R & R in Chiang Mai

Although my first trip really went very smoothly and was quite a success (in my humble opinion!), I desperately needed some serious peace, quiet, and relaxation on my break between trips. I deceided against the beach - too hot right now, and I really wanted a week with no distractions, like full moon parties and buckets of Sangsom (Thai Whiskey!), so I deceided to take the overnight bus to Chaing Mai, in Northern Thailand for some trekking and yoga and hopefully lots of lazing around.

I've been here for 7 days and here's what I've done: Eat, yoga, nap, read, wander, trekking in the jungle, massage, sleep, eat, yoga, read, shop, eat, nap, massage, yoga, watch TWILIGHT, eat, sleep, massage, read. I'm so beyond blissed out, I hardly know what to do. Unfortunately what I HAVE to do is get on a train in a couple of hours and go back to Bangkok, but if I could stay here I would.

There are so many yoga places, I've taken 5 classes, each at a different studio. And every other restaurant is of the crunchy veggie tofu and fruit shake variety, so I've been eating the most delicious food, too. And yes, I invested in a portable DVD player and definitely bought TWILIGHT. And someother movies, too. So I had at least one night in for a movie marathon.

Most importantly, I've had a LOT of alone time. As my mother can attest, that didn't necessarily put me in the best mood yesterday, when I was feeling a bit homesick and neurotic and overly-emotional on the phone, but I think it's a good thing. I haven't had more than a few moments at a time on my own since I got here nearly 3 motnhs ago, and it's been good to let some things process themselves, and to reflect on my already eye-opening (what an understatement) experience here.

Beisides all of this self-indulgent deep thinking I've been doing, I went on a FANTASTIC trek into the jungle. It's called "The Flight of the Gibbons". I haven't watched much of The Amazing Race, but apparently they did the same trek on the show one season. It doesn't have anything to do with Gibbons, other than the fact that it's a huge zipline course through the jungle canopy, so you literally "fly" like a Gibbon (that's a monkey, by the way). I didn't see any, either (although we saw lots on Macaques in Vietnam and Cambodia - so cute!), but I have never been in such a majestic place. The trees are SO OLD. I imagine they're as big as the Redwoods, but they're gnarly and twisted and so unbelievably tall! And somehow, my fear of heights was non-existent. Maybe because I was so Zen-like from all the yoga or something, but I was zippping along like there wasn't a 200 foot drop to the jungle floor below me.

So I'm sad to be leaving, but ready to get back and get on with the next trip, which starts in two days. Wish me luck!

~Erin