Time to head home

Crisis averted. I have found my luggage scales....
After a good night's sleep and a leisurely breakfast, bags out and checkout for all to get on the coach for our final ride in Thailand. We say a fond farewell to our driver and some are even in tears saying goodbye to Joe, shat confirms to me how much they have appreciated him as our guide. We have been so very lucky having him as he has gone above and beyond every day, right from the get go.
We all got through check in easily and then through immigration. ought a couple of bracelets and have now managed to spend almost all my Thai baht. The time passed quickly enough and although our flight was late landing, we were only 5 minutes late taking off.  It isn't a full flight so I had a three seat row to myself.  We had a nice meal and were offered French Chardonnay so I was quick to accept that.  I had 3 of my kittens sitting behind me and 2 in front of me.  We were all drinking the wine and were very happy when the flight attendant offered us a second little bottle, and then a third!!! As our group were about the only Europeans onboard I suggested to the kittens to start talking with an American accent so that if they got rowdy we would be assumed to be typical loud yanks!
Our flight was a bit under 3 hours and as soon as we arrived we headed to the city tour booth and I booked our group on the 5.15 p.m. city lights tour. If you ever have a couple of hours to spare in Singapore airport I highly recommend the free city tour.  We stopped at the Merlion by the harbour and were able to get off the coach for 20 minutes to have a wander and take photos.  Then we went to Gardens by the Bay which was just fabulous.  We only had 45 minutes there but the timing was great as it was just getting dark and the lights in the park and on the super trees came on. Breath taking!
Back on the coach and back to the airport where we have to go through Immigration again.
As we are in Terminal 2 we get the sky train to terminal 3 and most go in search of something to eat as it is now about 8pm.  As I am one of the few with Singapore money I come in very handy to pay for coffees and meals for a couple of my kittens. I then have a bit of a wander and end up buying an elephant and a buddha Pandora charm. I then manage to find a pair of sunglasses that are polarized, light and fit me well, with the added bonus that they are 50% off so give the credit card another bashing. Catching up with all my little herd we go through the screening process again to our gate and this is now where I sit.  the flight leaves at 11.30 so another hours to wait. I have given my kittens a 'Travel Survey' to complete about our Thailand trip.  It will be interesting to see thier collective responses but I am pretty darn sure that there should be glowing responses all round, even from Frugal (who still won't be able to help herself without adding a list of criticisms but I'm expecting that so won't be surprised). This whole trip from start to finish has been exceptional.  We have been blessed with great weather throughout, a brilliant guide and an itinerary that has ticked all the boxes. Hope you've enjoyed the trip as well - at least you haven't put on about 5 kilos though from all the eating we've done! My little herd are going to be my best ambassadors to encourage others to travel with us in future as they all want to know 'where to next?"  And that is probably your question too.
Well the answer to that is.........

Chiangmai day 3

Just before we all went in for dinner last night, we all met in the hotel foyer and I announced the Melbourne Cup sweep winners.  With my usual flair for the outrageous we had drum rolls, cheering and clapping. As no one could remember the names of the horses they had, only their numbers, no one knew who the winners were even though some of them knew what horse had won the race. There was much speculation and suggestions of horse tampering prior to each announcement.  But once all monies were dispersed we headed to dinner. Questions were raised as to how the nominated race Steward and race Detective won first and second but no one was prepared to lodge a formal protest so it didn't end in tears. LOL!

Dinner was western style in the hotel restaurant last night.  We were meant to eat in their outdoor area but as it was raining we sat inside the formal part.  The food was good and a pleasant enough change from everything Asian.  I tried Thai whiskey but won't be changing brands any time soon. By the time we had finished dinner the rain had stopped so most of us decided to venture to the night markets.  Once there we all went our separate ways.  I wanted to buy a key ring (I attach a key ring from the country I am in to the relevant USB that I load all the photos onto).  Anyway, 2 cushion covers, 2 pair of casual pull on pants, a dress and a material shoulder bag later, I head back to the hotel about 10.30 and don't give the darn key ring another thought until breakfast this morning.  What a numpty!!! No time for photo uploading so you miss out again.

