Apple Pie Goodness

Apple Pie Goodness
Originally uploaded by punk_rock_baby.

Sometimes you just need to kick yourself in the head. Sorry for the long wait for a post(I’ve got about a half dozen half finished ones), but I’ve been busy. I just came to realize that I’ve only been unemployed about a month and only in the States for a little over two weeks. In the last month I have been to Korea, Hong Kong, all over Thailand, Japan, Chicago, Kansas City and Ames(and a couple of other place in route to destinations). Right now I am currently freaking out about being unemployed(because I hate not having some thing to do and no income). But then wait, I’ve only been in the States for two weeks. Am I over reacting? Yes. Why am I over reacting? Because I don’t want to leave. The back up plan is moving back over seas. Here’s the thing, I don’t want to do that.

Here’s how I’m feeling. In some ways it feels like not a lot has changed since I left. Maybe that is what is elevating my freak out level is that coming back to Chicago every thing is the same. It’s like I never left and I left for a reason(or several) but on top of that I’m now also unemployed which is a step backward not forward. I’d like to move forward now. At the same time I’m really, really ready for something new.

I’m going to stop whining now. Okay, so the question is what is it I want? I want a job or jobs where I’m learning useful skills and I am able to make rent and such. Where? Major city please. That’s the short term goal. The slightly longer term goal is to have a place where I can feel at home. The last place wasn’t really homey more a like a place I slept. The runny joke was I only came home for apple juice. More over I want a place where I can cook and bake for people. A place where I can entertain or at least stuff my friends full of tasty and there for unhealthy food while we sit around talking and having a good time. I also would like to visit people, you know stay in touch with people. Yeah, that’s what I want. And eventually I’d like to be wrecking havoc in Italia and Prague.

So what am I doing to achieve these goals?

I’m looking for a job and I’m going to keep looking for one. I think I’m going to broaden where I’m looking for jobs, as in outside of Chicago, but not Ames(it’s a cult and they want me to join).

I bought homey things for when I get a home. I bought some beautiful pottery while I was in Korea, since right now everything I own could probably fit in the back of a mini van(actually I know it could). I’m also starting to brush up my cooking and baking skills. I made a pie the other day and was very happy with how it turned out. I was very happy making it too. I may bake tomorrow too just because I found a cool recipe(honey brownies). Now, I just need people to bake and cook for nearby.

Yes, and I need to make more friends. And especially more single friends. Nothing makes you feel older then when all of your friends are either in stable relationships or have great careers or having babies and/or buying homes. Dead envious, but that’s what I get for f*cking off to a foreign country for a year.

Oh, everyone hide. I got a learner’s permit. Now, I just need some one to teach me how to drive. This is the whole being able to keep in touch with people, being able to drive to see them. So, one day at a time. Kicking it as I go.

Farmer's Tan

PICT1065
Originally uploaded by punk_rock_baby.

Ugh, I have tons of new pictures but the computer is too old to upload them. So it's a simple blog post for now. Maybe in Chiang Mai, I'll be able to do it. So I've been busy, to not bore you with the details I'll just outline it for you.

Sat:
Wat : Where a man kissed me on the cheek and tried to take me some where. It was actually kind of weird, but not scary for so me reason, maybe because I was in a Buddhist temple.

Train to Phitsanuluk: I meet a Japanese women who was traveling to Ayuthaya because she couldn't go to Angkor Wat like she planed. She had been to many of the places I want to go like Italy and Prague.
Sawngthaew(pick up trunk with benches and a top) to bus station, bus to Sukhothai, sawngthaew to Garden House meet a couple from Rome. Very friendly manager. Okay meal at Night Market, internet, and a trip to Seven Eleven. Sleep!!

Sun: Old Sukhothai
Got up before the cocks, and headed off to Old Sukhothai which is an hour away by sawngthaew. I visited the first wat on foot then realized I did want a bike, so I rented a crocadile bike for twenty baht(a post later about all the things you can buy with twenty baht). The best thing I did. I rode a bike around to most of the wats. It was great. Pictures when I'm not using a deralict computer. The weather was wonderful, I love being wrong. But, of course I was a dumb ass and forgot to put on sunscreen(cause you know it's rainy season). Guess who has farmer's tan. I do!! Oh, look at the red tourist. It hurts, I can't remember the last time I've been this burnt.

Back in New Sukhothai I walked down to a market I saw coming back from Old Sukhothai. Great!! I have more wonderful pictures of a country market. I love farmers markets back in the States, so this was paradise for me. You could buy bugs, curry in bags, sausages, sweets, fruit, everything. And the nice thing was it all looked good and clean. The only times I wish I was traveling with someone is when I eat, so I could try more food. Ah, people were really nice too.

After the market I headed to a resturant I had passed on the way down. It had all the food layed out front, curries, raw veggies, fried fish, etc. She recommended a green curry that was delicious and chocked full of one of my favorite herbs, basil. After that it was back to the guesthouse for a bit of a break and then out again.

I decided to go to the Dream cafe, because it was supposed to have great desserts and a nice atmosphere. The atmosphere was definately nice but the desserts were all ice cream. I ordered coffee and fried bananas. I only eat cooked bananas which I love. I can't eat them raw(I know I'm weird). Bed.

