Bangkok, Thailand

Less than 24 hours in Bangkok and I feel like everything I own is covered in a layer of sweat. Imagine New York City in August, only much more humid and smelly. But this makes it sound like I don't like Bangkok....I kinda do. I think. I know I like the food. My first meal in Bangkok was pad thai from a street vendor. It was very good and cost 20 baht, or about 50 cents. I'm staying in the traveler's ghetto of Khao San Road right now and it's really fun to walk through the street -I've heard people hate it here but I'm weird in that I think it's funny when tuk tuk drivers call out "Hey nice lady, where you go? where you want to go? i take you there!" So I should love the rest of southeast asia right? I stayed in the Novotel airport hotel the first night because my flight got in late and it was probably the nicest hotel I have ever stayed at...huge comfy bed, enormous bath tub, a phone in the bathroom?! Okay this internet cafe connection sucks so I have to go now. i miss my family and friends a lot right now, i think people should meet me at the beach in thailand pronto.

Whirinaki Rain Forest New Zealand

I'm actually in Christchurch awaiting my flight to Bangkok, not Whirinaki, but I liked this photo. Taken in the middle of a five hour hike through the rainforest, I look pretty happy here but I was really sick with that sinus infection at the time.

Happy Easter! It's Easter Monday in New Zealand and hardly any shops are open. I went to Christchurch Cathedral last night for Easter Mass and listened to some gorgeous music. I also celebrated by eating five Cadbury creme eggs. Except they don't just have regular creme eggs here...they have caramel, peppermint, and regular creme. mmm. on a related note, I have gained 4 kilos in 2 months!! that's a lot! i'm just going to say it's all muscle because I have been shouldering a 10 kilo pack and hiking quite a bit for the last few weeks.

Tomorrow I fly to Bangkok and I'm staying in a *gasp* hotel! I can't say how thrilled I am to know that I'll actually be able to afford hotels in Asia, rather than 6 person dorm beds. I enjoy hanging out in hostels but as the world's lightest sleeper, I've been having trouble sleeping at night when at least one person out of six in the room snores. I'm looking forward to the food in Bangkok too, but I am quite anxious about the culture shock. We'll see how it goes....xoxo.

Mt. Cook National Park, New Zealand

things i have been doing for the past four weeks in new zealand:

-eating enough peanut butter, hummus, cheese, and bread to last me a lifetime. seriously this has been my daily diet for weeks now. no complaining though, because i love all of those things.
-zipping through the north and south islands and totally falling in love with the country
-hiking and camping through some of the most beautiful scenery in the world
-climbing mountains
-being really tired every night from climbing said mountains

i'm in mt cook national park and tomorrow i will hike to a hut and sleep there for the night. so i'm off to pack now. buenas noches!