June 27 - Something I would've never found at the house in Maryland...

At the house, the brown pleather couch has piping that leaves a matching brown line on the wall. The homeowners have tried to remedy that by covering the piping in scotch tape. Well, it doesn't stick too well... to the couch at least. Today I found a dead baby lizard stuck to part of the tape that wasn't sticky enough to stick to the couch. It was sticky enough to trap a baby lizard. Ugh.

June 25 - Back to Bangkok

I didn't sleep well last night. I woke up in the middle of the night, freezing. Looks like we went a bit overboard with the AC setting so I got out of bed to adjust the thermostat. Later (or earlier, depending on how you look at it), I wake up to the sound of DRIPPING. My investigation in the dark reveals a puddle under the AC and wetness in one of the suitcases. DANGIT! So I grab a towel to make a quieter landing area and move the suitcases. All this on top of the LOUD screaches of a particularly freaky looking lizard.

In the morning we're trying to get it together before we head out to do more touring. I discover that last night I actually turned the AC dial the wrong way and only made it colder... hence, the dripping. NICE... Geoff takes a quick shower and heads for the office to look for Internet access. Work is busy for him. While he's gone I get the kids dressed. Nui and the crew show up asking if we're ready to head out. I need Geoff to get back so I can take MY shower. Nui offers to wach the kids so I can get it together. YIPPEE! I get cleaned up; Geoff gets back; Nui's been trying to keep the kids from wrecking the arrangement of carved wood tulips.

Before we head off... we take a couple of pictures of the house and go check-out. At checkout Geoff discovers that Nui's family's connections has gotten us an AMAZING rate at this resort. WOW! Wish we could've stayed longer... next time :o)


Today, we'll go get breakfast in town and visit Wat Phra That Doi Suthep before separating. Nui's group will drive back to Bangkok and we'll tour a little more before going to the airport to fly back to Bangkok. At breakfast Geoff spends a lot of the time on a conference call. Our driver, Nui, and her driver pitch in to manage kids. Yippee! I get to eat with both hands! Good food as usual :o)

We have a beautiful visit at Wat Phra Doi Suthep. We take a diagonal elevator to get to it up on the mountain. One if the first things we notice is this beautiful tree of one of my favorite fruits, langka(jackfruit).


After we remove our shoes we head up and pray... Holding flowers, incense, and candles we walk around 3 times, stop to burn the incense and pray, then light the candles.

Next we are welcomed/blessed by a monk who showers holy water and ties sua sin around the wrists of the boys/men. His sidekick takes care of the women/girls.



Next... more picture taking and ringing bells. This first picture is of Nui's parents. They've been extremely generous hosts.




Now, the vans go their separate ways. They'll drive back to Bangkok and we'll take in a couple more sights before catching our flight to Bangkok. On our route we visit a HUGE waterfall that was made up of about a dozen falls like steps. After that we try to go to a wood carving part of town but instead end up at a furniture market... still ok. Geoff spends most of his time on a conference call anyway so it's not a real good shopping opportunity.


Finally, it's time to end the adventure and head home to the Bangkok burbs. K. Supachai drives us to the airport and we have a smooth check in. Guess what... you can enjoy your beer AT the gate while you're waiting to board.





At Suvarnabhumi we're all pooped. Cam's especially tired. We EVENTUALLY make our way to our driver's van. Given the restrictions put on hired-non-taxi vans, it's an excruciating walk and wait in the heat before we can get IN the van that will take us home. Next time we'll take a taxi. We can't wait to do this all over again... :o)

June 22 - Jules gets a day off!

Today, Geoff makes a fabulous suggestion! He'll take the kids out while I enjoy some ALOOOOONE time at this killer resort:o) Geoff begins his day with the kids by taking the kids to breakfast so I can shower in peace.



After breakfast Geoff will take the kids fishing and to the free clay play area at the resort. When Geoff inquires about fishing, the resort staff's response, "Fishing? That's not very popular." The kids love fishing. Geoff gets a real workout. It's non-stop... "Watch the hook!" "Don't foul the lines!" Untangle the line... "You'll break the lure!" "You broke the lure!" For the first time it looks like the driver, K.Supachai is enjoying himself. The kids have fried rice for lunch and drink them out of Sprite. At the clay area Geoff spends lots of time trying to keep Cam from destroying the artists works that are not yet hardened. Geoff gives the guy 100THB tip... Cam has taken a stick to a piece that it looked liked it WAS almost done.




Now as for ME! I've parked my rear on the couch on the back porch with a pitcher of water, a couple of apples, some magazines(although mostly in Thai), a book and a couple of smokes. I'm killing time in the beautiful mountain air and views while I wait for my 1pm appointment for a PhuChaisai massage and O2 facial. I'm also trying to ignore all the mountain insect critters. I can deal. The spa was wonderful. Afterwards I park it in the outdoor lounge area and read the Bangkok Post.


