It’s time to apologize for boasting about being a beach-bum in the middle of February before the Universe decides to learn me another lesson!

Chris and I had way too much fun in the sun yesterday and are now holed up in our guesthouse, watching Thai-dubbed Hanna-Barbera cartoons (my favorite!) and nursing horrible sunburns.

We look like lobsters, and it hurts to do just about anything except breathe and eat (thank goodness). Sleeping, though– or doing anything that doesn’t involve sitting bolt upright– is the worst.

I could really do with some of that Humboldt fog right about now.

The following photos were taken during the short time between leaving Bangkok and pre-sunburns in Krabi.

Counting down the last minutes in Bangkok, and not for the last time.

Pepsi Twist at Suvarnabhumi Airport. This is one of my favorite sodas, but I haven’t seen it since I was 17 and still lived with my mom. I don’t drink Pepsi back home, though, so it could be that it’s everywhere and I’m just really clueless.

Arriving in Krabi. I will have flown in an awful lot of planes by the time these 2 months are over.

Karst mountains and many a palm tree were viewable from the bungalow we first shacked up in.

There was a nice bird at reception, too. The place was Friendly Bungalow in Ao Nang. Not too shabby for 600 Baht a night, but the long walk to the beach and back was dreadful– especially when the sun was out.

Ao Nang, Krabi. That little dot in the first photo is Chris. I went for a very cautious* swim later in the afternoon and realized I hadn’t been fully submerged in the ocean since I was a toddler and got pulled into the undertow in San Francisco. My dad saved me– it’s one of my earliest memories. One that left quite an imprint, too, if it was 20+ years since I dared to go back for more!

Ao Nang by night. We missed the actual sunset by minutes. Oops.

My new favorite TV show: The Einstein Factor. Actually, I love just about every show on the Australian Network: WA$TED, The Force, The Cook & The Chef– those Kiwis and Aussies sure are funny.

Crossing my fingers that, by the time I post again, I will be more brown than red and not wincing every time I brush up against something! Just in time for the weekend, yeah? Hope y’all are preparing for a good one yourselves.

* Other words I would use to describe my plunge: amazing, salty, warm, paranoid.

Our border run was a success, but unfortunately we didn’t dig the touristy vibe enough to stick around for more than a few nights. We are once again hanging out in Bangkok before makin our next move to Krabi.

As inevitable as it was, I’m still sad to have left Chiang Mai. I will never forget the $1 bowls of Kao Soi or the cute waitress at Black Canyon Coffee that once ran down half a block to give us back our change when Chris unknowingly paid with a 1000 baht note instead of 100.

Being on vacation is always loads of fun, but the actual act of traveling never outlives the novelty of being “on the road,” so to speak. The journey to Laos was certainly no exception: we rode a minivan for some hours to Chiang Khong, which is on the Thailand-side of the border, and stayed at an all right guesthouse with a fabulous view of the river that divides the two countries.

In the morning we took a boat across the river and went through the Hell of immigration. We each were fined 500 baht ($15) for overstaying our Thai welcome for 1 day. Oops.

Getting our visas was the real nightmare. Picture this: a tiny foyer, totally cluttered with travelers, all speaking different languages, no one knowing exactly what’s going on or what line to get in, or if you’re even in line, reaching over and around each other to throw their passports at the first official looking Laotian they see. Ahhhh– a true Kodak moment. Wish you were here!

After that mess we jumped in a cramped slow boat– 6 hours to Pakbeng, a crummy port town. Next morning, another smaller slow boat (but with all the same people) for 8 hours to the final destination: Luang Prabang.

We both got awfully sick during our night in Pakbeng from our guesthouse’s food. Chris took this utterly gorgeous photo of me just seconds before I ducked my head over the edge of the boat and barfed. Thanks, Chris! In his defense, he had no idea I was on the verge, and when he snapped it I was actually in the middle of saying “Can I sit there?” as he had the coveted seat next to the open “doorway.” Puking into the Mekhong River ought to win me some bragging points in backpacker circles… Now I just have to make friends with some backpackers.

After a hot shower, Wayne’s World 1 & 2 on cable TV and a lot of water and bananas, we both felt better and ready to tackle Laos.

Our time in Luang Prabang was overshadowed by the fact that neither of us were feeling very well, but we still managed to have some fun and see some sights. The town is really laid-back and cute, with a touch of France due to Laos having been a French colony not so long ago.

We climbed the local mountain-temple on our last day in Laos. You can do the math.

Halfway up there’s a bodhi tree and shrine.

From the top, the whole city is visible at every direction.

