Love the Chang

I'm sitting in the Chiang Mai airport right now waiting for our noon flight to Bangkok, where we will have a three hour layover before boarding another plane for Phuket. Everything was going smoothly until Valerie realized she left her phone at the hotel. So here I am, glancing at the security gate every few minutes hoping she'll come through those doors and make the 11 50 final boarding call. And then I mistakenly thought the checked baggage was under my name when it was under hers, so I had to pay an extra 428 baht (~14 USD) to check in our luggage. No worries, just one expensive Thai meal. Food here is so cheap and good. I can't get enough lemongrass, green curry, kow soi, and pineapple fried rice, not to mention staples like pad thai. All the situps I did were quickly undone. The beach better be ready for the extra pounds I've packed on.

Chiang Mai was such an awesome city. I wish we could have had an extra day or two there. Amazing wats, such lush greenery, and elephant trekking. The elephants were such majestic creatures. So intelligent, serene, gentle, yet playful. Valerie says it was a life-altering experience. It definitely has made me see elephants in a much different and respectful way.






Dodo enjoying his bath.


...and then giving me one.

I don't know why we're leaving beautiful Chiang Mai for possibly horrendous weather conditions in the South. If it rains the entire time I'll just be thinking about what we're missing out on.

UPDATE: The Valerie has arrived. Whew.