Love in Luang Prabang

We left Vang Vieng to embark on a long, windy, but insanely beautiful drive to Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Unfortunately, I had to keep my eyes closed for a majority of the drive to avoid getting sick, but trust me when I say my glimpses into Laos living in the mountains is simple, but absolutely gorgeous.

Upon arrival Mick had spotted a sign for coffee oreo milkshakes so we headed (AKA ran) there and delighted ourselves with shakes and the first of many Laos sandwiches ( French bread... Oh. Em. Gee.). Refueled and ready to go, we were ready to take on Luang Prabang. Having 5 days to spend there, we covered a lot of ground, so to break it down, our trip consisted of meandering, monks, markets and.... Being fatties (shocker!)


Meandering: We strolled up and down the cobblestone streets, admired the French architecture, oohed and ahhhed at the breathtaking views from both the Mekong and Mae Kok Rivers, and popped in and out of shops and galleries. The town was so darling and so charming that we happily spent our days wandering around. Our little photographer, Mick, enabled us to meet a lot of locals and have some chats and we even scored a free concert from Mr. On, who was playing a Laos instrument in his home. He brought out some plastic stools and entertained us with his tunes for the next 30 minutes. One morning we jumped (and wobbled) on a shabby little boat across the Mekong and explored the village of Chomphet, where we were led by cute little children to a secluded Wat about 1000 steps up (I kid...I think). I loved the fresh, old, cozy feeling that the town had, so meandering the streets was the perfect way to experience it.

Monks: The monks in Laos are much more friendly and a whole lot more eager to practice their English, so we spent a lot of time this week chatting with monks from various Wats. Luang Prabang is lined with gorgeous, and quaint, Wats, and we spent a good chunk of time wandering through them. By chance, and by pure luck, we happened to get to Luang Prabang during Boun Lai Heua Fai, or the Festival of Lights. All of the temples were filled with hundreds of lanterns, candles and boats made of bamboo, that were later paraded down the main road and into the Mekong River. It was such a stunning sight and we were so happy to be able to witness the monks lighting their candles and going absolutely wild with fireworks, firecrackers and sparklers. For 3 days straight, the town was filled with lights and lanterns and the crackling and popping of fireworks. Rocket launchers filled the sky, giving the appearance of dozens of shooting stars at any given  time. It was definitely a happy time to be there. And of course, as the main toursist attraction, we woke up one morning at 5:30 am to see the procession of monks during the alms-giving in the morning. We may have slept a little too late and witnessed only 5 minutes of it, but it was still enjoyable.

Markets: Who knew that Luang Prabang would have a pretty epic handicraft market? A little too epic... Let's just say that maybe too much time was spent here and my suitcase is going to be a little harder to pack. On the other hand, the morning market was a different sight to see. Frogs, pigeons, chickens, snakes, bats, cockroaches, turtles and worms lined the street, twitching in their last minutes. It was a little too much for me, but Michaela had a field day with the photo opps.

Being fat: Naturally, we ate our way through the town. Both the Laos options and the Western options were irresistable, and so I chowed down on local cuisines like laab, som tam and loads of sticky rice, while also indulging in sandwiches and pizza. Yum! Being the charmers that we are, we made friends with the waiters at various places, and maybe took it a step too far by creating a heart made from the melting wax of a candle and gave it to one of them. One restaurant even held an Ethnic Fashion Show, displaying the various styles of dress from all of the Laos people. It was pretty awesome!

Luang Prabang made me smile. I fell in love with its people, its food and its gorgeous views. It was sad to leave and say goodbye to not only the city, but also to Michaela and Sarah, as we all went our separate ways. I dreaded the long journey ahead of me to Siem Reap, but I still had a day of Vientiane to look forward to and maybe one more chocolate croissant.

Mr. On!

Morning Alms

Fashion Show

Pretty Lanterns

Pastry Binge and Machetes

Border crossings are usually stressful, but luckily, the Friendship Bridge into Vientiane was easy peasy and after a short time, I was on my way into a land of baked goods...I mean, Laos. Before coming to Thailand, I knew little about Laos and didn't have much of an interest in it. But, after hearing travel stories from backpackers and learning more of its history (and the destruction the US caused upon it during the Vietnam War), I was really ancy to get there. It definitely lived up to, and for sure surpassed, anything I had envisioned.

After wandering the streets to find a hostel, we dumped our bags off and basically ran to one of many bakeries.Within an hour of being in Laos, I was happily eating a sandwich and lemonade. As much as we wanted to go cafe-hopping, we knew we should explore the area, so we strolled through the streets, popping in and out of shops, galleries, and Wats (and many monk chats!) before succumbing to cafe #2. What can I say? I've been deprived in Thailand. We then set off on an epic walk around the town and made our way to Patuxai, a beautiful gate that resembles the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. The three of us thought it was gorgeous, but apparently the city disagrees. The description on the structure calls it 'a concrete monster.' Sad! We continued meandering through the streets, observed a pretty large carnival, drank the best chocolate milkshakes in the world and then called it a night. It was a quick visit because we were leaving the next morning for Vang Vieng.

