Spoiler Alert… Monkeys Suck.

My journey begins at 8:15 at the bus stop in front of the school. I'm looking out for the number 7 bus ready for the ride to the train station. It comes and I get on. No air-conditioning, but its a nice morning and the windows are open to bring in a cool breeze as well as an abundance of car fumes. I think to myself, "I'm so excited for my black lungs." I'm thrilled because I'm seeing new things and going to parts of town I haven't been to yet with small lakes and cute markets. Suddenly we stop and the bus driver has everyone get off the bus, obviously I had no idea he wanted that until some guy pointed at me and pointed at the door, repeatedly. I'm not at the train station and slightly panic. Then I think to myself, "Chill out Leah, if worst comes to worst just take a taxi home." I get on the next 7 bus that comes and it has some thai letters on it in front of the 7. There's a trigger in my mind that something isn't right, but what do I know?! I ask the bus lady if it'll take me to the train station and she says, "Yes Yes!" and I relax. She then tells me to get off the bus and points to the left. I'm like cool I'm there! But theres no train station. So I take a taxi the rest of the way and finally get there at 10:50. I buy a train ticket for the 11:20 train and sit in the station.

A monk on the bus

He had so much money on him, it was confusing.

I run into another OEG guy named Phil and we ride the train together. The train ticket cost 28 baht (less than $1) so naturally the train didn't have AC and the windows were down the whole time so my hair and skin and clothes were absolutely disgusting when we finally arrive 3 hours later in Lopburi.

Some ruins called Phra Prang-Sam Yot across from the train station in Lopburi

Super cool

A beheaded Buddha with one an arm

Some dude on a bicycle taxi offers to take us to our hotel and bad move on his part because then he more or less dragged us in this tiny bike trailer for an hour to our hotel with the sun beating down on him. Well he got paid 250 baht for it so I don't know who was at a loss on that one.

The hotel had the cutest umbrella decoration

Franki, me and Hannah

We had a fun little orientation reunion with about ten people. Shared some drinks, played some games, chatted a lot, laughed even more, and went to a bar with a swimming pool and a live thai band.

In the morning we had a hilarious version of an "American Breakfast" complete with 2 eggs over medium, a hotdog (no bun), a cold slice of deli ham, a tiny two bite salad, and toast. It was yum though. I also drank some tang.

Real life, I'm addicted to Coca Cola with real sugar

Just kidding I often drink water and juice as well

After breakfast some random super nice dudes drove us in the bed of their pickup to this super cool and huge sunflower garden. We took a hundred photos and had some fun. After spending maybe too much time taking photos we went back to the truck and find out there is another field of sunflowers. At the second one though there was also a lake with huts on docks and puppies so we had other things on our mind than silly sunflowers. I loved those sunflower fields though.

We brought the sunshine that perked up the flowers

Franki and I

Just sitting in the field being silly

Hannah and I

Puppy city!

Oh Brownie sandals aren't food

Finally to the main event!! The monkey festival. Probably one of the weirder things I've witnessed. There were tons of monkeys everywhere, eating, drinking, playing and fighting. Some were cute snuggling up to their moms and some were total a-holes. Scratch that, they were all total a-holes. Spoiler alert monkeys suck. But I mean its not everyday you see a monkey grab a water bottle out of someones backpack and unscrew it and drink the whole thing then run to the lady over there for some of her corn snacks.

Look closely

So thanks for sharing… 

Well I was clearly terrified

The stupid head tried to steal my neck pillow!

So selfish, it wouldn't even fit him.

Six and a half hours later I step off the bus in front of the apartment. Tired, dirty and hungry. Successful end to a couple days I'd say. 

The cutest little Thai family who spoke pretty good English

On the train they gave me a hard boiled egg and it was dang good, still hot and with some yum sauce. Also I'm glad they realize Barbie shirts never go out of style.