Sapa, Nam continued

Got interupted by my guide for the day coming. anyways had a good time wiht the crazy americans and got to bed at a decent hour. woke up and arranged a 'trek' basically a long walk to differnt villages, nothing to really report except the landscape was amazing. basically more rice field villages but my guide was very nice and spoke great english. there was one upsetting experience where i heard a dog screaming and the guide said they were killing it for food. They eat dogs here and its pretty fucked up to see how terribly they treat them. all in all it was kind of an expensive day for not that cool of things but it was nice to walk and get some fresh air, they have wonderful stars here as well. Treated myself to a massage when i got back to prepare for the 10 our train ride and its much differnt then thai massage but still nice. they concentrate more on the energy lines and point and no streaching just rubbing.
Going to Halong bay after going to Hanoi first, its supposedly beautiful though the travel booking is frustrating from what i hear. just have to remember that they lie and you dont alwasy get waht you expect so keep my cool.

Sapa, Viet Nam

Took a night trin wit my friend Mix up to a town close to the border, there we said our good byes as he heads to China and i continue my adventures in Viet Nam. How strange to be totally by myself! Another 10 hour train ride, no big deal. the beds were a piece of wood with a inch of padding, i didnt get much sleep. Took a mini bus up the mountain to Sapa, which is a gorgeous town in beautiful mountains. The rice fields are carved into impossible mountian sides and colorful tribe women acost you to buy shit. They speak very good english and are very friendly until you refuse to buy anything. i got suckered into getting 4 shitty braclets for a dollar just to make her go away, which is most of there stratgies. they have some pretty cool earings though and im thinking of you Kilani, you still have your ears gagded? Arrived and passed out for a few hours (5) and then had a relaxing day reading some Jane Austin in the park. Finished Pride and Prjudice, one of my all time favorites, oh Mr Darcy! and headed to trade the book, got the alcamist instead and it looks like it will last my a few hours at most.. then sought food. i was a little hungry for company as well so i sat down next to this nice Austrailian and we had a cup of coffee. The place was pricey for food so we headed to the more local outdoor dining area. There was a big table of Vietnamese men beside us and since Tin was born in Vietnam and moved to Austraila when he was 5 he still speaks a little and was able to translate for me. They immediately started demanding we chug our beers and take shots of the rice whisky they were pouring out of a water bottle. they also do this thing here of taking tabacco out of a bong and i was super down and they all had a great laugh as i got a huge headrush and smiled huge for the next ten min. they have some pretty cool bongs here and i wish i could take one back with me. pretty easy to make though just need a fat bamboo stem. We then got this thing called a Hot Pot, which is boiling broth on a burned that comes witha huge platter of veggies and greens and meat all raw. you put what ever you want into it and wait for it to cook. It was all very good but my stomech hasn't entirely recoved and im afraid i wasnt able to keep any of it down. Then we went to the disco tech! which basically was a huge room with no one there except us and a stage. I as the only female so they insisted i dance pretty much the whole time which was fine with me, man they could boogie. there was this adorable child of nine who had some great moves and knew a little break dance (sort of) he was real shy of me but i charmed him in the end. Then the karoke started... oh god asians fucking love karoke. No english songs of course but they got me up on stage and made me interprative dance while they took turns singing to me. one of the older ones was a great dancer and we were twirling around to applause. basically i should have had the whole event recorded and watched daily, deff would have got a million hits on youtube.. oh they also had me sing in Vietnamese, you can imagine how that sounded..I had to get the fuck out of there eventually so we headed to the only open bar in thsi sleep town where we met some americans, or one was a french american canidian or something silly.

