Living the Dream

For the last year Tom and I have talked about the things we wanted to do while on our travels throughout Southeast Asia. See the temples at Angkor Wat, Cambodia. Take a junk out on Halong Bay for a few nights just to watch the sun set and rise each day over the limestone karsts and watch the changing colors of the water. We dreamed of riding elephants (mostly so we could impress our grandkids) and rafting down the rivers for the sheer excitement of it. We talked about renting motorcycles and riding through the countryside on two wheels. We wanted time to read and rest, time to talk and breathe…I am here to say that our travels thus far have been successful.

We rented a motorcycle the other day and wandered through the Mae Sae Valley and up through Doi Sutrep National park. I am sure that we were the only couple with a GPS on board but we needed every advantage we could get. Riding a motorcycle is the most popular mode of travel for most…families. They maneuver in and out of several lanes of traffic with children on their bikes, groceries in their hands, holding an umbrella, and talking on the phone all at the same time. They can squeeze into any small opening in traffic and never have to put their feet on the ground. It can be raining like crazy and they never flinch while they are driving. Lets just say we were slightly behind the curve on this one but we are here to tell you it was one of our most enjoyable days ever.

For a mere 200B (less than $7.00) we could rent the bike all day. We picked it up early in the morning and drove over to the train station and purchased our tickets for later in the week. Driving through the many lanes of traffic we acclimated ourselves to this 150cc Honda. We were soon following the direction of our friend "Betty" (GPS) and entered onto the Super Highway out of Chiang Mai heading North. Whether you are the driver or the navigator you've got to be on your game around here. We managed the 13 km drive and were soon heading northward to the countryside. There, the most beautiful transformation occurred. The traffic virtually disappeared, the air felt distinctively cooler, the only sound we could hear was the hum of our motor, and it was outright beautiful. We drove through the small villages and thought of our friends in Solomon Islands. This area is so lush and beautiful. We hiked over to the water falls in Doi Intanond. We could hear a most sonorous thunderstorm brewing nearby. We ducked for cover during a small rainstorm and ate a bowl of hot noodle soup from a covered roadside stand. Soon we were on the road again heading home before nightfall.

At the end of the day, we took a nice warm shower and headed for our favorite massage parlor where our usual girls worked away all the tensions of the day…we are ready for our next adventures!

American Embassy - Chiang Mai, Thailand

There are a not many reasons anyone would want to go to an American Embassy…anywhere. They never make the top ten list of things to do or see in any country. Granted,  it is nice to know that wherever  you may travel an Embassy is close in time of need, you just hope there  never is a need. Today it was our destination point. We went to the American Embassy in Chiang Mai, Thailand and we went to vote.

Voting was one of those details we had wanted to take care of before we left but due to the timing it was impossible to get an absentee ballot before September 25th. We went down to the elections office and applied to have our ballots emailed to us. Once it was ready and emailed to us, we could print it up, complete it, sign an affidavit that we were who we said we were and then mail it back to the USA. Not terribly difficult really but considering we were on the move this took a few attempts.

Because Tom is retired from the military we are able to use the APO (Army Post Office) at the Embassy. We completed all the necessary paperwork and walked the 1.8 km to the Embassy. There are numerous guards and  security checks before you can enter the inner sanctum. Here we received an official envelope that is dated and sealed and then we placed it in the voter ballot box just like at home. The only thing missing was our 'I Voted' stickers.

Photos are prohibited anywhere near the Embassy for security purposes but I was told we could get a picture from outside and across the street. And while we have no photographic memory of todays happenings, we will never forget the time we voted in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Resting Place

When Tom and I travel on our sabbatical we are the first to say that this is not really a vacation. We have always enjoyed taking the roads less travelled and visiting the places that are off the beaten path. Places that most people haven't even heard of let alone travel too.  And, they are not always the easiest places to reach either. We live in the moment, meander as our heart desires and then move on as we feel led. We usually stay in the more remote areas and enjoy living life differently than we usually do. We love learning about the history of the places we are in and then getting immersed in the culture and everyday life. We live life intentionally and find we learn a lot, mostly  about ourselves during these travels.  We are now in Chiang Mai and have decided to stay a few extra days. We are taking a vacation from our sabbatical.  We are resting.

