Cow Soi, Scooter Rentals, and Rachie in Action!

As you can tell, I am catching you up on a few days at once. As I initially promised, I wanted to have something for each day, and I stand committed to that. What I have realized, however, is that while I might be able to share something from each day--exciting or not--I may not necessarily be able to actually post it to The Dandygram everyday. For instance, we went nearly 24 hours without internet at the house here in Chiang Rai.

While this type of situation doesn't affect me much, it is important to others. And, it seems I've been "on the go" since I arrived, so when there is some time to relax and lounge--especially in the morning--it is incredibly hard to type away for an update and not talk with the others here about their time in Thailand. So, take delight in that fact that I am sitting on a bus to Chiang Rai (with Rachel, Nate, Deirdre, and Christa) typing up days worth of adventures and stories. Thank you for your patience; I definitely have some great stories to share with you!

Speaking of . . .

Monday was not an early morning per se, but today, we had an agenda. It was a great way to start a week because there have definitely been moments since I finished this past semester at UC Berkeley (and with a 3.7!!) that I have felt guilty about this entire month out of work and school. For example, I walk over to the main house some mornings to find Rachel, Nate, or some of the others already gone and/or working. I then have a feeling--one that has nearly been engrained since starting at Cal or even long before while in the Air Force--that I need to be working or busy reading or typing papers.

You all know the feeling very well: "I need to be doing something!"

Call it a western mentality, being a busy-body, or whatever. It exists, and I dislike it very much, but this feeling is just part of visiting with family and friends while traveling. Soon enough, I'd be getting my wish for work and would do something to get my hands (and feet) dirty with a day's work at the SOLD Resource Center (or the Freedom Project--the name given to the SOLD Project's work specifically being done at the Resource Center and in the village).

I was really looking forward to the hard work ahead of me, but today, on this Monday, the few of us remaining in the house around 10am had our agenda full of tasks that would be accomplished before 1pm in order to hear Rachel's presentation at the Resource Center for the Westmont students.

That morning, Christa and I had made up our minds that we needed to rent scooters for the few days in Chiang Rai before we left on Wednesday for Chiang Mai. As well, I needed to get more baht (Thai money), but since I haven't yet called my bank and notified them of my travels abroad (I know, I know...), I was stuck with doing it the hard and long way: exchanging dollars for baht instead of a simple ATM transaction. Oh well. Once I run out of cash/baht, I figure that will be what finally gets me on the phone with my damn bank since I've learned how after your first withdrawal at a foreign ATM without prior notification to your bank, your account is frozen. I'd obviously rather make the five minute phone call instead of the 20 minutes I've been told it would take me on the phone with a Wells Fargo representative to get my ATM card out of the ice.

After what seemed like a wait at the DMV with ticketed numbers, tellers, and a very long line, I now had fresh and crispy bahts burning a hole in my pocket just waiting to be used for a SCOOTER! Thankfully, Brady was already at the rental place to help smooth out the transaction, and he was incredibly patient as we attempted to keep them for a day and half (instead of just one). It was noon, so we essentially had two more full days before our bus ride to Chiang Mai. We managed to figure out that it was 100 baht (roughly 3 US$) every hour after a 24-hour rental period. Therefore, we settled on just one day because logically, an extra five hours to get a half day in would have been the price for two days. Bummer.

We still needed lunch and decided on Cow Soi--only the finest dish in all of Northern Thailand.

Cow Soi is a pretty simple Thai dish native to the northern region and is basically noodles and pork served in a mildly spicy coconut milk broth. It's a very light lunch, not too filling, but it is one of the favorite dishes among many of the others in our group.

With full stomachs and a gang of motorbikes, we were finally on our way to the Resource Center to hear Rachel give a volunteer information session to the 20 Westmont students. Along with a full audience sitting in the same chairs as the Thai children just days before, I was blown away by Rachel's riveting presentation on the background of trafficking and prostitution in Thailand, who is involved, why the Freedom Project exists, and finally, where people or students can find their niche to "prevent child prostitution through culturally relevant programs for vulnerable children and to share their stories to empower creative, compassionate people to act" (SOLD's mission statement). Kudos to Rachie and the rest of SOLD for all that you've done and continue to do.

Shortly thereafter, we drove 2 minutes away to the primary school where the village's children attend in order for the Westmont students to introduce themselves to the children whose homes they would be staying for a night in the village, or a home stay.

