{"id":267,"date":"2017-02-10T13:48:55","date_gmt":"2017-02-10T13:48:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ryangphoto.com\/blog\/?p=267"},"modified":"2017-02-10T17:34:12","modified_gmt":"2017-02-10T17:34:12","slug":"friends-and-people-i-have-met-so-far","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ryangphoto.com\/blog\/2017\/02\/10\/friends-and-people-i-have-met-so-far\/","title":{"rendered":"Friends and People I have met so far"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>Hi Ma! \u00a0Yes I am still OK.. \u00a0\ud83d\ude42 \u00a0 Fear not, \u00a0for this is not a real Tiger.\n

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So a few people have been asking, where are all the people you are meeting. \u00a0 Well I guess I will do a better job of writing about them, but I didn\u2019t want to post a really LONG blog, because well I wasn\u2019t sure people would read it. \u00a0 SO.. This blog post is dedicated to the people I have come across so far in my travels. \u00a0Some I have made a lasting impression that will stay with me for ever, and others came into my life for different reasons, but they have all changed me in some way. \u00a0 I am grateful for the opportunity both good and decent (not so much bad) to have met these individuals. \u00a0They are in NO particular order.<\/p>\n

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I think everyone remembers Mint from one of my first posts. \u00a0 Such an amazing woman. \u00a0She is a friend of a friend from the US. \u00a0Not only did Mint talk with me via facebook for a few days before I arrived to give me a little bit of a heads up about Thailand (especially Bangkok), but she agreed to meet with me on the day I arrived and be a tour guide for the day. \u00a0I gotta tell ya, arriving in a foreign country, not knowing anyone, not speaking the language, and having no clue on how to get around sounds scary (well it is kinda), but Mint saved the day. \u00a0She not only showed me around, she helped me with ordering food, talking to locals, tell me what and where to eat. \u00a0I mean she really was a godsend (is that how you do that one? \u00a0Hyphenate it? \u00a0Does God need to be capitalized then? \u00a0 I guess I should look this stuff up before posting, but someone will comment on it I am sure).<\/p>\n

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Meet Sean Morris (you can find him on my facebook if you so choose, along with all the other people in these posts, except Mike, Mike doesn\u2019t do facebook\u2026Don\u2019t be like Mike.. Do facebook).<\/p>\n

Sean is one of the goofiest, fun-loving (I did that one right I think), care-free (yes or no?) guys I have met. \u00a0 \u00a0He\u2019s from Scotland, so I can\u2019t understand a damn word he says (at this point my mother has gotten over me cursing so I don\u2019t feel the need to keep apologizing). \u00a0He literally speaks in a manner in which it\u2019s not really English at all, but IF you have ever seen the movie Snatch with Brad Pitt, he talks like that, but without being a Gypsy.<\/p>\n

He is ALSO, wait for it, an English Teacher in China. \u00a0I SHIT YOU NOT! \u00a0(ok sorry mom). \u00a0 He literally teaches adults and children how to speak english. \u00a0I can\u2019t even understand a word he says sometimes, these poor Chinese people. \u00a0I don\u2019t know how the hell he got hired, but he loves it and is trying to talk me into moving to China to teach English.. I mean hell, if he can do it I am a LOCK. \u00a0Sean will be in a lot more pics, cause he\u2019s a pretty awesome guy and funny as hell, without trying to be.<\/p>\n