We have have an intense year of travel. Our month in the DRCongo, although incredibly beautiful was intensely hard. We lived in the villages and worked very hard during our six weeks of travel through the Fijian and  Solomon Islands.  We have found  Chiang Mai to be an easy place.  And right now easy is just what we need. This place reminds us of Chiana, Crete and has the feel of a small coastal town. It is off season so life moves pretty easy around here. We have had the opportunity to stay in a four star hotel for a mere $38.00 a night. Here we have every  amenity and luxury  we could imagine.  The air conditioning even stays on even when we  leave the room! We are within a few blocks of the old city and the night bazaar is at our front door. We find we want for nothing.

We decided to take a Thai cooking class and it was awesome. It was held out in the countryside on a  farm where the most beautiful gardens grew.  Our teacher was a young man who was passionate about cooking. He picked us up from our hotel and along with our class mates took us to the local farmers market. Here he explained all the different fruits, vegetables, tofu, rice, eggs, and accouterments to us. We learned to cook a variety of things over the course of the day and then we had the most delicious meal ever. We are excited to try this at home for a Sunday lunch.

 We have grown accustom to a massage nearly every day. Tom enjoys a hot oil massage and I choose the hot herb Thai massage. I wish I could explain their technics to you but I find I am so relaxed that I can not even open my eyes to save my life. I just know that it is lovely and for a few dollars a day we are the recipient of this lovely luxury.

At the recommendation of family and friends we are trying new foods each day. Our daughter Crystal told us about one of her favorite Thai dishes. It is Soo Koi and absolutely delicious. It is a Chaing Mai speciality and the best is from this region. It is a noodle soup with chicken in a yellow curry and coconut milk base. We have ours with a cold Chang beer. It always hits the spot.

We also indulged in a rafting expedition. And, not on any raft, but a traditional Thai bamboo raft. A Thai bamboo raft is made up of several pieces of large bamboo strapped together with a rubber strap. There are no sides or seats on it and you find yourself sitting on the bamboo planks leaning from side to side to maneuver your raft. There is a guide who uses a smaller bamboo shaft to push us off the sides of the riverbank if need be. The rivers are moving fast so this was quite an experience. There is no staying dry on this ride. We loved it and found it very refreshing.

One day we decided to visit an elephant kraal and then trek through the mountains on the backs of these huge animals. Our mahout was very agile and could climb up to his spot on the elephants head by standing on the animals tusks and then being lifted to the elephants head by his trunk.  I loved watching him with his elephant. A nudge, a sound, a pat behind the ear could direct this animal in any direction.  He could also spot sugar cane  and bananas and would often jump off the animal to acquire some of these for him. We found ourselves thinking of a bygone mode of travel and while we found our expedition thrilling, we realize it was probably a long hard ride.

Another time we opted  to have a Mexican holiday. For those of you in the know, you will recall that this is our code name for sitting out by the pool and relaxing. Sipping cool drinks. Reading. We enjoyed the hotels brunch and then took our books outside and just enjoyed some leisurely time doing…well, nothing really. We are breathing and catching up on some long needed rest. No plans or decisions have to be made today.

We extended our stay a few days and then plan to travel to Cambodia where we will visit the Temples of Angkor. We are planning on taking the train to Bangkok and then a bust to Siem Reap. We hear there is a boat that cruises on the Mekong Delta so we are hoping to take that to Viet Nam. We will let you know...

