Procrastination

If you're in the market for some good, healthy procrastination, blogging is a great option. In an attempt to not study my 130+ pages of class notes, I've decided to give you a sneak peak of my upcoming trip to Thailand. I will first be flying into Bangkok, but then quickly heading north to a city called Chiang Mai to meet up with Bec. We'll be staying in Chiang Mai for the first bit, with a short trip over to Burma (to the left of Thailand) in order for Bec to renew her Visa.
While in Chiang Mai, I will definitely be soaking up the Thai culture in one of these markets. My bargaining skills will undoubtedly be put to good use. Rumour has it there are tons of sweet deals, so I plan on leaving some extra room in my suitcase. Not too sure about enjoying the food in these markets though...I may just have to get over my dislike of seafood in order to survive my three weeks in Thailand. Also, I've heard that the smell in these markets can be slightly overwhelming, so I'll be sure to report back on that. The whole experience will be good for me though...definitely will expand my horizons and 'Western' perspective.
My trip wouldn't be complete with checking out the Maesa elephant camp, so that's on my to-do list for sure. In just a few short days that'll be me riding on the elephants through the Thailand jungle.

Toward the end of the three weeks, Bec and I plan on travelling to the south of Thailand (Koh Sumai) to enjoy a week on the beautiful beaches. We'll most likely be staying on the Chaweng beach (featured in the picture), which is the largest beach on that island.

Apparently there is snorkeling, scuba diving, and surfing in that area, which are also on my to-do list. Since we'll be travelling in the off-season, the beaches will not be as busy and the prices substantially drop...big bonus for my student budget and Bec's missionary budget. All in all, I'm pretty stoked about this whole trip... travelling to Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Burma and Koh Sumai is going to be an "experience of a lifetime" (quote Bec). I'm so excited to be able to see how Bec has lived for almost a year now...all the phone conversations and emails will suddenly come alive. It's going to be great!!