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Final Thoughts

Final thoughts from Bryan

Now that the trip is behind us, there is so much to process. I am filled with gratitude for the experience, gratitude for the sense of Divine protection and guidance, gratitude for the reminder that goodness exists all over our shared world, and gratitude for getting to travel with an Eagle Scout and my best friend. I can heartily recommend Trevor as a travel companion. In all fairness I think I can say we were good for each other. Being human, we all miss things from time to time. I missed many things and Trevor was there to help me get back on track. Likewise, the things that Trevor missed were things that I noticed and helped him back on track.

I want to thank all of you who followed along with our travel blog. We've heard from many of you and we're glad you took the trip along with us. Special thanks to Trevor who spearheaded the creation of the blog and handled all the postings. While we both worked on entries and proofed each other's work, it was he who really kept it going.

After a trip like this it's impossible to know all the changes that have taken place in our hearts and minds. Only time will reveal the hidden jewels now planted deep within us. I wish each of you could experience the expansion that takes place when immersed in another culture. Prejudice and fear fall away in light of understanding, and compassion grows.

I look forward to continuing the journey of sharing the joy of yoga and the joy of life on our earth. And I also look forward to exploring more of this beautiful planet we call home.

Namaste, Aloha, and Sawadee Krup!

-Bryan

The Return

An unconscious (and completely true) reflection of the trip, by Trevor

Adjusting back to my normality was not automatic and I found myself feeling exhausted with some flu like symptoms. One evening as I was feeling rather puny I decided to take a hot bath. A few pleasant bath salts in the water, soft lighting and soothing sounds on the radio were a guarantee for a rejuvenating soak. I settled into the steaming tub, delighted with myself for correctly diagnosing my ailments and discovering the perfect remedy. As dictated by the perfect environment I gently dozed off into a refreshing slumber.

It was dark, yet there were faint rays of light ahead peeking through a doorway. I maneuvered cautiously along a long narrow walkway, eyes fixed ahead toward my destination. My hand steadied myself as it dragged along the cold stone wall to my right. As I neared the end of the path the light had increased to the point I was able to see my surroundings, I was back at Angkor Wat; the mysterious temple ruins of Cambodia.

My choice in music and bath scents unconsciously carried me through memories of my visit to this famed location and the awe and splendor of it rushed back to mind. It was dusk, just as it was the first time I visited the mammoth temple. Monkeys could be heard playfully calling to each other in the distance and the huge spires of the center complex were alive with the chatter of birds settling in for the night. I was alone except for the ambient sounds of the wildlife. An eerie hush came upon the place as the last fading rays of the sun began to dissipate beyond the horizon. I stood in silence for a moment soaking in the sensation of reliving the event.

After a reflective moment of gratitude I decided to move onward and passed through the open doorway and ran smack dab into the back of a large African American guy. He was standing on the edge of a ledge looking out at the expanse. There was nothing unusual about him except for his being out of place in my dream and his sudden appearance gave me quite a start. I let out an uncontrollable shriek. One thing that every sensible person knows is not to walk up behind someone else and let out a startling screech. Much less when that individual is standing on a 30 ft wall with no rails and even doubly so when they believe they are alone at a spooky and mysterious ruin at sundown. The man did what any person would have done in such a situation. He leaped into the air in complete terror and right off the wall into the courtyard far below. I was obviously shocked and dismayed by my irresponsible reaction and horrified at his. I wasn’t able to hear everything the man snarled but after a few recognizable expletives he ended his sentence with “kill you” and shot off around the corner headed towards the stairs. My immediate thought was to run but the scenario was obviously unintentional. Reason can be a powerful ally; certainly he would be calm enough after racing back to my location after having just survived his 30 ft. near death plunge to listen to reason. So I made my decision – I ran like hell.

I jolted awake. There I was, stewing in my soup of smelling salts and sweat, safe and sound back in America with no fear of anyone on their way to rip my innards out. I laughed so hard I almost punctured a lung.

Tokyo

Our return home included a purposefully planned twelve hour layover in Tokyo which included, among other challenges, another massive culture shock. The familiarity we had gained with the visual look of the Thai language, currency and customs went right out the door. Japanese, in all its calligraphic glory, was everywhere, and primarily without English subtitles.

Walking into the Narita airport we might as well been walking on another planet and we were instantly lost. We had trouble claiming our bags, we had trouble finding money, we had trouble finding our next flight check in, we had trouble finding directions, maps and travel info, and even had trouble finding someone that spoke English. After some effort, fueled by the determination to get into Tokyo, we had our information and made our plans. We stashed everything we didn’t want to carry in a locker and went to the Metro.

