How was your trip? What was your favorite place?

Impossible to answer these questions. Perhaps that's why it has taken me two weeks to write...that, combined with jetlag (boo) and family ski trips (yeah!).

Since my last blog in Koh Phangan, Em headed home after a few days and Jess took her spot from then on. He rented a scooter, so needless to say the quiet lazy beach days were over...and I (first very much opposed, til my legs finally exhausted themselves on the 20% graded hills) hopped on the back of the scooter and we explored the island the rest of the days. I nearly got seasick on a jet ski, hiked my way up a narrow dry waterfall in flip-flops...and enjoyed a fantastic last day on the beach, breathed in the last of the warm summer night on the long scooter ride to the bungalow...silently saying goodbye to the journey.



I left Tuesday morning, nearly 48 hours before my arrival home. A .5 hour scooter ride, 2.5 hour ferry, 2 hour minibus, 5 hour wait in the airport (a very small airport, mind you), 1 hour flight to Bangkok, 1 hour airport transfer bus, 1 hour wait in the ticket line, .5 hour wait through security, 1 hour delay, 4 hour flight to Shang-hai, 2 hour security check then 6 hour layover to return back to the same airplane, 12 hour flight to LA, 1 hour layover, and 2 hour flight to HOME. Let's just say layovers on the way home are the worst, because at that point, the only thing on my mind was my cozy bed, and everything that wasn't my bed was getting in the way. My cranky self got hungry for specific food when the options were only processed convenience stores. Then when I was hangry again, I nearly drooled at a Burger King burger, then concluded I didn't have enough baht for the $8 burger (not including drink and fries). The indoor smoking rooms in Shang-hai airport must not have been properly sealed and my all-too-fancy doctor mask was not helping me much either. It took me a few of creepy stalkings to figure out how to dispense cold water from the fountains. Perhaps when I forget about my cranky attitude will I consider China for the bucket list. AND I'll stop. Wait, the food on the plane was a little sketch too...neon green desert, packaged radishes...and they've run out of wine after I received one round with an inch of wine...on a 12-hour flight? Ok now I'll really stop...

AMERICA! Alas! Crankiness is cured. My backpack and I wiz through customs. WELCOME HOME. Those words from customs get me every time! I walk to my terminal. There is a Starbucks directly after the security check. And everyone speaks English. And everyone is talking on their cell phones, probably about what happened on reality TV last night. I board my final plane of the trip, and my pilot greets me at the door. Everything is rainbows and butterflies at this point. I thought for a minute about questioning the smelly big dog that was on the plane a seat ahead and diagonal from me, but whatever, I was almost home!

And then there was my snowy little town. I ran out of the airport to say hello, guys behind me yelling remarks about my flip-flops. 40 degrees! Whatever! My heart's overflowing with warm fuzzies at this point! I hop on the bus...and at my stop, I practically skip home, 15kg is weightless now! I keep telling myself to expect the worst from my renters when I get home, so I can continue being pleasantly surprised. Nearly two weeks later now and I still can't get the silly boy smell out of my apartment. Men, take note. Irish spring does not equal manly mountain smell. Irish spring = YUCK. I may be used to hippie odor by now, but seriously. Yuck. Thankfully yesterday I spotted the culprit...a forlorn bar of soap behind a claw foot of my tub. Perhaps it was intentional to bring a sort of Irish freshness to the room...or to intentionally claw away at my senses. I have never scrubbed my apartment with so much cleaner and vinegar and cleaner and baking soda. Ironic, coming from lands of overflowing toilets where I was content in my flip-flops.

Jetlag was pretty bad the first couple days. I could stay up late (10/11pm), only to wake 4 hours later...WIDE awake! My older sister came to town the 2nd day...questioning why I was sleeping on the couch til noon then. It was definitely a rollercoaster ride like that! I was so excited to see my family again, even if it didn't show once I started dragging after every 3 hours. Conditions were great for skiing/boarding...a powder day followed with bluebird spring days. And delicious food (thanks Karen!) that my mouth was dreaming about in Asia.

Back to reality, family and friends will ask me exactly what I'd ask my traveling friends...how was my trip and what was my favorite place? Hopefully this blog has spelled out enough of my stories. I'm sure there are more that will surface with conversations. And perhaps you can decipher (even better than I) what my favorite place was. I can choose a favorite place in each country...each place was unique and beautiful in their own way. Like people. My favorite people are those who are in their element. Just being who they truly are. As much as I want these countries to be as well-off as America...I hope they don't lose their charm.

Last stop

A mere 18 hours after leaving Cambodia, I arrived in Koh Phangan...a mere two hour flight, elongated by a layover, delay which caused me to miss my direct ferry...a 1.5 hour ferry to Koh Samui, taxi, speedboat, then another taxi. But I made it to our little bungalow on the hill! Emily was waiting in the outdoor common area. What a sweetheart ad warm welcome for this tired traveler! Her familiar voice was music to my ears, and she gets the trophy for worlds best hugs.

It's a beautiful spot, quietly nestled in the trees with a great view of fishing boats on the Gulf of Thailand. We are nearest to Haad Son beach, a private little cove with clear blue shallow water and no waves. It is definitely a little paradise.

