Bangkok

Bangkok was quite an experience. Soon as we got to the border we switched buses and instantly you can see how Thailand is so different from Cambodia. It was like stepping back into civilization. Seeing trucks, trains, commerce, schools (things that you don't see in Cambodia) even the roads were better. We got into Bangkok and had them drop us off on Ko San Road which is the area all the tourist hang out. We decided to check into a nice hotel that someone told us about on the strip. For 750 Bht (which is about $20) we got to stay in a hotel with a full breakfast and a roof top pool. It was SO nice to just be chilled out away from the intensity and the poverty of Cambodia. After a nice dip in the pool we just hung out and met a bunch of people. Ko San Road is a five block strip which is a cross between a night market, food vendors, clubs, bars, and restaurants. You have tuk tuk drivers constantly soliciting you and people selling all kinds of things. The night life was a mix of tourist that gawked at all the sights and sounds and prostitutes and lady boys walking around looking for customers and the air is filled with the sounds of music thumping from all directions and the smell of grilled meat and exhaust from the traffic.

Kho Phanang

We arrived by plane to Surrat Thani and had to take a hour long bus ride and a 2 hour boat ride to get to the Island of Kho Phanang. We skipped the full moon party on purpose and boy were we glad. It was Phanag was filled with tourist and it felt like we were on MTV springbreak Asia. There were nothing but kids partying with buckets of vodka red bull, and everyone seemed to be bandaged up due to the high level of injuries incurred by moped rentals. We got invited by a couple of people to a pool party and we went but after a few hours we bounced out. The next day most of the party kids were gone and we took a ride up to the north of the Island. It was quite deserted and the snorkeling was incredible. It was my first time and the water was crystal clear and you could see all the different types of fish and marine life swimming all around. It was beautiful..The next day I took a tour around the island and we stopped at so many different part of the Islands. Had rin is where the main party is and it was pretty lame because it was all tourists and everything was western. I met up with some people from my tour and we went to Samui which was much better. It was very chill and beautiful except that it is an Island for honeymooners and I was traveling with four girls so we got the strangest looks. I would highly recomend it to people who want to just get away from it all and just have Island life for a while..After about two days I decided to head north back up to Bangkok and up to Chang mai. It was a 48 hours of boat, bus, mini bus, and more bus but I finally made it up to chang mai and the place is awesome!

Changmai

Chang mai is a great place in the north of Thailand. The hostel is super cheap because they make there money on adventures and tours so I was really excited to do a lot of crazy fun stuff. Yesterday I spent the day at a elephant sanctuary. First we had to go to the market and shop for food for the elephants, then when we got to the sanctuary we change into traditional mahu clothes (mahu are the people who take care and live with elephants)and learn the basic commands. We first feed the elephants bananas and its kind of scary because they are kind of HUGE animals but after feeding them we fo a bit of a bond. We take turns getting on an elephant and walking around on them, they key like all animals is not to show fear or the animals can sense it. After a few commands and rides we had lunch and just hung with the mahu..Then the ride. I climbed on top of my elephant who was a 12 baby who really loved to dance. (She kept doing this two step!) and with a firm hand gave her the order to go. We walked for about 45 minutes with all the handlers through streams and valleys and then we got to the side of the hill..The handlers walked away and let us climb the side of the hill alone, it was just me and meddi (my elephant) it was an incredible experience..Going up a steep hill on a two ton elephant alone and trusting her to know what to do and knowing the commands to communicate with her. She would veer off and eat a branch of see leaves she wanted and it was up to me to guide her down the path. It was awesome and scary because if she fell I would die instantly. We made it down and got to the water where it was time to give her a bath. It was like washing a playful baby and she kept spraying me and the handlers. It was one of the best experiences of my life and just so much fun