Surprisingly, we had little effort purchasing an express train and Metro pass for the Tokyo NEX Narita Express but getting on the correct train was another story. We showed the tickets, which were completely in Japanese, to several workers at the station, including the conductor of one of the trains. We were all pointed onto a train which ended up going entirely in the wrong direction. We discovered the error by following station signs with the map. Completely perplexed and hoping for some help, we made the bold move to exit the train at one of the stations. Not a soul that we could find knew any English. We made our way to the top level and eventually found a man in a ticket booth that said he ‘knew a little English’. Those were the last words he said in English. He looked at our tickets and started on a monologue in Japanese which included trying to get us to exit the toll area. We were worried that if we exited we may have to pay again to re-enter, so we took the tickets back, bowed a few times and headed back down to the platform. Another train came and left and we stood there bewildered. Finally another train came on an adjoining platform with only the letters NEX on the side. We thought that was our best shot. We ran as fast as we could back up the stairs and over to the next platform and just made it onto the train before the doors shut and away we went, although still not quite sure where we were headed. We tried to orient ourselves from the first couple of stops, and when we gained confidence we were headed in the right direction, out of exhaustion, we both fell fast asleep.

We woke up as the train arrived at the Tokyo station. We succeeded in getting on a subway to the Ueno station. We exited to begin yet another adventure of wrong directions and perplexing information. It was a challenge just to find our way out of the station. It was winter in Japan, so the businesses were closed up and the interiors were not visible from the sidewalk. Signs in front of shops had chalk headlines with what we assumed were daily specials. From our vantage point they could be selling anything from bird cages or plumbing supplies - we were hoping for lunch. Drivers used the left side of the street here, and all the sidewalks had a designated biking lane which we mistakenly used a few times.
Following a hunch, we headed toward a sign that would occasionally flash the word OPEN in English. Sure enough, it was a small restaurant. After being seated, the server handed us menus with Japanese AND English (were we that obvious?) and we reverted to the fool proof ‘point and smile’ system. After our tempura lunch we headed out for a famous temple area...

We stumbled upon an information store and met our first real English speaker that proved to be quite helpful. With her suggestions and maps in hand, we headed toward the points of interest. Walking proved to be a challenge due to the overabundance of rickshaw drivers. At every step drivers were offering us rides, for a fee of course. It became somewhat of a game to successfully avoid them. We found our own way to some renowned temple, famous for something that we never found out. We explored a few other areas and found a market where we bought a few souvenirs. We made our way back to the subway and then to one final stop at Asakusa. There we found two important and distinctive structures. The first we immediately dubbed “the golden turd”. We later found out our nickname was actually the unofficial name for the Asahi Beer Hall, which is one of the buildings of the Asahi Breweries headquartered on the east bank of the Sumida River. The other structure was the new and soon to be famous (and not yet open to the public) Sky Tree. This looming structure, opening in two more months, was billed at the tallest observation tower in the world. We were sorry we couldn’t enter, but it was nice to see the completed structure from below. It was nonetheless impressive from our lowly vantage point.

Our Tokyo tour was cut a little short from a twisted ankle (all healed, thank you) so we headed back to the airport where we checked in and had our final foreign meal: some veggie noodle soup.

Three sunsets, two sunrises, twelve time changes including crossing the International Date Line, and our trip from Thailand back to the USA had concluded. We were energized yet exhausted from the journey, but it was worth every moment.

Additional Thoughts

The following is a list of events or items that we noted during the trip that were potential entries into the blog. There was just too much to write to include it all. They are listed here primarily as reminders for us…

Workers were slow, no one was in a hurry unless they were driving.
Thai people look young, almost like kids, even the aged.

The Thai word for pig is moo.

Phuket had a large population of Muslims and mosques could be seen everywhere. 
While trying to negotiate on a cheap souvenir necklace on James Bond Island brought out the mean spirit in a Muslim sales woman who with disgust took the money we offered and added a few choice muttered words through snarling teeth. Whatever she said it didn’t sound complimentary.

French guests stayed next to us at the guesthouse with the “world’s greatest child”
Rene, another guest we met was an eccentric sort of free soul from Switzerland.
Russians were the least liked visitors in Thailand, French were a close second, and Israeli’s third.

IPhone’s were everywhere, far more people seemed to have them there than in the US
We often saw young boys escorting what appeared to us to look very much like well dressed American businessmen, or perhaps politicians.

We went to a Dairy Queen in the mall and tried a few varieties of ice cream not available in the USA the most notable being Green Tea flavor.

Bathrooms all had water for butt washings and rarely had toilet paper.
We also rarely found towels to dry hands (or butt) in a public restroom.

Upon our arrival in Bangkok, it paid us to be choosy. The first cab wanted to charge 900 Baht to take us to our hotel, and the second did it for 450b.

Streets at 12:30 am were busy and almost as crazy as daytime hours.
The Subway was completely shoulder to shoulder packed at 9:30 pm Fri night.

On more than one occasion we were noted as Bryan and his fat friend.

Grocery prices were no cheaper than home. A box of cereal was $7. Groceries were the same or more.
Just because things don't have expiration dates on them doesn't mean they shouldn't have one.
Corn seemed to be the most common flavor of just about anything. We saw, and tried, corn drinks, corn milk, corn ice cream, corn pizza, corn on a stick, Corn pancakes and corn waffles, corn desserts...
We were presented local blue shirts and leis by Bum on our departure

After eating fresh fruits and vegetables for a month we felt great. It was a chore to eat our packaged, boxed and preserved foods back home and it felt awkward doing so. There was quite a noticeable difference.

