Thailand Pt 2 & Cambodia

So it's been a week now since I touched down in Korea for possibly the last time..

Not only was I lucky enough to get to the beautiful country of Thailand, but I had the chance to go AGAIN. And on top of that.. fly over to Cambodia for 4 days. This time around I went with my friend Lloyd. We turned out to be great travel partners! Traveling with friends is always a gamble. Sometimes people can make the best friends but when you travel and are put into situations, problems can arise at how you both deal with everything. Well... by the end of the trip, Lloyd and I were able to communicate through our eyes and developed a type of joint intuition. Especially in these two countries where you need to be on your game at all times with the haggling and sketchy situations you are unwillingly put in.. I'd say we did pretty damn well! I mean we were smack in the middle of the first two days of Bangkok protests and came out in one piece right! Not funny? Ok..

Amar and Pop Bernie made a visit <3

Bangkok
I was able to do some of the things I didn't get to do last time, which was great! This included seeing Wat Arun- a beautiful older temple on the other side of the river, and taking an overnight train. The overnight train was quite the experience and I recommend it to any traveler who wants to save a few bucks and see the country side. Unfortunately we had the top bunks which had no windows so there was not a lot of "countryside watching" to be done.  I did my fair share of research on Trip Advisor before buying tickets at the train station. There are way too many scams that go on in this country and I wasn't about to get ripped off. It turned out to be way too easy.. we ignored all the random men trying to sell tickets around us and went right up to the counter.

We bought 2nd class A/C sleeper tickets to Surat Thani with a combined bus ticket to Krabi. So we stocked up on some nuggets (snacks), as Lloyd says and we were on our way! The 2nd class sleeper cars are open, meaning you don't have your own private cabin quarters. This is the more social option.. Unfortunately we had two Thai women beneath us, so there was not a lot of socializing that could be done. The younger people were a few cars down, including a bunch of German guys who came prepared with a huge cooler of ice with enough Chang and Singha to get them through the night/morning. There was a lot of rolling around in our tiny bunks but I slept surprisingly well. I got up to go to the bathroom once and the walk there was quite like a scene out of a horror movie. One of the train employees scared the shit out of me when I looked down and saw him lying passed out on top of extra sheets and pillows in the bathroom car. Other than that, I'm glad I got the experience in. It's one every traveler should really take part in.

Let me just say that it was only supposed to be a 2-hr bus ride to Krabi from the train station. No. When do things ever go right in SE Asia?? We arrived in Surat Thani, and it was a series of busses, waiting at sketchy taxi/bus stations, handing out of stickers to be put on our shirts, people ordering us where to go without any explanation. Ehh you just take out your kindle (keeping it close to you) and roll with it, because for all you know it could be 20 minutes until your next move or 2 hours..

Wat Arun 

Day 2 of Bangkok Protests

Krabi was gorgeous, just as I remembered it. We had wonderful food and too much sun (ha that's a joke! There can never be too much sun when you've spent the last 2 months living in below freezing weather.) I'll never get over those long-tail boats. Beautiful.

One of many tuk-tuk rides

AoNang Beach, Krabi

Ko Phi Phi
Three days later it was on to Ko Phi Phi. A quick 90 minute ferry over to the island and then it was a 15 minute trek along the beach to our hostel. (There are no cars on Phi Phi, only bicycles and rolly carts that you can hire to carry your luggage.)

So as we're walking along the beach on Dahlam Bay, lined with bars, bars, and more bars.. I'm beginning to notice the sense that I'm back at college. Now we knew our hostel had a bar, which most hostels do.. but we did not know that this hostel was ACTUALLY the bar. Now, me and Lloyd didn't party this vacation.. I guess I feel like I could have.. but didn't really have an urge to like the past. This island just put everything into perspective for me, and I actually had a hard time with it in the beginning. This hostel being the start of it.. We went to bed at around midnight that night, didn't pass out until about 5am.. I never want to hear the pounding of bass like that ever again in my life.. The first thing we said to each other when we woke up... "New accommodation?" After a few inquiries and a few roach spottings- we finally ended up with a lovely guesthouse, Garden Home (recommend it) on the other side of the island that was quieter and away from the constant drunken state of the Dahlam Bay side.

