Well well, back again
Friday, September 12th, 2008Bangkok truly is the port to everywhere. I have arrived here for the 4th time, awaiting my flight to Singapore on the day after tomorrow. Every time it’s different, but it’s always chaotic and hot.I have mixed feelings about leaving Thailand. I’ve loved every part of my journey here, though some places more than others; Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pai, Koh Tao, and Ko Samui. My first stay in Bangkok was by far my best. I stayed with my friend Cindy’s generous relatives and got an insider’s view of the capital. Her relatives went so out of their way to make me comfortable that I feel truly priveleged to have stayed with them! Tomorrow we are meeting up once again.
Chiang Mai, the capital of the north, is a very cool city with a lot of history. I ended up staying there for longer than planned due to a package that needed to arrive and the fact that I got sick. The guesthouse I stayed at was owned by a joyful English-Thai couple who went above and beyond to help me recover- giving me free juice and water, hailing down taxis to drive me to the clinic, letting me use the AC for free, and providing comforting company. When my shower heater didn’t work, they even let me go into their personal room for a hot shower! I really liked Chiang Mai and all the activities I did there- bike riding, culinary classes, temple visiting.
Pai was alright; I mainly went there to ride on an elephant. And it was worth the journey- we went on a 2 hour bareback trek through the jungle and then played in the river.
Koh Tao was definitely my favorite place. I spent a good 2 1/2 weeks there, earning my Open Water and Advanced scuba certifications. Ko Samui lags far behind Koh Tao when it comes to peace and beauty in my honest opinion. Maybe it was just the area I was staying in that wasn’t so grand, but the taxi rides to get around the island are so expensive that I didn’t look elsewhere.
Next up: Singapore, Western Australia, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco… and then hopefully Sweden to visit my relatives. Christmas break will be from December 8th to January 2nd, and then Tanzania for volunteering at a Massae girl’s school. Now I am about to embark on a more expensive journey. Singapore and Australia are pricey compared to China, Laos, and Thailand. I hope my budgeting skills are up for the challenge. Wish me luck!
afretheim