The Rest of Thailand

We had a few day trip adventures in Thailand as well.  We had a guide take us out into the hills where you can ride elephants.  We had been talking about doing this for a long time.  And it was amazing.

We had three elephants for the seven of us.  Sam and Si got their own, Sol and Peter, and Me and Roo and Gid.  They were so fun.  The 'trainer' (for lack of a better word) sat on their necks with and had a big metal stick to hit them with.  (We ALL hated this!)  But I realize that elephants are not dainty creatures and it takes a lot to get their attention.  Ours didn't really have to give more than a tap, but even that seemed a little harsh.

We walked through the jungle for a while until we came to a river that had been dammed.  We all got off the elephants before getting into the water.  The trainers took them in and got them comfy, and it took a while to convince our kids it was okay to get in and play with them.  I was quite apprehensive myself, I must say.  We decided to just play with one elephant, that way we could all be together and keep an eye on the kids.  The one we played with was named Pombouy.  Apparently, this translates to 'fatty'.  We liked that and laughed a lot.  They let us scrub them with a hard bristled brush.  We got to climb on them, sit on their necks, and just hug and play with them in general.  Pretty much a dream come true right here folks.  Some of the kids were thrilled, others - not so much.  I'll put some pictures in here and you can see for yourself.

After a ride back to the elephant home and getting to feed them bananas, we headed home to play in the pool sans elephants.  The next day we rode bamboo rafts down a jungle river.  They were about 12 feet long peices of bamboo tied together with rope.  A man stood on the front and guided us down the river.  Making sure to point out the huge snakes curled up sleeping in the trees above us.  I swear.  Sometimes I think I must be crazy for taking the kids on things like this.  Too bad we all love it so much!  We were on three rafts again and they stopped in a large bed in the river for us to get out and swim in.  While we were all goofing around and having fun, I looked at Peter and said "I cannot believe I have taken my young kids swimming in a river in Thailand.  Like it's no big deal!"  I mean, did I not just see the snakes above us?  Oh well.  It was super fun and I'm so glad we did it!

Another day we went to a sea turtle farm.  Oh!  They are SO cute.  This farm is actually tanks where the sea turtles are able to grow safely.  From the size of a silver dollar, to full grown.  Many tanks with turtles at all different stages along the way.  We loved seeing them up close and personal.  We also stopped at a local waterfall and everyone, but me, went swimming.  I really didn't feel like it.  It was SO busy with locals.  I was enjoying watching local families come to this place to wash.  I'm serious.  They brought their shampoo and everything.  It was quite funny.  They were washing themselves, clothes and all.  What a different world we live in!

We also stopped at a memorial for the many, many people that died in the tsunami about 10 years ago.  What a tragedy.  We were right at the location of the hardest hit area in Asia.  I had to not think about it.  I also didn't see the movie The Impossible before we went.  I'm going to watch it, I think.  But then I probably wont be able to go back.  The thought of a wall of water coming like that absolutely stops my breathing.  Almost every person we talked to lost someone on that terrible day.  Entire families swept away.  Our guide for the week happened to be doing a tour up in the hills at the time, and lived.  But his fiance was working in town and was killed.  These people don't have much as it is.  Then to lose everything.  It was very sobering and made us count our blessings.

Sad.

On another note.

So you can see; we had a great time.  We learned a lot about this little spot of the world.  We would go back in a second.  So fun!

Oh.  Oops.  I mean minus almost dying of food poisoning. No.  Really.  And the worst part is I got it from our 5 star Marriott resort.  Not the street food.  Not the beach stalls.  Nope.  I know exactly where I got it from, and I even second guessed myself.  If you've ever had food poisoning, and I mean really had it.  You know what I'm talking about.  You would rather be dead.  Very luckily for me, it was the evening before we flew out.  So I was wishing for death all night, and at four a.m. it stopped (but the terrible pain didn't), we got in the car and drove 1.5 hours to the airport, then traveled home.  It was 24 hours before we actually arrived home and I don't remember most of the trip.  Thank you tylenol PM, I will never travel without you.  Once in Dubai I was feeling a little better, but it was quite a recovery.  I'm just so thankful it didn't ruin our trip.  Phew!

