Luang Prabang, Laos

I wrote a nice post on Laos but then the damn computer ate it and now I have to get off the internet, so all you get is:
Luang Prabang is beautiful
I saw water buffalo
I rented a bicycle
Tomorrow I will see 10,000 Buddha statues in caves
Maybe I will update more tomorrow. Stupid computer!

Pai, Thailand

The owner of my guesthouse said to me today, "Ha ha, you no wet today!" because every other time he's seen me, i've been soaking wet from little thai punks throwing buckets of water on me. songkran is finally over!! it does feel nice to get cool with the water, but 5 days of getting slammed was a bit much. last night i ate the best meal i've had in thailand so far: grilled pork in red curry with rice. this very nice american couple kept talking to me from their table, and usually i welcome company at meals, but this time i was just thinking "shut up and let me concentrate on my curry!"

My parents are going to kill me when they hear this but....I rented a motorbike today and drove through the mountains! and yes, i wore a helmet. i also stopped at every buddhist temple along the way and prayed for a safe trip. it was scary, because i'd never rode a motor bike before and wasn't sure i'd be able to hack it, but i did it! by the end of the trip (i drove for like 6 hours all around Pai) i was actually pretty good. i don't think i'll do it again any time soon but it really felt like an adventure. the mountains here are lovely but i think i'm visiting them in the wrong season because it is just so damn hot here. the ground is baked, the grass is fried, and everything -plants, animals, people- looks exhausted.

Bangkok, again

Back in my home base of Bangkok, but leaving tonight for Chiang Mai to celebrate the Thai New Year! It'll be an experience, I think....the Thai New Year, Songkran, is basically a festival that centers around dumping huge buckets of water on everyone. In particular, farangs (foreigners, in Thai). Oh well, at least the water will keep me cool. have to remember NOT to take camera or cell phone out during the festival.

I am now officially a certified scuba diver! I took a dive course in Koh Tao and it was scary and amazing! aaaand....I SWAM WITH SHARKS! black tip reef sharks, generally harmless to humans, but still how cool is that?

just got my hair cut for five bucks. it was suffering terribly after being in the sun and salt water for a week. the sun here is pretty ridiculous. on the beach i sat in the shade, reapplied spf 50 (50! i didn't even know they made it that high), and wore a t shirt and i'm a dark, dark brown color. i have to go eat lunch now and buy a plane ticket to laos. sawadeeka!

p.s. thanks to people for their emails, particularly aunt mary!! sorry i am really bad at not returning emails or sending post cards! i'm trying to get better.

Koh samui, thailand

imagine the most beautiful beach you have ever seen in your life: soft white sand, clear blue water, swaying palm trees, a few small fishing boats out in the distance. now imagine that that beach is saturated with built up bungalows and hotels. disappointing eh? ahhh tourism. hopefully my next island location, koh tao, will be a tad more remote. off for a massage now!