Thai landscaping is all about creating atmosphere. Allow me to elaborate. We're staying in a 70? suite apartment building; the owners own a specatular home on the same property. They have a private, fenced in property, complete with gardeners and who knows what other staff. They own a swimming pool that rests between the apartment and their home, which they have graciously allowed tenants access to. The landscaping around the pool reflects Bhuddist values of peace and serenity; there are large tropical trees strategically planted to give shade on the deck. There are two white flowering trees, one on each side of the pool, planted in such a way that white flowers drop into the pool and float on the surface, creating amazing atmosphere! The owner's private grounds are planted with a beautiful garden of shrubbery, and has lovely, low wrought iron fencing enclosing it. I love it! and hope to expand my planning abilities for landscaping at home. Pigeons and doves lazily fly overhead to rest in the branches above, and coo for us to complete the effect.

Because of our close proximity to the equator (at least a heck of a lot closer than Lowe Farm's!), days and nights seem to be given equal status. As the sun drifts to the horizon and a hazy darkness comes to wrap itself around me, thegentle presence of pigeons gives way to night sounds of urban tropics.

Funnily enough, there are few mosquitoes. The few bites I have had, have welted signifcantly. They must like new blood!

Some nights, the chirping and croaking has been so loud, we wondered what was going on! It's a beautiful song I could listen to forever.

At any rate - walking down the lane in broad daylight, things come into harsh perspective as I look down and see huge frog road kill... flat brown frogs decorating the urban landscape.

The other day, Josh and I went for a walk down to a local fruit and vegetable market. Quite the experience. Local merchants selling the usual fruit and vegetables, cheap jewellry, hot food, AND raw fish and slabs of meat out for people to pick out for dinner. As we walked along, a live catfish jumped of captivity (a bucket of water) out on the path in front of us. No one knew exactly what to do as it flounced and flipped on the ground. Josh took control, reached out and gingerly grabbed it by the gills and dropped it back into the bucket. Hero of the day! He kept wiping his hand on his pants as we finished our trek to the market.

The day of our Tuk Tuk Fiasco, we had walked through a busy market filled with hot food dishes, fresh fish, fruit, newspapers, fried somethings, tourist paraphanalia.... Thursday, Gwen and I decided it was not a good idea to sit in our apartment alone any longer, and decided to venture out on our own, back to the same area. No, we did not take a Tuk Tuk; we took a taxi (where much of our cash seems to go); we arrived at the pier knowing we looked like the tourists we were, but determined to have a wonderful time, but not be taken in AGAIN. The last time we tried to get a ride on a longboat, the people at the pier told Rob a one hour tour would cost 2000 baht, or over $60.00 per person. When we refused, they turned the page over and voila, the fare dropped to 900 baht.

This time, Gwen and I, determined we would not pay 900 baht, sauntered toward the counter. A woman honed in on us immediately. Cautiously, we asked the fare, wondering what she would come up with. This day, it was 900 baht. Too much. After some negotiations ( we were fresh and rested, and determined to get on the water), we settled on 600 bhat.

Off we went. A beautiful longboat! Powered by a gas motor, with a long guide/balancing pole in the back, the boatman guided us through traffic - a river full of various rivercraft ranging from longboats like the one we were on, to large tourist boats - all seeming to move in different directions. We headed for the canals of Bangkok. I would never have known this exquisite face of Bangkok existed if we had stayed home. The canal system in Bangkok seems to resemble that in Venice, with homes, restaurants, art galleries, and gardens, lining its banks. Tropical gardens, living room windows, porches, fishing dinghies hanging under overhangs, women cleaning restaurant pails in the river, men reading newspapers on the porch, young people sitting around tables visiting; lovely. Many of the homes in this area are obviously those of the rich. There are also many that look like they are ready to fall into the river. Foundations are rotting, tin roofs are deteriorating, and window shutters are sagging.

I took pictures like a good little tourist, and revelled in the smells of the tropics.

My mind reels with ideas. I know, there are those out there who know only too well that means! And we're not even finished the outhouse! Or the moose!

Ah well, I can try!

Lunch - more than ready for lunch. Back on land, we made our way to a stall with particularly attractive bowlsl (huge) of who knows what. I feasted on an Indian red chicken curry dish - tasted a little like butter chicken. Fabulous! And watermelon slices for dessert.

