Bangkok:

A twisting concoction of roads with no apparent organization. None of the payphones work. Children walk the street in search of customers to sell flowers and handicrafts to as legless men tug my pants for change. The whole experience draws both pity and inspiration.

Carmella, Isabelle and I took a trip Saturday morning via bus to Bangkok where we met up with their friend who just departed Nepal from a treking expedition.

Bangkok Tuk-tuk ride

 Khausan Street, a local hotspot for backpackers, was like a fairyland as we turned off of the typical Bangkok street of Thais and urbanization and overall unknown. Suddenly, everyone was white. And hippies. And drunk. A fun time ensued.



Khauson Road



At 5:40 in the morning, as I initially wrote this, the street was still lively as ever. A white haired thai man danced enthusiastically through the window in front of me, for example. Street vendors sold delicious food and beer was served from curbside coolers 24/7. Music bled from abundant speakers morning, noon, and night. Even Sunday. The epitome of a party lifestyle. Damn Europeans.

"The Spot"

So I just got back from a lovely bike ride around Ayutthya with some fellow yanks, Isabel and Carmella; thankfully it didn't take too long to aclimate to the left-side driving, just have to watch out for speeding elephants.

Now we are sitting in a golden coffee shop that we found yesterday, sipping blueberry-cantelope milk shakes and talking life. This place has officially become "the spot". It's very comforting and reminds me of home (plus, free wifi).

Buddhist Temple in Ayutthaya

 

Stray dogs

pushy hounds

smiling nods

"pretty ladies"

whirring bikes

i can't read anything!

The English teacher we met today was at about at level 1 English level. Apparently all teachers here study pshycology in University, not their subject matter. 1/10 school personnel I met today spoke (shakey) English and the program is a bit spontaneous and random but the kids are crazy about white people. They didn't stop waving to us the entire 15 minutes we were standing in the hallway and giggled like mad if we said hello. Hopefully their enthusiasm will stay strong for learning English.

Tomorrow we will find a nice Thai restaraunt for Thanksgiving then Bangkok this weekend.

Traveling Rambling

Worst part about traveling?... the physical travel.
I HATE AIRPORTS, I HATE AIRPORTS, I HATE AIRPORTS!!!

 

• Big Black Crow in a Palm Tree? Only in LA.
• Asian Airline stewardists are so freaking cute!! Their uniforms are way better than US Airlines and they all have these adorable little mini pink hats =)
• And now I'm trying to get approval to observe students for my research project and there are so many consent forms and guidlines and quizzes and rules ... Nuremburg Code ... thanks a lot Nazis.

 

Flying in Rain
I've never seen this before!
Clouds as tall as skyscrapers,
dense and white as snow.
Can the pilot even see?
Intermittent charcoal,
swirling cyclone rains,
puffs of white on the brink
of disipation. Like
sky horses galloping, miles from the horizon;
cloud watching, from the sky.

 

Decent through the blizzard seems to take forever,
Spots of pink from the fresh hot blood
of my unblinking, starring eyes
Trying to pierce the slate of solid white
Find orientation in anything
Then windows frost and droplets streak
horizonatally across the pane
and brother droplets hover, beyond the glass, like snow.

 

It isn't even raining!
Once we finally submerge.
But storms in cities miles away are
dreary, heavy, dark

 

Now in the dry dying airport,
distant rains subside
and mountain ranges
peek on through
temptation in the mist

Top 10 Things to ...

Look Forward to:
1) Angkor Wat
2) finding a tiger!!
3) and monkeys
4) SCUBA
5) Buddhism and enlightenment
6) yoga
7) accepting and embracing a carnivorous change in diet
8) telling my host family all about Ohio and the other wonderful places I've been .. and giving them their presents
9) coming home on New Year's Eve
10) no cell phone!! and overall minimal technology use
  
Remember:
1) avoid getting mugged by foolishly adorable children
2) don't eat at Pizza Hut
3) beautiful family & friends at home awaiting my return
5) write a poem everyday
6) souvenirs! =)
7) don't step on a landmine
8) don't get Japanese Encephalitis
9) postcards!
10) take 1 1/2 tons of pictures!

Post No. 1

3.5 days until I board for Thailand! I should really stop thinking about it and finish studying for finals already, first things first. I'm starting to load up on garlic pills and tea tree everything (soap, deodorant, toothpaste) to fight them nasty skeeters sure to love my foreign blood. Talking to some experienced Southeast Asian travelers has gotten me really excited and calmed my nerves a bit, although it won't really hit me until I'm in the air.

Focus: finals, vegan thanksgiving, tree planting, finals, Harry Potter, Thailand ... in that order. Okay, go!