Wow...It´s been a while...

So...
It´s been a while.
Well, here I am. I´ve made it to the other side.

But before we get to that...let´s see...I think last time, I was just leaving Chiang Mai. That was so long and so much has happend since then. I´ll try and fill you in as best I can.

We headed back to Bangkok for a night and then headed out the next to CAMBODIA! It was a long overnight train and we made it into Cambodia tired and wanting a shower because of the heat. We were shuttled into a tuk-tuk by a man who had started rushing the train as it was still pulling into the station. He then tried to take us to a small travel agency in which to buy our Cambodian visas. It was a good thing we had read ahead and knew that these cheeky men were going to try and do just that. We insisted that we get to the real border with the men in official looking uniforms adn all that jazz. We walked the extra bit to the border crossing. We stepped inside and checked out of Thailand.

We then had to walk across the duty free area full of casinos and people heckling at you to buy this or eat that. They use the US Dollar there and their own currency as coin change. 1000 Riel was the equivalent of 25 cents...that´s how shitty the rates were. We were shuttled into Cambodia, got a good stamp and visa, and then put on a bus to take us to the transportation center. We got there and I had to ride in the crack between 2 seats for the 2 hours it took us to get from the border to Siam Reap. We arrived at a hotel and were then shuttled into little tuk-tuks to take us to our hotel. Well, we didn´t have one so our driver man took us to the cheap, backpacking area. We got a place for $8 a night and once I had dropped off the bags and showered, I was ready for beer and food! Veggie stirfry with piña. ¡Qué delicioso!

Angkor Wat the next day. The guy that drove us to the hotel the previous night had set up a way to meet us in the AM to take us there. However, it was his 'brother' that showed up and drove us around all day. We saw the huge main Angkor Wat and then about 4 other smaller ones in the complex. Even the one with the trees growing out of everything (though it is known as the Tomb Raider temple...who knew...) It was pretty wicked awesome. If any of the computers out here will read the USB drive, I´ll be able to upload pictures!

We were heckled some more but this time by a 7 year old girl trying to sell bracelets. 2 for a dollar? 2 for a dollar? Okay, okay...3 for a dollar. 3 for a dollar? 3 for a dollar? Okay! 5 for a dollar! 5 for a dollar?
Not sure how many times we needed to say no...they don´t seem to get the idea.

Beer and buckets were so cheap and buckets came with a free t-shirt. Andy said it was like Pokeman-gotta catch them all. So, we diligently tried. However, the night ended with Andrew passed out in the bathroom in his boxers getting sick all over and being an ass to me. Yay haha

This pretty much summed up Cambodia. Great ruins and cheap booze. I almost even bought a stuffed alligator. The lady wouldn´t come down on the price otherwise, it would be in a box on the way to the States. Damn.

I bought some Black Panther beer before leaving and decided it best to leave the country before Andrew disappeared into another bucket...So long Cambodia.


When we got back to Bangkok a day later after having spent 6 hours traveling, we had dinner with our Chang man. He´s so lovely in his wanna be a woman way. Next day? Harry Potter! WOOWOO I don´t care how much of a nerd it makes me, but I was so excited, I was boucing the entire day. We go to see it on the 14th and in an awesome theatre with reclining leather chairs with popcorn and airheads! However, I was not really happy with the movie...bit of a disappointment really; it probably didn´t help that I had read the book right before either...sad sad

We met up with Andy´s friends Cat and Tristan and drank beer out of coffee mugs and to go cups do to it being a holiday. Drunk and wandering Koa San Road, I get a hair wrap and henna and eventually head back to Hua Lamphong. We got up early and headed to the train station. Time for Koh Phangan and the Full Moon Party woo!!!

We arrive at the island after traveling night and most of the morning and we are right on the beach. White sand, a huge pillow area to relax, the water shallow, clear and warm. It is only ankle deep so you have to sit in it to get any kind of relief from the sun.
The party was a huge success on my count. I had my full moon t-shirt and within two buckets, I was blacked out. Stealing bracelets from dude´s pockets and getting my face paint all over the place. I had to be led back to the taxi and thought I was sober enough to speak French to a couple who didn´t speak it either. Then, I inisted on sleeping on the bathroom floor until 6am. I woke up in bed, feeling great, ready to go again, not sure what happened the night before. SUCCESS!!!

Andy got sick and we chilled the next day before heading to Koh Tao for the best part of my trip thus far:
on the beautiful island of Koh Tao I became a certified scuba diver! It is the most amazing thing!
More details and picture of course (even from underwater!) to follow! Keep an eye out!