).

To those back in the US of A, have a Happy Turkey Day!

Labels: Kuraburi, sustainable tourism, Thailand

I got to visit the villages of Ban Talae Nok and Tung Nung Dam last weekend and experience the community-based tourism (CBT) products I am working on. First and foremost, both visits were successful as I walked away with invaluable experiences that can only happen when a guest truly feels like they are visiting/observing/taking part in a village's every day life. I also gained a better understanding of what more is needed to meet a typical guest's expectations from start to finish.

I personally felt that hands-on activities delivered far better rewards than the just watch-and-learn technique. A couple of my highlight activities were helping make soap with the ladies of Ban Talae Nok and assisting the young girls of Tung Nung Dam in making roti. Roti is a common flat bread among the local Muslim communities and quite tasty, especially when dipped in sweet condensed milk. The soap making is a new livelihood activity originally funded by the Thai government directly following the massive destruction to Ban Talae Nok from the tsunami. Similar to many government funded stories I've heard, that money left after only a few training workshops. NATR stepped in to assist with business development and long term sustainability of the endeavor. I am here at an exciting time as this product is starting to take off. Many Phuket boutiques are now selling it in gift shops and some higher class spas are looking at using it for everyday guests! For more on this, please see www.tsunamicrafts.com.

O.K....now that it is clear I am working on a marketing post, I am looking for grassroots marketing help for our CBT experiences. Please visit our site www.andamandiscoveries.com and forward me any good contacts who you think would be beneficial. We are currently targeting the independent traveller who can rough it a bit and education groups who want to learn more about CBT.

I have also got to experience my first couple business meetings with translators and learned how vital this extra step of communication is for efficient progress. Even though we have worked with the villages for almost a year in developing CBT, stepped away from villages not interested in pursuing it, and said no to some that didn't have the passion/ownership desires to successfully go for it, we are still faced with some uncertainty from the villages promoting and delivering successful products. It is all part of the major mindset difference here...people do not think past tomorrow. This is quite wonderful and a major reason for the smily, no worries, way of life here. But it does make it difficult to continue to educate villages on the long term benefits of CBT. It will continue to be interesting!!!

While life in Kuraburi is fantastic, the work is becoming more gratifying with time, and the people continue to be amazing, I am missing my lady and plan to head south next weekend for a multi-day visit!

Labels: Kuraburi, sustainable tourism, Thailand

Now that Em and I are posting separately and boasting our living conditions, I guess I should submit something about my new home. Well, the new home (as in structure I sleep in) is not quite up to the contemporary luxuries of Em's. I live in a bamboo thatched bungalow consisting of an ~80 sq ft bedroom/living room which is attached by three stairs to my very own concrete bathroom w/traditional Thai toilet and western shower head. It is better than fine (maybe just wish I didn't get to see those granite counters in Em's place) and does boast a great covered deck with table and chairs made of tree stumps.

And my new home (as in every day living) is truly fantastic. I feel very lucky to step into an organization that receives well-deserved credit throughout the local communities. I have heard from more than one local how indebted they feel towards NATR for granting them renewed livelihoods. I look forward to contributing to our efforts to feel some of those rewards. Thus far I have been getting acquainted with where we came from, what we are doing today, and what we want to be doing in the future. I have also been looking into some marketing strategies for our community-based tourism (CBT) programs. Ya, look out, I know this role (marketing) may make everything I say from here on out seem suspect. We are hosting a large conference this Friday which has taken lots of our staff's time so I've been pretty independent. Looking forward to next week where I will begin to visit the villages and do some "voluntourism."

While the NATR crew shares a passion to work hard for our cause, we also share a passion to enjoy life. A day does not go by where I am not invited for some extra-curricular activity...whether going for a swim in the river, viewing the current Vegetarian Festival, playing Snooker, a quick trip to Phuket for a local friend's birthday party, a visit to a local family's home to celebrate the end of Ramadan, or one huge celebration for Gordy's (a current volunteer's) birthday.

This celebration began with most of the NATR staff leaving work for the beach. We made it there just in time to see a large red sun falling into the Andaman sea. A few of us went for a quick swim before joining the watermelon baseball game. No real outs here...swing the cricket paddle at half a watermelon and try to run around the bases without getting hit by one of the obliterated pieces of watermelon the opposing team is throwing at you. The crew then migrated towards the fire that Erik had created, had some beverages and ate chicken and roti. Before we left the beach, some of us went for another swim and enjoyed the most incredible phosphorescence experience of our lives. Some swimmers had never seen it before, and those of us who had definitely had never seen it that intense. Besides the bright illumination made in the water when moving around, there were shining particles left glimmering on arms and bodies for a few seconds after removed from the water. The party was then transported back to town to Jep's place where we helped setup an industrial size disco ball and then it was dance time.

As we are focussed on community empowerment, the majority of our staff is Thai and fortunately they also partake in all the fun, giving me a chance to learn the language. Sure enough, a word I've gotten pretty good at using is ting-tong (crazy).

Labels: Kuraburi, sustainable tourism, Thailand