I'll take you in my backpack

8/14/15 This has been the least structured day of the trip thus far. I was fretting about it at first, wondering what the hell I would do, wanting to capitalize on every second that I had here, feeling my Thailand vacation slipping through my fingers all too quickly. But, it's ok. It's ok to just walk around and see things at your leisure.  It enabled me to figure out some transportation to the night market (in Krabi Town...other side of Krabi) tonight and wouldn't you know there was a stand for mango shakes right next door, a fresh mango shake for breakfast, yum! I went to see about taking a long tail boat to some of the neighboring islands but I would have had to sit and wait until they had at least 6 people. I had zero interest in sitting there to wait and possible not be able to go, wasting all of that time.  Ao Nang is filled with the same tourist things. Tuk Tuks, suit makers, hair braiding, massage, and souvenirs. Same same as they say here!  ...

8/12/15 Today is the Queen's Birthday (a huge holiday in Thailand, Thai Mother's Day) As a result the tour I had tried to arrange (a highly reviewed one on TripAdvisor) was not running. Which worked out fine because yet again it was pouring, and flooding...which also changed my plans about renting a motorbike.  I was a bit lazy in the morning, couldn't get out of that comfy bed! I did however make plans for the Cambodia part of the trip, oh and booked the ferry for Phi Phi and Krabi since you know I'm going tomorrow lol! After that I was bound and determined to get to the Gibbon Rehabilitation Facility. The weather was dismal but I was super excited about seeing the gibbons, more importantly because this project works to rehabilitate them (I'll spare the gory details because it's horrific and as someone who is highly sensitive to stuff like that I wouldn't want to traumatized someone else) then release them back into the wild. They have had some ...

8/11/15 Upon packing my suitcase yet again (for the 5th time so far this trip) it has become clear that there are many things that I didn't need, but there is one item that I have nearly pitched at least twice, it's by far the dumbest thing I've packed, it takes up useful space (not much weight) and makes me laugh whenever I see it, what is it? My water bottle. When traveling to Thailand do not bring your water bottle with you, you can't drink the freaking water, nor would you want to, unless shitty (literally) water is your thing, then by all means pack away! So yes, as you can see, today is another travel day! I'm exhausted since I didn't get back until almost 10 last night (that's a late night for this early bird!). Up early trying to pack (aka: figure out what stuff can be packed together because it's nasty, and what stuff I don't want to touch said stuff, because it's 1. not nasty, or 2. clean-ish. I had to leave the hotel too early to...

8/9/15 This morning started out with breakfast at the hotel then a pick up at my hotel to head out on an all day adventure to the northern part of Thailand (to include Myanmar/Burma and Laos).  On the ride to the first stop (a hot spring), Natty, the tour guide was super informative about Thailand, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and all of the sites we would see. I learned something interesting about Buddhism that I didn't know, there are 5 rules: 1. No lying 2. No stealing 3. No cheating (one husband one wife, she didn't say anything about same sex marriage and I do wonder the Buddhist stance on this, I mean I would like to think they would be in support as long as no one is cheating (same as man/woman relationships) 4. No alcohol and 5. No killing (this one seemed obvious to me until she clarified that it meant no killing ANYTHING! No mosquito.). Committing just one of those things just one time will send you to hell. So, with that (and the thirty thousand Mosquitos I kille...

8/9/15 Didn't sleep well at all. So many ants. When I finally did get to sleep I was able to sleep until 7am. That's the latest I've slept to date. Definitely was looking forward to getting breakfast and getting into the city and to my hotel.  My final breakfast at the Chai Lai, I must say I've never eaten so much rice. The staff was so sweet and kind there I will definitely miss that personal and "home" feel that you don't get in larger hotels.  I took a songthaew from the Chai Lai into the city (Chiang Mai) to my next hotel (De Lanna). I was quite early so my room wasn't ready. I walked through the old town for a bit, had a delicious lemon soft serve to cool me off, then headed back to the hotel where I had hired a driver to take me to the Tiger Kingdom.  I was so reluctant to do this. On one hand I really wanted to see the Tigers (and hold the babies) but on the other hand I was super concerned about the well being and treatm...

8/6/15 I must have been exhausted, I slept in. To most people that's like 10 or 11, to me that's 5:45am! I was able to catch up on some of my online teaching stuff (which has normally been keeping me up super late at night!) and take it easy (rather than rush) to make it to breakfast, which again was delicious! Breakfast buffets can be hit or miss, usually they offer the same exact thing day in and day out. This one switches it up daily! I love that! After a nice relaxing breakfast it was time to pack up, check out, and head to the airport for my flight to Chiang Mai. To say that I was looking forward to this part of my trip was a huge understatement. I'm staying at an Elephant Reserve, where literally I can walk onto my balcony, enjoy a morning cup of coffee, and have elephants walking along, or bathing in the water. I may never leave. It's an eco hotel (that part may make me a little nervous...I'm an AC 4-5 star kind of gal, when I read about the rooms having ...

8/8/15 Sleep was nearly impossible with the various nature sounds. The roosters internal clocks are WAY off. The dogs on the property barked outside of my door in the middle of the night and kept me up, starting again very early in the morning. Then there are the eleventy billion bits I have on my body something on my foot I'm chalking up to ants or some kind of poisonous plant. All in all I think the relaxing lazy day is much needed! I had to switch rooms today from the riverview to one up in the elephant camp.  I went down for breakfast and just kind oflounged around for most of the morning. I crossed the crazy suspension bridge to the other side of the river and spent some time playing with a young elephant.  The Mahout even got him to give me a big kiss on the cheek with his trunk. Today was room switch day so I lounged around at the cafe (Internet has been down since last night) and read some on my iPad (kindle app).  I feel like I've exhausted the things to do here ...