Khao Yai -Day 2

You will notice that I spelled the name of the National Park differently in this post than in the last post. This is intentional. You see, in Thailand there is no official translation of Thai characters to the roman alphabet so there are numerous ways to spell things.

After a sleepless night the alarm finally sounded at 5:30. We dressed in preparation for a day of hiking and were out the door shortly after 6:00, on our way as the sun was rising, into the national park. We shared the road with several monks and a few women. The empty roads were a stark contrast to the backlog of cars on the roads the night before as people were coming from all over to enjoy a nice long weekend out of the city. As we arrived at the entrance we were prepared to pay our entrance fee but found that due to the celebration of the King's birthday the entry was free. Not bad.

We drove in and made our first stop at the salt licks which are supposed to be a favorite place for the local wildlife. We were hoping to find a heard of elephants there but were disappointed when we found nothing. It ended up that we were the attraction! A group of Thais asked if they could have their photo taken with us. We continued our drive to the visitor center and decided to begin our trek from there. As we got out of the car the sky was filled with noises. We didn't know if they were made by birds, monkeys or what but we decided it was a good sign that we would have lots to see on our hike.

We crossed a rickety bridge across a narrow river, holding our breath and trying to make ourselves as light as possible afraid if we stepped wrong we would fall through the rotting, wood planks. Making it safely to the other side the noises lulled us into the jungle on what we hopped would be a day full of wild animals from a safe distance. The vibrotic, high pitched calls were perplexing to me. What was making that noise?! Despite the attempts to look through the trees to find the source the jungle growth was too thick and the attempts were unsuccessful. I even climbed to the top of some scaffolding that had been placed for research purposes but still couldn't get a view of our music maker. We saw a wood pecker and knew he was not the the culprit and we saw a gorgeous, red breasted multi colored bird but nothing that could make such a big noise. So, we continued on our way, found the waterfall...meaning the water was falling off a 3 foot cliff, and then decided to delve a little further into the jungle on a trail indicating it was 8 kilometers. We looked our our map and saw that it lead to an area of 3 waterfalls and began down the path.

The calls continued to fill the air and we continued to be unsuccessful at finding the source. Then I heard movement and we stopped, again looking into the trees. I couldn't see well so I stepped off the path to try and get a better look. I saw something swinging from tree to tree...several somethings. I told my friend to come see the beautiful sight of monkeys swinging through the trees but the noise of the cracking branches under our feet scared them off and they were gone before she could see. My heart leapt with joy! What a beautiful sight!! We finally knew the source of the calls we were hearing.

A few more steps down the path I heard another noise. It was strange, almost like deep breathing...but not quite. I wondered if it was the breath of elephants as it sounded deep and made with great effort. We snuck forward to see what it could be but saw nothing. Then something large swooped among the tree tops. The jungle brush was so thick and I only saw the mysterious creature's shadow. Then I saw something on the ground leap through the bush and then heard a loud barking noise. I remembered that one of the animals advertised as native to the area was the barking deer. That was the only explanation I had for what we had just experienced. But there was still no answer to the swooshing in the tree tops and the heavy breathing. Then the noise came again and looking up we saw 2 huge nests. We realized that the breathing sound was not breathing at all but was the sound of a very large birds wings. Unable to get a clear view of the birds flying over their nest very aware of our presence directly underneath, we finally got a good enough view to see that the bird was a great hornbill, indeed a great bird! What a treat! We stayed around a bit longer to see if we could get a better view but the smell of bird poo was so intense and uncomfortable and the view so obscured by jungle growth that we decided not to hang around any longer.

Back on the path we walked and walked and walked sometimes finding the path obstructed by fallen trees and having to navigate around, through the growth and back to the path. We knew we were headed in the right direction as we followed the red paint occasionally marked on trees along the way. At times we wished we'd had a machete to chop our way through the dense vegetation. We came to a few places where we had to cross the river as well, sometimes it was narrow enough to cross on stones, other times it was walking across a fallen log. It was definitely a jungle experience! There were vines hanging everywhere and the temptation to pretend to be Tarzan was strong but avoided.

At about 10:30 we got to a point where we just couldn't figure out where to go. Trail led to a place where several trees had fallen and we were unable to crawl over so we tried to go around and meet up with the path again, as we had done before but the trail just seemed to end. There was no clear indication of where to go and the vegetation was so thick we really needed a machete to get through it, a clear indication that it wasn't the right direction. We back tracked to see if we had gone a wrong way, as the way was often obscure and overgrown and sometimes it was a guessing game which way to go. It seemed so clear that we were headed in the right direction but just couldn't figure out how to move forward. Again, we backtracked and this time we found signs we hadn't seen before but one had fallen from the tree and it wasn't clear which way the arrow should be pointing. The other sign had an arrow pointing into thick jungle brush that was impassable. It was decided that we should just turn around and go back to find a path to one of the other waterfalls. As we did this we found that, again, the path was obscure and we were unsure where we had come from. Nervous about leaving the path for too long we made short deviations to see where the path would continue but always found dead ends. Finally we decided to head west as that was the direction we eventually needed to go. Quickly we were able to find a trail and we followed it.

Again, we walked and walked and walked and felt confident we were on the right path as we continued to find occasional paint markings on the trees. The trail took us over more fallen logs, through more overgrowth and deeper into the jungle until we reached a cliff. We climbed down the cliff to a narrow river but there were, again, several fallen logs and it was unclear which path to take. We tried several routes but nothing seemed right. Frustrated what could we do but to turn back and try to find our way back to the car. By this time it was after 1 pm. I had packed some snacks for us along with a can of tuna and some crackers. This would be our lunch but we had to eat fast and get on our way if we were going to make it back to the car before nightfall.

I said a quick, heartfelt prayer that we would be able to find our way back safely and quickly but I didn't know how we would possibly be able to make it back before dark. We hadn't seen another living soul on the path other than the monkeys at the beginning. We started thinking that maybe paying the $100 for a guide wasn't such a crazy idea after all. The trail seemed so clearly marked when we begun but since the trails hadn't been kept up real well, it was hard to know where to go.

We started back at a much quicker pace than we had kept prior to this and made our way back through the jungle. You can imagine the relief in our hearts when we spotted a small group of hikers with a guide just in front of us. The guide in his broken English asked where we were going. We told him we were unable to find our way after the cliff so we were headed back. He looked concerned and indicated that we wouldn't make it back before dusk. I asked if we could follow them and they, of course, agreed. It turned out that the hikers were from Mexico and we were so pleased to be able to speak Spanish with them. They were so kind and it was such a relief to be with them...with a guide.

The guide led the way back along the path to the cliff, down the cliff, over the river by way of the fallen logs and up the steep side of the mountain on the other side. My friend and I looked at each other...there was no way we would have found our way!

Finally, we reached the waterfall and enjoyed the cool water and rested our weary feet. I got talking to one of the other trekkers who informed me that he had been told that the waterfall we were headed to originally was unreachable at the moment. I laughed and told him I could confirm that. After about 30 minutes we continued on to the next waterfall. Again, there was no way we would have found it on our own. We felt so lucky to have found this group.

Then we had to face our next obstacle. How to get back to our car. We decided the best option would be to hitchhike. We imagined there would be so many cars in the parking lot at the end of the trail that we could find someone to take us back. When we got to the parking lot we found that it was almost completely empty. It was only 4:00, where was everyone? We spotted a nice Japanese man and approached him. He spoke no Thai or English. Luckily the woman with him spoke Thai so I explained to her that our car was at the visitors center and asked if she could give us a ride. Sweetly she agreed, amazed that we had walked all that way! As we drove we realized how far we had really gone!!! And so thankful we didn't have to walk back to the car.

On our way out of the park we decided that on our next hike we would either take a machete or hire a guide.

I'm grateful for a loving God who listens and answers my prayers so directly and quickly.

Um, Yikes!

Ok, BRING IT ON!!

