3 days in

After a 2 1/2 hour taxi ride we arrived at our place at about 6:30 in the morning. Unfortunatly we didn't have a key to get in and had to wait outside on the street while Joel our leader went to pick it up. Almost immeditly after arriving Mellissa, one of my team members unknowingly stepped in dog poop and then proceeded to sit down, cross-legged, and wipe it all over her leg. Fun times. Joel got back about a half-hour later and we entered our new home.

The street we're staying on is just off of an express way that runs through all of Thailand. It's the equivelent of Canada's number one and we run across it multiple times a day dodging traffic and risking our lives. On the second day I drove a scooter on this highway for my first and only time so far. It was short drive but definitly not without excitment. Driving on the left side of the road in four lanes of traffic anarchy was a definite adventure.

The evening of the second day we met with Matt who runs the youth centre here in Pattaya. We talked about the mission, Thai culture and what we may be doing. Alot of the things sounded exciting and it looks like we may be traveling around most of Thailand during the four months with our dance/multimedia presentation. We've also had a chance to skate with the guys at the youth centre and start working out plans and ideas for the ramps we'll be building.

We went to Pattaya's mall and walking street on the first day. Walking street is filled with go-go bars, beer bars and sweaty fat white men with young Thai girls in tow. It was hard. Almost everywhere you go, especially if it's a toursit area you see older white men walking, sitting and holding young Thai girls. It's surreal and sad, not just for the prostitutes but I also can't help but feel sorry for these old men who seem to be living in such an empty lie.

On a final and lighter note we went to a small island today and hung out on a beautiful white sanded beach. I also rented a scooter and toured the island for a couple hours which was so amazing, the island is covered with cobbel stone roads that wind over hills and through towns, trees and beautiful rural areas.

Tomorrow we worship and relax then Monday we'll be helping an orphanage move and after that I'm not quite sure yet.