Don't get me wrong, we had a great time on Phi Phi. Soaked in the sun, enjoyed mojitos before noon, swam in crystal clear water.. but this part of the vacation really made me realize how much I've grown up. The whole getting drunk 24/7 and wasting your money and memories on alcohol and stupid decisions is no longer what makes me happy. I'd rather spend my money on other things that really will give me memories to last me a lifetime. Don't get me wrong, I love a good drink and a good time, but to the point that some of these people were getting to.. it's too much for me now. I had a hard time with that when I was first realizing it, thinking I should be partying more and meeting more people, but I do that anyway. And why was I trying to force it? Forcing myself to go back to 18 years old, a freshman in college, drinking my days away? I don't find satisfaction in that anymore. The second we left that island, it hit me that that's okay. I AM growing up.  I still love a good time. That part of me will never leave. I can still down some shots and take over a dance floor, but things are just different now. I'm focused on the important things in my life now. I have a serious boyfriend whom I love dearly. I have a life to get back to in 4 weeks, and a life to say good bye to here.

Took a little morning hike up to Phi Phi Viewing Point. Gorgeous!

Finally did Dr. Fish... Weird stuff

By the time we got back to Krabi, we had about 5 hours until we needed to be at the airport. We were tired, hungry, irritated and just wanted to sit down and not be annoyed. That's the last thing we got. By this point we were beyond done with the haggling of Thailand. We didn't make it two steps out the doors of that ferry terminal before being bombarded by taxi drivers asking where we were going. After much ignoring and yelling, we took a seat and ordered some lunch from a sweet old woman. After being bitches to the taxi drivers who would not let us enjoy our meal, a kind taxi driver came over with a map and sat down with us. Unlike the rest, actually wanted to help us, so we finally agreed on a price and hitched a ride with him into Krabi Town. He had agreed to come back 2 hours later to drive us to the airport. After some compromising on a deposit price, we spent a lovely afternoon at a corner bar drinking some Lipton. The man, to our surprise, had kept his word, and two hours later showed up in the exact spot he dropped us off at. We had lovely conversation on the way to the airport, learned he was going to Holland to visit his sister and her kids. I shook his hand and told him he was a good man. It was a lovely experience to end Thailand on after all the recent frustrations we had dealt with. A wise friend told me last night, after telling him this story, told me some of the best stories you take with you are these tiny ones that make a huge unexpected impact. Off to our quick red eye flight to Bangkok where we popped a squat on some seats and slept the night away, bags tightly secured around our wrists.



Siem Reap, Cambodia
With our lovely night's sleep (that's a lie) but it was worth us not having to pay for a hostel for 8 hours, we were off to The Kingdom of Cambodia!

Fast forward through the old wooden airport and Visa process that involved your passport being passed through a line of grumpy-looking old Cambodian men staring you down... we settled into our hostel and went out to explore Siem Reap!

Now let me just begin with saying.. I had researched and found out that they use both Cambodian Riel and US Dollars in this country. So we decided last minute to just exchange what we had into Riel. VERY. BAD. DECISION.... Lesson learned. While Cambodians will accept their own currency, they really don't like to. EVERYWHERE uses USD. And I mean everywhere. So it wasn't too long before we were fed up with the calculations and exchanged yet again... into USD. We decided not to calculate how much money we had actually lost through this whole debacle.. because it was so worth it. It was definitely weird to be using my own currency again, but obviously familiar and pretty cool.

Let's talk Cambodian food.. because well, why not!?
Three dishes that I became obsessed with..

Khmer Amok: A coconut-based fish curry (I always got it with chicken instead of fish.) Coconut milk curry- enough said. YUM. (About $3)

Khmer Lok Lak: Marinated beef on a bed of fresh lettuce, cucumber, onion and tomato. A very simple dish, but soooooo good. (About $4)

Khmer Fresh Spring Rolls: At our favorite restaurant, a set of three cost $1. Fresh spring rolls are usually all the same to me, but I don't know, there was something about these that were out of this world.. maybe it was the delicious peanut sauce or the fact that they were $1. Both?

As you see from these prices.. things are extremely cheap in Cambodia. It took us a while to get used to it. Lloyd ordered a $4 steak one night. We enjoyed a 3-set course meal for $6.50 another night. Angkor Beer is 25 cents at most places. Our tuk-tuk driver we hired for Angkor Wat.. His pay for a 7-hr workday: $15.

We had a found a great, reliable, travel agency shop near Pub Street (the famous Western bar and restaurant street in Siem Reap.) Within 20 minutes, we had taken care of money exchange, setting up our Kompong Phluk Village tour, and taking care of our tickets to the Phare Cambodian Circus as well as Rosana, the lady boy cabaret show. It always feels good when you meet legit business owners in SE Asia, who are not trying to pull a fast one on you and rip you off. Sometimes it almost seems to good to be true.