As the children walked home from school, we met them back in the village where Rachel Goble-Carey then grouped the Westmonsters into pairs and assigned them to different homes. The butterflies were definitely flying amongst them, but they remained extremely positive and enthusiastic--even with the distinct possibility of mosquitos, roosters crowing long before the crack of dawn, and frog's legs for breakfast. Every single student left the trucks that afternoon with smiles on their faces--especially because some of the girls stayed in homes with puppies or toddlers while others stayed with teenagers who spoke great English. It looked like a great opportunity nonetheless, but what I feared most for them was the lack of sleep they would get with a big day ahead of us all . . .

Next up on The Dandygram: Concreting, Dredging, Painting, and Celebrating!

Motorbikes, Night Bazaar, and Peace House

Sunday was a very relaxing day. Almost everyday, the seven of us (Rachel, Nate, Deirdre, Brady, Zach, Christa, and I) are awake around the same time. In the kitchen for breakfast, we manage to keep the coffee flowing while we whip up numerous servings of eggs and cream cheese (one of my new favorite combinations). I just realized that I haven't yet shared a picture of the little guest house where Christa and I stay on Rachel and Nate's property in Chiang Rai.

It's perfect. We have a shower, bathroom, and the water runs most of the time! It's commonplace to run out of water now that seven people are taking their showers around the same time. Ha ha, it also took Christa and I a few days to figure out how to get the hot water working each time we showered. Alas, it's been all fine and dandy! I also realized I haven't yet introduced Ooshki, Rachel and Nate's little pooch.

After breakfast, Christa left with Rachel and Nate to sit at a coffee shop in town, so the rest of us gathered our things, gave a load of laundry to the groundskeeper, and headed into Chiang Rai on scooters (which are everywhere). Zach, Deirdre, and I took a few laps around a small lake to allow Deirdre and I to get our footing on the bikes and make the mental adjustments about making turns from the right side of the road, accelerating, etc.

Once Deirdre realized she was a natural on two wheels, the three of us made a quick detour to a Buddhist temple just down the street from Rachel and Nate's house for a few snapshots. This was the first time I had visited a Buddhist temple where monks live and worship. It was quite a sight, and there were a few monks walking the grounds that morning.

Needless to say, the quick detour was enough to satisfy my curiosity, so we made our way to Doi Chaang (the adored coffee house from the day before) to meet up with Christa. When we arrived, we found Christa chatting up a group of students from Westmont College that had just arrived with Rachel Goble-Carey who works next to Rachel with The SOLD Project. While she and her husband Kevin are here with a group of students as program coordinators, they'll be returning afterward for a year in Chiang Rai to replace Rachel and Nate when they depart over the next two months.

It was great to meet the students from Westmont (Go Westmonsters!) and to hear about their experiences in Pattaya while witnessing firsthand the trafficking they came abroad to learn about. With three days ahead of them in Chiang Rai, I would be joining them again in the village to do work for the SOLD Project's Resource Center.

Later that night, we found ourselves in the Night Bazaar of Chiang Rai for dinner and shopping, but within 5 minutes of arriving, it began to downpour. The vendors who had a solid roof or were under the patio kept their shops open, but many of the smaller vendor stands quickly packed up their items and were closed shortly after the rain started. I managed to find a great t-shirt (only my second thus far), and I have to say it fits a little better than the one Nate found!

Once things started to die down at the Bazaar (since the rain never let up), we decided to find an alternative place to hang out with some of the Westmont students and the rest of our group. After walking down a street near the hotel where the Westmont group was staying, we passed numerous other watering holes on either side of the street. We started to get a little suspicious of our surroundings because of how some of the places looked, but with a little twist of the arms, an offer to pick up the first round, and a shout from Brady saying that the others were inside, we settled in to what is known as the Peace House.

Despite the 11pm curfew, the Peace House really started to pick up around 8pm as many other "falangs" (a commonly used Thai word for tourists or Westerners) arrived. We enjoyed great reggae music, a few competitive games of pool, and some hand-rolled cigarettes out on their patios. We met other students and young falangs that night who were in Chiang Rai working with different organizations or teaching English at the local schools. It was great to be with so many other falangs, laughing together, and sharing stories of our experiences. I made a few new friends, but it might have been due to the fact that I owed those who kept on walking down the sketchy street their first round of Chang beer. They kept walking, and of course, it was another evening in Chiang Rai not to be forgotten!

