Northbound and Around

I have made my way from the beaches and the Southern tropics (for good, i fear), and have begun the Northbound journey. No matter how far I stray from those vast mountainous lands of this planet's North, I continue to return. This time, there was a small stop in Bangkok. I met up with Charlie (Alaska friend) and few of his friends to take a break from the third world and hang out in the plugged in world again. Lots of taxis and malls, movies and Mexican food, even bowling. It was nice to treat myself to a bathroom with soap and toilet paper in it for a change. Hey, if Suzi can do it, so can I. However, like anything, a lot of it gets to be... well, a lot. So, like anyone with no direction and the world at their finger tips, we hopped a train.

Three hours on the local's train we arrived in Lopburi. Not before sharing our journey with a few monks and a drunk guy that got beat up by the police for harassing everyone. We knew to come here because it was supposed to have some of the only climbing in central Thailand. A good reason to stop on our way up North. We found it all right. Not before taking one of the scariest motorbike rides of my life. In the South, everyone drives with laid back approach. Not up here. But we made it, two days in a row. The climbing was great, but unfortunately we didn't get any good pictures. On the second day, we topped out on a beautiful 600 ft limestone tower. 7 pitches of moderate 5.10 climbing. Just in time to see a Midwest style thounder storm with no rain roll across the farmalnds being prepared for planting sunflowers.

Not only were we able to climb here in Lopburi, we just so happened to get here during their once a year festicval honoring the death of an ancient king. Everyone wearing shiny clothing. a traditional Thai opera in the old temple, bad butt rock with Thai girls dancing on stage. Lots of fried food and plastic shit being sold. An elephant begging in the street. Not to mention that it goes on all night... right across the street from our quaint guest house. No sleep for Jared and Charlie. Oh yeah, and the bed bugs were great too...

So now we hop a train this evening to Chaing Mai to visit and climb some more before I head back down to meet Suzi in Bangkok in 2 weeks. And a bit of exciting news... I think we are abandoning the Laos and Vietnam plan and are opting instead for a trek through Nepal and a visit to India. More updates about that soon. I was planning on uploading pictures, but as with everywhere the internet is really slow, and so I would have to dedicate another entire hour. Soon...