Laos

It was just a quick trip through the northern part of Laos. We were able to see a lot of the country side and get a feel for this little but emerging country. It runs at a different pace than the other Southeast Asia countries. I would have loved to spend a few more days to explore the Plain of Jars in Phonsqran, Laos but we must keep moving! This World just has too many amazing places to visit!

1/25 - Pakbeng, Laos

We crossed the border/river into Laos in the morning. We had no trouble as a company had already gotten our visas into Laos and exit stamps out of Thailand. We did have to sit for a while waiting for the slow boat to take us down the Mekong River. We were on a two day, one night river trip to Luang Prabang, Laos. The boat ride was 7.5 hours on Friday. The mountains were beautiful and the river is brown but not as bad as it looked in Vietnam. I tried my first worm. It still had eyes but was nice and fried! still pretty nasty tasting! The locals were hoping on and off the boat and it was neat to see the edges of some of the villages. I think it would be cool to have hopped off for the night and stayed. Maybe another day! We are on a quick visit in Laos as we have some night trains and flights booked for the next few weeks. Yes, we have a plan!

1/26 - Luang Prabang, Laos

The night was nice along the river and was not so cold as the night before had been. We were at the boat at 7:30 to make sure we got good seats. The day before we had seats but everyone was walking by us and getting in our little area. We got good seats for the remaining 7 hour or so boat ride. The views were nice and I got a lot of reading done! Everyone was ready to arrive in Luang Prabang so it was exciting when we docked! We stayed at a hostel right on the Main Street. We headed to the beautiful night market. They had so many beautiful cloths and the colors were amazing! I only walked away with a beautiful pink pillow case that will go great on my brown couch when I get home! We went to this bar called Utopia which was located right on the Mekong River. We had a Beerlao and it was good. The craziest part was them using bomb shells as decorations in the bar. It was pretty surreal. Did you know that even in Laos there are bombs that have not gone off? We have been told to stay on the beaten path at all times. It is mostly local kids that think they can make a buck off the metal. Then, it ends up exploding. The country is trying to raise awareness but very sad that it is still happening.

1/27 - Luang Prabang

We had stopped last night to buy some fruit for breakfast. We had the awesome dragon fruit. When Jordan bit into the water apple, she quickly spit her bit out. There were worms and they were jumping worms. it made for a very funny morning! In the afternoon, we went to the nearby waterfall. It was about 45 mins from the center of town. It was beautiful. The blue, blue water, the terraces and the large waterfall were all just outstanding views. We hiked around and had about an hour to explore the area. We did not know to wear our swimsuits so sadly I was not able to jump off one of the falls. Maybe next time! When we got home, Jordan and I went on a run around the cute little town. It is the second most populist town in Laos and you could drop a nail and still hear it. The local boys were all playing soccer in a field and the sunset behind the mountains was great to see. The run is a pinky promise that Jordan and I have made with each other! There should be more runs to come! And we are headed to the beach for the entire month of February so better start running and looking good. We had a great dinner right on the river and just enjoyed the night!

1/28 - Somewhere along the route from Luang Prabang and Vientiane

We woke at 5:30 am to watch the Buddhist monks walk into town. They lined up by what appeared to be age and we, along with many others, filled their baskets with food (sticky rice, bananas and chocolate candies). It was neat to see and be apart of their culture. We went to the Wat Xieng Temple. The mosaics on all the walls were amazing. They have so much details and there is no shortage of Buddhas in any of these countries. I then had a back and shoulder hour massage for the total price of $6. I know it is amazing to think I am living the dream and can still be stressed out....who would have ever thought! Jordan got a bikini wax that turned into a Brazilian wax and was drinking a beer and laughing when we meet back up! The little surprises in Southeast Asia are the best! We climb to the highest temple in town, That Phu Si & Wat Tham Phu Si. The sunset was beautiful but there we a lot of old people blocking our views, bummer. It was still a great hike to the top! We had local street food for dinner and at 7 pm, headed to the bus station. We took a 10 hour night train to the capital of Laos, Vientiane. We got the VIP bus but it was still interesting. The bus is built for Asians and not people as tall as me! But I managed to fit. There were at least 4 people who got bus sick and were loudly throwing up. Yes, I had to put the ear plugs in! Nasty but all part of the experience!