Tidbits of Thailand

Thailand.

What's a girl to say?  It was absolutely wonderful.  Everything I was hoping for.  Relaxation, adventure, and fun.  We are actually in the Dubai airport waiting for out last leg to head home.  What a trip!

We spent one day on my cousin and her husbands 61 foot sail boat.  Maybe you remember them from  our trip to Italy where we stayed a few days in the town they were living.  Well now they are sailing their new house (sailboat) from Cape Town, South Africa to Singapore.  They happened to be in Phuket the same time we were and gave us a wonderful day out on their gorgeous boat.  (Pics to come later)

( a Catholic  nun and priest just walked by me -in Dubai!  Go diversity!)

Have you ever been to the Lock's in Seattle?  Since I was a little girl we have been going there on beautiful sunny summer days.  You know those amazing sail boats that pass through?  And you look at them  like, 'where are they going....It must be magical where ever it is'.  And you imagine what fun it would to be on the boat, and what it would be like being ON the boat, not just looking AT the boat.  Well.  That's what this boat is like.  She. Is. Gorgeous.

Once we got everyone on, via tiny motorized dingy, we had a safety talk from the Captain.  Fede. I'll admit that five young kids on a sail boat was quite brave for me.  Don't worry - I hauled life jackets for the three youngest half way around the world; doing my mom proud one precaution at a time.  The day was perfect and the islands dreamy. They had two crew members on board who were also great.  They, and my cousin in law, are scientists doing very specific oceanic research.

We settled into a little inlet of an island about an hour and half from Phuket.  It was pretty choppy  - and you know what choppy means don't you?  Yep.  Seasick.  Roo did throw up, which wasn't a total disaster.  Ramen noodles isn't the worst thing to clean up.  Although I think it freaked R and F out.  No kids and barf is not a good combo.  Peter also got quite green and had to breathe deep. 

It turns out that southern Thailand has two wonderful reefs for diving.  They are on opposite sides of the island and they are only open for six months at a time, for conservation purposes.  Well, the reef nearest to us opened on one day that we could go.  (you have to wait a certain amount of time after diving, before you can fly)  AND, the reef was a three hour boat ride just to get to it.  So we opted to not separate the family for an entire day, and just enjoy what we did see.  I don't think anyone was too disappointed. While in the bay, we snorkeled a bit and hag a great time swimming around the boat.  The fish were so attracted to it - weird.  They also had a cool diving rig that you just attach to you, like a big long hose.  So Sam got to goof around with that for a while, but that was about it.  The water was pretty choppy and we had a squall hit us, which shortened the swimming.  Still super fun and even Gid got in and looked at the fish with me.

Both Sam and Si got to steer the boat.  That was really fun and they loved it.  You should have seen their faces.   On our way back to port, Fede and I saw a huge manta ray breach and jump out of the water.  It was deep water and totally weird/cool.  Neither he or I have ever seen such a thing.  We had a gorgeous sunset in an amazingly tropical place. Above Phuket sits a GIANT statue of Buddha.  (properly called Big Buddha)  His silhouette in the sunset was right out of a movie.  Super cool. Thailand really is fantastic. 

Over all I will say that living on a sail boat sounds kind of romantic.  Doesn't it?  (Romancing the stone, anyone?). But I would say its not for everyone.  It's a TON of work and oddly, I felt quite claustrophobic.   There was NO rest for the crew at all.  You have to be totally ON all the time.   But I could see how you could learn to love it.  We had a wonderful time.  Thanks again to Rach and Fede!