Unfortunately, Vang Vieng is known among the backpacker crowd for its ridiculous drunken tubing scene. There is a beautiful river in the midst of lush green mountains and small town Laos, and it is now filled with drunk backpackers raging throughout the day and night. Luckily, the scene was pretty easy to avoid and we opted for a more local and scenic tour. We took a 9 mile trek to the Blue Lagoon. The long walk was absolutely breathtaking and gave a huge glimpse into Laos living. As we made our way through the mud and dirt paths, we came across kittens, puppies, cows, water buffalo, pigs, and cute little chldren playing with machetes. It was really cool to see and interact with the Hmong people living with basically nothing. We took the time to "chat" with some people and to take lots of photos of the ridiculously pretty surroundings. By the time we made it to the Lagoon we were more than happy to take a dip in the serene waters.

After roughing it for the day, we found one of 20 or so restaurants that aired episodes of Friends all day and night, and enjoyed some food with Ross, Rachel, Phoebe and co. Vang Vieng had done us good. It's definitely sad to see a town, so rich in culture and beauty, taken over by backpackers, but Vang Vieng is still able to retain its true identity and we definitely took advantage of it. So far Laos had really stunned me and I was totally crushing on it. And when we arrived in Luang Prabang, I was done for. It was love at first sight.

The Perfect Remedy

Leaving Suphan was really hard. My last few nights were some of the best, and the last night especially left me joyed beyond belief. I literally woke up with a huge grin on my face. The smile disappeared quickly when reality struck and I realized I had to finish packing up and leave my beloved Suphan. But, luckily, I found a quick remedy for my sadness... Mick OB. Mick, one of my awesome friends from  the States, decided to join the first 2 weeks of my backpacking adventure with Srall. When I turned over in my bed, struck with waves of giddiness and then depression, I got really excited upon seeing Mick with me in Thailand. After showing her the hot spots in Suphan and getting some of my final meals at Baanya's  and PTL, we set off on our journey. First stop: Bangkok.

We did the normal touristy jazz in Bangkok and may have had another epic night involving 25 Hours before hopping on an overnight bus to Khon Kaen. Over the past year I've covered a lot of ground in Thailand but the Northeast was the only general area I had left to conquer. And after experiencing it, I understand why- there isn't much going on there. Don't get me wrong- I still enjoyed myself. I mean I was in Thailand with two of my best friends, eating amazing food, getting massages, meeting cool Thai peeps and exploring new places. But, in terms of things to do and see, Khon Kaen is lacking. We did spend one day wandering around the big lake and strolling through the many wats. One in particular stands out, not only because it was a gorgeous 9 level chedi, but also because Mick joined monk school.   I guess i should preface this by saying that Mick is a photographer and getting up close and personal with a camera comes easily to her. So when she took a seat at an open desk during monk class, she was met with a lot of giggles, myself contributing. We also had another monk moment when we stumbled upon a hundred or so novice monks being addressed before they took a big exam. Their teacher, so excited to see farang, asked us to speak to the group. Sarah took charge and hearing 100s of monks repeat after her was pretty awesome. So although Khon Kaen didn't deliver in terms of sights, it sure gave us a lot of happy monk moments, which obviously makes it a success.  

After two days we made our way up further north to Nong Khai, the border town between Laos (our next destination) and Thailand. I personally thought Nong Khai was a beautiful little, homely town. Their was a gorgeous riverwalk along the Mekong, in which boat races were taking place. We spent our days wandering the town, eating some delish meals and taking lots of pics. Nong Khai is also home to this incredible sculpture park, Sala Keow, where these giant stone sculptures, depicting various religious and non-religious concepts, tower over you. It was really different and I enjoyed walking around, although the descriptions were only in Thai. Mai Pen Rai.

I was super excited to continue our trip into Laos, but that also meant saying goodbye to Thailand for a little bit. My heart was still aching with the absence of Suphan, so the thought of leaving Thailand altogether pulled at my heartstrings. But, we cheersed with some bia Singha and watched a Thai band sing some of our faves (per our request) and prepared to journey into Laos the next morning.

You'll have to excuse my lack of pictures, but without my laptop, I can't upload my pictures. I swear I will actually make a  facebook album when time allows.

