Christmas in Laos (who woulda thought)

Laos....what can I say about Laos!  I think Luang Prabang might be one of my favorite little cities.  They have amazing restuarant both Western and Lao dishes.  There are outdoor adventure to be enjoyed whenever you want.  Beautifully breath taking waterfalls, (also breath taking when you jump in to the pritine blue water).

We spent 7 days in Laos including travel.  Christmas  fell in the middle.  A few drinks on Christmas Eve along with some dancing, followed by a nice quiet xmas day.

Without a doubt our favorite day was our second to last one.  All of the pictures below our from that day!

Everything fell into place that day.  The Weather was amazing, the experiences were just what we were hoping for and more.

Asian Elephants weigh about 2 tons on average which is about 5 to 6 tons less then the average African Elephant. I think I am good on my Asian Friend!


Our day began with an hour walk on the out skirts of the Elephant.  The walk would have taken us about 15 to 20 minutes.  But Elephants stop about every 30 seconds to a 1 to eat OR "dispose of what they have eaten".

Afterwards we watch friends take the elephants for a bath in the river. Then we ourselves gave her a bath.  As you can tell bathes our for the amusement of the Mahouts as they watch the westerns fall off the giant mammal when she goes under

Nate was on the Elephant with me....if you look very closely you can see the top of his head as he "takes a bath" too!

Then off we went to are second waterfall to visit and go on an hour zip line course through the jungle!  (hint:  this was Nate's favorite part")

I don't think either of us believed our guide when he said he was hooking both of us together on this line!
Conversation
Guide:  "You go together this time"
Nate: " Sure....w wa wait WHAT!"
Guide: " Yay yay it ok"

We made it hung out in the waterfall for a while and then finished our wonderful and tiring day put the Elephants to bed in the Jungles of Laos!'

Next pics to come from the "Land Downunder"

Being Girly!

Ok so it has been a while since I posted to this blog.  Thought it was time.  Things have been going really well here.  I have been traveling alot and decided that I need to get some pictures up.    This past month I had 3 weeks off for the Christmas holiday.  I did 3 short trips: first to Hoi an, then christmas in Laos and New Years in Ho Chi Minh (Saigon).  Everything was fun a different.  Each trip offered different things.  I am going to split the trips into a few blogs because of the pictures.  But they were all fun in different ways.  Hoi an was a girls weekend,  Laos was a couples and Ho Chi Minh was back to single traveling getting out and around. 

 So Hoi an is in the middle section of Vietnam on the coast.  It is known as Tailor central.  There over 500 tailor in this small town and every shop is tailors, tailors, tailors!  If you every go there, give yourself a day to walk (shop) around and find the best prices.  Also try a few stores and buy 1 or two things at each place.  They get a bit over whelmed if you give them to many items at just one store.  I had a few dresses and shorts made.  But my favorites were black boot made just to fit me for $50.  They are in the top picture.  Also my new peacoat jacket sized just for me!

Girls week was great we went to Ba Na to take the cable car up the the mountain to see the giant marble Budha.  It was pouring, windy and quite cold on the top of the mountain.  But I am so glad to have that experience.

 
 Our favorite restuarant was this little place right across the street from our hotel.  The family was incredibly nice we played with the baby boy during dinner, they even gave us a cooking lesson on how to make our favorite dishes "Lotus Salas"  Amazingly good.

 I would write more but I need to go meet my friend Chrissy's new addition to the family, Marko!  Picture of him soon as well...

HOME!

Thailand in a Nut Shell!!!
 

I am not sure I can capture the beauty of Southern Thailand!  I think some of these picture are wonderful to look at but it does not compare to sitting in a hammock, drinking a Mojito, watching the sun set and realize you are in the Gulf of Thailand!

If you had asked me 10 years ago where I saw myself at 27...I would have said college degree, married, thinking about having kids...living in Colorado!

But that is the wonderful thing about life it never works out how you plan!

