So many wats, so little time

 Sorry I'm so behind on posting! It's hard to find any free time to write because there's so much to see and do. Chiang Mai was incredible and I can see why we met so many Americans who just came to visit and decided to stay forever. It's been my favorite place thus far and I'm so glad we decided to take the 12 hour journey to get there. Speaking of that journey, it was the bus ride from hell! 9 hours that turned into 12 with seats that didn't recline in the back row on the top story of a double decker bus while the air con vent poured water on us all night and the bus driver had some sort of issue driving in a straight line. It was ridiculous but epic at the same time. There's something about terrible situations while traveling that become completely comical and memorable because you're on an adventure. I took a picture of the bathroom on the stop we made on the bus because it was so horrible I had to share it. Turns out this was pretty much every bathroom we've seen since...

 Chiang Mai is basically a much smaller, much better version of Bangkok. Its like the SF to California's LA. There were Wats, or temples, everywhere. It reminded me of the churches in Venice. There's one on every corner. They're so beautiful it's hard to get used to seeing them right off of a busy street with motorbikes flying by. Once you're inside you suddenly can't hear any outside noise. They're the most peaceful places I've ever been.

I'm exhausted so I'll update on the rest of Chiang Mai when I get some free time. We went on a 3 day trek through the jungle staying in local villages and showering in waterfalls. It was amazing! Now I'm in Koh Samui, an island in the south on the east side and tomorrow we leave for Krabi, which is almost directly across on the west side. Here's a little peek at Chiang Mai until then.

 Peace!

Bangkok

I have arrived! After over 24 hours of travel I made it to Bangkok. It's been quite an adventure so far. I wasn't able to sleep on the plane so I'm feeling a little delirious but too excited to sleep! I always heard the people are friendly here but they really are the nicest people I've ever encountered. As soon as we got off the train to head into town we met a man from Chiang Mai who give us all the information we needed for the rest of our time in Thailand and a map to our guesthouse for nothing in return. He did it simply out of the goodness of his heart. We ended up booking the rest of our overnight travel for the month after we found out it's the holiday month here for college students. The overnight train to Chiang Mai was sold out so tomorrow night we're taking an overnight double decker bus up there...not too excited about that one. But I have to remember everything is an adventure over here! Here's a little something to leave you with...staying protected in our mosquito nets!

 

Countdown

The countdown has begun. In 57 hours I will be taking off on the greatest adventure of my life thus far! I'll be traveling with my cousin for a 3 month long trip to Southeast Asia. I'll be going to Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam & possibly China as well. I thought I'd start off the blog by noting 10 things I'm excited for on this trip & the things I'll miss while I'm away.

Looking forward to....
1. The simple life. No cell phone, no heels, no curling iron. It will be nice to get away from it all.
2. The beaches. I'm so excited to see the beautiful islands of Thailand. I'll be visiting Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Phuket, Phi Phi Le, and more!
3. The food. I can't wait to try all the different cuisines. I've heard so many great things about the food over there. From the $5 fresh lobsters to the unique street food, I will be in foodie heaven!
4. Volunteering. I'm especially excited to work with an orphanage in Cambodia. I'm so blessed to be able to go on this trip and I know how important it is to give back. It will not only be rewarding for the children I'll be around, but even more so for me.
5. The festivals. From the crazy full moon party in Koh Phangan to the Lantern festival in Hoi An, there will be lots to see and experience.
6. Nature. I love being outdoors and I'm looking forward to hiking, elephant rides & waterfalls.
7. The trains. I love getting to travel by train, especially in other countries. It's such a great way to see the countryside & how the locals live. Overnight trains are awesome because they save a hotel cost for the night & you get to do most of the traveling while asleep!
8. The people. The best way to get to know a country is to get to know the locals. It's also great to meet other travelers along the way.
9. The sights. Everything from Angkor Wat in Cambodia to the glittering skyline of Bangkok will be amazing.
10. No agenda. What I'm most excited about is getting to embrace my free spirit. No work or schedule to keep to. I'm going wherever the wind takes me and I can't wait to find out where that will be!

I'll miss....
1. The love of my life! It will be hard to be away from him for so long but we will keep in touch via FaceTime. We have been going 5 years strong and I know how sweet it will be when I get to see his face again.
2. My family! It will be hard not to see my parents for so long and I'll also miss my sister, especially since she's pregnant for the first time! We will FaceTime so I can see her growing belly and not long after I get back I'll be an Auntie!
3. The Superbowl. I'm bummed to be missing out on it this year but fortunately I dislike both teams. What I will miss is being able to watch it with my dad.
4. The food. Yes, I mentioned this on both lists. While I'm looking forward to trying new food, I will also miss my mom's amazing home cooking, along with my favorites: salads & Greek food.
5. My bed. I know that's a stupid thing to miss but after sleeping on hostel beds for 3 months I will be happy to get In a comfy bed again!

So I only came up with 5 things I'll miss, but my boyfriend and my family count for much more! I'm so excited for this trip and I know all those things will be waiting for me when I return. This will be a life changing experience and something I've always wanted to do. Next time you hear from me I'll be on the other side of the world!