Back To Blogging/Isarn Trip w/ Pics

Hi, it's been a while.  This will actually be my first written blog in a long time.  I've been able to type for a while, but haven't done too much new.  I think doing video blogs about which tv shows I was watching were starting to get old (i'm on Soprano's now, in case you were interested).  Anyways, I'm back in blogville, and will try to do something exciting once in a while so I have something to write about.

A little over a week ago I went to Isarn.  I stayed in a little town called Phon Thong which is near Roi Et (which is near pretty much nowhere).  The town I was staying in was fairly small.  It had a handful of restaurants, a couple banks, repair shops, and a 7/11.  I went to a village nearby and learned about rice farming among other things.  The people were very friendly and welcoming.  

getting on the bus from Chiang Mai, 14hrs

just relaxing on a hammock

 some rice fields, lil shelter to the right

 driving back from the village, lil doggy chilling on the sidecar

they use this machine for fishing, not sure exactly how it works, but i guess it makes the fish come up and then they grab it and throw it in a net

 little eel or worm looking thing that was caught while i was watching.  yes they eat this stuff, saw piles of them at the local market among other fish i didn't try.

It was a neat experience, very different from the city life or even the short time I saw the island life.  It seemed very slow paced and relaxing.... then again that's because I didn't have to do any farming :p.  I never knew what day it was, what time it was, and never seemed to care.  Although I experience that a little bit in Chiang Mai, i occasionally still think about it.

I get my pin taken out in 1 week.  I don't have any immediate plans other than that.  I will likely go for a ride in the mountains soon because I really miss doing that.  I will wear a helmet and drive safe, so don't worry ;)