So it's been a while since I updated the blog and I apologize for that. I was in Thailand for a few weeks and since I've been back in Olgii, I've been busy getting back into the swing of things and trying to get my schedule figured out.
First of all, Thailand was amazing. Hanna flew in from California and we met there just after Christmas. It was amazing seeing her after being apart for the past four months and it was really nice getting out of Mongolia for a few weeks during the coldest time of the year. Other than talking to some friends who'd been there last year, I didn't do much research on Thailand before going there so needless to say I was very surprised by how developed the country is. I arrived in Bangkok, blown away by how massive and nice the airport was, and made my way to a hotel near the train station. Hanna's plane had engine problems and she ended up being delayed for a day. Instead of meeting in the Korean airport, we met in Bangkok. Bangkok is a very impressive city, a mix of skyscrapers and temples. It's amazing and interesting to see the mixing of Thai culture and the way the country has adapted to so much development and foreign investment. There were many things in Bangkok that I found to be nicer than in the U.S. like movie theaters, cars, and shopping malls.
The first week and New Years' Eve/Day we spent in an island south east of Bangkok called Koh Chang. Koh Chang is a sort of 'lovers' or 'honeymooners' island and has many resorts. Luckily because Hanna came across a rather secluded and affordable resort, we were able to spend our time away from the touristy and heavily populate white sand beach resorts on the other side of the island. We stayed in a simple but nice bungalow right by the beach for five days, enjoying the delicious Thai and western style foods at the resort's restaurant. During our time in Koh Chang we also wandered up the street and found a small pavilion with some Thai 'street food' which made the best pad thai we had the entirety of our trip. This and some delicious fried rice with pork or chicken, enough to feed two people, could be had for less than two dollars. After our time in Koh Chang, we headed back to Bangkok for a night, as we had to take a train the next day up north to Chiang Mai. Our pictures from Koh Chang and Bangkok can be seen here:
The train ride to Chiang Mai was really comfortable, as we had a second class sleeper car. Hanna and I sat across from each other, had dinner, played cards, and when it was time to sleep, the train workers turn the seats into two very comfortable beds with curtains. It was about fourteen hours from BKK to Chiang Mai. Chiang Mai was a place that Hanna and I both enjoyed immensely. The weather was perfect, the people were friendly and helpful, the guesthouse we stayed at was really nice and affordable, we met a couple of other nice travelers who'd been to Thailand a few times, and the food, of course, was amazing. We spent most of our time in the city, wandering around checking out as many of the hundreds of temples and wats as we could, and one day we went on a trek that involved riding elephants, light hiking and swimming near a nice waterfall (with freezing cold water), and a ride down a small river on a bamboo raft. When we left Chiang Mai, we took a train down to Ayyuthaya, Thailand's old capital city, to look at some ruins and spend half a day there. Pics from Chiang Mai and Ayyuthaya can be seen below. :)
Chiang Mai and Ayyuthaya: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2073409&id=72206395&l=5df6802147
The train from Ayyuthaya to Bangkok was quite a bit different than the train to Chiang Mai. It was an express train, maybe four or five cars long, packed with people and pretty much standing room only. Hanna and I were standing right next to the open car door and luckily the ride was only an hour and a half. After Chiang Mai, Ayyuthaya and a couple days in Bangkok, our next destination was an island called Koh Phangan, in the southern part of Thailand. Again we took a comfortable train, down to a port town called Surat Thani, took a boat to the island and then took an hour truck ride across the island to a pretty secluded and nice beach called Than Sadet. We stayed in a bungalow 'on the rocks', right above the ocean and a couple minute walk from the white sand beach. The beach had four or five restaurants, a couple bungalow resorts, and some really nice sand and water. The bungalow we stayed in was really nice with a large comfortable bed and an amazing view of the ocean. The food was excellent, the weather (except for a little rain in the middle of the week) was nice, and the people were all friendly. The time in Koh Phagnan was very relaxing and I'd definitely recommend that island as a place to visit for anyone looking for a nice, affordable vacation. Pics from Koh Phangan can be seen below.
After Koh Phangan, we headed back to Bangkok for a couple days before I had to fly back to Mongolia and Hanna would head to Cambodia for her next work adventure. In Bangkok we enjoyed some great food, a little swimming in the hotel pool, wandered around some nice shopping malls, and watched a few movies in really nice theaters. After saying sad goodbyes to Hanna I boarded a plane for Korea, where I ended up having my four hour layover turned into a twenty hour layover and finally flew back to Mongolia. UB, as expected, was freezing cold and not the most exciting place to be after spending over three weeks in Thailand with Hanna. I spent two days in Thailand, ran a lot of errands (including finally picking up a dummbell set), and hopped on a plane back to Olgii. I'm happy to be getting back to my work in Olgii but I miss Hanna very much and I look forward to seeing her as soon as possible after my service with Peace Corps is over.
As far as work goes, I'm still waiting to receive the grant funds that were approved by Peace Corps. I met with teachers this week to discuss English clubs at two schools and will be starting teaching this week. I'm also going to be teaching the student joint council starting next Thursday, will be meeting with Agii to discuss this year's English olympiad, and I'm going to start planning a TIP (Trafficking in Persons) seminar for Olgii's teenagers asap.
I have more to write about but not much time at the moment so I will update the blog again as soon as possible. In the meanwhile, feel free to check out my girlfriend Hanna's blog (linked in my friend's blogs list, down on the right side) to check out more pictures and her stories about Thailand, and also her current work with the Harpswell Foundation in Cambodia. Hope everyone is doing well. Pics and more posts to come, as always. :) Take care.
