Monday Montage: Seeking Good Wifi Signals

Have you heard the math problem about the family of three that went to visit Singapore and had just one computer, two iPhones, and 2 bars on their wifi signal half of the time? It’s a tough one I know, but the answer is one blog writer banging her head against the wall 25 times as she tried to write said blog on her iPhone yet again.
As you can tell, I am no mathematician, but I am getting better at writing my posts using my (outdated but much loved) iPhone 4. So, hooray for staying in a place that has little, to no internet connectivity and coming out from the experience having furthered my tech skills.
Singapore is quite interesting and has many things to do, which we have been doing and which I plan to write about for the next couple of weeks. So stay with me at least until I get back to the internet age and can fill your inbox, reader, or whatever with all my stories of Singapore… Please?!
Until then, here are my Monday Montage of pictures from this past week…

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Look Mom! Swenson’s in Singapore has food as well as deserts! My mom and I had to change our girls day out a bit when we realized that we couldn’t eat lunch at Swenson’s in my post,  A Grand Girls Day Out in Hua Hin.

 

 

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I decided that I wanted to show what the mailboxes look like in each country we visit, these are what they look like in Singapore. Not too exciting are they?

20140217-142522.jpg These lanterns shaped like old Chinese coins are hung over the street near Chinatown here in Singapore. I found them quite eye-catching. Also you can see the horse lanterns that are up and down the street to celebrate the Year of the Horse this year.

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I just thought that this was humorous. We were getting some food at the Chinatown Complex and this lady was standing in line having a rather loud conversation using her iPad as a phone. I know some people who use their iPad to make calls, but I have never seen anyone actually holding it up to their ear. It looked pretty uncomfortable.

20140217-142825.jpgThis is definitely one of the highlights of my trip to Singapore, I got to meet a fellow blogger and friend in person! Bronwyn (of Journeys of the Fabulist) as well as her two adorable children, met us for tea and delicious french toast. She and I had a chance to chat while Chad took the kids to ride on some rides in the mall. It was my first time ever meeting up with someone who I met through blogging, and it was wonderful. Chad, Z, and I all had a great time and  B gave us some great recommendations for where to eat our lunch that day (more on that in a following post). Thanks Bronwyn, P, and T!

On that note, I have to say that is one of the reasons that I love blogging so much, there is a real possibility of getting to know people and forming friendships all over the world.

Until we meet again (and I have better WiFi), thanks again for reading and following!

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Monday Montage: A Sense of Peace

We leave for Phuket on a VIP bus tomorrow night at 11:00 pm. And I am feeling calm. Our bags are not packed. Albeit we have given much away that we have accumulated over the past three months. But, our bags are not packed. And yet, I still feel calm. I have no list written on what we need to do. I have no idea really how we are going to get it all done in time. And yet, I am calm.

So I have been thinking about it, because with all this calmness, I have time to think a bit… There are three possibilities as to why I am swimming in this sea of tranquility: 1) I am in a state of denial and am subconsciously totally freaking out, 2) I have been traveling long enough now to feel like packing and moving again is just, well… a piece of cake, or 3) God has given me enough peace to know that He has our move in control. Most likely it is a little of each. Regardless I am happy, excited, and calm.

And with that, here are my photos for this week. I hope that you enjoy them and have a great Monday!

This unicorn statue is in front of the Market Village Hua Hin and Z loves it!

This unicorn statue is in front of the Market Village Hua Hin and Z loves it!

Zoë loves ice cream... I know, this can't really be considered a "travel" photo, but I just think she is so darn cute!

Zoë loves ice cream… I know, this can’t really be considered a “travel” photo, but I just think she is so darn cute!

Chad and Z fishing at The Hua Hin Fishing Lodge

Chad and Z fishing at The Hua Hin Fishing Lodge

Chad and Z caught a catfish (and released it), but look at Zoë's face, it cracks me up!

Chad and Z caught a catfish (and released it), but look at Zoë’s face, it cracks me up!

A quick snack of crickets, grasshoppers, and meal worms. I loved the crickets and grasshoppers... the meal worms were a bit too squishy.

A quick snack of crickets, grasshoppers, and meal worms. I loved the crickets and grasshoppers… the meal worms were a bit too squishy.

Can you spot the typo? I see this every time we drive into town and it makes me laugh every time.

Can you spot the typo? I see this every time we drive into town and it makes me laugh every time.

Hua Hin traffic as seen from the drivers seat.

Hua Hin traffic as seen from the drivers seat.

We found a playground at a place called "Magic Balloon" and Zoë found out she loves the trampoline.

We found a playground at a place called “Magic Balloon” and Zoë found out she loves the trampoline.

The "Magic Balloon" that you can take up into the air for a overpriced fee.

The “Magic Balloon” that you can take up into the air for a overpriced fee.

Monday Montage: Magical Time of the Year

Wednesday being Christmas and all I am keeping it short with my posts this week. I figure you are probably running around, getting your gifts ready to be ripped opened, doing some last-minute grocery shopping and food preparations, and most likely spending time with your friends and family. I have been doing many of these things myself, but with much less pressure than I did last year. Don’t get me wrong, I would LOVE to be spending time with my family and friends this week, but I am so very thankful to be here in Thailand and partaking in this wonderful journey that is our life right now.