After getting stuck for over an hour in traffic (Bangkok is a city of 15,000,000 people), all that was left to do was to shower and drop into bed for a rest. What a life!

not all donuts are created equal!

For a price, Ex-Pats living in Bangkok can take the 10 minute walk (20 if you're on crutches and afraid to cross the street) over to the American grocery store. You can find many items from back home like grapes, bread, butter, cream (very important!), cheese, chocolate, you get the idea. I could see myself finding my way there regularly if I lived here for any length of time - but at a price.

Just starting to get over a bug of some sort, and wary of street food, Gwen and I wound our way though parked motorcycle taxis on the sidewalk, vendors, buddhist shrines, across a busy intersection and over to the much anticiipated sight of canned soup from home. Campbell's Chicken Noodle to be exact.

One can of soup, a small loaf of bread, milk, a Pomellow (kind of like grapefruit), and a bit of peppercorn creamcheese later, we headed for the door - till we notic ed they had a corner stall allocated to Dunkin Donuts! WELL - who can resist?

We chose carefully, wanting as much pleasure from each bite as possible.

When you see those triangle tasties with the flakey icing and caramel drizzle on them, DO NOT BUY THEM!

I took one bite, and thought it strange - they didn't taste a bit like they looked! I took another bite, and realized they really DID NOT taste good. I wondered if I was sicker than I thought, or if there was something wrong with these things. I thought I'd ask Gwen when she got up from her nap, but didn't have opportunity to before Josh and Randi walked in the door, home from work. Josh went straight to the donut box, took one look, and asked with derision " what? you bought (I think it was salt pork?) donuts? They're terrible! Why did you buy them? They look like they have mold on them!

A day later, and the donuts wait for us. Up on the fridge. I glance at them in pity and a pang of regret, knowing we will never eat them, but unwilling to throw them out - quite yet - if only....

Thais love their king - I believe I've already mentioned that. Thais also love their country. Sunday evening, while we were at the market, the Thai national anthem started playing on loudspeakers. EVERYONE - I mean many thousands of people, stopped everything they were doing, stood at attention, and listened or sang along respectfully. How much we can learn! Apparently this happens all the time. Anywhere, any time, the anthem will begin playing, and people stop what they're doing to show respect.

We have been treated very well at the guest house we've been staying at. Even to the point where they bought Gwen lunch from the Vietnamese restaurant accross the street, and make us tea when we're sitting out on the front porch. We have business cards if anyone is interested!

Is it Montezumi's revenge? It's someone's revenge, that's for sure; something we ate is not sitting well with Gwen and myself. Not dreadfully ill, just off. And empty!

We hadn't brought a lot of clothes to Chiang Mai with us, so after 4 days, walked over to the lady down the street who has a laundry service in her home. She is a beautiful middle aged woman with an amazing toothless smile. She washed our clothes, sun-dried them, and ironed and folded them for the equivilent of about $5.00. That smile and the beautiful job she did was worth much more.

Well, gotta run! (again).

I have spent the last 2 weeks watching and absorbing. This evening Gwen and I walked to an evening market. We were given instructions to walk to the bridge, cross over, and we'd be there. Sure enough, that's just what we did. Only the bridge we were instructed to cros was BEHIND us, not ahead of us, so we walked; and walked before we got to a bridge. It was a beautiful evening, as all the evenings have been since we got here, so it was not an issue of suffering for experience.

I have now picked up large bags of green tea, wild yellow ginger tea, jasmine tea, and lemon grass tea. Tea lovers of the world, unite! And come for tea...

We have been told numerous times that this is a culture where people are all happy, smiling, content.

Somehow that hasn't totally meshed with some of the things I have observed. As I have watched, I have seen smiling people, yes; but I have also seen a sorrow behind the eyes, deeper than surface language can express. We have not been staying in the darker areas of the city, but somehow I have suspected there must be one. Tonight we were climbing the stairs up the river crossway when my crutches almost tripped on a man sleeping halfway on the stairs and landing. I tried not no trip on him when

closer inspection I realized he actually looked dead. His face had a still, waxy pallor, and his hands were utterly still. No breath was visible to the eye.

Tonight we saw a suffering part of Chang Mai. The market was full, and noone noticed him.

