Stuck in Surat Thani

It was so nice being next to beach for the 3 or 4 days that we were. I practiced yoga, attempted to get a tan and Rachel and I went on a sunset horseback ride. I was hoping for a relaxed romantic ride along the beach but I told the owner of Sanctuary, Hassan, that I was an experienced rider so he told the horse back riding tour that I could handle a more difficult horse. So it was really fun to ride but my horse was very energetic and loved to gallop so I spent lot of time turning around going back to Rachel. It was great to back in the saddle again. It has been over ten years since the last time I rode. At one point at the end the horse almost through me off but I succeeded on staying on J I have been sore for 2 days though and I did yoga yesterday. I am wondering if this helped.

Alas today we left Koh Lanta unfortunately. We got up when the roosters started roosting. We were to catch a mini bus to Karabi and then find a mini bus or something to take us to Surat Thani so that we could catch our flight, We had to hire a private taxi to take us to the airport and upon arriving we found out that our flight had been canceled. The airline was nice and gave us a refund. So now we are leaving by train @ 6:15. This should be an adventure and we arrive in Bangkok @ 6:15 in the morning. Well at least we are having an adventure. I’ll be home on Thurs. Feel free to call me.
Lots of love,
Celine

Ah how nice it is to be @ the beach...

We have officially arrived to the sit around and relax part of our trip. We traveled yesterday by minivan and then ferry on the minibus. We are staying on Koh lanta, (long Beach) @ a place called sanctuary. It is very chill right next to the beautiful sea and the achiteture of the buildings is cery cool. They are woven together with palm frons and wood. I practiced yoga today with one of my old teachers that now lives here. It was amazing hearing the ocean while I practiced. The water is a beautiful blue green color and it is the perfect temperature. We layed in a hammock on the porch it was so nice and relaxing. We will go swimming again when I finish this blog.
I will take picts today. I just have been lazy and hot and forgot to give some visuals to my surroundings.
The picts which I am posting are from Chang Mai and Koh Sok. I promise to shoot the beach today. Alright.. I am off to get a suntan... well it might be more like more frekles and a little bit of a burn.. but you only live once.
Kisses,
Celine

Cause my ho wanted me to go hikin'...

So another day in Khao Sok. We slept in which was nice since we were active all day yesterday. We hiked into the National Park today. We made it about 3km into the park today. I am not sure what that translates to in miles, cause i forgot to look online. But it was very sticky. We kept panting from the humidity. We stopped for water and fresh pinapple just before the waterfall. It was lovely. One of the men that was building a platform warned us that it was about to rain and we needed to be careful. Rachel and I being the clutzes that we are decided that it would be smarter to take the warning to heart. Since the last time it was about spicy food and the cook tried to warn me and I insisted that I could handle the heat. But obviously my digestive system and ass could not ;)
So we looked at the waterfall took a couple of picts. Rachel slipped and kind hurt her toe. We saw this as an omen. And the sky was looking quite omininsect. So we headed back. On the way back it started pouring. It was crazy. It was something out of a movie. Rachel looked down and a leech was on her. They finally got her. She was worried about them and one found it's way onto her delicious ankle. Rachel was a good sport and to make her smile we makde up a song. about the woes of the hike. It went a little somehting like this and.. a leech bit me on my ankle cause my ho wanted me to go hikin'....
Bye kids!

It is a Jungle Out here...

Hey Kids, So here we are in one of the most beautiful places that I have ever been. We are staying in a tree house, next to the river and an amazing limestone cliff. The jungle is so alive. The sounds never stop. Dam, I wish I brought my mini disc recorder. The sounds change hourly, when one animal, insect or whatever quits another one begins. It is soothing to me. I slept better than I have since I left LA.

Our house is amazing. It has a double size bed with a cool mosiquito net. Our walls are also windows which we can prop up and look out on the river. Several tour groups went by our house today floating down the river on intertubes. Rachel and I went swimming in the river. I had to drag her in cause we heard that there were leeches and she didn't want to get bit. She was a sport and came in for a while. The water was refreshing since it is so humid and balmy here.