Kao Yai-Day 1

I know I still have to blog about my wonderful Thanksgiving in Malaysia but I've been so busy at work and my internet isn't working at home and I am not home when the apartment office is open so I haven't gotten to tell them it's not working...sigh. BUT...I'm not writing about Thanksgiving just yet. This weekend is the King's birthday and monday is a holiday so since I never get to go anywhere or see anything cool I decided to take the weekend and go on a little trip a few hours outside Bangkok to enjoy Thailand's oldest national park. I learned today that 18% of Thailand is protected land...impressive! The park I'm at is called Kao Yai. They say it takes 2 hours to drive here but my friend and I have a tendency to get completely lost! :-) We have a GPS and we print out directions but the roads are so unclear...or we are just so unfamiliar, that we always end up taking wrong turns which makes it difficult to then follow the directions we have printed out and then it takes about twice as long to get anywhere! But that's ok...we accept our disability and make the most of our time together. She made cinnamon rolls for the trip and we just laughed, ate cinnamon rolls, practiced recognizing Thai alphabet characters, listened to Christmas music and had a great time.

Eventually, we made it to the park. If you are Thai you get charged 40 Baht each to enter the park ($1.20), if you are a tourist you get charged 400 Baht each ($12) but since we live and

work in Thailand and since she has a Thai driver license somehow we fell in the middle and were charged 130Baht for both of us ($4).

Upon our entrance I announced that the first person to see a monkey wins...not indicating what the winner's prize would be. The drive into and around the park was beautiful! As we had climbed some altitude the weather cooled off and the leaves were actually changing color! We were experiencing fall! It was so wonderful! Leaves falling from trees, crisp air...I loved it! Not too far into the park I spotted several monkeys on the side of the road and declared myself the winner. As we drove by so slowly and stopped the car the monkeys would stand erect outside my window and look to see if I had anything yummy for them. As monkeys are not as kind and snuggly as they look I kept my window closed and enjoyed them from inside. With the exception of their strange red hind ends they were quite cute. Their eye lids looked to be dressed if freshly applied blue eyeshadow accented by red eyeliner. Very modern! I wondered if the look would work for me.

We passed giant salt lick areas where we plan to return tomorrow early morning to see if the wild elephants will visit. I would be so very pleased to see a family of wild elephants!!

We hiked to waterfalls, saw several small deer about the hight of perhaps my shoulder, if that, saw lots more monkeys and then decided to check into the hotel and have an early dinner since we had only eaten cinnamon rolls all day.

Our hotel was a bit further outside the park than we expected. We finally found it and checked in. I'm not really sure how to describe this place. It is set in a "garden" setting. I use quotations as it is called Kao Yai Garden Resort or something like that. But it's not a garden in the sense that there are flowers all around. Unfortunately the grounds look a little unkempt. It has so much potential but there I go using my American eyes again. What I do love about this place is that they have 4 good sized turtles which I almost walked by without noticing. Luckily they caught my eye and we spend several minutes coaching one out of its shell, feeding them and watching them fight over the food (of which there was plenty!). I didn't appreciate, however, the ginormous mosquitoes trying to find their way to my sweet blood.

We went in search of dinner and randomly stopped at a restaurant. Only outdoor seating. A woman approached me and in my best Thai I asked if we could have dinner. She said yes and we sat. We were given a menu which to our humor was only in Thai. :-) In most places I've been to they have had English menus or someone who speaks English...not here! It was a test of our Thai abilities. Oh boy. We looked at the menu...laughed and decided we would order chicken and rice and veggies, and I found a photo of a dish that looked interesting (it was served in a coconut) but I had NO idea what it was. When I've had coconut dishes in the past they have been seafood mixtures so I wondered if this would be the same and decided we would just have to find out. We ordered drinks, pineapple juice, and the woman slipped away to prepare them. Meanwhile, we were ready to order so a gentleman came over to the table (we were the only customers) and my friend and I looked at each other and giggled. Before we could get anything out of our mouths the boy disappeared and never returned! Then the woman came to bring our drinks and also tried to dash away but we immediately asked her about food. I pointed to my picture of the something served in coconut and asked if it was available, she responded that, yes, it was available. I'll take one. Then my friend tried to order grilled chicken and the woman couldn't understand her. We repeated the order and still nothing. So, I repeated chicken, in Thai and she got that. Then she started asking how we wanted it and I thought we finally made ourselves clear. Off she went and we waited for our food. My dish came and we started eating it. It turned out to be quite good. I don't know exactly what it was but it had seafood in it. :-) It's normal in Thailand for dishes to be brought to the table as soon as they are ready even if the other dishes are not ready. We started on my dish and then finished my dish and waited but no chicken came. We decided that the waitress must not have understood our request and so she just ignored it (no uncommon). So, we called the server over and ordered chicken fried rice which he understood right away and 5 minutes later the dish appeared and was eaten. Then we were asked if we wanted another drink and we declined but asked for the bill. It never came. So, I asked again and it came right away. We chuckled over the experience and left...never to return again.

So, that was our day. We will turn in a bit early tonight so we can get an early start tomorrow with hopes high of seeing elephants, great hornbills, barking deer and so much more!!! A tiger maybe?!?! Perhaps that's too much to ask.

I love that this sign informs me that I smell bad to wildlife! :-)

These monkeys sad on the roadside as we drove by. Photo was taken from inside the car...window shut.

Baby monkey eating an apple piece which he decided he didn't want anymore so he threw it on the ground. Cute thing!

Bangkok Mornings

By 5:30 AM I'm out the door and start my 30 minute walk to the park where I attend an intense strength training, fat burning work out appropriately called Bootcamp. My friends and coworkers think i'm crazy for getting up so early but they don't know what their missing out on. The exercise class is pretty fantastic and quite challenging but that's not what I'm referring to. What they are missing out on is the experience of the Bangkok pre sunrise morning. On my way to the park I pass by the same street sweepers. I see the food vendors setting up and preparing for the rush of the morning meal. Many of the foods I have no idea what they are but they are nicely packaged in banana leaf being warmed and/or cooked on the grill. What I do recognize are the fried meats, the soups and a variety of drinks from coffee and tea to the sweet ladies juicing the oranges for fresh OJ. There are also the nicely sculpted ice delivery men out dropping off bags of crushed ice to the various vendors to keep their products fresh. The same security officers are hanging around their territories and I'm pretty sure the same rats are scurrying across the sidewalks each morning while the same homeless people are sleeping on the same steps. I see prostitutes on their way home, white men with an asian woman on each side still drinking, laughing and enjoying themselves and there are food vendors who are now cleaning up, packing and headed home. It's normally the same people each morning but occasionally there is a random man at the bus stop who greets me as I walk by...my personal favorite being the man who asked me if he could come with me.

Once I get to the park I join in with a group that ranges from 5 to 20 depending on the day as we run, jump, squat and engage in a large variety of annoying, difficult and effective activities that challenge this less than prime body. There is a lake at the park and so while I'm doing the exercises I like to look across the lake and see the sun rise between the skyscrapers as the sky begins to dress itself in a pink tone before she changes her mind and the color disappears. I like to watch the fish jump and nibble at the surface looking for breakfast and often the turtles are also near the surface taking a look around.

This morning as we are doing whatever that crazy exercise is called where you are in plank position and then you bring your foot up to your hand...anyway, while we are doing those along the edge of the lake a good sized turtle pokes his head out of the water to get a good look at us. He swam by just watching us which was somehow refreshing. Later, as we are doing 2 minute runs I nearly tripped over a lizard as long as I am tall! I stopped to watch him crawl over a wall and splash head first into the water beneath nearly flipping tail over head.

After my hour of torture which ends with a cold, wet, scented towel to help cool down (and wash all the dirt off from rolling around in the grass...and probably to help those who have to be within smelling distance from us be less offended) the sun is fully exposed and it's time to head back to the house. Again, I embark on my 30 minute walk home. This time, there are more vendors on the sidewalks, many surrounded by people on their way to work grabbing breakfast along the way. The sidewalks are more crowded with professionals and students and motorcycle taxis carrying both. There is a line of 20+ uniformed students waiting for motorcycle taxis to transport them to their destination. It's against the law for these motorbikes to drive on the wide sidewalks but with the streets so congested with larger vehicles the sidewalk is too tempting for them to pass up...so, pedestrians beware!

And then comes one of my favorite parts of the walk. I pass by a small park that has a "dancing" fountain. The fountain is spraying water in a lovely rhythm and the turtles in the small pond are often sunbathing on the stones at the edge of the water, often piled on top of each other. One day I saw 7 turtles piled onto one rock. I love walking by the dancing fountain and seeing the turtles hanging out. It fills me with gratitude for the variety of beauties in the world.

