happy birthday chris!

Chris turned 23 in Thailand! anddd so we wednesday night we went into Bangkok to celebrate. We all took taxi's into the city and met at this resturant. Our big group is probably as much business as they'll get in a week. haha They set up an upstairs room to fit all of us near each other. Dinner was really good and Carson led us in happy birthday and he's learned how to say "Cheers" now in about 7 or 8 different languages.

Me, Chris & Heidi

Heidi, Katrine, Oona, Me

About 5 minutes before we were going to leave the resturant it stared POURING rain harder than i've ever seen in my life. There was actually multiple inches of running water in the streets within 20 or 30 minutes. We all hung out outside under a covering for about 45 minutes and then as soon as there was a break in the rain we ran for it to a club about a block or two away. I think it was called NAR Z or something like that. It was amazing, but practicaly empty...well because it was a wednesday night. haha but with our huge group in there is was so much fun. The joke of the evening was that we personally rented the place out for Chris' birthday. We got there about 10 or 11 and didnt leave unti, 3am. It was a lot of fun. Then I went back to Heidi's apartement at KTN and her, Stig, Katrine and I hung out for another hour or so. Heidi and Katrine have decided they've written the next hit TV series about a girl who never wants to leave Thailand and Stig and I have decided that "Football" is soccer and that I no longer need the clarification EVERY TIME we talk about it. We were up for about an hour until Heidi went to bed and Katrine and I passed out on either side of Stig. I don't even remember falling asleep but I wish someone would have gotten a picture because i'm pretty sure it had to have been a funny one. It was a good night :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRIS!!!

Some pictures from the first couple days I forgot to put up::

We have uniforms and I love them.

we're still tourists...

Saturday we went to the Royal Palace and there was a temple that housed the Jade Buddha. It was amazing, it's crazy to see how amazing all the buildings were knowing that they were built more than 200 years ago.

group shot, we were all looking at something to our left apparently.

Later that night Heidi, Katrine, Kenny & Noah met up with Stig in Bangkok at his friends apartment. They lived on like the 38th floor of their complex with roof access, the view was amazing! You felt like you were just on top of everything....and being 38 stories high we probably were. Afterwards we went to two different clubs and they were a lot of fun. As we were getting ready to leave I walked into the club to get Noah and Kenny and saw EJ & Wes. I manage to be halfway around the world and still see two people I knew. I knew there were in Thailand somewhere, but what are the odds i'd actually run into them? Apparently more than I figured.

Monday night we went to what we call "white bar" because we can't say the actual name and well....its a bar and everything is white so we figured the name was fitting.

Some local band was playing and what started out as two gradually became this mess of people dancing. The place was empty before we got there and we came with at least 30 people. It was a lot of fun, the owner of the bar was taking pictures.

Tuesday we ran into Jeff, an american who now teaches here and he took us to another place. We call this one the "river bar" because there is a river that runs through the back and non of us know the actual name...and even if we did we probably wouldn't be able to say it. haha

Carson got red contacts....but could only get one of them in. Oona decided he looked "like a stray dog."

These lizard things are EVERYWHERE.

Taiwan Airport

So I'm on my way. The day I've counted down too all summer, but thought would never come. well....it's here! I have a 3 hour lay over in Taiwan, then a 3 1/2 hour flight to Bangkok. I slept through like 2/3 the 12 or 13 hours flight from LAX to here so that was wonderful. This is me before I left LAX. Backpack was successfully underwaight by 2.5 kilograms. Origionally I had booked a middle seat...which would have sucked. But right before I got to the ticket counter and aisle seat opened up near the emergency exit. So not only did i have an aisle, but I had at least 4 ft of leg room in front of me and no one was in the seat next to me. I did well :) I also met a really cute LDS couple on the plane and we talked for awhile, they're going to Bali.

FYI: Air China, and China Air....totally different airlines, in totally different terminals. I found that one out the hard way.
Since landing I've successfully found my terminal, almost walked into the boys bathroom, found and interesting toilet and set off an alarm....as if I didn't already stand out enough. In the girls bathroom there were toilets, like the one below. They were built into the ground and I'm assuming it is so that we can stand and pee as well? Luckily there were also normal toilets, so I used that but if i have to go again I think I'll give it a shot. When in Rome (or Taiwan), right? Then I preceeded to push a button that I thought would flush the toilet but instead set off a really high pitched alarm sounds, luckily it went off immediately after I took my finger off it, as it I don't already draw enough attention to myself with bright orange hair? well I'm in for adventures thats for sure.