Getting to Nong Khai for New Years!

Well things have definitely got better! We learned the ins and outs of the thai train system. Only the down town station speaks english, so trying to get down town from the outskirts was challenging.. we eventually had the symbols of where we were underlined and the symbols of where we wanted to go underlined and we just counted the stops. It cost us 50cents for the 2 of us to go 2 hours. a taxi which apparently everyone else takes is about $15 american and would have been quicker, but we got to be with a lot of neat locals and see the things tourist streets don't show. tin shacks so close to the train if i stuck my eyelashes out thewindow im sure i'd touch! the poverty was frightening in places.

Thai people are gorgeous, and no one is fat. The few people we saw that were 'fat' would be 'chubby' at home. Everyone notices us but doesn't stare, so many young young people. Girls barely 20 have 1 to 3 babies to toddlers in toe, and im serious probably the cutest children in the world. Mom's here like it just as much when you smile adoringly at their babies as we got the biggest smiles and appreciative looks when we did that all of a sudden made us feel welcome. I also realize that all of my clothes are inappropriate, as legs and arms are covered except on beaches. Fixed that with some fat pants today and i guess i'll stick to my skirts and my 1 jeans until we hit the beaches.

We took an overnight train which was quite an experience! We shared bunk beds that had curtains, freezing cold, loud, and bright lights for me up top but pretty decent! Cheaper than flying and didn't waist the day traveling. The bathrooms had a hole that went straight through to the tracks so we left some treasures all along the thai countryside! we had to remember this when we were at many of the million stops or everyone would see! other than that things work pretty smoothly with taxi's and tuk tuks waiting everywhere you could need one. We have a hard time bargaining when everything is sooo cheap so i think we are getting ripped off sometimes but we don't really feel like it, still paying so much less than at home.

So now we are at an adorable place called Mut Mee's guest house its only like $8 a night. it is right on the river, has hammocks and a yoga studio, bikes, a massage place soo laid back and cozy, we may stay a while. Tonight is New Years eve here and there is a party! a bbq in the garden, the bar is a raft right on the river. A bunch of different bands are playing so we are in a happy place! Guess we are 13 hours ahead here so HAPPY NEW YEARS TO YOU ALL TOMORROW!

Chris taking an awful pic of me first thing in the morning, in my bunk after a looong nite on the train

Finding out what's what

New Year's Eve