Don't be fooled by the red hair....I'm Thai

Last weekend, a group of Suphan farang decided to have one last hurrah on Khao San Rd. It had been a long while since I've gone wild on the most overstimulating street in the world, but we wanted to go big one last time. As we stepped into the hostel, which was bumping with backpackers from all over the world, I was instantly struck with anxiety and discomfort. I used to live for these kinds of places, so I was really thrown off by this feeling. I have been so enamored with Suphan, and thus traveling a lot less this semester. I've gotten really used to being one of few white people in a given place. I love Thinglish conversations and continual "Chon gao's" (Cheers') with Bia Singha. I love getting my photo taken with random Thai people and rocking the peace sign. I absolutely love awkwardly dancing to Thai bands at Thai bars where there are no other farang in sight. It's just the way it has been for the past year, and luckily, I love it. I embraced it long ago and have been reaping the benefits of pretty epic nights out in Suphan. So, after some thought, it was pretty understandable why I felt so out of place in a hostel teeming with farang. I forget how to interact with them. Which means only one thing..... I. Am. Thai. 


I use baby powder on a daily basis, I rely on Google Translate, I don't wait for others before eating, I only listen to Thai music, I'm a Thai band groupie, I cannot form a coherent English sentence, I double dip, I contribute to Facebook conversations (84 comments? chyeaaa), I very publicly use a toothpick after my meals, I text while tripling up on the back of a motorbike (okay it only happened once, but I felt very Thai), I cross the street at really inopportune times, I eat freaky things like deep fried shredded catfish with mango, I drink whiskey and coke, I 555 a lot, I try to avoid the sun, I crush on Thai superstars, I smell menthol tubes, I use bug spray as perfume, I eat rice every single day and miss it when I don't, the list goes on and on....


Seriously- I'm becoming Thai. When we walked into a bar later that night (to see my third 25 Hours concert in a month), we were pretty obviously the only white people in the bar, and everything felt right again. I have not only been introduced to a completely new culture this year, but I've been fully immersed in it, and somewhere along the way, I adapted to it. Which is all fine and dandy, but I am days away from embarking on a 6 week backpacking journey before going back to America. Is Thai Nell going to be completely overwhelmed or will I just 'snap' back into backpacker mode? I'm sure it will be fine...Mai Pen Rai....right?


Also- with that being said, I will have very limited access to the Internet in the next 6 weeks, and so blog posts will be far and few. 


BKK- Isaan- Laos- Siem Reap, Cambodia - BKK- some beautiful tropical island(s) TBD- Chiang Mai- Suphan- BKK - Seoul- Chicago- BOSTON (what?!?!?! ahhh!)


Suphan- I love you. I'm not ready to say goodbye. I still have a few more nights to cherish with you, so CHON GAO!

Some of my favorite people 

Mee Kwam Sook (Happiness)

I’ve been living in denial the past few weeks. I knew once September hit, it was the beginning of the end, and I wanted to push that thought far, far away. I thought I would be ready. I thought I would be craving Westernization again...ancy to resume ‘normal’ life. But here I am, days away from leaving Suphan, and dreading it more than ever. I’ve created a nice little life here in the middle of rice paddies and it feels wrong to just get up and leave. The past couple of months have been amazing. Everyday is full of smiles and happiness. I can’t remember the last time I have ever felt this happy in my life- which keeps me asking myself "Why am I leaving again?"

In reality, it's a silly question. I need to go home. Student loans (blah) beckon me. I miss my family. I want to get my Master's Degree. I know that anytime you leave a place you love, it's hard and it brings a lot of doubt. But I've been trying to ignore the sadness and focus on all of the good going on around me. And words cannot do justice to the happiness that has been filling up my life. But, here's a little reason why: 

Students:

I'm in love. Every single day they put a smile on my face. I've created such a bond with them and it kills me to leave them. I put a lot of work into being a good teacher. I didn't really write much about my teaching experience here, but it was dang hard. I struggled a lot. But, I did it. And I loved it...all because of them. They are so smart and so incredibly funny. They study all day and into the night, and still manage to be as silly as can be. The last few weeks have been especially hard, having to say goodbye to all these adorable kids. There have been some tears, a lot of hugs, and possibly a world record set for amount of Photobooth pictures taken. I wish I could pack them all up and bring them with me, but I'll just have to start saving my pennies so I can come back ASAP and see them all again. They are THE BEST. 

Suphan:

When I first came to Suphan, I didn't appreciate it nearly enough. I was more focused on traveling around Thailand and living a backpacker lifestyle. Luckily, second semester gave me a completely different experience and I feel like I have really become part of Suphan. I miss it when I'm away for a night. I've made great friends and have become a regular at certain establishments. I don't even want to think about saying goodbye to my life here. I am so thankful for people like Baanya, Wat, and the Sa-nguan Ying staff for looking out for us farang and making us feel at home. I never thought I would settle into a real life here in Suphanburi, Thailand, but somehow, it nestled itself right into my heart...and it's definitely established a permanent residence there. 