Jackie was our friendly and talkative flight attendant on the return trip home on AA.
We ordered kosher meals for flights which included Multi-meals, we were constantly eating.
We had to left the blinds closed on the flight home, the light was so blinding.
There was no info in Chicago at immigration and we exited the area and had a heck of a time re-entering the terminal.
Two sport teams on flight from Chicago to XNA.
We were picked up at XNA by Andrea.

Bryan:
Was the guest piano performer at the restaurant in Chiang Mai. His playing earned us free meals
Favorite fruit was Rose Apples
Only digestion problems the whole trip was immediately after eating at KFC
Left phone off for the whole 30 days
Drank cobra whiskey in Laos
Lost his hearing due to water in the ear

Trevor:
Received the shortest haircut of his life in Chiang Mai
Had several incidents of minor digestion issues
Had a traumatic toilet experience at the elephant camp
Hit his head on the zip line at the elephant camp enough to bleed and look scary
Had two bike injuries while in Chiang Mai
Was frequently dizzy during massage classes, but only while on the third floor
Was kissed on the forehead at a cabaret show by a lady boy who left large red lip prints
Mosquito bites: many time, many time
Found iPhone maps incredibly useful
Participated in Karaoke on van trip while visiting Nop


Our Temple tour in Bangkok was conducted by Tony / Sakda 8:30 - 2:30 (081-772-6487)

Thai Bits and Pieces

The sun’s rays exploited a gap in the curtains and proceeded to warm the cool air lingering from the night. Unlike mornings at home where work beckons us to make a daily return, here we were greeting with fresh fruits and yogurt, and freshly baked breads and warm tea. Today however was different, for this was our final morning. We lingered in our room enjoying the tranquility of the morning listening to the distant sounds of the city beyond the walls of our guest house. Precisely on cue, the maid arrived at the doorstep, sweeping the prior day’s droppings of dried leaves from the garden patio. We were in no hurry to leave, and serendipitously were not scheduled to do so until the afternoon.

At breakfast we learned that another guest was waiting for our room, and the maid was on call to prepare it after our exit. Not wanting to keep everyone waiting, we quickly transferred our things into an adjoining room and then began the wearisome and monumental task of packing for our return flight.

As the afternoon approached, we found ourselves seated in the lounge with bags bulging near our feet, reflecting on our now expired month in this ancient civilization. Still without many of the modern luxuries of our relatively new culture in the States, this land has survived and even thrived with a richness uniquely its own. We discussed some of the many differences - some drastic and some minor - that made this land exciting and fresh.

We found that driving was not the only thing they did backwards from us - the contents of salt and pepper shakers seemed to be reversed. The small or single holes put out the salt and the larger or multiple holes put out the pepper. Oops. Better like both, 'cause there ain't no turning back once it’s on the food. We quickly learned to test first, shake later.

Speaking of driving, it was tricky adjusting to the flow of traffic. Something as customary as walking down the road had to be altered here. It’s not that moving to the other side of the road is hard, but we found that staying there is sometimes a problem. We had several close calls on our bicycles when we accidentally and unconsciously reverted to our American traffic system programming, especially when turning corners. Fortunately most Thai drivers are well accustomed to sharing the road with motorbikes, bicycles, people on foot and various animals including dogs and chickens, and they seem to be most accommodating and forgiving. We never saw even a hint of road rage.

In the populous parts of Thailand, it is a constant sight to see an unbelievable number of electric wires strung from pole to pole. In fact, the tops of poles are often completely buried in wires. We were also amazed to see workers on scaffolding and ladders made from bamboo. We even saw line workers with their bamboo ladders supported by the very lines they were fixing. Talk about getting your wires crossed.

As hair will grow, and ours did, the host at our Guest House recommended a nearby barber. Our diligent hair technician spoke no English so our instructions on how much to trim were met with smiles and nods. It seems that a smile really IS the international way to say "have no idea what you say but okay". We never expected what all was included in that $2 service. Eyebrows too long? Clip clip. Nose hair sticking out? Clip clip clip. Ear hair sticking out? Clip! At the sink we received the Thai Massage version of shampooing. We imagined her thoughts: “Lather, scrub, squeeze, pull, push and rub all hair from client head, rinse and repeat. Make sure push on head bumps. No head bumps? Make some.”

Thai people seem to have an almost magical way of dealing with trash for we rarely saw trash cans in public places, yet litter was equally as rare. In Bangkok it is actually illegal to litter. We were constantly hunting for trash cans and were frequently left holding the bag, or cup, or wrapper…

Thais must also be very clean eaters. IF we had napkins at restaurants they were hardly bigger than a movie ticket, barely big enough to wipe half a lip. Some napkins in American restaurants (can you say buffet?) can unfold to the size of a newspaper. Small trash bins sat beneath most tables so at least we knew where to put our micro-napkins when we were through.

Most restaurants provided chopsticks, and occasionally there were places where no other kinds of eating utensils were visible. Thai servers also took some getting used to, and at first it seemed we were being ignored. We found out that once they bring your meal you are on your own. They don’t even bring the check until they are signaled to return.

