Yesterday we arrived in Bangkok, went through customs (the lines were ridiculous, and, wait for it… they have squatty pottys) and were met by Bik and two others from YWAM Thailand. While we were waiting to meet up with our squadmate Berdi from the Netherlands, we overtook an entire area of the Bangkok airport.
After we met Berdi, we walked with our packs to the trucks that we would be taking on a one-hour ride to our bus station… only it turned into Crazy World Race Style Travel Day #1!
Our packs in one of the trucks
We also got to ride in these trucks, a covered, open air with benches on either side… and great security features like this grate to keep us from falling out. Don’t worry Nana, I didn’t fall out!
What was supposed to be a one hour ride turned into three. There were red shirt protestors crowding the streets and so we had to find another way to get to the bus station. Although the driving was crazy, I was actually fine with it because the driver wouldn’t have understood my terrified pleas for God to let me live through the ride anyways. And it was everyone else I was more concerned about.
My teammate Jessie and I on our ride before we realized that we would be riding around for 3 hours.
Slums and Skyscrapers
Thai children playing with fire… literally. We saw them playing with a lighter as we were driving by.
This was the face we were greeted with in many parts of the city. People gawked at us as if we were celebrities or something. This woman was selling meat in one of the many markets in Bangkok.
A market selling fruits including pineapples!!
Finally we saw this little guy. There are strays everywhere, but this guy just looked so sad. It made me want to cry just looking at him.
Anyways, we finally made it to the bus station, after three hours in the back of the truck and then rode for 11 hours to get to Phuket for our launch debrief. We are at SHE Ministry and my team along with three others will travel yet again (this time for almost 24 hours) to ride back up to north eastern Thailand to do village ministry!! We are all grateful for a cold shower (yes mom and dad, you heard it right, I actually liked a cold shower) being off of the road and staying with an amazing family.
So after a flight to LA with a layover in Dallas, a trip to the Santa Monica Pier, a trip to Venice Beach, a 16 hour flight to Hong Kong, a 3 hour flight to Bangkok, a 3 hour truck ride to the bus station and an 11 hour bus ride to Phuket, we finally made it!!
Next post will hopefully be from our ministry site! I love everyone and I am SO grateful for you!!