1/29 - Vientiane

We arrived at about 6 am at the bus station. We arrived at our hostel and I think everyone was still up partying and the front desk man had to be drunk. We kind of checked in but went out for breakfast. Then, we headed to Lao Villa hotel for a cooking class. We learned to make three dishes including a papaya salad! I took good notes so hopefully can re-create something like them. The cook lady was nice but every fast. It will be fun to try and find a banana flower at the grocery stores in Houston! We headed back to the hostel and took a nap. Before napping, one of the Vietnamese ladies working at the hostel was talking to me. She was not the easiest to understand but she was just smiling. Then, she gave me a hug! What a wonderful surprise for me! So far from home and a lady that barely speaks English gives me a hug! It is the little moments in life that really mean the most! It made my day! We went out to play pool for the night. One the way home, Jordan and I were chasing the lady selling noddles from her cart. It was quite hilarious!

1/30 - Night Train between Vientiane, Laos and Bangkok, Thailand

We woke up for a run along the Mekong River. We had a local lunch and are sitting in a cafe drinking Chai Tea! We leave a 2 pm on a two hour bus trip to the border and then a night train to Bangkok, Thailand for the day. Then, another night train to Chumphon, Thailand and a ferry to the island of Ko Tao for some beach time and scuba diving!

Thailand Part 2 - Chiang Mai and Chiang Khong

Thailand has been amazing and I love the little town of Chiang Mai. I am glad we made the journey north (we will head to south Thailand after Laos). I am learning a lot about the World, enjoying the beautiful country sides, meeting people who just don't come thru Houston and getting to know myself a little better! I know I said it last time but I really appreciate all the support and love that people have shown me. I could not be blessed with more amazing people in my life!

1/18 - Chiang Mai

After a 17 hour train ride, we arrived in Chiang Mai from Bangkok. It was a sleeper train and the bed was not all that bad. For breakfast, the beds folded up and made a table. The views were really great as we got into the mountains. It is so lush and green here. The bathroom was very interesting. The squatty potty was just a hole over the railroad tracks. Yep, I could see straight to the tracks!

We stayed at a hostel called Thailand Wow and the staff was super nice. They did mess up our reservation but Jordan said she would just sleep on a mat on the floor for a discounted price. It all worked out! We walked to the local food stalls for dinner and had a great local dinner.

1/19 - Chiang Mai

We had booked a taxi driver to take us to a few places right outside of town. We first went to the Tiger Kingdom. We got to go into the cages with the big and small tigers. It was pretty amazing feeling. I have been through a wave of emotions so being scared or worried never really crossed my mind. I just did it! The big tigers were massive and were laying down. I got to lift their tail and it weighted so much more than you would think. Then I compared my foot to his...not sure it was even half his foot size. We got to lay on them but were told not to touch the front of them. The trainers in the cage only had a little stick with them so glad we made it out alive! Here is an interesting fact: The big tigers eat 12 chickens a day. We then visited the small tiger cage. There was one tiger that was super active. He was just running around and I remember thinking that I hope the trainers are watching my back! I say small but they were about the size of Bear and Cal (my childhood dogs!). We got to walk around to see the medium tigers and the smallest tigers. The smallest were so adorable and still has their blue eyes. The tourist who paid to see them got to bottle feed them...so cute!

After the tigers, we drove up the mountain to the Doisathep Temple. Before the hike to the top, we got hot dogs wrapped in waffles on a stick. OMG amazing!! The temple was very nice but the view was foggy due to the locals burning the crops for the next season. On the way down, we had sweet corn (corn, sugar, milk, butter). Yum! The next stop was at an underground temple called Oumong Temple. It was okay. It was different as the Buddha was under the mountain.

