Bangkok, Thailand

I am so incredibly stoked to be in Thailand! It was amazing to step off the airplane into a modern airport, take a hybrid taxi down a paved expressway to a hotel with electricity and hot water. Not that I didn't love Nepal, but I am much more at ease here. In fact, the neighborhood I spent my first 3 days in reminded me a little bit of New York. I even took a walk in Lamphini Park which reminded me a lot of Central Park (aside from the massive monitor lizards crawling around - see my pics below). I stayed at a hostel called CheQuinn in the neighborhood of Sukhumvit in Bangkok. It was very modern and clean, nestled at the end of a little lane off of Soi 4. I shared a dorm with 4 other girls from Germany, Mexico, Michigan, and Thailand. They were all really sweet and a lot of fun. All of them had been in the country for at least 4 months and spoke some Thai, so they were the perfect companions to usher me into life in bangkok, including teaching me how to order street food (delicious), ride the skyline/subway, and bargin with the vendors in the markets.

I really wish I could have spent a few more days exploring Sukhumvit, but today I moved on to Central Bangkok to a hotel on the really cute and winding Rambuttri Street, which is only a block away from famous Khao San Rd (the backpackers district). I did a little bit of exploring this evening, but now I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of my Mom! She will be spending 10 days with me here in Bangkok and in Phuket. While I have been having an unforgettable time, I have been missing home and familiar faces and I am extactic to be spending this time with my Mom. I cannot wait to show her around. I think she is going to love it here!

Lumphini Park...just like Central Park

But we do not have trees like this in Central Park

Or these...

Khao San Road