Koh Chang

Last weekend I took a bus to the other side of the gulf finally, to visit Koh Chang, an island on the southern end of the Eastern side of the Gulf of Thailand. Koh Chang is a low key island, with two main beaches, white sand beach and lonely beach. We hopped on motorbikes (considering this is considered to be the safest place to motorbike and I've been wanting to since coming to Thailand) and sped along the coast of this huge and beautiful island. After talking to some people at the elephant camp on the left side of the road, we were directed up into the jungle on a small road that lead to a waterfall. We hiked in 15minutes or so and found the pool and waterfall that you couldnt actually get to without climbing some pretty treacherous rocks. There happened to be a large group of Koreans there as well, who took a photo for us and then asked if they could take a photo with us as well. We said yes and before I knew it I was surrounded by this entire Korean family and their friends all laughing and posing with us in the base of this waterfall.

Ting Tong Bar.. live reggae all night

one of the kids at Apple Bungalow

Om Namah Shivaya hennaaa

The last two weeks have been especially wonderful for two reasons, 1: My friend Angela came to visit and travel for two weeks and 2: She brought my Canon Rebel along with her so I am finally reunited with it and able to properly capture Thailand in all it's glory.
We spent some time around Rangsit and Bangkok while I had classes at the beginning of the week, and then took off with our backpacks for Koh Phangan, planning to boat and bus it to Krabi, and over to Koh Phi Phi, then fly up to Chiang Mai to stay in a hostel, and leave for a 3 day jungle trek, ending the trip with a night train ride, with no sleeper seats, back down to Bangkok for our last night seeing sights and getting last minute shopping and hair wrapps on Khoa San Road before her 4am flight!

In China Town eating the one of the best things I've had all trip: Lime and Chili fish and rice mmmm

The Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho

Climbing the terrifyingly high Wat Arun

View from the top

yoga?

Leftover paint, tea, and pastries waiting for the next boat to come after missing the first one

We headed out to the boat launch at 8am to find out it had left an hour earlier without us

Our bungalow on Koh Phangan

John Gallery, a hole-in-the-wall gallery we spent a good 45 minutes or so wandering through

Chiang Mai is full of places to eat vegetarian delicious-ness

Monkey Temple

Tiger Kingdom, playing with the small cats

Koh Tao

My friend Carina and her mother were staying in a hotel down in Koh Tao and were gracious enough to  let me come stay, and hang out while her and 3 of our Finnish friends were getting scuba certified. Koh Tao is the best place to go if you are getting dive certified because it's the cheapest place in the world to do it and the scuba in the area is beautiful. I was really jealous of them the entire time but plan on doing it at the next chance I get.
We took a boat a couple times during the trip to the island across the water to hang out for the day and snorkel, and hiked up to the top of one side of the island to take some photos over the overlook. The island has an effect on people.. they plan to go for a few days and stay for weeks.. monthes.. getting their advanced and master diver certifications and continually rescheduling their departure from the island. It was sad to go, but you can't run around an island forever I guess :)

Chiang Mai, Wat Phratat Doi Suthep

This is a meditation center located at the Wat at Doi Suthep on the mountain overlooking Chiang Mai. I was able to stay here for a few days and participate in the daily schedule, waking up around 5am, eating twice a day before noon, with daily and nightly visits to the temple to listen to our leading monk, a funny little man with a lot of stories and lessons about the buddha and virtue.
The experience was worthwhile, and a good chance to take the train, meet other travelers, and have some alone time.