Phistanulok

We are now in a city called Phistanulok. We traveled south from Chang Mai this morning (a 6 hour ride) and it was the first chance I got to really see the country-side. Very beautiful and very different from anything I've seen before. We traveled from more hilly/mountainous (although not like our mountains!) land in the north to more gentle land here. The hills were all misty, like a picture, becuase of the humidity. The last part of the trip went through farm land, growing rice. So green! But the buildings are ramshackle and many people are poor. Everything is a little on the dirty side, and the smells of food, flower, car exhaust, and garbage are quite strong due to the density of the people and the heat. It is very HOT here. I have to be careful to not get overheated, although Corinne thrives in this temperature.

There's not much in this city. We're using it for a jumping ground to get to Sukothai, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is about a 2 hour bus ride away. We'll go there as a day trip tomorrow and then come back to our guest house in Phistanulok.

All the places we have stayed in have been nice, although simple. So far, my favourite was the one in Chang Mai. I miss it already!

Another new experience for me is I'm a very visable foreigner. I do not blend in at all, with my white skin and blonde hair, I stand out like a sore thumb. Not to mention being a tourist as well. Most places, people have been polite and have not stared. But in the short time I've been here, I've got a lot more open stares and calls than I'm entirely comfortable with. I think it's a very good learning experience to be a visible minority. Hopefully it will help me to better understand what others go through back home and to be more sensitive to it. It's always good to walk in another's shoes for a bit.

On a side note, I'm finding that I'm struggling with homesickness a little more than I did the last time I backpacked. You would think that it should be less, as I'm a little older and I've done this before (although different countries and a shorter time). I think I'm experiencing culture shock more, not to mention the release after the struggles of last year and maybe a little the realization of how long this trip is. I'm thinking of it as a semester abroad, which helps as semesters always go by fairly quickly and it's a time unit I'm VERY familiar with. It's a bit silly, really. I'm a grown women and many friends my age have lived away from home for much longer. Maybe this is something that everyone has to go through. It's not bad, just always present. I think it will ease in Australia.

Miss you guys lots and I'm thinking of you.