Day 13

Dear whoever reads this,

At 4:30 am I woke up for sunrise at Angkor Wat with Hong. It was a hot day but early in the morning the mist and fog is so thick with the sounds of cicadas and birds chirping. 

I got to Angkor Wat and had fruit with the monks right before the sun came up and before morning prayer. It was truly magical. So spiritual. They didn't speak any English but they didn't need to. It's like I understood everything without saying a word. It's funny because Gahndi said something once like, if you can't cure silence, don't speak. And the silence solved everything. This adventure has given me so much time to reflect and learn from past mistakes, the paths I've chosen and the people I have associated with. 

I received brackets from the monks and said a prayer before walking back down the staircases to see the sun rise. 

After this, Hong took me all around to all the different temples, feeding baby monkeys on the way and learning about all the different Wats and reliefs. 

Walking through, you hear all sorts of jungle sounds and it was an amazing experience. 

After all this, Hong and I went to a local market and got chickens on a stick and ate near the Kings pool. This was a huge lake built by the second King and was truly remarkable. 

I went back to my hostel, rested for a while then was picked up to start my last night in Cambodia. Hong picked me up where we met another friend Seang and got food and drinks. We went out for a few hours talking about building a school, some NGO work in the area and how I could make a difference in this country. Bottom line is that I'm coming back.

My work isn't finished here. This was the beginning. I met so many amazing people in Thailand and Cambodia. I have made friends, some like family and everyone I met was incredible. I'm truly blessed for this adventure and journey and can't say goodbye because I'm coming back. Goodbyes are forever. I will miss this place but it isn't over. 

I will come back. I will help people. And after reflecting on my whole trip, I have really grown and have changed my balance and mental state. I thank the monks I have met with and prayed with, ECHO for giving me the opportunity to photograph for them and all the friends I made and like-family I made while abroad. 

Tomorrow I leave to New York in the morning and might have to go to a temple on more time for one more morning prayer. But who knows. 

Thanks for reading this and I'll be uploading to my website when I'm back in the states of everything I shot!

I hope this wasn't too boring. 

Over and out. 

Day 12

Dear whoever reads this,

I went to an amazing fishing village that usually floats on the river but since it's the dry season, there isn't much water meaning the houses are on stilts. 

It was amazing. I went to a school and gave out books pencils and notebooks, met with local monks, learned how the village functions and also went to a fishing village where people live 90% on boats. 

This was insane. I have never seen anything like it. The houses were built so high off the ground because of flooding and the rainy season and it took my breath away. The village runs completely on fish and fish farming. There were 4 small schools and everyone was very open to meeting foreigners. 

It killed me when I was handing out the notebooks and there weren't enough for all the kids so I gave out more. I want to help these people as much as I can. They need people who want to help. They need people willing to work to help others do something with their lives. 

After a long hot day in the villages, I was taken to a local pool hall and met some locals and dank some local beer and food. It was a long hot day which came to 99 degrees. 

Day 11

Today I started very early this morning with an inside your of local Cambodian villages. This was not a touristy tour and was private with a guide and a driver. Both from the area. Most people in the town didn't speak English but we're very happy to see an outsider. It was eye opening. Even though I felt so out of place, I felt so welcomed and safe. 

I walked around for a few hrs photographing and trying to talk to locals and learn about local life. It was amazing. 

After we were finished walking, the guide was supposed to take me to a resteraunt and eat local food but I wanted to see more village life. So he took me to his wife's village. Before going, we stopped at a local market where he bought local sticky rice, and full chickens on a stick. Literally legs claws everything and cooked on a grill. We saw cooked cockroaches, larvae, tiranchalas, grasshoppers and more. It was insane! I loved it. They treated me like a local. Not a tourist. Then we drove to the village where his wife is from and ate lunch and they gave me plenty of beer. Cambodians drink a lot while they eat I quickly learned. Then he gave me a full tour of his village and the local temple they go to. 

After lunch and touring the village, he took me to the war museum where an  ex Cambodian military soldier gave me a tour and told stories of his time at war. What an experience. 

He showed me all his wounds, fake leg and parts of bombs still in his body... I photographed him and everything else. It was amazing. This place is something I could never imagine. I will be coming back to Cambodia for the rest of my life. They need help here, the local NGOs aren't doing enough to help the people who need it. 

Tomorrow is another full day and can't wait to have another great experience. 

Thanks for reading!

Day 8,9 & 10

Dear whoever's reading this,

I have been in Bangkok too long. I have made some great connections but this city is too touristy and doesn't have what I'm looking for. 

On day 10, I left for Cambodia by bus. What a long journey. I had to pay for the bus, the visa stamp which I thought I already paid for. Then at the border I had to pay the military to get though. Some had to pay more than others. 

It was such a long journey just because we had to wait at the border for others to get their visas which they didn't get before traveling. 

The bus had nearly any AC and everyone was speaking a different language so I put my headphones on and went to sleep. 

We arrived in Siem Reap Cambodia at around 7 where they had a free tuk tuk service drive us wherever we needed to go. I finally got to my hostel where I thought I booked a room with AC, let's just say it was a look hot night... 

Tomorrow is a packed day and will tell you all about it!

Thanks for reading. 

Day 7

Dear whoever reads this,

I met Lee, my friend Davids old babysitter from when we were 9. She still remembered me and took me to lunch and all around the city. She was very helpful and we had a blast.

Lee brought me to a Hindu temple where we made an offering. It was so beautiful inside the temple and wish I could of taken photographs.. Sorry I haven't uploaded any images on to the blog, its all in Thai and I can't change the language. But, I can write and will be putting images up on my website when I'm back in the US.

After a nice day, she drove me outside the city to a tree and flower market. I have never seen such amazing plants. SO CHEAP!!!! They sold air plants for 10 Baht. Less than 50 cents for US. IT was a great long day with a lot of walking and learning about city culture.

Tomorrow I will be going to some Wats, temples and planning a trip to two local places the day after!

Thanks for reading!

Day 6

Dear whoever reads this, 

Sorry I haven't updated!!

I hopped on a plane and took a quick ride south to Bangkok.  I know this has been a spiritual journey because after the monk blessed me, I got on the plane and sat next to a yogi who was on a spiritual journey all over Asia. We talked all about balance and understanding your true purpose in life and how you need to be happy in order to live a fulfilled life. It really made me step back and look at the big picture. 

Anyway, I got to Bangkok and got ripped off my a cabby which charged me almost 2,000 Baht to get to my guesthouse... but everyone Ive talked to says it happens once and then you learn. Well I learned. 

That night I walked down to a local pub to have dinner where I met an older man from Ireland who works in Oil in Saudi Arabia. He was very helpful and told me some local places to photograph around my area when I had some free time and told me many stories about Bangkok. 

I went back to get a good night rest so I would be good to explore in the morning. 

Thanks for reading!!!

Day 5

Dear whoever reads this,

today I started my day again with a walk across the bridge for my smoothie then another workout.

Then after a good lunch, a driver picked me up and drive me to a tea plantation up in the mountains. There I learned to pick tea leaves, how to dry and process them and then, drink it!

It is such a long process and I didn't know how long it takes and how many leaves you need for one cup... I picked on the plantation for about an hr before going inside to drink tea and eat rice cakes with honey.

It was a long day out on the plantation because it was so hot!

After I came back, I showered and went to an amazing Vietnamese restaurant for dinner. Then I walked around a local market and did some photo work on the local vendors.

It was a long hot day with lots of walking and drinking tons of water!

It was my last day in Chiang Mai. Tomorrow I get up bright and early and fly to Bangkok!!!!

Thanks for reading!!