The morning after we got to Siem Reap, we were up early to meet our tuk-tuk driver who was supposed to take us to Angkor Wat. This deal was made with our taxi-driver the previous day who had driven us to the hostel from the airport. After going back and forth about prices, he had agreed that at 9am one of his coworkers would be there to meet us. 10am and 3 cups of coffee later out on the patio, we gave up. Our hostel couldn't have been more accommodating and called one of their own tuk-tuk drivers. As I stated previously... $15 for this sweet man, named Pen to drive us around for 7 hours. Waiting in the heat until our touristy asses came back from each temple, ready and waiting with ice-cold water to drive us to the next one. The sweetest man.

Angkor Wat. WOW. Breathtaking. Lloyd and I had watched a documentary on it before we left, but he took in way more than me, for he quickly became my own personal tour guide, shooting fact after fact at me as we walked through.
Here's a few quick Wikipedia facts:

• A Buddhist temple complex
• It's the largest religious monument in the world
• Was built in the 12th century by King Suryavarman II and acted as his home and state temple.
• Angkor Wat is the most well-preserved temple at the site of Angkor.
• It appears on Cambodia's national flag and acts as a symbol almost everywhere in Cambodia.
  

The ruins were unbelievable. There's almost no where that is off-limits. You really do have to be careful walking around some areas because there is so much rubble and loose rock lying around. It's incredible how much of these temples have held throughout all these years. I had to stop a few times to just take it all in. The engraved walls that contained such intricate detail was remarkable. It's funny, but you have to remember that this was was not done by a factory. It took time, effort, and passion from the Khmer people.

tuk-tuk drivers waiting..

Fresh palm juice... not a fan

Was blessed by a monk

Another big temple within Angkor was Bayon. Well-known for it's massive stone faces engraved into the towers that make up the temple.

And one of the coolest temples for me: 
Ta Prohm. The trees grow out of the temples, exposing their enormous roots. It's quite the site. One of the largest trees is an ideal photo opportunity site, and we were surrounded by a comedy show of older Canadian/American accents. I'm talking 50-60 yr olds. I was actually overcome by quite an unexpected comfort standing next to them. I haven't been around older foreigners who speak my language. Not only that, but who are from my home country. (Thailand was full of Europeans and Asians.) A little unexplainable, but it was really nice to just be around this older population for a while. We got a few laughs out of them trying to work cameras for their family and friends.

Exploring the city of Angkor and all of it's temples was such an experience. Asian temples have started to grow into one. After time, they kind of become quite similar. I share this opinion with a lot of expats traveling and living in Asia. But the temples of Cambodia, the ruins put them in a league of their own. Such beauty in them.

Unfortunately that day brought on a huge rush of emotion. As we were eating lunch on the grounds of Angkor Wat, we had child after child come up to us, doing what they've been taken out of school to do. Begging for money, selling postcards, etc, mumbling, holding out their small, dirt-covered hands. Lingering. Some would leave after a simple, "No thank you." Most would stay. Not after two "no thank you's." Not after four.

We would resort to ignoring them and trying to focus on each other instead of the poor child next to us just doing what they've been told to do. It killed me. Especially the children who would linger there until you're ready to just grab them in a huge hug and take them away. I looked over to my left at one point and saw three kids playing jump rope. (Pictured left.)

Lloyd and I discussed, whether they get "play time" as a reward when they sell a certain amount of merchandise. Or maybe they have a designated time, like the equivalent of an adult's "lunch break" to play. To be a kid. To remember for a little bit that, oh yeah, I'm only 6 years old. Lloyd saw a boy laugh at another kid when he wasn't able to sell a foreigner something. I'll never forget this scene:

Later in the day at a temple, I saw two girls, no more than 5 years old, staring at the food that this Asian tour group was handing out to each other. Literally just staring. Not moving. (Pictured below)

Cambodian children surround Angkor. Their parents know that's where the income is. It's the major tourist attraction. They take their children out of school. They understand their innocence, and how that will affect us compared to a 40-year old coming up to us trying to sell a postcard.

Then you get the children on Pub Street, walking right into western restaurants because there's no law against that. Some wait for the second you're done with your meal, not letting you walk two feet into the street before coming right up to you and asking for something. Same goes for tuk-tuk drivers trying to get their own business. The second you grab your bag to leave the table, you're bombarded. Pub Street itself is so out of place on this city where poverty is everywhere you look. But you put a child in the middle of this street, wearing basically rags for clothing, shoeless, dirt-stricken skin, and your heart just breaks. Because all you really want to do is take them home for a shower, or give them a simple hug and tell them your life doesn't have to continue on like this. But all you can really do is say no thank you and walk away, because really.. where is that money going? Not directly to them I'm sure.

