So... a lot has happened between my last blog post and the present time. I'll try to fill you in without making you fall asleep. My mom and I had a BLAST in Thailand! The Thai are incredibly hospitable and friendly, so much so that my mom kept inviting them back to Minnesota because they'd never seen snow :) After our stay in Bangkok, mom and I took an overnight train to Chiang Mai where we met up with my college roommate Petra, who is studying there for her St. Olaf program. She's been there for over a month, so she showed us around. It was SO GOOD to see her, and we went shopping at the night market for bags, shorts, Thai silk; you name it, it was probably there. The next day is one of my favorite parts of Global, and I know I say that a lot on here but it really was, because I was with my mom for it! We had decided on an excursion through our hotel to an elephant camp. Now I'll tell you about it but I won't go into too much detail because I don't want to make it sound TOO great (which it was) because people like my sister may be a bit angry that they weren't there. First off, we got to the camp and were able to play with the elephants a bit and get lifted up in their trunks and sit under their heads--I got a little bit drooled on I must admit. Then all the elephants performed a fantastic show for us in which they played harmonicas, danced, punted soccer balls around, and, most impressively, PAINTED. They painted pictures of elephants! That were realistic! It was amazing, and I thought that their trainers must have been doing something to help them but it really seemed like elephants are artistic animals. After the show we went on a bamboo raft ride down the river, then rode on the back of an elephant through the mountains and all the beautiful scenery, feeding our elephant Chomai bananas and sugarcane the whole way. We rode in an ox cart, and then were driven to a refugee village inhabited by the Longneck people and the big ear tribes. I was a little uncomfortable that tourists were being taken to just look at these people and take pictures of them (it felt awkward) but they had shops set up and we learned about their neck rings, and eventually I started playing with the little kids there and I felt a little better. They were all very proud of their neck rings, looking on it as a sign of beauty. My mom and I wondered if they would consider us not as beautiful because our necks aren't long and encased in brass coils! It was an interesting perspective shift. After the village we saw a beautiful orchid farm.That night we had delicious Thai dinner with Petra again and the next day flew back to Bangkok. That was the majority of our trip to Thailand, and it was wonderful. I really miss my mom now!
So on to part two: we are now in Hong Kong! We took the nicest airplane I've ever seen to get here; an Emirates airplane with two floors, gourmet food, hundreds of movies, games, internet, news, radio, etc options to choose from in front of your face on a screen, and bathrooms with wood paneling. Don't ask me how St. Olaf managed to snag THOSE tickets, I have no idea. We have been exploring the city little by little and our hotel is pretty fancy. We've been to several markets to get food (we have kitchens in our hotel suites and are on our own for food this month) and clothing. Many people here are buying new wardrobes in preparation for colder weather. Lucky for me, my mom brought me a change of clothes! So we've done a lot of shopping. Tonight a group of us decided to go out for sushi. Our friend Ian who is on Global with us is actually from Hong Kong, and he knew of a place that had half-price sushi after 10 pm, so we headed over there for what would be the "best sushi" people have ever had! It was my first time trying sushi (except for once when I was little but I thought the seaweed was gross) and my friends convinced me to go. I got salmon, shrimp, and crab sushi and I still thought the seaweed was disgusting but otherwise, it was delicious! And very cheap. We navigated the trains and subways all the way back, and I am still wired after such a fun night out. Tomorrow we might go hiking! The amazing thing that I love about Hong Kong is that the view from our hotel window encompasses a river leading to the ocean, a huge city skyline, and right behind all of this, the gorgeous mountains reaching up over the buildings. All three things in the same line of sight! It amazes me. I love this city!!!!