Ayutthauya

When the Northbound train from Bangkok stopped at Ayutthauya we were the only passengers who got off. For a moment we weren't sure if this was because we had travelled on the second class train (equivalent to first class) and there just weren't a lot of other people on our train or if this sleepy little town might not be worth the stop. We are happy to say it was a delightful place and certainly worth seeing.

Ayutthauya was the capitol of Thailand (Siam) from the 14th to 18th century. It was one of the richest cities in South East Asia in its day but was attacked and destroyed by the Burmese in the middle of the 17th century. The capitol was relocated to Bangkok and the ancient buildings were left unattended and in time unrecognizable as the great city it once was. In the 1980's a restoration project (UNESCO) began and this area is being renovated. It is beautiful and rich in Thai culture and history.

We arrived in the morning and after we checked into our room we began to explore. With map in hand, history book tucked away, and a few bottles of water we set off. It is a relatively small city and so we opted to explore by foot this first day. From a distance we could see an elephant kraal and I will be the first to say it is pretty exciting to see an elephant on the road and in the middle of the day. We walked over to Wat Mongkhon Bophit and Wat Ratburana and along our way we met a young Thai man who wanted to practice his English. He chatted with us for awhile and then took us to the places we had planned to see that day. We appreciated his time and the history of the area he was able to give us.

For dinner we decided to eat at the night market. Small street vendors lined the roadway with an array of culinary delights . Our senses were assaulted with a variety of smell, sights, and the sounds as people began preparing their speciality foods. It was utterly fascinating and, I might add, the beginning of some food habits I may never be able to give up. At the end of a long hot day, a nice cold Chang or Singha beer with a hot piece of fried chicken, some phad thai with some green or yellow curry, spicy shrimp soup in coconut milk and then finished up with strawberry and lychee ice cream with red chili balls is really hard to beat! We sat on some plastic chairs under a tarp by the river and counted this as one of the best meals we have ever eaten! We could hardly wait to do this again the next day!

We had heard that they light up the historical sites at night and it really is a beautiful thing to see. We hired a tuk-tuk and rode through the area and enjoyed the cool evening breeze. A lightening storm was off in the distance and as it flashed against the darkened night sky it added a dimension to our night tour that we will never forget. It was an incredible evening to be right where we were.

The next day we picked up a few bicycles and peddled our way through town. This way we could see more of the area in less time. Traffic drives on the left lane and the rule of thumb is the largest vehicle has the right of way…always. We took the back roads and while it took us a little longer it was certainly worth it to us. It was beautiful to wander through the streets of this little city.

While it was hot and we walked or road our bikes about ten miles each day, we found this area very relaxing. We head to Chiang Mai tomorrow on the train. The ride should take about ten hours and we are excited about heading North and experiencing another part of Thailand. We look forward to our new adventures and all that await us. Will let you know...

Train, planes, and automobiles…

We find that we are becoming familiar with the many forms of travel here in Thailand and each form  gives a different perspective of life and of the area. We opted to go into 'modern' Bangkok the other day and took a long tail boat up the river so that we could catch the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) and explore the city.  Traveling by boat one could see life from the waters edge. Their are  floating markets, where peddlers place their wares in small boats and one shops from boat to boat. People live on the waters edge in  houses built on stilts and as our boat travels by we are able to see life on the water. It looks hard to us but people maneuver around with a sense of familiarity and ease.

We got off the boat at the last pier on the route and crossed the street into the MRT world. Everyone moves quickly here and people come from…everywhere to hop aboard the sky train. We purchased an all day pass which allowed us to hop on and off at any stop. This was a good choice for us as we opted to get off at anyplace that looked interesting to us. We moved quickly from station to station and when we got off we were in the middle of the modern shopping area of Bangkok. It looked a lot like San Francisco. We had lunch at a chic cafe. We looked around at what other people were ordering and picked what looked interesting. We are still trying to eat something new each day and find we have a long way to go before we run out of new things to try.
The sky train is air conditioned so it is a comfortable way to travel. It rides on a track above the city  so you can see the enormity of the city from an elevated position. It is also fascinating to watch the vast number of people who come on and off the train. Young and old all enroute to somewhere.