On the way down there were lots of golden Buddhas, marked by the day of the week. I asked Chris what it was meant for, but he didn’t know exactly. Having just graduated with a degree in Religious Studies, he was later able to redeem himself when he explained to me– in great length– the story and symbolism of Ganesha over ice cream.

We decided to save ourselves from more unnecessary pain and booked a flight straight from Luang Prabang to Bangkok. Otherwise we would’ve had to ride a 10 hour bus to Vientiane (capital of Laos), pay more $$$ for a Thailand 30-day visa, then ride another bus for who knows how long to Bangkok. Instead, we spent 1 1/2 hours on a plane for $160 each and got to Bangkok at 10 in the morning, and our immigration problems were sorted due to coming in on an international flight. Good deal.

As an aside, if we had flown Bangkok Airways it would’ve been almost $100 more per ticket, so we rode with Lao Airlines instead. This was my first time on such a small plane, and not nearly as scary as I’d've imagined. The plane seated about 64.

This weekend we have been staying at the A-One Inn, being mallrats at MBK, though yesterday we got out of the guesthouse and rode the skytrain to Mo Chit to witness the weekend market madness.

We got lost multiple times, despite having two different maps of the area, and I got sunburned beyond belief and spent much of our time sulking in Chatuchak Park about how hot it was.

After giving in to the air-con heaven of JJ Mall, we found a nice Japanese restaurant for lunch. I had avocado-wrapped salmon and cucumber rolls. You’d think we’d never had sushi before because all we managed to talk about was how good our food was. In retrospect it really was good– we had sushi for lunch again today at Sukishi in MBK and it was only so-so.

We’ve been visiting the movie theater a lot this weekend, too and have become very familiar with the Thai commercials and tributes to the King that precede each viewing.

We saw 3 movies in 2 days and returned last night for the last remaining English speaking film, which was aired in the VIP theater– the theater is much smaller and more intimate, and the seats are bigger, comfier and connected only in pairs with lots of leg room in every direction. You also get a blanket to keep warm (theaters in Thailand are fuh-reeezing!) and a free drink in the lounge.

• Push (2/5: Enjoyable, but awful writing, casting, acting, ending, etc. Dakota Fanning was dreadful and Camilla Belle did not convince me as being old enough to even hold hands with her love interest)
• Valkyrie (3.5/5: I love Bryan Singer, but I couldn’t fully get into a movie about an attempted assassination I already knew the ending to)
• Underworld 3: Rise of the Lycans (3/5: Love Bill Nighy, can’t stand the girl from Boston Legal. I much prefer Kate, but this was a good prequel nonetheless)
• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (5/5: I thought it was going to be boring; it was everything but!)

Oh yes! I almost forgot– these last two photos are for my bro ‘n’ sis, Alan and Lindy. I don’t think you’ll have any trouble figuring out which photo is for whom.

We have seen these metal sculptures at two different shopping centers in lots of different forms: Boba Fett, Wall-E, and the hugest Darth Vader ever to name a few. We’e a little confused as to how much they cost, but Chris is in love and we may be coming home with a bite-sized version. If it doesn’t break the bank, we might’ve found the perfect souvenir for you– the dweeb who made me the dweeb I am today!

And this was spotted in Laos on our way to the mountain-temple. I haven’t got a clue what it’s about, but it stopped me dead in my tracks!

Well, that’s it for now! Next time you hear from me, I’ll be swimming in the emerald seas of Krabi and Phuket. Say hello to the winter for me, won’tcha ;)

My favorite TV show (possibly ever) is ending this season. If you’ve been keeping up with it, you’ll know just how crazy things have gotten! If you don’t watch the show but aren’t adverse to some good ol’ Science Fiction with a dash of Soap Opera, I’d recommend skipping this post (that would be your one and only SPOILERS WARNING!) and jumping on the bandwagon– and fast! There are only 6 episodes left (5 by the time this is posted) and the anticipation is frakking killing me!

Since we’re in Thailand, we haven’t been able to watch the show on TV nor on the official Sci-Fi website. But thanks to the tech savvy husband we’ve been able to acquire each episode as they air in, uh… Less than scrupulous ways. :)

Unfortunately, our border run to Laos tomorrow morning is going to interfere with all that, so until we get back to Bangkok and find some WiFi I’ll be utterly clueless as to what happens this week!

But how ’bout last week’s show, huh? I’ve been waiting since they started airing the teasers on TV for the episode when Roslin goes batshit, wondering who, exactly, is she coming for. I assumed it was the Cylons but, damn! Nothing could have prepared me for the truth.

