day one

omigosh, i can't believe that we are here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DAY ZERO
we landed at the airport and after a long decision decided to take the easy airport shuttle directly to BANGLAMPHU disrict-- all the backpackers stay there. it is really sort of touristy, but in a good way, like there are a bazillion food carts and clothing stores and booths where you can buy ANYTHING. we met some nice aussie backpackpackers on the end of their trip here, and they showed up which places to go. after finding a nice (thailand nice) room with two doubles and a private bathroom and shower and air conditioning and a TV, all for 600 B-- that is 15 shekels-- $2.50 each!!!!!!! love the exchange rate. Then we went out walking and had our first PAD THAI (fried noodles and cabbagy stuff and egg). yum yum. oh yeah, that was 15 B (1.5 shekels=30 cents). jet lag and not really sleeping for 2 weeks didn't help so we crashed early at 9pm. NIIIIIICE.
quote of the day: "I wanted to straddle an elephant!!!" (Linda when she found out that you sit on seats on the elephant)

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DAY ONE
woke up at 10 am b/c still working off jet lag, plane trip, finals week, etc. had a nice greasy breakfast of banana chocolate crepes and pineapple. we bought it all right off the street. we walked to visit some Buddha shrine and met this Thai lady who told us where were good places to go in Thailand and how much it whould cost to get there by TUK-TUK. so we got ths guy to drive us around the city for a few hours-- we saw a couple WATs (templish things), a jewel shop, a fashion make-your-suit-here shop. the guy waited outside each place for us to take our pictures and only cost 40 B total (4 shekels, 1 dollar). Then we went to our first convenience store. fun fun. we went back to our place and waited for "Linda's friend" this travel agent guy who has some connection to her dad. but he didn't have very good deals for us. Then we walked over to some park on the river and watched high school cheerleaders, then took a boat along the river and the canals and saw a bunch of cool houses built on the river. very cool, they all look totally worn down but still neat.

WE WENT TO A THAI BOXING MATCH!!!!! What were we thinking. well, we wanted to feel like the locals. So we yelled really loudly once we got inside. and ate roasted beans. It was bizarre, sort of a mix of karate and boxing, where anything goes. there was music in the background, and then we noticed that it was live!!! a clarinet type thing, drums, and a clangy thing. it was fun to watch, even though we didn't really understand the sport, ie, how do you tell who wins? came back, went shopping at our little district again. I bought a cool pair of gray comfy pants with a dragon on them. after this, me and linda are going back to buy more and miriam and rachelle may hit the hay and go to sleep. oh!!! they have these roasted crickets-- 3 inchers-- and little worms that you can buy TO EAT. and miriam and i met the chabad rabbi walking down the street. when you see a man with peyas (forelocks) and a kippah wandering around thailand, you just know. we are going to the chabad house for dinner tomorrow!!! woo hooo!! free non-thai dinner. maybe will be chicken, potatoes, and salad. oh wait, they don't have lettuce here. only bok choi.

quote of the day: "It sounds like Middle Eastern music except for the 'ching-ching'" (Miriam at Thai boxing of the live music)

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other food we have eaten: pad thai (like crazy), banana pancakes, spring rolls, coconut icee, peanut cookies, coconut eggy taco things (don't ask), caramel covered rice cakes, rice.