Awake at 4.45 a.m. for no good reason and that was the end of sleep for the night.  Breakfast was a busy affair as many of the JW's were already in the restaurant but I managed to find a table with a couple of my kittens. They leave Saturday so at least we won't all be trying to book out of the hotel at the same time in the morning.

The weather is fine, hardly a cloud in the sky.  We continue to be so very lucky.  The only bit of rain we saw was yesterday and then only while on the coach and during dinner last night. A light breakfast had by all as we are off to a Thai cooking class for the morning.  We meet our chef Anporn at a fresh vegetable and food market where she shows us what vegetables are which and what spices, etc we can use.  She then selects all the raw materials we will need for our lunch.  Back on the coach and then to her cookery school where our first order of business is to don chef's hats and aprons.  She patiently then shows us how to make Pad Thai and we then all had to have a go at making it for ourselves.  It was delicious.  We then do all the preparation for green chicken curry and hot sour soup.  When we then had both these dishes cooked we got to eat them while our bananas in coconut milk were cooking. What a great way to spend the morning.  I think most of us were a bit 'unfussed' about the cooking class, but Anporn was so lovely and the set up in the large kitchen was so well done tha it amde it both easy and interesting for us.  then when we had finished devouring our cooking she presented us each with one of her cooking books which is a professionally published book that she was more than happy to sign personally for each of us. Even our one token male in the group ended up enjoying himself.
But time to get back on the coach and we started heading toward an orphanage to visit but when Joe called ahead to confirm our attendance he was told that the orphanage is closed for a few days as one of the children has chicken pox. So we all agreed that we were happy to move to the next thing on our itinerary and potentially get back to the hotel a bit earlier as we all ahve to pack and as we have a big special farewell dinner tonight a bit of a rest on the hotel beforehand will be a bonus.  So we head to the top of Wat Doi Suthep where there is large temple (no surprise there) but offering fabulous views over Chiang Mai.  I think we were about 2 km above sea level.  The road was really windy and steep and thankfully we were visiting on a week day because on weekends it is such a popular spot that buses are banned and so we would have had to be conveyed to the hill top via one of the truck/utes. Once we were at the base of the temple we took at lift up to the top.  It is about 400 steps otherwise and Joe suggested if we really wanted to do the steps to do them going down rather than up and I liked his thinking!
Back on the coach and back to our hotel abut 3.30.  A few wanted to do some shopping and/or exchange money so I headed back towards where the night market was starting to set up but very little was open as it doesn't really get underway properly until about 7ish.  However I helped one of my kittens get some money exchanged and I then headed back to the hotel and I want to get the suitcase packed and have a quiet moment to myself before dinner.
So suitcase duly packed and I still have plenty of room. Hoever I am really cross with myself as I realize that I have managed to leave my digital luggage scales behind in one of the hotels as they are no longer in my suitcase.  I am certain I had them with me as I have taken a fan and my travel clock out of the smae little bag I had them all in.  But now no bag and therefore no scales... bugga! Add this to my sunglasses I lost at the last hotel and I am not faring well.  I never lose things and to lose 2 items on the 1 short holiday is really annoying. So I told myself that worse things happen at sea and I should know because I've been on the Fairstar. No point stweing over it.  I've been online and found where I can ge another one so will do so as soon as I get home. With that decision made I have a shower and get myself dressed up for our farewell dinner.  I went downstairs a bit earlier than needed and found a few of my kittens already there.  I was telling them my sorry tale of losing my sunglasses and then tonight realizing that I had lost my luggage scales. I then said somehting like, as things tend to happen in 3 I hope I don't lose anything else, or perhaps I might lose one of them.  With that my little ditsy kitten who is definitely suffering early Alzheimers shoots up from the loungs and takes off. We are all left looking at each other wondering what the heck has happened when one of the other kittys tells me that she thinks she has left her handbag with her money, ticket and passport in it at the hairdresser that she had been to some time earlier this afternoon! After about 5 minutes of panic, the handbag is located and all is well, but her timing couldn't have been worse when I had barely finished my sentence about losing one of them! Manage to calm the kitty down and no amount of talking could convince her to lock her valuables in the hotel room safe so bag with passport, etc comes with us on the coach to dinner. The friend her loaned her this stupid alleged trave bag should be horse-whipped.  The bloody thing has more pockets, flaps and zips on one bag than necessary should war break out! Kitty puts her room key in one pocket and bare moments later spends up to 5 minutes checking every nook and cranny of this Pandora's box to check that it is still there. she was upset that she still hadn't found anything as a thankyou gift for the lady who loaned the bag to her.  I told her to forget getting a gift as the person who loaned it to her is no friend of hers to fob off such a dud of a bag!!!
