Phuket- explaination

Oh, and by the way- the reason Phuket- is that that is where she works when she's not translating for us, so it was easier for me to go visit her!

Phuket- how do i explain this as a mission???

Hey guys,
Sorry its been so long between posts! Things are going really well here and are starting to wrap up. I've just spent 1 day in Chiang Mai after catching up with our other translater in Chaing Rai for a few hours, then 3 days in Phuket with our translater from our previous mission trips. 3 days of speaking broken English/Thai/Chinese often mixed up with each other- fun, but tiring. Tomorrow I head back to Bangkok, and then from there to Melbourne mid next week!
Lookig forward to catching you all soon, but at the same time sad to say bye!
Catch ya,
Chris

Songkran II

Sorry guys this was meant to be the photo for the last post.

The call would go out... "Farang" (meaning foreigner), then 2 seconds later the water would come down my back, front or all over! This went on for 30mins every 30sec or so- hence the wetness!

Thanks heaps for all your comments too! I love staying up to date with whats happening back home!

Songkran

Chiang Rai

Hey Guys, i'm in some dodgy internet cafe in Chiang Rai so i'll just be quick. Just spent 3 days touring the Akha hill tribes with a bunch of Austrian musicians. That was fun! Tell you more about that later. ALso caught up with our translater form our previous trip. Also the water festival is on at the moment, so when I walk back from here i am going to get saturated, as they particularly love throwing water on foriengers! They drive along the street in the back of utes and throw water on people on the side fo the road, on other utes, and on motorcylists. they also have people on the side of the road just throwing water back. The streets look like it's rained. It's insane. Tomorrow i'm bussing down to Chiang Mai at 230 and then 2 days later i'm flying down to Phuket to catch up with one of our other translaters who's working there. Anyway better go. Chris :)

Pix info

The pictures below:
Top left: Easter Sunday breakfast
Top right: Easter Sunday church service
Middle left: In Bangkok one of the English Classes
Middle right: In Bangkok- kids bathing at Community Centre
Bottom: View from motel window (not bad for $7/night- and that price included mozzies!!!)

More pix

Nelson, his wife Be and daughter Carolynne in Sangkhla Buri

This was the family I went to Sangkhla Buri to visit

Kids at church on Easter Sunday

In transit- Sangkhlaburi-Chiang Rai

Hey guys, I just realised i made a boo boo on my last post- i was meant to say english teachin is now finished instead of 'not' finished. he he whoops!

Anyway, i made it back from Sangkhla buri today after a great time there. I spent only 3 days there but it felt like i got to know all the people there really well. I visited a school that was being built, and heard the frustrations of building it, i visited a hospital where a New Zealand person showed me round, that was cool to get their perspective of it all. They were on placement.

I had to suffer in a lakeside resort overlooking this scerene lake, which is where i stayed. The food was good, the company was great, and I managed to write up 39 pages of my journal from just 3 days. i think my hand is about to fall off! Thank goodness for keyboards!

The 6 hour van trip back to BKK from there was an adventure. A Christian guy met us in burma and asked us if we'd like a lift back to bangkok to day. we accepted and took the 7 seater van back to the city, although the aircon wasn't working, and so we were all a ball of sweat for the entire time. when we got out in bangkok, the outside temperature was around 30 and it felt like we'd just jumped into the beach at wilsons prom in the middle of winter! Ahh the funs of travelling. Mozzie count- not bad, Food assessment- Nelson- (the guy i was visiting) his wife is an excellent chef.

Anyway- off to the airport for a 640am flight tomorrow to Chiang Rai. HOpe you all keep having fun!
Chris :)

In Sangkhla buri

Hello and thanks for all the updates. They are very useful. Congrats Dan on being dunked (insert exclaimation mark here- im using a german keyboard so i cant find it)

English teaching is not finished and it was a great time. Everyone has now shipped out of bangkok either to Melbourne, Phuket, Malasyia or where i am.

I left at 730 yesterdaz and made it to the bus station at 929 and bought mz ticket for the 930 bus. Just made it. Then a 6 hour bus trip and got in at 440. It was a nice long daz then to top it off i got asked to preach this morning bz mz contact here Nelson- so I did. Small congregation but still gave me something to do/prepare last night.

Iäm stazing at a place called sangkhla buri which is on the border of burma and thailand and i leave here on tuesdaz. (sorrz z is a y on this kezboard) There is a house here where some people from Swityland and New Yealand are stazing. One is a doctor and the others are looking at helping the burmese.

God is looking after me verz well with things just falling into place at the right time and thanks for all zour prazers. Iäm being eaten bz moyyies alot but other than that its great.

Oh zear, the pictures were of camp and Chris and Jodie in case zou were wondering.
Catch za,
Chris :)

camp photo

teaching

Hey guys,
i'm writting this from between teaching gigs today. its the usual high 30's and the area we taught at this morning had a lovely aroma of sewerage and dog do do! lunch is about to be called with the traditional thai meal there. it's great to see the kids actually taking some of the english stuff in!!!
feedback from camp: it was the best experience of my life- from one of the boys