I almost forgot; there is one aspect of my trip that disturbs me. Really disturbs me. In Canada and the rest of the world, Thailand has gained a reputation of being a haven for a major sex trade. I wish I could say it is a false report, but everywhere I look, I see men - particularly caucasian men with young Thai girls. When we were in Koh Samet, we saw many of these couples there for the weekend. Some of these guys were decrepid, fat old men who were obviously there with girls that were NOT their wives - or daughters. Some of the men I've seen look decidedly uncomfortable - and rightly so! I feel like going up to them and asking if their wives and families know what they're up to. Instead, I pray.

I have almost forgotten what day it is. Hot, humid days have drifted into sultry tropical nights, and if I allowed it, time could almost be forgotten. Except that Rob left for home today, and the next week will be without him. So many stories, so many impressions to hold on to. As Rob has been known to observe (couldn't be accurate), I love to make a short story long; so settle in with a coffee and allow me to meander through the black hole of my mind - oh no... Not a black hole! Through delicious memories to savor and enjoy!

Let me tell you about Dang - at least I Think that's his name! Dang owns a little backyard eating establishment down the lane from the apartment we've been living at in Bangkok. He and his sister run it. He makes people feel at home, and she cooks over a little propane hotplate set up under a series of tarps and under the shade of tropical plants and trees. He speaks very good English, so we visit when we come for lunch. A lunch comprised of sticky rice, marinated pork or chicken, or other main course and a drink costs 53 baht or approximately $1.50... 2 of us can eat great for about $3.00.

Dang has been very helpful, making us feel at home in a strange city. The other day, Dang's sister had to go to hospital for some kind of surgery, so was not there to cook; their 80 or so year old mother took over the position! We sat and watched as people began to line up for food, and she moved slowly to make one dish at a time. No pressure! Dang was kept very busy bringing dishes of food back into the house to microwave them for clientelle that got cold food! We watched and gained a wonderful glimpse of how Thai family works. They all treated this old lady with respect, and noone said a word about the food to her. May we treat our elderly treasures with the same honor. We brought a few Co-op 2010 calendars with us; we hope to give one of them to Dang as picture of where WE come from.

We came to Chiang Mai with wonderful family; Josh and Randi have treated us with the same honor that Dang treated his mother.... let's hope we move a little faster! I can't say enough about these two treasures. They have been so much fun, and have planned so many great things for us to go see. Even though I have had to sit out on a lot of the hiking and longer walking expeditions.

Chiang Mai is a lovely old city an hour's flight north of Bangkok. We stayed in a hotel with wonderful Thai decorating and great morning buffet the first 2 nights. It's situated in a neighbourhood filled with little eating places, a fabulous bakery and coffee shop, massage shops, small personal laundry service, buddhist shrines, travel agents, and guest houses. We enjoyed great coffee at the bakery before going to the hotel breakfast where the coffe was less than palatable. For some reason, people here have no concept of cream for your coffee. You either get milk, evaporated milk (if you're lucky), or coffee mate. I know, I'm deprived!

Night market Saturday night was fun - at least that's what they say - I walked too much, and my foot was pretty swollen and painful, so I obeyed my husband (who has been taking impeccable care of me), and went to bed. Kids, you should be proud of me! I didn't even complain or dig in my heels!

Sunday was spent taking a taxi to a beauiful national park and waterfall. Just a few weeks has made an incredible difference in the vegetation here. Rainy season is over, and lush jungle is giving way to a dry forest that could go up in flames at the slightest provocation. We sat on vinyl matting lent to us by the outdoor restaurant where we bought marinanted chicken and pork with sticky rice... rocks by the fifth level of tropical waterfall watching Thai families enjoying water and family; feels like home.

After an hour or two, off to see a temple far up the top of a mountain on the other side of town. We had hired a Safari Truck for the afternoon, so he drove us around, bringing his wife along for company.

The temple grounds were impressive. I looked upward at the thousand stairs going straight up to the temple at the top (or so it seemed) and knew this was one walk I would gladly forego. I bought a bottle of water and watched as throngs of humanity converged on this site. I saw a diverse mixture of devoted buddhists, young and aged alike, making their pilgrimage to pray. I saw tourists, like ourselves, coming to see the sights. I saw vendors hawking their wares along both sides of the staircase. I saw rude foreigners imposing on women selling flowers for worshippers going up - bringing huge cameras within feet of tired women, spending many moments getting angles and photo compositions exact while these ladies sat uncomfortably, wishing the jerk would disappear. I saw a lucrative business made of selling flowers and buddhas to anyone who would fall for the loudest salesperson.

