We finally left Bangkok and got on our way. Now we are in Chiang Mai. On the way we made a 2-night and 1-day stop in Phitsanulok and Sukhothai which had some awesome ruins. Maeve and I rented bikes and biked around them in the blazing heat. Chiang Mai seems really "nice".

Last night we ate and drank a little with an Aussie girl who is biking Thai-Laos-Cambodia-Vietnam-China by herself. V. hard core.

According to Brad, 10 people have died in the last couple of weeks in Ban Bung (the town I was working in) in traffic accidents. He says that they erected a lion statue at the gates of the city because it is supposed to protect drivers. I think that motorcycle helmets would help more! I thought it was very un-chivalrous when I saw moto drivers wearing helmets with three kids on the bike without (or passengers). It turned out the in Ban Bung they ticket if the *driver* isn't wearing a helmet, but it's fine if your 3 year old is looking out over the handle bars with their bare scalp. Bleh.

I picked up some doxycicline for malaria. I'm wary to start taking it because the side effects suck (photo-sensitivity and you can't go to sleep for an hour after taking it because you might puke and burn your esophagus) but it's prob. better than malaria. I've been unsuccessful in keeping the mosquitoes away.

I'm also very excited about Thai Cooking School. If you want to financially support me in my studies I'll make you a fantastic thai meal when I get home.