Nam, Hanoi

Luang Prabang was a wonderful city, i dont know about the pearl of the orient but it was very relaxed and people were very friendly. Met some wonderful people at the guest house we were staying at as well as some totally insane people. Michael, oh Michael. I keep meeting crazy austrailians and i like it. Wade made the decision to head back to the US which i think was a very good idea. He just was overwhelmed i think by all the new strange things, make sure to give him a big hug and lots of love, he should be arriving in a day or so if he got his flight from LAX to SAC sorted. And so i begin the solo part of my travels. Im actually really excited, one thing i have learned about myself on this trip is i am very independent, social when i want to be but if i like being by myself allot. i think its healthy and reflective, although i am a little scared about traveling by myself, sometime people follow you or are more likely to harass you if you dont have someone with you, though its so easy to meet fellow travelers and im a bad ass so im not to concerned. You hear so many horror stories bu i feel like i have a fleet of angels guiding me, all the people i have met have been wonderfuly helpful and have looked after me so well, i feel very blessed and taken care of. So i got the shits pretty bad the day of the airplane ot Vietname and oh man am i glad i opped of the flight insted of a 30 hour bus ride! I have kind of had it with bus rides that last longer then 24 hours, its just brutal at times, though i know i have many more coming up i need a little break. Arrived in Hanoi, Viet Nam two days ago and i love this city! such hussle and bussle! the streets make absolutely no sense, its a maze. you just know your general direction and have to wander around til you find what you looking for. theres a abig lake in the center that supposedly has giant turtles living in it, though i havent seen any so far and i cant imagine how anything could live in that discusting water.. I like Viet Nam allot so far, people told me taht everyone was unfriendly and will try to rip you off. they will try to scam you the best thing to do is just refuse to be scamed, if your an idiot they will take all your money and not think twice. you have to makes sure you agree on the price before you do anything and even then they will change it after the fact and make a big scene if you dont give them the money. its best to keep your cool and just skae you head and look like your not fucking around. it helps i have been hanging out with Mix who is a giant Danish man that will just start jabbering away in Danish if they try to make trouble and they usually just walk away looking confused or amused. People have been friendly to me thus far though. Crossing the street here is very hectic, you just pick a pace and walk at it, there are no stop light or if there ar no one pays any attention to is. just keep walking while a million motorbike zoom towards you and as long as you dont stop or make a sudden movement they just go around you. it a very interesting experience but its worked thus far, every once in a while i wont see one and they'll honk right behind me and i jump and get out of the way.
Im staying at a very nice hotel that has a tv, fridge, clean bed, and my own bathroom just for 8 bucks! pretty awesome, thought the window doesnt have a screen. i was brushing my teeth the other night and heard a buzzing and saw something brown flying around. i came out of the bathroom and saw a cockroach as long as my middle finger chilling on my pillow.. I was really not stoked. Tried to get it out but it just scuttled under my mattress. got my flashlight out and moved the bed but the fucker was no where to be found. It was hard to sleep easy that night, every russle of the blanket or tickle form the fan made me jump. Ill take leeches over cockroaches any day, they dont do shit but they crawl on you and are discusting.
Strang being in a communist country, facebook wont wort for one. they have it all blocked because it shares information or something. I dont really understand why any of the governement have bothered to call it communism. No one has succeeded in making anything equal, theres still the rich and the poor. but i suppose we dont really live in a real democracy as well so all governments just lie and call things what they want. Saw some amazing art yesterday, embrodiery that blew my mind. HUGE cloths that were covered in amazing pictures all done by hands, thread a needle. Also saw some old communist propaganda posters. It was interesting seeing the american flag in such a negative setting, they had statement like "40000 US planes brought down by the brave fighters" and "Nixon must pay with blood for our blood." its also strange how they call it the American war. We dont have a real name for the war, we call it Vietnam war which woundlt make any sense over here.
Thinking about spending 2 weeks in Vietnam then taking a train through SW china to Nepal, still thinking about it though.

Well im hungry but i promise to keep this blog better up to date.

Catch up, LAOS

Wow its been too long since i have updated this. So Wade made it back from Burma just fine, got his 15 days. I finished Massage school and had a really great time, passed my final although i really shouldnt have, i still have allot of practice before i can give a good massage.. Met up with my friends Jerad, who i know from two years ago in Colorado in a spiritual retreat, we had a geat time going to a snake show, visiting tiger kingdom (you get to pet tigers, and no they aren't drugged!), a waterfal and a temple. I think i have seen enough water falls and temples to last the next ten lifetimes! the snake show was rteally cool, although i made the mistake of giving a little scream the first time they pulled a trick (he threw the snake but held onto its tail so it came within feet of my face) so they teased me the rest of the time. dropped a cobras body on my lap, let the snakes go under my chair and pinched the back of my legs when i held the anadaconda. We made great friends with the family that owned the guest house we stayed at and they had two birthdays that week so they got us really drunk and fed us. they were nice anc we bonded with thw daughter May and partied with her allot. They were some sort of red shirt leaders though... sketch. Met a great friend Steve who owns businessed in Cahing Mai and is really a wonderful person to know around that city. he let us stay in his fortress and treated us very well, I had so much fun! My visa was running low though so we had to journy to Laos

