2014-12-27-Day38: Chiang Mai

Took it easy by the pool most of the day. Went to the night market in the evening and shopped some more.

Matthew had been bugging us about doing a "fish spa", where you immerse your feet in a tank of fish that eat the dead skin off them. Alisa was concerned about hygiene, but after looking it up, finally relented. Well, we couldn't let him do it alone! In for a penny, in for a pound!

Matthew in first. TICKLES!

And the whole gang. Tom couldn't hack the fish-tickling!

2014-12-26-Day37: Chiang Mai

Explored some of Chiang Mai today, checking out some temples and local shops, getting lunch, and then taking a tuk tuk back to our hotel to sit by the pool. In the evening we went to the night market, shopped, got ice cream.

Highlight of the day: While we were walking the streets in the afternoon, a boisterous Irish man ran up to us and asked if we spoke English. We said we did, and he introduced himself as a school teacher and asked if we'd come in and speak to his class of twelve-year-olds. They were separated into boys and girls, so Jenny and Alisa went and spoke to one group, the boys and I to the other. It was a lot of fun.

2014-12-25-Day36: Christmas Day at Elephant Nature Park

With Tom feeling somewhat better (but not 100%), he and I took a bus up to the Elephant Nature Park and joined the rest of the family. We got introduced to many elephants, getting to feed them by hand (they eat A LOT!), and got to wade into the river and help bath them. They need bathing every day, but some of them are blind, disabled or traumatized from mistreatment, and so won't do so of their own accord, so they need to be helped. It was really amazing.

In the evening we returned to Chang Mai, checked into a nicer hotel, had a quick swim, then Christmas dinner at the hotel restaurant.

Bath time for elephants!

(more pix coming later today)

2014-12-24-Day35: Christmas Eve at Elephant Nature Park

With Tom under the weather, we split up. Alisa took Matthew and Jenny to the Elephant Nature Park, while I extended our stay at the mediocre hotel in Chang Mai and stayed behind with Tom.

Tom slept most of the day, so I finished two books, watched some TV, and by evening time he was OK to go out for Pizza at the pub next door.

The elephant park was amazing. It's a conservation center that has rescued a TON of animals (30+ elephants, a large number of water buffalo, 437(!) dogs, and countless cats). They give a lot of background on how the elephants are treated (very well) versus how they are traditionally treated elsewhere in Thailand (cruelly). Alisa, Matthew and Jenny stayed overnight and the accomodations were nice.

Matthew relaxing under mosquito netting

Jenny making friends with one of the many dogs

One of the local residents

Matthew and Jenny making a friend

Jenny with another friend

Matthew shaking hands, kind of

2014-12-23-Day34: Travel from Krabi to Chang Mai

Travelled from Krabi to Chang Mai today. Our flight time was changed to 8pm, so we got another day of some beach time. Then a van trip to the airport, mediocre dinner at the airport, 90 minute flight, then a cab to the hotel, which was another 30 minutes.

The plan was just to stay in the hotel one night and then head to the elephant park in the morning, where we were to stay overnight. So, we booked a very cheap and barely-adequate hotel. However, Tom got ill with some kind of bug and was not up to travel, so we decided if he wasn't better by morning, we'd split up...

2014-12-22-Day33: Last full day in Krabi

More beach time, more monkeys (this time they stole our bug spray, and I think they may have headed off with my headphones!). Japanese grill in the evening for dinner

2014-12-21-Day32: Krabi

Took it easy on the beach in the morning. Rained in the afternoon, so took it easy with some reading and playing pool and foosball in the hotel bar. Went to a BBQ the hotel was having in the evening.

2014-12-20-Day31: Ao Nang & Monkeys

We were all a little sunburnt after yesterday's cruise, so we took it easy today. Took the monkey trail to the nearby town of Ao Nang, did some shopping, had lunch, ice cream, then played with the monkeys on the way back.

In the evening I played some pool with the kids, then we went for sushi.

A female helping another groom her baby and herself.

A youngster scraping the last bits off a banana peel 

Jenny has gone ape over monkeys

and again...