That night we went to the Phare Cambodian Circus. A circus, that works with Phare Ponleu Selpak, a non-profit, non-governmental association founded in 1994 by ex refugees and young Cambodians. They set up a school aimed to take in "street children", orphans, and trafficked children. The organization teaches circus skills, theater performance, music, and a range of visual arts. It was announced at the end of the show, that all of the performers we had just watched had recently graduated from the school, and was a major celebratory night for them. This show was absolutely amazing. As Lloyd said, they have almost nothing to work with. The few props they do have are put to use in ways that you can't imagine. Of course I connected to it on a whole other level because of my gymnastics background. The whole show was basically acrobatics. It was such a small venue so its was very intimate and you were with them the entire time. In the end.. I had a crazy idea to ask one of the girls to take a picture with me in a handstand.. yes.. this happened. And then the rest of the cast joined in. Lloyd has the pictures so I don't have them right now. These performers are tremendously talented. It works with a great cause and I recommend it to anyone visiting Siem Reap.


We also saw a Cabaret Show, called Rosana. Full lady-boy cast, which was definitely quite the experience. It was nothing like what we expected, but I'm not too sure what we expected in the first place.. They did a number for almost every Asian country. And then went on to do two numbers from the US, including a recent J-Lo song. I mean, wow. Wasn't my favorite part of the trip, but enjoyed it nonetheless.

Now for one of the last things we did.. Kompong Phluk.This is an isolated floating village on Tonle Sap Lake, about an hour tuk-tuk drive outside of Siem Reap. Wow. Wow. Wow. Like nothing I've ever seen before. We had our own private boat with a driver who spoke barely one word to us, but through smiles we expressed our gratitude at the end of the tour. We were on that boat sailing through the village for probably a little under 30 minutes before we made our first stop. During that entire time, Lloyd and I did not speak one word to each other. We were so engulfed in what was going on around us. What our eyes were taking in. Unreal. Again, I had to remind myself a few times that this was not a show being put on for us. This is a self-sustaining village with people who have close to nothing, and they are as happy as can be. Almost every child I saw was laughing, smiling, waving at us, some were pushing their friends in the water.

Most were naked or barely clothed. All the adults and older children were doing some kind of manual labor. Working on their house, working on their boats, pulling up nets out of the water, etc. Everyone had a job to do. Their houses were extraordinary  The way they are built, the way they are sustained, the way some are bare, but how others are decorated in some small way. It was quite amazing. Lloyd and I said the same thing as we left... we would love nothing more than to spend a few days in that village. Forgetting everything we know, living the way they do, experiencing what it's like to not have anything of what we're used to. It was an unreal experience. This is something that everyone needs to see. We thought the city of Siem Reap opened our eyes... this was on a whole new level.

I am so grateful for this vacation. Cambodia has become that country that holds a special little place in my heart. It holds such warm, kind, hardworking people. And my hope is that these children will one day find that there is more out there, get back to school, and seek opportunities to make a change in their lives..

                    
  

I made it.. Thailand!

So I made it! The beautiful country of Thailand! And it was everything that I imagined it to be and more.

My nerves were running wild as I arrived at BKK airport. I couldn't believe I had finally made it to the country that was calling my name for the last three years. I had to get to DMX Airport as I was flying Air Asia up to Chiang Mai, so I went the cheap route and took a shuttle bus to a bus terminal and then another hour-long bus ride to DMX. Fun fact: I was nervous I would miss the stop, so as soon as I saw the airport I got off at the next stop. Little did I know I should have stayed on the bus for about three more stops. So yes, I was only in Bangkok about 2 hours and I, a 23 year old foreign girl, was walking alone on a major highway at 2:30am. All good! I eventually made it to the airport where I was met by sleeping travelers spread out on benches, propped up against walls, earphones in, and noses peeking out of blankets. I quickly realized that the gates didn't open until 4am, so I found myself a nice little table at the only open coffee shop in the place, took out my kindle, and kicked back.


Two hours later, I spotted my mom and Susan walking towards my gate and it was, as you can imagine, a joyous reunion. The stories couldn't come out fast enough as they had spent the previous two days in Bangkok. They experienced a floating market, language barriers, delicious food, and the usual frustrations and joys that come with traveling in Asia. We got our Starbucks and we were off to Chiang Mai for the next 4 days!

Chiang Mai:
Wow, what a city! Northern Thailand is gorgeous. The mountains, the people, the laid back atmosphere... it was just beautiful. We stayed at Diva Guesthouse, who couldn't be more helpful. I recommend them to anyone visiting Chiang Mai. They set every activity up for us, no problem.

Monestary

One of these included the famous Tiger Kingdom. Yes, we were able to hang out with massive, wild, cats who are capable of taking a chunk out of your body. We also played with the little guys, who I actually found scarier.. they were little balls of energy.