So - we are all in need of a Saviour.

Thai architecture is exqusite. So much we could glean from them in the art of worship.

We left the mountain, and moved to the lovely little guest house we are staying in for the next 2 nights. Less expensive, new experience. We found a great Thai restaurant near the river for dinner.

We went to Sunday market. I wouldn't have missed it - teeming with life. Food vendors, blind musicians, wheel chair bound lottery sales persons; stalls filled with clothes, essential oils, lanterns and lamps, wood carvings, cheap jewellry, silk cushion covers, exquisitely hand woven and cross-stiched bedspreads and table cloths (which I hardly even dared look at, they were so expensive); cold juices (my personal favorite, Coconut water), posing children in traditional outfits, toys.

Did I mention food? I don't think I've ever been to a place with so much food everywhere you look. Rice, crispy deep fried baby sardines, chicken kabobs, fruit, noodle dishes, stir fries, you name it.

Oh - did I also mention that in the middle of this incredible throng of thousands of people, thousands of miles from home, we met Laurel, Rosie, and Alana's old roomate Cayleen? Cayleen and her sister Coralie just happened to be at the same market at the same time, and were leaving at the same time as we were. We keep having these amazing things happen to us.

Let me tell you about the Vietnamese restaurant across the street from us. It looks to be set up in the family garage, run by who else, the family!

They have an assembly line of burners and pots set up in the front, on which they do their cooking. They have a rice batter mixed, and pour it onto some kind of metal plate covered with water, thus steaming it into a crepelike pancake. They then dab 4 spots of a sweet chili/meat mixture on it, fold it into a wonton square shape, and serve it with sweetened coconut milk and peanuts. They also have a deepfried rice crepe that they fold up, and serve with ground fresh carrots, cucumber chunks, bits of hot red pepper, bean sprouts, and a dressing reminiscent of Thousand Island. Fabulous! Time for a Vietnamese and Thai cookbook!

Tomorrow we go to the zoo. Cayleen says we get to feed giraffes - I believe I have done that for some time! Should feel like home.

Home - I enjoy each moment we're here, but home is still home.

I miss watching the Olympics; the TV here has strange taste in entertainment. Thai boxing (in Thai), Thai or Japanese or Russian soccer (don't they know what football is)?, bits and pieces of CNN which tell me the US is on the brink of war with Iraq, and what appears to be Thai soap oprahs.

Let me watch the Olympics!

Tonight we go to the Miss Chocolate House - a 100 year old chocolalte/tea shoppe just down the street from us for some decadent fall from discipline.

Sorry Rob.

I have wondered on this trip how it is that in the midst of a season of distinct challenges which we have encountered this year, God has set a banquet of refreshment before us in incredibly extravagant measure. We have been blessed and cared for far beyond our wildest expectations and certainly far beyond anything we would deserve.

We have eaten at street vendors with less than ideal sanitary measures and haven't been sick for one moment. We have walked for miles, and Rob hasn't had even a hint of a bleed. We have met wonderful people, and keep having to remember to shut our mouths as our jaws drop at each new blessing and delight.

We flew to Malaysia a few days ago to visit dear friends of ours.

Can you believe it? We just picked up and flew to Malaysia. We landed in Kuala Lumpur in mid afternoon. It is a very different city than Bangkok. Nestled in a valley, with mountains and jungle surrounding it.

Lance and Sally live on the 25th floor of a spectacular apartment high up on a hill, with jungle just outside their balcony railing.

Lance works for a university here.

Let me back up just a little. Back to the morning in Bangkok. My toe hurt; it hurt a fair bit more than I cared to admit. And the Bangkok International Airport is not a small place. We left in plenty of time. Took a taxi. Just after I hobbled into the terminal, a terrible realization hit me; we were flying internationally, and had forgotten our passports! There was just enough time (we hoped) for Rob to spend an extra 1000 baht, rush back to our apartment, find our passports, and get back to the airport.

