Thailand is a land of charming and different tastes for worldwide visitors as I was to learn when I experienced the Water Holiday of Loi Kathong on the island of Ko Chang.

Koh Chang

A few years ago the travel bug severely bit me. The symptoms led me to sell my company Sven Andrighetto Avalanche Jersey , pack a small rucksack with essential items and roll into Los Angeles International Airport with a major credit card and an attitude. A few days later, I was in Thailand and en route to the island of Koh Chang, positioned near to the border with Cambodia in the Gulf of Thailand.

Ko Chang is a densely forested island with little towns full of beach huts. This is exactly what I was after; spending days lounging in the sun and contemplating my navel. Regrettably, I soon experienced the local bacteria, which was not what I was after.

Since I had leased my beach bungalow for a week with payment in advance, the family running the place looked me upon graciously. They took pity on me and I was soon growing plumpish on Tom Yom Kung and other soups and curries. After four days, I had finally kicked the bug and felt halfway human. This was good news as it was the night of the full moon water festival.

I had heard of full moon festivitiess in Thailand. For hard partying tourists, this was apparently the night the big beach parties happened. In Koh Chang, it was a little different as the night was tailored to the local Thais, not tourists.

The Loy Kathong Holiday happens every year during the full moon of the 12th lunar month – usually at the end of November. Offerings are given to pacify the water spirits. These offerings come in the form of banana leaf bowls (krathongs) with flowers, fruit, candles and incense. The candles and incense are lit and everyone heads down the beach and starts putting them in the water. It is one of the more amazing light shows you will ever see and beats Las Vegas hands down. Thousands, and I mean thousands, of little lights bobbing on the surface of the smooth sea.

After the bowls, comes one of the most visually amazing things I鈥檝e ever seen. Everyone is familiar with the paper lanterns used in Asia. Typically, they come in the form of a rectangle form with a bamboo or light wire frame. Very popular with college students since they are cheap and look better than a bare light bulb.

For the celebration, Thais would take these paper lanterns and close off the top. They would then affix a small this paper plate to the bottom with a candle on it. Light the candle, wait for the heat to do its work and they had an instant hot air balloon. Once the lanterns could float, you simply let go and off the slowly went over the ocean. It was a sight to see as there were thousands of them floating over the water.

As the festivities wound down, the sea had been transformed. The air was full of gracefully floating lanterns while the water itself was dotted with slowly bobbing points of light.

If you intend to travel to Thailand, make sure you schedule your trip around a full moon in late November for Loy Krathong. It is a scene you鈥檒l never forget.

Larry Westfall is a retired expat living in Thailand and loves resort and spa koh chang

A lesson on motorcycles and motorcycle buying

When buying a motorcycle, there are some things that one needs to consider. An important question you need to ask yourself before you choose a style is: Are you riding mostly in the city or you?re planning to go on long bike trips to the country? Just as I mentioned, motorbikes are designed differently depending on the purpose and the terrain you wish to travel. Most motorcycles nowadays are more capable of doing more than one duty as they are packed with more power now, thanks to the rapid improvement of technology. Some people would suggest a sportbike for daily commuting on twisty roads or for short trips. If you plan to go on long trips, it is best to use sport touring bikes since the seats are plusher and can travel at longer distances before you need to gas up again due to the larger gas tanks.

Now that you?ve decided the kind of bike you are going to purchase then its time for you to decide whether you are going to buy a new or used one.
The biggest disadvantage in buying a new motorcycle is the price. High performance bikes can cost as much $10,000 and when you apply for financing, you will also need to get an insurance, which is again, very expensive. The advantages of course include the warranty, good mechanical condition and since you are the first owner, you can choose the color and features you want, and you are assured of longer vehicle life.

For those people who are not willing to finance a new motorcycle, the best option is to buy used motorcycles from cycle traders. Aside from the fact that this alternative is cheaper, there are lots of motorcycles which are in great shape.

Shopping for motorcycles for sale is best done during the day time is best done in the daytime you will immediately see the dents and scratches in the frame. Aside from this, small details like excessive dirt and rusty chains, frayed cables and bald tires are signs that the previous owner did not take care of them. Also, make sure to have a trusted mechanic check on the engine to make sure that it is in good condition.

It is said that motorcycle prices peak during spring or early summer because this is generally the time of the year when people get their licenses and plan to buy units. It is suggested that it is best to buy bikes in the fall since the demand is lowest at this time and most dealers are trying to rid their inventory of last year?s models. Also, people are who have no place to store it during winter so more people are actually selling their motorcycles.

Probably the most important thing you need to keep in mind when you are buying a motorbike ? do not bring money with you the. Cheap Jerseys   Cheap Jerseys From China   Authentic Zach Ertz Jersey   Tyreek Hill Womens Jersey   Tremaine Edmunds Womens Jersey   Taysom Hill Womens Jersey   Sam Darnold Youth Jersey   Russell Wilson Kids Jersey   Rob Gronkowski Patriots Jersey   Phillip Lindsay Broncos Jersey