CM to BKK

My break started alittle earlier than everyone else's.  I had to leave the country due to my visa running out.  Frankly this was okay with me, it gave me more time with friends and family and most importantly giving me more time to get my visa.

So my first leg of the trip:  Bangkok, a 12 hour train ride south from our little city.  I woke up early in the morning, rechecked that I had everything and headed to the train station.  I bid my farewells to Kelly and got settled down for my long ride.  
I was off.

  

Pondering and listening to music

Reading

The non-rhythmic, loud snorer behind me

The view



I was headed down to Bangkok to spend a couple of days with my friend, Crystal, before I flew out to the US. It was great to have that time with her. We went to college together back in the US about five years ago and I have been meaning to go down there for a while but with her college schedule and mine it just didn't work out.
Crystal took me on a small tour of some of the historical building in BKK.
There is the The Ananda Samakhom Throne Hall: Unfortunately, I wasn't able to go inside. We arrive 20 minutes late. Maybe next time.

The Abhisek Dusit Throne Hall

And the Vimanmek Mansion: world's largest golden teakwood mansion and I don't have any pictures of because I wasn't allowed but it was pretty cool. If I remember correctly Rama V had it built in the 1901. He lived there for years. Now it is on display. It actually has a section of the mansion that was hit by a bomb in WWII. That restored some of the it but left a small crater like dip in the floor that is still charred. Kind of cool. The house is huge and the wooden floors and layout of the place is really cool. I would have loved growing up in a house like that!
Some pictures from the grounds


A very large lizard!!!! He was probably 5 feet long

A very large sign of the King and Queen. He just recently celebrated his 80th birthday.


Now on Sunday we sure did have to travel to get to the church. From the apt we took two mopeds to the main road. From there we walked on the over-walk and waited for the two other girls. From there we took a taxi for a couple of miles. Then we stopped and hopped on a transit van and packed in. From there we went probably for 45 minutes. Then we walked a bit to another bus.

That bus we rode for another 45 minutes and then when we finally got off it was a 5 minute walk. Talk about a long commute. After church we had a chance to see just a fraction of Ayuthaya. It was the capitol in the mid 14th century and was so until the late 18th century.




The night before I left Crystal and some people she knew were having a costume Christmas party. The three of them dressed up as the wives to the three wise men. And I didn't have anything because I was flying the next day so I wore white and put glitter all over my face and arms. Come to find out I think we were only 4 or 7 people to dress up. In the pictures you don't really tell I have glitter on, I just look really sweaty!


Cute little Thai boy I was holding

Home Visit to Northwest Thailand

Lunch time and Nicole and I head out for our home visit. I began driving since the last half of the trip are hills and I haven't quite mastered a manual car on hills. In Hot, a city half way there, we stopped for a bathroom break.


I would like to point out this has been my first squatty since I have been here....rule of thumb I usually try to avoid public bathrooms.

Our first full day up there we went on a hike. There is a spring that comes out of the mountain but eventually the water covers everything in its path with lime stone. It was pretty cool! So we hiked up stream until we got to it.


I don't even know...?







This where we slept!  I am pretty sure I squished a bug that was on my face in the middle of the night.
So recently I have had some bowel problems!  Well it was the worst while we were there and one day I just pretty much stuck around the only Western toilet!  For those of you that don't know what that means....they only have one toilet like you think of a toilet and the rest were squat-ties!

(Side note: come to find out the reason why I have had problems is from all the antibiotics that I took from my infection that I had on my leg.  So that caused all the "good" bacteria in my system to vanish leaving me with bowel problems.  But not to worry, I am now on a diet of eating good bacteria.)

Second game in my entire life of badminton



Getting ready for Thanksgiving Dinner

for those of you that know me....this is my fake smile!

So we ended up leaving a day early becuz of my stomach.  But we had a good time there and it was such a beautiful drive!

minha casa

Mostly for my parents....but anyone else who is interested, this is what my house looks like there in Thailand. I had nothing to do with the decor inside...that would be my roommate Brookie (aka martha stewart)



our gardener does such a good job.  Some flowers from our cute little garden...




Living room

Kitchen...small but big enough for us three, though if we are all in there at the same time it can be a little cramped 

Yummy!

One of my most favorite things here in Thailand....

FRESH ORANGE JUICE! 

"Delicish"

It makes me smile and feel all warm inside!

(see dad I do drink orange juice!)

Soccer Tournament

As most of you know I helped with coaching the JV soccer girls. It was fun and too short but I am glad I was able to help out. I am so proud of them. Each one improved on their skills and stepped it up on the day of the tournament.

Early in the cold morning, we set off for a full day of playing.

pep talk



During other games, we sit and watch, talk, take some pictures, and eat.
AND WE WON!!!! After hours of playing hard the girls stood up to receive their medals.

I was really excited they won