But I'd be lying to say that I'm convinced of it yet. There are tourists, mostly (russian and french) families and couples. Relaxing. But to me it's far from the Thailand that I experienced a few weeks ago. I do miss the backpacker camaraderie, meeting new travelers and hearing their stories, experiencing what I think is more authentic Thailand and its people. And the cheaper prices.

All that aside, it's been a blessing to catch up with Em and swap travel stories. I never made it out of the airports to actually see Bangkok so she filled me in. I'm still digesting my experiences slowly, and she's so great to get me to talk and process them.

There are steep hills every few houses, so needless to say, we keep our walks to the point. 7-11, beach, and dinner. Since I'm here a whole week, I will eventually explore more of the island, if only for new food and shops. But for now it's been great to just sit and relax and soak it all in!

Never try, never know

Sadly today I had to leave Pai :(. It was a perfect little mountain retreat. I did nothing there and I don't even feel bad about it. There where elephants and waterfalls and hot springs to see and scooters and bikes to ride, but the hostel hammocks and their view from the hill was just too hard to pass up. And again, the people were fantastic.

A few guys from London got tattoos in thai of this blogs title. I think it's pretty inspiring! Reminds me to soak up the opportunities while I'm here...not let them pass...not that I regret slumming in the hammock today :)

So far on my journey, the oldest traveller I've met has been 28. And my two month trip is the shortest of all travelers as well. Most are traveling for 6 months, some upwards to 18 months. And few are Americans. I feel special. Our culture must really appreciate the comforts of home!

After finding my first volunteer for our farm back home (would be cool anyway!) I walked to the train station. I handed a driver my ticket and he directed me to a minibus. That driver pointed to his watch and motioned the minute hand on his watch circling to 4:30. So my 4pm bus was late. So I thought. 4:30 rolls around, the driver motions me over to board, then he's confused that someone has taken my assigned seat. I hand him my ticket. Yesterday's bus ticket. For 14:30. Wrong ticket. I hand him the correct one for today...that bus was actually on time. And it's gone. Crap! I head to the desk and try to explain in simple English. Thankfully there's another bus in 10 minutes but he wanted another 150 baht (the full price for a new ticket...granted, it's US$5). I plea and the 4:30 driver must've given an ok too. And I'm graciously on the 4:40 bus without paying more.

Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad though...I could've stayed in pai for $3 all you can eat sushi with my hostel mates! I hate to admit this, but tonight was the first time I ate real Thai food. (My egg and toast breakfasts haven't counted) it was delicious, even if it was basic chicken, vegetables and rice!

Flight out of chiang mai tomorrow evening. Then Vietnam on Sunday!

Does the weight of one's dog determine their happiness?

Ok probably not, but the owners of my hostel in Goa had the fattest dogs I've seen in India and the people were some of the most laid back that I met there. All the pups in the big cities were treated like nuisances, and I wanted to take each one home to feed and love them! Now in Thailand, there are 'normal' size and some really fat pups. And people here are proportionally friendly and laid back.

Side note: I have a new appreciation for earplugs...making sleeping on concrete airport floors possible and quite comfortable! Still questioning how many airport personnel and luggage tags it takes to load one plane. Person #1 makes sure my boarding pass matches my passport. #2 takes and rips off portion of boarding pass. #3 checks the obscene number of luggage tags to see that they match my boarding pass. #4 checks my boarding pass before I enter the bus that will take me to the plane. #5 checks from the bus to the plane. Lets not forgets all the people in security line who don't care that I have a full container of water, as long as its not in a plastic water bottle. So backwards, then again, maybe it's me. Anyway...

First impression upon arrival: great. And an actual free bus to my transferring airport in Bangkok? Ok! The woman at information was chatting with friends and crocheting something. My bus driver did a little '5 minutes til we leave' dance. And the DMK airport had two Starbucks about 100 feet from each other. How can this not be a happy place?!

I flew to Chiang Mai, in the northern Thailand. The seats were obviously made for small Thai folk, but it was a short flight. I hadn't been able to book a hostel yet, so gave my cab driver an address an hoped for the best! A $3 cab ride later, I got to the hostel, which was booked. But she directed me next door. Another $3 and I had myself a night stay! My stomach was still mad at me for the delicious indian street food i had with Rajesh, so my meals consisted of $1 refreshing local fruit smoothies. Maybe I shouldn't have taken so much money out of the ATM!

I walked around chiang mai for a day and when my backpack got heavy, I took my first tuk-tuk to the bus station. From there I took a four hour bus ride north to the popular backpacker mountain town of Pai. Again, lots of white tourists here, but that means it must be good.



I had booked a hostel but forgot to download the info to my iPhone when I had Internet. Oops! Luckily I found a cafe with wifi. There was still just enough sunlight to make out the roads, and once the road ended and I had to go further, there were friendly Thai folks on each corner, asking if I needed help, then pointing me in the right direction. I made it to these quaint bungalows atop the side of the hill...overlooking the mountains and city. How did I get so lucky?! The bungalows have huge covered decks, and I sat out with my new roommates and neighbors, swapping travel stories and jamming on their ukelele. Rain started pouring...doesn't get much better than that!