Next up on The Dandygram: Cow Soi, Scooter Rentals, and Rachie in Action!

A Saturday in the Village, ABCs, and the White Wat

Today was one of the best days in Thailand. With "Thai Lovin" now a thing of the past, I started the day with nothing but smiles from a good night's sleep and no stomach aches. Everyone else in the house was up early, ready to make their way over to the resource center for the new Saturday morning program. The SOLD Project's Resource Center is located just outside the village where most of the outreach work is done.

We arrived to the Resource Center close to 8:30am to begin teaching at 9am, but many of the children from the village had already arrived and were eager to get started. With ages ranging from 7-14 years old, almost 50 students were divided into three levels based on their individual progress with English. The night before, Deirdre had designed a 2 hour lesson plan for the Level 1 students and had approached me about assisting with the lesson. I was ecstatic about the opportunity to teach the young Level 1 students the English alphabet.

As we started going through the alphabet, Christa, Brady, and I had the 28 students repeat each letter of the alphabet a few time, writing down each letter as we went from A to Z. Their enthusiasm was impressive, and I realized that they understood only a small amount of what we were saying and more from what we were doing. After making our way through the ABCs and a few rounds of the alphabet song, we were finally able to allow the students to put their knowledge of the letters to the test in a few short games.

We had them practice writing the alphabet as teams in a race, shaping their bodies as a small team into different letters, and then finally, a closed-note game with the entire group of students getting a random letter and trying as fast as they could to run up to the front and put their letter in order on one of the two tables.

As time grew short with the day quickly heating up, the students were released back to their homes to enjoy the rest of their Saturday. Before we headed back into Chiang Rai, we drove through the village where most of the students live and play. As we drove through the village, I couldn't help but think how irrelevant English, or even staying in school past 9th grade, could be for many of these children.

After much inquiry (a regularity now that I am here with Rachel and Nate who are so patient with all of my questions), I discovered that parents in the village either cannot afford their children's education past 9th grade or they view children as lazy if they are not contributing to their family by working on the farms or in the fields. Needless to say, it was enlightening to be part of The SOLD Project that morning. This feeling was captured in a picture at one of the most picturesque places in the village.

Once we got back on the road to Chiang Rai, we made short detour for lunch and to visit the White Wat. This was quite a unique sight, and we were able to walk around and inside the temple.

Pictures weren't allowed inside the temple, but I can attest to the fact that the paintings on the walls inside the temple are nothing like other Buddhist temples. There were paintings of the twin towers burning on one wall and on an adjacent wall, depictions of superheroes and hollywood characters--even a scene from Avatar. By far, the most peculiar aspect of this modern temple were the hands coming up from ground at the entrance. Can you spot the red finger-nailed hand?? Crazy, huh?

Well, after this incredible morning filled with laughter, joy, and excitement, we found ourselves settled back at the house for some relaxation and reflection. A bit later, I cruised through Chiang Rai on my first motorbike ride. With Brady on a bike in front of me, I had a chance to get a feel for the downtown traffic, driving on the right side of the road, and getting a bug stuck in my eye. Later in the evening, we went for a walk through the city, ate salads with curried chicken, and found ourselves back at the house for another game of Apples to Apples. Another great day in Chiang Rai, and by far the best one yet.

Next up on The Dandygram: Motorbikes, Night Bazaar, and PEACE HOUSE.

First Day in Chiang Rai, "Thai Lovin," and Vietnamese Pho

The first full day (a Friday) in Chiang Rai was absolutely splendid! However, I had slept horribly the first night and also woke up with a very upset stomach...

Not by any choice of my own, I was up early, so I decided to find out if anyone else was awake in the main house (where Rachel and Nate live and the other guests/friends are staying). Luckily, Zack was in the kitchen getting himself some water, so he let me in since the doors and windows remain locked through the night to keep bugs and lizards out. Still, many of those little creatures manage to find their way inside and into most of anything they want. Since arriving into Thailand, I haven't been bitten once, so I for that I am lucky. However, I suffered for nearly 48 hours with what is known as "Thai Lovin."

