(no subject)
Well...I'm back from Chiang Mai...arrived home yesterday evening...and since I said that I would recount the trip here...I'll try to...in a reseasonably comprehended manner with not too many unnecessary details (I hope! =)). But first...the big news...I GOT A NEW CAMERA!!! YAY!!! I'm so happy! So...to start out what I'm guessing will be a rather long entry.....
THE CAMERA SAGA
As many of you know, my old camera is what I like to call "tempremental". This means that it only works when it wants to...and usually not when I want it to! =) But...it still works (some of the time)...so I couldn't really bring myself to buy a new one though I really wanted to (especially a better quality one! =)). I was really looking forward to taking lots of pictures in Chiang Mai because I wasn't working, etc. so it would be easier just to tote along my camera and take pictures of whatever I wanted! So...we get to Chiang Mai on Wednesday...and the camera won't work...and won't work...and won't work. It started working a little bit during the late afternoon...but it was mostly when we were in our guesthouse room and there was nothing of consequence to take pictures of in there! =) On Thursday, we went to a HUGE mall and while Jackie shopped, I wandered around its five floors...and I came across a camera shop. I had planned on looking at cameras in Chiang Mai, but honestly had forgotten until I came across this shop. It didn't have much...but on the same floor...there was another camera shop and this one had LOTS of cameras...nice ones! =) I drooled at the window a bit (not literally...that would be QUITE un-lady-like! =)) and then saw that they had the same model of camera that Erin and my Daddy have....and for a pretty good price. Long story short...I ended up getting the camera...which came with a "free" (i.e. already included in the good price) 128 MB memory card and 16 MB card. It was a pretty big deal for me because, along with now having a nice camera, that's the first "big" decision that I ever made "all by myself" (though that evening, I called my Daddy to see what he thought...and he said that it was "A very good price!"...so all is well! =)) And...now I have LOTS of pictures to post on my site...of much better quality than the previous Thailand ones...expect to see "Pictures of Chiang Mai" for quite awhile! =)
END SAGA
Okay...so now that's out of the way (it turned out to be rather long! =))...the trip to Chiang Mai. Jackie and I left Chiang Rai mid-morning on Wednesday and took the V.I.P. bus (i.e air-conditioned and big seats! =))...it was about a three-hour trip. I had a window seat and it was a very pretty drive...green everywhere (except in the cities! =))! We took a song-tao (which are red or maroon or yellow there...here they are blue or green! =)) from the bus station to our guesthouse. After depositing our luggage, we walked out to one of the main streets, had a quick lunch and took a song-tao to the local Christian bookstore. That was probably the part of the trip I was most looking forward to...and though it was kind of a disappointment because the books were so expensive (generally $12-$20) and there wasn't much of a selection...it was a nice, peaceful reprieve from the noisy traffic! =). After leaving the Christian bookstore...we tried to find a couple of other normal English bookstores because Jackie needed to pick up specific books for other people. It rained some and we wandered through parts of the night bazaar that was starting to set up and covering their goods from the rain. After another trek to deposit stuff in our room...we went to Sub-Way for supper! =) I hadn't been to a Sub-Way since I left the States and I didn't really know what to expect becuase the Sub-Way in India was nothing like American ones. But this one was almost completely similar, down to the pictures of freshly-washed, perfect-looking vegetables and the sub-way route wall-paper! =) After relishing every bite of my six-inch and waiting for Jackie to finish her's...we went to shop the night bazaar. It was HUGE!!! It seemed almost too big to me...I actually like our smaller Chiang Rai one better! But it was still fun to look at all the stuff...and the next night I was able to get alot of good pictures! =) Okay...so the next day...after splitting up for awhile so that I could go back to the Christian bookstore and Jackie could go to the English bookstore and then we movedto another guesthouse in a different part of the city...we went to two different malls, one of which I bought my camera at. The malls, especially the HUGE one that I bought my camera at (five floors!! =)), were quite similar to American malls, though they had alot more TINY little boutique clothing stores. After eating lunch at the large Asian food court and dropping our purchases off at the guesthouse, we took a song-tao to Rim-Ping, a mid-size super-market that caters to Western tastes. I didn't buy much there...just a small bag of Kettle Chips (SOOOO GOOD! =)), a bag of dried lentils and some dragonfruit. Another song-tao back to the guesthouse...and then I tried to eat my dragonfruit...tried being the operative word as almost every single one was rotten! =) So...(wow, this is getting long! =))...we went again to the night bazaar so that I could take pictures and Jackie could get a Sub-Way sandwich to take back for Bob and exchange a purse she had bought the night before. The next morning was kind of slow...Jackie had a migraine and so she spent most of it resting. About mid-morning, I took a song-tao to a beautiful park that we had seen on an earlier ride and spent an hour or so just taking pictures...it was wonderful! =) It's SO NICE having a camera that can take good pictures! =) I had to be back to the guesthouse by noon for checking out and so after doing that, we read awhile in the lobby, ate lunch at the guesthouse restraunt and then made our way to the bus station...to come back home.
