Thaitanium

Sawat dii!
         We made it to Chiang Mai after an all day car ride full of fun surprises. First off, the bathrooms at the rest stops are such a cultural experience. You even get to bring your own toilet paper, just to add your own personal touch. The toilets are what are called "squatty potties." You can use your imagination to figure out what that is, or for those who need the visual picture, there is a little toilet bowl that you squat over. Therefore, it is slightly classier than squatting when you are hiking outside and such because it is in a stall with a toilet bowl, but the same idea. You do not throw your toilet paper into the potty afterwards, but into a trashcan because the toilets have no flusher. You "flush" the toilet by taking water from a container on the side and dumping it into the potty. Some members of our team still have not experienced this depth of culture by surpassing those stalls in the bathroom, but I am sure there time will come soon. Although the toilets did seem to overshadow everything else at the rest stops, the stops also included a gas station with other shops around. These shops included coffee shops, food shops, and convenience stores.
           During the eight to nine nourish trip in the two separate vans, the team got to bond in their own separate ways. I heard great stories from the other van, but I personal can only speak for the van with the driver named P Bop. We sang songs, talked, bonded, and got to know our driver P Bop. Ben showed off his Thai skills trying to say the few phrases we knew, but through the translation services of Besty and P La we were able to have some great laughs with our driver. During the process we also learned some new phrases ourselves.
           Now that we are in Chiang Mai, we are staying at the YMCA. Tonight we also got to experience our first taste of northern Thai styled cooking. Talk about yummy food! I really can't tell you what we all ate. I am good about trying things if I don't ask what they are. Then by the time I do, I forget. I know that there were types of pork and fish involved. For my family reading this (aka parental units), I know they will be shocked to hear this, but I liked the fish. It was in so many spices I couldn't even tell! The best part of the meal for me was sticky rice. On top of the normal rice we have a meals, sticky rice can be made into a ball and you can dip it on other things, or sauces that you want and it picks it up. I think if this is made back home in my apartment the possibilities are endless. Now it is time to call it a night and get ready for another exciting day in Chiang Mai!

God Bless and thank you for your continued prayers! :)
                                - Sarah

P.S. As I am typing this a stray cat just wondered into the hotel lobby. Don't worry mom, I didn't pet it.