First Camping Trip EVER!!

This week I went camping for the first time EVER in my life!!!!!!

Growing up in the South of the United States I've had plenty of opportunities to go camping. My home state is close to the mountains and the beach, and with four seasons there are plenty of opportunities to go camping. However, every offer I had to go camping I always decided against it. I've never been a big fan of bugs, especially spiders, I HATE SPIDERS! But for some reason I have this fear I am going to be a random act of violence. Although I would not consider being mauled by a bear a random act of violence, going camping was just too risky in my mind. Can I just make a tent in my house like I was when I was a kid? That sounds great to me! You know, take a blanket and tuck it under the couch cushions and over the coffee table and across to the recliner? We can rock out to pocket rockers and eat fruit snacks all night. That's the kind of camping I like....so I thought...

So, I've been in Thailand for almost two weeks now volunteering with elephants and being immersed in Thai culture. One of the nights this week our coordinator told us we were going camping! Honestly I thought it was a joke, but it wasn't! Here we are in the hills of western Thailand, near Myanmar, going camping. Hmmmm, I don't think there are any bears or mountain lions here, maybe just some malaria and elephants? I love elephants and am taking anti-malaria meds, so I had no fear! I also knew our coordinator/guide is a local and familiar with the area and doubt he would put 22 volunteers from across the globe in any kind of danger. Off we go!

We had the opportunity to hike some up the mountain, or for those who were not interested we could just ride up. I chose the ride. See my recent post on Erawan National Park Waterfalls and you will know why! I had enough of hiking, or trekking! So three of us decided to take the easy way up. Boy I am glad we did. Not only did we get first dibs on our tents, but we got to see this amazing view first!!!

There were a few of the coordinators helpers setting up the camp site. With 22 volunteers there were quite a few tents to set up. We started helping them set up the tents and draping and tying up tarps in case of rain. There was music in the background and I suddenly realized it was "Just A Dream" by Carrie Underwood. The lyrics on the hook go, "this can't be happening to me, this is just a dream...."  Suddenly it that moment I felt like I was dreaming. Here I am doing something I never thought I would do, something I never had an interest in, and I could not have been more happy or more excited. It really felt like a dream. In that moment I was actually standing there holding a corner of a tarp waiting to see what tree we would tie it to, and all I could do was look in the distance, the horizon and my surroundings and realize how happy I was. Not only with everything in my life at that moment, but with camping! Isn't it funny how you can be so firm and sure of certain things in your life, then you experience them and you are completely WRONG, just wrong! Turning over a fear or disinterest you've had in your life feels so beautiful, and now I cannot wait to go camping again!  

After the remaining volunteers got there we started cooking!  We started frying up chicken wings and making kabobs to put on the grill. We also had pancakes! It was such a team effort, everyone was hungry, excited, and a little anxious to get this camping thing started!  

I had not had chicken wings since I left the states, they were so amazing!  The kabobs were great too! There was chicken, pineapple, peppers, tomatoes. Now every time I get the chance to grill out I will always bring a pineapple! Grilled pineapples are so juicy and have great flavor! The pancakes, man, don't get me started! They use carnation milk in their pancakes here, and I have no idea exactly what that is but it tastes like they are soaked in butter!! SO GOOD!!!!!!!!!  

Of course I ate way more than I should have, and we were off to our tent by 8:30 to head to bed. We were rising at 6:00am to see the sunrise.  :)

Unfortunately due to early morning rain the sunrise was not as amazing as expected. But how can the above NOT be amazing.  It was beautiful. We cleaned up and were on our way back to our cabin.  

I am so excited that I finally experienced camping for the first time. I know my best friend and her Dad will be proud!  :)  Now I am ready to go camping again, as long as you can promise me there are no crazy animals or insects around I cannot prepare for.  

Our main coordinator Tun.  :)

Thailand Waterfalls - Erawan National Park

This week I had the amazing opportunity to visit Erawan National Park in Thailand.  This park is located in western Thailand about 3 hours from Bangkok.  It's known for it's 7 tiers of waterfalls!

We were staying in Kanchanaburi (awesome party town close to the waterfalls) over the weekend so we took a day trip to check it out!  Buses run from Kanchanaburi to the falls about every hour.  

The above picture was one of the first waterfalls I encountered, and that one did not even count as #1!  The park was so vast and so serene, even with the plentiful amount of tourists the place was still breathtaking.

The park is also known for it's "pedicure" type fish.  You can sit on the edge with your feet in the water and the fish will come up and suck on your feet, toes and ankles!  Their suction is quite strong it feels like a pinch at first!

Look how clear the water is!  Amazing!

We asked a tour guide if we needed sneakers to get to the falls, and she said no that flip flops were fine.  HOWEVER - I will say now I do recommend tennis shoes.  These falls are not at the end of a driveway.  I would say it was about 2 miles from our car to peak #7 - each way.  And not a straight road either - I'm talking trekking!!!  

