My Last New Start in Asia!

It was VERY lonely last night going to sleep. While I was SO grateful mom splurged to get us a nice BIG room..it was TOO big to be alone! But I slept pretty well and was up at 10:00am to get breakfast! I finished packing, checked out and waited for my coordinator, Prachit, to pick me up at 11:30am. She was right on time (imagine that) and did make a comment about my bags by saying, “BOTH of these are yours?” She was VERY sweet and gave me a WLS t-shirt! I explained I had never gotten one before and she said she made them for her volunteers! She also gave me an apron to wear at the orphanage! So far (and granted it has only been a day) she is my favorite coordinator, because she actually cares and tries to help! She had her truck so we drove to the hostel and she was telling me how she use to put volunteers closer to the orphanage but there was NOTHING to do at night so that’s why she picked this new hostel (and I am very glad). My room wasn’t ready, so she suggested we take a drive to see Wat Doi Suthep. I wanted to tell her I was all templed out..AND I knew I had read that this temple (popular with tourists) had a ton of stairs and my legs (after the elephants) were in NO shape to walk up stairs. But, I very much appreciated the fact that she was being an actual COORDINATOR so off we went!

Wat Doi Suthep is 3,000ft above sea level and is Chiang Mai's most famous temple. The drive was VERY windy up a mountain. I read after that the road is 7.5 miles up the mountain. And then I saw the stairs! It wasn’t AS bad as I thought and the temple was just another temple, but it did have a nice view of the city. Unfortunately it was VERY hazy but it was still cool to see..especially to see how close the airport is (Mom said it took about 10 minutes from our hotel).

After the temple she suggested we stop by the orphanage so I could get paperwork to bring in on Monday. Like I said, I think this orphanage is VERY well run and the fact that I have to fill out an application makes me think so even more! The application is thorough (I need copies of my passport and visa, contact information, etc.) which I think is GREAT, but I will have to see if I really feel NEEDED there.

We left the orphanage and I asked her if we could stop somewhere so I could get some soap and add more minutes to my phone. She brought me to a Carrefour which was 10 times better than SUPER Wal-Mart’s! I am not kidding! Granted it wasn’t just a Carrefour but rather a mall! It had a lot of places to eat (KFC, Pizza Hut and McD’s) but we ate in the food court and she ordered me something Thai. It was alright, but nothing great. I had a field day in the Carrefour and wished she wasn’t waiting for me because I felt like I could spend DAYS wandering around! But I was able to get everything I needed, and granted it isn’t close to where I am staying, it is comforting to know that if need be I can go there and get whatever I need. I was also able to add money to my phone and I was SO grateful Prachit was kind enough to help me with my “errands”. I wanted to be like, “WHERE WERE YOU THE PAST THREE MONTHS?” I was going to be fine with having a coordinator who did nothing since I already knew where I would be staying, where I would be volunteering and the area, but it is great she is actually helping me!

As we were driving back to the hostel Prachit asked if I had anything going on tomorrow. I didn’t know HOW to answer..”it depends” didn’t seem appropriate, so I told her I didn’t think I did. She told me she had to drive Stephen (the volunteer who is leaving tomorrow..I haven’t met him) to the airport and was then going to Chiang Ria for the day and asked if I wanted to join her. It is a 3 hour drive each way and I have NO clue why she is going (something about coffee I think..) but I said I would love to join her. I figured I will probably never make it to Chiang Ria and I will have a free guide, so granted I am not really excited about it (especially the 6 hours of driving) I think I will be glad I did it!

We left and came back to the hostel so I could check in. It is probably the nicest hostel I have stayed in. I am on the 4th floor but it has an ELEVATOR! Crazy! My PLAN is to ALWAYS walk down and once my legs aren’t sore anymore I will TRY and walk up and not use the elevator. We shall see!

Prachit asked about laundry and they said they could do it for 40 baht/kilo but the place down the street can do it for 30 baht/kilo so I will be going there! The hostel also has wireless (woo hoo) but it is a bit weak (since I am on the 4th floor) so if need be I can always go to the lobby.

In my room (414) I have a big bed, a closet and a stand with a TV! The bathroom is also nice and I have a bathtub which is good, but the shower head is SO low I feel like I am going to have a hard time! But the room is fine (minus the iron imprints someone left on the floor)!

I headed out to drop off my laundry (which will be ready tomorrow afternoon) and then thought I would head to Starbucks with my laptop! I was a bit hungry (since I didn’t really like lunch) so thought I would get a cool drink and do some blogging. I saw they had a wifi sign so I ordered my drink and asked for the password which is when she told me it cost money! Ridiculous! So I drank it on the way back to the hostel!

I spent some time catching up on my interneting (I have fallen very far behind) and then headed out to grab some dinner. I was lazy and went back to Duke’s Steakhouse and got the exact same meal. I didn’t even DO much today, but I just wanted to go somewhere and get something I knew I would like. It’s about a 5-10 minute walk to the hotel we stayed at and the main strip which I LOVE! I could NOT have been more lucky (when mom booked the hotel she didn’t know where I would be staying) since I already know and feel comfortable with the area. Regardless I am happy the hostel is in a good location (lots of shopping, places to eat, etc).

I am going to have to figure out the safest way to walk back, although Prachit said it was all very safe (but probably not by myself at 2:00am so I will have to refrain from all my late night partying..boo!)

When I got back I had a LOT of unpacking to do, but I enjoy taking my time to get organized. Whenever my friends have seen my room they always say, “Wow it is so homey!” So now, I am off to make my new room a little bit MORE homey!

Hugs and kisses from the beginning of the end!