Indeed, 5 AM is pretty early for most people, but the beauty of the morning's activities and sights really makes it worth it!...not to mention that bootcamp makes me stronger!...not thinner, mind you...but stronger.

AK-47

Tunnels and Guns

Last week I returned to Vietnam but this time I was headed to Ho Chi Minh City. Knowing there are often scandals at the airport by taxi drivers I opted to have the hotel driver pick me up. I found my name held by the driver, waited for another couple to show up and we made our way into the city. Arriving at the hotel I then made my way up the 6 flights of stairs to my room where I dropped off my bag, grabbed by tour book and started exploring the neighborhood. I loved the french colonial influence reflected in the architecture mixed with the the Asian flavor of the residents. It made such a beautiful combination. Markets, vendors, shops, parks, french pastries...I explored it all!

The next day I decided to make my way to a large market whose ... is "if we don't have it, you don't need it"! So, armed with my map and my handy compass, off I went. As I walked into the market I was immediately overtaken by women wanting to sell me cothes. They grabbed me by the arm and I had to pry their finger off of me to be able to move on. That experience made me have second thoughts about shopping adventure but quickly I was able to slip down another isle, away from the overzealous sales women. The market was full of clothing, housewares, food, souvenirs and such but I was on a particular mission. Before leaving for Vietnam a coworker and dear friend called and asked me to pick up Weasel coffee. Let me explain what that means. There is actually a coffee bean that when harvested is given to weasels who choose and eat only the best beans. The bean passes through their digestive system and are passed all the way through to the other side. Yes, they are pooped out! Then they are washed and packaged and then people actually buy it and brew it and drink it! DISGUSTING!!! Apparently it makes a darn good cup of coffee but as I'm not a coffee drinker, I'll never know...and i'm ok with that! So, that was my mission, to find the weasel coffee. After accomplishing the missing I enjoyed wandering through the rest of the market and then enjoyed a most delicious sandwich before leaving.

One of the activities I wanted to enjoy was a cyclo ride around the city to see some of the important sights. This means the rider sits in a seat in the front of bicycle and the cyclist sits higher than is usual on a bicycle and peddles you around for as many hours as you hire them for. It's a great way to see the city but agreeing on a price is painful. I found a cyclo driver outside the market and we were finally able to agree on a price. I made it as clear as i could that the price I was offering was for 2 hours and NOT per hour. The driver spoke very little English but there was a boy interpreting for us. The driver apprehensively accepted my price and then biked me through a small portion of the city stopping for me to see some of the sights. We stopped at a Chinese pagoda, passed by the War Museum, went on to the Reunification Palace and then he declared that my time was finished. I knew that we were only a few minutes ride from our starting point and insisted that he take me back to my hotel as our time was not yet complete. He did and we pulled on to the street of the hotel just a few minutes later. I opened my wallet and pulled out the money that was agreed on and the driver began his "show". He insisted that I pay him more demonstrating that he needed food to eat. I knew that the price was not only fair but generous. The driver stomped off without accepting my money. I knew this was all part of the show and so after offering my money several times I turned and walked away. Just as I expected he came running after me and finally accepted my money and threw out a few curse words to put the icing on the cake. It was really too bad that he ended it this way but I knew that cyclo drivers are known to pull such kinds of stunts. Unfortunately, it also meant that I didn't get a photo taken...sad.

After the ride I decided to console myself with a yummy french pastry. I took it to the park to enjoy and was soon joined by a stranger who asked if he could sit on the bench with me. My red flags went off but I couldn't keep him from sitting there. I focused on my pastry and ignored him. He tried to make conversation. Any time someone asks you if this is your first time to their country it usually means they are taking your temperature and planning a scam. I told him it wasn't (truth). Then he asked if I was alone and I told him I have friends in the city (truth). In fact, it reminded me that I needed to check my phone for an SMS from a long lost friend who was now living in the area and who I hoped to meet up with after meeting him 10 years ago. I pulled out my phone and ignored the stranger who finally left me alone and walked off. Success! That night I met up with my long lost friend, met his sweet wife and his adorable little boy. It was a great evening and I was grateful to have friends.

The next day after work I headed out to the Cu Chi Tunnels. These are tunnels the Vietnamese used to fight against both the French and the Americans. After going through a tour and learning a lot we were given a chance to actually crawl into the tunnels. I was surprised at how small they there! The tunnels were just barely broader than I was and not nearly as tall as me. I had to crouch down into nearly a duck walk to get through. I had a great admiration for the strategy and use of the tunnels. It was not for claustrophobics!

After the tunnels I went back to the area of the tour where you could shoot a variety of guns. I've never shot a gun before and thought I'd take the opportunity. I choose a classic, the AK-47. I purchased 10 bullets and was walked out to the shooting range, given ear protection, the gun was loaded, they showed me how to hold it and I tried desperately to hit the target...unsuccessfully. I was amazed at the heat that came off the gun as well as the blasts of air. It was a strange experience. I'm glad I did it.

The rest of the trip was fairly uneventful with the exception of terrific shopping at cute boutiques and a delicious tapas style meal. It was a great trip! My decision remains...I love Vietnam!

Confessions of a Taxi Driver

I have met and dated some very handsome, good men who I've met in very different places and under very different circumstances. Some I met in class at school, others I met at church. Some I met through my work, others I was introduced by a mutual friend or by a family member. There was a time I winked at a boy in my class, the time a boy told me he heard I was dating the most handsome man at church and I simply said, "I didn't realize you and I were dating." There was the boy my soul fell in love with at first glance but I refused to allow it for several years and the gave into him. I will never be the same.

I've also turned men down. There was the boy who thought I needed company while running, the man who just loved to hear me sing, the guy who insisted after only a few minutes of knowing me that we must be soul mates, the one who asked for my friends phone number after I told him I didn't think it was gunna work and others. I've hid from men in the bathroom, given men the wrong name, I've told men I just want to be friends.

The moments of confession of love have come in many different ways and different places. Cooking a new recipe in the kitchen, horse back riding through the streets of Rexburg, walking temple grounds, an emotional conversation, a kiss on the porch...such fun memories.

With that said, let me tell you about my cab ride earlier this week. The ride seemed normal as far as cab rides go. I was on my way to the airport and the cab driver asks me in Thai which way I wanted to go. I preferred the expressway. He took a turn heading in a direction that I hadn't gone before. I wasn't concerned but interested to see if this would be any faster. Along the way the driver asked me questions, like most taxi drivers. How long have I been in Thailand? Do I like it? What work do I do? Am I here alone or with family? I tried in my best Thai to understand each question and reply but there times when I had to tell him "Mai cow jai", I don't understand. He asked my name and I told him. He was nice and it was fun to practice speaking Thai. Then he asked for my phone number. In Thailand it's not uncommon to have a taxi driver's number and he he have yours so you can call on him when needed yet I felt a little funny about it. But, as it's important in Thai culture not to make someone lose face I thought it would be ok to give him my phone number...a little jumbled up and take his number for any future need. But then the conversation started getting a little uncomfortable. He started telling me that I'm beautiful. "Yes," I responded, "Thailand is beautiful, I like it here". He said other things that I didn't understand. Then he said, "I love you". Oh! um...well...thank you. It was kind of cute because after he said it he blushed and got all shy but it was still creepy. I wasn't sure what to say so I just sat back and looked out the window. Then he pulled out his phone, took my phone number and dialed. Oh crap! Well the phone number obviously didn't ring through to my phone. I ignored that and soon enough we arrived at the airport. He asked which door I wanted and I just told him to stop where he was, I handed him my money (which ended up being the most expensive cab ride to the airport I've ever had here) and he tried to give some of it back. I declined and insisted that he keep the money and scooted out as quickly as I could.

And that is the story of the confession of love of my taxi driver.