Did I ever mention that our beloved cat, Felix, is in fact named after Lt. Felix Gaeta? Talk about your downers! Chris stayed true to his love for Mr. Gaeta, but to be honest he’s been on the outs with me ever since he perjured himself in Baltar’s trial. Yeesh! I have to admit, although I hooted and hollered that Gaeta and Zarek had it coming, I really am sad to see it end this way. Well, that’s half true, anyway.

Gaeta fell down a slippery slope of self-righteousness, but at least he never came anywhere near the diabolical terror of Tom Zarek. Seeing him tied up in that chair was one of the few things that brought a smile to my face by the end of this episode. What I mean to say is, GOOD RIDDANCE, Vice President Zarek!

My other favorite moments from this episode include:

The reuniting of Roslin and Adama. I’m a sucker for the shipper moments.

Hotdog not following orders. I’m glad one of those sorry nuggets had the balls not to– even if the dirty work was carried out regardless. Maybe the newfound knowledge that he’s a baby-daddy made him think twice about being a total asshole. Also, I’m pretty sure the fancy footwork that Eight pulled out of her hat was actually a barrel roll. Peppy would be proud! ;)

The return of Romo Lampkin. He’s one of my favorite minor characters– taking back his glasses after killing the soldier with his pen was tops. Hope he sticks around for a bit, though it seems like he has a way of disappearing.

Tory looking nice and well-rested; no more bags under the eyes for this toaster! I guess that’s the upside to chilling out on the Rebel Baseship while all Hell breaks loose on Galactica.

Adama being a general hardass and not backing down for even a second, even when he was told Tigh had been killed (that scene was hard to watch– Frak you, Zarek!). When he took off his pins and refused to call Roslin off by telling Gaeta “You’re the Admiral, now,” I could make out giant Anime-sized sweat beads raining from Gaeta’s forehead. Hah! Make her laugh, Felix!

Oh yeah– Tyrol saving the day! I was wondering what the heck he was doing, scrambling around in the vents like an overfed hamster. Turns out he still has his wits and was going to disarm the FTL drives. Good work, Chief!

Lee and Kara kicking some serious ass. Their cute exchange after Lee faked the troops out with the grenade was a throwback to the old days, for sure. Chris and I also appreciated the fact that all of Lee’s duty was doled out while he was still in his civvies. I can’t say I ever felt more than due admiration for Lee, but this episode… Well? That was kind of hot.

Speaking of Kara, I have to admit she’s made me proud this season. She was never a favorite of mine, and when recommending the show to people I often would refer to her as the only bad thing about it. Kara Thrace to Battlestar Galactica is like Kate Austin to LOST– she’s cute and smart (Did I just call Kara Thrace cute? Er…), and she surely knows how to kick ass, but is so obnoxious and self-absored you just wish she’d go the frak away. Lately though, she’s won me over by staying true to her uniform– unlike other members of the fleet.

I was also surprised by Gaius’s rejection of the Six and ending the episode with a more than tender conversation between him and Felix. Considering their history, this got me right here: <3

Thirsts for revenge aside, wasn’t this just about the best scene ever in the whole 45 minutes?

Since we haven’t been watching the show on TV, we haven’t been getting the next week’s previews, so I really am clueless where we’re going here. Earth is trashed, the mutiny is taken care of, the fifth Cylon’s been revealed and apparently just as quickly forgotton…

Ending an episode with an execution after successfully getting Adama back in control of the Galactica doesn’t exactly leave me hanging off the edge of my seat. This chapter is closed.

So what’s next?

Something tells me it has to do with Tyrol’s discovery while he was off saving the day (and his Cylon-butt). Guess I’ll just have to wait and see (sigh!).

(Bad screencaps courtesy of me and my fancy collection of free Linux-based software :)

Sawatdee Kha! Things are starting to wind down in Chiang Mai for us, as our 30-day visa is about to expire on Saturday, which means we have to make a border run before resuming the last half of our time in Thailand. I thought I’d give a big-little update before we check out of this wonderful city.

I realized I’ve been skimping out on you guys when it comes to photos, so this post is going to be my way of repenting for my blogging transgressions. Here’s a quick run-down of what we’ve been up to the last couple of weeks…

First and foremost: reading! If you’ve been keeping up with us on Goodreads, you’ll know that we were blazing through book after book for awhile there. I hit the brakes a little when I started Stephen King’s Needful Things. It’s sort of hard to binge-read when there are so many characters and points-of-view to keep track of. My mom was a huge fan of his when I was growing up, so I have distant memories of the movie tagging along with the story.