We left Bangkok yesterday via the train. We heard that the countryside is very beautiful and the best view is from the train so we are heading Northward.  We rode second class which is the most comfortable way to travel. Reclining seats and air conditioning makes for a lovely adventure. We are heading to Chiang Mai with a few stops along the way…we are embracing all that is new to us and are excited to see where our journey leads us.

Days in Bangkok

There is a convergence of time and culture that is unmistakable as you walk down the streets of Bangkok. Nine lanes of traffic all stopping as one old woman pushes her rickshaw across the street. Men selling lotto tickets right next to a Buddhist temple where people are praying. Ornate temples surrounded by alleyways where old men and women are selling everything from food to toiletries on a card table. The weather is dynamic. I walk with my umbrella open to shade me from the hot sun and suddenly I am ready for the deluge of rain that comes everyday at 3:00. It  stimulates all of our senses and we are taking it all in.

We meander through the sites one is to see while in Bangkok. Temples, monuments, the Grand Palace, the river and canals, their history all on display in the middle of town. We take a tuk-tuk to see the area from the back seat as our driver whisks in and out of traffic. We hired a local woman named Anne who gave us an in-depth history and some insights into the Thai people and their culture as she escorts us to a variety of places. It was fascinating to learn more about their daily lives.

Part of the beauty here are the unexpected moments when we stop doing the tourist things. When the 3:00 rainstorm hit yesterday it was significant. We could no longer walk home in it and a taxi or tuk-tuk could not be found anywhere. We ducked into a monastery and sat with locals to wait out the storm. Here we had delightful conversations and drank warm coffee and learned more about the people and their outlook on life. We learned of a little boy who was probably around six or seven whose parents had been killed. His only family were the people in this monastery and they all came together to care for him. It is a shared responsibility by this small group of monks and everyone pitched in. He was clean and well fed and very playful. He is lovingly referred to as monkey because he is a rambunctious boy. There was a monk sitting on a small platform and people would walk up and talk to him. I was curious about the role of the monk in the Buddhist religion so I asked about this also.  I was told that sometimes people come to ask for blessings and favor for their everyday needs. Sometimes for things such as happiness and other times  for  specific things such as provision for their families. It was good to sit and talk and we learned so much.

We sat for an hour or so before the storm finally  let up and then were able to walk home in knee deep water. Yes, I said knee deep! I think our total California rainfall happened in an hour and fifteen minutes. We made it home and had a cold beer, some warm peanuts and a dip in our swimming pool.

It was a lovely day…looking forward to what tomorrow brings.

We are in Thailand!

Have you ever daydreamed about a place you always wanted to go a and suddenly woke up and you were there? Well for me, one of those places is Thailand and Southeast Asia. We arrived last evening in the middle of a torrential lightning and thunder storm! It was spectacular to say the least. Being an avid fan of weather with personality…blustery, rainy, with some thunder and lightening being my favorite, I took it as a personal welcome and am sitting in my fourth floor room listening to the rain hit the tin roof and watching the most glorious lightening show ever.

While this weather may deter some…we are not a part of that crowd. Thailand is well known for it's massage and cooking schools and we plan to do both as many times and places as possible. Today may be the perfect day for those activities. We are staying in one of the older neighborhoods, Banglamphu,  by the recommendations of our 'children' Dezerai and Jared Seitzer who spent several months in this area. There are many temples with walking distances so the location is perfect. Bicycles are available and when the rain lets up we will begin to explore a little further. We are pleased so far and look forward to see what the day will bring.

It is early morning and I am up enjoying this quiet moment…aware of how very blessed I am. Not a day goes by that I don't thank God for the beautiful life I have and the people and places that are in it. Excited to see what the day will bring. Will let you know!