1 Year Anniversary

Yesterday marked the end of my first year in Thailand. I can't believe its been a whole year! As I look back over all that has happened I am so pleased at all I was able to fit in! And so grateful for the amazing experience it has been. From massages, to manicures, to elephant rides, to lazy days on the beach and amazing diving adventures, to being in 7 different countries, to visits from family and friends, to making new "family" and friends, to my first karaoke experience, to numerous markets, new foods, learning to accept the discomfort of constantly sweating, challenging my body in a new exercise program, and challenging my patience serving in church working with the children and growing to love them dearly, and challenging my intellect while learning a new language and my professional skills while learning a new job and the list goes on and on and on! My heart is so full. I'm definitely looking forward to all the challenge, adventure and excitement that lies in wait for the next year.

A huge thank you to IRC who gave me the chance to be here, to those of you who encouraged me as I worked through the decision stages prior to my move and those of you who have supported me through your friendship (whether near or far) while I transitioned from my comfort zone to find comfort in my new zone. And most importantly, a mighty thank you to my God and Savior who are constantly by my side offering guidance and direction and a lift as often as I need it. Without them I am nothing. It is my faith that gives me the strength to be the woman I am. I dedicate my life to them through the work of my hands to help others. May my daily offering gain me favor in their sight, that they will continue to bless and strengthen me that I may continue easing the burdens of others and lifting their spirits.

Here's to the next 365 days and all the adventures awaiting me!

Halong Bay, conclusion

Oops, I forgot I hadn't finished blogging about this trip!

On Day 3 I woke up at 4:30 a.m. It was already light outside. I laid in bed and watched the sun rise past the horizon, into the sky. We ate breakfast and then I packed up and was taken ashore. The boat I was on was headed back to the starting point but I was scheduled to have another night on the bay so I had to switch to a different boat. On shore I met up with my new boat mates. The plan was to start the day with our choice between a hike or bike ride. We all opted to do the hike owing to the amazing vista promised at the end. We started on our way and I began to be a little nervous as I saw people returning from the hike with shoes covered in mud. I wondered if my Teva's would be sturdy enough for what we were about to face. Others in my group were wearing flip flops but we were assured it would be fine. The hike was steep and indeed very muddy! It took over an hour to climb to the top of the hill. The weather was HOT and humid. We were all sweating so bad we were soaked. At the top the view was nice but there was a platform about 40 stairs high and the view from there was amazing!...And then it was time to go back down the trail, which proved harder than going up. By the end our feet were covered in mud but there was a nice pool of water where we rinsed off, enjoyed a cold drink and relaxed before loading the bus and heading off to lunch.

Lunch was very similar to the lunch of the previous day...in fact it was almost identical...but delicious all the same. You won't hear me complaining about seafood! At lunch I got to know my new friends a bit. A very diverse, fun group of people. I feel lucky to have met so many great people! After lunch a bus came to pick us up but it wasn't the same bus that had dropped us off which worried me since I had left my backpack on the other bus. At each stop prior to lunch we had been told to leave our belongings on the bus so I wrongly assumed we were to do the same this time. Our tour guide assured me he would recover my luggage. I hoped he was able to recover the bag with all its belongings. I didn't let it worry me and went ahead and boarded the bus which took us to the pier where we boarded a boat that took us to monkey island where we would have time to swim and hang out on the beach. Since I didn't have my bag I didn't have my swim suit so I decided to go on another hike in search of the monkeys the island was named for. No one else was interested with the memory of our morning hike still lingering in their legs so I headed off on my own. As I began the hike I was excited at the possibility of seeing monkeys...I LOVE MONKEYS!!! And then I realized that I was all alone, which isn't the smartest idea. And then I got nervous that I might actually see a monkey! Monkeys aren't exactly as cute and snuggly up close as they look from a distance. I've heard stories of people who've been attacked by monkeys. I continued the hike and then got to a point where the direction of the trail became unclear. I poked around a bit and then heard rustling in the trees. It made me a little nervous but I continued exploring. I heard the rustling again and decided it was time for me to turn back. I was too nervous that it might be a monkey. :-) On my way down I passed another single hiker and noticed he had a beer in his hand. We greeted each other, I told him I was unable to find my way to the top and he went up and I headed down. I reached the beach and shortly thereafter several monkeys made their way to the beach. I sat and watched them play. There was a mom and her young baby that were particularly of interest to me. What joy it gave me to watch the young monkey cuddle with its mom and then slowly venture out to play with something only to be startled and sent running back to the security mom's arms. It reminded me of the tremendous importance of motherhood. A role not to be underestimated or undervalued.

Then I saw the hiker I'd run into before ordering another beer. I asked him if he'd found the top. He said no, that shortly after we'd met up a monkey came out of the trees and stole the beer out of his hand! He showed me the picture of the monkey drinking his beer, hilarious! He said it scared him half to death. He was still a bit shaken. I'm glad I decided to come back when I did!

After enjoying the monkeys, the beach and the water we climbed back on the boat and headed back to the Cat Ba island. Both on our way to and from Monkey Island I found myself engaged deep in conversation with a 5 year old boy from Australia or maybe New Zealand? can't remember now, with an imagination the size of Texas! He wanted to play the "what if" game. What if the waters were infested with water. What if a snake came after me. What if, what if, what if. It was so cute! There was also a 10 year old girl from Indonesia. She was a joy. When we reached Cat Ba island she made me a bracelet from small flowers growing all around.

The sun went down and we loaded the boat I would spend the night on. Dinner looked like lunch. I'm beginning to think the menus are all the same! Still yummy, but very funny. We all had a good laugh about the never changing menu. I met new people, a reporter for a Vietnamese paper, a Scottish man just living the life in Vietnam and a Vietnamese couple. After good food and great company I headed to the top deck to enjoy another starry night and then tried to fall asleep while others were enjoying karaoke. My room was situated just in the right place so I could hear EVERYTHING happening on the boat. I could hear what was going on in the kitchen, people going up and down the stairs and lots of karaoke. I didn't get much sleep that night.

In the morning we had breakfast and began to head back to the mainland. Sailing out of the bay was just as beautiful as it had been on our way in. None of us could stop taking pictures. Then we arrived to the icon of Vietnam. Two islands side by side that look like two birds kissing.

My time in Vietnam was definitely a highlight of my first year in south east Asia. There are so many reasons to come back!

Halong Bay, continued...

As we navigated through the islands of the mystical Halong Bay (there are over 2000 islands) we saw fishing boats of a variety of sizes. We saw single man row boats, multi man boats with a motor and larger outfits. I was mesmerized by beauty of the islands and boats.

At lunch I was taught by a wonderful woman from Singapore, how to crack open a crab which was cooked but still starring me in the face and enjoy its meat. If all the meals were going to be as delicious as lunch I knew I would be a happy woman. What I didn't realize then was that each meal I would eat for 3 days would be virtually the same...but you didn't hear me complain! I'm perfectly happy to eat shrimp, crab, fish and calamari over and over. The need for variety is over rated!

We stopped to explore a cave passing a funeral ceremony on our way in a floating fishing village. It was difficult to see the ceremony itself but we were able to hear the songs and speeches, although not able to understand Vietnamese hindered any understanding. We were told that after the cave tour we would return to the floating village.

Caves are such a beauty to me! To envision what it took for nature to carve out a cave and the thousands of years required to create a stalagmite and stalactite is incredible. The clear pools of water often hard to detect for their complete stillness and transparency are so beautiful to me. It's fun to use the imagination to identify various shapes and images formed in the rock. I've explored a good share of caves during my life and this one wasn't necessarily at the top of the beauty and magnificence scale but nonetheless, the small area of the 2 km area of the cave we were shown was nice.

I was excited to get back on the boat and be taken back to the nearby floating village where we kayaked through the small village and around some of the islands. I was kayaking with a woman from South Korea (she was in front and I was in back). During our time together I learned an important lesson in communication and shared vision. If we had different ideas of which direction we wanted to head and didn't tell the other we found ourselves working against each other and going nowhere. Anyway...this experience of kayaking through the fishing village and through the bay was definitely a highlight in my list of life experiences. The tiny, one room homes of the fishing village with hammocks hung on the porch, laundry hung outside, children playing in boats sparked a desire for an experience of living in a fishing village for a week...another experience for another time. As we kayaked through the tall islands it was easy to feel a sense of my individual insignificance and then remember that God created all this for our benefit, a thought that suddenly made me remember my tremendous importance in the eyes of a loving heavenly father.