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Meet Charlotte (The blonde closest to the picture) and Kelly (the brunette between Sean and I), No I am not giving you their direct last names you stalkers, if you really want to find them you have to stalk MY profile and find, although it will be pretty easy I am sure. \u00a0 Two pretty incredible women that come from the UK. \u00a0 We had a pretty interesting time together TRYING to speak english to each other. \u00a0ILI-TRALL-LI. could not sometimes understand the slang that they were using. \u00a0It was pretty funny. \u00a0Also they MIGHT have had a hard time with my slang as well\u2026 I think they are crazy, but in such a good way. \u00a0 I told them my two favorite words that people from Britain use (and it\u2019s totally true) are Literally, which Americans and MOST other people pronounce LIT-ER-ALLY, but THEY pronounce it like LI-TRALL-LI. \u00a0I just love that one. \u00a0 Also \u00a0Aluminum.. Americans and other places around the world say AL-UM-INUM. \u00a0BUT.. THEY (and most of the UK) pronounce it like \u00a0AL-U-MIN-IUM. \u00a0Weird I know\u2026 Right?!?!<\/p>\n

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Here\u2019s Kelly and I enjoying some fun in the 3D Museum (most of the pics of all of these gals and I are from there.. \u00a0SUCH a cool place. \u00a0I will probably double up pics on this one as I had such a great time there. \u00a0She makes the most animated faces.. I just love it. \u00a0 I have other pics with her where she is always doing something funny or goofy. \u00a0 Such a cool girl.<\/p>\n

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This photo is just hysterical. \u00a0 I LOVE Charlotte and Kelly\u2019s faces here. \u00a0Sean of course is being Sean and we thought up the idea. \u00a0 It\u2019s such a cool Museum. \u00a0It\u2019s called Art in Paradise and it\u2019s in Chiang Mai, Thailand. \u00a0It\u2019s a little pricey (by Thai standards) at $11.50, but totally worth it IMHO (in my humble opinion for those less tech savvy). \u00a0We had such a good time roaming around the museum. \u00a0I would def go back.<\/p>\n

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Some more fun, but this time MIKE! makes an appearance. \u00a0He doesn\u2019t like photos of himself, and he doesn\u2019t do Facebook (who doesn\u2019t have a facebook?). \u00a0There are kids in the remote jungles of the world on Facebook and Mike chooses NOT to have it. \u00a0Crazy right??!?!!<\/p>\n

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Apparently there is a Grand Canyon in Chiang Mai, Thailand. \u00a0 Who knew? \u00a0I mean it\u2019s not as big as THE Grand Canyon (the one in the USA for all the people around the world), but it\u2019s still pretty cool. \u00a0It\u2019s basically a BIG ass watering hole. \u00a0They have a few places that you can dive off 14 meters and 8 meters (that\u2019s 46.62 ft and 26.64 ft).. Yes I jumped off the higher of the two (and YES I was a little scared but I am trying to get over this fear of heights thing). \u00a0 Sean did go first I must say so after that I wasn\u2019t going to be scaredy cat and wimp out.<\/p>\n

The above pic is of Sean, Myself, Bella (a pretty awesome girl from Sydney, well not really Sydney, but 2 hours outside Sydney that no one ever heard of). \u00a0Charlotte and Bella met at the hostel we are staying and they were in the lobby when Sean, Mike, and I came home (ok not HOME mom, but back to the hostel) one night and we all decided to head to this Grand Canyon). \u00a0Bella is a travel junkie and has been to a TON of different places, so it was cool to get to talk to her about her travels along the way.<\/p>\n

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Another pic of Bella and I at the Grand Canyon after some lunch and a really refreshing Coconut ice cream.<\/p>\n