Working through our travel to-do list, we decided to see a movie in Thailand. We found a theater that had films showing in English so we took a bicycle trek to a cinema complex in a gigantic mall. There was more parking designated for motorcycles than cars, and the lots were full and overflowing. As we neared the entrance to the parking area, a large snake was crossing the road. It was well over three feet long; nice, brown and cobra-esque. No one seemed to pay any attention to it, besides us. Perhaps the locals are accustomed to the critters, but it gave us quite a start.

Entering the five level mall felt like walking into any huge mall in the United States. The main difference was the prevalence of Thai language on signs and placards; however the idea of a SALE transcends the language barrier. The theater was on the topmost level and as modern as any in the world. Purchasing tickets was automated and required seat selection. For an additional charge you could get a seat in the "Honeymoon Section", which encompassed the last couple of rows in the back of the theater.

Being popcorn enthusiasts we had to order some for the show. I ordered the jumbo, the largest size they offer, and was handed a small bag. I tried to exchange it hoping the clerk would understand that I wanted the extra-large, not a small or medium. The guy had to call over help before we both understood, that WAS the large! Yikes! We knew the Thai people were small, but even their popcorn matches? I ordered a second bag.

Before the movie started, as is customary in all theaters in Thailand, the Thai national anthem played and all stood in reverence to the king. Even though we had already experienced a few of these national patriotic pauses, they never ceased to impress.
The movie we saw was a new American release, and we actually got to see it almost a full week before the American premier. Too bad we had to leave the country ONE DAY before the early release of the new 3D Star Wars Episode One. Guess we'll have to wait and see it in the US with all the other poor saps who didn’t get in on it early. As we were leaving the theater we noticed the floor of the grand entry area was lined with golden stars and names of screen actors. One that immediately stood out was Gwyneth Pattrow (instead of Paltrow). Poor Gwyneth. immortalized erroneously in Thailand.

Exiting the theater back into the mall we found the entire place closed up for the night. The escalators had stopped, all the primary lighting was out and the place deserted, with the exception of the movie goers. It was an eerie feeling and we wondered if we were supposed to be there. We followed some other stragglers back to the parking area, and on our bicycles made one last cross city trek back to the guest house. 

Nop

Our final days in Thailand went quickly and were without obligation. We returned to the Walking Market for the third week in a row to see if we could find anything else we couldn't live without. We managed to fill our backpack with things we never expected to buy, such as an original painting and wall hangings with elephants and camels. Shortly before leaving we met Nop, the owner of a small massage business who was running a booth at the market. He had a unique twist on Thai Massage. His process is called Tok Sen and involves the use of small wooden mallets. The masseur follows the body’s sen (energy) lines tapping on a wooden ‘chisel’ as they move up and down the arms, legs and back. Although noisy, the procedure is remarkably pleasant. Our new friend Nop filled our ears with his story and his dreams of opening a local holistic wellness retreat center where people can learn how to eat and live healthier. We were intrigued and impressed with his aspirations and zeal. Nop invited us to his place of business (at his home) for an all day spa treatment and we accepted.

Our final day in Chiang Mai turned out to be much more of a treat than we expected. We arose as usual, had our breakfast, and walked outside where a TukTuk was waiting to take us to Nop’s place. Our spa day began at a local swimming pool with watsu sessions; watsu being a form of therapeutic bodywork performed in warm water pools. We returned to Nop's place for an herbal sauna, followed by some kind of scrub bath and shower, and finally a full Thai massage using the Tok Sen method. Nop’s little business was more of a Bed & Breakfast Spa than a massage studio. He had a multi-level house with many rooms which he opened to his guests. Anyone stopping by for a massage was allowed to stay over and enjoy the facilities, including home prepared meals, at no additional charge. He was dedicated to helping people increase their health and happiness. The evening dinner (which we helped to prepare) was mostly vegetarian. The meal was shared with guests from Thailand, Spain, Germany, Holland and the USA (us!). After the meal, Nop arranged for everyone to be driven to the local night market and see a cabaret show. The entire day was relaxing yet rejuvenating and provided a firsthand glimpse of daily Thai life. What a wonderful way to conclude our trip.

Back at our guesthouse that evening, we reflected on Nop and his desire to provide a facility that caters to people’s need for physical and mental prosperity. It's a goal that may seem impossible for an average Thai citizen to accomplish on his own, yet we had already seen it in action on a much smaller scale. Nop’s dedication to his clients and selflessness in creating an atmosphere of health and well-being were quite evident. His house was so full of residents that he had given up his own bedroom so that others would have a place to stay. The bill for our all day spa visit with him was nothing. He never requested money but allowed his guests to pay him according to what they felt his service and hospitality was worth. We wondered if we could find a way to bring him to America so he could share his talents and hopefully earn some money to take home to help pursue his vision. We were humbled by his graciousness, and our time with him was a perfect ending for our journey. We were leaving a land rich in hospitality, goodness and genuine caring for one another, and returning to a land where such traits are often challenged by our fast paced and self-serving society. We were reminded of the words of Wan, our gracious and fluent English speaking TukTuk driver in Cambodia, "We are all the same, we have the same physical bodies and the same minds, yet some people are born into plenty and others are born into poverty. It’s not fair but it’s the way things are, so we shouldn't complain, but strive to make the best out of what we have." Words that we hope will ever be engraved in our hearts and minds.