This was the half mile walk to the start of the trek.  

Do you see the lizard/iguana in the above picture?!  Those are the dense type woods that surround you, or jungle may I say.  

This is my friend Cassie on our hike up some stairs.

Falls #5 was my favorite.  The plentiful smooth covered rocks surrounded by dense green trees and dainty butterflies soothed my soul like no medicine could.

Being on a group tour really limited our time to enjoy more of the falls.  Our it could have been our determination to reach #7 while not realizing I could have been relaxing at my favorite fall #5 the whole time.  Oh well.  I sure hope I can come back and visit soon.  You should definitely add this to your list of places to see!  I really enjoyed it!

Things to Remember if Visiting Thailand

Now that I am on my second tour of Thailand I've come up with a list of tips or advice I'd like to share for those who plan to visit this beautiful country.

1. It is HOT.  Get use to it, get over it.  Be prepared to sweat.
2. Wear bug spray.  Trust me.  
3. Wear sunscreen.  Trust me.
4. If a hotel or the accommodation where you are stating states they have cold showers don't be turned off. Trust me that is the exact temperature of shower you are going to want!
5. Remember that a little spicy means VERY spicy.  If you are not a fan of "the spicy" tell them NOT spicy at all. If you are a fan of "the spicy" you may have just walked into heaven.
6. Thai people take Buddha and respect seriously.  Yes Thai people are fun and kind but respect is an undertone they expect. When visiting temples (for women) make sure your knees and shoulders are covered.  Yes capris and long shorts are OK.
7. If ever sitting down at a table do not prop your feet up on a chair across from you.  To them, your feet are the lowest part of your body and it is rude and disrespectful to ever point your feet at someone.
8. Do not ever touch anyones head, especially Buddha's.  Your head is the highest part of your body and most sacred and should not be touched by strangers.
9. If ever taking pictures with Buddha make sure to kneel down so you are lower than him.  You should never stand taller or over Buddha.
10. Come with an open mind, and open nose.  Some of the smells can be alarming at first.
11. Don't over-pack.  Thailand has some cheap, cute and amazing clothes.  You will want to buy the big flowy pants after you realize all the clothes you brought are too tight and stick to you.
12. Only drink purified or bottled water.  I have not put this to the test as I'd rather be careful, let me know if you find out otherwise. But most resorts or hotels are aware that most foreigners cannot stomach (literally) their drinking water and provide water bottles on the daily, or for purchase depending on your accommodation.  It is OK to shower with their water but I would not brush my teeth with their tap water - use bottled or purified water to be safe.  Same with ice.... I normally tell them no ice with any drink. The other night I did order a small bucket of Sex On The Beach and that came with ice and I was fine. Ingest at your own risk. 
13. Their safety standards are quite different from what I'm use to in the US.  You will see three to five people on a motorbike, without helmets, and there are plenty of trucks and buses with people chilling in the back with no seat belts.  This has been quite fun though. Such a cool and interesting way to explore Thailand.  They do drive on the opposite side of the road than the United States so I would recommend hiring transportation unless you are already comfortable and experienced with driving on the left side of the road.
14. Upon entering certain homes or restaurants you may notice shoes piled outside the door.  If you see that please take off your shoes as well before you enter.  
15. Of course with visiting any foreign country is will pay dividends if you are able to speak a few greetings or questions in their local language.  
16. In most "non 5 star" type establishments the "napkins" they use are almost the equivalent to kleenex.  Very thin, almost invisible small squares.  It takes some time getting use to using this type texture as a napkin.  Be prepared to go through a lot.
17. Speaking of tissue, in these same "type" establishments - when it comes to the toilet paper there are no differences.  Very thin toilet paper.  Sometimes you may even need to provide your own!
18. Speaking of the toilet - be prepared to wipe and place your toilet paper in a bin beside the toilet.  You will most likely see a sign requesting that you do so. There may also be a chance that you will need to "flush" the toilet yourself.  In that instance you will see a bucket of water next to the toilet with a smaller bucket in there.  Simple fill up the small bucket and pour it into the toilet. Yes, gross I know.  Same thing for squatting toilets....

Ok I know the top three things may make seem unappealing at first glance. BUT - everyone will be sticky, sweaty, greasy, etc.  If you don't accept this you will end up with extreme sunburn and a plethora of bug bites.  I saw a girl yesterday that looked like she had chicken pox, but they weren't small dots, I'm talking welts.  Women - it is actually nice to be all natural and not wear makeup, etc.  Embrace letting your skin GLOW!

Thailand is SUCH a magical place it's very hard to put experiences into words.  The southern part of Thailand including the islands has the best snorkeling I've ever experienced.  If you have not yet checked out this beautiful country I HIGHLY recommend putting this on your list!

