Sa Bai Dee

Today I parted ways from my first group of students, and what can I say, It's never easy to say goodbye, no matter how much or little you know someone. These kids remind me of my teenage years and also, that I'm getting old. You learn so much when you teach, or guide the youth and I couldn't be more grateful.

The students spent this past week in an elephant training program. Each kid got their own elephant for whom they took good care of: bathed them, fed them and let them roam free in the jungle. We slept in Bungalows and ate some amazing food.

I've been working on par with Lao and Thai guides and that alone is an experience. Cool thing is they got the ins and outs for the less visited places like tribal villages and places in the jungles hardly exposed.

I'm back in a white walled hotel room with AC and internet, oh yeah, and no weird looking bugs next to me.

Location of photographs:

Luang Prabang, Laos.

Cheers!






Cool Kids!

So Far

I still pinch myself to see if I'm dreaming. I'm in a city I never knew existed, seeing new faces and hearing new things every day. I feel like a newborn. It's been almost a week since I've arrived to South East Asia and I'm still trying to grasp my current reality. A week ago I was emptying out my room in San Francisco, and having moments of complete desperation. I was even doubting my decision to leave the city and moping around like a turd. Now, all I think about is wanting to extend my trip and/or just become a traveling gypsy again (this happens to me every time I travel). Here, my worries are if I should bring my film or digital camera out for the day, if I ran out of toothpaste and/or if I remembered to email my family. That will all change in about 9 hours when i have to wake up 8 teenagers and take them over to Luan Prabang.

Run through: I'm working for a travel company called Rustic Pathways as a travel guide. I will be leading about 3-4 projects while I'm here.

So far, I've met most of the South East Asia staff and they have to be some of the kindest people I've ever met. Well, enough words, I'm beat, and I've got some photos to share.

Much Love <3

Day 01

The beginning of my trip starts at the airport, or many of them. Three flights, three countries, 10 hours. People lie on benches while they wait for their connecting flights. Sun beams through the oval shaped airplane windows, bouncing off a missionary couple.