Home Again
Posted by Stuart at 11:25 AM on March 11, 2003The first thing I did when I got home last night was add four new stars to the map of SE Asia that my sister gave me for Christmas (Khorat, Phanom Rung, Khon Kaen, and Udon Thani). The next thing I did was to enjoy having hot water to bathe in!
My nine days in Isaan was wonderful. I visited archeological sites of 4,000 year old cultures and Khmer temples built 1,000 years ago, ate a lot of delicious Thai food (including a lot of stuff I had never had before), met and chatted with many Thai people (with varying degrees of success), and returned to one of my favorite cities: Vientiane. And the cost of my 9-day, 1200 KM trip? About 8,000 baht (US$180).
Although it was a great trip, it's good to be home. I have today off, then it's back to work at school tomorrow.
Thailand has a funny shape, and so is divided into Central, North, Northeast, and Southern. There isn't a "Western Thailand". I've been to all of the areas now, and they are all very different in culture and food and personalities and topography. I personally prefer the mountains over the beaches, ancient culture over urban cities, so my favorite would probably have to be Northern (Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, etc). But for living, I prefer Bangkok only because there is more English speakers better transportation, and more jobs. Chiang Mai comes in a close second, though. In any case, I have only been to 14 of the 72 provences, so I have a lot of exploring left to do!
Explore away!!
Love you!!
And what a FANTASTIC sister I am!!! hehehehe! I am so gald you are enjoying and using your map to plot your travels. That makes me happy! :-)
Your favorite city is Vientiane (sorry one of your favorite), and you thoroughly enjoyed Isaan. Which part of Thailand is your favorite? Haven't you traveled north, south, east and west, now?? Or do you still have the west to explore?
Is your Thai improving?
Love you!!