Okay...so that was TOO long...but I don't know what to cut out! =) All in all, it was a nice trip...and though Chiang Mai is good to visit, I don't think I want to live there...too much of a big city! It kind of reminded me of being in India again...not that they are anything alike...mostly it was because of the constant semi-nauseous feeling that you get from riding alot in open air vehicles, breathing in polluted air! =) Lovely! =)
One thing that was kind of annoying...I am getting quite desperate for some new books and so I was really looking forward to going to the Christian bookstore. I ended up buying a book there for FULL PRICE (about $13)....something that I don't often do! =) The book took place in old Scotland and the cover had kind of a sentimental value for me (this past summer, my best friend, Rachel, and I met for lunch in St. Cloud, MN with my Aunt Gayle and afterwards we went to Barnes and Noble. At the store, Aunt Gayle said that the girl on the front of the first book looked like me and that the girl on the front of it's sequel looked like Rachel. So..being Frumps...we of course took our picture in front of them...and thus, the sentimental value). But anyway...I bought the book in Chiang Mai and started reading it and it was quite good...she's an excellent writer, etc. The next morning, I decided to go back and buy the sequel (with the girl on the front who looks like Rachel)...also at full price ($14). That would've been fine...except after reading more into the first book, the author goes into a little bit too much detail about certain things and so now I think that, as a young unmarried woman, they're not exactly suitable reading material for me. So...I just wasted a good $27!!!! Ahhh...I was so frustrated at myself!
But God taught me something in spite of my frustration with the situation I described above...He is always faithful to show us things through our mistakes, we just have to be open to Him! =) So...after making the decision not to continue reading the books, a quote by Susanna Wesley was brought to my mind...it says: "Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God - that is sin to you." Now I know Susanna Wesley ISN'T infallible and can therefore make mistakes in what she said...but I believe that statement is true. In essence, whatever hinders your relationship to God...that is sin to you. That got me to thinking...what things do I do, that aren't in and of themselves wrong, that hinder my relationship to God? For me, those things can be stuff as simple as getting too engrossed in a book (even if there is nothing "bad" in it) or a movie, or spending too much time on the computer (that's a BIG one for me! =)). I can tell when something has started to "hinder"...it's hard to focus on Jesus...my thoughts can seem hazy and rather chaotic. Granted, those hazy and chaotic thoughts can happen even when stuff doesn't "hinder" us...but, as a general thing, I think that most of us KNOW when things are hindering our relationship to Jesus...we just need to admit it to ourselves (okay...that sounds so cliche...but true! =)). "Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin." (James 4:17)
Side note...I'm almost done reading Acts right now...and it seems I enjoy that book even more each time I read it! =) Isn't it wonderful to be able to read a Book that is LIVING?!?! =)
"But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish the race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God." ~Acts 20:24
THE CAMERA SAGA
As many of you know, my old camera is what I like to call "tempremental". This means that it only works when it wants to...and usually not when I want it to! =) But...it still works (some of the time)...so I couldn't really bring myself to buy a new one though I really wanted to (especially a better quality one! =)). I was really looking forward to taking lots of pictures in Chiang Mai because I wasn't working, etc. so it would be easier just to tote along my camera and take pictures of whatever I wanted! So...we get to Chiang Mai on Wednesday...and the camera won't work...and won't work...and won't work. It started working a little bit during the late afternoon...but it was mostly when we were in our guesthouse room and there was nothing of consequence to take pictures of in there! =) On Thursday, we went to a HUGE mall and while Jackie shopped, I wandered around its five floors...and I came across a camera shop. I had planned on looking at cameras in Chiang Mai, but honestly had forgotten until I came across this shop. It didn't have much...but on the same floor...there was another camera shop and this one had LOTS of cameras...nice ones! =) I drooled at the window a bit (not literally...that would be QUITE un-lady-like! =)) and then saw that they had the same model of camera that Erin and my Daddy have....and for a pretty good price. Long story short...I ended up getting the camera...which came with a "free" (i.e. already included in the good price) 128 MB memory card and 16 MB card. It was a pretty big deal for me because, along with now having a nice camera, that's the first "big" decision that I ever made "all by myself" (though that evening, I called my Daddy to see what he thought...and he said that it was "A very good price!"...so all is well! =)) And...now I have LOTS of pictures to post on my site...of much better quality than the previous Thailand ones...expect to see "Pictures of Chiang Mai" for quite awhile! =)
END SAGA