After spending some time moving from the couch, table, and making trips to the bathroom, the rest of the house was awake and was eating breakfast. Breakfast is my favorite part of the day here so far--next to when it rains--because Nate has whipped up some amazing eggs for the past two days, but back to the first morning . . . despite my suffering from intense "Thai Lovin," I managed to thoroughly enjoy a helping of Nate's signature eggs (scrambled with cream cheese, Thai peppers, and chives) along with some of the best coffee that is grown in the northern mountains of Thailand just outside of Chiang Rai.

Unfortunately, my tasty breakfast did not help much to settle my stomach, but I managed to push through and remain hopeful that it would pass soon because I couldn't let a bad case of "Thai Lovin" keep me down and hold me back from experiencing the sights and sounds of my first day in Chiang Rai. After some relaxing time just lounging around after breakfast, checking emails and updating blogs, Rachel and Deirdre left on a motorbike for a meeting with their work on The SOLD Project and Nate took the rest of us into Chiang Rai for while. We walked around downtown for a while--both in and out of the rain--while Nate ran some errands.

As we regrouped, Nate insisted we eat lunch at his favorite place for Vietnamese food as it is is also one of his top choices for places to eat in all of Chiang Rai. As we dined, the plates of Vietnamese food just kept coming, and we all tried a bite or two of everything--something quite customary in the Asian culture. We each ordered our own bowl of Vietnamese Pho, an entrée served in bowl containing broth, choice of meat (pork), noodles, and then a self-served addition of an array of spices, seasonings, herbs, and of course, bean sprouts! Bean sprouts seem to be a staple addition to any bowl of noodles, so we ordered an entire helping of them so we could each toss a handful into our bowl of Pho.

This was a very filling meal, but like other Thai food, it doesn't leave you feeling stuffed or sluggish after finishing. Instead, you feel awake, refreshed, and if your like me, your lips will still be a little numb. However, I couldn't even make it to the end of the meal before I had another dose of "Thai (or this time: Vietnamese) Lovin." Geesh!! Will it just be over already? Sadly, that episode was not the end of it but merely the beginning of a long day consisting of stomach cramps, heartburn, and what has been coded as an acceptable term for #2: "Thai Lovin." I have to be honest, it has been worth every last cramp because the food tastes like nothing I've had before, it's incredibly cheap, and I can't resort to just eating sticky rice and bland dishes. So, I continued to push through . . .

Shortly after our Pho, we met up with Rachel and Deirdre at the best little coffee place in all of Chiang Rai where we enjoyed lattes, and I took some time to brush up on my conversational Thai.

I am getting some of the essential phrases down, but there is much difficulty understanding some of the ways that words are spoken with the FIVE different tones: rising, falling, mid-tone, low, and high. Some words are very difficult when they require a rising tone that might follow a word with a low tone, or vice versa. Anyway, we drank our coffees, and I learned some Thai!

We drove around Chiang Rai for a bit, making stops at places to meet other friends of Rachel and Nate doing similar work or teaching English. We made a few more stops on our way back for some groceries to make chicken and basil, morning glory, and jasmine rice.

Friday was an early night because Saturdays for the group are big days. Since The SOLD Project recently finished the first stages of building their resource center directly outside the village where they work with the local children, they have started offering a two-hour Saturday program to help teach English to those children who come to participate in the program. Many of the participating children are offered scholarships to pay for their schooling (because it is not free after 9th grade) as well as supplies. The new Saturday morning program is a way for Rachel and others with SOLD to reach out to the children, provide them with mentorships, and teach English!

Saturday was only the second time they've done their Saturday program, and Christa and I were extended an invitation to join them, participate, and we were given a group of the Level 1 kiddos who are still learning their ABCs. I can't wait to share the stories, pictures, and a short video (or two) of this incredibly moving experience!

Next up on The Dandygram: Saturday In the Village, ABCs, and the White Wat.

Chiang Rai, My Cousins Rachie, Nate, and OOSHKI!

After our first night in Bangkok, it was back to the airport again for Christa and I to catch our flight north to see my cousin Rachel, her husband Nate, and their pooch Ooshki! Elliott and Ruben decided they'd go with us and try to figure out how to get somewhere for an extended stay while we were up north. As Christa and I attempted to check our bags (we were there way too early), Ruben and Elliott found a travel desk. In a matter of 15 minutes with a representative, they had a one-way ticket and 6 nights booked in Phuket, Thailand! So rad. Once again, our group parted ways, and with about 7 hours before our boarding time, Christa and I found lunch and wi-fi.