Cooking Class:
We partook in a cooking class, where I made pad see ew, panang curry (pictured below), and Thailand's famous dessert- sticky rice with mango. My mom and Susan made massaman curry, coconut milk, and a spicy chicken basil dish. Our teacher, a young Thai woman around my age, was hysterical and really made the day. We took a visit to the market and their local garden, where we learned about the different ingredients we would be cooking with.

One thing I noticed about Thai cooking compared to Korean, is that there is so much more variety health wise. In particular, Korea douses all of their fermented and raw veggies with red pepper sauce. Thailand works with a variety of sauces. Korea uses white rice. Thailand has a HUGE variety, and our teacher was explaining how most cooking is done with brown rice or the expensive white rice, for cheap white rice is very unhealthy. The Thai people have this knowledge and use it. Korean people must know, they just choose to stick to their traditional cheap white rice. Anyway, the cooking class was loads of fun, and had us laughing and joking all day. We were in need of a good laugh after our crazy trek, which I'll get to soon...

Mom going to town on that curry

Sticky rice with mango

Night Bazaar and Saturday Night Market:
Markets, markets, and more markets! Now, living in Asia and experiencing Korea, Japan and Taiwan already- I was used to markets. But boy is Thailand unlike any other. NEVER ENDINGGGGGG. I mean really, it was beyond overwhelming. But you get my mom and I together.. it's like we have a Mary Poppins wallet, where money just keeps producing itself. We couldn't buy enough. Yes, we were in our own little heaven. Keeping in mind that I still had Bangkok and Krabi ahead of me, I did hold back a bit. (Yeah who am I kidding, that's a lie.)

Khantoke (Traditional Dance & Dinner):
Tourist Trap? Yes. But a necessary one I think. Though the food wasn't fabulous, the dances and performances were very entertaining. The young Thai girls were stunning in their traditional dresses, and the little children performing traditional games and dances couldn't be cuter. The hot Thai men and their sword dancing didn't hurt either.

Elephant Riding and a Two-Day Trek to a Karen Village:
Chiang Mai is known for two very big things: Elephants and Trekking. We did both! Riding elephants- I mean hell yeah! No pondering that one. I had two major reasons for deciding to do this particular trek. 1. Trekking to a village overnight-stay was on the itinerary for my ISV trip three years ago. 2. When I travel, I like to treat myself, be a typical tourist, but I also like to see the REAL country. I like to see its people in their own environment going about their typical day. I like to experience all of that. So I have made it a point everywhere I've traveled so far since being out here, to go in search of that. You usually don't have to go too far. Just off the beaten path. Get yourself out of the tourist traps, the markets, the hagglers, and go for a walk. This trek was one of the toughest, physically and mentally challenging things I have done thus far in my life. I would tie it with the 5-hour glacier hike up New Zealand's Franz Josef Glacier. This trek tested my physical abilities, my awareness, my trust in others, but most of all trust and confidence in myself.

We started the two days off with a visit to Maevong Elephant Camp. We were there for about 5 hours. We fed them, learned how to talk to them using Mahout language. We practiced mounting, riding, and dismounting them. Then it was off to the river! Some of us, like myself, and a few Dutch guys my age got our own elephants. My mom and Susan were together. I admit now, I was scared shitless to be by myself but so ready for it! Now a lot of tourists when they come to Thailand will sit on the big seat strapped onto the elephant's back. When I signed up for this trek/elephant package I knew right away I didn't want to do it that way. I wanted to be bareback on this massive animal. I wanted to do it the real way. I wanted adventure and authentic experiences.

So as we all mounted our elephants, we began our journey through the jungle, up small cliffs, down narrow pathways, down to a river. Of course our elephants were hungry along the way, so they would stop every so often and pull massive bamboo branches off of trees, up out of the ground, and chomp away. I'll never forget the vision of one of the Dutch guys ahead of me, holding on for dear life as his elephant was standing on its hind legs, front legs against a tree pulling at bamboo. But the real sight that will stay with me forever, is the one of me turning around to see my mom and Susan on their elephant, mountains and bamboo trees as the backdrop, half freaked out half laughing, having the absolute time of their lives. It was an unreal picture and an unreal feeling; one that I cannot possibly fully explain to anyone. But I am so grateful to have that picture forever with me. When we arrived at the river, we were able to bathe and play with the elephants. The baby who was walking along its mother the entire way down, was hysterical in that water! 

The mahouts called it a "submarine," because it would roll around under the water sending waves knocking us over. So funny! As soon as we got into that river, there were no longer 9 adults and 2 children in our group.. there were now 11 children. You know when you're experiencing something so fun, so lax, so different than what you're used to.. you kind of turn into a kid again. The laughs were endless and the smiles were contagious. I remember looking over at my mom and Susan pouring water over their elephant, laughing and smiling, all worries and stress- gone. I looked over at the French family and thought, they were bonding over an experience that was making their family unit stronger by the minute. 