In general, life has been grand. I could spend hours writing about why I am so happy but 1. I'll cry and 2. Borrrring! Just between school, my social life, traveling, and let's not forget about seeing/talking to my favorite Thai band on more than one occasion, I have no complaints. So, now, here I am-  "ready" for my last week of Thai living. I'm sure I'll be overly emotional and I'm sure I'll gain 10 pounds trying to savour all of the Suphan deliciousness, but it's gotta happen. 

So here's to a fantastic year with amazing people and amazing experiences. Let's go out the best way possible...

Only in Thailand...

Only in Thailand...

Photo swiped from Srall

Can you say "Game, Spicy, Tong, and Got" and be referring to your friends. 


Can you say "Nine, Four, Arm, and Noon" and be referring to your students. 


Can you eat a dessert based around yellow beans and think it is delicious.


Can you wear a full denim outfit (jeans, shirt, shoes, scrunchie) outside of an 80s themed party. 


Can you hear fireworks on a weekly basis.


Can you drink Pepsi from a plastic bag.   


Can you see families of 5 on one motorbike. 


Can an elephant come up to you during your dinner. 


Can you have a conversation with the gecko in your room and not find it disturbing. 


Can you spend at least 5-6 hours per weekend on a mini-van. 


Only in Thailand...


Is paying more than $1 for amazing Pad Thai ludicrous. 



Is it normal to whip out a 'talking dick' in a bar, class, the store...wherever. A talking dictionary, that is. 


Is it okay to pull a bug (or 6) out of your food or drink and continue eating.  


Is it considered a bad day if no strangers call you beautiful or ask to take your photo.


Is it okay to use the peace sign in every. single. picture. 


Is drinking beer with ice the standard. 


Is it okay to destroy the English language to have a conversation. "Where you go?" "Go Bangkok....tomorrow."

(Google Image)

Are you not judged for having an intense dependency on 7-11.  


Are you given a spoon to eat a chicken wing. 


Only in Thailand....


Will you consistently be covered in bug bites. 


Can you get to a tropical island for $20.  


Can you sing karaoke- judgement free. 


Can you see people rocking black skinny jeans, long-sleeves and a full face-mask in obscene heat. 


Can you be granted celebrity status just for being white (and even get more 'I LOVE YOU' shouts from Thai people when in the presence of legit superstars....Jing it.)


But most of all, only in Thailand....


Can you be surrounded by the most genuine and kind people in the world. 


Seriously- I heart everyone. Jub jub!

Best. Night. Ever.

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there was a farang named Nell. Nell was new to this land and though she embraced the food and the scorching sun, she was very hesitant to accept the Thai music scene. But then, one day, she heard this song and everything changed. 25 Hours had rocked her world and pranced their way into her heart. As the months passed by and her love for 25 Hours grew stronger, she knew she must see them live. But where? But how? She made it one of her top priorities to make it happen. 


The 25 Hours album had officially dominated her Itunes, circulating on repeat all day and into the night. Her friends, Sarah and Clare, also had a strong love for them, and so the three of them put their powers together to make their dreams come true. With lots of Google searches, Facebook and Twitter stalking and whole lot of Google Translate, they struck gold. 25 Hours playing in Ayutthaya, only 45 minutes away, at a small pub...that night. Excitement took hold of their bodies. 


Later that night, after many tuk-tuk and motorbike rides, there they were...sitting not more than 20 feet from the stage where P'Lam and his crew would soon come on and fill the room with their mellifluous music. As the pub filled up, their hearts grew big with anticipation. And then...it happened. 


Nell's heart was sent in a flutter when P'Lam came out and started singing their newest single, Lohk Bai Mai. At that moment she thought "I couldn't possibly be happier." She had no idea what the night had planned out for her. Within minutes, she was standing front row, inches away from the band members. She danced and grinned as they took notice of her. She let out a giddy yelp when P'Lam reached out and touched her hand. She nearly fainted when he stooped down to say something to the three girls at the end of the show. "No, really," she thought, "this night couldn't possibly get any better."


Before she knew it, they were outside posing for photos together and chatting with the members of the band. Hours whizzed by as they talked, laughed, sang and even got a preview of their not- yet released single. The night was pure bliss. 


Nell woke up the next morning with a giant smile plastered onto her face. She wondered if it had been real or just a beautiful dream. But, as she looked to her friends on either side of her, donning the same silly grins, she knew that this fairytale had been real...and she's been living on a high ever since....

It was seriously one of the best nights of my life. They were all super cool guys and they were really happy to find that they had some hardcore farang fans. Here are a couple of my favorites by them....listen- they are amazing!!!!