My 1st Buddhist Temple Experience

Ever since first stepping foot in Thailand in 2011 I knew it was a special place.  It touched me to the core and ever since it's been a place I've never wanted to or have been able to forget.  Buddhism has a special place in my heart, soul and mind, and today I had my first real Buddhist Temple experience - in Thailand.  I was blown away.  

Before we entered the temple we walked on the outskirts of the grounds being able to view this giant Buddha from afar. As we got to the main entrance of the temple we took off our shoes and listened carefully to the directions on what we needed to do. In the front there was an alter where we needed to stop and make our blessings. There were candles, incense and flowers. The first thing we needed to do was light our candle and place it on the rack with the other burning candles. We then lit our incense and placed that with the other incense and the same with the flowers. We then kneeled down in front of the alter and privately said a blessing. We also blessed the Buddha, the teachings and the Monks by placing our hands near our third eye and bowing our head to the floor three times. Also included in our "entry packet" was a small stack of thin gold sheet stickers. Once our blessings were finished we put a gold "sticker" on each of the five Buddha statues in the background.

After this we were off walking around the temple. Little did I know I was about to get to see this big gold beauty up close and personal!

If you look closely you will see it is made up of many small golden tiles.

In no way did I expect to see a Buddha of this size, beauty or stature. I was captivated. I had a couple moments of my emotions almost starting to pour out, but I held it together. At this point anyway. We continued walking around the temple and slowly made our way out after in depth discussions on the history of Buddha. In all of my readings I did not realize that the Thai people and the Chinese viewed Buddha differently. I thought they all thought of Buddha as the same man. In short I think they do - it's more so the history that's different. Wow - doesn't that sound like all types of religion...

When I left that temple my soul felt SO full. A piece of my puzzle was finally found which now put me one step further in my journey of life.  

I hope each and every one of you are able to experience something as beautiful as I did today.  Namaste.  :)

A Return to Love

I just started reading this amazing book called, A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson.  My wonderful friend and energy teacher/healer Dana Childs recommended it to me.  I am only in the introduction but have found SO MANY amazing quotes that have touched me to the core.  I thought I would share as A Return to Love is what so many of us need.....  :)

"Love is what we were born with.  Fear is what we have learned here."

"Our childlike self is the deepest level of our being. It is who we really are and what is real doesn't go away."

"Love is the intuitive knowledge of our hearts. Its a world beyond that we all secretly long for. An ancient memory that beckons us to return."

"We overvalue what we perceive with our physical senses, and undervalue what we know to be true in our hearts."

"Its as though we've been lost in a dark, parallel universe where things are loved more than people."

"When we attach value to things that aren't love - money, cars, prestige - we are loving things that cant love us back."

"Meaning doesn't lie in things. Meaning lies in us."

Ohhhh Airports...

How many people do you know just ABSOLUTELY LOVE FLYING?!?!?!? Besides a 6 year old? I mean seriously. The only reason I do it is because it's the only way I can get across the world to see other countries. Even if Christoper Columbus was around I would most likely still choose flying. Anyway, now I'm sitting at London Heathrow waiting on my connection to Bangkok. My first flight was 3 hours delayed forcing me to miss my connection on Singapore Airlines, putting me on British Airways to London, then to Bangkok. Man I'm mad I missed my first experience on Singapore Air. I've heard amazing things about that airline. Anyway, man were my emotions ranging. As if they weren't already with the magnitude of what I'm doing, leaving my friends and family for months so I can frolic around third world countries - but the uncertainty of not knowing if or when I would finally be on this journey was driving me crazy! But I talked myself down, I mean, I'm basically vacationing permanently so I just need to relax - I'll get there eventually!  It's not like I have to be back anytime soon - well October.

Anyway, airports have such an eerily similarity to the DMV, don't they? The employees know you are trapped with no where to go. You are forced to pay for the overpriced fake cheeseburger, and wait on the delayed planes. It really feels like you are in prison, being punished, until you feel the G forces of your plane taking off from this hell hole.

There are never enough plugs in the terminal either.  I'm sitting patiently waiting like a hawk to jump on the first available outlet - just as I'm sure everyone else is.  

Since my connection time is so far away they don't even have my gate number on the boards yet.  So I'm just hanging out like I know where I'm going in this airport but honestly I have no clue!  I have time, so in an hour or so I'll re check the boards.

Anyway, I am venting here.  I am bored with maybe 20 minutes of my free wi-fi left.  My back is scraped red from putting my large backpack off and on through all the gates, planes, checkpoints, bathroom breaks, etc.  Maybe I'll go have a drink.  Actually that sounds like a great idea.

I Will Miss Them!!

In three days I will be flying out to Southeast Asia for four months. This was my last weekend in town so I decided to spend some quality time with friends and family.  

