My sister was here :D

I started this post about a month and a half ago... with the title "My sister is here." So I'm about two months behind in my blog posts, which actually isn't too bad, given my usual status.

After the whirlwind trip to DC, Eileen and I headed back to Bangkok with Delta, which is not my favorite airline. The food was bad but our seat companion was friendly (we were in the three middle seats). I am also exceptionally good at sleeping on planes (I woke up to eat one meal and use the bathroom once). We managed to get through immigration relatively quickly and headed back to my apartment. Then I headed to work the next day while Eileen got to rest and get over the jetlag.

Eileen spent the next few days getting lost in Bangkok (especially Chinatown). The next weekend, we headed to some equally unknown territory... Koh Kret. Koh Kret is an island in the middle of the Chao Praya River, just north of Bangkok. I'd heard from several colleagues that it had great pottery so we took a long bus and short ferry over to the island. It was a haven of quiet and nature just outside Bangkok. Here are some of the best pictures:

Across the river from Koh Kret

A charming entrance

Big Buddha across the river

Making beautiful pottery

On the ferry!

We happened upon a Thai dance show

Koh Kret is famous for its pottery

Lunch on the river with Amelia

The following weekend, we headed to southern Thailand, Khao Lak, just north of Phuket. It was pretty much deserted (Khao Lak is the set off point for the Similian Islands, which were closed because it's the rainy season), but we did go on a tour of Ao Phang Nga (which I've now done 3 times... and it's still beautiful) and the national reserve around Khao Lak. We took a particularly adventurous elephant trek up a waterfall.

Not sure what the purpose of this lighthouse was...

My favorite picture of the trip!

So after wandering the beach and relaxing on the almost abandoned beach, we headed for an elephant trek. Now, most of the "treks" I've been on tend to be sad and I try to avoid them. But Eileen had not ridden an elephant yet so we decided to take our chances. When our guide cautioned us to be careful not to slip on the waterfall, I wasn't quite sure what she meant. And then our elephant climbed up a waterfall!

Here's where I closed my eyes!

Our elephant, who gracefully
climbed a waterfall!

NOT the waterfall we climbed on an elephant
but beautiful nonetheless!

Next day was beautiful Ao Phang Nga, full of limestone cliffs, longtail boats, and more delicious food! I always like traveling with people new to Thailand - I've now been to Ao Phang Nga three times and so see it through slightly jaded eyes... "oh well the first tour had a better this, and the second tour had a better that..." Seeing it with Eileen made me put my "oh my goodness this is gorgeous and aren't I super lucky to LIVE here" goggles back on. So thanks Eileen!

On the boat :)

Underneath the island

Koh Dta pbu... or James Bond Island

We match the water!

I think this is when Eileen asked me why I didn't warn her
about all the strange animals in Thailand...
MUDSKIPPERS!

Scenic, right?

Continuing in the nonstop traveling, we headed to Kuala Lumpur for July 4th weekend.Finally, we went to Singapore, the Disney World of Southeast Asia. But those pictures will be in the next post... because I'm tired.