Anyway, that was me getting side tracked aain.  We all get on the coach and head to a Kantoke dinner which is traditional norhern Thai, along with traditional dancing. Apparently traditionally the northerners sit cross legged on the floor to eat their meal.  Thankfully to venue caters for Westerners and we were able to sit at floor level on cushions but with our feet in a pit.  Not easy to get into or up out of , but we managed.  The food was great and again way too much of it. And then it was time to come back to the hotel for our very last night inThailand. I took a couple of the kittens down the road to a small shop I'd found this afternoon when I finally got the keyring for my photos USB plus a sweet little brooch that was really cheap. They bought a couple of things they liked and back to the hotel we came. The vening was perfect weather and having no idea what it is like back home, I really am quite happy to stay here longer, but that ain't going to happen so back to the hotel and my room with just enough time to pen these lines and then it is off to bed as I am very, very tired now.
Am in denial that it is our last night inThailand.  It has been a super trip, going far beyond my expectations. Who's the spoilsport that said  "All good things must some to an end"? What a killjoy.

Chiangmai day 2

Did I happen to mention that there is an itnernational convention for 180 Jehovah's Witnesses happening at our hotel??? Ye gods, or should I say ye Yaweh??? Having had the great misfortune to have a JW mother-in-law who was as fruity as a bat - the old biddy's wedding present to us was a year's subscription to Watchtower magazines. Give me strength.  They wont' be making any converts out of me or my little kitten herd, that's a promise!
However back to the matter at hand.  The hotel was quite noisy as it is near the centre of the city and it is a very busy city, however it was still quite fine for our purposes.  Funny how quickly we got used to the 5 star restort lifestyle and expectations. After breakfast we were off to the Elephant campe and the day proved to be one of the absolute highlights.  We had rides on the back of elephnts which took us into a river bed and up stgeep enbankments into the jungle and down ssteep embankments back into the water.  Fantastic, although as was my lot in life I had to share with Frugal and she sat white knuckled the whole time, complaining that the ride was too long and when would it finish?  I reminded her that we knew that from the beginning it was going to take 45-60 minutes. Boy that woman is hard work!!! In true Karen form I kept carrying on that this was the best experience EVER, taking heaps of photos and getting the rest of the group to pose for photos whilst on their elephants, with lots of laughing happening the whole time. Our mahoot was only a young lad and he kept singing different songs to us in his very limited English (his version of the songs were based on what he thought the English words sounded like to him even though he didn't understand what he was actually singing.  It was hilarious.  He started off with 'in the jungle the mighty jungle.... and I joined in with the whimaway, whimaway.  This was closely followed by a few choruses of Happy birthday to the elephant, jingle bells, the wedding march, John Denver's County Roads and he even snuck in a 'Jesus loves me this I know'. How could Frugal not see the funny side of this? Anyway once back on land and off the elephants all the kittens were talking at once telling their stories of how good  their elephant was and what it got up to and what it's name was, gender, age and anything else they could think of. Clearly a roaring success. Then we wentbamboo rafting down the river for about another 45 minutes and it was jsut so peaceful and beautiful all at the same time.  I made sure I wasn't on the same raft as Frugal this time as she was doing my head in and my patience was about at its limit with her. Then back on the coach to take us back up river to the elephant camp again where we got to see them bathe and then watch their show as they put on a demonstration of soccer, disco dancing, sitting, hopping, standing on front legs, back legs, laying down and then painting with their trunks.  So many wow moments and cameras were going berserk.  I'm already onto my 2nd 8GB memory card.
