Sripatana Hotel Nakorn Ratchasima

... to volunteer as guides, but some homework is needed in the way the information is delivered... Sometimes I really wanted to press on the "pause" button, or on "rewind" and "replay"... The guy reeled off the information in such a speed that hardly a half an hour later my senile brain already had forgotten all the facts... The second guide - a girl - was mainly decorative in character for she hardly said anything. Quite an easy job, gaining a couple of hundreds Bahts for just ...

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We knew driving around Bangkok was probably going to take a while and we factored this into our timings. I have never seen so much traffic in my life and mostly trucks travelling on a 6 lane ring road. It's hard work being a navigator and I made a bit of a slip-up. But not a problem. Dave soon had it sorted and now pulls over to check the map himself.

Settled into a cute little cabin about 5pm and went for a much needed walk.

... he gathered around a few of the younger monks to translate for him. As we were all sitting there, he proudly showed off Tony's number and they all laughed, no doubt aware that he is a bit crazy. I still haven't worked out how he plans to talk to Tony on the phone because he spoke no English and Tony speaks very limited Thai, but I don't really think that was the point. The following morning, we actually managed to get out to the bus ...

Thaimaassa! Bussi Kambozasta oli toyssyista kyytia ja kesti useamman tunnin. Rajamuodollisuudet menivat helposti, senkun jaksaa vain odottaa. Siita tuktukilla bussiasemalle ja bussi Khoratiin. Mitaan kulttuurishokkia Thaimaa ei enaa muiden maiden jalkeen voi tarjota, mutta nahtavaa riittaa. Pitaa lahtea juna-asemalle tasta.

... if you shell out the same amount of money, please expect this same kind of service. If I was traveling alone, there is no way I would expect, or even require this type of service. There is no way that I would personally pay for this level of service. If you want to, more power to you. I hope that you have a great trip, and I hope that you find everything you are looking for. Me, nope, not my style. Anyway, we get back on the bus and make our way to the home for the night ...

... an odd site that is now very normal for us. Jonas and I head across the street to the same lady and buy fruit. Fresh pineapple, papaya, banana's, persimmons and the like are all to be had. We spend about $3.00 for our fruit. Sometimes, I'll grab a Starbucks on the way back to the apartment. Prices here are the same as in the US or perhaps a bit more. Don't go there ofter, but its nice to know I can if I want.

... impressed with our guide. Everywhere looked exactly the same in the jungle to me, but somehow he knew exactly where he was going. After lunch we were taken to the waterfall that Leonardo DiCaprio jumps form in 'The Beach' and our guide told us that every year tourists die trying to jump form it because there are so many rocks in the water at the bottom. You'll be pleased to know I didn't attempt it! I did get in the pool at the bottom ...

... there about thirty minutes and discusses Buddhism and how different our lives were from his. It was really cool since it was an experience we hadn't been counting on that really surprised us. We eventually took off and thanked him for everything, we headed back to our hostel by tuk tuk and got a bite to eat. We didn't really do much else that night and the next day we caught a bus ride to Bangkok since Andreanne had to catch a plane back to Montreal the day after.

... spare time we explore the village on the scooter (the local transport in Thailand!), spend time with friends, do Thai cooking (she is great cook!) and I try to learn some Thai language as well. Yesterday we had a study break and visited a temple because one of her friends was becoming a Buddhist monk. I felt very special to be part of this......until she explained me he was only going to be a monk for a WEEK as he had to get back to work after (???). WHAT?? I ...

... ways. We told him about our youth experience, and the pastor's eyes lit up! He said that they had a strong group of youth, but no one to provide direction for them. He had been praying for years for youth leaders, but every time he tried to choose a leader something in his spirit stopped him so he just kept praying and waiting. Despite the long and cautious wait, his spirit said he could trust us and asked us right away to step in. The next Sunday we were ...