Chiang Mai (getting to and more!)

Workin' out our movie star poses at this great Pizza restuarant!! GOOD ICE CREAM TOO
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It has been a few days since we have written and there has been a lot that has happened.

We left Ko Samui which was sad because we loved the beach, our bungalow, the people on the island and the people at our Home Bay resort. But we could not stay because we knew how lame that would be to end our traveling there. So we got up at 4am to catch a fight out to Bangkok which was not too bad because our airlines provides free food and drinks as you wait in your terminal for your plain and you know how Paul and I are with free food...hehe!! Anyways we arrived in Bangkok full and ready to kill some time before we had to be at the train station. We decided we would catch a overnight train to Chiang Mia which is up north. Since it was 10am and our train was scheduled for later in the afternoon we decided to go check out this place called the Jim Thompson house. It is a museum honoring legendary Jim Thompson. Jim Thompson was a man who settled in Bangkok after WWII and he was responsible for reviving the silk trade, Thailand special fabric. It was not all that time consuming but very interesting to see his art collection and living space. It also had a beautiful garden and unique Thailand traditional style buildings. After we had our fun at the Jim Thompson house we caught the Skytrain to the subway which then took us to the train station. It sounds long and complicated but it really is very easy. Once we arrived at the train station we got in line to get our tickets for the overnight train. Well it ends up we were too late because it had sold out=( So we had this lady talk us into going and looking at bus options which is also located in a office inside the train station. So we sit down and chat with this man who shows us how great it is to take the bus and how much space and leg room you will have compared to the train. He tells us the recline almost all the way back, and that it also has foot recline, I am telling you the picture looked like a lazy boy chair!! He sold it pretty well, so Paul and I look at each other and decide hell why not, the train takes 12 hours and the bus is only 9 hours. Oh and do not forget the bus has "better seats" which we had seen in the the picture the man had provided us. We get the tickets and wait a bit because we did not have to leave for another hour, which is fine with us because at the train station you can get good food for only $1.00!! I know can you believe that?!?! Well it is time to get on the bus, so we meet at the office were we bought the tickets and follow this guy and 2 other people to his cab where he drove us to the bus location. We have another hour to kill before our bus arrived to get us so Paul and I get a 45min foot massage for $8.00, not bad right! Ok it is now bus time folks!! We get on the bus and head to our seats. We are in the very back row which seats 5 people and does not recline and barely fits me in the seat. I look at Paul and I am pissed! Our tickets said VIP and we were not in flippen VIP!!! We decide to get off the bus before it leaves and we go to the office by the bus and complain and tell them we want our money back and we would rather take the train the next day. They did not speak english very well and gesture that they will take us to another bus. So this guy shovels us into his van and drives like a maniac 20 min to the actual bus terminal not a side street like we were at. He walks us inside the station and to a new bus that looks the same. We get on the bus and it ends up having the same seats, but ours recline a little. UGH!!! Oh well Paul and I decide, we will take the train when we leave Chiang Mia. So the bus starts and we are off to Chiang Mia. The bus has a transvestite stewardess wearing a hot pink mini skirt with a matching blazer. It was funny!! She serves us food and drinks. We get our styrofoam food container that has a bun/roll that is filled with this weird jelly in the middle (very gross jelly!) and a small drink and when I say small I mean you can close your hand around it and not see it. It was so funny Paul and I were laughing so hard about the whole situation; the bus, the sterwardess, the jelly shit, and the freaking tiny ass drink!! I was laughing so hard a was crying!! Ok so 4 hours later we have a rest stop where I had to use a squatter toilet, and by the way when you use these they have no toilet paper. They have a bucket of water with a cup in it that you use to splash water to wipe. I am a smart girl and I carry tissues in my bag to wipe, that way I can feel some what ok about squatting and peeing all over the place. I do not know how they do it, it takes aim and control. I think there should be a video you watch to make sure you know all the tricks in order to not pee on your leg. Oh well I lived and have used it 3 times since then (yes I am counting). Oh also the bus is so cold you can not sleep!! I mean ice box cold!! At 5am we arrived in Chiang Mia where we got our first Tuk Tuk ride to our hotel. It was very cold but nice to finally be off that god awful bus. We check in and go to sleep.

The bus has a transvestite stewardess wearing a hot pink mini skirt with a matching blazer

This is the outside of the Bangkok airport! Wow, they put some money into lawn care!
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CHAING MIA

So we have been in Chiang Mia for 3 days now and we love it!! The food is cheap and very good!! Some of the things we really like are the fruit shakes, curries, fried rice, glass noodles, and believe it our not their tuna sandwiches and BLT's! Our first day we walked around and saw 3 temples, in Chiang Mia they have a temple just about every block! They are very beautiful, and have great meaning to the Thia's. We also went to this gorgeous park that was full with people playing badmitton, soccer, and many other games I have never seen before. There was so many people at this park it was so nice to see people jogging and working out and just enjoying life! After about 3pm the streets start to fill with shopping booths which go on and on and on for miles! You see things like watches, clothes, silk rugs, lamps, jewelery, purses, DVD's, hand made crafts, and much much more! By the way everything is fake when it comes to name brands. I got this medium size Louis Vuitton purse for $24, and it looks real but hey I don't care if it is fake!! I saved thousands! Paul and I have walked miles just checking all the things out. It is so cheap I swear it is addicting!

Cassie outside the Jim Thompson House
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Today Paul and I went on a day of fun!! We called this Tuk Tuk driver who we met on the street. He told us about this elephant camp and how he would drive us there and so we took his number and gave him a call to set up a time to go.He picked us up after lunch and we were off to the elephant camp where we saw a elephant show where they did all kinds of tricks like paint and play soccer. You would be supprised at how good they were at painting! One of them actually painted a elephant! We also got to feed them which was scary. They came right up to Paul and saw he had bananas and bamboo and they just stuck there noises all over him and snatched up the food in two seconds!! It was so funny to see them hound Paul and leave the second it is gone. We then went and had an hour ride on a elephant! It was so unreal! Paul and I were so excited! I could not help but smile the whole time because it was so crazy to think we were on an elephant! After the elephant camp we went to this snake farm. It was insane how they handled the snakes and tired to scare us! I was freaked out but in the middle of the show they put a snake around our necks and then let us kiss it. Paul and I did it!! Can you believe that I never would have thought I would ever kiss a snake. Lets just say even though I kissed the slimy bugger, I am still grossed out and scared of them. We finished the snake show and headed to the monkey camp. We were the only people there to see the show and got VIP attention from the monkeys. They sat on us, shook our hand and played games with us. It was so cute to see them ride trikes, play basketball, and do situps and pushups! After that fun day we took the Tuk Tuk back to our hotel to relax. It was such a great day and still is hard to believe! So that is what we have been up to these past few days. Sorry to write so much!

Paul under some huge bushes in the Jim Thompson garden
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Love ya and will be writing more soon!

Paul and Cass