Whilst we were waiting o watch the elephants get in the river to bathe there was an opportunity to have your photo taken sitting on the elephants knees while it was seated.  I had my back to the elephant trying to get some of the kittens to come and pose for a photo, and next thing I know the elephant's trunk is between my legs and it has lifted me up towards its head.  What fun and my kittens were cracking themselves up so much so that some of them couldn't hold their cameras steady.  After that they nearly all wanted their photo taken sitting on the elephant's knee, but I noticed Frugal was standing way back away from the group so I went up to her and asked her point blank if she was enjoying herself, to which she replied yes.  I then simply said, Well, it's hard to know with you, and then walked away.  Somewhat surprisingly I haven't heard her complain since, but then again she has probably been avoiding me.
However enough time wasted on my one problem kitty. Reluctantly it is time to get back on the coach and leave this wonderful place. But needs must and it is now time to head to our lunch location which is an orchid farm and butterfly house restaurant.  Once again a buffet lunch with great choices and great food.  I recommend the Pad Thai and spring rolls, especially as I had 2 servings. The orchids were simply beath taking, so many colours and varieties.  Puts my poor cymbidiums to shame. Oh well. The butterfly house was lovely too but my camera lens kept steaming up inside it so most of those memories will just have to stay in my head. Back on the coach and the skies are staying to get grey.  It has been a perfect day today, a bit cooler, perhaps mid 20s and no humidity at all with a gentle breeze. But now on the coach there is a light rain, the first we have seen since we have been here.  We then have a look through the largest temple in the old city. Every temple we have been in is so very different from the previous and one of us have had that feeling of being "all templed out" at any stage. Much of this temple was destroyed in an earthquake in the 1700s (keeping in mind it was built in the 1300s and was then left untouched for some 400 years) but since then there has been a steady renovation of it to bring it back to its former glory. One more temple to see beofre we call it a day and it is the oldest temple in the old city.  In the closed temple next to it is house a supposed hair of Buddha which makes it a very revered and holy place.  We have become accustomed to seeing young boys in monks orange robes as w now know that that are not monks for like and can start training with the monks from as young as about 7 years of age although most are more likley to be in their teens. The old traditions require all young men to be a monk for at least 3 month's training where a key learning is that of controlling their temper so that they will become very good heads of their own household. They are also required to do 2 years national service after they turn 19 (or ws it 21?) and so should not marry before they have done both their monks and national service training. The way of avoiding the compulsory national service is to go to university, but even then they have to do similar to the Army Reserves one day a week. Maybe this is something Australia needs to reconsider. Just a thought.
Just as we are getting on the coach to head for our hotel a light rain falls and once agin we are so darn lucky with the weather. Back to the hotel just before 4.30 and we have had another fabulous day.  There was so much chatter on the coach after the elephant camp that I know this has been a stand out day for my little herd, and I am super chuffed. We did manage to do our Melbourne Cup sweep draw on the coach jsut before the elephant camp but knew that we would have to wait until the evening when I could get online to check out who won. It was all a bit of fun organising it and at 20 baht per horse (less than $1) none of us are thinking we might win enough to pay for our trip, but we all want to have scored a winner none-the-less. I appointed a race steward to oversee that all horse names were entered and appointed a course detective to make sure there was no illegal activity or doping scandal.  She got the position as we said that as she was the only one who had slept with a real detective (her husband was a D) then she had the best credentials to fill that position. One of my kittens told me that she normally organises the sweeps at her workplace and another kitten wanted to be invovled so they became the offical "ball girls" who held the two hats with the respective names in. All this was done whilst travelling on the coach so there was much laughing, ooh and aahing as names were called out and yelled out repeatedly for those calling out, "what did you say" and "what's my horse number again?" I even wore my hand made fascinator (which in an earlier life was the foam webbing from around my bottle of scotch). Much mirth and jocularity over that.
