A weekend to Remember

My host family rented a van on friday to take me and some of the other excahnge students sight seeing. The van consisted of me, my host mom, my host dad, my host dad's mom, my two sisters, the nanny, the driver, and three other exchange students.. it was packed. We left at about 6 am friday morning from my house and drove all day stopping about every half an hour to visit tepmles,eat, and take pee breaks. We arrived at about 5pm making what could have been only an 8 hour drive 11 hours.When we arrived there was only about a 5 minute rest at the hotel before we were off again. Our hotel was situated right on the Mekong river so shortly after arriving my family had arranged a boat to pick us up and take us into town. It was about a half an hour boat ride through the murky waters of the Mekong. Situated along side the banks was everything from temples with their shiny roofs emerging from the dense jungles to old wrinkley women bathing in the waters. It reminded me of the jungle cruise in Disney land only ten times better. As we slowed down to come through the town every one began to wave and smile at us.. Suddenly we had become the main attraction of this theme park.
From that point we began barging for cheap soviners and an snacks off of the old men and women along the banks. After some time of this fun we were able to get off the boat and explore the town. It was hot and crowded and as dusk set upon us, the lights of all the houses appeared and everyone came out into the streets like it was some huge party. Hundereds of vendors lined the streets selling and making their special goods. The most interesting of which was the street filled all with masks. Anyone you could think of just name it and they would find you your own alternate identitiy.
Soon after it beacame completely dark we all got back on the boat to view some thing I will never forget. As we speed away from the city lights it became aparent that it would not be dark tonight. Lining the river in the trees, were thousands of fireflies. They were blinking simaltaniously looking as though someone had lavishly strung hundreds of christmas lights throughout the trees. It was mind blowing sight.
Bright and early the next day were were off for another day full of surprises. The drive this time was only about three hours and an easier one at that. The town we arrived in was called Hua Hin and in the northern part of southern Thailand. The city was located on the Adaman (sp?) Sea and was over populated by tourists. It is funny because now I find my self staring at the white people too. Our hotel or "bungalow" was right on the beach, which surroundings reminded me somewhat of Redfish Lake. There were huge pine trees and if there wasn't the humitity I would have believed I was back in Idaho. Our afternoon was spent playing in the water until later our fun was ruined when one of the boys was stung by a jellyfish. And later after closer inspection, we found they were hunderes of them washed up on the beach. It freaked me out because they were all the size of frizbees, no kidding. Anywas after all this fun the next day was spent driving home only to stop off in bangkok for an hour or two.