Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Thailand Tales

Petersens, Bundys, Skeens, Lakes and Caspersons. I keep adding on pictures, so these are totally out of order!! This was our last day in Phuket, which 12 days into our trip we were all still not ready to leave. It was back to Bangkok for some final massages, tennis, shopping and sightseeing for 2 more days before taking that loooong flight home.
Probably safe to say the nicest poolside vicinity's I have ever seen. And this is only a quarter of the largest of 3 of the pools.
"Hong by Starlight" Tracer did good on this one. We took kayaks out during low tide through caves in the ocean to enter lagoons on the other side. It was so tranquial and peaceful. We took turns jumping off the boats top balcony....had a wonderful Thai spread, made offerings out of flowers and fruit then took them into the wavy night waters through the darkened bat filled caves to light them and give as offereings. It was so awesome. We saw fireflies and sea kelp that looked like it lit up when you touched the water. Magical is the only word that discribes that adventure.
Quest. Team building activities such as rock climbing, rapelling, walking the balance beam waaay off the ground and climbing a telephone pole and jumping to a trapeeze. Fun.
Our jungle mt. biking trek which I wrote on down below. What was our Belgian bike guide thinking?? I know we did more traversing the jungle than riding but I loved it. Here I just stepped in the dung!
Local Fresh Cuisine...what'a grocery store??
This was so awesome! Elephant hair is prickley and when he was reaching for more bananas with his big snout, it kept coming closer and closer towards me and reminded me of a snake! Eek!
Snorkeling off the Phe Phe Islands of Phuket. SO gorgeous and clear!
We swan out to Monkey Beach where all these aggresive monkeys came right up to us and were fighting over food. These islands the Tsunami devasted from both sides since they are so small. Watch your fingers Ryan!
Ahhh, Mr. JW Marriott really knows how to create a relaxing get-away.
Our Bungalows on the River in Northern Thailand. By far the best food we had and breezy "open air" dining. Night's lodging $8. Dinner $1.50....mosquito netting, a bathroom- shower- toilet combo and a fan....what more could you ask for?
Don't believe they do seat belts here at all. It's by boat, taxi, moped, elephant or let's all load up in my truck.....getting supplies in Chaing Rai to take to Tribal villages the next day.
Phuket
D. Trace Skeen and Annie.....they sacrificed a trip AROUND THE WORLD for us to all come here together!!!

I can say with certainty that I have have about 200 pictures to scape of our most fabulous trip to Thailand. I wanted to post a few of my favorites but how do I choose! First off....my biggest fear (besides something happening to one of my children) is SNAKES! Yikes Stripes! I can't believe I even did this to this day. I was pretty grossed out, crying and shaking. Todd says even though my nostrils were flared and I was shaking with fear, he found it disturbing yet somewhat arousing. LOL!! Snake Farm Bangkok, Thailand Bangkok, in front of the King's Palace....Gold everywhere!
Visiting the Yellow Lahu tribes outside Chaing Rai we dispersed many goods brought from home as well as what we bought there to give to these poor tribal children. It was my most memorable part of the trip. Todd is holding her pet beetle and I am giving out toothbrushes/paste.

OK, this was just the best! I felt like that wild mt. man that has his own survivial show....Grizzly Adams or something like that. We took our Mt. bikes way up into the jungle. The village we rode through was up such a steep road that even yours truely had to walk her bike. That tells you something! They looked at us as if they had never seen bikes before....probably hadn't. We had to carry them through the thick jungle, across a stream, through rice feilds and I even stepped in water buffalo dung! Nice. I loved it, loved it! Thanks for going back Sara!



2 comments:

Tracy said...

Ok Stacey...that snake pic was hard for me to even look it!!! I am deathly afraid of snakes and can not believe you could do that!! ahhhhh!!! I would have dropped dead right there. the closest I have ever come to a snake is to touch it for a millisecond and then run screaming!

trip looks awesome!! It made me so excited...we leave in 52 days...but whose counting?!? :)

Dannielle said...

Hi--I am so glad you have a blog now. That trip looked like the trip of a lifetime and I think you did everything you could do. Fun!!