Yin Chuan

So I have been in Yin Chuan for the last couple of days. Once again it was an overnight train to the city. This one was not near as nice as the train we took last time. There was not any air conditioning and the train was quite dirty. I really don't mind that so much though. The ride out to Yin Chuan eventually got cooler through the night when we went into the mountains. I had a problem with the guy two bunks above me smoking in his bed and dropping his ash on me and my stuff. I had an ashy face when I finally got off the train (it was a 17 hour train ride). So anyway I have been hanging out here and spending time with my brother. I met a lot of fellow foreigners and friends of James. We really have not done much as far as tourism things here though. There is not a ton of stuff to see and I have been touring for the last 18 days or so. It was a nice break. I can't believe I have been gone for twenty days. It seems like a long time ago I left Chicago and yet I have been gone that long already? So that is a little update. James and I hop on a train on Monday night to head to Lanzhou for a day or two. We then leave from there for another town known as Xining. They are decent cities where not a lot of tourists go so I think it will be nice! Hope all is well at home.

Xi'an and the flying Dutch American

I am leaving Xi'an this evening after three days of sightseeing. I heas to Yin Chuan to see James my wonderful brother and hang out with him. I don't know how long I will be there or where I go after that but I am excited to finally reach that destination. I have seen a lot of Chinese landmarks here including the Terracotta Soldiers, Small and Large Goose Pagoda, a Neolithic Village, a pile of museums, and a hot springs site. Everything was pretty great but the soldiers definintly take the cake as the most impressive. With over 8,000 soldiers and every single soldier looking different then all the rest it was quite neat. I find I like Xi'an a lot more than Beijing but perhaps part of that is because of Ruby. She does not like Beijing at all or Beijing people so she was happy to leave and go to Xi'an.
I was quite tired the past few days. I think when you stay in one spot for three days or less it starts to wear on you after two weeks. Now I am a little ill so while Ruby eats lunch I decided to go to an internet cafe and write a few people. People still laugh at the way I hold chopsticks. It is relly starting to get annoying because I really do not appreciate being laughed at in my face.
If you were all wondering about strange foods I have eaten I suppose I could name a few. I had squid tentacles on a stick, a duck foot, some blood noodles and a lot of food that I don't know what they are, I just eat them. The other day we had hot pot with duck meat. I enjoy duck quite a bit and enjoyed the meal. I was really worried at one point when a hunk of meat floated to the top and had a black speck on it. I thought to myself.....Is that an eye????? Oh brother Noelle, relax!! So I ate a bunch more. At the end of the meal I realized it was the eye, in fact it was the entire HEAD. I had eaten the feet of the duck as a cold dish before hand and the rest of the duck (minus the quacker) in the hot pot. So, interesting?
I guess I might of glazed over something that happened in Beijing and I think it deserves a few words. When we started on our way to the train station we decided to walk to the bus stop and pick up the 744 bus. Well I got a lot of stars having such a huge pack on my back and tramping through Beijing. At the bus stop we quickly realized that bus did not run anymore at that time of night but when we looked up, BAM there was one pulling up to the curb and it was tiny and full. So now I have to get on a bus in hot weather with an aisle fit for the tiniest person with a huge pack, a backpack me and my wallet to pay for the busfare. I ended up swinging the bag around and hitting a couple of people and squeezing onto the edge of a seat with my pack at my feet and smallish backpack on my lap and a large Chinese man squeezed next to me. He was not very happy. Well after about 5 minutes and another stop (where numerous people had to try and leap over my bag) I realized we were on the wrong bus. Here we sit squeezed as tight as can be and sweating buckets on the wrong bus. I lean over to tell Ruby and we decide to get off at the next stop. At this point my backpack cover has slipped off and some items are hanging in the cover, while the cover is hanging onto the bag by a little piece of fabric. The guy sitting inside of me tries to get up so I stand up so he can move out of the way and he starts to talk to me in Chinese and motion toward the seat. It was then we wanted to get off the bus. Now most people had gotten off the bus who needed to and more people were stepping on. My seat partner was talking and somewhat pushing at me from the front of the bus. Another man was shoving me hard from the rear direction of the bus to get the seat the man had just vacated. Ruby was telling me to move and get off the bus and I was sweating more and more. I finally used my pack as a weapon. I heaved it up and started shoving toward the rear of the bus. I was mowing people down left and right, gripping on to two backpacks and a pack cover attempting to get off the bus before it left this stop. The doors closed and the bus pulled away while Ruby started to yell to stop the bus. I shoved some more people took a diving leap for the road and almost fell over. Once again the center of attention. An American with a huge pack flying off a moving bus in the night covered in sweat with another back pack trailing behind. Very bad. Well anyway we then grabbed a taxi ran through the trainstation and got on our train right away. Hopefully tonight we will have an easier time getting on the train.