P.S. Where are we going next year?!  :)

Diving

Well, we finally finished our PADI Open Water dive course.  It's been a huge feat for the whole family.  Our dive days in the ocean have had Peter, Sam and I gone for 12 hours at a time.  Not to mention several evenings of classes. Simon has been the main person in charge of the kids, with neighbors and friends on back up.  He's been great and the other kids have had to really pull their weight as well.  Nothing like leaving a ten year old in charge of your seven, five and three year old - all day.  Oh well.  The things we do here; that we would never do any where else.

The salt in the Persian Gulf is out of control.  Like acid.  Part of the training is having to take our masks off under water, then put them back on and clear them.  Oi!!!  Talk about painful!  Between the burning eyes and the nose and throat on fire - it's one of the worst things ever.  Then there is the feeling of wanting to throw up while coughing your guts out into the regulator.  I swear - it was bad.  But as our nice little Filipino instructor likes to remind us; learning in the worst place in the world, makes everywhere else that much better.  You can only go up from here!

Our first dive site, two weeks ago, the visibility was almost none.  Like, a little scary.  And there was nothing to see.  Well, I saw a ton of little snails in cone shells making their way across the bottom of the ocean floor.  There must have been thousands of them.  When I say the bottom of the ocean floor, I mean like, 15 feet.  The Gulf is realllllly shallow.

Our second dive was much better.  Well, better and worse.  The first was at a private resort beach, and was quite clean for standards around here.  The second, while the dive was better, was at a public beach (if you can imagine that here), and was FILTHY!  People just pull up on the sand and get out right there.  Women get in, covered head to toe on their abaya's.  It's no wonder people drown here.  I guess they missed the memo about yards and yards of fabric draped all over you in water and pulling you under.  Hm.  At any rate, it was a little unnerving being in 'public' trying to put on my dive suit over my swim suit.  Luckily it was quite remote.  Being the only female is always a little scary anyway.

Upon arrival, the first words out of my mouth were - "well, good news.  we don't have to bring our own garbage - it's already here."  And I mean garbage like you really can hardly imagine.  I mean horrific.  Just think of every gross and disgusting thing you can, and it's there. We had to tip toe and step over piles of yuck just to get in the water.  Most disgusting sites?  Raw, spoiling in the sun, huge chicken leg.  Soggy, soupy containers of middle eastern food fare.  Bottles, napkins, bags,...a salt shaker?  Wrappers soaked in shwarma sauce, wet tissues, and so on and so on.  Oh yeah - and poop.

It was bad.

Granted, it was on Saturday.  Friday is the day that all the locals head to beaches and parks and 'picnic'.  Which means they bring a lot of food and goods, then just stand up and go home.  This is absolutley the standard practice.  Not even one effort made to pick up after themselves. It's so disheartening. 

I was really worried the water would be swarming with garbage as well.  And while it wasn't exactly clean, it was much better. (I'm going to attribute this to the wind, currents, and the giant floating garbage dump somewhere in the middle of the ocean)  The temp was nice and warm up top, and by the time were down to 15 or 18 feet, it was quite chilly.  It's crazy to to feel the thermocline.  Weird.

At this particular site, the government has sunken some trucks and what not, as artificial reefs.  And as far as wildlife around these parts, I wasn't disappointed.  We saw hundreds and hundreds of sliver and and yellow small fish.  Maybe four or five inches long and tall.  Lot's of 10 in, purple angel fish.  We saw several bottom dwellers and one big-for-here crab.  (hard to compare crab sizes to the pacific northwest giant crabs)  Another of our instructors, Mohammad (the minnow - I refer to him as he is SO tiny!), brought flat bread to feed the fish.  It was SO fun to see them just swarm around us.  Sam got to feed them some of the bread, and as far as I can tell he was in heaven.

I realize that there are much lovelier places in the world to dive; but for outdoor fun here,  this was pretty darn fun.

Sam collected small round oysters along the way, hoping to find a pearl.  Once we were home and opened them, besides a lot of muck and smell - we found nothing.  Some awfully pretty mother of pearl and lots of fun were the catch of the day for us.