The buses in Laos are worse then Nepal, which i didnt think was possible. took us 12 hours on the first one, 2 hours on the second where we got our Visas sorted and arrived into Venten (sp?)the capital. We decided to take a van straight to Vang Vien and met some really lovely english people on the trip over. arrived in vang vien after almost 20 hours of travel and we were tired! Vang Vien is allot of fun though a serious tourist trap, family guy and friends play at all the restaurants and its pretty funny to walk past a packed place where no one is talking at all and they just staring stoned at the tv.. The attracting in the town it Tubing, where you rent a inner tube and float down the river. there are bars all along the river and they throw you lines and pull you in. basically you get shitface and sit in dirty water. Its pretty amazing. They have zip lines and trapeeze and water slids at all the bars and its really fun to go off huge platforms and bellyflop in the river. i went on one zip line that just had a stop at the end which you shoudl let go before you reach it, i didnt know this hit the stop and it flung me into a sumersalt to land flat on my back in the water. hurt! The next day we took a sleeper bus to 4000 islands, not the best plan travel wise but i learned how to plan better in the future. another 14 hours on a bus but at least this one had a bed, a very small bed i shared with wade. We arrived in Pakse in the morning and was directed to another bus station where we had to take a long tuk tuk filled with rice, pots and locals for 4 hours to the dock. transportation is really very trying here. took a boat to Don det and had a great time chilling in hammocks by the river and bike riding around the island for a few days. We then headed back up north ( the bad travel planning) on more awful buses, stopping in tom somthing to see a huge cave. The cave has a river going through it and runs for 2km, it was really beautiful but not as creepy as the guidebook claimed. Checked out huge stalamites ect. then a short 5 hour bus trip back to capital where we stayed for a day. It had fantastic food, pizza, bread, cheese, wine! the french colonized laos for a while so they have some good food. Then up to Luang Prabang, the "pearl of the orient" which i dont think was worth the 12 hour bus ride wich for some reason was so much worse then the other ones.

A bit on the buses here and then ill let it rest. One we were in a local bus stopped every 10 min for no reason at all, they then filled the asile and lower part with bags of sugar and rice. i was thankful it wasnt livestock.. a second one was totally filled with no seats, so they took plastic stool and had people sit all along the asile! i had a guy pretty much sleeping in my lap taking up my arm rest while the ac dripped wateron my face and people vomited up front into bags they just stuck in the asile. 12 hours of this through the night. think i got about 30 min sleep...

Got a little bit of infection on my leg but should be fine with some hydrogen peroxide and antiseptic. got some really narley bites on my back as well they look like some sort of rash thing. I need to remember to take care of myself here, i think i am resilient to everything and there are some dangers here.

Wade wishes to "convey to the public" that the cokeacola here is much sweeter then home... He is struggleing to find the positive in all situations and i think he might be taking a early flight home. Asia is a little too unorganized for his standards and he thinks he is catching every diease in the sun. travel can be really shocking to the system and the mind.

Im going to head to Vietnam soon and not sure he is going to join me. Im excited to see the war museam, i hear its really intense but educational. people tell me the people there are agressive but the country to beautiful and its worth seeing. I might tell them in Canadian...

I'm going to Burrma

I am out of time here in Thailand so I must go to do elongate my stay for yet another 15 days. I booked a bus but it is without AC and it's a 6 hour trip. The bus was really quite empty when I choose my seat so who knows how I will fit. I will get to Mae Sai ten minutes after nine. I will then find a tut tut to take me over the boarder to Burma. I have yet to decide if I will stay the night in burma but there is a chance that I will. It will be an something new and terrifying. I rode in a tut tut get to the bus station. I was accompanied by an entire family, father, mother, older son, and baby. It seemed quite sketch to not have the baby in a car seat as we sped along the worn uneven pavement. I had my eyes closed and the tut tut driver told me that if we get stopped by one of the many of the authorities just hand them 200 baht and we can go along our way. Fortunately we did not get stopped because I didn't have two hundreds to pass to a corrupt police.

Off I Go. What will it be like in Burma.

What a wonderful first day at Massage School, i recoment Sunshine School of massage if anyones in Cahing Mai and have a couple weeks to learn a great skill. Our teachers name is Mint and she is adorable yet fierce. My other classmates are fun and great to talk to. There are four of us in total. A man from Southern France, Portugal and a woman from Germany. all of them have many stories to share and travels under there belts. Today we learnd feet and energy maridian of the legs. It takes some getting used to and is hard! I am always reminded to keep my back straight because you can get sore after awhile and you have the most power that way. I changed to a guest house that is really very nice for around the same price of the hostel and much closer to the school. I have a fridge and lost of shelves, it will be my home for the next two weeks and it feels great to be able to unpack and have some space. Its strange but i am still scared of the dark a little ( i know im old) i feel so much better walking by myself on the street or encountering strangers then i do sometimes trying to fall asleep. Guess thats a silly fear that wont go away with the chagne of a country! Easter came and went and I had bearly an idea! i wonder if Haloween and the Holiday season will be the same.. prob not, ill set up a little banna tree in my room in Neapl.

