We arrived safely and easily! Bangkok feels so fresh and clean compared to B'desh! On the flight, we were cracking up because there seemed to be no regard for regulations as we were taxi-ing to the gate. Everyone was getting up and gathering their belongings from the overhead bins and walking to the front of the plane (I wonder where they thought they were going). The pilot loved Jeremy and took him into the cockpit. When Rusty mentioned he is a US pilot, he exclaimed "why didn't you tell us and ride up front!!"
Well Courtney has promised to post tomorrow...she, Rusty and myself have been feeling yick today (especially me). Our guest house is comfortable and we have planned on staying here for 3 nights while we tour Bangkok's typical sites. Hopefully tomorrow we will see the grand palace and visit the night bizarre. The kids swam most of today to relax. On Sat am I'm hoping to see the monks chant in the early am.
Late afternoon we were swept away on a Tuk-Tuk (motorcycle taxi) to see some sights before going to the T.A.T (government agency to book our transportation and touring here in Thailand). It really felt like some sort of set up but we cautiously went along because Rusty had heard that the TAT is a good place to book reliable and inexpensive travel. We reluctantly were convinced to book all our transportation, which we hope has turned out cost effective. It was a difficult decision since we're trying to leave a somewhat open schedule to allow for spontaneity...but we definitely knew we wanted to be in Chaing Mai for 5 days and on the beach for 4 :).
Well Courtney has promised to post tomorrow...she, Rusty and myself have been feeling yick today (especially me). Our guest house is comfortable and we have planned on staying here for 3 nights while we tour Bangkok's typical sites. Hopefully tomorrow we will see the grand palace and visit the night bizarre. The kids swam most of today to relax. On Sat am I'm hoping to see the monks chant in the early am.
Late afternoon we were swept away on a Tuk-Tuk (motorcycle taxi) to see some sights before going to the T.A.T (government agency to book our transportation and touring here in Thailand). It really felt like some sort of set up but we cautiously went along because Rusty had heard that the TAT is a good place to book reliable and inexpensive travel. We reluctantly were convinced to book all our transportation, which we hope has turned out cost effective. It was a difficult decision since we're trying to leave a somewhat open schedule to allow for spontaneity...but we definitely knew we wanted to be in Chaing Mai for 5 days and on the beach for 4 :).
ADDENDUM: We later found out that we were definitely targest of a scam, but that we handled it very well (most people end up at illegal agencies and stuck in Tuk Tuks going all over the city to try to get them to buy jewels and cloth). We believe our agency was legal...we'll be keeping our fingers crossed!
We've had such great luck on this trip and I'm willing to believe that we escaped the scam relatively unscathed with somewhat of an open schedule left for Chiang Mai and the beach. This is because we were cautious from the start. Rumor has it, no matter how cautious you are you're gonna get bit by some sort of scam. So we are writing this off as one more experience in Thailand.
We're headed to Chaing Mai on Saturday to see the Elephant Sanctuary, trekking with elephants (just a 2 day) and trekking up to Pai to tour Lod Cav (per Raderstorf suggestion!). We'll take the train to the gulf side beaches of Chumphon for the end of our Thailand tour. We were hesitant not to go to the popular beaches on the west side by we heard there are some refugee troubles on the west coast of Thailand and we decided to avoid any bad action there. We also, chose a beach that is easy to travel to since the kids are needing some simplicity. There is an amazing island trip we hope we can take once we're in Chumphon...we'll see how that pans out.
The plans are loosely formed around a day here and there to do shotgun ideas. We'll fill you in as that goes.
We'll I'm off to see if I can stomach some toast and jam.
We're headed to Chaing Mai on Saturday to see the Elephant Sanctuary, trekking with elephants (just a 2 day) and trekking up to Pai to tour Lod Cav (per Raderstorf suggestion!). We'll take the train to the gulf side beaches of Chumphon for the end of our Thailand tour. We were hesitant not to go to the popular beaches on the west side by we heard there are some refugee troubles on the west coast of Thailand and we decided to avoid any bad action there. We also, chose a beach that is easy to travel to since the kids are needing some simplicity. There is an amazing island trip we hope we can take once we're in Chumphon...we'll see how that pans out.
The plans are loosely formed around a day here and there to do shotgun ideas. We'll fill you in as that goes.
We'll I'm off to see if I can stomach some toast and jam.
4 comments:
The Denver Zoo is building a new area called "Asian Tropics" for the animals that call, well, the Asian tropics, home. My office is heavily involved with the project (though I'm not working on it). Last year (July maybe?) the zoo sent a team, including one person from my office, to Thailand to check stuff out, including the Elephant Sanctuary in Chaing Mai. He had a wonderful time and came back with wonderful pictures. He said there was an element of sad to it, though. And he said the structures would never meet US safety standards. I'm glad to see you're having such a fulfilling trip -- hard to believe it's half over already.
By the way, it turns out that your friend Margaret and her twins are friends with our next-door neighbor from Horizons. We crossed paths at a birthday party. You know them too, kind of. Jeremy was in their son Mitchell's class (I think that's the connection.) Fun, huh?
Hi Family, Hope you got my e-mail - we are off to Ecuador and Peru tomorrow, but will keep in touch through Julie and Katie. Hopefully we'll get some internet time so we can keep tracking you.
We won't be seeing any elephants but hope to see lots of Galapagos iguanas, blue footed boobies, and giant turtles. When we have the next family get together, the rest of the family may run for the hills ---WAY TOO MANY PICTURES TO LOOK AT :)
Love, Mom H
Jen,
We plan on checking out the Elephant Sanctuary on Sunday! Glad you and Margaret hooked up. That's a great group of 3 families right there!
Take good care,
Cami
Jen,
We plan on checking out the Elephant Sanctuary on Sunday! Glad you and Margaret hooked up. That's a great group of 3 families right there!
Take good care,
Cami
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