For every fantastic uplifting thing in life there can (and usually will) be something that can bring you crashing back down. I have always been the person that spent most of my time focusing on this aspect of life. I have always lived my life as if “hope for the best but expect the worst” was my personal motto. I still struggle with those feelings, even as we are on this trip that is a real dream come true. I have been working on focusing more on the positive and letting the “what-if’s” fall far behind me. I feel like I finally broke the barrier of negativity a couple of days ago. I was sitting and listening to Chad read Zoë her bedtime stories and it just hit me how amazing life is. Whether I am traveling or living in some tract home back in Santa Rosa, California, I am truly thankful and blessed to be alive in this fascinating and gorgeous world. God has been so good to me, even in my negativity and lack of faithfulness that the best will come to pass.

So on that note, I am praying and hoping that your Christmas week makes you feel the same way. Life, family, friends, good food, and everything this season represents is truly a blessing. So quickly scroll through my pictures from this week and then go hug someone you love, eat some delicious home cooked food, drink some delicious wine (oh, how I miss wine here in Thailand), and be merry! ❤

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Chad and Zoë fishing at Khao Tao Lake

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Sunset over Khao Tao Lake

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Market Village Christmas Tree

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One of the main roads going west through Hua Hin

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Our “stockings” are hung and ready for Santa to fill on Christmas Eve (the socks are clean, I promise!)

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This electric pole is held in place by the wires above and below it. Thought my dad would get a kick out of seeing the level of safety the electric company here adheres to.

1-IMG_9536Last week, a fellow blogger, The Homeschooling Doctor, asked about where we go shopping for groceries here. So here is a picture of the Tesco, one of the stores that we shop in for food and such.

Happy Holidays!

Monday Montage: Settling In – HuaHin Edition

We are now all settled into our villa here in HuaHin. In between swimming, exploring, and getting used to driving on the left hand side of the road I have taken a few pictures. I hope you like them!

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My favorite breakfast at Yummy Cafe, the Issan breakfast (Issan sausage, a potato pancake, sticky rice and a spicy chili sauce… so delicious).

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A statue of Predator made from bike chains  that was in front of some random local video store. 

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I ate the eyes of this delectable sweet and sour fried fish. It was surprisingly good.

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Funny story, while getting used to driving on the left side of the road, I decided in my mind that the directions had switched, right was now left. I confused Chad numerous times telling him to turn left at the light, when we actually had to turn right. Sometimes I really miss being blonde.

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I just love the way that Thai writing looks. This is part of one of the restaurants on the beach near our house.

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An amazing piece of art at Cicada Weekend Market

Monday Montage: Goodbye Taipei

We have arrived in Bangkok, Thailand!  I am currently hanging out in our short term rental that we got on airbnb.com and relaxing after a very long day of traveling. Here are the last pictures I took of Taiwan. I cannot believe our time there is up already, it was very sad leaving our friends, but I was ready to see some new places. So here we are … IN THAILAND!!!

The corner of the roof of the National Concert Hall

The corner of the roof of the National Concert Hall

Public Bicycles for rent and the Barbie Restaurant on the right

Public Bicycles for rent and the Barbie Restaurant on the right

Wall of a pharmacy

Wall of a local pharmacy

Dessert at Dazzling Cafe at the Breeze Center

Dessert at Dazzling Cafe at the Breeze Center- Seriously delicious!!

Another dessert at Dazzling Cafe Photo taken by Angela Liu

Another dessert at Dazzling Cafe                                    Photo taken by Angela Liu- Thanks Angela!

A decorated street corner near our house

A decorated street corner near our house

Monday Montage: Last Week In Taiwan

This week is our last week in Taipei and we have been trying to see everything that we haven’t had a chance to yet. It turned out that we ran out of time to see Hualien and Taroko Gorge (again, Ack!). Well, I guess that that will be the first destination for our next trip to Taiwan. Next week we will be in Thailand!

The police are watching us

The police are watching us

This guy was climbing the walls in a hiking store...just a little creepy looking

This guy was climbing the wall in a hiking store…just a little creepy looking

Heping Road at night

Heping Road at night

Civic Boulevard at night

Civic Boulevard at night

Bourbon bears? Hmm

Bourbon bears? Hmm

That is a strange temporary building next to the Dandy Hotel

That is a strange temporary building next to the Dandy Hotel

Taipei World Trade Center, or as I call it the Minecraft Building (xbox owners will know what I mean)

Taipei World Trade Center, or as I call it the Minecraft Building (Xbox owners will know what I mean)

A rummage sale (tons of vintage things) we happened upon while walking in the Xinyi district

A rummage sale (with tons of vintage things) we happened upon while walking in the Xinyi district

I am not sure what this is all about, but they are always sitting and meditating outside of Taipei 101

I am not sure what this is all about, but they are always sitting and meditating outside of Taipei 101