Wade went with Ryan to Pai and I know they are having an amazig time, he will have his own adventured to tell soon enough!

Happy Easter!

Thailand(BKK) Chaing Mai

Alright, so i met Wade at the skytrain after some miscommunication but we found each other. he wasn't able to get a Thai phone so i pretty much have him on a leash ;) Because of Songcran (the thi New Year water festival) all the hostels were full. So we drank and snuck me into his where we did some moving around and I was able to find a bed. It was a dutch hostel so everyone spoke mostly dutch ut knew english and spoke for our and our Canidan friend, Shaine's, benifit. they taught us some card drinking games that Im excited to bring home. Similar to kings cup but a little better and way less nasty. The next day we took a sleeper train to Chaing Mai. the train didn't leave until 6pm so we hug out in the station allot and avoided the streets. The Water festival is pretty much the biggest water fight in the world. every one runs around with super soakers and hoses and just sprays EVERYONE. sticks mud on your face and gets drunk. We wern't to down to be soaked on the train so we hid. I thought that I would arrive with enough time to catch the last days as everyone said it went through the weekend. I missed it however and im really bummed. Looked like loads of fun. People were spraying monks and little kids would do drive by shooting on the back of motorcycles. SO cute ut got a little old after you just get dry. the sleep train was rad, a bed that folds down and was very cozy, though a little pricy and i think we will opt for the less expensive and wayy less luxorious bus option when we go elsewhere.
Arrived in Chaing Mai around7 am a toal of 14 hours on the train. We booked a hostel online and it turns out its pretty much the best thing in Cahing Mai. A Little Bird Guest House is filled with awesome travelers with wonderful stories. its a great place to meet people and plan other trips. Hearing all the stories from others just makes me want to travel more. I dont think i ever want to come home!
Wade is having a time adjusting, though i have so much faith that he will rise to the challenge once he gets a handle on things in a week or two. Traveling is deff harder for some people then others, i used to think that everyone should do it (and they should!) but some i think get used to the experience faster. Its super crazing not being able to speak the language, and even just the street food is an out of wold experience in itself. You have to watch where you step as to not get run over and people will try to take advantage of you as much as possible. Im used to this a little because i lived in SF for a tad bit and cities dont scare me as much.
WE went Bunge Jumping yesterday which was awesome. 50 Meters which i think translates to around 160+ feet. you stand on this little platform with a rope straped around your legs and you just have to trust it'll catch you. It was pretty funny seeing huge british guys take 5 min at the top to get the balls to go. Honestly thats so much harder then if you just do it and dont't think as much. Once you get in your head its allot harder to talk yourself into it. You stomech just flip flops when you jump and the ground get closer then the bunge sets in and back up you go! Then you just kinda bounce around for a little bit till they decide to take you down.
Meeting loads of awesoem people. I start Massage school on Monday, so im sure exactly what Wade will do till them. Our friend Ryan is renting a motor bike and going to Pai. Whcih is a smaller version of Cahing Mai and a mekka of amazing travelers. I think it will be very good for him to take off for a bit and learn how to navigate by himself and with someone that isn't me. We will need to do a visa run soon and i hop i can fit it into the weekend i have off with School.
keep me in mind for a massage when i get back, ill have to work my ass off to make South America happen after a few months of being home. I can't image being in the states for a long period of time right now!

Cheers!

Kate: playing catch up!