So back in my hotel room I duly go on line and find out the placings in the race. Thankfully there are 3 different kitten winners as we all had more than 1 horse.  I didn't score a placing so have done my 60 baht (about $2.50). I told them all that I would announce the winners at dinner and all reckon that's a great idea.
I am actually going to finish early for today as I now want to get ready to go to dinner and most of us are then going to venture out to the night markets. It is likely to be a late night so rather than finish typing at midnight I shall leave you panting for more. However if I do manage to get back in at a reasonable hour I will attempt to upload some photos, but I'm not promising.

Chiangmai

It's a bit disappointing to have to leave my luxurious suite but needs must, so after breakfast we set off to Chiangmai.  Yet again the weather is perfect. No humidity and the heat just right.  We were meant to go to see a couple of temple ruins in Wang Kum Kam but instead Joe has taken us to the White Temple.  And boy are we ever glad he did. As the temple first comes into view I thought I was seeing a snow palace out of a Disney movie.  It is absolutely spectacular. All in brilliant white with only mirror glass mosaic as any adornment. It is a one of a kind.  The guy who got it built is a famous artist in Thailand, from Chiangmai.  He has sold his paintings for millions of dollars.  As he didn't want the government to intervene with the making of this temple he funded it fully himself and would not accept donations from any other source.  He was keen to encourage young Thai people to follow the buddhist religion and wanted to make a temple that was attractive and different and something that might engage young people, so he drew up beautiful paintings of all aspects of the temple and under his tutelage and direction got 12 more artists/architects to follow his plans to get it done.  It is now about 18 years old (the artist ii now in his 60s and a professor at one of the universities.) We were able to take photos of the outside but not in the actual temple itself.  It was lovely wandering around the other outer buildings too.  Also had the chance to go into his art gallery where all the original paintings for the temple plus many more of his paintings were on view. Unfortunately we didn't have nearly enough time to take it all in, but this visit was truly a little gem that we are all so glad we got to see.  Dont know why this isn't included in the itinerary so am going to write to the tour company when I get home and encourage them to add it.  It really was a highlight.
However back on the coach we get and have about a 2 hour drive before we get to an umbrella making factory and shop where some of the ladies go berserk in getting painting on their bags, wallets, glasses cases and one of my kittens even got her trouser leg painted with the most delicate butterfly and dragonfly scene. I remember visiting here last time and got a bag painted plus bought an umbrella - can't remember what happened to the umbrella but I still have the hand bag and the painting hasn't aged a day.
Back on the coach and we head to a lovely out of the way open air restaurant in a huge park where we are treated to a lovely northern Thai style buffet.  they really like their chilli and spices so I just love their food, but I don't add more chilli to everything like the locals do.  The coconut chicken soup is to die for.  Hope I can find a recipe for it later. Back on the coach and we then visit one of the 3 government run gem galleries in Thailand.  Everything is absolutely beautiful but very pricey.  I looked at a nice little pair of earrings that I might have paid a couple of hundred dollars for but not the $1660 they wanted.  It is the bane of my life having champagne tastes on a beer budget... sigh...
So back on the coach and then to a silk making factory and store.  I bought myself a 3/4 sleeved top that  I can think I look quite stunning in, even if I do say so myself.  Not as stunning as in the blue tafetta but a close second. LOL!!!
Back on the coach and to our hotel which is very close to the night market which is huge.  it goes for about a kilometre on 2 sides of a main street, and then there are 2 large under cover markets off to each side. I know that many of them are going to have the exact same items but it is going to be fun wandering about them when we get a chance. Time for a cuppa and chance to start the blog.  My room is a very nice modern (but boring) standard style.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with it except it isn't one of the resort ones we have become accustomed to.. sigh...