Yesterday we traveled from Surat Thani. There were no more busses coming here so we had to hire a taxi. It was not bad though I think that we each ended up paying $20 to be taken in a private car two hrs away. It was so cool experiencing the drive. Many people have no cars. The popular mode of transportation is motor bikes. Whole families ride the motorbikes together. We saw a farmers market taking place. The taxi driver kept beeping @ the motorbikes to go to the side when were were passing. The motorbikes ride on the shoulder of highway. Crazy.

We arrived here just before dark. So we could see our beautiful place. There was no electricity @ our place. But it was nice. They gave us and oil lamp. Then in the middle of our dinner the electricity returned. We went out a Regage bar and talked to several travelers such as our self. The thai boys were hitting on Rachel and I but we explained to the table that we were together. Everyone was very accepting and cool about it.

It seems like gays are very well accepted here in Thailand. Rachel and I have noticed many lesbian couples. And they even have a TV show about a lesbian couple. Rachel thinks that this place is the most open to gays. I have to agree.

Tomorrow we are off to go trekking on an Elephant tomorrow and then on a canoe trip. It is so beautiful here and everyone is very friendly if you are planning on traveling to Thailand. You must visit here it is worth the time that it takes to get here. Stay at Our Jungle house. ALRIGHTY I am off to eat dinner. Thinking of you all.

Lots of love,
Celine

Melting in Thailand

Hello All,
Sorry I haven't written yet. I got to an internet cafe the other day but I couldn't for the life of me get my picts to download and i am stuborn and didn't want to write unless I had a visual to go along with the text. But I am alive and well and sweating like i have have before.
Rachel and I are in Chang Mai, we have been here for two days. We have visted the Chang Mai Zoo, and fed the hippos and saw amazing birds and explored.
Afterrward we took a pickup taxi to the Insect Museum. This cute old man has collected mosquitos and other insectsd since her was 12 years old. Ther collection was amazing. he suggested that we eat @ this place down the road. It was in a tent kinds of makshift resturaunt. The people we so nice and it made us feel like we were at someone's house. The girl who served us offered to take us around the city in her car. She took us to a beutiful waterfall, see an amazing Wat (buddisht temple) and to Chang Mai university. She gave us both Thai massages to us today. Oh it was so good!
tomorrow we are off to the National park. Where we will be staying in a treehouse. I'll write again as soon as I can.
Love,
Celine

Up to see the sunrise..

Couldn't sleep this morning too pumped to leave for Thailand and to reunite with Rachel. Whoopeeee!
But I got to see the sunrise that doesn't happen that often. So that was a nice treat!
K off I go. Love you all :*

P.S. HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!

Hello Is there anybody out there?

Okay so I gave in I am going to have a blog. I told myself that I was going to write more this year so here I go...

I am leaving for Thailand in 6 days. I want to chronicle my travels and be able to post some of my images that I take while I am there so friends and family can see what I am up to.

Plus it is my goal to take at the very least a picture every day this year and place it on my blog. I always make excuses of why I can't update my site, but now I have no excuse. My blog is instant gratification.

I have been sick for the past two days. I have a lovely sinus infection. I finally made it out of my bed clothes to go buy some film for the trip. I have about 30 rolls of film. I am going to try to shoot all of them. I am branching out and I have been shooting more color lately. It is really fun. I like what I have gotten so far. I have 15 rolls of color and about 20 rolls of B&W. I bought various speeds of film just to switch it up and I figure I am going to be taking alot of pictures during the day. I can not wait to escape LA. It has been too many months of pure sunshine and smog. PLEASE GOD LET IT RAIN.

I am amazed when I go to a store at how much customer service people do not care about helping the customers. I guess the job doesn't pay a lot so they figure that they don't have to. Sports Chalet did not have a blow-up travel pillow. Those bastards. Well at least I have 5 more days to find one, since mine has gone missing since I have moved alas, things always seem to disappear when you move. I guess it is the ebb and flow of possessions that we own. Nothing remains permanent.

Okay so I am cheating for today. No new pictures today. I am going to use one that I have taken recently though in Capri Canyon...

Well that is all for now. Catch you later.