All too soon it was time once again to board the Elizabeth Sails and move on our way through the bay. In late afternoon we anchored the boat and it was time to go swimming! I started by jumping off the 2nd story of the boat into the refreshing water. Then it was time to go up a level. Several of us "younger" folk climbed to the top deck of the boat and plunged down 3 stories and deep into the water below. The swim felt good and worked up an appetite for dinner...more delicious seafood! But before dinner was served we enjoyed a beautiful sunset. Sigh, another very magical moment.

After dinner I looked forward to returning to the top deck of the boat to enjoy the view of the heavens unpolluted by city lights. Since I couldn't figure out how to turn off the lights on the top deck the view of the stars, while still very beautiful, was not what I had hoped. I laid there watching for falling stars and enduring the pollution of the night silence by very mediocre karaoke coming from the next boat. Asians LOVE karaoke. I tried to put it out of my mind and focus on the beauty of the sky. I found myself singing one of my own favorite songs...Oh Lord, My God, when I in awesome wonder, consider all thy hands have made. I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder and then proclaim, My God, how great Thou art. I saw four falling stars that night and then retired to my quarters.

Halong Bay, Vietnam

I made a last minute trip to Vietnam this month, leaving the same day my parents left Bangkok. I had decided to head to Hanoi but hadn't had much time to plan. I'd also never traveled internationally by myself. I'm sure that had I had more time to think about it I would have been nervous but it was all so last minute I didn't have time to get nervous. The day before I left I had booked a hotel and a driver from the airport (I find that airports are where scammers love to attack so I'm willing to pay a few extra bucks to not have to deal with it). After gathering my luggage I found the man holding my name and he took me on one of the most beautiful drives in my memory. Vietnam countryside was covered with fields being worked with by their owners, each one wearing the traditional pointed straw hat Vietnam is known for. The roads were filled with motorbikes loaded high and wide with various goods including food, toilet paper, huge vases, families of 5 and much more! As we pulled up to an intersection there was an overloaded motorbike tipped on it's side. None of its leafy contents had been spilled and the owner approached with a helper and they were able set the bike upright after a bit of a struggle. I was absolutely fascinating to be introduced to Vietnam like this. On the highway we hit a top speed of maybe 80 Km/hr. Traffic was slow but moved fluidly, each vehicle honking its way down the roads ensuring everyone knew of their location and intentions. It was slow but it was loudly communicative.

I was dropped off at my hotel and then I began to consider where I might spend my time. I had heard of the beauties of Halong Bay and thought I might look into that option but wasn't sure what that would entail. I took off on a walk around lakes, passed outdoor barbershops where hairs were being cut leaving hair all over the sidewalk, declined numerous offers by taxi drivers, and found my way into the city center, thanks to a map and my handy compass...a gift from my dear aunt. Once inside the city center which was packed with traffic going in all directions on narrow streets lined with vendors selling produce, sweets, spring rolls, souvenirs and much, much more. I stopped at a tour office and spoke with a sweet woman who helped me plan my time. She told me I could spend 3 days 2 nights on Halong Bay where I would enjoy the beauties of hundreds of mostly, uninhabited islands protruding out of the water. I would spend 2 nights on the boat, go kayaking, see floating villages, explore a cave, hike and enjoy delicious seafood meals...all for a very, very reasonable price! I said "sign me up." I just needed to find my way back to the office the next morning. Until then I still had some time to kill. I learned about a puppet show held on a watery stage. It was unlikely I would be able to get a ticket for that night as the show is popular among tourists but I thought I'd try. Approaching the ticket office I saw the "sold out" sign and decided to purchase a ticket for Saturday night, my last night in Hanoi. As made my way towards the window a woman asked me if I needed a ticket. Her friend was unable to attend the show and the woman was selling her ticket at 1/2 price (she didn't know I would have paid double the price for that ticket!) . I purchased the ticket and went straight into the show. The wooden puppets danced in and on the water, the operation of which I'm not entirely clear on. It looked like somehow there were polls attached to them. I dunno...but I know it was fun and very entertaining.

The next morning I loaded a van with several couples and we went on a 3 hour drive through the picturesque countryside. We arrived to the dock of the bay and loaded a small transporter boat that took us to our boat, Elizabeth Sails, a 3 deck boat. My room, located on the bottom deck, was very lovely with the exception of the roach I found crawling around on the second bed in the room. Needless to say, I decided not to sleep in that bed. We made ourselves comfortable and then lunch was served as we began to make our way into the bay. The view was breathtaking and I knew I'd made the right decision for my time in Vietnam.

More to come!

A Visit From My Parents

I recently received a visit from my parents. Before coming to visit they had spent 2 weeks helping my little sister, Ruth, and her husband and 3 kids (the youngest less than a month old) move from South Korea to China where my brother-in-law is enrolled in a Master's program. By the time they arrived in Bangkok their desire for adventure had fizzled. You see, my parents aren't as young as they used to be. My father is now 72 and my mom is 68 (plus or minus a year or 2). On top of that my father was recently diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease, and on top of that both are cancer survivors and they raised a family of 14 children and are still active in the lives of over 60 grandchildren! I decided that the best approach would be not to plan out our time together but to present them with options and let them decide what they were up for.

Thursday evening after work I took the sky train to the airport to greet them. After about an hour of waiting I began to wonder if they had gotten lost or if, a more likely alternative, I was waiting in the wrong place, although I had asked and it was very clearly stated on the arrivals board that they would come from exit C. My phone rang and my mother's voice was on the other end, "Elissa?" Indeed, they had exited out exit B. What fun to see my parents! We took a taxi to my apartment and I introduced them to my home. I don't think it was what they had expected. After seeing my sister's place in Korea (and maybe China although I haven't seen it but it is, as my 4 year old nephew states, "more big") my apartment is quite spacious (the benefits of not having to pay for my living quarters).

We sat down and discussed what the options for our next few days together were and we made a general plan which included resting around mid day. We chatted together that evening as they updated me on their adventures with Ruth and other updates and then we made our way to bed.

DAY 1 we had planned to go to the ancient city park and cruise around in a golf cart but the sky looked like it would rain at any moment so we decided to start with a tour of the Jim Thompson home/museum. With 3 of us running around together it was cost effective to take taxis most of where we went and not hassle with using the sky train, thus saving my parents from numerous stair ascents and descents. The museum was very enjoyable, I hadn't been there since my first trip to Thailand 4 years ago. After a guided tour and then taking time to poke around a bit we opted for the sky train to take us to my office. By now it was about 1:30. The sidewalks were fairly empty in front of my office but after climbing down the stairs from the sky train there was a man who insisted on crowding my father. Dad stopped to let the man walk by but he then quickly turned and walked the other direction. It was then that we realized that this man was a pickpocket and making an attempt on my father who had his cell phone clasped to his belt with a latch making it difficult to remove.

We went into the office where I introduced my parents to various staff and showed them the work I am engaged in. This visit took longer than I had anticipated and we didn't leave until nearly 4 pm. As we left the office we, again, opted for the sky train as it would be the quickest way home. On our way up the escalators I was telling my parents something and I turned around and saw a man, again, crowding my father although there were only 2 other women around. Then I noticed this man had his hand on my father's cell phone and was trying to undo the latch on the case. I'm afraid instinct took over and I yelled at the guy and got in his face in a very un-Thai way telling him to get away. He just looked at me as if to ask why I was so mad and what had he done wrong. That made me more angry and I pushed him and told him to go. He finally went the other direction but the woman and baby with him continued up the stairs with us. I looked for a police officer or security guard but none was there. I also apologized to the women around us as my behavior was not appropriate in Thai culture. I realized that by yelling at the man in public I was causing us both to loose face...I was ok with that. The experience had left me a bit shaken though the pickpocket had gotten nothing it made me angry that he would prey on my sweet father who had once been pick pocketed in Italy and then taught us all a lesson by praying for the children who had stolen his wallet.

We finally made it home, took a nice rest, ate dinner, visited and retired to bed.

