Another visitor, another new city, and another trip to Koh Phi Phi!

Ladies and gentlemen, I’m back!  While I have been in Khon Kaen for close to a week now, I have been avoiding my blog like the plague.  For some reason, I just couldn’t bring myself to write.  But, I’m back.  So read your heart out!

Saying goodbye to my family was very hard.  We had an amazing two weeks together, and I was sad to see them go.  But, I also knew that Bri was only a few days away from arriving in Thailand, and it was bound to be a great time.

I had just enough time to take the bus back to Khon Kaen, have my clothes washed, and repack my backpack for another trip.  I had originally planned to take the bus to Bangkok to meet Bri and Samantha (her friend from high school) at the airport.  From there, the three of us would catch a flight to Chiang Mai for Songkran.  Unfortunately, the day my family left Bangkok, a state of emergency was declared in the city.  Things escalated pretty quickly.  By that evening, only hours after returning from Bangkok, 19 people had died, and over 700 were injured in a clash between the red shirts and the military.  

With things in Bangkok so unpredictable, Bri and Samantha were unsure as to whether or not they should go through with the trip.  After many phone calls and discussions, they decided to come.  I also decided not to travel to Bangkok.  I knew that they would be away from the action at the airport, but I wouldn’t have the same luxury if I took the bus in.  Instead, I took New’s massive 16 person van on the 12 hour journey to Chiang Mai to await Bri’s arrival.  

We arrived to Chiang Mai early on the morning of the 12th, the first day of Songkran.  Now, Songkran was a mystery to me.  It is a three day festival to celebrate the Thai new year, and the beginning of the rainy season.  Essentially, it is a nationwide water fight.  For three days.  Paul just kept telling me that there aren’t words to describe it.  I would have to wait and see for myself.  And now that I have done it, he is right.  

I napped in the bed set up especially for me and my American friends, on Peter Pan sheets, unable to contain my excitement for Bri’s arrival later that night.  I woke up to my cell phone ringing away.  It was Bri!  They had caught an earlier flight, and they would be in Chiang Mai at 3, five hours earlier than planned!  I had to tell New!  We hurried to round up the troops, and headed out the door.  

While I saw nothing strange about the situation, Bri later informed me what a ridiculous welcoming committee I had brought to the airport with me.  We had Mean, the bleach-haired, trendy shirted, aviator-wearing Thai.  We had Top and Beer, the most adorable couple, wearing matching shirts and flip flops.  Then we had Art, the awkward overweight older brother who barely said two words all day.  And then there were the token Americans, and the only reason Bri was able to spot us, myself and Paul.  All of us were wearing red plastic waterproof pouches around our necks that held our cell phones and cash.  Oh, and everyone was eating Dairy Queen hotdogs.  Totally normal in my eyes.

Bri and Samantha had just traveled for 24 hours, and were immediately told to change into clothes that can get wet.  We were going to play Songkran!  

We piled into the van, and the adventures began.  We weren’t in the car for ten minutes before we drove through a stand on the side of the road to buy beer.  Bri was astonished.  Once again, I didn’t even think twice about it.  Gosh, going back to America isn’t going to be easy.  

We ended up in a gas station parking lot where we were met by about 8 more of our Khon Kaen crowd with the pickup truck.  There were already two trash barrels in the bed of the truck, filled with ice water.  With our waterproof pouches around our necks, and beers in hand, we were ready to go.  We piled into the back of the truck, and hit the streets of Chiang Mai.  The streets were packed with pickup trucks and pedestrians, and the occasional motorbike brave enough to drive through the madness.  We were hit with water from every direction.  We inched along the streets throwing ice water on everyone we saw.  And with four Americans in the truck, we were a prime target.  

It was one of the most ridiculous and fun afternoons I have ever had.  Welcome to Thailand, Bri and Samantha!

That evening we went back to the house where we were staying, and the adventures continued.  Over the next three days I had more cultural experiences than I have had in my six months in this country.  We took a money tree of offerings to the temple with the family we were staying with.  But this is Thailand, so of course we had to celebrate.  We took the money tree in a parade with the entire village.  As our hosts poured shots of whiskey down our throats, we danced through the village streets between the money trees and the pickup truck loaded with 30 massive speakers, blasting the latest Thai tunes. 

One afternoon we took a trip to the nearby hot springs where we boiled baskets of eggs in the 105 degree Celsius water.  Then, as we ate our boiled eggs with soy sauce, we soaked our legs in the cooler, but still hot, water.  When we thought our field trip was done for the day, we headed up a very steep mountain, only to climb down into an underground temple.  It was incredible.

The next day we went rafting.  And, no, it isn’t at all what you are thinking.  We lounged on bamboo platforms beside a river in the valley of the Chiang Mai mountains.  As Gaa played his guitar and sang some of his favorite American songs, a shopping basket on a pulley system, connecting it to the food stand on top of the hill, delivered us the most delicious food I have eaten.  This country never ceases to amaze me.

