Chiang Mai

What an AWESOME night market! Literally huge!! Walked around for hours.... trying to stretch my back after the long bus... but popping ibo and battling the tears/pain!

I found an awesome shirt for my brother, and 2 for myself. And an awesome dress for Anna. I could've bought more clothes... but stopped at that. Could've figure out any other good gifts. I was wishing the last two markets that I'd splurged in Cambodia on the silk bed stuff though... it was awesome!

I woke up early the next morning, as I'd emailed the lady from the ESL centre for Ukraine that I'd be online for the interview. It took me AN HOUR to find somewhere open...besides McDonalds/Starbucks (which I refused to pay $5 for 1 hours internet!).. or street stalls which don't have internet! Seriously, it was 7 and the locals had all been up and to their local markets already but everything geared towards tourists was locked tight!! Interview was great, except the internet at the place got cut off right at the crucial end of the convo!! oops!

Again, this was a place I had been sooo excited about trekking, cooking classes, etc. I had asked after arriving and everywhere I asked I could maybe eat one dish. Even the vege places didn't have much optionwise for me.. and I just decided I didn't want to waste my money. I REFUSED to do the 1 day treks that exploit the 'long neck' hilltribes and elephants in the region. So that left my day pretty wide open. I found teh big shopping mall which took hours (walking there, around it, and back). Again, I could barely move but decided stretching my body was the best thing to do....cuz you guessed it, another night bus for me! That avo I got my first Thai massage. Thats quite the experience... not so much massage and stretch, bend and loosen up...actually just what i needed! Had dinner at an awesome Vege place and back to another bus!!!

our tuk tuk was the first to arrive at the bus so those of us on it all go to pick our seats. I was LUCKY and go the best seats! Again, got my own row, and even had no one in front of me as it was the stairwell, so i could put my feet up. Took some more pills and hoped for the best. They were playing Avatar and fell asleep about 2/3 in. However, my sleep lasted aprx 1 1/2 hours.... until the 1130 dinner stop? What the heck? How retarded!! After that, no sleep for me! We arrived and literally got dumped out on the side of the road in Bangkok at 5 am! Great! I found the popular tourist road... found a tuk tuk that wasn't going to robe me blind in price.. and went straight to the Southern Bus station. Got there with 10 mins to spare and got on the bus to Cha am for 4 1/2 hours. Got another 1/2 hour sleep on that bus. Walked 2 1/2 kms to find a GH. Got online, and then crashed.... till 430 pm. Eh, it was overcast and muggy out anyways!