Mon: Lopburi

I was supposed to go to Si Satchanalai-Chaliang Historical Park two hours from New Sukhothai. It's similar to Old Sukhothai but less busy. I decided the day before while sitting next to a pond that I wanted to see more Khmer style temples, so I thought why not go to Lopburi. Okay, here's the thing Lopburi is like three hours from Bangkok. So, I was going backwards(which is so like me). So, I got up early and took a train from Phitsanulok to Lopburi. And was planning on just taking a sleeper train from Lopburi to Chiang Mai the next night.

As always things didn't work out that way. Once I got to Lopburi they told me the rail is still out to Chiang Mai. So at midnight tonight I get on a train to Phitsanulok and then a bus on to Chiang Mai. Actually a day is all you need in Lopburi, but what a day it's been. The ruins are nice, but Ayuthaya's are probably better. Lots of pict(damn computer). I was a bif of a moron today but it worked out well. I was looking for a ruin and the thing was I had already been to it(dumbass).

Anyways, hot and lost I was wandering around when a police officer asked me where I was going. I showed them. One of them said he would take me. So today I got to ride behind a cop on a motorcycle in Thailand. Awesome. Then, after he took me to where I had already been I decided food and some rest would be good.

One place was closed, but luckily I stumbled onto a better place called the White Garden. A little girl waved me in so how could I not go there. It has a great atmosphere and nice staff. Actually they gave me some plantains to feed the elephant that came by while I was eating. I got to feed an elephant. After that I headed into monkey territory. Monkeys rule this town and there are a lot of them.

I took some pictures as I wandered down the street towards the main monkey infested temple. I can now say I've been crawling with monkeys. Seriously, I was covered in monkeys before I knew it. I was focusing on taking a picture,and then I was photo opp. myself. I learned today to stare down the young males and if one goes for your leg step towards it. They are young so it was okay, the older males would have been another issue. I realized later the other tourists had been give wooden sticks to keep the monkeys at bay.

So, tonight and tomorrow to Chiang Mai, I'm not sure where I will be staying of what I will be doing but that is Thailand. I'm having a great time as burnt as I am. Ah, wonderful. More later. This post is long enough and I'm leaving things out too. Take care!! Lah gorn!!

This is the Fort

This is the Fort
Originally uploaded by punk_rock_baby.

Ah, that's kind of funny. Maybe it's just the lack of sleep after my brain refused to shut down and sleep last night.

A storm is coming. Of all the predictable ironies, the weather has been great while I've been trapped in planes and trains, but now that it's time for me to walk around it's going to piss cats and dogs. But, to be honest it doesn't surprise me. The nice weather surprised me. I am now in Sukhothai in Northern Thailand. I am getting ahead of myself though. Back to Bangkok and the Farang alley.

After having a great dinner during which many things were discussed and Zack made the realization I'm not funny(yeah, yeah, just funny looking) after knowing me for eigjt months or so. He was dead tired, but I wasn't so we split up. I posted last night's entry and then decided to walk about. I like walking. I really like just walking around and getting the feel of a place, which is exactly what I did. During my walk I took pictures of the fort, saw a VW van that was also a bar(one which I will have to visit when we get back), some funny t-shirts, cds, and old Bruce Lee posters in Thai. I also so a shit load of tourist from all over the world. And most importantly I saw my first elephant in Thailand. A man was walking a baby elephant down the street. I was too suprised and tired to take a picture. Maybe next time when we go back. I finally packed in about midnight knowing we would have to get up early to so Zack could catch the bus to Chiang Mai and me my train. Unfortunately the lack of sleep is catching up with me and I think I'm going to stop before the rambling increases. More latter, maybe tomorrow after some sleep. Tomorrow I go to Old Sukhothai, the sight of the first Thai state(c. 12-13th century).
Bye, for now.

Ton Pho

Ton Pho
Originally uploaded by punk_rock_baby.

Hello from Bangkok!
I'm a little tired so forgive any spelling or grammar errors. It's been a long day. I took a bus from Hwajeong(now dubbed the "toilet") at 6:30 this morning for the airport while a Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs song played in my head. I meet up with Zack to board Thai Airway's flight to Bangkok with a stopover in Hong Kong. In Hong Kong, I luckly had some greenbacks so we had a BBQ pork bun, an egg tart, and a Tsing Tao which made us reminise about Chicago's Chinatown. After getting back on the plane, Zack watched a movie while I tried to stuff Thai into a weary brain.

Once we arrrived and breezed through customs we ended up across the street at the train station where a nice Thai man helped us get tickets into Hualamphong train station to buy tickets to Chiang Mai and Philtsanlok. He also taught us how to say thank you. The train was slow which allowed us to get familiar with the Bangkok. Bangkok is not a clean city. As we rode into town we passed by hovels of coregated metal, shiny glass buildings, lots of pictures of the royal family, several vibriant colored wats and a colonial style condominam called Monte Carlo. We had a weary Japanese tourist sitting across from us on the hard seats. A women with a basket walked up and down the train selling food and water. And the Thais across the wait spoke to us in broken English.

Upon arriving at the train station we found our first glitch. Luckly it was one easily remedied. The train to Chiang Mai is not running because last night rain caused the train to derail and end up in a river. Two people were killed as a result. Zack will be taking a bus. And I'll be taking a train to Phitsanlok.

Out of time. Later People!