Southeast Asia

Ive left Bangkok and have been in Siam Reap for the past three days. Thailand is by no means and rich country but conditions in Cambodia are much worse. From Bangkok to the border we were one paved roads. Once we got into Cambodia it was dirt roads until a few kms outside of Siam Reap (about 5-6 hours). It wasn't to bad since everyone on the bus had a good attitude. The first guest house we stopped at looked good enough to me but most everyone else opted for a different place. $5 for a big room with a private shower and toilet. The next day was kinda a lazy day I didn't go but maybe a mile radius from the guest house. Yesterday however I booked a tuk-tuk driver to go to the almighty Angkor Wat and a few other temples. First was Wat Pa Thom which was pretty awesome I shot alot of photos there. I wasn't prepared for the children that try to sell you postcards,little brass sculptures and jewelry. It impossible to say no to them so I by the time I got back to my room I had a flea market. Next was the Indiana Jones temple. Thats right the Indiana Jones temple (I don't remember its real name). Most of my time there was looking for the idol and keeping an eye out for the rolling boulder. Next we went to Angkor Wat where I got to see the temple at sunset which was quite amazing. Leaving there my tuk-tuk driver asked me if I wanted to help him out. What he wanted me to do was go to a jewelry shops that if would give him money for gas if he were to take me there. I said sure and all I had to do was look around. I turned it into a game where I would look at rings and ask about weight and karats and the stone and had the people at the corner write down prices for me. It turned out to be a pretty good time. Afterwards my drivers who's name is Koi took me back to the guest house to drop off my flea market and asked me if I wanted to go to a concert for the children's hospital. I had gotten a flyer for it earlier in the day and said yes. What it was was a presentation about the childrens hospital by a swiss doctor who has been working on raising Cambodia's medical treatment status for the past 30 years. He also played the cello in between topics. It was very interesting to learn that $150 can save a child here for tuberculosis and the country doesn't want cat-scans (I dont think Im spelling that right) because they think they are to advanced for a developing country. I planned on leaving today but decided I wanted to stay another day. Today Im going to take some photographs of the children here in Siam Reap and hopefully sell prints back home to donate to the hospitals. After the concert me and Koi went out to eat. I told him to invite the Lonh who is another guy I had been talking with at the guest house. Lonh was busy but Koi picked up his girlfriend who didn't speak any english but we talked through Koi. Eventually Lonh and another kid came down and it turned into a really good time. I was happy to pay the bill ($20 for 5 people). I just bought my ticket home I leave from Bangkok on the 24th so I should be home on the 25th. Tomorrow I go back to Bangkok where I'll hopefully pick up some cheap electronics and see some good boxing.

Last night I went to my first Muay Thai fight. It was half the price of fights in Bangkok but not quite as official. I think there was three "super kid" fights then a few bigger guys then one of the craziest thing i've ever seen. Three fighters put on a blindfolds and just threw haymakers. It was one round one resulting in one guy getting knocked out and the ref getting beat up pretty bad. The main event was a guy from Spain and a Thai fighter. The spanish guy won,which pleased the crowd (mostly whites) for whatever reason. In all it was o.k. and I look forward to going to going to the fights in Bangkok. Other then that Chiang Mai hasnt been to exciting for me. I feel like I fell into the tourist trap and kinda wasted my time here, but I'm ready to move on. I'm going back to Bangkok by train today/tonight where hopefully I'll only stay one night then move on to Cambodia.

Currently in Chiang Mai. I took the train last night which was part amazing part hell. The good part is for the few hours that the sun was out I got to sit of the enterance steps to the car and watch the sun set. The bad part was once it got dark it got cold. When I decided to go back to my seat an elderly lady was sitting in it. She was sitting on the other side of the train with I think her daughter. So I told her she could sleep there and I would go to the empty car ahead of us. A few people were up there including a monk who curled into a ball and completely covered himself with his rope. Also along the ride we passed Lop Buri which is famous for the monkeys that live at the temples. We happenned to pass one and I saw all kinda of monkeys fat,skinny,old,babies etc. Also while waiting for the train yesterday I walked across the street to have my first random chicken meat on a skewer. It was amazing. They put some kinda sauce on it that makes to look buffalo chicken but its actually really tame with a small bit of sweet. Before leaving Ayutthaya I also had a club sandwich as an experiment that i'll have to tell you about later. I got to Chiang Mai at 6:30am and woke up at noon so I dont think I'm going to do to much today. On the walk to the internet cafe I passed a place called Thaitanic. Im starving so I'll probably head there. Hope all is well back home.

Currently in Ayutthaya at a computer game place that has a few computers with the internet. Last night I met a girl from Holland who was half way through her 8 month trip. She recommended going to Laos and told me she did some zip-lining there. I didnt make it to any wats last night when I leave here I might go back towards the guesthouse there was a few places renting bikes. I read thats the best way to tour the city but Im worried I might get confused over the flip flop of the roads here that I might hit someone or get hit. Im hoping to train to Sukhothai tomorrow maybe just straight to Chiang Mai. Not much else to report. Hope everyones well back home.

Hello all I'm in Bangkok. Thats right Bangkok again. My bus I guess drove right past Cha Am and to Bangkok. Im staying at one of the more expensive guesthouses in the Bangalamphu neighborhood. Last night I had to stay in a double ($18) but tonight ill be in a single ($14). I had my first hot shower this morning which was something I was missing. The bus ride here was pretty stressful I sat in the back seat in dead center. Two people to the left of me two to the right both people directly next to me at one point were sleeping on me then it went between just one or the other. Im not going to go south again ill save all those beautiful beaches for another trip . So today I think Im going to buy a ticket to Ayutthaya which is was the previous capital of Thailand and only a few hours north of Bangkok. I was going to go to a movie today but it look like the only movies being shown here in english are I Am Legend,Across the Universe (which I kinda wanted to see until I heard it was a musical),Bee Movie and Alvin and the Chipmunks. Does anybody know if There Will Be Blood is in theaters back home yet? I'm dying to see that and The Assissination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. Which I hadnt seen the trailers for until I came here and now I can't wait to see it. It being Wednesday I might go to Ratchamadoneon Stadium to see a Muay Thai fight. I heard its going to get cold again back home,stay safe everyone.