He did get back - just in time - really just in time! We had to run all the way to the other end of the terminal to catch our plane. And my foot would not allow me to do it. Where there's a will, there's a way. I jumped onto a nearby baggage cart, held on for dear life, while Gwen ran ahead to hold the plane, and Rob ran as fast as he could after her. People scattered as we careened through the airport; eyebrows raised, and shopkeepers laughed. Breathless, we dropped victorious into our seats before the doors closed.

Lance is a brilliant computer program developer, or something like that - I got it wrong, didn't I, Lance who is melding numerous computer systems into one at a Malaysian university. Sally is an accomplished visionary who has chosen to leave her position as an executive director of a successful business in Canada to move to Malaysia with her husband and two of her children. She is home schooling, going to market, building community relationships, and doing a great job of it.

We spent 2 days swimming in a tropical paradise, sipping melo, eating fragrant Malaysian cuisine.

We woke up to the sound of howling monkeys in the jungle below, roosters greeting the day, and somehow, a sort of silence as the dawn rose over the fog below us. Prayer calls rose from the mosque down in the valley.

Graciously, the clinic at the university allowed me to borrow crutches - very SMALL crutches. Very funny. But crutches none the less. My freedom returned, and off we went to central market in downtown KL.

What fun! We shopped, found a spot where we could buy white coffee (not quite up to par with Tims, I'm afraid), and watched 2 young muslim girls get a fish spa - you stick your feet into a large tub of water full of these little fish. They then all surround your feet, and eat the dead skin off. Apparently your feet come out soft as a baby's bum. I didn't try it, since I had a tensor bandage, but it looked like fun.

Supper out on a mountain overlooking the city, watching the sunset. Mediteranean pizza, fish and roast potatoes.

I got a sunburn. Oh, by the way, we also went to the jungle. We drove through delightful villages up into the hills. We saw waterfalls, and hibiscus, and bamboo forest. We saw traditional Malaysian homes, and couples on bicycles. And I thank God for it all.

Tomorrow we fly to Chang Mai. And I thought my adventures were almost over.......

Well, this is interesting... my blog page info comes up in Thai! Trying to sign in to write a new blog is something like looking at the debit machine in an unfamiliar store without my reading glasses on. .. punch something somewhere, and hope for the best!

It was Friday night; a beautiful, sultry Friday night, and Josh and Randi had been planning an evening of delights for us for some time. We walked down the neighbourhood lane filled with tropical trees, fragrant flowers of unknown identity, and apartment balconies filled with multi=coloured laundry freshening up in the oncoming evening. I gazed entranced into gated yards (all yards are surrounded by wrought iron fences) that bewitched me with promises of stories and mysteries to be discovered with relish and appreciation of the people living here.

As we approached the main route to the Indian restaurant we were heading for, we stopped briefly at - would you believe it - 7-Eleven, to pick up cash from their debit machine; so much for my illusion of a totally foreign, slightly backward city!

We caught a cab to the skytrain, climbed up a story or two, and whizzed off to some distant destination.

Twenty minutes or so later, we disembarked in a most charming part of Bangkok filled with a combination of street vendors, shops, and restaurants. We entered an unassuming little restaurant with low decorating priorities but unbelievable authentic Indian food. For someone who grew up on simple Mennonite fare, I've come a ways!.

We dropped into bed late, knowing that the next morning we headed off to the resort island of Koh Samet.

Now, in Bangkok, you take a taxi; everywhere! There are buses, but who knows how to use them? And in North American standards, taxis are very reasonable. So - we took a taxi to the pier from which we would take a boat to the island of Koh Samet ; an over 2 hour ride!

The pier is in a harbour town that boasts of great food markets, and shops selling any and every shell craft available. The speed boat we took to Koh Samet promised to be much faster than the public ferry, but also cost double. We plunged forward, attacking huge ripples from the numerous boats in and around the marina with abandon. Exhilarating and invigorating it was.

Koh Samet is an intriguing combination of National Park, town, and resort with a flourshing tourist industry. The beaches are clean, the water is deliciously clear, and the sand is incredibly white and hot.

We found a cute cottage built with what appeared to be solid mahogany not far from the beach, and settled in.

Pineapple Coconut iced drinks, delicious Thai meals, and ocean swimming were only the beginning of a delightful 2 days.

The variety of charming rental cottages seemed to be endless. And as darkness descended, fire dancers came to entertain and delight.