That evening, we headed out to meet one of Jordan's high school friends. It was good to get out and mingle. We meet a lot of people with crazy life stories and far from home. We ended up dancing at the local club and having a good night! When I was going to bed, there was a guy doing a perfect yoga pose right next to my bed. I was laughing so hard when I rolled over and spotted him! Not too funny for you but I was a little teary eyed so I can only imagine he was thinking that I need to do some yoga moves!

1/20 - Chiang Mai

We walked around town in the morning. It is such an adorable little town with a moat around the main part of town. We stopped and got pedicures. Very nice and I have not had my toe nails painted in four months so it is nice! Whenever you get a massage, you get this crazy, spicy, hot tea. I think I am starting to like it so I might have to figure out what it is. It was Sunday and around 4 pm everyone and all the shops have a huge market on the Main Street in town. There were crafts, food and people everywhere. It was so great to see everyone shopping and eating. We had a great dinner of street food that included a chocolate with honey pancake. There were so many people that it was like going to the galleria at Christmas time. and dad look Bella has expanded her business to Thailand! I got a cute case for my iPad and two necklaces (not sure where they ended up in my ever growing back pack..I should be easy to stop when I come home as the big blob of green back pack and a smile!).

1/21 - Chiang Mai

In the morning, we left on a two day, one night trekking tour of the mountains. We started with a drive that stopped at an orchid farm. The flowers were blooming and the roots were just hanging down. It was pretty. We stopped at a local market but we have been to quite a few so nothing to crazy. I think Jordan has a noodle obsession...she always just wants noodles to eat! We then hiked about two hours to a little village. We stopped on the hike for a pad thai lunch. The view was very nice but our guide seemed a little out of it. We arrived at Jumbo Elephant Camp in the afternoon. The hut we were sleeping in was open air and set above the camp on a hill. The view of the valley and mountains was awesome. The fresh air was also amazing! The campsite included 5 elephants, a cooking area, a bar, a campfire, and a lot of new construction. We got to go on an elephant ride. It was a little strange getting on the elephant from a platform and sitting on his neck. It was like riding a horse but to a different degree. I could feel his muscles move on my bum with every step. Jordan and I were on the same elephant. She had to sit on his backbone which did not seem nice at all. On the way back, we stopped at a watering hole. The elephants bent down and we jumped off into the water. We got buckets and got to wash the elephants. I was most worried they were going to step on my toes or they were going to hit me with their trunk. It was fun and an experience to remember forever! That evening, there were only six tourist staying at the camp. We played the Vegetable Game (we are playing it at the next family holiday!) and sat by the campfire. It was also cool to hear the elephants as we sat around the fire. They are quit loud! The night got cold in the open air sleeping hut but luckily I had brought my sleeping sheet.

1/22 - Chiang Mai

We woke up to a very relaxing morning. We cooked toast with bamboo sticks over the camp fire. Pretty neat experience! Then waited around until a little before noon and took a truck up the mountain. We went on an hour hike up the mountain along the river to a beautiful waterfall. The hike was beautiful and we walked over some pretty hilarious bridges on the way up. We jumped in for a cold swim right under the falls. It was so cold but I think I went numb after a few minutes so we got a few cool pictures. We had lunch right at the waterfall and relaxed for a bit. I love the part of hikes when the air changes. You can smell and feel the change and I just think it is so amazing. We hiked down and headed to white water rafting. Compared to the Zambezi River, it was more like floating. The river was beautiful and banana trees were all over the mountains. We transferred from a proper raft to a bamboo raft. It was more like a submarine and we were sitting in cold water up to our hips. It was an experience to say the least! We headed back to Chiang Mai after the trip. I had a hot shower which is a luxury that I have always taken for granted back home!

1/23 - Chiang Mai

We booked a tour to Laos too late and had to stay an extra night in Chiang Mai. It worked out luckily because our Thailand visas expire on Jan. 27th. We did a little planning for the rest of the trip as my baby sister is coming for 10 days to the Philippines!! So excited! And the best part is she cannot break up with me!! We bought train tickets and two plane tickets. Pretty excited for the last two months of my adventure! I got my eyelashes highlighted and had street food for dinner. I talked to my mom for a while in the morning as I was having a hard day. I made it through the day and got my first night of good sleep since Vietnam. Thank The Lord!