And the group of 4 guys- well they were just having a freakin great old time. Right before we left, Thomas decided we should jump onto each other's elephants. I hesitated for a few seconds there, but I was finally just like, 'MaryKate, you're in freaking Thailand on an ELEPHANT! Just do it!.' Sooooo, we stood up on our elephants, counted to three and jumped! And yes... I made it safely... just in case you were holding your breath there for a sec. Entire experience. Amazing.

Trek time!
So after having a delicious lunch prepared by the elephant camp family, we were off on our hike. Susan, my mom, myself, the French family (mom, dad, and their two beautiful children), and our 52-year old guide, Min. We hiked through the jungle, up steep cliffs, down even steeper cliffs, through gorgeous beyond gorgeous rice paddy fields, across rivers, and over single bamboo logs about the width of a balance beam (4 in.) over raging waterfalls. Did you hear that last one? Yeah. A single bamboo log. Holding onto a thin flimsy rope tied to a tree on either side, that swung about a foot if you didn't hold on tightly. When we saw what lay ahead of us, I think a few of our stomachs dropped. The rapids underneath us were raging as if they were waiting to take us in and swallow us whole. But we each conquered it like champs. One by one with our walking sticks in our left hands and our right hand holding onto that thing they called a rope (I would call it sewing thread) for dear life, we walked across this thing to safety. Halfway through I looked back at my mother conquering this thing, and I felt so much pride. I also had a tiny thought of what my next step would be if she fell in.. On that note, just as night fell, we finally arrived at Min's village. He is part of the Karen tribe. (They are most known for the women with the rings on their necks that push down their collarbones making their necks appear abnormally long and stretched out.) We met who we think was his wife, and some other family members. No shower; an in-ground squatter (eh no biggie after living 18 months in Asia); mosquito-net covered traditional Asian mattresses set on wooden planks. It was roughin-it to the core. And I loved every second of it. This is what I wanted out of this trip. I wanted to let go of everything I knew; I wanted a challenge; I wanted to see how these people live, eat, and spend their days. Well I got that alright! They cooked us a wonderful dinner (If I remember correctly- pumpkin curry, rice, and veggies.) YUM. We sat around the table with Min and his wife for hours playing games with tiny bamboo sticks, drinking delicious Thai whiskey from his water bottle, painting each other's faces with ash, and bonding over smiles, facial expressions, actions, and what little English and Thai we could all conjure up. These people don't have much. At all. But what they do have is making use of their resources in ways our society has forgotten how to do.

These stick games were so entertaining for them, and their joy and enthusiasm sparked it in us. I finally had to start rejecting the whiskey as it was getting to be too much, and we woke up the next day to the most breathtaking view. We arrived the night before so we weren't able to get the whole feel of the place. We had coffee, delicious coconut tea, pineapple (of course) eggs, toast, (3 pieces. Did my mom and I eat all three? Hell yes we did. Yeah our usual clean eating habits were thrown out the window from the second our planes landed in this country) butter, and jam. Breakfast of champions. We started off on our hike back down through the jungle, stopping at a waterfall for a short break along the way. After about 4 hours, we made it to a road. Hallelujah! A man picked us up and drove us back to the elephant camp where we were fed a scrumptious lunch and we were back off to our hostel to take... what was that?? SHOWERS! I washed off the dirty backpacker feel and looked like a girl again.

The French boy painting my mom's face with ash. He loved this. Clearly.

Loved these tea kettles

Woman making tablecloths

Min and the French girl

This was our transportation to and from the start and end of our trek.

Get it mom!!

These kids were so great! Yes, I am holding a cat. I was also having mini heart attacks every 7 seconds.

Getting to that point of exhaustion.

Bamboo Rafting:
This was also included in our trekking/elephant package. It was quite the beautiful little ride. We had a young Thai man with bamboo as oars and we sat back on this long, well-built, bamboo raft. At one point I was looking behind me talking to my mom and she said, "Mer, look!" And she pointed her finger in front of me. Just as I turned around I saw an elephant with a mahout on its back just casually walking across the river in front of our raft. Because ya know, that's normal... But it was. I mean, wow. I'm pretty sure my jaw dropped. If someone snapped a picture, we would be on the front of a postcard.

I was so intrigued at the way they made these rafts

Hung out with these folks and could not figure out for the life of me the rules of the game. But, the baby was cute!

Krabi/Ko Phi Phi:

We were now off to the magical world of Southern Thailand. The islands! Krabi! I would finally meet up with my friends, Leandi and Suzanne, and Suzanne's friend Delene from home. After some unwanted sprinting to airport gates and a long bus ride to our resort, we had arrived. We stayed at Aonang All Seasons Resort. Highly recommend it.