For some reason, sleep eluded me, and very early in the morning I walked down to the beach to pray and watch the moon set and the sun rise.

It disturbed me considerably to watch as a young western tourist was led by a young Thai man across the beach in search of his accomodations. He was completely innebriated, and tried several times to stagger into the tide waters against the Thai's leading. I thought how unfortunate it is that we as tourists set such a negative picture of our culture.

I got a Thai massage! In fact, I got two of them!. On the beach.. on a blanket under a palm, in the shade. With exotic Thai ointment!. Paul, you could learn a thing or two from these little Thai ladies.... they stand on their client's back thighs and pull up the feet and knees - you should try it!

I also broke my toe... left foot, middle toe - on a tree root. I was swimming, and decided that since I had already wet my leather sandals several times, I would let my feet dry before putting them on again. And sure enough, I heard the bone crack as I smashed against a protruding root. I bravely did not scream in pain, though I would have gladly fainted. The trip just became more complicated, as I tried to hobble onward and upward.

We took the ferry the long way; Thai ferries are much more lenient than Canadian ones. We left and came back for late passengers at least four times before finally emarking on the trip back. It began to feel like Ground Hog day! And the people! What a wonderful assortment of retired Sri Lankan gentlemen, Indian tourists, Thai families, fishermen, children, Chinese, Canadians. Not an experience to be missed.

Don't touch my toe!

"You help me, I help you".....today was one of those memorable days. One of those days that are imprinted in your memory for a long while. One of those days that only need a key word to be mentioned to bring a laugh and shaking of the head. 

It began with jet lag. I watched The Return of the King (extended version...and yes I did bring it - you don't know when you'll be in need of diversion; and yes, I did fast forward the gory parts) late into the night; close to 3am to be exact. Then I sent emails, turned off the air conditioning because it was too cold and I couldn't figure out how to just turn the air down till close to 4. 

We decided to take a cab to the Grand Palace. We got the security receptionist at the entrance to our building (yes! we have receptionists sitting in the entrance of our building, and a uniformed GUARD standing in the parking area) ! 

We got the receptionist to write down our address in Thai so we could make our way home again, and off we went.  

The Thai people really seem to revere their king - everywhere you drive there are huge billboards with his picture on them. Either that, or he just likes to see his picture up in lights!

We got near the Grand Palace, and began to see gold plated temples and buildings everywhere. Incredible architecture. The Taxi driver dropped us off, and before we could even move, a guy moved in on us, telling us in very basic English that the Palace was closed for a ceremony for 1 hour, but that this other man would take us to the Standing Buddha in his vehicle which is composed of a cab and back seat with roof on a tricycle frame. We tried to tell him we just wanted to walk around, but there was no deferring him. He and the other driver insisted, and waved their fingers at us "just 20 baht! you, you, you - 20 baht each". "I drive, wait while you look".

So off we went! We hardly knew what hit us. The ride was exhilarating. Tearing through Bangkok traffic driving on the left side of the road, with motorcycle taxis weaving in out, nearly hitting buses, pedestrians taking their lives in their hands as they try to cross the streets in the middle of all this. Vendors lining the streets with their wares, black electric wire hanging in large bunches exposed to the elements. Rosie, your food safety course would be utterly irrelevant here. Vendors cook their meat on small grills right in the heat, wonderful smells of meat roasting, fruit vendors cutting watermelon and pineapple, mangoes and melons with experienced expertise fill the air.

Back to our story. After wandering around the massive structure of the standing Buddha and all the Buddhist worship paraphernalia, we were ready to return; but our laughing, friendly host had no intentions of letting us off this easy. "You help me, I help you" was what we heard numerous times in the next hour. We had no idea what he meant, but his laughter and smiles lulled us into compliance. He drove us to a large Bangkok gemstone sales centre. By gemstones, I mean rings that cost 450,000 baht, or 13,000 Canadian dollars - and that was with the generous discount they were going to give us (today only)!