Well its been awhile and i have done and experienced much since first arriving in Kathmandu.  The trek was amazing, as any group journies there were up and downs but mostly ups. WE hicked for 6 days, climing to 15000 ft ultimately.  It rained allot and there were pleanty of leeches to make me a little crazy.  It was actully perfect hiking weather as heat makes everything way more difficult.  Besides the rain and hail, which was only in small amounts, i had a great time and bonded with some really incredible people. Gram was deff the one i chilled with the most. a a16year old from Minnisoda who knows whats up.  He kept me sane as most of the group was much older.  though Sarah was pretty bad ass as well.  After the trek we traveled to Phukaharat to chill with hot showers for a night, that came as a relief! then off to Lumbini where we saw Buddahas birth place.  It was super touristy and i got sick of temples after 6 hours of getting on a bus getting off, hearing the story and buddahs birth, taking photos, seeing gold shit and getting back on the bus to do it all over again. Got a little over whelming. My hgh light was seeing some super cute Nepali childern tryin to break dance and showing them a few (super rusty!) moves.  they were impressed none-the less. Its been so long im trying to remember all that we did!
We traveled to a small village that is apart of a non-profit that is towards a better future in Neapl. Basically makes sure they are clean and provides medical assistance. What a huge welcom we recieved! Got off the bus and was met by a parade and was given the red dots on our heads as sign of celebration and respect. We had a good old dance party then stayed the night with a local village family.  The story of our family was kind of sad.  five daughters and a wife were abandoned by there father how went to Kathmandu to get re-married and now has 4 sons.  There were still photos of him in the house in his police uniform. PIG! The dsughter has originally wanted to be a nurse but now with there financial situation she will prob just have to get married. on the up side they had super cute baby goats.
Then we traveled to Chitwan where we stayed at Takurs (our fathiful guide and friend) house for lunch.  Then off to see Everest Learning Acadamy, the shcool i will be teaching at for 6 months after Thailand.  I can teach the kids theater and art and help the teachers with English. IM SO EXCITED! Nepali children are so cute and very respectful.  They clamor at learning because its such a privlidge.  I will tell more about the school and my wonderful Nepali family im staying with when i return there.

We went a safari in Chitwan and saw  a rino that almost charged us!  They are very territorial, stupid, blind, and dangerous! Im glad our guides knew what to do to scare it off or we might have been impailed. 
blah blah blah went bak to Kathmandu blah said good bye to sister and parents
Traveled BACK to Chitwan, an 8 hour drive,  with Dr. T to be trained a little and check out the school more. Met my wonderful host family, Ananda and his wife Pramilla are around my age, Ama and Grandma, and Joti, Takurs nice who is studying at ELA and staying there.  They are all super lovely and i cant wait to live and love them. joti taught me some new games and we drawed together.

Went to look at a property with Dr. T he wants to build an orphanage on, really long off road journy that almost made me car sick and was not good for his bad back.  (a tuk tuk driver stole Mayraves camers, shes blind and from israel and super bad ass, so he found they guy and shook him to get it back but hurt his back :() SO then i went to Thailand to meet wade. Which i am too tired to blog about now.  we have been in Chaing Mai for about a week and start massage shcool on monday.

CHEERS

A China Town Night

They had some wild music going on and I still don't know what to think.

BTW... Those people where sitting in a busy street... Note the empty chair on the left.

How I miss California Pedestrian Laws.

Welcome to China Town.

Crazed as ever.

So neat I just don't know what to do.

Best chinese food ever and for only about 100 baht.

It sort of reminds me of the disny land castle.

I'm told there is a solid gold Buddaha in there somewhere.

I was confused too.

Trucks, Water, Golden Arches.

Touring temples in Kathmandu

Forgive my not remembering the names of all the sights, its late and i dont want to disturb any one. Tomorrow we wake up at 5:30 for a 6 hour bus ride to the beginning of our trail. We then hike 4-5 hours and end up at our first village where we will have a celebration with the locals. Im excited about this trip. its put together by locals and Dr. T who support eco-tourism. We learned about the organization that is responsible for building and bringing health care, education, development tools and cultural enrichment to over 1000 villages! I still have allot to work out what exactly they do but Im looking into volunteering at a school for 3-6 months maybe after thailand if i can figure out the travle situation..

SO today we visited three hold sights. The first was one of the more famous shiva temples in Nepal and also a old empire of sorts, with a palace and other gold stuff. We got to see an art school that does traditional Nepal art which, names escapes me, that tells the stories of Buddha and the paths to enlightenment. It takes 12 years to become a master working for 7-10 hours 6 days a week. They use brushes that have one to five hairs in them and a master painting can take months to years! they were beautiful and i was ready for them to leave me there. During lunch we witnessed a rally for the return of Maoism (sp?) aka communism. It was so strange to see red flags with the hammer and sycle and people shouting. I suppose growing up in America there is no way i could be unbiased but i think we are taught to distrust and even hate communism. Im also reading a book on Soviet Russia which is very depressing and made me even more skeptical. ALso saw pottery making.

The second holy site was where thy cremate the bodies of the dead then throw the ash into the holy river which connects to the Ganges (SP? holy river in India) Pretty powerful yet a little strange to breath the "BBQ" as Dr T said of humans. The river is so dirty! I cant believe how much trash is thrown into a holy place! Its a matter of awarenessi suppose. ten years ago they threw banana peels and nothing happen so why is plastic different? they are not raised to think about next generation or health when its all they can do to survive today. The bodies are burned in order of caste system, the further up the river the higher caste you are. In 2008 ( i think..) one of the princes went crazy and shot 13 members of the royal family, his siters wife father everyone.. Many believe it was a conspiracy but its claimed he had unrequited love. They burned them all at once and was a huge day of morning for Nepal.

