Fall 2004/2547 - volume 2, issue 8

A big ‘hello’ from hot and sunny Thailand!

As summer winds down in the western world, it’s time to start thinking about a hot vacation to get you through the long winter. Our adventure dates are filling quickly, so get signed up for the adventure of your life.

In this issue, we bring you up to date with our goings on in the kingdom and North America, kick-off a great new contest, give you a recipe for the country’s best soup and lots of other neat tidbits.

Greg gets good and dirty with SA

Our legendary 12-day ‘Siamese Dream’ adventure now has two different beach endings. You can choose to spend your last four days on the tranquil island of Ko Samet or at the sun and fun paradise of Krabi – the choice is yours!

We officially nailed North America this summer. From Vancouver Island to Prince Edward Island and New York City to San Francisco, the Smiling Albino word is spreading faster than mad cows across the prairies! We were also featured in newspapers across Canada and on several radio stations. Thanks to all of you that attended one of our travel shows. See you next year!

As part of winning Alberta’s 2004 ‘Provincial Award Celebrating Excellence’, Scott was awarded $5,000 to start a scholarship. The ‘Scott Coates – Smiling Albino’ scholarship is now officially up for grabs to third and fourth year students in Mount Royal College’s (Calgary) Applied Degree in Eco-tourism. The scholarship will award $1,250 annually to one lucky student. SA will also be hosting one work term student from the same program for four months starting in January 2005.

On September 3, 2004 Smiling Albino will be giving a presentation at the 9th Annual Conference for Eco-Tourism in Bangkok. The convention will be held at Thailand’s Srinakarinwirot University for the Institute of Eco-Tourism. SA will be presenting about Adventures with Responsibility and Cycling for a Better World! Come on by, if you’re in the area….

Shari Baldwin and Lynne Current spent two weeks teaching at Santikiri School in July, during the 5th instalment of our ‘English Fun Days’ program in Doi Mae Salong and our 8th program in Thailand. The program was a huge success thanks to Shari and Lynne. The next installment is set to run in December 2004 with Darlene and Margaret from Ottawa.

Dan’s hit movie 'The Garuda’ is officially out on DVD in Asia. Smiling Albino will be hosting a screening of the movie in North America soon, to be viewed while playing the newly tested ‘Garuda Party Game’. We’ll keep you posted as to screening location, date and time - Gaaaaaruuuudaaaaa!!

Beware the Garuda!!

Derek Broda at Montreal's Olympic Stadium

Scott was recently sighted in a canal near the ‘Un-Urban Pedal’ route. After four-and-a-half years of riding above the canal system of eastern Bangkok, the moment finally came and he took a spectacular plunge. While trying to pull around a 90-degree turn and ride a narrow board up a bridge (clearly pushing his luck), his back wheel didn’t make it around the corner and he went kerplunk! A good shower took care of most of the damage. He was recently sighted on the along the canals searching for his pride.

Tom Ka Goong

Mmmmm, the kingdom’s most famous spicy and sour prawn soup

• 300 grams prawns, washed, peeled and cleaned
• 2 cups water or chicken stock
• 5 leaves kaffir lime leaves (torn into pieces, discarding the stems)
• 3 shallots, sliced
• 2 tomatoes, cut each into eight pieces
• 5 thin slices of peeled galangal
• 200 grams straw mushrooms, halved
• 5-6 hot chillies, cut lengthwise
• 4 tbs. fish sauce
• 1 ts. white sugar
• 3 tbs. lemon juice
• 1 twish coriander leaves, chopped

Directions:
Heat the stock to boiling then add the lemon grass, galangal, shallots, prawns and mushrooms. Season to taste with lime juice, fish sauce and chillies. Add the kaffir lime leaves and chopped coriander and remove from the heat. Serve hot with rice. Enjoy!!

Thais are so fond of seafood they rarely go a day without eating something from the ocean. One of the more popular snacks is seasoned-grilled squid on a stick. Tentacles, body and eggs are put on a skewer, cooked to perfection and sold for 10Baht ($0.25US) per unit. That’s some good eating.