However time to head to dinner wehere we are taken to an outdoor northern style restaurant.  As usually there are so many courses that there is no chance of us eating it all.  One of the main dishes is a whole chicken baked upright on a stand, but just before carving it has whiskey poured over it and set fire to! Waste of good whiskey for my liking, but made for a nice spectacle on the dinner table.  One of my kittens is a first time traveller with us, being invited along by one of the other kittens.  I am convinced that she has clear signs of alzheimers as she is forever wandering about 'lost' any where we stay and forgets where she has put something onl moments before plsu lots of oter little tell tale signs.  Anyway she was seated quite near the 'flaming' chicken and silly me says something like surely we should sing Happy Birthday so that someone can blow out the flame.  Well with that, the little kitten blew out the chicken!!!! I almost fell off my chair. Everyone else was way too polite to say any thing.  I just couldn't' help myself and cracked up laughing.  Kitty looked dumbfounded and bewildered so I said to her "Well done you, I was worried that that flame was going to get out of hand."  With that she was pleased and everyone else pretended that what just happened didn't, and got on with the business of eating dinner. I did later manage to knock over one of the kitten's wine glass, but in my defence I was the one who ended up carving up the chicken and only knocked he glass when I tried to serve her some of it!!! At least she had drunk most of it but I bought her another one anyway.  We all commented on how nice the vegeables were that the wine dropped into too!
Over dinner amongst lots of laughing (except for Frugal who sat stoney faced through most of the night) there was discssion about tomorrow being Melbourne Cup day/. One of my kittens is a slef-confessed big gambler and was keen for us to do a sweep so I am now incharge of running a sweep tomorrow.  On the coach trip back to our hotel I told Joe that we were going to run a sweep in the morning for he melbourne Cup and what it is all about, however we woldn't do it i it offended him (being a Buddhist and all).  Not only did he say he didn't mind at all, he wants to be in it too! Bless him.  So I have now come back to my room, very tired and so ready for bed, but not before I've drawn up the sweep names and horses and finished today's blog.  I was hoping to add some more photos but you have missed out for now as enough is enough to fit into one day.
It's been another great day and I'm so looking forward to tomorrow as I know my kittens are in for a great treat - you will just have to stay tuned.

Changrai - 2nd day

Although I am in a magnificent suite,I didn't get a good night's sleep.  Maybe I'm not used to such richness, certainly not used to the 4 post netting canopy overhead! However, no one ever died from a bad nigh sleep so onward and upward.  Breakfast is the open air restaurant by the river.  I caught up with Joe as he came into breakfast and got him to check the itinerary he had planned for us for today compared against the one with our ticketing.  He saw that included in my copy from the tour company was a visit to see the Karen people (long neck hills tribe) and he was going to take us into Myanmar to see them.  Re going into Myanamar (Burma) this wasn't on our itinerary but we all agreed yesterday that as we were so close to the border and it is relatively easy to go in for a few hours without visas, etc that we all wanted to at least have a look.  Joe intended in getting us on tuk tuks once we were across the border and see a Karen tribe in the Myanmar hills. But after my conversation with him at breakfast he changed the plans around to confirm that the tour company would pay for our visit to see local Karen people and therefore it wouldn't cost us so much to go into Myanmar. Not sure that I've explained that well, but it makes sense to me and after all this is MY travel blog...
However, back to my day.  We were on our coach and away for an 8.30 day touring the region. We had to get off the coach and transfer to a small truck type vehicle - imagine a long ute with a covered canopy and plank seating along the two sides - where we then went up to Mae Salong Mountain.  The roads were so narrow and winding that our coach would never have made it.  Mind you, on a couple of corners I wasn't sure we were going to make it either! however both trucks managed to get to a tea plantation where we had a short look around and then were invited to drink tea, Thai style.  It really ws quite a ceremony and just wonderful. I was very impressed with the tea pot used, so impressed that I bought one for myself.  the lass who did the demonstration was really sweet and gave me a big box of tea bags as a gift.  No one else got a gift so I considered myself very special. [NB to Princess Shiny Bright when she reads this - I am using 'special' in the correct manner, not the way you use it when describing our friendship!!!) The tea plantation is about a kilometre above sea level.  The hillside was just beautiful and again so contrasting with all the different things being grown, interspersed with dense jungle.