The brand new 3-story Starbucks across from Tha Pae Gate was our choice reading zone for awhile, especially when we were making up for our luxurious stay at Awana Sleep & Swim with some cheaper and more questionable accomodations. Sipping on overpriced coffee in a mosquito-free air-conditioned building with big fat comfy chairs certainly seemed like a nice trade-off.

Chris tried an iced vanilla latte and didn’t like it– he’s more of an Americano kind of guy, which makes me think of Kristina and her giant mason jars of espresso and ice. I will never understand you people.

Speaking of gross drinks, we heard from an English traveller that Redbulls in Thailand have amphetamines in them and are banned in most other countries. I can’t stand the taste of them (like liquid Sweet Tarts) but seeing Chris rise and fall after the 6:00 AM Superbowl party in the pub certainly seemed proof enough.

While he slept the night/day off I made good use of my new Sansa Clip mp3 player. I bought it for the trip and it’s fantastic! Very inexpensive with good sound quality and battery life. It’s saved me from borderline insanity more than once already on this trip.

Another day where Chris wasn’t feeling very well, I braved the Sunday Walking Street on my own. It was (and always is) insanity! I bought a pair of very nice pants to discourage the mosquitos for 200 baht ($6). I feel like a ninja when I wear them. I also bought 1 pair of earrings for 60 baht and 2 other pairs for 39 baht each ($4 for all) but managed to resist the tables full of silver rings ($10-$15). The ones cut into the likeness of leaves and other organic matter were particularly hard to pass over without trying them on (the biggest mistake of a shopoholic!).

To save myself from getting too wordy (I’m a blabbermouth, I know it) I’m going to do a simple photo dump below with (hopefully) limited commentary. Misha requested more food photos, so you’ll find a pretty good account of what we’ve been eating lately at the end :)

Before we left Awana Sleep & Swim, we sipped on Coca-Cola and played a bit of pool on the covered rooftop while the sun went down. Despite playing loads of pool with my dad when I was a kid, Chris pwned me… Royally.

At the Chiang Mai Zoo, we saw loads of animals, but these were the highlights. For 15 baht you get a bundle of overgrown green beans and get to feed the eager giraffes. Kinda gross, but super awesome. The pandas simply ate and napped (and ripped the wood apart like string cheese– thanks to my sis Lindy for the great metaphor) and the elephant played harmonica! Check out Chris’s blog for some great videos of all three.

At Smile House, where we stayed for a bit. The cat in Chris’s arms lived there and meowed every morning… The spitting image of Felix! We also took advantage of the pool.

The joy of reading Faulkner. There were a few times where I feared for Chris’s sanity as he trudged through this book of short stories.

Muay Thai boxing match at Tha Pae Stadium. The guy on the left was really cocky, danced around to the music like a cobra and then eventually got his ass kicked.

View from our balcony at Chiang Mai White House, where we’re now staying until we leave for our border run this weekend. Chris surprised me by hand-washing my laundry while I was at the Sunday Walking Street and hung it out to dry. Sweet :)

Flower Festival parade and floats (and no, I haven’t got a clue what the sign says! I’d venture to say, “Flowers rule!!” or “We Love the King” or something to that effect).

Fire breathing performance in Tha Pae Square. I was so close I could feel the burst of warmth every time!

At a Wat down the road from our guesthouse.

We eat at AUM Vegetarian practically every day. It took me a long time to try something besides the Kau Soi (pictured after devouring)– love at first bite and all that– but once I tried the Indian Salad and it was amazing! They serve it with a pumpkin and coconut milk sauce mixed with Indian spices. So good.

Pineapple and tofu with ginger fried rice (@ AUM). Chris hates cucumbers probably as much as Shania hates mayo, so I gladly ate them for him while sampling the ginger fried rice. AUM = YUM.

Carrot cake and mint tea (@ House of Thai Thai Coffee, where I type from now!)

Fresh fruit and yogurt (@ Peppermint Coffee House)

Tuna and avocado croissant, with french fries (@ Art Cafe)

Very tasty bruschetta, garlic and tomato appetizers (@ Da Stefano)

10 baht plate of pad thai (@ Tha Pae Gate, during the Flower Festival)

Phew! That about sums it up. Yesterday we got our visa photos done for our one-way slow boat to Laos that we embark on in just a couple days. The uncertainty of the next week is beginning to settle in and, if you know me, you know how much I hate uncertainty. It drives me absolutely batty! But I’ll try to keep popping in at regular-ish intervals.

Till next time! Hug your comfy pillows and kiss your flea-free cats for me, if you got ‘em!