Thailand…just about perfect…lush mountains, tropical jungle, and pristine coastline. A place where you are atop elephants in the deep forest, amidst a zillion multicolored fish and coral under the turquoise sea, in a remote tribal village with wide-eyed villagers watching while pigs and chickens run amuck or on a serene crescent-shaped beach with waves gently lapping the shore. Thailand, where the people are friendly, united and proud to be who they are. Whether a Muslim from the south, a Buddhist from the north, or a minority from a “Hill Tribe” population, the people who we met were happy to tell us about themselves. 
They always had a friendly smile and a wonderful way with our children. Their enthusiasm for life is contagious. Thailand, a world of curries, exotic spices, cold Singha Beer, and delicious food: Pad Thai, banana milk shakes, Tom Yum, Red Curry and Spicy Green Papaya Salad. A delicious dinner can be had amidst vendors at a street market or barefoot on a white sandy beach, with the sand still between your toes.
We started our adventure one minute before Christmas. At 11:59 PM on December 24th, our flight out of Muscat left. We had a brief stop in Karachi, and ended up in Thailand at 10:00 AM on the 25th. We spent several hours walking around the new Bangkok Airport checking out the endless duty free bargains on booze, cigarettes, and chocolates. Under humid conditions, our flight south arrived in the mid afternoon. 
The city of Krabi was a pleasant surprise. Our hotel was located on a serene walkway along the Krabi River. From our balcony, we spent a lot of time recovering from the flight and taking in the surroundings… longtail boats negotiating the shallow water, while setting up their crab traps.
Our Christmas dinner was a flavorful array of curries, spring roles, sticky rice, and Pad Thai had at an outdoor night market….cost $4.
The next day we took a ferry to the island of Ko Lanta. Known for its laid back atmosphere and lack of mass tourism, we chose Ko Lanta to be a rest between the end of the semester at school and the beginning of our adventure in Chang Mai. However, after spending one relaxing day at our bungalow, we could not wait to be going somewhere and checking out the surrounding area. Both kids fell fast asleep as we toured the island via motorcycle. 
We visited the old town and saw some piles of concrete footings from the tsunami two years ago. Although the area was low lying, it did not receive a lot of damage. Only one fisherman died from the village on that infamous day, but the larger tragedy was still palpable. We also took a longtail boat to a more remote island called Ko Ngai (Hi). The 40 minute trip through some small seas, although uncomfortable, was worth it. The island was the quintessential tropical paradise. Bamboo sided bungalows, coconut palms, white beaches, vibrant coral reefs, and of course amazing food. A place I could easily see spending some more time exploring.
After Ko Lanta, we took a couple of planes to get to the northern capital of Thailand…Chang Mai. We had booked a place to stay called Joy’s House and a wonderful woman with a beautiful smile named Jam picked us up from the airport. Jam is a teacher for the School for Life, an endeavor that equips orphans with valuable skills to be successful in the tourism industry. Joy’s House (www.joy’shouse.net) is basically a front for making money to help pay for the costs of the school. The people that run both the school and the “hotel” are compassionate and caring. They made us feel at home even though we were just staying a short time. 
Taj and Mia (especially Mia) were celebrities. It was hard keeping track of which compassionate person was currently googling over our children. On New Year’s Day, Joy’s House was visited by 5 monks. We all watched as chanting gave way to simple food donations and the promise of a productive 2007. That day, Taj also enjoyed the Chang Mai Zoo…especially the Giant Pandas. Mia really liked the elephant ride she did the following day, although she fell asleep (again).
Considering all that we were asking of them, Taj and Mia did a great job in Thailand. Mia was especially flexible and loved all the attention her big blue eyes could afford her. During our stay at Chang Mai she even impressed her hosts as she stood for the first time on her own. Taj was also a wonderful ambassador. 
He became friends with several people in Ko Lanta, but needed a little more prodding to get into the daily routine. He was a great eater, but has decided that spicy food is not for him. We feel so fortunate to have such understanding children.
Whenever we go and experience a new place, I am struck by the acknowledgement that the world is “small” and getting “smaller”. People are traveling, mixing, and communicating at such a growing rate, it is hard not to be concerned with local populations losing their identities. While visiting a minute village in the mountains outside of Chang Mai, we found out that the “chief’s” daughter had married an American and was now living in Hawaii. I can not imagine the turmoil this man felt as he saw his traditional way of life being pulled out from under him. However, he was happy and felt blessed…a great outlook on life and a lesson for us as the world continues to grow more complicated. Carpe Dieme and Live in the Moment.
They always had a friendly smile and a wonderful way with our children. Their enthusiasm for life is contagious. 
The city of 
Our Christmas dinner was a flavorful array of curries, spring roles, sticky rice, and Pad Thai had at an outdoor night market….cost $4. 
We visited the old town and saw some piles of concrete footings from the tsunami two years ago. Although the area was low lying, it did not receive a lot of damage. Only one fisherman died from the village on that infamous day, but the larger tragedy was still palpable. We also took a longtail boat to a more remote island called Ko Ngai (Hi). The 40 minute trip through some small seas, although uncomfortable, was worth it. The island was the quintessential tropical paradise. Bamboo sided bungalows, coconut palms, white beaches, vibrant coral reefs, and of course amazing food. A place I could easily see spending some more time exploring.
Taj and Mia (especially Mia) were celebrities. It was hard keeping track of which compassionate person was currently googling over our children. On New Year’s Day, Joy’s House was visited by 5 monks. We all watched as chanting gave way to simple food donations and the promise of a productive 2007. That day, Taj also enjoyed the Chang Mai Zoo…especially the Giant Pandas. Mia really liked the elephant ride she did the following day, although she fell asleep (again).
He became friends with several people in Ko Lanta, but needed a little more prodding to get into the daily routine. He was a great eater, but has decided that spicy food is not for him. We feel so fortunate to have such understanding children. 
