You've probably heard me say it: Bangkok is such a great place cuz it's so close to Thailand. Well the same can be said about India! I am so happy that I currently live just a 4 hour, $320 plane ride from Bangkok. Last weekend I cashed in on this convenience and by the second day of my five day trip I was already planning my return.
The highlight of my five days in Thailand was, well, EVERYTHING. Massages, Thai food, speaking Thai, going back to my shopping stops and spa in Bangkok, stopping every block for Thai snacks, beer from 7-11 for $1.50, tuk-tuks, getting my favorite seat on the van back to my town, being remembered by the sellers I bought my food from at the market and Rosh Hashanah dinner at a welcoming house. The NEON highlights of the trip were seeing my American Peace Corps friends in Bangkok and my Thai best friends in my town.
Below is a photo journalist's nightmare of a trip recap.
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| Off I go! |
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| "Yindee dawn rap!!!" |
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| One of the first stops was at good old 7-11!! |
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| Taro filled bread. One of the many 7-11 delicacies. |
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| Street cleaning in Bangkok |
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| CITIBANK! |
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| Tuk-tuk |
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| A wonderful street vendor making my first of many Thai Iced Teas |
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| Sliced mango on Khao San Road |
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Shopping on Khao San.
It was the first time I had ever been on Khao San Rd not as a Volunteer or Student (i.e. I was making more than $5 a day). I did some damage. |
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| Foot massages at my favorite spa. I haven't been a regular customer there in 6 years, but I must have been a good customer even living 300 kms away because they remembered me. |
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| one of my purchases |
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| Dinner with Julia!! |
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| Then off to a club for dancing! |
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| At the Thrasher Party with the gorgeous Julia. |
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| Sky Train! |
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| Julia exiting the Sky Train on our way to Rosh Hashanah |
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Home made challah. HOLLA!!!
It was pouring when we were at this welcoming home to celebrate the new year. When we left we were wading in 12-15 inches of water. |
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| Late night noodles |
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| mmmmmmmm |
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| Our restaurant. |
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| Traffic in Bangkok |
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| After a glorious weekend in Bangkok I joined the morning commuters on my first leg to Uthai Thani |
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| I got on at Phrom Phon and off at Anusarawee. 8 stops. |
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| knome crook. Breakfast of champions. |
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| At Victory Monument (Anusarawee) |
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| Picked up some fried bananas (second breakfast of champions) right before getting the van to Uthai. |
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| This was the van that took me the 4 hours to Uthai. I got my favorite seat! |
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| Where I bought my bus ticket. And my 3rd Thai Iced Tea (from the man in the far far right). |
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BACK IN UTHAI!! |
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| Look how much Munglee has grown! |
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| First stop in Uthai. 4th Thai Iced Tea |
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| Lunch with Wendy, Jeeda, and their Aunt |
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| Then time for our 2 hour massages |
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| One of the market sellers who remembered me :) |
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| I LOVE walking through the market and seeing all the yummy foods |
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| My favorite fruit seller. |
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| Walks home from the market always mean balancing many bags of yummy Thai food |
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| Dinner just the way it used to be every night! Som Tom!!! |
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| Our bedroom! |
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| Munglee watching TV |
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| Day 2 in Uthai we went on a trip to a waterfall. We passed through a pineapple plantation. |
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| Munglee playing in the river |
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| Picnic lunch! |
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| We made it to the waterfall (or 700 m away) |
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| Having fun on the hike. |
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| Bamboo bridge. |
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| View from the back seat of the van. This was a beautiful tree lined street. |
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| Buddha statue at our second stop. Who knew Uthai Thani (far out in the province) had hot springs? |
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| playing in the hot spring water (that is piped in) |
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| feeding the fishies with papaya |
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| Road-side stop for pumpkins. |
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| Road-side stop for bananas and something similar to donuts. |
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| The delicious donut-like snack |
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| anyone notice I'm obsessed with rice fields? |
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| Jeeda snacking on fruit from the trees |
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| On the way home we stopped so I could get my hair washed. One of the biggest treats I had when I was living in Uthai was a cold hair washing (read: 15 minute head massage) on a HOT day (read: any day). |
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| Jeeda on the Mai Naam Sa-gai-gran. Check out the house boats in the distance. |
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| me, Jeeda, and Munglee (who was pouting because the next stop was dropping him off at school) |
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| Munglee is so happy! |
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| Munglee's school |
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| One last stop to get a shake (this time I got taro instead of Thai iced tea) for the van ride back to Bangkok. And we saw the cutest momma cat and kittens. |
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| Back in Bangkok for the day. Had an amazing street side dinner with Julia and Laura, but sadly didn't get a photo. |
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| I had time for one last foot massage before my trip home. |
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| Guards at the Bangkok airport. |
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| My bed for the ride home. 4 seats together on a plane is perfect for me! |
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| Thailand- always in my heart. |
