I hear the sun is shining at home FINALLY! Just so you know, for the past month I've been getting enough for allllllllll of you. My feet are so brown, I thought it was dirt. Okay, so it's partially dirt. Or mostly. But whatever. They're brown. :) I'm now in the capital city of Cambodia, Phnom Penh... a stark contrast from the town of Siem Reap. Took the 6 hour bus ride through the countryside today. Read an entire book about a 27-year-old girl from the UK who was caught smuggling drugs out of Thailand 10 years ago. (Don't worry, I'm [View Full Entry]

---

---

Sua s'dai! That's hello in Khmer! (I learned that from a 22 year old Buddhist Monk at Angkor Wat today). Siem Reap is simply amazing... I can't even begin to express what it's like to be here. The 11th century temples of Angkor and the complex history of the Khmer Empire is one thing, but the feeling I get from the people here is undescribable. I'm not sure if that comes from being a small town in the province of Siem Reap, or if its simply the Cambodian way. I have an inkling its a little of both. Yesterday, I hired [View Full Entry]

---

---

Good Morning, I am in Siem Reap, Cambodia. For those who don't know, this is home to the incredible temples of Angkor. I'm told they're the largest and most impressive religious structures in the world. I'm on my way to see them today. (I've hired a driver to take me!) So I hop on a little regional jet yesterday in Bangkok and took the 55 minute flight to Siem Reap. My other option was to take a 12 hour (non-air conditioned) bus for about 10 dollars, but I really didn't think that was such a bright idea after stepping off a [View Full Entry]

---

---

Hey, Just on my way out of Thailand and have a free moments to dump some pics.... Enjoy! [View Full Entry]

---

---

Sawasdee Kraa! Not sure if I mentioned this before, but Koh Tao means Turtle Island. It is named this for its shape. But if you look at a map, it in no way resembles a turtle... ...and just yesterday, I was lucky enough to get to swim with a turtle! Yes, I'm finally over my island illness (thanks to everyone for the advice) and I was able to go SCUBA diving. How could I not, when it is one of the premiere dive sites in the world? I haven't been under the sea in a few years, so don't worry Mom, [View Full Entry]

---

---

Hello, So the Thai masseuse medicine man didn't heal me. But I went to this dodgy little clinic down a little dirt road yesterday. I walked in, started crying out of pure exhaustion and told the nurse I had tummy troubles. And without even asking my name, where I was from, what I had eaten or what other meds I might be taking, she quickly prescribed three things: antibiotics, charcoal pills (to absorb any bacteria or parasite) and pain killers. I guess she sees this allllllll the time with dumb Westerners. I don't know if it's the peace of mind or [View Full Entry]

---

---

Day three of food poisoning. This is the most horrible place to feel like this. Why? 1. It's so gorgeous. 2. This is the place I wanted to be the most. 3. I have to climb 100 stairs to get to my cottage... (walking 5 steps is a major task) 4. It's so damn hot, there is no air conditioning Last night I woke up with cold sweats. How that's possible in this heat is beyond me. Then I woke up cooking. Thank heavens they only have cold showers here. I tossed and turned in agony -- it feels like there's [View Full Entry]

---

---

I apologize, this one will be a quickie as internet time is twice the cost as it is in Bangkok... I am now in Koh Tao, one of the little islands off the coast of Thailand. I do believe I've found paradise... but not without some bumps along the way. Left Bangkok a few days ago on the overnight train to Surat Thani. This time, no air conditioning. Picture it: a train speeding down the tracks with doors and windows WIDE open. Uh huh. This would never happen in North America. One quick stop and you could have flown out. No [View Full Entry]

---

---

Hello!!! I'm back in steamy Bangkok after a most marvelous adventure through the mountains of Northern Thailand. Four days in the jungle passed more quickly than you can imagine! Left Chiang Mai in the early morning with only a day pack. Read: one change of clothes, flip flops, my journal, swimsuit and a sarong. Stopped at a market in the last town to buy fruit and water before heading into the jungle. Drove for 3 hours in the back of a pick-up truck, uphill, to get to the base camp. That's where we dined on rice and green oranges before beginning [View Full Entry]

---

---

Sawasdee Krup! I've learned a few new things on this trip already. 1. What heat rash feels like 2. That everyone's a scam artist Wow. Three days in 38 degrees celcius -- in a dirty rotten polluted city -- is quite enough for me. I've developed this lovely and itchy heat rash (I am HOPING that's what it is) from being soaking wet (from humidity) the entire time I've been in BKK. My hair is COMPLETELY out of control. I now understand why people in hot countries get dreads. It happens involuntarily! I've never experienced heat and humidity like this. I [View Full Entry]

---

---