DAY 2 was Saturday. We took a taxi to the National Museum for a tour guided by a friend of mine. The tour was insightful and delighted my parents as well as wearing us all out. My father was feeling dizzy and so after the 2 hour tour we just sat for a while until our stomachs urged us to find our way out of the maze that was the museum. Outside the museum there were vendors selling some fried snacks and fruit. We got a few items and as it started raining we found a bench partially sheltered from the rain by a large tree where we sat huddled under mom's umbrella and ate. Feeling refreshed we made our way to the Jim Thompson outlet store where my mother enjoyed looking at the 3 floors of fabrics. I think in her younger years she would have made a nice purchase and looked forward to new sewing projects. On this occasion we just browsed and then enjoyed mango smoothies after a hard afternoon of browsing.

Leaving the outlet store we happened on a little market which we walked through before heading back home. The plan for the evening was to attend a puppet show. We didn't have tickets and I couldn't get through to the ticket office but we decided to show up and see what happened. What happened was that we found out the puppet theater no longer exists! Luckily there was a night market nearby so we wandered through giving my parents to pick up a few gifts for folks back home. It turned out to be a long night and after eating dinner at the food court in the market where I introduced my parents to Thai noodles and green papaya salad we fell into the taxi and were glad to find our way to bed.

DAY 3 we attended church in the morning and then headed out for the 2.5 hour drive to the pier where we took a speed boat to a beautiful island. I get my love for the ocean from my mother who could spend several days just sitting and watching the waves, which is just what we did Sunday night. We found a nice hotel on a quiet beach who gave us a great discount on a room. The woman at the front desk (a Thai woman in her late 40s) told me that she would take care of my and my aged parents :-). She gave us a room for about 1/3 of the normal price. I suspect that it also helped that the hotel was almost completely empty and they were just happy to have customers. We spent the evening sitting by the waters edge, collecting shells and enjoying the peacefulness of the surroundings until after the sun had set. Then we fell asleep to the sound of waves washing onto the shore.

DAY 4 ended too quickly. By the time dad and I rolled out of bed mom was already on the beach. We joined her and had a beautiful start to the day. When stomachs began to rumble we decided it was time for a breakfast of fish, veggies and rice washed down with fruit juice. We then headed to the room to change into swim suits but by the time we got our suits on the rain had begun to fall. Luckily I only lasted about 30 minutes and we then headed to the water. We took snorkels and masks out with us to see what was happening beneath the surface. Over near the rocks there were various fish of different shapes, colors and sizes. I called dad over to take a look. This was my fathers first real snorkeling experience. The problem was that he was trying to walk around the rocks and found it difficult to keep his balance so he scraped his legs on the rocks and came out of the water with scratches all over his legs, some even bleeding. After our snorkeling experience mom and I rested on the lounge chairs trying to stay out of the sun and dad went for a swim. Too soon it was time to shower and pack and head back to Bangkok. We left grateful for the beauties of the earth.

DAY 5 was the final day with my parents. With dad's sunburned feet we decided it would be a good day to explore the ancient city park by golf cart. Dad was feeling dizzy today so we just drove around the park admiring the replicas of significant ruins, temples and buildings around Thailand. The day was warm. After 3 hours at the park we refreshed ourselves with water and ice cream and headed back home to rest before our dinner cruise on the river. My parents celebrated their 48th wedding anniversary this month, a dinner cruise with their daughter seemed like a proper celebration! Sadly, it was raining by the time the cruise began. Happily, the rain was not enough to cancel the cruise. We enjoyed traditional music and dance, a large, delicious buffet dinner and then dancing afterwards. All this as we cruised up and down the river admiring points of interest lit up, highlighting their significance. It was a delightful evening and a good way to end our time together. We returned home, packed our bags (mom and dad packed in preparation for an early flight back to the US and I packed for a trip to Vietnam) set our alarm clocks for pre-dawn hours and crashed into bed.

In the morning I said goodbye to my parents, helped them into a taxi and sent them back to the airport grateful for their visit and grateful for such wonderful parents. I then returned to my bed for a few more hours, finished my preparations for my trip and headed to the airport en route to Vietnam...my first international adventure trip on my own...but more about that later!

Thanks mom and dad for coming to visit me in my new home.

Flying Fish

Thursday was the queen's birthday. I figured it was the perfect chance to use a vacation day and enjoy a 4 day weekend back at Koh Tao for more diving. I was joined by 2 friends who came on my first Koh Tao adventure with me.

Upon arrival to the resort we had stayed at just 2 weeks previously, the staff greeted us warmly welcoming us by name, expressing their excitement to see us back so soon. The found us rooms in the otherwise booked resort and we spent the first day relaxing at the beach, soaking up the sun. The second day we went for a 3 dives. The location was one we were excited about. It was raining when we loaded the boat and it was pouring as we made our way. Unfortunately, the first dive was terrible! Visibility was less than 5 meters and we had to stick close together so we didn't loose each other. We weren't able to see much on that dive. The original plan was to do 2 dives at that location but due to the visibility it was decided that we would move on to another location where visibility was reported to be 10-15 meters. On our way to the site I was sitting by the side of the boat looking at the water (it had stopped raining finally). All of a sudden I saw something leap from the water and skid across the top of the water and then disappear. I was not entirely sure what I had just seen! I looked a bit longer and it happened again but this time, whatever had skid across the water appeared to have glided across the water and then disappear. I looked at my friend whose back was turned to the water and tried to describe what I had just seen. She chuckled and said, "you mean, you just saw a fairy?" I didn't know how else to describe to her what I had seen. YES! a fairy! It must have been a fairy! She laughed and I swore to her that I saw something fly across the water. One of the dive masters came by and heard our conversation and said, "oh, did you see the flying fish?" Flying fish? Just at that moment more fish jumped out of the water and flew across the top of the water only to disappear again. Finally my friend believed me! No, it wasn't a fairy but it was truly flying fish! I had no idea such a thing really existed! We spent the rest of the boat ride enjoying the entertainment these silly fish provided.

The dive site proved to be equally entertaining! It was the first time I had experienced such amazing visibility! I was able to see so much and really enjoy the surroundings. It was a completely opposite experience from our last dive. The colors, the fish, everything was beautiful! The 3rd site was equally beautiful! Although I'd been there about 5 times before it was as if it was the first time! Everything looked so different in such clear water.

That's all I can write for now...the mosquitoes are eating me alive!!

Swinging Through the Jungle

I had the most wonderful day today! I signed up to go with the American Embassy on a trip 90 minutes outside of Bangkok to an adventure park called "Flight of the Gibbons". A gibbon is like unto a monkey. I has short legs, long arms and no tail. Since it has such short legs it prefers to do less walking and more swinging through the trees. The adventure park is named after the gibbon because it is made up of about 20 or so zip lines above, and though the trees of the jungle. We would make our way to each one. So cool!

I was with a group of 8 other people and 2 guides. The group included a family of 3 plus a friend (mother, father, daughter and daughter's friend...11 years old), a mid 50 year old woman and about 4 of us women in our 30's (one happened to be a good friend of some friends of mine...we'd never met before but became fast friends). With the exception of one of the group members, none of us had ever zip lined before so we were a bit anxious and some to the point of down right nervous! We started on the first zip line and there was a lot of screaming! Once we got over that, and looked around us at the tops of the trees and saw the butterflies flittering about beneath us we became more and more comfortable. Personally, while I've only been on a little zip line AGES ago, I just sat back, relaxed and enjoyed swinging from tree to tree (not without my fair share of screaming mind you).

The surroundings were beautiful!! Dense vegetation, tall trees and the music of all sorts of different birds. We also heard the laughter and screams and squeals of other groups we knew were out there somewhere but it was impossible to see them through all the trees. It added to the suspense as we wondered what was making the groups ahead of us scream so much!

I had such a great day enjoying the beautiful scenery that Thailand has to offer in a bit of a different way than your typical jungle walk (but we did that too). Playing Tarzan was a blast! And the image of the butterflies of various colors and sizes floating among the tree tops is one that will stay with me for awhile.

Life after PADI certification

After becoming certified it was time to go on a "fun dive" meaning I didn't have to pass off any skills, I could just enjoy swimming in the water looking for cool fish. So, I signed up to go on Wednesday. We had to meet at the equipment room at 6 AM to get suited up and catch the taxi to the pier. No sleeping in for me! We were on our way before most of the city had woken up. Our group consisted just of myself and the friend I'd gone with and our dive master who would be our guide. No other divers on our level had signed up which was terrific! I put all my skills into practice, sunk to 18 meters and had a look at some neat stuff but my darn mask kept fogging up! So, sadly I missed out on seeing other cool stuff...darn mask! Mostly it was just fun to swim around and look up to see that you're in the middle of a school of fish.

