Happy Loi Krathong

Instead of celebrating Thanksgiving here, they celebrate a festival known as Loi Krathong. All the people fill these giant balloons with a candle and let it float into the night sky. Some do it for fun. Others for good luck but many do it to release their sins for the year into the air.

In our city they also float incense candles weighted with money down the river to pay for their sins. It is a really spectacular sight to see everyone's "sins" rise high into the darkness.

The city streets look a bit like Christmas with lights and paper lanterns strung anywhere there is a free space.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We made out with three Turkey dinners this year. Everyone felt sorry for the poor little couple so far away from home for the first time. It was great. I am so stuffed!

You might be an international traveler...

If you can change a baby’s diaper on your lap while taking off in an airplane- you might be an international traveler.


If you can simultaneously eat French fries while avoiding the phlegm the guy walking in front of you just hacked up and spit out right beside you- you might be an international traveler.

If you can fit everything you need plus two weeks worth of diapers in one carry-on backpack- you might be an international traveler.

If you know how to use a squatty potty and you automatically bring your own toilet paper wherever you go- you might be an international traveler.


If you bring your own sterile needles because you know most places in the world believe in reduce, reuse and recycle- even medical supplies- you might be an international traveler.

If you can say “hello” in at least three languages and “how much?” in five others- you might be an international traveler.

If you can avoid panic when complete strangers remove the cigarette from their mouths and the child from your arms to parade him/her through the entire airport/bus terminal, train station or restaurant- you might be an international traveler.

If you think split pants aren’t such a bad idea- you might be an international traveler


If nothin’ says lovin’ like a bowl from the rice cooker- you might be an international traveler.

Our Trip

Thanks so much for being patient with us as we traveled the last few weeks. I (Heather) started in Pattaya on Oct. 29 doing some work on a big event we host in February. Then I returned to Chiang Mai to wash clothes and repack and we left for China. We visited 5 cities in 11 days. I am so proud of Chloe for being patient the entire time. Below are some pics.





The first city we visited was Chongqing. The pic below is of the historic, tourist district where you can buy all kinds of "tourist" goods.







Then we hopped on board a four-hour train ride headed for Chengdu. Chengdu was definitely a very cosmopolitan city. We were able to stay downtown and we visited many friends while there.

Chengdu is also home to the "Giant Panda Research Center" where zoos around the world get their panda's.

After Chengdu, we took a bus to a smaller city just north of Chengdu and stayed for a couple of days. Then we flew to another even smaller town about 300 miles south of Chengdu. Poor Chloe, no matter where we went she was a star.

Our final stop was Lhasa, Tibet. What a site!! Lhasa is situated at 12,000 feet above sea level which means that if you don't get sick from the altitude, you will be very winded just walking around. And if the altitude doesn't get you the sun will. Chloe and I both had a sunburn on our noses from the intense light.

The giant building in the background is called "The Potala." It is the former residence of the Dalai Lama and former government center for Tibet. It was quite interesting walking around inside it and seeing all the tombs of former DL's which I thought was ironic considering they believe in reincarnation.

We were able to stay in Lhasa a few days and then returned to Chiang Mai with only minor complications. (We almost didn't make our last flight but it all worked out in the end.)



My next post will be a "You might be an international traveler if" list.

New Pics

We will be traveling over the next few weeks and I may not be able to update our blog but I promise to give a full report when we get back.

Here are some new pics as well as video for you to enjoy while we are gone.


Chloe meets a new friend at the market.





















Same market different friends.




















Really cool old ruins outside of a really cool cave.





















Chloe's babysitter, Kuhn Pui




















Chloe loves bath time. Just kidding. we have a real bathtub.





















This is a message from Chloe:

Jungle Driving

Editor's note: I have been having writer's block lately and our drive today was so scenic that I thought I would practice my descriptive writing skills and express our experience in words instead of just pictures. Enjoy!

Jungle Driving
The gentle hum of the diesel engine struggles to carry its passengers up another incline. The pavement stretches before the wagon like a thin, silver snake winding through the hills of northern Thailand. Vines drip from trees. Ivy consumes everything until tree and bush alike are covered in the same leaves. Underneath, the jungle floor lays barren where sunlight and rain seldom enter.
The car coasts down the other side. Light pellets of crystal rain dot the windshield while the wipers rhythmically squeak across the glass. A dog belonging to no one strolls across a narrow bridge lined with tiny flags honoring the king and his kingdom. Ahead, a cow turns his thick head to acknowledge the approaching vehicle while others concentrate on the feast below their hooves.
The rain increases and becomes a deafening sound on the tin roofs that guard its inhabitants. Motorcyclists take refuge under a grass hut restaurant. The Coke sign out front beckons weary travelers to stop for a .50 cent meal.
Skinny hill tribe workers walk along the narrow road ignoring the cool glass stinging their arms and faces. Unfamiliar vegetables stacked high in straw baskets cover their backsides. Dark-faced men and women seem to pay little attention to the heaviness of their load. Wrinkles cover their faces from years of walking this path with the same load.
Up another steep incline and the driver downshifts. They round a sharp curve and through the rainforest trees the passengers catch a glimpse of a hidden valley.
Rice fields cover the valley floor. Squatty bamboo shelters dot the green fields with brown relief. Banana trees spring from the earth in the background. Their oblong leaves resemble helicopter wings that if spun could pull their tree from the world.
The passengers admire the scenery as quickly as the car’s engine will let them. They begin their descent into a small village. A few moments are spent perusing the shops, enjoying the local flavor and consuming their surroundings. It is time to return to the jungle.

New adventures

Sorry we have not updated in awhile. Here's what we have been up to.

A couple of weeks ago, we went to the zoo. Here's a pic of Chloe and Jeff. We have a really nice zoo with all the usual animals plus Koala's, panda's and white bengal tigers.











Then, last weekend we went to some caves just north of us. We saw some ancient ruins. The plaque on them said they were built in the 2nd century!










And here is Chloe and I in front of the cave entrance. The caves were pretty cool inside and you get a private tour through all the crevices.











We also found a great spot to go running. Here's a pic:

Fun Photos from Jeff

Thailand is in need of experienced electricians if anyone is interested. This is the electrical box leading into our building. I'm thankful we have power after seeing that. Not alot of saftey regulations going on around here.

Thailand has a King that everyone loves and adores.
But Thailand also loves Americas King. Have you ever
seen a Thai Elvis? I have.
















I had roast duck the other night and it was really good. This was before I saw them hanging from the neck next to the kitchen.













Chloe was so worn out that she fell asleep with the bottle still in her mouth. This was taken a couple of hours after giving her the bottle!













Don't feel too sorry for us. We have KFC and Sizzler! Did I mention KFC sells ice cream. When we want an ice cream cone, we go to KFC!