नमस्ते,สวัสดี, 您好 (Namaste,S̄wạs̄dī, Nín hǎo)

          I spent three weeks backpacking through Thailand. Even in this moment I am in disbelief that this statement is true to my life. As promised I used a journal and below you can read straight out of my diary. Don't expect a revealing expose, I did not indulge in the sleazy activities associated with backpacking through Thailand. If you have read Eat Pray Love you could sincerely think I copied certain ideologies straight from the book. But in all truthfulness the yoga retreat was probably the capstone experience of my holiday. I left so inspired and if you take the time to read my journal you'll see . On a side note I later downloaded the book when I arrived to Harbin.

 Some images from Koh Yao Noi, absolute bliss. I loved this island.

My room. I had the pink bed. 

More Koh Yao Noi.

Some fellow yogis and I went for dinner.

Matcha drink with condensed milk. Yummy.

Kanchanaburi

I hated my hostel there. This is an example of why it sucked. It was also filled with adult-children who were either fresh out of uni or in their first year. I couldn't peacefully enjoy my coffee without overhearing their senseless banter.

More Kanchanaburi. This Wat was stunning.

 

The next few are from my tour. The river Kwai, the Thai-Burma railway, the hot spring and a famous waterfall.

 

On the left is a lady who ws giving Thai massages at the waterfall. To the right is a Thai lady who came on the tour and wanted to take pictures with me, constantly.

 

On the left was a sinful treat served all over Thailand. It is a fried pancake filled with marshmallow fliff and topped with sugar, coconut, and shredded mango. To the right is the hot spring.

Next I went to Ayutthaya, the old capital of Thailand. The ruins are in the Sri Lankan, Cambodian, and Ayutthayan style. It was all pretty inspiring, It took be back to my days of art history learning about the ruins of ancient Greece and Rome and just in awe of how majestic it must have been in the past. 

Then I got harranged into taking a tour via tuk tuk because it was fucking hot outside and I couldn't be bothered to walk the whole city. And after seeing all the places he took me I most certainly would have quit. Nonetheless I saw so many things that day it is all a blur. Here are the pictures from my tuk tuk tour.

 

OMG there is a contemporary Thai art gallery in Bangkok, we totally have to go look at it!! Only a total geek would be so thrilled about such a thing. Folks, I'm that geek.

Some other Bangkok moments.

1AM street food. Who cares?

 

Khao San road. 

We also took a morning and did a cooking class. 

Random island moments.

 

 

Grand Palace

Then we took an overnight boat to the islands. Here are our sleeping quarters.

Food poisoning day.

 

I look like an idiot because at this moment there were about four cameras on me. And I looked at the wrong one.

Lit off some fireworks in the street. Anywhere else in the world this is totally illegal.

I was convinced that by being given 30 rings I would surely win. NOPE.

 

 

Then there was the snow sculpture expo. They were so huge that with a proper earthquake people would be trapped. Let's think positive.

Two street foods ubiquitous with Northern China: Frozen candied fruit on a stick and condensed milk Popsicle. If I lived here I would be a whale. 

This is the Russian Church, which they turned into a museum, go figure China.

Then we had a day of absurd weather. Blowing snow and abnormally cold. Typically I would go to the  Chinese cinema but instead we went somewhere with kettle corn that was equally as stimulating, the aquarium. The place had the Titanic soundtrack on loop.

One day we went to the Tiger park. I was so fucking freezing I can't even explain. I was in Thailand in tropical bliss and went to a frozen Siberia-like climate. The tour guide informed us that they pretty much let the tigers fend for themselves. If they get injured, oh well, survival of the fittest.  You did however have the option of feeding a chicken to the tigers for 30RMB, I did not partake in this sadistic activity.