HS Field Trip, Thanksgiving Retreat to Chiang Mai, and my 25th run with SH3

The last few weeks have been eventful. It took me a while to post this time because I am back in the thick of it with work and have not had time to upload videos. For the first two weeks of November my honors bio students completed an interdisciplinary project where they 3-d printed models of organelles.  This project really impressed leadership. 

On the 19th I had work (PD on a fucking Sunday) but afterward Faye and I got dinner at Haxn Bauer (A German restaurant). We took some silly pictures together. 

On the 21st-22nd I chaperoned a high school trip to "Vanilla Town" near Jiangmen.  Students stayed in converted train sleeper cars and teachers stayed in tents and a-frame shelters.  It was a pretty neat location minus the manure smell.  Students engaged in competitive team building activities and games.  There was a night-time drama performance, karaoke, and a dance around a bonfire. 

Faye and I visited Chiang Mai, Thailand, on the 23rd-26th.  We flew into and out of HKIA.  We took a 7am bus from Shenzhen Bay Port to the airport and flew out at 10:30am.  When we arrived in Chiang Mai we still had half a day to kill.  Faye took almost 5 hours to get ready so I went and bought some weed, did some exercises and dancing in our hotel room, scoped out potential options for sightseeing, and took a rest.  When we finally left the sun was setting.  We stopped and booked a tour for Friday. We had missed the chance to get lunch so got dinner at the Guitar Bar and Restaurant.  After dinner we walked around a bit but turned in fairly early to give Faye time to get ready for bed.  

On Friday we took a tour to Doi Inthanon.  Our tour left early in the morning at about 7am and stopped to pick up some other tourists on the way.  The ride was about 2hrs.  

Our first stop was Wachirathan waterfall.  Then we stopped at Pha Dok Sieo waterfall.  We took some lovely photos at each waterfall and then had lunch.  After lunch we went to do some trekking with our starting point near the Thai National Observatory.  We ended our trek in a local village where we had coffee.  Our trip ended with a stop at the King and Queen Pagodas and some shopping in a local market.  Honestly, we did so much that I forgot which pictures and videos I took at which stops so the videos and photos below may be misnamed and out of order.  Afterward we got dinner and a massage. 

Faye took this picture with my phone.

While I took this picture with her phone.

 

 

Saturday the 25th was our last full day in Chiang Mai.  We slept in a bit because we really needed the rest.  That morning I took a swim in the hotel pool while Faye got ready for the day.  We went to get lunch at an Indian restaurant and then went to a used book store called The Lost Bookstore.  We each bought a book and then we proceeded to the MacDonald's near Thae Phae Gate to meet the Chiang Mai Hash House Harriers.  It was a lovely hash with great food and cool people during circle.  Their song repertoire was a bit lacking but Faye and I had a laugh at their GM (General Mismanage) who was serving as RA (the Religious Advisor AKA person who leads the circle). She had a funny energy about her.

 

The week back after work went by slowly.  I am already planning my next trip in December, which Faye will unfortunately be unable to join because she works.  I am planning to go skiing again this year.  Look to my post next January for a summary of my ski trip in Yabuli, the Ice and Snow Festival in Harbin, and relaxing on the beach in Pattaya.

Saturday Dec 2 was my 25th run with the Shekou H3.  As part of my "reward" for this great honor I had to dig my 25th run hat out of another hasher's pants...with my mouth.  Since it was Psychobabble's FOYC (Fuck off you cunt=she was leaving for another city) run she was assigned the task of burying the hat in her pants.  She really stuffed it in there, so it was quite an unpleasant struggle. 

After the circle we had dinner and a party.  I signed up to hare next week with Anus Complainus.  Since the hash will be hared between Stolen Balls (me) and Anus Complainus, I decided it would be clever call it the Tainted Run, since the taint is the skin between Balls (or vagina) and Anus. 

Here is the hash poster I made for that.

Faye has been feeling pretty down lately and I am pretty worried about her some times.  I hope that I can do more to warm her heart and make her feel better but sometimes I feel pretty useless to that effect.  I don't want to put her on the spot and air out all of her emotions here but to give you an idea of her mindset I can say that she is not happy living in China. We are planning a trip to Australia in February for Chinese New Year so I am hoping that she gets the visa so we can enjoy that trip together.  Additionally, she has been researching online degree programs that she can complete at her own pace.  She has identified some potential options so I hope she can stay strong and maintain her positivity. 

There are 16 days before my next vacation.  I love work but I love vacation even more.  I am bummed Faye won't be able to come.  Because she works, and is not an experience skier, she can't join. Fortunately. I will be back on the 29th and we will celebrate the New Year (and our anniversary of having met) together.