Laura's Year in Asia = Fun Stories

Phewf. A little country girl from Wiang Sa like me just can't handle the big city life of Bangkok anymore i'm pretty sure.

I spent 2 full days in Bangkok trying to remember what its like to live in a city. Went down there from Chaing Mai and was really surprised to see how good my Thai has gotten. I'm the first to admit its limited to "shopping and eating vocabulary" but knowing the numbers, how much, too much and no way can sure get you far when bargining for stuff! I spent a whole morning trying to get to the travel clinic, which is only 6km away from Khao San, but that's about 30 minutes in Bangkok's eternal traffic jam. Only to find out that they are out of the vaccine that I reserved a week ago. Sigh, I'm going to keep trying up here, maybe the hospital in Nan can get it. But i'm avoiding mosquitios like the plague right now. Decided it was way to hot in Bangkok, and didn't get an Aircon room at my guesthouse so hopped over to a 5 star hotel and hung out in their lobby reading my books, and then went up to their rooftop pool for some sun. Quite nice! Met Maeve and Ece who were in town for dentist appointments at Siam Paragon shopping centre, "The Pride of Bangkok". Where I watched those two shop-a-holics spend more on clothes than i'm spending my whole 4 months in Thailand. Fun afternoon though. We went out to some bars that night, and I had some incredible street pad thai on the way home.

The next morning I woke up extra early to go to McDonalds!!! Haha not exciting you think? Well I was there to meet two of my best friends from Vancouver! So exciting! Megan's just arriving from her 6 months working in Australia, and Heather is starting her 2 month SE Asia backpacking trip! So exciting to be back with those girls again!!!!! We had a jam packed day of sightseeing and catching up on gossip as its been over 2 years since we've been all together! We battled the intense heat that covered us in sweat head-to-toe 24 hours a day and took a crazy tuk-tuk that kept popping wheelies over to Wat Po (the largest reclining buddha in the world) and wanted to go to the Grand Palace, but since its the king's 60th Coronation weekend there were royalty everywhere (about 15 different countries were represented I think?) and the place was closed down. Over to MBK shopping centre where we searched for bargin counterfiet stuff. Lost my cell phone in the cab which sucked, but got a new one for pretty cheap. Then back to Khao San for dinner/drinks and some nightmarket shopping!! We had the sweetest guesthouse room WITH AC! (such a luxury) that was more Canada's Next Top Model style than America's...but nonetheless it was cheap and cool!


The next morning I introduced them to the best banana pancakes in Bangkok at the New Siam guesthouse...and we split ways. Those stupid girls get to go on a 5 day diving trip to Koh Tao and me, well back to Wiang Sa. I went to the bus station and just missed a bus to Nan, so waited about 6 hours in the terminal where, SURPRISE! I was constantly stared at. But got a decently cheap ticket on the overnight bus to Wiang Sa. I went to the platform and while I was waiting I was *ta da* Upgraded!!! To a VIP Bus!! It was incredible. First the decore was like combining Julia's Delta Gamma Sorority and velvet Elvis paintings from the 70s. Pink velvet everywhere. BUT the seats reclined into proper beds, we got neck pillows and blankets, meals, snacks, water, juice, english movies...I didn't want to get off! Which was evident when they had to wake me up at my stop. oops. So 6am I'm back in Wiang Sa, walking down the highway fending off offers for rides on motorcycles, watching the sun rise. I'm happy to be back, even happier to be eating Uncle Jai's pad thai!!!