chickens in the kitchen

since i've been traveling, i have caught myself feeling like where i am isn't so special and that a lot of the places i'm seeing could just as easily be in the united states. there are some notable exceptions, of course, but just in the day-to-day activities i sometimes forget i'm not at home.

so i've started a short list of things that remind me i'm "not in kansas anymore," or things that no longer surprise me:

1. chickens running around the kitchen

2. not having to wear shoes anywhere (i LOVE this)

3. stands of bamboo everywhere, and being used for everything

4. in restaurants, food arriving in any order (food may come before drinks, one person will have finished dinner before another gets anything)

5. eating whatever gets put in front of me (as long as it's vegetarian), whether i've ordered it or not

6. watching geckos conduct their politics on the ceiling

7. packing 18 people in the back of a jeep

8. seeing 2 people ride a motorbike--with 2 pigs also strapped on

9. looking at US currency (which is used here in cambodia) and thinking it seems fake

a couple of photos:

our new friend eva took this photo of me taking photo of other visitors to wat phi in laos

this is me holding the daughter of our trekking guide. so adorable, and only one of the many amazing things we saw while trekking. (all my photos are in black&white, and it seems to me that pictures of people are more interesting than scenery for the most part...)

and here is morgan, getting peed on by the same beautiful baby. this always happens to him!