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Sean and Mike after a few drinks. \u00a0 Btw.. not sure if you can see it, but Sean doesn\u2019t drink beer, so he was constantly have wine coolers, and such. \u00a0I believe this was a Raspberry Smirnoff Ice\u2026 Yep, you read that right. \u00a0This guy who is roughly 6\u20194 and weights roughly 260 drinks Smirnoff Ice like a champ, and loves every minute. \u00a0Also making another RARE appearance is Mike\u2026 I met Mike about 4 years ago in Hong Kong while staying at the same hostel. \u00a0OO this is a good story, so I will tell ya. \u00a0 So.. we exchange email addresses back then and this is before my monthly photo blog and of course he isn\u2019t on Facebook, and we really only ever emailed twice since meeting back then. \u00a0 \u00a0SOO.. I put Mike on my email list a long time ago with the whole Photo of the Month thing (which I totally have to start up again)\u2026 Anyway.. fast forward 4 years. \u00a0Mike gets an email from me (along with all the other people on my mailing list), and he says \u201cO, and email from my ol\u2019 buddy Ryan, maybe I should read it now\u2026 \u00a0nahhh I will come back to it a little later\u2026\u2026\u2026.. \u00a0 OO Ok, I will open it now\u2026 Blimey, he\u2019s in Bangkok\u201d (now Mike is only 2 hrs away) so he emails me asking if I remember him (duh of course I do, he\u2019s pretty awesome) and we decide to meet up for a few beers as he is going to be in Bangkok in a couple days anyway. \u00a0 To confess he says he has NO idea WHY he opened THAT email when he did, but he just did (probably because he doesn\u2019t have a clock and no agenda and just lives life how he sees fit (where I want to be soon for sure). \u00a0 So a guy I met randomly 4 years ago in a hostel in Hong Kong just happens to read my blog and next thing you know, we are set off on an amazing journey.<\/p>\n

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Meet Eva.. \u00a0She is from the US and is traveling for an indefinite period of time (I love that word, because it doesn\u2019t have a set end date). \u00a0We met briefly in a totally different city than this picture was taken. \u00a0We actually met because I was stalking her breakfast at a restaurante one morning. \u00a0We talked briefly (5 mins maybe) and we parted ways.. but not so fast. \u00a0About 6 days later, we randomly run into her at a night bazaar in a city 3 hours away. \u00a0I guess I made a quick lasting impression because she remembered me (as the Avocado and Toast guy, totally a story for another day) and we all sat together to get some food. \u00a0 Throughout the night she was telling me about all the places she\u2019s been and wants to go and how she wants to see the world and not go home (sounds pretty familiar actually) and we got on the topic of how people don\u2019t smile enough anymore, well there was the IN to SmileCause.org. \u00a0 If you haven\u2019t gone to the website and liked our Facebook page, well NOW is your chance. \u00a0 GO there now. \u00a0Here\u2019s the link. \u00a0Smile Cause.org<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0She said she would post a pic, but I have yet to see it on the page.. So we shall see. \u00a0 \u00a0She\u2019s a pretty cool gal and I wish her well on her travels.<\/p>\n

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This is Patsy. \u00a0 You ever have one of those nights that just takes you in a totally different direction because you are open to it. \u00a0 Well that\u2019s how I met Patsy. \u00a0 I was actually across the street from this Skybar in Chiang Mai. \u00a0I was getting a foot massage (yes they are incredible and only cost $8 for an hr long one, OMG), where I met these 7 girls on vacation from an exchange program in Singapore. Being the outgoing guy I am (and the only guy in the massage place mind you) we all strike up a conversation talking about traveling (there\u2019s a theme here guys, travel more and you WILL meet interesting, fun, women, trust me). \u00a0They said they are going to the Skybar across the street and I should come by after I am done. \u00a0Well I actually had a conference call at 9pm my time so I doubted I would be able to come over and meet up with them as they were only staying for a short bit there, but thanks for the offer. \u00a0 After my conference call I decided, Ya know what I am going to go.. I was tired and wanted to go back to the hostel and just sleep since I was on the go for 8 straight days now, but I figure \u201cWhat the Hell!\u201d . \u00a0So I went. \u00a0 As I am walking up the girls I met earlier are leaving, but told me it was really cool upstairs so check it out. \u00a0Reluctantly, I did. \u00a0It was pretty cool, an open rooftop bar with mats all over the floor and people just everywhere sitting on the ground on these mats drinking, dancing, talking. \u00a0It was really cool. \u00a0 So this random guy names Shelton (not kidding) comes over to me and says \u201cHey man you wanna dance over here with us, we got a dance party going on\u201d. \u00a0 Me not one to turn down a good dance party (it turned out it was NOT a good dance party, cause no one knows how to dance that he was with (more on that in a minute), I saunter over. \u00a0I see everyone LI-TRALL-LI, doing a surfing, gyrating, move that was something out of a B-movie, and then they were doing the Limbo (I kid you not) but instead of an actual stick, they were using their arms. \u00a0I ain\u2019t judging here (ok I TOTALLY AM) but that\u2019s not dancing in my book.. \u00a0That being said they WERE a great, fun group of people. \u00a0 Well back to Patsy\u2026 we were both kinda making the same remark that this wasn\u2019t dancing at all. \u00a0She\u2019s from Chile (pronounced properly it\u2019s CHILL \u2013 A).<\/p>\n

