Friends (written yesterday) Pics are up!http://picasaweb.google.com/anitalgray/ThailandBeachesAndDivingApril2010# I've also uploaded a bunch of videos as well from the entire trip:http://picasaweb.google.com/anitalgray/MoviesFromThailandCambodiaAndNepal#So I made it back to the States, and right now I am curled up on the sofa at my friend Jessica's house in Berkeley as she is trying to get her 9 month old baby down for a nap. I'm trying hard to tell my body that its not the

Friends,I'm sitting at the airport in Bangkok (God do I know this airport well by now!) and with some free time before my flights Stateside, I think I'll take the opportunity to write about my last week in Thailand before I get home and "normality" sets in and the memories are not as fresh. I've had an incredible end to my nearly two month sojourn. When I was trekking in the Himalayas, I couldn't imagine being back in the heat of Thailand, but that fact hit me all too abrupt

First of all, the photos are up!!! Here is the link: http://picasaweb.google.com/anitalgray/NepalTrekToMountEverestBaseCampApril2010# I write to you from Paradise on Ko Phi Phi Island in the Andaman Sea of Thailand...quite the change of scenery from when I last wrote (indeed from 2 days ago!) It is so strange to be back here, and away from all the people I've been with everyday since March 30th...that I really must write about the finale and trek down from Everest Base C

So we have finally arrived back in Lukla on our 15th day of trekking! It has been an incredible journey and one that I will not quickly forget. I last left you on the afternoon that we arrived in Tengboche to visit the monastery there, having detoured to stuff our faces with delicious apple pie and real espresso at the bakery. Afterwards we went to the visitor's centre and watched a short documentary on the history and purpose of the monastery, followed by the opportunity

Friends,I'm starting where I left off before. The first night at the beautiful Panorama Lodge gave me my first (of many) opportunities to sing my little heart out.Vern, one of the guides (and one of my favorite peeps on the trip) had a harmonica, John played the guitar and I sang along to a bunch of my favorite songs: Me & Bobby McGee, Summertime, even some “Hound Dog” by Elvis.I ended the evening with an a cappella rendition of “Mercedes Benz” by Janis Joplin and I had the e

I last left you a world away in the tropical country of Thailand. That last day before my flight to Nepal was jam packed and extremely fun. The most memorable part was going to a movie, and experiencing that everyone stands up and sings the national anthem to the King prior to the start. It was very interesting to experience. The following day I was very very excited to be heading to Kathmandu. It was an early start, but I heavily underestimated how long the cab drive

I've uploaded the Cambodia pics! Here is the link, hope you enjoy them! http://picasaweb.google.com/anitalgray/CambodiaMarch2010# I left you on my bus journey five days ago heading to Siem Reap. It started badly when I realized that Andrea was not in her seat on the bus. I tried, in vain, to explain to the staff on the bus that we needed to wait for her as she had paid for her ticket, but they didn't understand me. Oh well?! The ride was about six hours long and was

So last time I left you I was preparing for my flight to the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, via Bangkok. That was last Monday and it was a full day of travelling. Tuk tuk to airport, flight to Bangkok (where I dropped off a bunch of gear at left luggage with my trekking bag), flight to Phnom Penh and tuk tuk (Cambodia style....same same, but different) to many different guest houses until deciding on a half decent one by the river. I should explain "same same, but differ

I'm back in Chiang Mai and preparing to fly to Cambodia tomorrow, while fighting a weird cough/cold. It has not dampened my enjoyment and its been a full week here in Thailand. So I last left you on my last evening in Chiang Mai before heading out on a 3 day/2 night trek into the rural hills north of the city to visit the indigenous Karen tribe villages. We spent that last evening travelling up to Doi Sudathep, a temple perched on a mountain about 20 mins outside the city w

Friends, Its hard to believe that this is only Day 4 of my trip thus far to Thailand. Feels like weeks have passed by. It was also very difficult to wrap my head around the speed at which I progressed from my job offer, to my travel plans, to actually leaving- five days in total. It sort of made my head spin. That was pushing it, even for me! I was filled with the usual anxieties of traveling alone, going somewhere exotic that I’m unfamiliar with, and not having done en