Classes Conclude

The second week of Thai Massage classes seemed to go a little smoother than the first. Not sure if it was because we now had some of the basics down or if we were still numb from the previous week. Whatever the reason, we were now equipped to return some of the new torture techniques we had learned back on our teacher. The two of us were his only students this week so two former students returned from time to time to help us practice. Our teacher, Mos, was very preoccupied with trying to sell his truck and was constantly in and out of the room with phone calls and meetings regarding the sale. He did bring in some little sticky coconut rice treats that we enjoyed during our frequent breaks.

The second week of classes repeated many of the same moves and techniques we learned in the previous week, and also explored some new and very demanding moves that required us to pull the client up on top of and over us. It’s certainly a strange concept to think that hoisting someone backwards over your knees is supposed to be therapeutic and relaxing, but apparently it helps somehow.

One of the better parts of class was getting to meet and spend time talking with people from other countries. We found it particularly interesting that those who speak English as their second language understood each other’s English better than we could. We were often left scratching our heads as their conversation would continue forward in their highly accented and broken English.

Our final day of class was to be a run through of every technique we had learned during both weeks so of course we were nervously hoping we could remember everything. With the amount of material we had to cover we were sure we would run way past our allotted time. Enter the iPhone! Luckily for us, Mos was very curious about our iPhone. We showed him how to access the games and within a few moments he was completely oblivious to us the remainder of the day. His focus on the game allowed us to slip through our final practice session, complete with shortcuts and imperfections, and we ended well ahead of schedule. Mos, happily surprised and satisfied by a job well accomplished (or so he presumed), presented us with our graduation certificates and we were free at last!

After completing the course on Friday, we were invited back to Mos’ house that evening for a BBQ with his family and a few former students. Our introduction to this Thai style BBQ was quite interesting. A fire was started in what appeared to be a small flower pot which contained a small amount of previously burned wood. The wood was actually a form of charcoal which burns long and hot. A metal apparatus that looked like a large manual citrus juicer was placed on top of the pot. It had a center dome for cooking the meat, and a surrounding trough for catching the juices to make soup. Mos’ wife placed a large bamboo mat on the ground in front of their house right on the sidewalk, and the BBQ pot was placed in the center. Raw meat and vegetables were brought out in bowls, and we sat on the bamboo mat circling the ‘hot pot’. Using chop sticks, we placed the meat and vegetables on the large ‘juicer’. The heat was intense and quickly grilled the meat and veggies. A little water was added, and in no time we had a very tasty chicken and vegetable soup. The dinner was as much a social occasion as a meal, and we ended up visiting around that hot pot for over three hours. It was a delightful experience that further promoted our cross cultural awareness.

As we biked home, we reflected on the day’s events. No matter what troubles and challenges a day may hold, an iPhone and a BBQ can make it all better.

Final Hurrah

This was our last weekend in Thailand and our final organized tour. April, a dear friend, gave some money with the instructions to use it for something wild and crazy. This was it, and it made for an unforgettable final hurrah to the trip. An eleven passenger minivan picked us up from the guest house at 9:30 for a cozy 30 min drive to our first destination. The passengers consisted of a couple from France, two from Romania, a girl from Russia, a girl from South Korea, two other Asians and the two of us.

Our first stop turned out to be one we weren't expecting, yet it was quite a pleasant surprise. It was a butterfly and orchid farm. There weren't many butterflies visible, perhaps they were cocooning or whatever butterflies do, but there were plenty of orchids. Hundreds of orchids; Thousands of orchids! There were so many sizes, shapes, colors and smells that we quickly hit overload and headed back to the bus. It was something you couldn't experience properly in 'turdy minit'.

Back on the bus we started our journey towards the jungle. The trip began like our previous excursions, speeding down highways and racing through small towns and villages. The drive was a blur of road side vendors, small farms and pictures of the king (King Ping!). We watched with amazement as the landscape changed drastically. Mountains grew out of the fields and the highway narrowed to a single pothole infested dirt road that often required the driver to beep his horn before taking the blind curves. Thick gnarled trees lined the paths, and forests of banana trees, papayas and bamboo wove through the countryside in Jurassic proportions encompassing the numerous dwellings of local farmers. The ascent continued up the narrow path with the edge of the road invisible at times from inside the van. The only comfort was the thick lush valley below should the vehicle lose its grip. The terrain changed again as we crossed the peak of the mountain and began our descent. Fields of corn and sunflowers sprang up as did rural villages. People here resembled Peruvians with their darker skin and funny hats. We passed open-air classrooms and groves of trees with 'Monk' orange cloths tied around them, not sure why, but we wondered if it had something to do with the many temples in the area.