So she making the comment about how in her country they dance a bit closer and there is way more rhythm to the dance. \u00a0 So a song comes on that is a little more salsa \/ reggae. \u00a0So her sister (who was also there)\u00a0stars dancing with Sheldon, who has no clue what in the world to do with her, because well she\u2019s actually dancing and he\u2019s looking like you would imagine Sheldon from Big Bang Theory can dance like. \u00a0At this point you would think that I would jump in and start dancing with her (and I was going to), but I get pulled aside by another guy to talk about where I am going and for how long, etc.. \u00a0So anyway.. I missed the actual dancing part of the night, BUT I did have a very long conversation with Patsy that left a last impression of where in the world people should go and see and engulf themselves into different cultures. \u00a0 \u00a0Yeah I know ALL that for a simple sentence I could have typed in 35 seconds. \u00a0 #SorryNotSorry.<\/p>\n

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Like I said, Sean is pretty awesome guy.. and LOVES laughing at himself. \u00a0 He came up with this idea actually and I had to go with it. \u00a0I told ya you would see more of him in this blog.<\/p>\n

http:\/\/ryangphoto.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/20170131_013441.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n

Above might be the funniest video I have seen in a really long time. \u00a0The girl is Ting-Ya\u2026 she\u2019s from Canada and a total hippie at heart. \u00a0She is a free-spirit and just loves meeting new and interesting people. \u00a0Needless to say her and Sean hit it off enormously. \u00a0Here\u2019s a little clip of them dancing. \u00a0You def wanna watch the whole thing, and if this doesn\u2019t make you laugh, well then you have no soul.<\/p>\n

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Here\u2019s a shot that Sean took (selfie mode, he has the longest arms of any human ever) at a Big Buddha. \u00a0I will get to the other two girls in the next post. \u00a0Friends Part II. \u00a0 Should be up in a few days.<\/p>\n

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Last one of Sean and I. \u00a0 I really am so happy to have met this guy. \u00a0 He\u2019s changed my life for the better I will tell ya. \u00a0 Such a great person and I am happy to call him a friend.<\/p>\n

Please share and comment. \u00a0AND if there is something you want to see.. Please let me know.<\/p>\n

If you want to follow along on my other social media platforms:<\/p>\n

Instagram: RyanGproductions\r\nFacebook: Ryan Gphoto\r\nBlog : TravelWithRyanG.com<\/pre>\n
Thanks<\/p>\n
Ryan G<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hi Ma! \u00a0Yes I am still OK.. \u00a0\ud83d\ude42 \u00a0 Fear not, \u00a0for this is not a real Tiger. \u00a0 So a few people have been asking, where are all the people you are meeting. \u00a0 Well I guess I will … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,22,19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-267","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-photography","category-thailand","category-bangkok-ok-and-food"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ryangphoto.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/267","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ryangphoto.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ryangphoto.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ryangphoto.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ryangphoto.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=267"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ryangphoto.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/267\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":284,"href":"https:\/\/ryangphoto.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/267\/revisions\/284"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ryangphoto.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=267"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ryangphoto.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=267"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ryangphoto.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=267"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}