Alisa giving up a piece of fruit

2014-12-19-Day30: Krabi 4 island tour

Today we took a speedboat to tour four islands and do some snorkeling. We saw a cave with a shrine to a fertility god in which locals have deposited hundreds (thousands?) of wood-carved phalluses (required some explanation to the kids), snorkeled and saw many species of tropical fish, walked a sandbar that at low tide makes two islands crossable.

In the evening we watched a show with firedancers, Thai dancing girls, and ate local food.

Who ever carved this one was a real overachiever!

 

Kids exploring a cave

 

Tom and I hanging around

Playing on the sand bar

Alisa enjoying the water

2014-12-18-Day29: Krabi and Monkeys

After seeing a bunch of monkeys on the monkey trail yesterday (I guess I shouldn't have been surprised, given the nme). We went back to look for them before breakfast today. We saw a bunch, and snapped some pictures. I'll post more later after we download them all.

Later, the kids played in the sand, Alisa and Tom each spent some time paddle boarding, and I got a 5k run in, going to town to get some supplies and once again braving the monkey trail.

Monkeys on the monkey trail

 

Jenny sitting beside a cheeky bird who's been bugging us all week, and whom we've named "Cheeky Bird"

Tom Paddleboarding

2014-12-17-Day28: Krabi

I thought I'd go for a run in the morning, only to find out the trail out of the resort involves climbing some rickety stairs/ladders attached to a very steep hill. On the way back, it was covered with MONKEYS and I had to descent passing within inches of a few of them!

Rest of day was spent at the beach. All the family tried paddle boarding (kids did well at it. Dad, not so much). Later we went kayaking. Topped it off with dinner outdoors, which was lovely.

2014-12-16-Day27: Krabi

Day 1 of a week at this resort and the kids spent the WHOLE day on the beach. From first thing after breakfast, until after the sun went down. Alisa and I alternated between ocean and pool. Monkeys visited us in the late morning.

Pics later when I get a chance

2014-12-15-Day 26: En route to Krabi

Last morning in Singapore was uneventful. Breakfast, then enjoyed the observation deck at the hotel for a bit, then packed and off to airport.

Cab to airport, lunch, flight to Krabi, Thailand. Long wait at customs, then ~30 min bus ride to harbor in Krabi, then 45 min wait for the boat, then 20 min speedboat past some spectacular coast line, finally arriving at our resort.

By the time we got checked in, it was almost sunset. We decided to do a short walk on the beach before dinner. Kids were immediately to their elbows in sand, playing with some other gusts' kids. Alisa and I grabbed a cocktail, watched the sun go down, Had a lovely dinner outdoors beside the beach, kids played till way too late, then we retired for the evening.

2014-12-14-Day25: Singapore

Back to the hotel rooftop for breakfast, then did some exploring of the city. Admired the architecture, but didn't partake of the shopping, that seems to be one of the main draws here. In the afternoon, we went to the 'Alive museum' which was really a collection of trompe l'oeil artwork set up to allow you to pose as part of it and take pictures. A couple examples below. Back to the hotel for a late day swim, dinner, a movie, and bed.

Tomorrow we leave for Thailand!

Matthew and I enjoying a swim (previous evening)

Tom and Matthew at breakfast

Tom fighting off the Mongol horde

Matthew displaying newfound gymnastic abilities

2014-12-13-Day24: Singapore

Last breakfast in Kep, then a long but uneventful drive to Phnom Penh, then we flew to Singapore and checked into the Marina Bay Sands. Quite a change from the emerging economic countries of the past few weeks!

In the evening we went up to the roof for dinner and a swim, because, well, LOOK AT THE ROOF!

2014-12-12-Day23: Kep

Last day in Kep today. Took it easy by the pool most of the day. Kids did some homework for a while, and went to do crafts at the hotel's "happy house" in the afternoon. Went out to dinner in the evening, and came back to the hotel for ice cream before bed.

Ice-cream at the hotel's café.

 

Tomorrow, we have a long drive back to Phnom Penh in the morning, then we leave Cambodia on a flight to Singapore! 