Blog Problems

Hey all you people who are following Noelle's escapades in Asia...she wants you to know that she has been blogging but they have not been posting. She is well...in Xian and having a good time. She said she will keep trying to blog.

Self Conscious Eater

Xi'an is good. A bit of touring today. We went to the Muslim District which had a ton of little shops of the same thing over and over again. Strangely a lot of those decks of cards given to the soldiers at the start of the war in Iraq. Not much else.
Well I continue to stick out like a sore thumb. Ruby and I ate at this hidden away little restaurant that not many foreigners go to, at all. Now I am a self conscious eater when I eat at home in the US with a fork and spoon. I feel like people watch you anyway. Well in this so called restaurant I definintly had many people watching. They sat there and stared at how I used my chopsticks and how I putmy food in my mouth. After a couple of bites they would lean over and say something to each other. So there I sit trying to enjoy a dish of noodles that I just watched them make and I have an audience. People were rather blunt with their stares as well. I think it did not helpmy chopstick problem either because they were rather square making it even more tricky. I got full rather quickly.Ruby ate the rest of my food. Hope all is well at home. Off to the city wall.

Forbidden and the Lake

Forbidden City and the Summer Palace were how we finished off our tour of Beijing. Both are huge and are easy to get lost in. The Forbidden City is right in the center of Beijing. TiananmenSquare is right outside along with the Chairman Mao Mosoleum.We did not pay to go see Chairman Mao.In all it was an expeience in dehydration for me and Ruby. We were in the Forbidden City for a long time without a meal or water. By the end of the day my lips were peeling and my extremities felt like huge weights (they also tingled). It took forever to find a place to eat and sit down. We ended up at McDonalds which was what Ruby really wanted to eat. A trip to the night market afforded a lot of memorable sights. Caterpillars on a stick, raw frog legs, squid tenticles, liver, chicken gristle, smelly tofu, frozen fruit, hot tea, and all sorts of crazy things that people ate.
Summer Palace was very neat. Of course I am partial to places along thewater so this place had me sold merely by the explanation in the tourist book. It was where the emperor and some staff spent the summer. Big lake, nice woods, wonderful. It was quite a workout of walking and climbing stairs. It felt really good to get my blood pumping. Ask Ruby though, I think she will disagree. It was a bit reminicent of a hiking trip James and Jon took with Crabby where they dragged Crabbys a** all over the mountain. Anyway it was a good experience and a plus to be able to see it. Now we leave Beijing for Xi'an on an overnight train. We sleep in hard sleeper which means we share room with 4 other people. It should be nice.

Chinese Tourists

The Great Wall and the Ming Tombs were neat. The trouble was that we went with a Chinese tourist group and everything was in Chinese. No translation. I sat and looked out the window and watched the scenery go by. They talked about a lot of things that I did not need to hear anyway, so I did not mind too much. It just gives you a bit of a headache. i got a few stares being the only foreigner and I managed to bump my head on the bus cieling everytime I sat down so I will probably be known as the "peculiar Lauwai" I get called Lauwai a lot which means foreginer in not so nice terms.
Aside from the tombs and Great Wall we stopped at a jade museum (translation: a fake history tour and than a bunch of glass cabinets with people selling Jade), Chinese Medicine facility (translation: a place for me to pee and for "doctors" to help diagnose diseases by touching your wrist) and Nine Dragon Amusement Park. The amusment park basically was not what you thinkl. We went on a ride with a warning outside about people with high blood pressure and heart disease. I was excited but the ride was more sedate than "It's a Small World After All" at Disney world. Alas, Ruby took TONS of pictures of the ride and one guy filmed the whole ride. It was a cheesy journey under the sea. The other things we were paraded to were not that fun either. I have to say that the Chinese tourists were enough amusement. They think the smallest things are hilarious and get such joy out of the strangest stuff.
Lunch was family style affair with plates of food in the middle, a little bowl for you and every man for himself. You had to eat fast!! I am not THAT savy with chopsticks so I did not get much. The guy next to me basically ate the whole fish fins and skin and all (he spit the tail fins and bones on the table). When I saw him eat it reminded me of people in extreme eating "sports". I needed help reaching some things so I felt like a five year old getting served my meal. It was not very good food (Ruby did not like it either) so we had a snack on the bus. That is about is though. Next time we should go on an English speaking tour! The wall was great and my legs got a great workout!