My friends are so awesome and I will miss them dearly. Special thanks and shout out to my BFF of 15 years for throwing me an awesome party and cookout! I had a blast!!!!

Getting out on and in the water was also a must. Water makes me happy.

There are so many things that I am going to miss. My goddaughter saying more amazing words and sentences. My nephew will soon start talking more as well. There are also so many friends that live out of town that I didn't get a chance to see.  I really hope my moms dog doesn't pass while I am gone. But rather than focusing on the negative I like to focus on the positive....

It's pretty amazing what you can accomplish on your own, if you can take just one step outside the box, or one leap of faith, you'd be surprised what you find yourself getting into. :) This journey is just another chapter in my amazing book. I'm so thankful for all of my friends and loved ones who have been able to touch others' hearts. It is through kindness, friendship and giving that truly radiates positive waves, slowly changing this planet into a happier place. 

Backpacking in three days OMG!!!!!!  :)

25 Years After Tiananmen Square

In 1989 I was 7 years old, most likely only worrying about eating slices of cheese, chasing my brothers or watching cartoons on TV. If I try to think back of the first major news story I can recollect, I must say it was in 4th grade when my mother told me about Jeffrey Dahmer. I remember standing in her bedroom looking at her and feeling complete shock and disgust. You know that feeling, when something hits you to your core, time stops, and you'll always remember that moment as if you'll forever be in third person watching it unfold from afar. It's amazing as a child, the things you remember, and things you do not remember.

Fast forward to today, I'm infatuated with international events. Over the past few years I've learned more about the history of this planet than I ever did in all my Social Studies classes, combined. I've actually stood in historic places like in Berlin on top of Hitler's bunker, in the streets of Barcelona where Pablo Picasso went to art school, and even in the hidden room/house Anne Frank lived in Amsterdam. Traveling abroad and being THERE really imprinted the magnitude of these historic events on me. I was never a history buff growing up, but the more I learn the more I want to know. I could not be more curious and excited to learn more about history, other cultures, and the relationships between it all.

This week marks the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square riots, a student led protest, and I must admit it's not until now that I've learned the details about this situation. WOW. My heart is aching.

Here's a little history, thanks to this video put together by CNN.

http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/international/2014/06/03/orig-tiananmen-square-tank-man-anniversary-jag.cnn.html

• April 15, 1989 former communist party general secretary Hu Yaobang dies of a heart attack. Hu had sought a more open political system and became a symbol of democratic reform. 
• April 18, 1989 thousands of students marched to Tiananmen Square demanding the government follow Hu's example. 
• May 15, 1989 a rally at Tiananmen Square draws more than one million people! 
• That same day Premier Li Peng imposes martial law in Beijing. 
• June 3, 1989 army troops begin their invasion to take control. 
• June 4, 1989 troops take over the square. 
• June 5, 1989 this happens - have you seen this photo before? 

"Tank Man" was identified by London's Sunday Express as 19 year old Wang Weilin - although his identify was never confirmed. Most believe Wang was arrested and executed soon after. 

What tragedy. The people of China wanted reform, wanted change, wanted democracy. The protesters were calling for government accountability, freedom of the press, freedom of speech, and the restoration of workers' control over industry. How beautiful is it to see people stand up for change, to demand something better, better rights? An uprising of this magnitude cannot be ignored or ever forgotten.

I'm baffled that I'm just now finding out what really happened here. Isn't it interesting how at random points in your life you're suddenly exposed to certain things, find yourself suddenly infatuated with certain cultures, regions, etc.?

The Chinese government condemned the protests as a "counter-revolutionary riot", and has prohibited all forms of discussion or remembrance of the events since. Due to the lack of information from China, many aspects of the events remain unknown or unconfirmed. The number of deaths and the extent of bloodshed in the Square itself have been in dispute since the events. No official death toll has ever been released. As the Chinese authorities actively suppress discussion of the events as well as research of the subject, it is difficult to verify exact figures. As a result, large discrepancies exist among various casualty estimates.

The more I travel the more passionate I get. My curiosity never ceases and I feel I'm obligated to bring this type of awareness to others that I know aren't as widely cultured. As an American looking in, and have never traveled to China, all the information I've gathered has been from the internet or friends and family that have been there. I'm not one to say China should do this or that. But seeing footage of this event, seeing the faces of the people and the passion and stance they brought forward has brought so much compassion over me, it's really indescribable.


All we can do is learn and love, more.

Who Loves Sunsets?

I DO!!!!!

I absolutely LOVE them.  Something about them is so serene, magical, peaceful and calming, especially around water.  Below is a shot a took on one of my favorite lakes. 

Here are a few more of my favorite sunset shots I've taken....

I found this article on CNN that lists some superb places to see sunsets around the world and I wanted to share!  Enjoy!!

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/08/08/travel/12-sunsets/index.html?hpt=travel_hp_blogroll