Bangkok Chaos

It is our last night in Bangkok with the orientation group and everyone was planning on going out and having a crazyyyy night BUT, thanks to a couple of angry people in red shirts, we were advised not to partake in the party scene in Bangkok... boooo... but most people made it out to the bar around the corner from our hotel and we made due with a number of towers (large towers filled with yummy thai beer, Chang!), some sweet miley cyrus and lady gaga tunes, and of course the ever tricky thai whiskey Hong Thong (delicious.. as Emily knows better than anyone after 12 shots). Dance parties and more squat toilets really made for a great night overall.

The next morning we left for Kachanaburi, a province northwest of Bangkok (about a 3.5 hr drive). We stayed in this beautiful spa resort that had lots of little lizards and was right on the river Kwai (remember the movie from the 1950s??). Anyway, it was pretty great. We rode elephants and went bamboo rafting, although most of us jumped off the raft pretty much as soon as it left the shore and just floated down the river. We were basically in a tropical jungle so it was amazingggly pretty with the water and trees and mountains in the background. A piece of elephant poo decided to follow me down the river so that was a cause for concern at times. Also, note to self: do not ever straddle an elephant again for an extended period of time. Between the largeness of them and the feeling like i was going to fall off every step it took I was clinging on for dear life with my legs (elephants do not come with reins). Anyway, my inner thighs were sore for like 3 days after.

The weekend was terrific, I have had a lot of fun getting to know the people in the orientation group. Unfortunately, none of them will be coming with me to my town or my school but I am sure we will meet up in Bangkok once the protests stop or while traveling elsewhere. Just getting anxious about being Kru Lizzie (teacher) and actually having to be responsible for someone else's future with the English language. On to the next adventure!