Okay so my pictures didn't upload correctly and out of order...no surprise here! So just deal with it, this blogging thing is getting a bit time consuming on my end, mainly because I tend to take too many darn photos to choose from and the whole writing bit...well here goes nothing!
So my brother landed on Wednesday and I had setup a room with a/c for him since I knew he was going to die in the weather here. Thursday he met up with an old buddy from California and they went to an elephant camp where you WALK with the animals, not feed them. It's a rescue camp and I strongly suggest anyone that wants to see the elephants to only see them this way. I will rant on animal treatment another time, but just don't ride an elephant. After a day of playing with elephants they crashed and slept in on Friday. I hopped on the next bus and headed to Chiang Mai to meet up with him and nearly freaked when I saw him. After a selfie (I'm obsessed - sorry) we set off (with his friend Keith who is AWESOME) to Rimping market because he was going to cook me Mexican food <3 So after a year we finally find the western market and load up on food and headed to my friend's house. He left me the key while he was away at work so we could use his kitchen. WIN. So after gorging down amazing food and some drinks we head out in Chiang Mai to play some pool and just catch up with friends. The next morning we left for Pai where we spent 3 days riding motorbikes, exploring the countryside, and eating until our stomachs exploded. Complete with day 3 of me getting food poisoning. And made for the trip back to Chiang Mai rough - over 700 turns on the road and normally takes 3.5 hours and our driver made it in 2.5 hours. Oh SE Asia...you are going to kill me. My BFF came with us to Pai and we had such a blast. So we were in Pai Saturday-Monday evening. He stayed in Chiang Mai while I had to catch a 6AM bus back to my town on Tuesday so I could teach that day and Wednesday morning before heading BACK to Chiang Mai on Wednesday to catch our flight to Krabi! (Beach, sunshine, boating, sand, rinse and repeat). So made a quick trip back home and painted a million stars for Christmas and taught some English and then met up with my brother at the airport. We were by the beach by the evening. SUCCESS! We spent 4 nights in Ao Nang, Krabi Thailand and it was so much fun. We visited beaches, explored on a snorkeling tour and made a lot of good friends in our hostel. Waking up in paradise was nuts. Sunday we headed back to Chiang Mai and made our journey to Chiang Rai. We got massages and some food and headed to bed b/c we needed to get to my town early so I could make my class. I got him all sorted at KS Place (the guesthouse where my parents stayed) and he went back to sleep while I went back into teacher mode. We got some food and smoothies and showed him around my little town. We went to the all you can eat BBQ in my town with my Filipino family and we stuffed ourselves full. So many laughs and shenanigans and food - was a perfect evening. At this point we were both exhausted. With taxi rides, motorbikes, buses, plane rides, and boating in the islands - we were spent. We packed so much into 2 weeks. It's crazy how fast it went by. He met my school the next day and my students were mesmerized by him (being white and a full beard - they called him Santa). He had a good laugh with it at least! We went to Mae Sai to do xmas shopping for everyone and then that evening we went to dinner at the night market with my farang/teacher friends (Milk's family's noodle stand - my parents ate there too - Milk is a student at my school) and it was one of his best meals in Thailand thus far. We retired to bed and we agreed to meet at Mae Chan Coffee for breakfast and I would take him to the bus stop so he could head back to Chiang Mai :(
Was hard to get motivated in the morning to go to school. I got all teary eyed in the office when I dropped off my things and told the teachers I was meeting my brother for breakfast before he leaves and wished I had my sunglasses with me. I walked through the school and met him at the cafe. Did my best to stay positive and not turn into an emotional mess that I am known to be. Well the time had come and so we paid for our drinks/coffee for the parents and I walked him to the bus stop. I hailed down a van and I spoke my broken Thai to the driver and the door opened and had enough time to snap a quick photo of him and we hugged and said I love you and then the door slammed shut and he drove off. Tears poured down my cheeks at this point and I rushed back to my room. Thinking I had some time to cry a bit and pull myself together my BFF calls me and asks me about New Years plans and had to give her flight info about Bangkok which was a perfect distraction for me and was thus able to get back to the office and prepare my Christmas lecture for my students on time and until now I haven't shed too many tears. This weekend is the service for my grandmother and the entire family will be there - wish I could be there. Just for a few hours. I miss my family around the holidays a lot, but so blessed to have had my family here in Thailand and to spend time with them in California.
So all in all, a perfect whirlwind visit. Here are photos uploaded out of order SHOCKING.
One day I'll figure it out...one day...
Elliott playing Wagonwheel <3
I love Pai b/c I don't have to eat Thai food #allthebacon
our rides for the day in Pai
waterfall
nature
who doesn't have flipflops
sibling pic
gorgeous
the hike
he was so annoyed with my selfies
dragonfruit smoothie
no filter
wifi addict jk
view from the White Buddha
White Buddha
So Thai
Pensive selfie?
sunset in Pai
<3
not enough people!
action shot!
Pai in a nutshel
selfie with my bestie Bethel
mojitos split with friends (mango and ginger)
he was annoyed with me
breakfast
Singha <3
Elliott and Mikael
the situation
whoop
view
rough Monday
soda water <3
my students
cuties
xmas prep!
teacher life
sports day prep
marching band practice
jump rope practice
teacher life
selfie shame - i like my bangs!
Elliott's iPhone
Wouldn't happen in the states!
Mom and Dad - we found your place!
the best Indian food in Ao Nang
all the naan
so Thai
Can't help it
Selfie shame
A bucket happened - then I went to sleep at 9:30pm and slept 10 hours. win!
view in the morning
life doesn't suck
win
Elliott didn't tell me I didn't get all the sunscreen rubbed in - FAIL
Sajan - new friend
heaven
off to Railay beach!
boat selfie
paradise
what Thailand is known for
rock formations
sunset at Tonsai beach after all day snorkeling and cliff jumping
selfie sunset
toes
grrr Sajan
hostel life - E, Libby, and Sajan
my attire for 4 days <3
E was feeling a little crabby... #momjokefml
whoop
why are the boats beached!?
rock climbers!
slacklining
dancer's pose
E's version of dancer's pose
standard
last day
two friends we met on the tour
Don't mess with Phil and his sticky rice
Or his pineapple fried rice
good-bye Krabi
#momshot
sleeping selfie
all you can eat BBQ
ALL THE FOOD
I'm still full
so good
om nom nom nom
back to teacher life
mom sent this photo to us...awww Hopper, Baloo, Tilly, and Ziggy <3
walk to the night market requires a patagonia jacket and my peruvian hat and pants. current temp: 68
last snap of E before he left Mae Chan :(
my students made my morning
punks, but I love them
So that's his trip...
2/12 Chiang Mai
3/12 Chiang Mai
4/12 Chiang Mai
5/12 Pai
6/12 Pai
7/12 Pai
8/12 CM
9/12 Ao Nang
10/12 Ao Nang
11/12 Ao Nang
12/12 A Nang
13/12 Chiang Rai
14/12 Mae Chan
15/12 Mae Chan
16/12 Chiang Mai
17/12 USA :(
Quick trip but was perfect
I have so much going on this month, it's insane. After two weeks of hanging with my brother, I have 3 days of sports day to get ready for and the Christmas Party on Christmas Eve and have xmas off and spending it with friends in the area. Then have 3 days of teaching and flying straight to Bangkok to reunite with one of my California loves for 2 nights! So excited! Then to Koh Samet with my friend Katie for the weekend until flying back home on Sunday the 3rd...so probably no blog until January perhaps?
I will do my best at taking my time with this blog, been a bit antsy with everything going on and the last thing I really want to do is write down what's going on...
Until next time!