Elephants emerged along the edge of a river, rumbling though the picturesque valley hauling passengers. We unloaded at an elephant camp but were detoured to the river where we were handed life preservers and paddles. An elderly man proceeded in broken English to give us a crash course in white water rafting. The key words to remember from the speech were 'forwar' and 'bacwar'. He invited several into the raft with him to help demonstrate the techniques. We were shown to shove our ankles under the front of the raft to help anchor ourselves and then row according to the captain’s directions. The Russian girl was obviously excited, her teeth shining through her enormous smile. The girl from the Ukraine was the exact opposite. She scowled and moaned agonizingly with each yell of 'forwar' and 'bacwar'.
We divided into two large rubber rafts, each with our own captain, and the race was on. The river immediately broke into a wild vortex of rocks and raging water, pulsing the bottom and sides of the raft like a homemade smoothie recipe compliments of Mother Nature. We paddled furiously to keep the raft upright. The Ukrainian girl not only made it in our raft but was seated in the front. She seemed particularly troubled but still managed to do a little paddling between the barked orders. We later found out that she had gotten a fresh ankle tattoo the night before and it was still very sore.
The water levels are low this time of the year, so the rapids subsided rather quickly. The majority of the time we floated calmly admiring the beauty of the valley. We passed many bamboo buildings and crudely fashioned homes alongside the river. Some had only partial walls; all were small and sparsely furnished with tables and cooking areas and mats for bedding. Our captain mentioned that he lived in one of them. I hoped it was the one we saw that had a satellite dish on the top. As we neared the end of our float trip we passed some local kids playing in the water. They called to our captain and then over they came splashing and laughing, clinging onto the side of our raft and some crawling in. We were one happy group of rafters and one particularly happy Ukrainian as we disembarked onto dry land.

A short van ride down the river took us to another elephant camp. Our first view of it was like watching a scene unfold on a movie screen. The river separated the parking area from the elephants, and a long rickety swinging bridge joined the two sides. Across the river there were several wooden towers with stairways which allowed passengers to easily mount the elephants. Little Thai people were scurrying between the mammoth beasts, hauling large bushels of sugarcane and hay on their backs and gathering elephant dung which they stacked into piles and set on fire. The rising smoke encased the camp in swirling white columns painting the entire scene in a surreal mist.

The bridge turned out to be more of a challenge than it first appeared. Rusty wire cables were supporting it, and new boards had been recently laid across the gaping holes left by the deteriorating older boards.
We successfully crossed the river and climbed onto one of the loading towers. Each elephant had their own trainer, which was consistently a very short and thin man that rode either right behind the creature's head or directly on top of it. A lady was on the platform selling bags of small bananas and sugar cane to feed the elephants, and of course we purchased some. The elephants wore saddles with baskets made to seat two people. We climbed on board, and the elephant began lumbering slowly down a well beaten path along the river bank. The path was full of large potholes which every elephant managed to miraculously avoid and still keep perfect cadence. The trail wound around deep curves and at times became very steep, which at one point proved to be very challenging for us to hold on and not slide out of the seat onto the neck of the animal or worse, onto the ground and underfoot. The elephants were overly cautious at these areas and took them very slowly, which prolonged the amount of time we spent clinging onto the back and sides of the seats. It added both suspense and excitement to the ride.

When we reached the end of the route, we stopped at a feeding area. The boy driving our elephant jumped onto a nearby platform, and right on cue the elephant curled his large trunk over his head toward us and exposed his two nostrils, which looked like large round eyes staring at us from the end of his trunk. We opened the bag of treats and placed one onto the end of his trunk. With the fruit firmly secured, the trunk swung back over his head and made its way directly into his mouth. The large appendage repeated the maneuver and again was staring at us from over his head. We also repeated our actions until the treats were depleted. The boy jumped back on his head, spoke a few words to the elephant in Thai, and in perfect obedience the elephant turned and lumbered down toward the river.
At an ideal spot where a steep incline made for an easy exit from the beast, the boy stepped off onto the bank and motioned for one of us to scoot out of the seat and take over driving. Once seated behind the elephant's neck, he pressed his leathery ears back to secure the legs of the new driver, and off he trekked towards the river. The bank was extremely steep and the elephant let out an uncomfortable growl as it maneuvered the near 45° angle descent. We could sympathize, for it was all we could do to hang on for dear life - one of us on the elephant's neck and the other desperately clinging to the seat which was thankfully strapped on securely. Once in the river, we rocked along like a fully loaded barge trudging steadily upstream. We made our way back to the loading platforms and disembarked. We gave our new friend some gentle rubs and pats and headed back across the bridge to our waiting lunch buffet.

After our meal, the group headed back to the river where we climbed onto rafts. These were not like the first inflatable ones, these were made of bamboo. Each raft was about 8' x 15' and flat, except for the natural curves in the bamboo poles. We sat on small wooden benches and enjoyed the calm and serene float down the gently flowing river. The craft was piloted by a young boy who stood on the back of the raft and steered us along using a single bamboo pole. We passed by small farms and hut homes along the banks, and watched locals herding their animals along the river paths. The afternoon was perfect, sunny and warm, but not too hot. We relaxed to the sounds of the gently swishing water and the playful calls of birds.

