Updates from N and S Thailand

I've been behind so I'm devolving to list format updates to catch up:

• The 2nd week of volunteering in Singburi (3/23-27), we taught at an English camp. A French guy and I signed up to help teach "The Planets" and were put in a class in front of 30 or so ~10 year olds. After waiting a few minutes for the main teachers to show up, we realized that that was us. The first day was a little rocky, but we hit our stride and had an amazing time teaching. Unfortunately, the language barrier prevented me from telling the story of how, when we pointed Hubble in a direction that we thought was devoid of anything, the long exposure came back filled with thousands of points of light (each representing a new galaxy).
  
• I spent a day at an elephant sanctuary near Chiang Mai around 4/1. I would highly recommend this to anyone going to Thailand. Highlights included washing the elephants in the river and seeing aspects of their social relationships with each other.
  
• My last few days in N Thailand (4/2-4) I spent in a small town called Pai, which is a little like Eugene, OR. I rented a motorbike and cruised around the countryside and worked/stayed at an organic farm.
  
• Yesterday I made it down to Ko Phi Phi Don. Phi Phi is a tropical island paradise, and has been in a movie w/. I've done some kayaking, snorkeling, and rock climbing here. To escape the island's main downside last night (the drunken hordes of spring-breaking Europeans), I went to sleep early. Then I woke up early this morning and hikes around the woods, eventually stumbling on a few Thais who squat in tents on a ridge overlooking the Andaman sea. They offered me some pumpkin rice dish (accepted) and hits from their bong made of bamboo (declined). Tomorrow morning I think I'll go up there for the sunrise and bring some fruit as thanks.
  

The heat-lightning storms at night here are enthralling, better than watching movies on the big screen.

On Fri, I'll be taking a boat to Hat Rai Lay, where there are beaches, caves, and some world-renowned climbing.

The Eurokids are getting rowdy, time to go to bed.

PS More pics up on flickr