Back on the truck and we then went to the tribal village of Yao where we had an opportunity to walk through the village.  the women do the most amazing cross stitch.  The also weave and all the traditional clothing, hats and bags are very colourful.  Back on our truck and back down the mountain to get back onto our coach that takes us to lunch at a restaurant called 'Cabbages and Condoms'.  Joe had told us the story of how the restaurants came into being and how they were named and had us in stitches. the short version is that a local Thai doctor was working amongst the hill tribes and at the time HIV was a serious problem.  The local tribes had no concept of birth control so the doctor attempted to reduce the spread of the HI virus and improve the health of women from having one kid after another so attempted to teach the local men how to use condoms.  That's where all the hilarity was had with Joe telling us the stories of the failed training attempts.
The doctor initially had limited success in getting the message through but as his information was getting out to the local tribes he needed money to fund his continued research and training, so set up a restaurant in the city.  In deciding what to name the restaurant he decided on the C & C name because the locals grew cabbages and he needed the money from the restaurant to fund purchasing condoms. The initial restaurant was such a success that I think there are about 3 or 4 others in Thailand.
Our meal was once again a banquet with 6 courses and we have all learnt to take it slowly and no obligation to consume everything in sight! The restaurant was good fun too as the staff were nearly all young local people who volunteered to work there to learn their hospitality skills. Joe ended up doing most of our serving!!! As we walked into the restaurant we were met with an Elvis mannequin - it was only when you got closer to it that you saw that the entire costume was made from condoms!!! Hilarious. Waddled back to the coach and away we go towards the border with Myanmar. It was a real eye opener, that's for sure.  we actually had to hand in our departure cards as we left Thailand and had our passports stamped accordingly.  Then we walked across a small bridge and had to have our passports stamped again by the Myanmar customs officers, who were very friendly and laughing with us.  We then got on to small trucks similar to those that took us to the mountains and went to a high point of the city to get a look out over Myanmar.  We were accosted by women and children wanting to sell us flowers for the temple and postcards but none of us were buying. The difference between Thailand and Myanmar was palpable.  Having a little knowledge of each country's history makes it understandable. We take our little truck back down the hill to the market right along the border.  If you remember the likes of Hong Kong 30 plus years ago, then it was
similar with very narrow pathways through the stalls, motor scooters trying to barge their way past you as you walked by the stalls and copies of copies and therefore very cheap and nasty. The only person who bought anything was Joe, and that was a re-chargeable outdoor lantern. We then filled out our entrnce form to get back into Thailand, queued to go through Immigration where they put three stamps in my passport and we were back into beautiful Thailand once more.  What an experience.
Back on the coach and off we head in search of the Karen people, where the women have the brass rings around their necks to stretch them as a supposed sign of beauty, therefore giving them the name of long neck hills tribe.
As this clearly wasn't part of Joe or Chook's original plan, neither were exactly sure to go and we ended up going about 45 minutes out of our way before joe got on the mobile to get directions from his office, where we then had to re-trace our steps to eventually find the turn off wch we had passed about 40 minutes earlier.  The road was not one that considered a large coach might want to go down it one day.  Chook did an amazing job of getting around very tight bends and the couple of on-coming cars were able to pull off the road just far enough for us to get past. Once we finally got there, Joe told us that his office people he rang had told him that a coach couldn't use the road that we finally got there on, which is why they had tried another way (even though it clearly wasn't even close to going in the right direction - I think that both men were too proud to ask for directions earlier...) but the wait and oute was well worth it. there were 5 women and a couple of children in the area we went to.  It broke my heart to see the women with these metal rings around their neck, arms and lower legs. the 2 young girls, one no more than 4 also had the rings around their necks and as they grow older, more will be added.  A couple of the women were weaving scarves, although all of the women had scarves and shawls (the latter not of their making) for sale.  Some of our group bought scarves and had their photos taken with the women, but I wasn't prepared to buy from one and not the others and I really didn't want that many items so instead bought none.  I have no right to impose my views or beliefs onto anyone and each of the women seemed happy enough for us to be there looking at them, but if what they go through stretching their necks the way the rings work and the pain they go through each time a new ring is fitted (they will weigh about 4 1/2 kilo by the time they have added them all), if this is not a form of mutiliation that subjugates women then what the heck is?
