Water is cascading down from the ceramic-tiled roof of my apartment. Under the gray summer sky, even the terracotta orange of the tiles are muted. And the rain, with its plump droplets and thunking onto the sand-colored stones below my window, has a whirr about it. A gentle humming that hums along with my heart.Continue reading “On a Normal Life”
Category Archives: Thailand
Away Chiang Mai Thapae Resort
There’s a calm as soon as you walk through the white archway of Away Chiang Mai Thapae Resort. Off of the party street (and feeling an entire world away) sits the new vegetarian resort. For me, after spending two weeks living off of a bustling road, the resort tucked into a quiet, winding soi is aContinue reading “Away Chiang Mai Thapae Resort”
Two Years of Home
December 15, 2015. I remind myself regularly of this date. When I’m up at night, my brain whirrs as I count the days, weeks, months and now years since I turned my back on expat life. It seems like no time has passed at all, and yet all the time in the world has passed. DecemberContinue reading “Two Years of Home”
What Being an Expat Taught Me About Life
The photos flood my Facebook feed. They’ve been doing it for ages now, thanks to all the different ways memories are shared. Typically, I look at them, let my mind linger and then move on. But, there’s something different about the photos and moments popping up now: they’re no longer tangible. Let me explain.
Midnight in the Garden of Good
There’s a cacophony of crickets, frogs and dogs barking that wake me before my friend, Jodi, does. Laying on the bamboo floor in her hut constructed of the same at Elephant Nature Park, I am still. Present in the total darkness as the world softly whispers outside the slats in her walls. Her soft footfallsContinue reading “Midnight in the Garden of Good”
Getting Prehistoric in Krabi
Editor’s Note: I was a guest of Tourism Authority of Thailand during my time in Krabi. My paddle dips into the glassy green water of Bor Thor, and the shrimp start dancing. Hundreds of tiny creatures pop out of the water, hop across it like rocks skipping, and then dive back down into its depths.Continue reading “Getting Prehistoric in Krabi”
Because Sometimes You Don’t Realize It’s Love Until It’s Gone
My heart races as the cab driver pulls up to the International Terminal at Madrid. I’ve been here before, but this time, it’s different. This time, I’m not hopping on a short flight to London, or heading to the States to procure my Spanish Visa. This time, I’m going back to Thailand. The longest placeContinue reading “Because Sometimes You Don’t Realize It’s Love Until It’s Gone”
Thailand: That Old, Familiar Smell
“There’s a smell,” the man seated next to me explains as we circle the airspace above Bangkok. “I can’t describe it … but … it’s this smell. It’s distinct. It’s Thailand.” I smile at him, weary from traveling for 24 hours and not looking forward to an overnight at the airport. “Ah,” I remark half-heartedly.Continue reading “Thailand: That Old, Familiar Smell”
The Truth About Riding Elephants
I watch, happy tears swelling in my eyes, as the first of two rescued ex-trekking elephants walks off of the truck, backing out slowly and cautiously placing her hind legs, one-at-a-time, on the ground. It’s pitch black, save for a few flashlights and one camera light. Around us, cicadas, frogs and crickets all compete toContinue reading “The Truth About Riding Elephants”
5 Things to Do in Chiang Mai: a Mini Guide to Chiang Mai
Sweet, gorgeous Chiang Mai. Located in northern Thailand, this city is everything Bangkok is not: it is peaceful, relaxing and blessedly less crowded. It’s easy to just get sucked into the city when traveling and decide to stick around longer. With so many affordable hotels and guest houses in Chiang Mai (we’re talking under $10Continue reading “5 Things to Do in Chiang Mai: a Mini Guide to Chiang Mai”
D Travels 'Round 