Next the largest Stupa in Nepal and maybe the world. a stupa is an upsidedown bowl shaped building thats solid inside with some decoration on the top. surrounded by prayer wheels its a Buddhist temple. I led Mayrav, the bind isralie women joining us for the trek, around a bit and got to experience through her different senses besides sight. She is so brave to be treking in the Mountains and traveling by herself I am so excited to see how our relationship develops and how she adds to the trek. Well im tried and how to pack, hopefully more info coming soon if i can find internet.

Next was

Chiang Mai, Thailand. Katmandu, Nepal

Had a wonderful last night in Cambodia, though got in a little trouble with the parents since I might have mentioned id be back by midnight and didnt return till 3 or so.. dad went out looking for me convinced that I had been stolen or raped. Really i was just hammered hanging out with British people.. Went back to Thailand the next day with a all too early wake up call. Arrived in chang Mai around 5 with my sister and her boyfriend, james, joining us. I was really glad to have some people my own age again, although couple vacations are always fun to be a 3rd wheel on. Christinas birthay, 17th Sy Patricks day, was the next day so we headed out to some "expensive" (by thai standards) spa about an hour out side of Chang Mai close to Chang May the next morning. Spent too very slow yet relaxing days there. Although the weather was the coldest thai people had ever seen. Rain rain rain, about 50 degrees i needed a sweater! Had a wonderful thia massage and relaxed watchin tv while the wind howled and rain poured. Christina and James took of the next day for Krabi (south thailand) to do some snorkleing while we enjoyed a break in the rain with a wonderful outdoor market that came to the spa. I met some really nice artists there and one let e sketch him. It felt so good getting back into drawing, I forgot how much i love portraits and used many bright colors. Ill try to get a picture of the drawing up soon. Headed back to Chang Mai the next day where I got my OWN ROOM at the guest house we were staying at, first time all trip and boy was i stoked to have my own space. There was a wonderful little bar that I stopped by because I knew it would be cheap. Its basically a little shack and I got some really great sketches of locals, everyone was so curious and encouraging! I was right about the cheap part, 45 bht ( a dollar 15 about) for a large beer (a 40 basically). Tourist places it can be as much as 80! and only bhat for rice whiskey which tasted like herbal tea but was very effective. There I met all sorts of awesome people. John has been teachin english for 12 years all around the world and has spent 4 of them in Thailand so he gave me all sorts of useful info on visas and programs i can get involved in if i wanted to stay a year or 2. My dad joined me for a few beers here every night and it was really awesome being able to bond with him, he enjoyed the company as well and i rarely see my dad drink so to chill with him was great without my moms every judging eyes. We went to the night market before the bar on the first evening and thats the cheapest place to buy stuff in all of thiland i think! I was able to resist though as I will be back in Chang Mai for at leat a month and need to save my money and space till the end of the trip. We went zip lining across the jungle the next day and met these wonderful girls from Holland, I was proud my parents came and had a good time at there age. 22 platforms and 54 zip lines we had a great time and wonderful guides who kept us entertained. I think Charlie liked me, he kept singing to me and making sure i would go with him at the end of the line. Thai guys are funny. The next day we rode eleplants, which was pretty amazing yet very slow. They are such amazing beasts who can be so gentle buti wonder why they take our crap with tusks that size! Road down the river on bamboo rafts next and had a swell time water fighting and goofing off, i got mom pretty wet! They were setting up for thai new year (april 15th) the Water Festival where everyone runs around with supersokers and buckets to drench each other and have a good time. Just dont open your mouth! after rafter we took a short walk to a small village where we got to see women weaving all sorts of beautiful scarves. Took them about three days yet sold them for 150 bhat (4.50us)! bought one and Im not sure if i can part with it to give as a gift or not. Headed back to Chiang Mai where i got my hair dyed a little and chilled with the homeboys. It was great, after the first day every one knew my name and i felt like i was in with the locals, so much more fun when they joke and tease you then being the annoying tourist.