Hello Beijing

So I finished off my trip in Thailand with snorkeling. It was really gorgeous. We went to a lot of different little islands and saw Ko Phi phi Islands. That was the best place I visited in Thailand. It was hit quite hard by the tsunami so a lot of rebuilding going on. It has all footpaths and bicycle paths. No motorized vehicles at all. I loved it! The boat got in to some rough seas on the way back and there was a lot bucking and rolling back and forth!!! My mother would have been very sick. I got dtuck next to an Australian guy wearing a shirt that said "Trainee Gynecologist" Why do guys get shirts like that? I did not have to use much imagination to see him finishing a six pack of Fosters and after belching loudly saying: "Fosters....Australian for Beer" My flights and things to Beijing were uneventful. Although the schedulewas quite tight I got to ever destination with a bit of time to spare. (Except Beijing where I got in very late...0815 instead of 0700) When I got to the airport I picked up a taxi who was so slow. I was ready to lean out the window and wave to the 80 year old on the bike who passed us. (oklay so I lie a bit but he was very slow) He then kept my money and did not give me my change. He selectively did not know English at this point.
The hotel is okay except for all the smoking. The bellhop downstairs wanted to know if I liked the Chicago Bulls, Michale Jordan and the Backstreet Boys. He thought five boys singing together was very good. He wanted to see them when they were in concert but he did not have time. Poor guy. I did not have the heart to tell him I was not their biggest fan.
I went to see the Temple of Heaven with Ruby, my Chinese friend. It was interesting to see but not much to comment on. A chinese guy there told Ruby I had a very beautiful voice and he proceeded to sing opera in the quiet park. Way to be inconspicuous Noelle.

Ta Ta Thailand

Alright a quick post for now. Not much to add since the last post yesterday. I brought away my clothes (most of them) to be washed at a near by stand. I am a little nervous because I think either:
A. My clothing will come back two sizes two small
B. My clothing will come back two sizes too big
C. A combination of A and B

I go on my snorkling trip tomorrow where you hop to a bunch of different islands. You get to got to some beach and "talk to monkies" which I think is a waste of time. I get to snorkel and see some amazing cave and the like. I get back here, pick up my laundry and go to the airport for my flight to Bangkok and to Beijing. This may be my last post for awhile. I do not know if I will be able to access it in China or not. Their laws there do not always allow access to such websites. But I am keeping my fingers crossed. Otherwise I will e-mail some of you. The rest (I don't know your emails necessarily) Bu we will know in good time.
I am ready to leave Thailand though and go on a new adventure. I am tired of being honked at by every form of taxi in the world wanting a fare (motorcycle, tuk-tuk, car, van ect.) asked if I want a tailor or to go on a trip somewhere. I know they are all trying to make a buck but it is really bothersome. Generally with the tailors I try to keep walking. Anyway, I am rambling. Hope all is well.

Patong Beach

I finished up my tour in Kanchanaburi quite nicely. I took the bus back to Bangkok and sat by myself with just enough leg room. When I got to the bus station I took another bus, the Sky Train, ate lunch and te Sky Train again. I picked up my luggage I had stored at the Bangkok hotel and took another bus to the airport. I am now in Phuket. My flight arrived late yesterday (some VIP leaving the Bankok airport caused the wait) So I am zero for four on planes departing and arriving on time. When I hear "Phuket" I think of the TV show "Lost" because Jack (the doc) talks about being there in one episode (where they play poker and he takes all Sawyers mangoes). I have not seen Jack yet but I will keep an eye out!
Today I went to the Patong beach. It was not too busy and I slathered on a bunch of sunscreen. I lazed around there most of the day. Had a grapefruit there that was so unbelievable sweet. I don't even like grapefruit. By 3:30 I was done with the sea and the beach so I stopped by a beach Thai massage place. I had a good day in the sun (although I was a bit burnt) and wanted a nice relaxing massage. By the end I could barely walk out of there. It was sooooo painful.
This "Thai massage" on my feet was like allowing your sibling to pinch ever single toe and mash your foot as hard as possible. The back was not too bad nor the arms but my leg massage and the foot was by far the worst. She punched me repeatedly in the legs and arms and back. Mashed her knees on my leg with her weight and demolished my feet. (I am thinking I payed for this?) All this with hands like sandpaper. To make matters worse I had sand all over me and was more burnt than originally thought. I was so glad when that hour was over. It will be a long time before I get a massage here again! The lady was so sweet too. I most likely go snorkling tomorrow. I have not booked anything yet. Anyway, I don't plan on going to "James Bond Island" which seems to be a big deal or the "Simone Club" which might be a drag show....I am not sure but it is dancing and singing I prefer not to see. Thanks for all the e-mails guys!