Around 5pm, we were finally able to check in to our flight and dump our backpack. We sat at our gate, people-watched at the gate, and read our books (Trevor - Me Talk Pretty One Day; Christa - Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang). And again, we boarded, departed, and finally arrived to the place we would manage to stay for 10 days . . . CHIANG RAI!!!

Okay, so it looks a little dismal in this picture, but might I remind you that it rains here nearly everyday right now. Sometimes it will downpour, and surprisingly, it is the best and most enjoyable part of the day--especially when it reaches 95 degrees outside. This picture was actually taken the day after we arrived, so let me rewind to arriving into Chiang Rai late into the evening.

We met Rachel and Nate at the airport, loaded up our bags in their little pick-up, and headed straight back to their beautiful home on the outskirts of town. Driving through Chiang Rai at 9pm (right at the curfew for their city) was an interesting sight, quite comparable to a ghost town as their were no cars, scooters, or people out on the street. We managed to get a great run-down from Rachel as we sat in the bed of the pick-up with the evening air blowing through our hair (well, Rachel and Christa's hair...ha).

Once we arrived to their house, we were greeted by the other dwellers/friends/volunteers: (Brady, Zack, and Deirdre). We broke the ice, made new friends, and got busy playing an intense game of Apples to Apples.

It was a great first night, and although this is a short post, you can only imagine the great stories I will be bringing you in the next ten days as we volunteer on Saturdays with The SOLD Project, travel the northern part of Thailand, make a two-night trip to Chiang Mai, possibly visit Burma and/or Laos, and even ride some elephants!

Next up on The Dandygram: First Day in Chaing Rai, Thai Lovin, and (Vietnamese) Pho!

Cab Rides, Curfews, and Curry!

We arrived safely into Bangkok! Ruben, Elliott, Christa, and I were "warmly" welcomed on the tarmac by HOT and HUMID weather, but no complaints here. It was only to be expected, and honestly, it was breathtaking (to say the least). Unlike the numerous times I have deplaned at the Phoenix airport or in the Middle East at the beginning of a deployment, I embraced the new climate with genuine gratitude because I am on vacation for the next five weeks with new people, exploring new countries, and enjoying absolutely incredible (and CHEAP) food.

We found our backpacks at the baggage claim--backpacks that have, mind you, been loaded to the brim with some seriously unnecessary clothes we believe are going to be essential during our travels around Southeast Asia but work only to incredibly weigh us down. My backpack contained at least 4 or 5 pounds of goodies and gifts (Twizzlers, Mac 'n Cheese, games, etc.) for Rachel and the kids at The SOLD Project, so it was a rewarding haul. However, after about 10 minutes standing at the pick-up curb, searching and waiting for our hostel's shuttle van, we threw up our arms and grabbed a taxi. We managed to hail an ordinary taxi with an extraordinary driver.

Now, in an ordinary taxi around the world, passengers typically find difficulty in trying to make a Westerner backpack fit into a Toyota Corolla-sized trunk--let alone FOUR--but with an extraordinary taxi driver, the options are limitless. Short of tying Ruben's rucksack down onto the hood, our driver managed to rig his overloaded trunk closed using a few worn bungee cords and a prayer was said for a smooth road to the hostel!

You might be thinking: why are you writing about the taxi ride from the airport to you hostel? Easy answer: This taxi ride and driver was NOTHING compared to the one we were finally able to catch around 7:45pm in downtown Bangkok with a mere 15 minutes to spare until the government-imposed curfew kicked in. Now, before I get to the "Curfews and Curry" part of this blog and the long answer to your question, let me photoblog you with some highlights of our first accommodation in Thailand. It's pretty swank for 13 dollars a night (thanks Elliott!):

As you can see, our first arrangements were nothing short of incredible. Christa and I managed to sneak in an hour massage right next to the lobby ($10/ea), and we all enjoyed a decent breakfast earlier this morning. So now, let me get back to our adventures going into the night--our first in Bangkok.

After staying close to our hostel upon arrival, feeling out our new location, playing Rummy 500 in the parking lot, and catching some rays, we decided to each take cat-naps in order to get our heads on straight and overcome the jet-lag. Christa was the only one that truly managed to nap, but we eventually got our rears in gear for a trip into Bangkok for a nice dinner and some casual walking/window-shopping. Our anticipation upon arriving in the city (as well as with our requests for a taxi into the city) was met with confused looks and closed vendors during our entire cab ride into the city of Bangkok.