Left for Bangkok early the next day where we stayed for a night met up with christina and james again then off to Kathmandu, spent the first half of the day shopping at the wonderful markets. I really like Nepal, so far everyone has been lovely and super nice, though could just be because im a cute smiling girl. They still try to sell you stuff but not as aggressively as thailand where i have had women physically restrain me before. They have every kind of northface knock of you could find and all sorts of beautiful clothing thats handmade of course! Held off buying the first day even though every shop i saw i wanted 10 things! I met a nice local boy yesterday who works at his uncles shop, Robin is his name and he took me to a small clothing factory where i saw the tiny sewing machines and the women at work. Such cute kids as well! I am going to stay for a week after the trek in a small village teaching english to orphan children and I am so excited! I love playing game with kids and they are so boggled by everything foreign like my piercings and blue eyes. Had an early night to catch up from Chang Mai but think I might go to a Ragee bar with Robin tonight. Already been offered hashish three times and might cave today. I have detoxed nicely where I get hungry and can almost sleep at night but i still miss a joint. I guess it grows wild in the Mountains so ill pick some and let it dry on my back pack. The rest of the trek group get in today and tomorrow and Im excited to meet everyone. Its all women except for Dor T, my dad and James but thats alright. Im a little worried about my physical condition but if my 67 yr old dad can do it so can I! Been having many dreams about the people at home and you are all in my heart and on my thoughts, sending you many blessings!

Oh and I looked into going to art school here and maybe teaching english, i would love to bunk up in a small village in the mountains for 6 months to a year. Dont expect me home in july!

Last night was pretty fun, went out with my tuk tuk driver and his friend to a local place. ended up paying for everything.. surprise but i learned some cambodian and was back by one. They were nice and creepy isnt the right word but theres something about westerns that can attract the wrong idea. Though they were both gentelmen there isnt much we could discuss besides the usual, language and culture and my hangover got in the way. Managed to get up by 7 and we were off to the temples! Saw the tomb raider temple, which means i have to see the movie now. Took a million pictures which ill have up when i get a computer that works. more temples all day. the highlight was the end of the day when we went to the floating market, i just like boats.. There were children in washtubs with boa constrictors that demanded a dollar if you looked at them. I swear if i hear one dollar one more time ill snap.. The lake is run by the Vietnamese which makes no sense becasue its in Cambodia, but they manage to pay off the police so no Cambodian can fish or own a boat without paying the Vietnamese. The people are not as nice as the cambodians and were less gracious. I dont know if its just because there out of there country but i have a feeling i would like it allot less then here. The internet cafe is closing..

Well its been a little bit..

Allot has happened and I will try to remember as best i can. The night I last posted was real fun, saw some live bands, got super drunk and danced all night. Somehoe made it back to the hotel at 4 in the morning.. WE journyed down to Krabi next, its a province in southern thailand where all the island and beaches are. Arrived at the hotel which was so remote it took an hour to get anywhere. I had a little bit of a hard time there being stuck with my parents and all, the beach wasn't crowded however though it wasn't white sand and crystal water. The first day I took a lobng walk and found so many shells! the long cylender spiral ones, and just when i was saying what fantastic earing they would make they started crawling around my hand.. Still carabs in them! Freaked me out and I didnt end up taking anywith me but Im sure there will be other chances to find shells. Took a couple hour kayak ride which i didnt wear sunscreen for,bad idea! I was in quite a bit of pain for the next few days.
The next day we took a day excursion to the town of Krabi where there are white beaches and fairly clear water, so crowded though! The shopping was great but i managed to not buy anything amazingly. Met this funny thai guy who wanted to take me out but he was just a littele creepy so i wasnt down.
WE arranged to take a speedboat tour the next day, ot to visit three island. The first has beach camping and Im interested in going back there with wade, though jungle camping is allot different! Snakes and noises i have no idea what animal would make. Then pff to phi phi island, which is one fo the most famous places of thailand, Paradise! too bad everyone else knew about it, the beaches were really crowded and Im glad we didnt stay there. These funny asian dudes all wanted to take a picture with me. Its happened a few times where someone will gesture with there camera and i think they want me to take a photo of them then they put there arms around me and throw up a peace sign, i think its the short haired white girl thing.. or maybe im just super hot and famous.. tee hee. Got to snorkel twice in some of the best snorkleing places in the world! clear beautiful water with all sorts of fishies. we fed them bread which was fun but also terrifying cause it turned into a crazy freenzy and then some of the larger ones would come and they have teeth.. Saw some really cute monkeys on the way back the road had about 50 of em just chillin, they were in power lines and running around. little baby monkeys!
The next day we went to emerald pool and hot springs. the pool was pretty and kind of cool but basically just a swiming pool with sand.. The hot springs were awesome though! this little creek with naturally made lounging chairs in the rocks and a 103 degree water! great for the skin though it hurt my sunburn at first. started the peeling process much faster and now i look like a lizard..
Now im in CAMBODIA! and i love it, i really would like to come back so wade if we have issues with the visa thing we can always take a week or so to go to Siam Reip and then go back to thailand. Yesterday was our first day here and I think i kinda blew it with the parental units.. Ciggretts are $.40 and alcohol is really cheap as well so i got HAMMERED last night.. WEnt to a buffet with traditional cambodian dancing which was beautiful then ditched the rents and hit up pub road.. The tuktuk driver sold me some of the shittest pot ill ever smoke for $15. I dont care though, totally worth it. As soon as the tuk tuk stopped these guys yelled hello at me and I gave an enthuastic WORD UP back. We became super great friends immediately and I ended up hanging out with all night. The three stooges we called out selves.. Got a couple o buckets of whisky and red bull to start then hit up the fish feet tanks. basically tanks of fish that you put your feet in and they eat all the dead skin, oh man did it tickle!I was freaking out the whole time and just squeezed johans hand. worth it though, my feet are smooth and gorgeous today! well except for the peeling.. I was dancing on tables all night and had a really fantastic time, though i didnt get back till around three or four and didnt have a key so i was banging on the hotel door. my memory isnt very clear of the event but im pretty sure dad was pissed.. Missed the 8:30 wake up call, surprise. Found life around 11:30 but I guess parents didnt really see fit to take me to angkor wat so i found a nice tuk tuk driver to. The sun was very difficult and I deff puked a little at the ruins.. But I still LOVED the temples, all these amazing carvings just pulsing with ancient bad ass energy. It was like being at machu pitchu (sp?) where I could just imagine the life style of the people that once lived and worshiped there. the heat go to me eventually and i headed back to the hotel for a nap. I liked being on my own allot, got to go my own pace and wasn't asking a million silly questions. On pub st again, though i dont think im going to be dancing on tables tonight Im gonna try to find the canadian boys and have a beer or four..