1/24 - Chiang Khong

We got picked up at about 10 am for a 6 hour van ride to Chiang Khong, Thailand. It was a a good bus ride and I had plenty of leg room. We stopped at an all white temple outside of Chiang Rai, Thailand. It was pretty impressive and very different than the other temples we had visited. Chiang Khong is right on the Mekong River and a border crossing into Laos. It was a cute little town and cool to sit by the river. We had dinner provided from the hotel. It was an upgrade for us as we had a private bathroom and our own bedroom with two twin beds.

Thailand Part 1 - Bangkok

Thailand

Have you ever felt like a entire city is zooming past and you are just standing still? Like the entire World knows where to go and you are lost? Well, the last two weeks have felt like that. I miss my family, my friends, Texas comfort food, running into someone I know and Bella's kisses. Gavin broke up with me after two and a half years and I am having a bit of a hard time. The breakup was a total shock to me. Luckily, I have an amazing travel friend that keeps me moving and a great support system of friends and family back home. Really amazing people back home that have reminded me to have faith in God's plan and that they love me. I truly appreciate every email, phone call and word of encouragement. I know there are more hard days to come but the light will shine again. Heck, I am living the dream of seeing this beautiful World that God has created for us!

Enough boring stuff, here is what I have been up to!!

1/13 - Bangkok, Thailand

We woke up about 530 am to head to Bangkok. We took a bus to the border, walked through the exit and entrance customs and got into a smaller van to finish the drive to Bangkok. For free, we got a 15 day visa into Thailand so we will most likely have to extend or leave to another country before Jan. 27th. It was a very crowded 4 hour van ride but exciting to see another country.

We arrive at our 5 star hostel, Saphai-pae Hostel. It has computers, super clean, nice beds, ac, hot showers (about 7 days without a hot shower is hard!) and a restaurant. It is a little out of the main part of town but it works! We had dinner at the hotel as the journey to Thailand was a bit exhausting.

1/14 - Bangkok

The benefit of not traveling with a group, as I did in Africa, is you get to sleep in! It is nice to relax and take a morning slow. We woke up and took the taxi boat down to Tha Tientsin stop. We got off and got to explore the Buddhist temple of Wat Pho. A massive (and this is an understatement of how big) laying down Buddha was in the temple. He was gold and the shoes had to come off, shoulders and knees had to be covered to go see him. He was housed in a temple with detail on every corner. It had a bunch of mirrors, colors and gold all around. Just a site to see! We then walked to The Grand Plaza, the former royal residence. What a complex! Just the most detailed buildings and temples that I have ever seen. And one right after another. They are had difference but all equally as impressive. I found myself comparing these Buddhist temples to the beautiful Catholic Churches in Germany and Italy. I want the back splash of my kitchen to look like one of the flower temples. Dad - I took a close up of the work for you! I might need a project when I get home! We spent a few hours just getting lost and looking around the plaza. We then crossed the Chao Phraya River and went to the Wat Arun Temple. It was impressive and had a great view of the city but was not as well maintained as the grand plaza temples. We headed back for dinner at the hostel.

1/15 - Bangkok

Don't laugh but I submitted a picture to Glamour Magazine of Jordan and me standing in front of a Angkor Tample holding the Glamour Magazine. There is a page in each issue that features girls taking their Glamour cool places and just maybe they will pick our photo from Cambodia! Mom - I gave them your cell so let me know if I am going to be famous!

