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.

It's not cold anymore...

Nope... we're just at the end of the hot season (ha! like all the other seasons aren't hot?) and the beginning of the rainy season. The beginning of torrential rains, ominous dark clouds, flash floods, and, if you can believe it, worse traffic. But, the onset of the rainy season also means lots of fresh fruits (mangoes, mangosteens, guava, rambutans, starfruit, and even durian). So while I now carry flip flops, a plastic bag, and an umbrella with me at all times, I'm well nutriated...

Since I last wrote (in any details besides about strange WHO jokes and straws), I have, as usual, been traveling quite a bit. (On a side note, plus one for Thailand.) After my family left, I had about a week before my next visitor, a friend from grad school came to visit. We headed down to Phuket (my first time there) for some rest and relaxation. I, being the experienced traveler that I am, packed the night before we left and forgot my camera. So here are a few of the pictures I have (stolen from Facebook) to document:

Our abode on the beach... see anything out of place?

Strange looking tree!

 

Nam Tok Bang Pae

Our kayak... right before I jumped into the
piranha infested waters!

Our guide grabbed this GIANT jellyfish!

Koh Dta pbu
(Nail Island, aka James Bond Island)

Somehow we ended up on a Russian-language tour...

Ok, so it's Charlie's Angels pose but...

And then I was a lazy bum for most of March... and I delighted in it! Although on Saint Patrick's Day, I did go out with my Thai teacher, Khun Noi, to get Mexican food. Only in Thailand!

With a looming U.S. government shutdown in early April, no one was sure if we would all be able to celebrate Songkran, or Thai New Year. While I am technically not an employee of the federal government, I thought it would be a bit nasty to take off traveling during Thai New Year if my Thai colleagues could not. Luckily, Congress did manage to actually fulfill their job and keep the government running. I headed to Burma, again. It truly is one of my favorite places in Southeast Asia and, if it weren't for the government, I think I could live there. I traveled with some great companions (good traveling companions really do make traveling much better!) and we headed to Yangon, Bagan, and Inle Lake. Here are some of my favorite pictures (I remembered my camera this time and took well over 600 pictures in my 5 1/2 days there):

Serena and me on the ferry in Yangon, spent mainly
entertaining all the kids with funny faces and noises

I feel so Thai - posing with things in parks ;)

Me and the Little Mermaid

Burmese Thingyan (New Year)
a mix of Songkran and Mardi Gras

Not sure why Bangkok Hospital advertises in Yangon?

We hiked all around the city and made it across a massive
traffic circle without getting hit by any of the many vehicles!

Why do my feet always get so dirty!?!?!?!
(Melissa, Serena, me)

In the Shwedagon

A good place to store your drink?

Some girls I made friends with hiking back down from the Shwedagon...
they would laugh hysterically until the camera was ready to take a
picture, then straightfaced, then laugh again ;)

Our first meal... which started hesitatingly then
just kept coming and coming and coming! So delicious!

On to Bagan

My one shot of kids preparing the douse someone else with water...
most times were spent avoiding children by any means necessary!

Dhammayangyi Temple

Beautiful Inle Lake

Shwe Inn Tain Monastery

Kid taking my 'picture'

A kid paddling with his foot.
I still don't understand how this works?

Thong Tho Monastery Complex

"Are U Tired of Rice?"

I then rested up before heading to the U.S. for the first time in almost a year, for my dear friend Jess's wedding in Asheville, NC, to see my family (especially my sister), and celebrate my great Aunt Peggy's 90th birthday (a special day we share). Here are the highlights:

Jess's bachelorette
we just happened to find a pig statue!

Katie S, Tiffany, and Georgia, with the hair all done up!

Of course, we had flip flops to match our multicolored sashes...
compliments of Ms. Vance

Ryan and me, team purple

Chris and Tiffany, team light blue

Me (purple), Katie S (dark blue), Tiffany (light blue),
Georgia (teal), Amanda (green), Karie (ivory), and the lovely
Ms. Vance preparing to be Mrs. Sutton :)

Me and trlanichad :)

And, so now I rest up until June 4th, when I head back to the U.S. again, for a meeting in DC. I probably won't write between now and then, but I might... so check back soon!