Many of you may already know, I am a chatty, easy-going, communicable kind of guy, but in all honesty, it has been nearly impossible to communicate without some prior understanding of Thai, or vice versa. However, we managed to make signals using our hands with our taxi driver, and by sounding out a few words, we found ourselves in a nice shopping/retail district of Thailand.

It didn't take long in the city to decide that we should just get some dinner and head back to our hostel by 8pm. As we walked block after block, we were constantly reminded that Bangkok is still a very much alive and bustling city--despite the political unrest.

We took in as many different sights and sounds of Bangkok as we could, we made our way to a little spot just east of downtown Bangkok called Ana Garden. Needless to say, we feasted at our new location, eating Pad Thai, Green Curry Chicken, and other authentic Thai food, but the situation near blocks away kept us from enjoying a longer, later night out in the city. As we ate and drank, we couldn't help but take in the exquisite setting of the restaurant, its greenery, and the flowing waterways throughout the restaurant.

The crux of this post ultimately rests with our decision to savor our surroundings in the Ana Garden a bit longer than we all expected to. Once we made our way outside to hail a cab, taxis were whizzing by in the night, loaded with passengers also intent on making it home before 8pm. We only had 15 minutes to spare before the curfew set in and had no real hope in sight (unless you count the numerous mopeds that slowed down willing to let us jump on the back).

We managed to hail a cab after a few minutes of persistent waving but had no luck; he turned us away proclaiming that he did not have enough time to take us back to our hostel and be home in time for the mandatory curfew. So, we unloaded out of his cab and got back onto the curb.

Low and behold, another ordinary cab with an extraordinary driver approached and stopped to listen to the plea we gave the last cabbie: "Here's the address we need to go. We know it is 20 minutes away and it is already ten until 8pm, but we will pay you good Baht!"

Whether it was our desperation, persistence, charm, or all three, we found ourselves whisked away towards the Silver Gold Garden Hotel at an approximate 130-140 km/h in another gold Toyota Corolla sans backpacks.

Next time, I opt for the mopeds, and according to what I saw around Bangkok, I shouldn't shave my moustache just yet.

Next up on The Dandygram: Chiang Rai, My Cousin Rachie, Nate, and OOSHKI!

Leaving Taiwan for Bangkok

Well, we finally arrived in Taipei, Taiwan after the long flight over the Pacific. Christa and I were immediately greeted by Elliott and Ruben after deplaning, and after two (horrible) meals on the flight over, we were craving some authentic asian cuisine.

Now, let me remind you: we arrived in Taipei at 5:50am, but we still hadn't adjusted to the numerous time changes, jet-lag, and swollen extremities. However, to be in such a unique airport with so many options for food with doors opening at 6am, we could not pass up another chance to eat. So, we found ourselves some tasty breakfast.

Cut us some slack! I know you might just, in fact, be questioning our choice of beer with breakfast, but we are on vacation AND it was around 5pm California time. PLUS, it's not like we were drinking the beer we've been enjoying the past two semesters in Berkeley. Just saying.

We had enough time to relax at the airport restaurant and to catch up on the frustrations of flying. As we took in our new setting, we couldn't help but laugh at how many times our order had been called by the little lady at the pick-up counter. She announced every single order through a microphone in three different languages--the last in English. By the time we figured out when one of our numbers had been called, she was nearly shouting the translated announcement.

As we thoroughly enjoyed our first dish of authentic asian cuisine (and real food within the last 16 hours), we suddenly realized that we were not the only ones who had been confused by the shouting lady at the pick-up counter. After our first few bites, we noticed her walking around the entire restaurant with cup of noodles on a tray repeatedly asking, "Number 59? Number 59?" (again, in three languages) while she examined every table. I was #50. I was reminded of my order number when I finally approached her commanding stance at the pick-up window, and she took my ticket, smiled, and said, "Ah! Number 50!!!"

With the longest leg of our trip to Southeast Asia finished, we came to the conclusion it was an excellent decision to leave SFO in the middle of the night since we managed to catch a few solid hours of shut-eye. Now, with full stomachs and a few Singhas later, we made our way to the gate at the Taipei airport destined for Bangkok.

Next up on The Dandygram... "Cab Rides, Curfews, and Curry!"