We had lunch on the side of the road at a noodle shop. It was really good and kinda of like pha but with pork balls as the meat! We headed to Wat Traimit Temple with the largest pure gold Buddha. It was pretty impressive. We traveled, with our crazy tuk tuk driver, to the Golden Mountain which had a Buddha sitting on the top of a hill. It had great 360 views of the huge city. We then headed to China Town. The market was great. It had really narrow streets and tons of stuff to buy including hair pieces, purses, food, fruits, and bags. Just everything! Our tuk tuk driver went a little nuts when we told him we would not stop at three silk shops so he could get free gas. We walked home and it was nice to see the city by foot. The roads always seem to be packed. It is much easier to cross the streets here as they follow the traffic lights unlike Vietnam. In the evening, we took a boat to a very fancy night market. We had dinner at the market but everything was too expensive for me!

1/16 - Bangkok

I had the best bacon for breakfast that I have had in 4 months! Yum! We relaxed and read up on the whale sharks in the Philippines and are hoping they will be there! Big dream of mine to swim with them!

Then, we headed to have a Thai massage and facial. See Jordan really is taking care of me! It was a nice boutique and the lady popped just about every bone in my body. Compared to my other massages, they use a lot more of their body parts when giving the massage. Like at one point, her entire body was on me (not in a dirty way) Haha! And it only cost $35 for 2.5 hours of pampering! In the evening, we headed to the backpackers area. Not sure why we are not staying there but we will next time we come thru Bangkok. I went to people watch and it was good! Lots of shopping, drinking, smoking and weird people. It was fun to get out and meet some fellow travelers!

1/17 - Bangkok

We are on a 10 pm night train ride to Chiang Mai, Thailand. It will be a long ride but excited for a new city. Not sure the plan for today!

Cambodia Part 2

Cambodia is a wonderful little country that has a lot of history. It was a very eye opening adventure for me. From their own civil wars to the fact that there are still American bombs in Cambodia that have not exploded to them using old glass coke bottles as gasoline holders for the tuk tuks to fill up with to them saying same same but different for just about everything that you ask. I am glad to say I learned a lot. I have a best friend, Lauren Johnson, that's company is working to help the Cambodian people and that makes me happy to know. Here is what we did on our last few days in Cambodia!

1/9 - Siem Reap

Jordan and I caught the 8:30 am bus to Siem Reap. The road was under construction and dusty but we made it around 4 pm. We walked to town for dinner and around the night market for a little while. It is a very cute little town with lots to eat, drink and relax. They have tanks for fish to eat the dead skin off your feet. Yes, I am going to have to try it out before we leave! Our hotel is very nice. For $4 a night, we got a bus station pick up, a private room and bathroom, to borrow the temple guide book and really nice staff!

1/10 - Siem Reap

We started our day around 7:30 am to have breakfast before heading to the Angkor Temples. We had a private tuk tuk driver for the entire day for only $25. We started by heading about 40 km outside of town to the Khal Spear ancient Khemer ruins. On the way, we got to see the buildings where bricks were being made. We hiked up for about 20 minutes thru the lush landscape to a waterfall. The waterfall had may carvings on it and as we followed the river down the carvings just continued. It was pretty amazing the amount of carvings that were done along the river bead. We hiked back down and headed to our first temple. It was huge and very impressive. We continued to a few more temples that day. It was very laid back and you could pretty much walk wherever you wanted. In the evening, we headed to the top of a temple to watch the sunset over the temple. It was beautiful but very crowded. That evening, we went to dinner in the really cute town.

1/11 - Siem Reap

We woke up at 4:30 am to head to the Angkor Wat temple. It was still dark and we did not think to bring the headlamp. But we found a spot and watched the sunrise over Angkor Wat. We got to explore the enormous temple. It was out of this World. It is a site that everyone needs to put on their list to see! We continued to a few more temples before being so exhausted that we had to stop for the day. In town, we feed the fish our dead skin and it was very funny! Then, we got a foot massage. We went to the market and I, for some reason, bought way to much. And now I have to carry it!

1/12 - Siem Reap

We went for breakfast and to have a cup of coffee (not gulp a cup of coffee). It was nice and relaxing. We headed to the temples afterwards to see a few ones we missed. They are all just so impressive and all a little different. It was really fun to explore one of the ancient wonders of the World. I think the town is going to explode with tourism within the next few years.

Pictures have been posted on Facebook but here are some more!