Misery Loves Company

Today was spent in Kanchanaburi. It was a lovely place with some great museums and other areas of memorium for the POW's who died creating the Thai-Burma railroad line (Made famous by the movie/book The Bridge on the River Kwai). It was quite well done almost everything in English (considering none of the signs here are in Thai English) and I enjoyed it, for the most part. My bus ride was okay aside from the girl slamming her seat into my knees (yes I am tall and those are my knees you are slamming your chair into) She did not care at all and had her seat all the way down giving me no room to move (when I say no room I mean no room). In addition I was the only person on the bus the ticket girl assigned a seat. "You, here!" It was by the nasty bathroom in the way back of the bus. But for 99 baht you cannot complain too much. Nice scenery though!!!
I rented a bike for 40 baht for the day (note 38 baht = $1) and pedaled around. It was quite nice...pedaling around....on a bike fit for a twelve year old with a seat at the height fit for an 8 year old. I got a lot of giggles laughs and shouts for this scene (by Thai and tourist alike). A sweaty overweight American riding down the street on a cruiser with her knees up to her boobs on a tiny bike. I was humbled by the attention and cut short some of my excursions due to the spectacle. Really you can nod and smile for awhile but at some point you have been humbled enough. So another instance where someone to laugh with would have really been helpful!!
Tonight I stay in a guesthouse on the river (a large floating raft for six rooms with SCREENS!!! YAY!). Hopoe all is well at home. Please laugh at my humiliating story it will make me feel better!!

Oh the pain

In the past two days I have had some laugh out loud experiences without anyone to laugh with me. Let me start from the top:
Last night I decided I should go to bed on time because I was not feeling well and I was getting up early in the morning to go to Kanchanaburi. So I hopped in the shower because otherwise I literally stick to the sheets. First of all Thai showers are bathtubs (in this case) with a small removable shower head about chest high. The problem with my shower head (aside from being chest high) is that when you turn it on it spray along the wall and out the tub but if you use it handheld it can spray out the other side of the tub. This spraying problem arises from the fact that the pressure could take the outer layer off a soccer ball and the wet bathroom floor because they have a tiny piece of plastic known as a shower curtain. So on my first night I figured out a way to control this crazy messed up shower head of madness. I wet my hair and all. Place the shower head between my knees (water pointing down of course) lather, wash up and then rinse with shower head again. There is a little balance required with this (not holding the shower head too hard so it turns to the side or too soft that it falls) but I had it down pat. So I begin this ritual and put the shower head between my knees. Lather my hair, use my face wash and get ready to clean off the dirt of the day when WHAM!! I lose control of the shower head of madness. It drops and turns the only way a firehose can turn, up! Right into my face. So now it is spraying me in the face, spraying the fragile ceiling tiles and going OVER the curtain on the floor. I bend into the spray to pick up the shower head get a handle on it, get it back between my knees when WHAM it falls again!! Now it is spraying again and shampoo is dripping in my eyes, face wash in my mouth and where did that soap go? I pick the shower head up again and WHAM it falls. I finally get it under control with watery eyes, a soapy mouth and no soap, water on the ceiling, the bathroom floor and my dry towels. Ah well this was only the beginning.
That night I turn out the lights and go to sleep I am awakened for a phone call fall asleep after awhile and am dreaming quite nicely when OWWW What was that on my scalp. I start awake and realize in my self conscious that my hair had been moving while I slept and that I may have just been bit. I frantically sit up turning my head aside and waving my hands frantically in my hair (what's worse touching what bit you with your hand? Or letting it fall out?) So after a split second of waving I hear a plink on my pillow. This is even worse so now I am frantically waving trying to get the lights on by the bed to see what it was that just fell on my pillow. By the time I find the lights I can't see it anymore. My head is feeling the bite, my body is wired and I am turning over pillows and linens in a desperate search to see if it is in my bed still. No dice. It took me a looong time to fall asleep. In the morning I found a large cockroach in the corner of my room belly up. (I think I wasn't getting any closer to that thing). I don't know if it was there before, if somehow I smooshed it moving my mattress in a desperate search for the fiend and it crawled to its death, or if I have a lethal level of poison in my scalp. As a precaution, please do not bite my scalp in the near future. Anyway I left today for Kanchanaburi with a little less sleep than I expect but strangely, feeling much better. More embarrassment to come