We did 2 dives and were back to the resort by noon. I logged in my diving log book that we had gone for one dive at 18 meters for 32 minutes and a 2nd dive at 17 meters for 47 minutes. I wrote that we saw trigger fish, the cutest little, yellow box fish, butterfly fish, glass fish, parrot fish, eel, banner fish and the list goes on!

We decided not to go diving Thursday to give my friend a break who had been experiencing seasickness on each dive from concentrating too hard setting up equipment while the boat was rocking up and down. I decided that throwing up each day of vacation is pretty harsh so we opted for a day of snorkeling to mix things up. It turned out to be a super decision! The morning was cloudy and rainy. We boarded a boat with about 50 or more other snorkelers and hit 5 different areas throughout the day were we were dropped off for about 40 minutes of exploration, loaded up again and moved on to the next spot. While I did feel like cattle to some degree the underwater exploration was beautiful! The coral was different in each location as were the fish. I even saw a shark at Shark Bay! After swimming in Shark Bay for about 15 minutes without seeing any shark I began to wonder why they called it Shark Bay. Just then a shark swam right in front of my nose! I began to panic and then realized that if it were dangerous they wouldn't have brought us to this area to see them! So, I calmed myself down and went looking for more! :-)

Unfortunately, with the sun hidden behind the dense clouds I didn't remember to reapply my sunscreen and am now suffering severely from sunburn. Let's just say my back side is a lovely shade of purple! Which has made sitting a little uncomfortable and sleeping a challenge.

The last stop of the day was a group of 3 islands connected by a sand bar that washes away in high tide. It's a beautiful location where the water is crystal clear! It really is paradise! By the time we got there I could feel the sun beating on my skin so I tried to stay hidden under a beach umbrella after a short snorkeling excursion.

Friday was the last day of diving. We had signed up for another 6 AM dive but I was so sunburnt I wondered if I would possibly be able to get into my wetsuit and put that superheavy tank on my super-burned back! I decided to give it a try and was successful...with minimal wincing and whining. It turned out to be a beautiful day for diving! The visibility was much better than in previous dives. Again, our group consisted of just my friend and I along with with out dive master. During our 2 dives we saw scorpion fish (I pointed that one out to the group...they are very well camouflaged!), more eels, big grouper, trevelley, a blue spotted ray, pipefish, a sawblade shrimp and the highlight was a mom, dad and little baby clownfish in their anemone home! It was breathtaking. I'm so glad I'd found a way to keep my mask from fogging up!

Saturday we left the island in the afternoon so we decided to spend the morning at the spa. I found a place that offered an aloe vera massage. I went inside and told them about my painful sunburn and they told me they could do this aloe vera massage. I told them I was not interested in the massage since I knew I was burned beyond the point of massage...that would have been torture! They kept assuring me that it would be soft and not painful. Finally I showed them my purple back and they agreed that a massage was not what I needed. Instead they covered me with a layer of cold aloe and then a layer of cucumbers. It felt so good! I just laid there and let the aloe and cucumber creep into my skin to remoisturize it. The sweet women offered to take a photo for me to post on facebook but I graciously declined such a photo! Unfortunately, when they removed the cucumber and had me wash off the aloe vera the pain returned. I was then coated in a layer of coconut milk and sent on my way. The reality that I was going to have a miserable 8 hour bus ride back to Bangkok set it. Luckily I survived.

So, I've now completed 8 dives and I'm already planning my next trip back to the island for more diving. Since we will be celebrating the queen's birthday next thursday, I've taken off Friday as well and will make it a nice 4 day weekend! I should be able to get about 6 more dives in! It's kind of addicting! I may need to rethink my budget! :-)

PADI Certified

Well, I was hoping to write each day of my certification process but it ended up that I had so much studying to do that it took all my time and there was no time left for writing! So, here is a brief summary of my experience:

Day 2-I met with my instructor, Kev, and we went over the homework quizzes we had been assigned the night before. He talked a lot about things we needed to know, explaining how scuba diving works. In the afternoon we got fitted for gear and headed to the pool where we had to take a 200 meter swimming test and then float for 10 minutes. Basically you have to show that you feel comfortable in the water before they allow you to continue on. Luckily I passed the test. I put on my scuba equipment got into the pool and took my first breaths underwater. While in the pool we practiced a lot of worst case scenario situations. We learned to take our respirators out of our mouths and replace them, take off our masks and replace them, etc. We also worked on controlling our buoyancy. That was a bit more difficult than I expected. The 3 of us in the class kept bumping into each other and floating to the top...it was pretty comical. After several hours in the water the day came to an end. We were given 2 more chapters to study...This is turning out to be much more studying than I anticipated.

Day 3-This morning we went over the chapters we were given to study the night before. It was hard to fit all that information into my head in such a short period of time but I did it! I passed all the quizzes and that afternoon we headed out for our first real dive! I was nervous but excited. We would do 2 dives each lasting about 30-40 minutes at 12 meters. We headed out in a boat with several other divers at differing levels. The water was choppy and setting up the equipment while the boat was moving made some unsettled stomaches. I'm not prone to sea sickness but I could definitely understand one could feel that way after that experience! We got to our dive location, suited up and jumped in. Down we went into the water...down, down, down, stopping to equalize our ears every few feet. We weren't underwater to enjoy the scenery just yet. We were there to practice the skills we had learned in the pool setting. My mask kept fogging up so I didn't see much around me but I passed all the skills and I didn't drown! The second dive was more skill practicing and a little more swimming around. It was so cool! I was doing it! I was swimming with schools of fish, admiring the coral...very cool.

Day 4-The last day started at 6 AM. We gathered our equipment, loaded into the truck that took us to the pier where we crawled across one boat to get into the boat that would take us to our dive locations. We would do 2 more dives to finish demonstrating we could do each of the skills. It was amazing except that it took so long for one guy to get to the bottom (20 minutes to be exact) that by the time we were all at the bottom we didn't have much time to pass off the skills AND swim around. A bit frustrating but...we are all learning so, it's all good. The last skill we had to do was to practice an emergency, out of air ascent. Let's pray that I never find myself in such a situation...but just in case, I know how to handle it. Once we had passed our skills we loaded the boat and headed back to the resort for the final exam...which, thankfully, I passed!!

That's all there is to it! Just a whole lot of studying...lots of worst-case-scenario skill practicing and if all goes well you end up with a dive license and a dive log book where you log each of your dives, the depth of your dive, the length of the dive, the water temperature, what you saw, etc. We filled out our books, logging our 4 dives and walked away excited for future dives, which I'll write about in my next post.

PADI Certification-Day 1

As a birthday present to myself I decided to become certified to scuba dive. It was one of my goals when I moved here so no time like my present (haha)! I chose the island of Koh Tao as my location as I had heard that it was a diving hot spot. I requested the week off of work recruited a friend to join me and found another 2 friends who were also planning to head to the island to do some diving. In Thailand this is a 3 day weekend in celebration of Buddhist Lent.

We boarded a bus Friday night for the 6 hour bus ride to the pier where we loaded a boat that took us 2 hours to the island. I don't remember much about the bus ride as I was able to sleep pretty peacefully, curled up on the bench seat assigned to 2 of us. We arrived at 6:30 and went in search of transportation to the resort we were hoping had accommodations for us. We found the truck, loaded up and off we went. The island is beautiful! Fine, light colored sand, light blue water, palm trees and huge rock formations. I think this might be paradise!

Since we arrived so early nothing was open. Two of the friends I had come already have their basic certification and are hoping to get the next level. They were certain this resort is where they wanted to be. My friend and I who are not yet certified decided to wander up and down the island a bit to see if there were any better options for us. But, like I said, almost nothing was open we were able to talk to one place that sounded pretty good and then we decided to have breakfast until other places opened up.