We were in a movie. We were in paradise. And it simply didn't feel real. (Yes, I took this picture to the right. Unreal.) Now I'm not privileged enough to go on yearly trips to the Bahamas, Hawaii, and/or Central America. The last time I saw waters this blue was when I was about 14 on a cruise to the U.S. Virgin Islands. My mom and I agreed, as we were both in Antigua at separate times- as beautiful as that was, it didn't compare to what were staring at in Krabi. This. Was. Paradise. We had a lovely beach-side seafood lunch where I almost died of hot flashes and sweating from my spicy ass crab dish. The two of them, as you could imagine, had a grand old time cracking jokes at me. You know something is spicy when I willingly order a side of white sticky rice. MaryKate- ordering white rice. Yep.

We quickly figured out how to buy a ticket for a long-tail boat that took us over to Railay Beach. (Not more than a 10 minute ride.) I was so happy to be reunited with my friends and to  hear all about their adventures in Malaysia. I received a foot scrub on the beach by a kind old Thai woman, sipped on a cocktail, did some handstands, got wrinkled in the water, and allowed myself time to take in everything I was experiencing in these moments.

Of course we can't go anywhere without my mom putting her medical degree to good use. There was an unconcious 14-year old girl who was found by a couple German men, lying face down in the sand with waves crashing over her. They resuscitated her and it wasn't until a little while later when we actually noticed what was going on, that I had asked one man if they needed someone with medical background. His worried expression and voice when he said "yes," was all I needed. I ran and ushered my mom out of the water. She ran over to them, and at that point there wasn't much she could really do because her pulse had returned and they were just waiting for a doctor from the main island to arrive. It was an unnerving situation because we didn't know the entire story, and if those men didn't find her when they did, who knows how long she would've been laying there for. The doctor wound up showing up 20 minutes later, giving her an IV on the beach, and lifting her onto a long-tail boat (yeah no speed boat). It was quite a scene. Unfortunately we weren't able to get an update, but prayed that she was able to get some help.

I have one beautiful mother.

Crack up every time I look at this picture

The next day we were up early for a full-day of island hopping through the Pi Pi islands. Ko Phi Phi. Wow. Pictures will just never do justice when it comes to sights like these. But I'm glad I had people to share them with. We snorkeled, learned about the 2004 Tsunami, and to top it off traveled back to Krabi through a legit tornado. There were a few times there I thought I was flying off the side of that boat. Comforting.

When we arrived back, my mom and I spent a lovely hour together on the beach with a cup of coffee and some delicious coconut almond cookies form a local bakery. Time finally slowed down and we were able to get some alone time to talk and catch up. Being on vacation sometimes distances you in ways from the people you're with, because everything is so novel and exciting and you're all busy snapping pictures trying to take it all in. It's so important to put that camera and phone away, grab some treats and get back in touch with who you're spending this time with. I can't say it enough, I love my mother for taking this step and making it possible for her to once again, meet me on the other side of the world. This vacation was so good for her. She deserved every single second of it.

We had some amazing food in Krabi. To name a few, gourmet pizzas, grilled salmon, decadent Thai curries. Of course by the time I got to Krabi, I had had my fair share of curries and Thai dishes, that I was craving some good western dishes that I had been denied for the last six months in Korea.

Bangkok:
Well it was off to the 'City of Angels.' The backpacker capital of the world. The city where people wake up with missing digits and tigers in their bathrooms... Yes. We had arrived in BANGKOK. It was also time to say goodbye to my mother and Susan, but not before we went to the infamous Khao San Rd. I sure did some damage there.

I mean how couldn't I when jewelry was 20 baht a pop ($0.62) And dresses were 180 baht (just over $5.) I continued to indulge in my new addiction to pineapple. Yes, I had recently come to develop the taste buds for this juicy fruit. GOOD. THING. I had at least 3-4 servings a day in Thailand. When you get half of a cut-up pineapple in little baggies for 20 baht, how could I not go back every hour for more? Oh and I guess I should admit- it was in Bangkok where I had my very first Hawaiian Pizza. Come on now. Don't judge. I said goodbye to my mom and Susan that night. Cried like a baby. Yes. Not as much as when I left her at the airport in February, but still.. I think the doorman thought we had some separation-anxiety issues.

View of Wat Arun form the city boat.

Wat Pho (Reclining Buddha)

In the middle of it all! Khao San Rd

Now since I feel this blog is getting RIDICULOUSLY long, I'm now resorting to a list... Yeah yeah, you're welcome.

