With April ending I am now halfway done with my planned four month trip. Half. Way. Done. I can’t believe it. I’ve been doing so well keeping my FOMO in check, not really planning and just going with the flow, but now I’m starting to panic. Have I done enough? Have I been able to see everything I could have seen? I guess part of being a traveler is never being satisfied with what you’ve done and always wanting to do more.
I’m writing this from Bangkok, but when the post goes live I’ll be in halfway into my two weeks in Burma, probably in Bagan. And hopefully not dead from the heat. Enough with what’s going on right now. What happened in April?
Highlights
- Being in Thailand. Seriously though, I feel like Thailand is the country you have to have been to if you’ve spent any time in Asia. Plus the food. Oh, the good! Curry for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I’ve never been happier.
- Somehow we ended up in Koh Phangan during Songkran, or Thai New Year. For a few days the entire country turns into a huge water fight. Our hostel drove us into town in the back of a pick up truck and we spent hours dancing, getting into water fights, and eating cheap Thai food. It was one of the best days.
- To escape Bangkok for a few days while waiting for the Burmese embassy to reopen, Tara and I went to Kanchanaburi, home of the bridge over the river Kwai. The real highlight of the trip was hiking the seven level Erawan Waterfall. It was beautiful, with many pools to swim in and deep blue water.
- Say what you want to say about Khao San Road, it can be a lot of fun. On our first night in Bangkok Tara and I headed over to this “backpacker ghetto” and had a great meal, drank a few beers, did some shopping, and ate some crickets. All for really cheap. Stay away from the shirtless bros and it’s not all bad.
Lowlights
- My first week in Thailand I lost my debit card. I’m pretty sure I left it in an ATM at the Krabi airport. My bank was able to express mail a new card to my parents, but because of the Songkran holiday in Thailand it was delayed being sent here. Luckily, Tara was able to lend me money but it was still pretty stressful.
- A few days after that I decided it would be a good idea to rent a motorbike on Koh Lanta. I’m a horrible driver as is and have never driven a motorbike. Obviously I crashed it in the parking lot of the rental shop. It wasn’t too bad but I had to go to the hospital to get the wounds cleaned out and for a round of antibiotics.
- It rained almost every single day we were in southern Thailand. Like, torrential downpour. When you’re at a beach destination this pretty much sucks.
Distance Traveled: 2,677 miles
Planes: 2
Busses: 4
Vans: 3
Boats: 5
Beds Slept In: 12
Cockroaches seen: 2 (all in public places, thankfully!)
Rats seen: 3 (all in one night, all in Bangkok, all very large)
Countries Visited: Thailand, Burma
Places Visited: Krabi, Koh Lanta, Phuket, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Bangkok, Kanchanaburi, Yangon, Kalaw, Inle Lake
Money Spent: Let’s not even talk about it. One day I will learn how to abide by a budget, this trip is not that day apparently. (And as much as I care, I don’t.)
Favorite Farsickness Posts
History Through Food: An Eating Tour of Manila’s Chinatown This walking tour was one of the best that I’ve ever been on, food related or otherwise. History and food, can it get any better?
Philippines Wrap Up Sometimes servicey posts are good. And this one contains some pretty pictures.
Sightseeing in Singapore (While Sick) Singapore is an awesome city with a lot to see and do. While I wasn’t able to check everything off due to some mystery illness, I still enjoyed myself.
What I’ve Been Reading
(Honestly, I haven’t been doing a ton of blog reading. When I’m on the Internet I’m usually writing and when I’m not I’m plowing through books!)
That Backpacker 9 Lessons Learned from a Month Backpacking Around SE Asia Audrey and I left Korea at nearly the same time for our SE Asia trips and it seems we’ve learned a lot of the same things. Though, I think she’s a little more hardcore backpacker than me.
Active Backpacker What to do in Portland: Microbreweries, Food Trucks & Vintage The title really says it all. I hope to make it to the west coast sometime soon and it seems Portland has all my interests covered!
Farsickness Around the Internet
Asia Rooms 10 Things to do in Seoul I’m very excited to announce my first contribution to Asia Rooms! If you’re heading to Seoul, definitely check this out. Every time I read this I get a little sad knowing what awesome things I’m missing out on.
Ashley Abroad My Local Eats: Seoul, Korea Another Korea post to make me sad, I felt very honored to be able to contribute to Ashely’s great series, My Local Eats. I’d really love some Korea right now!
Future Travel Plans
I will be in Burma until May 8. After that I’ll spend the next couple of weeks exploring northern Thailand before heading over to Laos.
For real time updates make sure to follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter!
What were your favorite posts around the blogosphere in April? Do you have any travel plans that you are looking forward to in May?
Your trip coverage has seriously been making me SO jealous! And our lunch at Little Tree seems pretty lame in comparison to all the amazing food you must be having in Asia
Ashley of Ashley Abroad recently posted..A Day Trip to Île de Ré, France’s Most Adorable Island
Busy girl! You’re covering a lot in one month. I’m getting kind of lazy with all the moving around, so I find that I’ve been lingering in places more than I initially thought I would.
p.s. Thanks for sharing my article!
It’s so amazing how eventful one month in your life is! I love taking part in your adventures! Also, I’m so relieved to hear that the cockroach issue in Thailand might not be that problematic after all! And I’m sorry about your debit card and the motorbike accident — I’m glad nothing worse happened!
Julika recently posted..A Weekend in Alsace via Instagram
How have you only seen TWO cockroaches?? Are you sure you were in Thailand…
Alana – Paper Planes recently posted..>> Chiang Mai Market Guide – Part I >>
Wow you get around girl! Sounds like you had a good time; I’m particularly jealous of water fights and dancing in the streets. Adventure forth!
Yes, I am traveling quite quickly! If you ever have the chance, head to Thailand for Songkran. Some of the best fun I’ve ever had!
Oh my god! I lost my debit card TWICE by leaving it in a Thai ATM machine! They don’t have any blinking lights or noises to alert you to take your card….they’re the worst! And yeah, lots of rats in Bangkok
They are the worst! Everywhere else in Southeast Asia makes you take your card before dispensing the money…oh, Thailand. This makes me feel a bit better about losing it, though, so thanks
Wow I can’t wait to hear about your trip!!!! I’m planning on going to Asia after I explore more of South America, so it will be great to hear your ideas and stories
Beth recently posted..lisbon gems pt.2
I promise I’ll get those to you soon. Asia is awesome. I want to explore South America next, so I will go take a look at your blog now
I know this blog’s been really quiet for the last month or so so I hope that means you’re having way too much out there, hun.
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That’s definitely one of the reasons
I had an accident with a scooter on Koh Lanta, too!! Wanted to practice in the parking lot before heading off and drove straight into a ditch. Have not tried to get on another scooter ever since but I hope I’ll get over my trauma before we get to Vietnam so that we can rent a scooter there. You make me miss Thailand!
You do not know how happy it makes me to hear of someone else having a motorbike accident in a parking lot that involved a ditch. I got soo much grief for it! I hope you will be driving that motorbike in the Vietnamese countryside and not in Hanoi or Saigon! Good luck- I’m sure you can do it