After our Chiang Mai experience we flew to Phuket to spend some quality time on the beach and in the sun.  We spent a night in Phuket, three in Koh Phi Phi, and another in Phuket on our way back north.  It was wonderful, and we had a great time together.  But, it had nothing on Chiang Mai.

After our time in Chiang Mai, I was reminded of exactly why I’m here.  And why I have decided to stay for one more year.  My friends are amazing.  I have so much more to learn, and so many more experiences to gain.  This year is going to be great.

Oh, and next year Songkran is April 13- 15.  Book your tickets now.  It’ll be worth it!

Just so you know, we shared cameras most of the time, so I was able to capture our first day in Chiang Mai, with Paul lounging at home, our first day "playing Songkran," the underground temple, our day of "rafting," a sign on a 7-11 in Phuket, and a photo of myself at a temple in Bangkok.  

And the photo of that massive group of people rafting.  Yeah, that's the crowd that I roll with.

Best week ever.

The family has left the country.  They are safely back in America, and I miss them terribly.  It is almost hard for me to believe that they were actually here.  It was a whirlwind trip, and it was amazing.

The family arrived to Khon Kaen on Sunday afternoon and were greeted at the airport by a few of my closest friends.  They were all dressed for the occasion, and armed with cold drinks and roses for everyone in the family.  It was hilarious.  We all piled into New's van, which is covered in advertisements for the cell phone company she works for, and drove to the hotel.  My friends had a wedding to attend later in the day, so we were on our own.  I decided to take everyone on a walk to the lake, which was probably not the smartest idea for a family that hasn't felt temperatures above 40 degrees in over 3 months.  We took tuk tuks home.

Our time in Khon Kaen was relatively uneventful, which is on par with my life here.  We had a few crazy tuk tuk rides, plenty of Leo and Singha beer, street food, and a few afternoons by the pool.  Overall, I would say it was quite pleasant.

My parents left for Phuket to stay at the fancy schmancy Marriott.  The kids were not invited.  We didn't mind!  We took a midnight bus, slept in the airport and flew the cheapest airline down to meet them in Koh Phi Phi.  It was the most authentic Thai traveling experience I could give Chip and Erin, and I don't think they enjoyed it very much.  I have a feeling that those two will not be taking a trip like Garvey and I took... just a hunch.

Koh Phi Phi was incredible.  It was my second time visiting the island, but it still took my breath away as we arrived.  The landscape is absolutely incredible, and the water is bluer than anyone could imagine.  The weather was perfect, and the snorkeling was wonderful.  I saw my first shark!  Unfortunately, my dad was busy taking photos and videos of other sea life, and missed this monumental moment in my life. Maybe next time.  My mom and sister even snorkeled, despite their fear of fish.  And by the end of the day, Erin was the first one in the water at every stop!  My mom's progress was less dramatic.  She continued to splash her hands to scare away the fish, or swim feet first to avoid all sea creatures.

After way too much time in the sun we headed back north to Bangkok.  The red shirts, the group of people currently protesting in Bangkok, were a concern, but nothing that couldn't be avoided.  Luckily, while we were in the city, the protests had not yet become violent.  We were able to see some of the red shirts parading the streets of Bangkok, and even rode in a tuk tuk with a red shirt driver!  We spent a refreshing day shopping in the air conditioned mall and riding the air conditioned sky train.  We followed that with a very hot day at the Grand Palace and riding the open ferry along the river.

All in all, it was a wonderful trip.  There was even an oven at our hotel in Bangkok and I was able to make cookies!  I was ecstatic.  I must say, six months without an oven has been a challenge, but I can still make some darn good cookies.

For those of you keeping up on your worldwide news, I am sure you have heard that the protests in Bangkok did become violent yesterday.  Last night, in the military's attempt to disperse the red shirts, 14 protestors and 6 soldiers died.  Another 800 were injured.  Currently, 4 soldiers are being held hostage by the red shirts.  Don't worry, everything is fine where I am.  It is strange to think that this is even occurring in the same country, as it is hard to find information or see any type of effects of the unrest in Bangkok.  I am being very careful and will do my best to keep you updated of any changes in the situation.  But honestly, everything is fine where I am.

On a lighter note, I'm headed out again!  My laundry has been done, and my backpack is repacked for my next adventure.  At 10 pm tonight, I will hop in New's cell phone van for the 12 hour drive to Chiang Mai.  We are going to her family's house to celebrate Songkran, the Thai new year and water festival.  It is a three day celebration when the country completely shuts down to throw water on each other.  Literally.  That is the festival.  Luckily, my mother shipped me a water balloon launcher a few months ago, it will be key for this trip.  Bri is on a plane as I write this to meet me in Chiang Mai, and the plane needs to fly faster.  I cannot wait to see her!