Been in Bangkok for two days now.. Please forgive my spelling and grammer, im a little drunk. arrived at 7in the morning yesterday after a long 20 hr flight, with complementry alcohol!!! I cant get over the fact i can walk into any bar and order a drink, gona be hard to go back to US 21+ bullsiht. In fact i may never return.. Im in shoppers paridise! anything i could ever want for half the price i could ever get in the US. went to the largest mall in SE asia and found a super cute rave slut gold swim suit and awesome pants, all for under 10 bucks each! I know i can find way better deals later on and dont have space to carry shit but couldnt resist just the same. If anyone wants cheap designer shit let me know and ill get you an awesome watch or gucchi bag and you can pay me back if its over 500 bhat ($15). Today we went on a tour through four temples and i saw about a gazzilion buddahas! One was a 5 1/2 ton solid GOLD statue with pearls and emeralds for the eyes.. He looked beautifully amused, like he knew everyone was adorning him yet he didnt give a shit and it was all a huge joke. Got a great sketch. We also saw the palace with the emerald buddah temple. the buddah itself was made of jade and fairly small, but the layers of gold, rubys, other statues, and sparkles left my mind totally boggled. the most beautifully crafted thing i have ever seen by far. people live so simply yet in such a foreign way i can bearly wrap my mind around what im expericeing.. Like today I took a motocycle taxi to the pier and road a boat to Koah Sang Rd. They call Bangkok the Vience of the east because of its cannals that run through the city. There just as nasty as Vience (prob more so..) and i sawkids swimming in it today! The class difference is so extreame its a trip. People live in shacks, yet there are hotels that are giant! Everyhting is so green and the language is beautiful but so difficult, i cant even remeber how to say hello. I met an awesome cue brit at Koh Sang today. we shared a few beers and then a bucket of whisky and red bull..Went to help him have a suit fitted, so cheap and i love picking out boys clothing.. Now Im at his hostle using the internet, am excited to see where the night brings me. Am told i can see girls shooting ping pong balls outta there pussies into shot glasses.. Pretty stoked, not gonna lie. Pictures of temples will be up as soon as i can figure out how to use this fukin technology. Wade: your gonna freak the fuck out when you see the random computer crap they have for sale in the most janky yet legit way possible. also, dont pack that much, youll wanne buy everything here. Going to a flea market or sorts tomorrow. hope i dont blow all my money immediately, already was acosted by every basket seller possible today. i swear they can smell a sucker...

We're not in Thailand yet...

Thanks to the magic of technology Kate and I will be able to stay in touch with our American roots. This will be our portal to communicate with friends and family about our adventures abroad. We plan on learning thai massage, working on organic farms and avoiding arrest. Kate is arriving in country before me and we plan on meeting in Bangkok around the tenth of Api. So keep your internet ears tuned for our posts. We will be uploading all sorts of content to share our experiences and are looking forward to getting feedback from our western counter parts.