New York, USA

New York

Finally back in the U.S. to catch up with my friends and family for the holiday season. 

Family

(Just in time to get the Christmas tree with my little sister Logan)

(Logan at her birthday party) 

(Home sweet home on my balcony reuniting the Bitter family)

(My older sister who I love so much!)

(Dude, Aaron, Tiger, Logan, Me)

(Jurek! My half sisters father whom I have grown closer and closer to)

Friends

(Getting drunk with awesome people)

(Chilling)

(Enea, the fierce Albanian) 

(Cayla, awesome new friend who works at Brooklyn Boulders!)

Walking Dogs

(making some money and getting some puppy love)

Being a tourist in my own city!

(The famous pigeon guy at Washington Square Park)

(New addition to Time Square)

 Bringing Onigiri to the Bitter household

Snow storm!

Snowboarding

After missing an entire winter while in Asia I finally went snowboarding for the first time in two years, and yes, right after the snowstorm.

Vang Vieng, Laos

Vang Vieng

Instantly upon arriving in Vang Vieng I found myself back in the western backpacker party scene of Southeast Asia! The shop keepers all spoke english, hostels were full of westerners drinking and easy access to travel information was everywhere.  With not much time, I had to move quickly. I made friends with my bunk mates and we set off on the river the very next day. Vang Vieng is a party town and the party starts as early as you want it. Every day is a pub crawl, but not just any normal pub crawl. This pub crawl takes place along the Mekong River. The first step is to make sure you have your swim-ware as well as some cash, oh, and grab a beer. Then rent a tube which will come with a ride to your first bar along the Mekong River. The rest of the day you will float from one bar to another, linking up with new friends, getting more intoxicated, and getting closer to the finish line. Oh no! I'm drifting past the bar I want to stop at. SPASH! a bottle filled with water lands next to me, or hits me in the head. Grab it! The next thing I know I'm being reeled into the bar by a rope attached to the bottle. In fact good luck passing a bar without being bombed by water bottles from locals that want you to drink at their place. 

(Drunken, muddy, volley ball)

(Cool people)

(look how much fun I'm having while my camera is being soaked)

Get to the end and don't want to stop partying? Tons of bars and clubs  are welcoming all the wet and trashed tubers in the early evening and are open late! 

These photos mark the last day that my camera lived. The Mekong River claimed my camera that day due to my friends failed dry sac. At least I have some cool pictures of this awesome day thanks to Rannon, Minna, and Kanak! I would have stayed longer but I had my flight to NYC in Bangkok and needed to get moving.