As our days in Thailand began to wheel down to an end, we took time to hit the Islands. We actually went to Ko Samet, an Island that still claims to have malaria though they took the sign down as to not frighten off the tourists. This time of year, most of the tourists are Thai, which can be relaxing compared to the over crowded beaches in the south. Ko Samet is also a national park, but even economic development has precedence over environmental laws. The bus arrived late into the evening so we were forced to spend the night on [View Full Entry]

---

---

Angkor Thom Angkor Thom is the great city of Angkor. It was built from 1181 to 1219 by Angkor’s greatest king, Jayavarman VII. There are five gates or entrances to the city. All of them have long roads that cross the man made moat that surrounds the city. On each side of the road there is a large snake that is held by 54 statues. On the right there are 54 demons and on the left there are 54 gods. Walking down the warn dirt road of the east gate to the city, many of demons and gods head’s are missing. [View Full Entry]

---

---

We awoke the next morning to the roaring fan ahead, viciously swirling the cool night’s air with the brutal heat that poured in through our guesthouse window. It was only 6:30 am when our day began. We met our English friend down the hall and went for coffee at guesthouse’s restaurant. Despite the heat, it was quite a dreary day, overcast but still dry. When we went to meet the Tuk-Tuk (the go cart/taxi) driver we found that the tour guide had not yet arrived. After waiting 20 minutes we were ready to move along without, but the driver called him [View Full Entry]

---

---

Our next stop was the grand Temple of Angkor. The day was becoming wet as we walked down the long sandstone causeway across the moat. The Moat was still other than the light tapping of raindrops that always fall lightly before a downpour. Once through the main entrance, we went in through the gate that contained a statue of Vishnu. After stepping into the dark, damp hall lit only with candles and the hovering sent of incense, our eyes were first captured by the bright orange of Vishnu’s robe. The only movement in the still darkness was a nun dressed in [View Full Entry]

---

---

Jan and I found a bus from Khao San Road to Cambodia. We searched for the cheapest and most convenient route, which ended up forcing us to spend an entire day traveling. They told us that it should take about 12-14 hours and that the bus stopped on the boarder so that we could get a Visa. We left early Thursday morning and spent the first five hours on the bus to the boarder. Jan spent time reading in the Lonely Planet and I tried to focus my eyes outside the window so I would not get carsick. He showed me [View Full Entry]

---

---

Sunday Night Jan and I took the night bus from Udon Tani to Chiang Mai. We had to first take an hour bus ride to Udan Tani from Nong Khai. We waited there for a few hours and had dinner. To our surprise we found this little crazy monkey that was the pet of the ticket seller. He enjoyed using our limbs as branches and jumping on our backpacks as though they were trampolines. "Ok." I thought, "SO maybe it is cute the first 20 times it uses you as a tree branch, but after it pisses on you and ravishes [View Full Entry]

---

---

After being in Thailand for 30 days you are required to leave the country, unless you have a visa. The price you pay for not doing so is about 15 dollars for every day you stay past your arrival date. This fine they collect on your departure of the country. Since a Visa can be quite costly for Thailand, it is easier to buy a 30 day visa to Laos, leave and come back. Some people call this a “visa run” where they simply buy the visa, go over to Laos and get their stamp to return to Thailand and have [View Full Entry]

---

---

Three weeks have amazingly flown by since my last entry. I moved from Nong Khai to Ho Kham village on the first of July and have been here since. Ho Kham village is about 110 kilometers from Nong Khai and is a medium size village. I have been Staying with the Pee family at their home only 5 minutes walk from the school. LIVING in Ho Kham for three weeks I feel like I understand Thai culture and life style more than Korea’s, despite the fact I spent 5 months living there. Village life was simple to me at first. I [View Full Entry]

---

---

I was surprised to find out the first Friday that we had a four day weekend. It was Buddhist lent and the school was in Chaos getting ready for the ceremony that would take place after school. We walked around the entire village with several huge candles in the back of pickup trucks. We then all went to the temple for chanting and prayer. Here the monks splashed water on the kids as they went by after the ceremony. The next day I stayed in Nong Khai. There were a few things I needed, including a break. I came to find [View Full Entry]

---

---

Driving into Non Khai was an exotic experience. The bus driver sent me on a Tok-tok (The taxi/carriage/go cart) with a man who couldn’t speak a word of English. He had no idea where he was suppose to drop me off. The Thai women who was helping told me he was just going to drop me off in the middle of town where I could find someone who spoke English and could ask them. I was oddly not too uncomfortable knowing the driver would be abandoning me with only an address on a piece of paper written in English. As he [View Full Entry]

---

---