All Around the Mulberry Bush...or roundabout

Good idea: Wandering around Chinatown
Bad idea: Being the only tourist alone for 1/2 mile

I am writing a little bit earlier today because I don't know when I am going to step up to a computer again. I found myself having an extra day in Bangkok so I extended my stay at my hotel and stopped by Chinatown and later see what kind of excitment is going on around town. The excitement of a holiday for the Thai people because of the anniversary of their King reigning for 60 years I am not quite ready to eat too much after that really spicy food I had last night so I decided to blog instead of eat (not a choice of money, it just happens to be lunch time).
Chinatown was nuts. I have never inhaled more exhaust (except that time in Nepal where our tail pipe got clogged with clay). It was mayhem with little sidewalk space to walk on because of all the street vendors. You can buy everything you need in bulk there. Hairclips. shoes, paper, tablecloths, straws, journals, handbags, fish basically everything. To make matters worse they were filming down there and that was crazy. Everyone (including me) walking in and out of the set. Actors standing amoung everyone else getting their makeup done. I went into the deepest parts of Chinatown and escaped from some of the tourists. When I decided to walk on my own furthur north I started to have problems. At the large roundabout I had a tuk-tuk driver follow me and stop at every intersection of the roundabout. "Where you go? Where you go? 20 baht 1 hour drive round show you Chinatown." "You want temple? Standing buddha? Laying buddha? I take you." I said no, he follows me more. All around the roundabout. I was hounded by two others a lot as well argh. I mean yes 20 Baht is less than $1 I can't get IN a cab in Chicago for that I can't even hail a cab in New York for that but I don't want it!!! I was ready to pay him 20 baht to leave me alone. I did not care to inhale more exhaust than I already did. So anyway thats whats going on here.


Hair Development: My hair indeed has attained some more "body" to it since I have been here. In addition it is very shiny. I am trying to determine if that is greasy hair, sweat drying in my hair, or the change in diet. Will keep you informed of any furthur developments.


Onemore thing: Don't know what a tuk tuk is? Click here: The Tuk-tuk

Barrel o' sightseeing

So an uneventful day to report on. I have been doing plenty of sightseeing. I went to the house of Jim Thompson. He was an American exporter of silk who built this huge teak wood house in the proper Thai style. It was about $1.10 for the tour and it talked about Thai culture and such things. I enjoyed it. Unfortunatly on the way I got lost (Lonely Planet map was not totally accurate) and so I ended up sitting down for a moment to eat my granola bar. Mistake. I was approached by a very kind Thai girl named Ana who wanted me to go toher house to meet her sister who is going to be a caregiver in San Diego soon. I refused. She also wanted me to go to the beach with her. I took down her number and e mail. I will drop her an e-mail. I did not feel comfortable going by myself.
Later I went to Banglamphu and Khao San Road. That is the "Backpacker district" with load of guesthouses nasty hostels cheap laundry facilities and tons of street market stuff. Food, clothes, used shoes, used clothes, everything you can imagine. It was interesting to go down there but glad I am not staying there. I feel very strange being in a foreign county and seeing more white people than Thai people. I ate a REALLY spicy dinner last night and I think that is why I slept awful. It was good but I could feel it going down in every quadrant of my abdomen.
Interestingly I also was approached earlier by an older white gentleman who said to me "I am in the mood ver dueach maefihf Deutchland?" So I thought he said that but he really asked me if I am from Germany. I told him no, and I was dissapointed he could not speak English. He was so kind. I think he was an ex-pat. I saw him later on when I was boarding "the water bus" and he waved to me. Having fun hope all is well stateside. Glad to hear that al-Zarqawi was killed. What a success for us! Hope to hear from you all!

