Bangkok to Chiang Mai‏

Hi there!!!

So long jambon and cheese, hello Noodle .... Pad Thai, Spring Rolls, Fry Rye and Chocolate Banana Pancakes.... Arrived on Bangkoks Khao San Road safe, sound and hungry!!!

Have to keep this short and sweet as I don't have that much time, wish I could write out the last week as my eyes saw and body experienced it cause it was the most intense and exhilarating days to say the least....

Bangkok: Only stayed two nights, had enough time to experience the backpackers paradise of the Khao San Road madness (tijuana-ish w/the best thai food on the street corners), shopped a bit (bought two pair of thai pants that I've worn everyday for the past five days, comfy), got 4 (1 hour) thai/foot massages in less than 24 hours (best ever @ $6 an hour), met a bunch of travelers even brought one with us to Chiang Mai, which is where I am now....

Chiang Mai: Rebecca and I stayed at a nice place in Thailand by the river, wanted to be super safe since we are traveling alone now (http://www.baanorapin.com/) ...stay here if you ever visit .... (also we were a little weary because before we left Bangkok, Jacques, our travel companion, was robbed of his passport, credit cards, all his $$$ and his camera.... SUCKS!... feel so bad for him:( )

We went on a 2-day 10-mile trek with the 'Hill People' in the jungles of Mae Wang. Visited the Hmong tribe, watched them sacrifice a pig in honor of their great harvest that the 'spirit' had blessed them with, pictures are pretty intense..... Hiked through mud, some rain, rice patties (2 of the girls had leeches on their legs after walking through the rice patties), ginormous tarantulas, snakes in the trees, wild pigs, cows, water buffalo, roosters, elephants and every little insect you can think of..... ya, I was a little out of my comfort zone....

Stayed the night with the Karan tribe in these little huts, had the fluffiest pillow top mattresses ever, they were about 1/2 inch thick (my back is still aching) and mosquito nets around our beds.... The nets didn't really help my case as I still woke up looking like Hitch did before the benadryl, who gets bites on their eyes?????... me apparently.... glad I could make everyone laugh..... Awwwwww but the stars and fireflies at night, MADE THE WHOLE TRIP, not to mention all the adorable little kiddos in these villages with huge laughs and smiles. We played Jenga with our new friends at night and had delicious meals prepared by our tour guides......the trip ended with a delightful bamboo raft ride down the river, we were so looking forward to this.... then we remembered that this was the same river that our elephants poo'ed in over and over again.... ya, the poo river..... not so relaxing.... ha!!!!! Loved this adventure, so humbling, learned so much.....

Leaving here tonight back to Bangkok then to Bali first thing in the morning....

Keep sending me update emails, I really enjoy reading all of it.

Love you,

~sd