2014-12-11-Day22: Kep Beach

Our last full day in Kep. After breakfast we did a short hike on which monkeys were not spotted, likely due to high levels of child-whining. (didn, however, see Rhinoceros Beetle, 6" millipede, 12" long giant earthworm). Spent the rest of morning enjoying the pool and having kids do some homework. In the afternoon we went to the beach for a couple hours. In the evening we went out to a lovely open-air restaurant where the food was great, the kids met and played with other kids, and fun was had by all.

Jenny eyeing a friend on the patio door when we got back from dinner.

2014-12-10-Day21: Kep

Decided to do NOTHING today. Lounged by one pool, then the other pool. Kids played in the pool till their skin was raw from the saltwater. Dined at the hotel.

Jenny preparing to dive

 

Matthew diving into his homework

 

2014-12-09-Day20: Heading to Kep

Today we did some brief site seeing in Phnom Penh after breakfast, then hopped in our hired van for a 4hr drive to Kep on Cambodian coast.

The hotel we checked into is wonderful. Its a complex of buildings spread out over a hillside, with views of the ocean, two pools, a treefort-like restaurant, and stone-walled pathways connecting it all giving the kids loads to explore.

We checked in, had a swim, then dinner, then off to bed.

Alisa and kids enjoying one of the pools

Sunset view from the hotel restaurant

2014-12-08-Day19: Phnom Penh

Did some exploration of the city today, touring the Royal Palace, lunch at the Foreign Correspondent's Club, and then hung out at the pool a bit in the afternoon. Tomorrow we head to Kep, and the beach!

Matthew in front of a dragon(?) statue

A monkey that was roaming at the royal palace. I'm not sure why he had a length of chain around his neck.

Alisa and I at the Royal Palace.

 

Tom hamming it up in front of the palace.

 

Our progress so far

2014-12-07-Day18: Angkor Wat Half-Marathon

The 17km ride yesterday was the warmup, today was the main event I'd been training for for some time now.

I had a goal of sub-2hrs, and a stretch goal of 1:45. Waiting for official results to come in, but I think it was somewhere around 1:52 give or take a minute, so right in the middle. Given an injured foot that's been plaguing me for a few weeks, I'll take it.

In the afternoon, we had a hired car drive us to Phnom Penh. It was a harrowing 6hr drive, with much of it unpaved, pothole and dust ridden! I think Alisa was ready for a  nervous breakdown.

6:10am starting line

8:00am finish 

 

Dusty, bumpy drive to Phnom Penh

Sunset as viewed out the car window on the same drive

2014-16-06-Day17: Angkor Wat Bike4Kids

Today we did a 17km family bike ride as part of an event that I signed us up for months ago. Thanks to our contribution, plus folks that signed up to sponsor the kids (thanks!) we raised over a thousand dollars to combat child trafficking and other abuses.

The kids did great on the ride, despite having to get up at 4:30am to get to the start line for 6am.

Back to the hotel for lunch and some pool time. In the evening we went into town for some shopping and had dinner with friends that were in town for the half-marathon event on the 7th (see next post).

Jenny and I coming through one of the great gates.

Jenny riding past some of the temples

 

Matthew doing the same

 

Matthew approaching the Victory Gate.

Jenny crosses the finish!

 

Alisa too!

2014-12-05-Day16: SiemReap

Did a tour of a few of the temples in Angkor Wat today. It was plenty hot and humid, so kids limited our time there, but it was truly fantastic. A few pics posted below. Later, the kds enjoyed the pool while I went and got us set up for our bike event tomorrow and my half-marathon on Sunday. In the evening, we went to dinner via tuk tuk, did a little shopping in the night market.

Passing a group of elephants on the way to the temples 

We graduated from teen girls wanting to pose with the boys, to Cambodian monks. I asked the boys which they preferred asking them for pics. They said it was a toss-up. I told them I'd ask again in 5 years.

 

Jenny and I in one of the temples.

 

Me (and Matthew) exploring Ta Prohm, constructed in the 12th century and overgrown by massive trees. Amazing.

 

Mom & Tom riding in a tuk-tuk

 

The kids & I wandering the night market

 

Buying some toys from a street vendor not much older than the boys.