Once G and the kids return we have dinner at the resort and get the kids in bed. G annd I enjoy a beautiful, cool, breezy mountain evening on the back patio with some wine and grown up talk.

June 21 - We fly to Chiang Rai

We're going to northern Thailand!

So, today we fly to Chiang Rai. After 2 nights we'll drive south to Phayao to make merit and spend the night in Phayao. Finally, we'll drive to Chiang Mai, stay the night, and fly out of Chiang Mai back to Bangkok late in the evening. Geoff's friend Nui has made arrangements for a van to drive us around northern Thailand and for the hotels in Phayao and Chiang Mai. Geoff's friend Jack has gotten us a killer rate at the Phu Chaisai resort in Chiang Rai where we'll spend the first 2 nights.

But back in Bangkok... we've got K. Rhin's van scheduled to pick us up at 4:30 am this morning. By 4am I'm the only one awake. That's fine kid-wise because I can get them dressed in 1/2 hour while they're in that sleep-daze... but I'm not sure if Geoff's going to make it... he just got into bed from being up late working. We roll out at about 5am... not too bad. On the plane we're second guessing our get-there-early-and-leave-late-to-maximize-the-time plan. Getting up this early really hurts.

We get to Chiang Rai, find the driver, and make it to the Phu Chai Sai resort up in the mountains. GOOD GOLLY! It was sooo worth waking up early to get to the resort earlier. It's beautiful, peaceful(when the 4 kids aren't around) and relaxing. We're greeted with refreshments and ice cold towels.

A view from our balcony/back-porch.


After an early lunch at the resort we have the driver take us to a village of long neck women. We drive through mountain areas where there have been mud slides... I'm a little concerned at this point. We also drive past many Chinese villages. This far north there are more ethnic Chinese. It seems that quite a few people up north speak Thai AND Mandarin (like our driver). So, the village we're going to is actually 3 tribes of Bhurmese refugees. They are not Thai citizens. That explained why speaking Thai wasn't working. There's a man who's learned English from the missionaries and offers to accompany Geoff to the village to help translate. Geoff goes it alone on the trail hike to the Bhurmese village. The hike's too scary for Felicia. Turner's also fallen asleep in the van. So, I stay with the kids in the van. We watch the chicks and hens jump in and out of a trash basket searching for food. It's actually pretty amusing.




Finally, we have dinner in Chiang Rai, swing by the Mini-Mart(this town's so small that there's no 7-11) to pick up snack supplies for the kids, and head back to the resort to turn in for the night. At the resort, Geoff tried to let the AC continue to run by disconnecting the "we're in the room" card from the key and leaving the card in the slot by the door. The resort folks found us out and turned the AC units off so we weren't lucky enough to come back to ICY rooms with dead mosquitos and other bugs. But, the kids are were tickled by the mosquito nets that they didn't fight bedtime too bad. However, Cam's another story.



Geoff and I are SOOO tired. I can't wait to see a beautiful mountain morning.

June 2 - My good buddy... azithromycin

OK... It’s just not our week.

1st – Felicia’s sick, coughing… which means puking.

2nd – Food poisoning for me (So glad Geoff could leave the plant early and find that Z-Pack for me)

3rd – It must be fruit fly season… in the house?!?

May 9 - Safari World

It’s been raining. So, that means more mosquitoes. You all know I’m sooo not into bugs. I think I’ve FINALLY stopped flinching and smacking at the little mole on my right bicep.

Today we had a short day at Safari World. We drove through the animal park and got stuck in animal traffic (wildlife has right of way… the sign said so). Then, we saw the Dolphin and Beluga Whale Show. Very entertaining… Actually, the kids BECAME entertainment. There was a family who asked if their daughter could take her picture with the 4 kids. They even video taped them. I figure it’s OK. What’s the worst that can happen with a photo/video of the 4 kids eating ice cream? Our family of 4 kids catches lots of stares and attention. I don’t know if it’s because we’re “funny” looking or that there’s so many of us…. Probably both.

Animal traffic.


It's hard to get all 4 kids in photos.

The Birds! The Birds!

Ice Cream Time!

Turner liked the dolphins.

April 7 - Fetch, Geico fetch!

Out to dinner at Bang Wa Pee restaurant via taxi. It’s on the water. You can feed the catfish. The food is soooo good. It’s outdoor dining… Turner sleeps through it all. A gecko comes to visit our table and Ronan really enjoys throwing rice bits for the gecko to run after…

Felicia does NOT like geckos at the table with her.