My Butt Was Sweating

Today was a busy day. I wanted it that way and it went quite well. I got out of bed about 0800 and showered (felt much better) ate a granola bar and decided what to do. I decided to go see the Great Temple and a whole bunch of whats (the oldest, the largest laying down Buddha so on and so forth) On my way out I spoke a few words with an English couple who were traveling, have grandkids and lived in a Bungalow on the beach for acouple months at one point. They were very kind and I followed them to the Sky Train (a clean fast version of the El with less weird people and nicer cars) They showed me the ropes and basically told me how to tour today. I took their advice made a transfer on the train and stopped by the river. I bought an tour boat ticket and went up the river. On the way up the river I meet a family from Miami who I ended up being with a good part of the day. Two parents and a daughter all teachers in Boca Raton. It was nice to share the time with someone. They took some pictures with me, we rode the boats together and toured the temples and the palace together. I ate luch with them as well. Mom I had Rice with green curry chicken with what tasted like tiny eggplants. There were basil leaves in it and it had a tiny kick to it.
It got quite hot later in the day. Sweat dripping down your leg kind of hot. Without the breeze it was quite obnoxious. The next time I stepped in air conditioning I was not quite ready for it. I know in real life I could do without it now! After everyone saying how hot it was here it is, but I don't think I will be running around in a loin cloth anytime soon. I did forget to put on sunscreen. OOPS!!!!
I found out that in Friday they are having a huge procession on the river because it will be the day that Thailand has the longest reigning monarch(y). Not sure if it is monarch or monarchy but a lot of people wearing shirts that say "long live the king" in Thai. The miami group is leaving early to avoid the crowd. I would like to come back and see it.
I am sure many of you never thought I would hook up with people and spend the day with them without being invited (the Miami group). It goes to show how different I can be then even I expect!!! Lovin' Bankok and can't wait for my next adventure. Drinking plenty of water no soda and eating even less (too hot to eat I think). So here I sit with a bun that is supposed to be "to die for" it is interesting. Sweet yet bready with melted butter in the middle. Something I think my dad would like. Blogging away. Drop me an e-mail everyone! More to come.

Where are my TED hose?

PHEW!! After 32 hours of traveling I am about to fall over! I mean I did sleep a lot but it is tough when you are in the middle seat a lot. The guy next to me on my San Fran to Beijing flight was also in the middle and I don't think he liked that too much. Three hours into our flight he started to wind and unwind his headphones continuously. He also would put his tray away and take it down and than shift the tray forward and back. I mean he would sigh and move around a lot. He started to get ME really restless. I only watched one movie on the flight and the rest thought about my swollen feet (no teds on) and if I was going to be able to poop after all this sitting. (I did when I got to the hotel no senokot needed) I don't think I really got stir crazy until the Bangkok flight. First of all because I was in Coach our TV was in black and white. (Trust me business was funny colored and first class had a perfectly good TV) I know ours could be in color because the flying instructions were in color. I also accidently told the stewardess that no one in our row wanted drinks. The Thai girls sitting next to me were not happy. By that time is 1:00 am Beijing time and I was sick of traveling. It did not help that the people I rode with to Beijing were a bunch of loud college kids going to a leadership conference. They kept thinking I was in their group.
Anyway I met a very nice Thai girl in Beijing airport. She told me "too hah een Chaing Mai go to Beeh liek Phuket or Ko tao"** I then ran into a Canadian couple who said there had been flooding in Chaing Mai where they wanted to trek. So I may not go there. Tonight I will decide. I may go to Singapore. A flight there is $80 and I think that would be great fun!! Anyway so I got my tickets and back from the airport. I got to my room about 2:30 am (Not one of my planes left or arrived on time) and fell into bed where I stared at the dark for awhile. This was when I got lonely. I wanted someone to talk to at that point and all I had was myself. Otherwise things have been great!
I felt rather shady exchanging money for my ticket in Beijing. I went all through customs, brought my cash found my guy, bought my ticket and turned around and went through customs all over again!!!!! Ugh! Not to mention the ticket guy at the counter scared the crap out of me when he told me I needed a Visa to get into Thailand (I don't). I was sure I don't but my heart was sure beating fast for awhile there. Anyway no other problems passed Avain quarintine with flying colors.

**"Too hot in Chaing Mai, go to Beach like Phuket or Ko Tao"