Next, he drove us to the Chinese gemstone shop; and then the expensive tailors. "No buy, look; only look". No kidding. There was no reasoning with him. We tried to tell him we didn't WANT to go to these stores, but off we went! Next, an expensive gift shop; it turns out he gets free gas stamps for bringing in potential customers, and, I suspect, a commission. We told him in no uncertain terms we had enough, but he insisted "just one more, then no more"! Well, we went to one more tailor. By this time, his charm and laughter had turned to a very unhappy driver, who weaved in and out of traffic with serious attitude. Gwen was seriously ticked, and I was laughing. We got back to the Grand Palace to find out that Rob was required to borrow a pair of long pants from the Buddhist information centre since he was not allowed to wear shorts on the tour. He got his pants after a long wait in line and a 200 baht deposit, and off we went; the entrance fee turned out to be 15.00 Canadian dollars each, which we were too tired to be willing to dish out, so we walked the grounds and picked up a taxi home.

Great day, great vendor exposure, great pictures, great memories. 

 

Off the ground, into the air, kisses blown, we tore our eyes away from the past and into the skies ahead. It wasn't quite the first reaction I had expected since I have flown numerous times before, but the plane from Winnipeg to Chicago was small, full, and cramped; and I was claustrophobic. I took a deep breath, and put effort into keeping my mind in wide open places. Chicago was not warm. And we left our warm jackets back home. So the almost hour long wait for the AWOL promised hotel shuttle was less than encouraging as we got more and more cold. After 3 calls, he finally came with no explanation or mortified apology. So much for an auspicious beginning!

After 5 hours of sleep... Terminal 5, International Flights! All I can say, is, if you EVER have opportunity to fly Japan Air, take it. We were treated with incredible courtesy and grace. The flight from Chicago to Tokyo was just under 13 hours, and for some divine reason, we were placed in mid grade seats which were roomy and very comfortable. Great food, Japanese movies with English subtitles, great time.

Flying over Anchorage, Inuvik and the far north was an amazing sight. We, along with 4 or 5 other people who did not have window seats crowded around the tiny window near the flight attendants' station to gaze at the spectacular view. Hundreds of miles of glacial pyramids dazzle the imagination and nourished my spirit. Far from human attention, Father God sculpts and paints for the sheer joy of creation.

We spent just over 3 hours in the airport in Tokyo. Strange - everyone speaks Japanese! 

Japanese women are very beautiful, and carry themselves very graciously and confidently.... which leaves me out of the loop! Good thing I have other skills!

The flight from Tokyo to Bangkok was longer than expected.... 61/2 hours. So the grand total was 21 hours in the air, not counting the overnight in Chicago and the layover in Tokyo.

 As we approached Thailand, and I saw lights flickering far below, something very strange happened. I was overcome with emotion. Something deep within rose up with the realization that I was incredibly blessed to be able to come to this land, and that far beyond any of my dreams and expectations, I - insignificant though I am, was being spoiled as a beloved daughter by my heavenly Father. I am almost embarrassed with His extravagance. 

We wake up to tropical birds singing in the early morning darkness. I had almost forgotten the sound. We have been allowed to rent a little apartment in my nephew and niece's block in a wealthy area of Bangkok. I hadn't realized how sophisticated this city is, and am very impressed with the beautiful gated homes and glassed in financial centres just around the block from us. 

Last night, we went to a fabulous outdoor restaurant that is a mechanic repair shop during the day, and presto chango, transforms to a restaurant at night! I want to get photos of the metamorphosis. The food is fabulous and amazingly reasonably priced. Five of us ate for about 12 dollars! My feet have blisters, but I have bandaids. When I figure out how to post pictures I will. Diane Henley, you must come with your birding gear - I wish you were here. 

So - I'm packed and ready to go - yes, you're right - it IS still almost 2 weeks before we leave, but you never know - it's good to be ready! And this way, I can keep adding important stuff that I might have forgotten otherwise, like oil of oregano, deodorant, you know; of course it gets awkward when you pack all your underwear 2 weeks in advance, but no worries; I have laundry soap flakes! Oh yeah - I packed them! I've been checking all the airlines for the cheapest flights from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur, flagging almost every page on the AAA Thailand travel book, Rob and I got our Typhoid/Hep A shots (now that was a blow to my pocketbook), and we're working on finding someone who would love staying at the farm entertaining Fatty Lumpkin and Gracie, and lighting wood fires while we're gone. My heartbeat increases just slightly thinking about stepping out my front door. You never know where you might be swept off to!

Lois is starting a blog!

I'm starting this blog to document my upcoming trip to Thailand! Stay tuned!