Back on shore we were taken to be suited up with harnesses and helmets. We crossed the familiar swinging bridge again and reentered the elephant area. The elephants' saddles were now removed as their work for the day was completed. Some elephants were at the river where their keepers bathed and played with them in the water. Others roamed unfettered on the hillsides and banks of the camp, free to wander and eat from the bundles of sugar cane, hay and other freshly cut vegetation. We were able to interact with them differently now, and it was refreshing to see them free and well cared for. We petted and fed corn to a baby standing in the shadow of its mother, and after a quick pose or two for some pictures we headed up the mountain to the zip lines.

The climb was short but steep and soon we reached the ladder to our first platform. It was only about 10 feet off the ground and supported by a thick and sturdy tree trunk. Our two caretakers for this adventure were Mike, who spoke fluent English, and Banc, who spoke no English, but was very good at pointing and laughing at our silly actions. We were given a brief demonstration of how things worked and quickly found ourselves flying from the first platform to the next, which was probably a good 30 feet from the ground.
After our first successful flight, we repeated the process another 18 times, each one gaining distance and height till we were well over 150 feet in the air and soaring such great expanses it was hard to make out the platform at the other end. Mike was an expert at keeping us calm and making us feel safe. Always full of good spirits and silly antics, he was able to keep us somewhat distracted from our moments of complete terror and abandonment as we whooshed alone along thin cables at deadly heights and breakneck speeds. A young elephant was wandering the hillside between a couple of the platforms pulling up fresh vegetation, completely unmoved by the two panic stricken white guys flailing out of control far overhead. We zipped over the river twice and saw groups of people paddling by on their bamboo rafts, and soon ended up back at the elephant camp. It was an amazing experience, and one that won't soon be forgotten although not likely soon repeated.

We then drove to a multilevel waterfall to pick up the members of our group that didn't want to tackle the challenge of the zip line. The waterfall was not large but quite beautiful as it cascaded through lush vegetation and past bamboo huts.

The final stop for the day was a visit to the Longneck people. The Longnecks are from the Karen tribe, and live in remote villages in huts made of crude bamboo and straw with no apparent modern conveniences. Their mark of fame is their women who wear long coiled brass rings around their necks which press their shoulders and collar bones down, giving them the appearance of having especially long necks. Girls start wearing the brass rings as early as 5 years old, and most will continue to wear them their whole life. Originally from Burma, the tribes migrated into Northern Thailand where they are now a prominent tourist attraction.
The village consisted of pathways lined with bamboo huts which were nothing but shops. The longneck ladies perch beside their merchandise calling tourists to come over to take a picture of them and buy a trinket or souvenir. Tourism is their primary source of income so they continue their awkward traditions. It felt uncomfortable to walk through their village and gawk at them as if walking through a zoo, and we couldn’t get back to the van fast enough.

We rode back to our guesthouse full of fond memories and experiences. The sun gracefully disappeared behind the trees heralding the end of the day, and shadows grew long on the open rice fields. This seemed to have a symbolic significance as we were ending our long adventure in Thailand. Our remaining time would be spent in preparation for returning home, but our hearts and minds had been forever changed.

Turty minit - Turty minit!!

After shopping around at several different travel agencies, we decided to make our Visa run (to extend our prematurely shortened visas) a little more exciting. For only 400 Baht (about $12) more we could add a few side trips.

Our Thai tour guide was an enthusiastic, rapid talking and heavily accented (as well as insanely funny) young girl named Star, and it was immediately apparent why she used that name. Star started her 'performance' explaining the highlights of our trip. Hanging over the front passenger seat, she kept the attention of her thirteen captive passengers with promises of great financial rewards if anyone knew the answers to a few Thai trivia questions. "One million baht to who know what is meaning of name 'Chiang Mai'", and then held her backpack up so we could feel the weight of the prize! Having recently written our blog entry on Chiang Mai, we knew the answer and 'won' the prize! Chiang Mai means 'New City'. She continued, "Another million baht to you if can tell me what mean Chiang Mai original name Lanna!" which we also knew, and we were again the winners of the unseen prize. The tour guide asked if we, having smarts like that, had a wife yet in Thailand. Not quite sure if she was fishing for a proposal...

We settled in for a two hour drive to our first destination of the White Temple in Chiang Rai. Our ebullient guide gave us another effervescent presentation on our upcoming temple visit, and made sure we knew to make a visit to the spectacular Golden Toilet. The what?!? Yes, the Golden Toilet.

As we exited the van, Star instructed us that we had exactly 'Turty Minit' to visit the White Temple, the local shops and food vendors, and the spectacular Golden Toilet. 'Turty Minit! Turty Minit' she exclaimed repeatedly! It turned out to be a fantastically gorgeous and interesting temple that was opened to the public only six years ago, and was constructed by a private individual at the cost of 400 million baht (about 14 million US dollars). We barely had time to walk through the temple itself (and take a quick look at the Golden Toilet) before the guide was rushing us back to the minivan. Not even time to grab a refreshing fruit drink or look at the myriad trinkets being sold by the numerous vendors. 'Turty Minit' goes by so fast!

