Laa Kawn Thailand, North-South-East and West, we did it all!

Today is our last day in Koh Samui, Thailand. We catch an early morning plane tomorrow for Bangkok, and then an early morning plane back to Portland, Oregon on Thursday, March 1. We have seen much of Thailand. We began in the chaotic city of Bangkok two months ago where we were startled by the sights, sounds and smells of Asia. We wanted only to get out of that city as quickly as possible. From Bangkok we headed to the Southeast corner of Thailand, near Cambodia and the island of Koh Chang. We spent two weeks amid it's misty peaks and knotted forest amid the clear blue sea. We went to cooking school, rode the elephants, and did a snorkeling day trip to the surrounding islands. From there we went back to Bangkok, but only for an hour, catching a taxi and taking it three hours south to Hua Hin. Here we stayed with friends Kay and Bill for three nights. We left Hua Hin, back to Bangkok for the afternoon only to catch the overnight train to the Northeastern corner of Thailand, and the city of Nong Khai. Nong Khai is located along the banks of the Mekong River and offers fine views over the river into Laos. We crossed the Friendship Bridge and entered Laos arriving in its capitol city Vientianne. We spent one week in Laos traveling south to north from Vientianne to Luang Prabang. We both agree that this was one of the best weeks of our trip. Laos was less affected by tourism. It felt as if we were immersed in the culture and everyday life. There are still many areas that were heavily bombed and damaged by the U.S. during the Vietnam War. The country remains very poor. On our travels we saw people literally living along the edge of the road. Eating, bathing, cooking, working and sleeping - all of it within inches of the road - in the dirt and dust. We walked into local villages and saw the village children unclothed and living in very poor conditions. Yet for all of its depressing sights, the beauty of Laos was also present. The caves in Vang Vieng, the sunsets over the Mekong River, the lush green jungle and the bright, happy smiles of the native people at the Luang Prabang night market. Next we flew back into Thailand, landing in the Northern city of Chiang Mai - a neat, square city bounded by moats and partial walls. Everyone from Thailand says "you must go to Chiang Mai" and we did. It was a shoppers paradise. Pirated goods including handbags, software, jewelry, etc... and authentic Thai products like woodcarvings, silks and textiles. We filled our shopping bags and once again boarded the night train - back to Bangkok! This time, our 4Th time to Bangkok, what was chaotic and alarming was that we felt at home in the city! It's like New York City in rush hour with a very bad sewer system and a variety of other smells, honking horns, pollution, jam packed people, and we were comfortable. Hmm. We next headed to the Southern Islands and visited Koh Tao, Nang Yuan, and Koh Samui, where we are today. These islands are heavily touristed and you see very little of authentic Thai life. We would suggest if you are planning a beach trip to Thailand head to Koh Chang and Koh Mak instead. And, if planning a trip to Asia, the hot spots right now are Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. Many people we have met think Thailand is too crowded now with tourists, we understand why, it is a beautiful country. We have been intrigued by the politics in Thailand. The Prime Minister was ousted by a military coup back in September. There are of course two sides to the story-one he was a great man who did much for Thailand-including building the new airport in Bangkok, the biggest in Asia. The other side says he was a crook who stole money and took kickbacks. Regardless, there is a great tension in the air. On New Years Eve nine bombs were set off in Bangkok, killing 3 tourists, the top news story has been about the new airport and whether or not to close it because large cracks have been discovered in the runways. The people are uncomfortable not knowing who is in charge of their country-it will certainly prove to be a time of great change. We have never felt in danger and these issues do not appear to have affected tourism. We are ready to come home. Melissa more so than Julie. It has been a bit unnerving realizing we are going home to "unemployment." For two people who have always been employed-not having a job can scare you a bit. Again, Melissa more so than Julie. We think we've dropped some weight while in Asia(Julie more so than Melissa), and we are looking forward to some good home cooked meals. We will begin our job search from Olympia, Washington where we will set up a temporary home until we see what the future brings. We expect to be up and online in 7-14 days after our arrival home. We will certainly follow up with the blog, additional thoughts, budget updates, the best photo's and our future plans. It's impossible to determine the many ways in which we've been affected-you just don't know at this point. Regardless, we both still feel it was a great leap of faith to take the trip and leave our very comfortable lives behind. As our friend Dawn said, "what the hell." We have certainly met some great people who have touched our lives. We are putting together a community college course on "How to travel the World" that will include info on budgeting, packing, preparations, transportation, technology, etc. And last, our import party. For those of you in Portland, OR we are bringing back the goods! Silver, jewelry, textiles, oils, and other items- we will update you on this later. Julie's email is julie.ferguson@yahoo.com, phone 503-841-3012(effective Sat). Melissa can be reached at melissa.jones3@gmail.com. She doesn't have a phone yet but can be reached at Julie's number. Minnie-the chihuahua- your mother is coming home!! She misses you. "One doesn't discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time." Andre Gide