So instead at 27 I am wondering the world making friends, new family, and for the first time in 10 years I am completely and utterly happy with not knowing where my life will lead.

But for now it leads me to Thailand for my fall break....

View from hotel room in Ko Samui!

Thailand has dozens of islands scattered around it.  Most of them are in the south.  I took my adventure to the 3 islands grouped together on the Gulf.  Ko Samui which is the biggest and most popular, Ko Phanghan the second in size and known as the party island...last but not least Ko Tao (means "Turtle Island").  This was my favorite, it was small and relaxed with just enough energy at night.  Check out one of the main roads in town.

The busy road of Ko Tao

But at the end of the day the best part of my trip was going home!  Which surprised me more then anything, it has been years since I was really excited to return home from a trip.  Last summer I spent my 7 hour flight from Ireland to the states in tears because going back just felt wrong!  It was shocking to me how in 3 months this place is home and I am so very happy to call it that.  And with those feeling I would also like to say I have decided to stay for a 2nd year in Ha Noi, Vietnam.  Whats more exciting is life can never be planned so we will see where I really am this time next year!

To my friends and family back home thank you for your support and love.  Its because I know you are and that I can count on you that I feel free to explore!  Love you all!

2 Months and Counting!

Tom's giving me a ride to the airport!


 The places you can go in just 2 months!

I have a feeling it has been a good 3 weeks since I have updated.  I have been in Vietnam for over two months now.  I am loving it!  The places I have been the people I have met.  Most of all the changes it has made in my life!

 

River in Ho Chi Minh (Saigon)





Beer pong is fun everywhere! Matt and I in Saigon.

 

Flight home from Saigon with Tom and Jeff

  My adventure have been in the country so far.  A week from Friday is my Fall break which will be spent in Thailand.
Which I hope to have many great picture to show you all and many more memories.

Three weeks ago I went to Saigon for a quick weekend trip.  I met more friends, saw a tiny bit of Saigon but enjoyed being out with the Air Mekong Crew who is stationed there plus a few of the Hanoi group Matt, Jeff, Tom and Nate.  I had my first experience in the Cock Pit.  Friday night Nate and Jeff were the pilots and Sunday Jeff and Tom were the pilots and Matt was past out onboard somewhere.

                                              Halong Bay

Last weekend was an overnight to Halong Bay.  Halong Bay is one of the 30 (7 wonders of the world ;)

This place is absolutely beautiful, if you ever make it to Vietnam you must go.  I hope to make it there again as well. I went down Saturday night, had dinner and then went to bed.  Sunday we board a boat out to Halong Bay.  The boats move very slow, but you need to take everything in.  

 Many of these rock formations have giant incredible caves to explore.  There are beaches to swim and delicious food to eat.  If you love seafood you are missing something if you never make it on board one of these ships.



Thuy, Phuong, Dr. Yutzy, myself, Luan

 Inside the caves are probably on of the COOLEST places in all of Vietnam, Literally!  It dropped about 10 degrees when we walked inside.  

The turtle is a very spiritual symbol in Vietnam.  This rock is the shape of a turtle with its head sticking up.  People give around 1000 to 2000 dong to rub its head.  That is about 5 to 10 cents.

 

Huong mummy wrapping someone, my boss to the right being mumified!



But there is always time just to have some fun at home





5 WEEKS!!!



Water Fall in Sapa!  I am at the top it drops down about 4 to 5 hundred feet!

In some ways it's hard to believe 5 weeks have past since I boarded the plane for Vietnam.   

Hanoi is quite an adventure with new experience's every day.

But sometimes you just need a break from the city.  A weekend hiking, sweating, swimming in the rivers, wearing the same clothes 3 and going shower less for a few days!

This would be SAPA!!!

Rice Country!

Every where you look it is green and beautiful.  Oh and don't forget you sweat just looking at it!  There are many things to experience here, from Water falls (BIG and small).



To