Okay...so now that's out of the way (it turned out to be rather long! =))...the trip to Chiang Mai. Jackie and I left Chiang Rai mid-morning on Wednesday and took the V.I.P. bus (i.e air-conditioned and big seats! =))...it was about a three-hour trip. I had a window seat and it was a very pretty drive...green everywhere (except in the cities! =))! We took a song-tao (which are red or maroon or yellow there...here they are blue or green! =)) from the bus station to our guesthouse. After depositing our luggage, we walked out to one of the main streets, had a quick lunch and took a song-tao to the local Christian bookstore. That was probably the part of the trip I was most looking forward to...and though it was kind of a disappointment because the books were so expensive (generally $12-$20) and there wasn't much of a selection...it was a nice, peaceful reprieve from the noisy traffic! =). After leaving the Christian bookstore...we tried to find a couple of other normal English bookstores because Jackie needed to pick up specific books for other people. It rained some and we wandered through parts of the night bazaar that was starting to set up and covering their goods from the rain. After another trek to deposit stuff in our room...we went to Sub-Way for supper! =) I hadn't been to a Sub-Way since I left the States and I didn't really know what to expect becuase the Sub-Way in India was nothing like American ones. But this one was almost completely similar, down to the pictures of freshly-washed, perfect-looking vegetables and the sub-way route wall-paper! =) After relishing every bite of my six-inch and waiting for Jackie to finish her's...we went to shop the night bazaar. It was HUGE!!! It seemed almost too big to me...I actually like our smaller Chiang Rai one better! But it was still fun to look at all the stuff...and the next night I was able to get alot of good pictures! =) Okay...so the next day...after splitting up for awhile so that I could go back to the Christian bookstore and Jackie could go to the English bookstore and then we movedto another guesthouse in a different part of the city...we went to two different malls, one of which I bought my camera at. The malls, especially the HUGE one that I bought my camera at (five floors!! =)), were quite similar to American malls, though they had alot more TINY little boutique clothing stores. After eating lunch at the large Asian food court and dropping our purchases off at the guesthouse, we took a song-tao to Rim-Ping, a mid-size super-market that caters to Western tastes. I didn't buy much there...just a small bag of Kettle Chips (SOOOO GOOD! =)), a bag of dried lentils and some dragonfruit. Another song-tao back to the guesthouse...and then I tried to eat my dragonfruit...tried being the operative word as almost every single one was rotten! =) So...(wow, this is getting long! =))...we went again to the night bazaar so that I could take pictures and Jackie could get a Sub-Way sandwich to take back for Bob and exchange a purse she had bought the night before. The next morning was kind of slow...Jackie had a migraine and so she spent most of it resting. About mid-morning, I took a song-tao to a beautiful park that we had seen on an earlier ride and spent an hour or so just taking pictures...it was wonderful! =) It's SO NICE having a camera that can take good pictures! =) I had to be back to the guesthouse by noon for checking out and so after doing that, we read awhile in the lobby, ate lunch at the guesthouse restraunt and then made our way to the bus station...to come back home.
Okay...so that was TOO long...but I don't know what to cut out! =) All in all, it was a nice trip...and though Chiang Mai is good to visit, I don't think I want to live there...too much of a big city! It kind of reminded me of being in India again...not that they are anything alike...mostly it was because of the constant semi-nauseous feeling that you get from riding alot in open air vehicles, breathing in polluted air! =) Lovely! =)
One thing that was kind of annoying...I am getting quite desperate for some new books and so I was really looking forward to going to the Christian bookstore. I ended up buying a book there for FULL PRICE (about $13)....something that I don't often do! =) The book took place in old Scotland and the cover had kind of a sentimental value for me (this past summer, my best friend, Rachel, and I met for lunch in St. Cloud, MN with my Aunt Gayle and afterwards we went to Barnes and Noble. At the store, Aunt Gayle said that the girl on the front of the first book looked like me and that the girl on the front of it's sequel looked like Rachel. So..being Frumps...we of course took our picture in front of them...and thus, the sentimental value). But anyway...I bought the book in Chiang Mai and started reading it and it was quite good...she's an excellent writer, etc. The next morning, I decided to go back and buy the sequel (with the girl on the front who looks like Rachel)...also at full price ($14). That would've been fine...except after reading more into the first book, the author goes into a little bit too much detail about certain things and so now I think that, as a young unmarried woman, they're not exactly suitable reading material for me. So...I just wasted a good $27!!!! Ahhh...I was so frustrated at myself!
But God taught me something in spite of my frustration with the situation I described above...He is always faithful to show us things through our mistakes, we just have to be open to Him! =) So...after making the decision not to continue reading the books, a quote by Susanna Wesley was brought to my mind...it says: "Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God - that is sin to you." Now I know Susanna Wesley ISN'T infallible and can therefore make mistakes in what she said...but I believe that statement is true. In essence, whatever hinders your relationship to God...that is sin to you. That got me to thinking...what things do I do, that aren't in and of themselves wrong, that hinder my relationship to God? For me, those things can be stuff as simple as getting too engrossed in a book (even if there is nothing "bad" in it) or a movie, or spending too much time on the computer (that's a BIG one for me! =)). I can tell when something has started to "hinder"...it's hard to focus on Jesus...my thoughts can seem hazy and rather chaotic. Granted, those hazy and chaotic thoughts can happen even when stuff doesn't "hinder" us...but, as a general thing, I think that most of us KNOW when things are hindering our relationship to Jesus...we just need to admit it to ourselves (okay...that sounds so cliche...but true! =)). "Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin." (James 4:17)
Side note...I'm almost done reading Acts right now...and it seems I enjoy that book even more each time I read it! =) Isn't it wonderful to be able to read a Book that is LIVING?!?! =)
"But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish the race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God." ~Acts 20:24