floating downstream.. .

sawasdee ka.

we are now in ko tao -- a lovely diving island in southern thailand.
we just left bangkok a few days ago. there are protests going on there now and the airport is apparently closed down .. so i'm glad we got out of there.

in bangkok, we stayed on the famed khoa san road:



we took many a tuk tuk ride around town to various sites and temples -- as well as random tux and jewelry shops. :) (tuk tuk rides are basically free when you agree to stop and browse random stores they bring you to.)

our favorite driver, sinhka, was our first tuk tuk ride.



also, when we were there, we took a day trip to the floating market!
it was crazy! so many boats, knocking sides, pulling you over, trying to sell you souveniers, food, and fruit!







all in all, we had a busy few days in the capital city.
we were all tired, but happy travel cat remained oh so happy!!

tokyo!

quick blog update since i only have 6 minutes left on my computer here..

made it to bangkok and currently residing on khoa san road for a few days. off to the islands on the 25th.

we spent a few days in tokyo. was blow away by the sheer size of it. i was told the heart of the city itself was 8 million people. and the greater tokyo area, engulfing so many other cities -- so close together it was impossible to tell them apart -- is 36 million!

the train system was a maze to navigate. so many lines to choose from, so many ways to go. with the signs all in japanese, it was quite an endeavor!
shinjuku station at rush hour was a sight to see!

we also went to the 45th floor of the tokyo government building and saw the extending skyline. it was hard to know if it ever ended. .. .





later, now, we are waiting to catch a train from bangkok to chumphon. from there, to koh tao where hopefully we'll learn how to scuba dive! :)

it's been fun in bangkok. we have taken many a ride in tuk tuks! seen a bunch of beautiful temples. talked to many nice people. eaten a lot of noodles and rice!

hope everyone is doing well.
we miss you!

maui.

it's been over a year since i've updated this blog.
i find it harder to update it when i'm "settled" somewhere for a long time.

i left my heart in san francisco a little less than a year ago.
i drove 3 days straight cross country to surprise my mother for christmas and spent a long freezing cold month back in wisconsin.
from there, i caught a plane to sunny maui where i spent three months living on the north shore at a spiritual retreat and farm working in exchange for room and board.

each experience i chronicle here in this blog i feel like is life-changing. .. but i guess that's what i'm going for.

i lived in huelo, maui in a small bamboo hut which i shared with my gorgeous magnetic amazing roommate, emily. both she and i arrived around the same time as yves -- the adventurous swiss-frenchman on leave from school for a few months to explore the states.

over the months, we blossomed from a group of beautiful strangers clothed in rain gear in a new, scary, exhilarating environment







... . to close friends, exploring new places, sleeping on each other's shoulders, camping on beaches, sharing, and learning and living.





















looking back, it's already been six months since i've left the islands.
the way of life, the attitude, the sunsets, the beauty. .. . it's been so hard to leave it all behind.

.. but on to new adventures!

to be continued.