GypsyJourneys

We left bustling New Delhi on our second full day in India. We were excited to leave the busy capital of India and head to the home of the Taj Mahal, Agra. This marks our first trip on an Indian train. The train station was a mere 5 minute walk from our hostel, so we packed up our bags and set off for a day of travel. The train station was easy to navigate and before we knew it we were sitting in our cabin of the train at platform 3. We had a sleeper cabin with fan no A/C. The train itself was not fancy or overly comfortable but we had a place to sit and a window to enjoy the views that passed by. It seemed like we were the only foreign travelers that ... read more

I know that this is a really late post on the floods in Bangkok but I had written down these notes about what I saw during my second experience through the flood and really feel that they should be shared. It was on our overnight bus trip to and from Chiang Mai that I was able to see more of the flood damage to the northern outskirts of Bangkok. We had received an extra week off because the government announced that the flood water would be pushed through our city to be released into the gulf. As we left our city, every where you looked people and businesses were preparing for the worst. Cement walls were popping up everywhere around building entrances and sandbags laid out everywhere. You could purchase huge kayaks and flotation vests on ... read more

mini vans -these fit 14 passengers snuggly. They don't leave for their destinations until every seat is filled. There are no schedules for departure or arrival just depends on how fast the vans can fill up. They travel near and far for very cheap. This is the typical method of transport for us to get to Bangkok. We have also taken these for trips up to 4 hours long. Songtaos -These are regular trucks that have been transformed into a public method of transportation. They have roofed truck beds with rows of seats to sit on either side. Song means two in Thai. So two rowed truck. This is what we take to get around town. Taxis-Taxis in Thailand are never hard to miss. They come in bright colors like hot pink, lime green, bright red, ... read more

Nothing is more exciting living abroad than having someone you know from home come visit! It's was so great being able to share my life here in Thailand with a friend from Austin, Texas. Leslie went to McCombs with me (the business school at UT) and served as an officer with me in the Women in Business Association (WBA). Leslie just graduated in December and before her amazing job starts up in NYC she is taking the world by storm and going everywhere. We arranged to meet her at the airport that Friday evening. It was so strange being in an airport, it gets my travel blood pumping and I just wanted to get on a flight and go somewhere. This trip to Thailand has been the longest time I've spent in just on foreign country. ... read more

Hello everyone! Erika and I spent the morning exploring the meat and fish market that our city is famous for. If you google Mahachai, Thailand you get two things...the famous Mae Khlong Railway that passes through our town and the fish/meat market. People from Bangkok travel to our city just for the markets. Apparently the fish are the freshest in the area of Bangkok and the cheapest. On the weekend hoards of people fill the markets and purchase their goodies. A trip through these markets is pretty intense. What you see next you will never know!! Pigs head, intestense, heart, brain, feet, cut open fish, fish heads, etc. If you know me... then you know that I absolutley hate raw meat and any sort of fish!! This market in other words is a nightmare for me! ... read more

So my worst fear while being over here is losing someone back home. I came to face that fear when Mr. Gibson passed away early January. He meant a lot to our family and has been in my life ever since I can remember. It really sucked being far away from anyone who could really comfort me on his loss. I also wish I could have paid my last respects to him at his funeral. I did in my own way here in Thailand though. It was nice being able to write something to be read at his funeral. That was my only way to be there and the best way really. I remembered the good times and shared that with those who also knew him. Death is a reminder that we are not invincible. Yet, ... read more