We found a cute little Thai owned restaurant along the way and went in. After ordering all the things on the menu they DIDN'T have I finally ordered a pancake and 2 eggs with fresh pineapple juice. The juice came out and and I was ready for a glass of fresh juice. I put the straw in my mouth and took a good, big swig. To my dismay the juice had quite a bite to it! I think the pineapple was a little old! It was not drinkable but my Thai was not sufficient to convey that message to the girl serving us and her English was BARELY good enough to take our order! So, I was stuck with the nasty juice which I made my friend try and confirm that it was indeed disgusting!

After breakfast we went back to our original resort, learned about their diving course and accommodations and decided to book there. Unfortunately, our room, the last one they had available would not be available until 1:00 as the current occupant was out diving. So, we decided to hang out on the beach until then. It was extremely overcast and looked like it would rain at any moment. The wind was blowing and it felt nice to sit and enjoy the beautiful view.

Four hours later we checked into our room. I looked down at myself and found that I had spent way too much time in the sun. Yes...I was sunburnt! Day 1 and I'm already toasted to a crisp! UGH!!! Wish I'd had access to my sunscreen! Wish the clouds had blocked the suns rays enough not to burn me. Oh well. My feet and ankles are swollen and I'm pink!

We showered and prepared for our diving course that started at 3. Today was just a basic orientation. We filled out paperwork and watched 2 movies explaining a lot of information. Then we took a knowledge quiz and did great! We were done for the day so we took our books to an indian restaurant for dinner to celebrate my birthday. It was delicious!

What a great birthday and a wonderful start to a birthweek celebration! :-) Getting older isn't as bad as I thought it might be! :-)

Ayuthaya, Thailand

Saturday I went on an Embassy sponsored trip to Ayuthaya (the "th" do not make a "th" sound like in english...just a "t" sound). My friend who works for the embassy signed us up. We met at the embassy at 7:30 and rode a bus the 90 minutes to get there. Our first stop was Bang Pa-In Palace. Ayuthaya was anciently the capitol of Thailand. A palace was constructed in Bang Pa-In during those days but after the fall of Ayuthaya it was left to be overgrown and in disrepair. The palace was revived in the 1800's and is quite lovely!

The next stop was Wat Mahathat home of the Buddha head embedded in twisted tree roots. This Khmer style temple built in the 14th century was burned down by the Burmese during an invasion. The ruins themselves are impressive!

The final stop was Wat Phrasisanpeth. I'm afraid I don't know much about this Wat other than it was built in the 1400s and also burned by the Burmese since as I wandered to the entrance I was bombared by school children with the assignment to practice their English. They each had a paper for me to write my name and my email address and a lot of other questions I just couldn't get to! They practiced their English and were patient while I practiced speaking Thai. After signing about 20 papers and getting multiple photos taken and shaking each students hand at least once I was finally able to slip away, into the walls of the Wat, only to be snached up by university students of tourism doing a survey. So, I didn't see much of this ruined Wat but got a few photos.

After this stop we got back on the tour bus and headed to the pier where we were picked up by a small cruise boat that had lunch waiting for us. I enjoyed an international buffet as we cruised the 2.5 hours back to Bangkok. It was a lovely day except that sometime before lunch my friend got food poisoned. YUCK! Hard to tell what it was since the only thing we had eaten before lunch was fried bananas and fruit, which we shared and neither effected me. strange. So I had to drive us back in her car to her apartment. Driving the streets of Bangkok on the left side of the road was nerve-racking! We made it with minimal damage to her car (I took a turn to sharp and met up with the curb...oops).

As soon as I can figure out where my photos are I'll post them! :-)

Finding Balance

I've now attended 8 Thai language classes and already I'm forming basic sentences. Dichan poot paasaa thai nitnoi. I try to use the vocabulary I've learned whenever possible but I definitely need more practice. My sweet tutor speaks so slowly during our 90 minutes together Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Sometimes I feel badly for making her start our lessons at 7 AM but mornings are the only part of my day I feel I have control over. I now know basic family members, several adjectives and verbs, question words, some professions, foods and such. My flash card collection is growing and I love adding new words to the stack. In a meeting with staff the other day I tried out a few phrases and wowed them all. :-) It sure feels good to be challenging my brain like this! It's a great brain work out.

I'm also working out physically. On the mornings when I'm not at language classes I'm at Bootcamp. That's what they call it and that's what it feels like! It's a strength building workout that involves lots of pushups of various kinds, squats, jumping, running and all sorts of crazy exercises. Boy was I sore after the first week!!! It's exciting that after just a few weeks I'm making lots of progress and while I can definitely feel my muscles after an intense work out, I'm nowhere near as sore as that first week! On Saturday we had time trials where we were timed running about 2 kilometers. I was so sad to see how slow I've become after not running as much as I used to while living in Utah. Not having Cheri, my running partner, to get me up every morning coupled with the intense heat that makes running so uncomfortable here has diminished my desire. But I'm growing strong in other ways, using different muscles now, and it feels so good.

I'm up by 5 every morning which is an exercise of self control for sure! And if I'm not in bed by 9:00 each night that self control is really tested!! I've changed my work hours to 9-6 to allow me to have the mornings to focus on my physical, mental and spiritual strengthening. Having the balance of physical, mental and spiritual workouts makes me feel complete.

A Trip Down Under-Part 5

Ok, here's where I stopped writing in my journal and now it's been 2 weeks since I've been back from the land down under so let's see if my memory serves me.

Day 13- Today was the last day in Cairns. We decided to take the day easy and buy any last minute gifts and souvenirs. We walked down some of our favorite streets, including the walkway by the croc infested beach (we never did see any crocs there), by the pier where we enjoyed a nice lunch, to a jewelry store, and when we were walked out we passed by a didgeridoo store. Maren reseted her feet on a bench outside the store and I wandered around having a look. The store advertised lessons. I became curious and with Maren's encouragement took a short lesson. In order to play this aboriginal instrument which is basically a tree branch which has been hollowed out my termites, one has to...umm, how to I explain this. I guess the best way is to say that you have to imitate a horse by blowing through your lips to make them vibrate...you know, like a horse. Does that make sense? Once you have this technique down you place your mouth on the top of the instrument and do the same thing. I did it the first time perfectly but then lost my beginners luck and it took several more tries before I could successfully do it again. Finally I figured it out and it I was making "music". It was fun to practice. While I decided not to bring a didgeridoo home with me (tempting) I did purchase a CD of great didgeridoo music. As we left the store the store keeper and music teacher (a handsome single man) apologized that we hadn't been picked up by any men while on our holiday. He said he was just downright embarrassed. We assured him it was ok and he rightfully assumed we must be "good Christian girls". He invited us to return to meet his 2 "good Christian guy" friends who also worked at the store. We told him that under normal circumstances we would accept the invitation (why not?!) but that since we were on our way to the airport in just a few hours we would have to take a raincheck. :-) Then we headed for the park where we spent our last hour recapping our favorite Aussie moments and soaking in the sunshine. Then it was off to the airport and back to Sydney. After a delayed flight and trying to avoid a scuffle at the metro station we made it back about 11:00 pm.

Day 14-Well, this is the final day. We spent the night in a haunted hotel...at least that's the rumor. We were hoping to get the haunted room but weren't so lucky. I had picked up a cold and spent the night coughing so I'm sure I scared all the ghosts away anyway. In the morning we packed up, enjoyed breakfast, and checked out of the hotel leaving our luggage until it was time to go. Maren and I said goodbye since he flight left earlier than mine and I wanted to spend a few more hours in Sydney instead of hanging out at the airport. I bought a ticket for a city tour and spent the next 2 hours being driven around the city seeing some beautiful sights and cute neighborhoods. I fell in love with Sydney even more! After the tour I headed to a store we had visited on our first day in the country. I purchased a painting by an aboriginal artist. Once I had selected the piece , which is dot painting of patterns I learned that the pattern represented women in a meeting. Cool. Then I walked to a grocery store and purchased some cold medicine and tissues, a huge jar of Nutella, since it was on sale for a much better price than I'd find it in BKK and forgot that I there were several other things I wanted to pick up while I was there. Oh well. I returned to the hotel, grabbed my bags and headed to the airport. My Australian adventure had come to an end. The 2 weeks had been amazing! We saw and experienced so much! And it was easier to leave knowing that returning is actually very affordable! I'm so glad we chose Australia!!!

Ugh, i just realized that I skipped day 12!!! What a crazy day that was!! Another entry for another day.