Flashback Friday: Thailand

I can't believe I haven't posted anything from our last month in Thailand. I don't know why I would blog about it now when I should be working on my application. Well, I'm drinking wine, feeling nostalgic and seriously longing for sun and beach and the days of zero responsibility. Also, I really need to get this stuff down before I forget it all.

So where did I leave off?

Anthony and I left Koh Samui and headed back to Bangkok to meet up with Scott and Sara. The four of us stayed on Khaosan Road for... maybe four nights? I can't quite remember. We stayed in the crappiest cheapest hotel we could find I think. And you know, it wasn't so bad. Except for the cockroaches. The first few days in Bangkok were pretty uneventful. We ate foods and drank Big Chang beers and shopped. Walked around a lot. Looked at tourists because everyone there was a tourist.

I think this picture kinda sums up out time there:

And this:

After a few days in Bangkok we took a bus + ferry to Koh Chang. Mr. Porn taxied us to the bus station and he was a really interesting guy. Mr. Porn talked about lady-boys and Scott and Anthony killing him. Then he said he would come back as a mosquito and haunt Scott. It was very hilarious and a little confusing?

While traveling we looked like this:

After the ferry we took a song-taew to our hotel, V.J. Ocean View (aka VJ Crackhouse), which by the way did not have a view of the ocean and was pretty far inland. And gross and scary. We only stayed one night. This was also the last night we stayed in two separate rooms. From this point on we only booked "family rooms" which is intended for, you know, families. Like two adults and two kids. 

Our "ocean view":

Early the next morning we left for Bailan Bay Resort (hotel 2 of 3 on Koh Chang)

Love that they had this romantic bed display waiting for us. 

Maybe I'll start blogging again?!

“If you run, you are a runner. It doesn't matter how fast or how far. It doesn't matter if today is your first day or if you've been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run.”

--John Bingham

Home

I'm home now.

It's kind of a bummer.

I have a lot of pictures of Thailand that I still need to post. Scott, Sara, Anthony and I had a lot of fun. Maybe too much fun. Anyway, I didn't have time to blog.

I'm just going to leave this picture here and I'll be back in a day or so to post more fun pictures and stories of our wacky antics.

 

 

 

 

 

Last day

 

 

We are leaving Koh Samui tomorrow and I'm slightly devastated. Only slightly because I know we will be going to another island before we head home. But basically tomorrow signifies the start of OUR LAST MONTH TRAVELING. I can't believe how fast these 5 (plus a little) months have gone. I can't believe I have to go home, back to reality. Can't I just travel forever?

Not that I'm dreading going home, really. I have been trying to focus on the things that I am excited to do when I get back. Like going my nephew Korben's second birthday party. I can't begin to describe how guilty I feel for missing an entire QUARTER of his life because I was traveling. I have a lot of cuddling to make up for. And my friiiieeeennds. My amazing friends who are so crazy and fun and who I love and they love me. What have I done without you guys for almost six months???? I dunno guys, but get ready because i am going to hug the shit out of you all. Speaking of hugging I can't wait to see my cats! To be honest, if it weren't for my cats and applying to medical school, I would not be coming home yet. But I have to hug my cats. And I have to apply to medical school. Actually, scratch that. I am really excited to apply to medical school. Well ok, I'm not excited about the application and writing my personal statement and flying to interviews etc. But this trip has really reaffirmed my interest in medicine. And more specifically, my interest in bringing quality healthcare to under served communities.

I am also really excited to go home and watch Netflix.

So anyway, one more month of travel and I am going to live it up. And did I mention our friends Scott and Sara are spending our last month in Thailand with us?! And they might be two of the funnest people I know. And that is saying something because all my friends are kinda amazing. But I'm not kidding, these people know how to have a good time. In fact, I'm SCARED of how much fun we are going to have. No really, I'm a little bit worried.

Oh yeah, and on our last day on this amazing island Anthony and I celebrated by getting THE WORST sunburns ever. And what makes this even worse is we were wearing tons of sunscreen but it's total bullshit fake sunscreen that doesn't even work and we paid like $15 for it and now I'll have to use it as stinky moisturizer or just give up and throw it away. It's not expired, it says SPF 30, I don't get it. I bet it's just mayonnaise. That must be it. I spent the afternoon with mayonnaise on my face and now I have a sunburn.

 

 

Koh Samui, Thailand

 

Things

Sorry but I have zero pictures to share.

I also have very few things to say at the moment. Leaving Vietnam was bitter/sweet. I was so sad to say goodbye to the children, knowing I'll never see them again or hear updates on their lives. I hope things go great for them. I hope they stay happy and safe and loved. I hope they all grow up to find their lives fulfilling. And leaving the friends I've made was also tough. But I know I'll be back. And luckily we were able to exchange contact information so I know I'll see them again. Hopefully I'll find a few months to come back between tricking a med school to accept me and actually starting classes. I think Vietnam is going to be one of those places I find myself visiting time and time again. I want to learn more Vietnamese. Maybe we can retire there some day. Seriously, I love Vietnam so so much. I hope someday I can go back as a doctor and do something to give back to the community that did so much for me. Someday.

And now we are in Thailand. On Koh Samui to be specific. And it's just everything it should be. I have absolutely no pictures because I'm too scared to take my camera to the beach and we go to the beach every day, so there's that. Every morning we have the same conversation: beach first or pool first? Such a tough life, I know. The only downside is this place is crawling with tourists. I miss being in a remote village where there were maybe a couple other non-Vietnamese people around. I also miss getting an amazing meal for under $2. Food is pricey here. But still, I ate papaya salad and a big bowl of tom yum soup for under $5 today at lunch.

What else? I dunno. I can only think of really obnoxious things to talk about. Like the amazing weather and my sun tan and the crystal clear waters. Oh! I have a sun burn, so it's not all perfect. I have sunburns in weird places. Like my left knee cap and my right butt cheek. No clue how that happened. And there is sand worked so deeply into all my clothes, they are never coming clean. I'll probably have to throw it all away when I get home.

Ok, I promise to take some pictures tomorrow. Because you guys have to see this place! It is so unreal. This is my first tropical island experience, so maybe I'm just blowing it all out of proportion, but I feel like I'm living in some dream land. Everything looks like a scene from The Beach (including my handsome tanned husband).

Anyway, I'll be back in a couple days with pictures.

 

(PS Mom and Dad, I promise I am wearing sunscreen)

Siiiick

I'm sick AGAIN. Luckily it's just a bad head cold/insanely sore throat. But still. I've been sick more days than not since coming to Vietnam. I think the combination of cold weather + snot-nosed children is bad for the immune system? Who'd have thought?! And really it's not that surprising because I seem to catch every single cold that everyone has always and forever. But it's really putting a damper on this trip. And the only comfort food around (because comfort food is essential when you're sick) is soup and I'm actually burnt out on soup. I know. I can't believe I said that. Please don't tell anyone.

What is the point of this post anyone? Oh yeah. This is actually the first time I have felt even remotely home-sick since we left! Like I want my cats and my own bed and maybe a pizza. But I think it will pass. Actually, just typing it out and really thinking about going home is making me change my mind. Yeah, never mind guys. I think what I really need is a hot beach and a cocktail maybe? I think I also need to stop writing blog posts when I've taken cold medicine. Here are some pictures.

 

This is a photo montage of a teacher laying out incense to dry. They make incense here! It's insanely cheap and now I have 200 sticks of incense.

 

 

 

 

 

Anthony hanging out with Son which Son cries. Son cries a lot but he's really sweet.

 

First sunny day in like over a month!! I almost look scared to go outside