Sauntering Mayhem: My Trip Lately

Sorry for not posting much since Ive been on the road, there is just so much to do! I also have been keeping a daily journal, my Facebook page Sauntering Mayhem (which Im using as a photo dump, so check that out to get updates from me more often!), and my personal Facebook profile of course. So lots of things to keep up with.

Here is my trip thus far:

LA, California
I stayed with my friend Danny and his girlfriend Andrea in North Hollywood. I walked up to the Hollywood sign. Went to Venice beach and walked to Santa Monica. And all in all just enjoyed meandering around meeting people along the way. I had so much fun and am so thankful to Danny and Andrea for letting me stay with them. I really loved California and could easily see living there some day. Yes, there were the people who were fake and whatever else, but I feel like I met so many more genuine people who enjoyed living life and who are truly passionate about their jobs/projects.

Ridiculously gorgeous view

Journaling on the beach

Venice beach

Samwise playing the melodica

Bangkok, Thailand
I really was not that big of a fan of Bangkok. Like at all. I was happy to be rid of the place after two days. It felt so seedy and like everyone was constantly trying to get one over on me. I didnt feel all that safe either. Idk. It was just grimy. But, that being said I had a pretty good time. Went and saw about a million Buddhist temples, the reclining Buddha was probably my favorite. Also visited the Grand Palace which was pretty cool. Took myself to see Mad Max in the theaters. They really really love their king in Thailand, there are pictures and statues of him everywhere and before the movie started they had a little montage of their king while playing the national anthem that everyone had to stand up to. It was pretty cool. I also went to the biggest mall I have ever seen before. It was five stories and just massive, went on for idk how long, I dont think Ive ever been in a mall even a quarter of that size before. All the window displays and stores were really artsy fartsy too, and I even happened upon a fashion show in the middle of it.

The Grand Palace

Im driving a tuk tuk!

Listening to monks chant for 20 minutes

The view of riding in a tuk tuk

Shark fin soup available in the streets

Reclining Buddha. He was absolutely massive.

So many Buddhas everywhere!

Chiang Mai, Thailand
I took a 12 hour train ride from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. Chiang Mai is wonderful and a stark difference from Bangkok. Everyone was so friendly and I felt completely safe walking the streets. I did a 3 day jungle trek with some of the coolest people I have met on this trip so far. It was definitely far more intense and strenuous than I had anticipated, but well worth it. There were things I would have preferred to be different, but so it goes. All in all I walked at least 15 miles, up hill swam in three different waterfalls, and laughed constantly with some truly wonderful people. The last day we took a bamboo raft down river which was AWESOME. It was quite refreshing and cool, and allowed me a different perspective of the jungle I hadn't gotten before. Then afterwards we went to an elephant camp. Most of my group declined to ride the elephants since they are abused so bad, but I did go down to the river with a couple and got to wash one! That was really cool and my conscience is clean. I enjoyed meandering Chiang Mai another day and a half afterwards, saw a really magnificent temple and went and enjoyed some muay thai boxing. I also had the best massage of my life from a ladyboy, it was all elbows, feet, and cracking my bones. I wish I had gotten one every single day I was there!