Back on the minivan, we continued another couple of hours to our next destination - the Mae Khong River - where we boarded a rickety long neck boat for a short windy journey across the river to the country of Laos. The area here is referred to as "The Golden Triangle" and is actually the confluence of three rivers. The waterway provides a no man's land meeting point of three countries, Thailand, Laos and Myanmar, and is infamous for opium trafficking. Arriving on the Laos shore, we were again advised of our 'Turty Minit' time limit. We were relieved to find that at this border there were no intimidating officials or long lines. In a matter of minutes we were walking on real Laos soil.

This was the fourth country we visited on our trip, and we were excited to see what new adventures would be waiting for us there. We crossed the high concrete river bank and got our first glimpse of the country - hoards of vendors waiting to sell us something. These shops were a little different than the ones in Chiang Mai and had a bountiful supply of name brand knockoffs as well as new oddities. One shop was gathering excessive attention so we joined the crowd. The attraction - local whiskey, complete with your choice of 'pickled' roots, cobras, or scorpions. What?!? They said (as clearly as we were able to understand) the root vintage was lighter for the ladies and would help transform them into butterflies. We weren't sure what they said the other ones would do but we could surely guess. Only one of us had the nerve to try some and we'll leave it up to you to guess who.
Vendors were plentiful with a seemingly unlimited supply of delights. We were a bit sad that only a few minutes after our libation detour our'Turty Minit' was up and we were being heralded back to the boat. Bye bye *hic* Laos!

After another minivan ride and a buffet lunch at an Asian restaurant, we finally arrived at the gateway to Myanmar (Burma). Previously under British rule, the military government officially changed the English translations of many colonial-era names in 1989; these changed included the name of the country from Burma to Myanmar. The renaming remains a contested issue. Many opposition groups and countries continue to use "Burma" because they do not recognise the legitimacy of the ruling military government or its authority to rename the country. "Burma" continues to be used by the governments of many countries, including the United States.

Our border crossing proved to be quite a different experience from our Cambodian border crossing, thanks to the help of our hyperactive tour guide. Her requested two million Baht fee unfortunately used up our winnings from the morning trivia contest but her help was well worth it. We were the only two from our tour who needed the passport run, so while we focused on that task our fellow travelers had the opportunity to visit the many shops and vendors along the Thailand side of the border.
Crossing the border back into Thailand we were again impressed by the uniformity and relatively professional process by Thai immigration. We were equally unimpressed by the lack thereof on the adjoining border. The immigration office for Mynamar looked like grandma kettle's kitchen with piles of dirty dishes lingering in the rust stained sink behind the officer. Even with a short delay by a woman that was rushed through ahead of us thanks to a small payoff on her part, we were processed in a reasonably short amount of time. However smooth the process, we unfortunately used up our allotted 'Turty Minit' stop and only glanced at the goods being sold as we sprinted back to the van. That may have been fortunate for us as the guide advised to beware the name brand 'knock-offs'. She had recently purchased a new watch at the border and said "Knock off cheaper but go to sleeping very soon. Not wake up again."
The streets near the border were again familiarly full of food vendors, and this group had some of the strangest items we'd seen yet. Their items even made the Bat-on-a-stick look good.

Back on the minivan, we headed to our final stop at a hot spring near Chiang Rai. We arrived after dark to what looked like a big parking lot full of shops and vendors with a steaming hole in the middle (which is exactly what it was). We were advised of our new and revised 'Fiteen Minit' time limit for this location and quickly perused the vendors for a small snack. At the steaming hole people were gathered and lowering eggs into the sulphuric smelling water. For only 20 baht (less then a dollar) they had a small sulphur scented snack cooked by nature itself. We decided to pass on the boiled egg. The pungent odor pushed us away from the hole and over to the banana chips.

Flower Festival

The Chiang Mai Flower Festival occurs every year in February and fortunately our stay coincided with this year's event. The flower beds around town are especially gorgeous and showcase many varieties of flowers, some of which are only found in Chiang Mai. The focus of this festival is the public garden of Suan Buak Haad on the southwest corner of the moat. The road next to the moat by the park is closed to traffic so vendors can set up their displays of plants, Thailand orchids and other flowers, garden decorations and endless varieties of food.

A main event of the Flower Festival is the Flower Parade. Similar to the Rose Parade, there are numerous floats with every inch covered in real flowers. Unlike most American parades, this parade lasted half the day. The parade route is quite long, which allows for many opportunities to see it. The parade is packed with people dressed in traditional and festive attire performing dances or musical numbers . At the end of the parade route the floats are moved to the festival area in the old city to allow the public to see them up close and even touch them. We examined the floats closely, admiring the creativity and appreciating the countless hours needed to create such works of art.

The vendor area offered a plethora of flowers both on display and available for purchase. Similar to our county fairs, people brought their flowers and plants for judging, and the public was able to view and take pictures of the prize botanicals, which also included an impressive collection of Bonsai trees.

We made a few purchases of local goods and tried out some new cuisine. We passed up the octopus on a stick and squid cakes, and settled for more familiar tastes such as chicken and fruit.