Adventures in Bangkok included but not limited to:
1. Sketchy tuk-tuk drivers bringing us to Indian-owned fabric stores in return for compensation.
2. Me fighting with said tuk-tuk driver, making sure his "5-minute search for fashion" condition did not turn into 10 minutes. 
3. The Grand Palace. Endless beauty. 
4. Making Korean Military friends./Them most-likely interpreting our extreme friendliness as flirting.
5. Photo bombing said Korean's pictures.  
6. Getting to the point of wanting nothing more to do with shopping and night markets. Yes, this happened. 
7. Going to see a movie in a Bangkok mall. (We were exhausted.)


8. Standing up for 'The King's Anthem' before said movie. What an unexpected cultural experience. Let me set this up for you: Everyone starts rising out of their seats. Me: looking around, heartbeat increasing, "Oh my god what's going on?!?!" Waiting for some kind of bomb to go off. Yeah, my paranoia was clearly set in motion. Cue 'King's Anthem'- a beautiful song, with a picture slideshow of the King interacting with his country's people. Had goosebumps by the end of it.
9. Clubbing with new French, American, and Canadian friends. Dancing the night away. Oh and finding an American-style diner for our 4am munchies. Perfection!
10. Curbside drinking with the interruptions of Thai children asking for money. (These children work for the Thai mafia, and their job is to go up to and sometimes harass foreigners, demanding money.) I'll never forget the one girl who kept coming back to our table. She was dancing around as if she was putting on a cute little show for us. Then would stop, pout, and look all sad in hopes that we would put money in her little bucket. My heart broke for them.
11. Met up with Mike, who showed me around his neighborhood, including getting lunch from his favorite papaya salad lady (Papaya salad, grilled chicken, and sticky rice = The Holy Trinity of Thai Cuisine.) We got everything but the rice- obviously. Delicious. Went on a public city boat and saw a whole other side of Bangkok.
12. Being the unfortunate victim of a sketchy Turkish man and his need to sit down next to me on a bench asking about who I am traveling with, when my flight out of Bangkok was, and using the exact words, "I am good man. You can trust me. I am good man." Thanks bud but all that encounter did for me was test my street smarts and rise my blood pressure to an all-time high. I didn't get sold into the sex-trade. I'm here. I'm good. And of course this would happen to me my very last day in Bangkok. Lovely. 
13. Met a wise man while buying fresh papaya from a street vendor, who talked mine and Mike's ear off about good vs. bad people in life and how we should all strive to be the best person we can be. These are the authentic experiences I crave when I travel, but the experiences you can't go in search for. They always come to you. And they are the most worth-while. They are the ones that stick with you. 
14. Sipping Starbucks with Suzanne on the steps outside a subway station, taking in the hustle and bustle of the city; the trucks pack-filled with Thai labor workers; old women on scooters; and foreign business men walking the streets. Chatting away about serious topics, including family, love, travel, and life.
15. Spending a day in the park with me, myself, and I. Devouring my last street meal: Papaya salad, grilled chicken, and fresh pineapple.
16. Discovered I have quite the talent for bargaining. Get me and Suzanne together, we'll get a tuk-tuk ride down to almost nothing.
17. An unfortunate case of Buddha Belly. Too much curry, pineapple, or plain exhaustion. Mayhaps all three?
18. Got my 4th tattoo. A piece of art that I have been thinking up for a long time now. Hurt a little like a biatch for it's directly on my ribs, but worth every bit. It's beautiful and I'm very happy with it

Yes. The 5 of us squeezed into one tuk-tuk. Anything to get the cost down!

This guy.

New Korean friends!

Beer break. Absolutely.

Grand Palace

Grand Palace 

Yeah we did!

Pineapple, pineapple, and more pineapple, oh and mango, and watermelon, and papaya, and.... you get it. 

Just so you don't forget who your Queen is. She was everywhere.

Loved the Bangkok Subway. Super easy

Yeah, that was interesting.. 

In love with this shot =)

There ya have it! Thailand in a nutshell. BAHAHAHAHAHA. Not. I know it was long, but i can't change. That's how I write, so you can deal with it.

How could I forget: Thai Massages for 180-250 baht ($5 - $7) Are you kidding!? Yeah it was amazing. Just beware though, if you don't like your limbs being pulled, your body being bent in half, and a Thai lady sitting on top of you rubbing out muscles and joints you didn't even know you had.. then this may not be for you. But please, it's an experience and you WILL feel like a million bucks when you're finished. These women are excellent at what they do and for $6, come on now. Not to mention, the sweetest human beings.

While I'm at it. Thai people- super super kind. Genuine. And ALWAYS smiling.

I'm sorry Orlando, but Thailand has half my heart. Always will. <3 WILL be returning one day.