I am really pleased I had the opportunity to meet these peaceful kind women, but it is not something I ever want to see again.
Time to get back onto the coach and head for our hotel where we finally get back about 6.30 p.m. Just enough time to get to my luxurious suite, make a cuppa and then head to dinner at the ho9tel restaurant where we have a spectacular buffet dinner that had every conceivable delicacy to suit every  taste.  I started with Sushi, moved on to Thai curries and rice, then had the thinnest slice of beek cooked to perfection in front of me that I accompanied with paw paw salad (yum). There was no way I could even look at sweets but my hungry (read "some people don't know when they have had enough" or perhaps just read "greedy gutses") little kittens did and came back to the table with things like coconut milk icecream, bread pudding and custard, creme caramel, jelly (Thai style), toffee tart, butter cake and cream and other little delicacies that I don't know the name of. I think that I have managed to eat more than the cost of the trip's value!!!  I came, I saw, I ate my way through Thailand.
So, at a very reasonable hour I am back in my room with trusty night cap regaling you with my action packed day.  there is absolutely no rest for the wisked as we are off again to a new hotel and lots more adventures tomorrow in chiangmail.  Sadly that will be our last destination for our remaining nights.  No one wants to think about it as we are truly have a fabulous time.  Even Frugal who is a gigantic pain in the bum for being so damn serious and negative all the time (having any conversation with her is like being lectured to by a university professor who loves the sound of their own voice and is not interested in any response or opinion you may hold - she has no concept of small talk or humour) is allegedly having a great time. Not sure how you can tell other than if you ask her and then ignore the inevitable "but" that she adds to the end of her answer so that you are forewarned that she is now going to launch into all the negatives she can conjure up. However I don't want to end my day thinking of her as that truly can be a big downer. Instead I can tell you that MW who is the president of PL texted me the other day to check on how we are going.  I texted back that we are having a fabulous time. He then asked when do we get back and I replied that I had checked with the kittens and we are all in agreement that we are not coming back!!! MW is delightful but very serious. It could just be that he thinks I am serious, and come to think about it, we just might be. LOL...
There might still only be 24 hours in a Thai day, but we are fitting a day and a half into every one of them. I now need to replenish my night cap and put myself to bed. Looking forward to Chiangmai as I know lots of the things we have to look forward to.  My kittens are going to love them.
Now where did I put the scotch bottle??

Changrai

Well here I sit, late at night (it is currently 10.50 p.m.) with my trusty scotch by my side as I attempt to recap on my day, and what a day it has been.  I had breakfast in the outdoor restaurant overlooking a river this morning and on the coach for our 8 a.m. departure.  the weather is absolutely perfect and as we continue to be very lucky with so little humidity, everyone has become quite acclimatised to the heat which although I'm sure it won't make sense, the heat here is different for the same temperatures at home. Anyway, I'm even getting a bit of a tan and it doesn't wash off in the shower so the sun is certainly kinder to me here than at home.
We had a long drive to Chiangrai which is the northern most district of Thailand. Joe being the excellent tour guide that he is, only talks for part of the time, and only when it is relevant.  He is very knowledgeable on so many subjects, and no topic is taboo.  He makes even history stories interesting and making you ask questions wanting to know more.  He also has a great sense of humour and often jokes with us.
Only had 1 comfort stop along the way and I found a lovely little shop while the coach was refuelling, that had some lovely scarves in. As everything was in Thai I did my best arm waving, gesturing and pointing to find out how much they cost and as they were such a great price I started picking up a couple, but before I knew it I had created a frenzy amongst the kittens who saw what I was doing and I think the store ended up doing more business in 15 minutes than they would in a month!!! Joe had to come and hurry up the last one to get on the coach and on the orad again we went.  It was very mountainous area and one minue we were looking at very dense jungle and the next pineapple, corn, rice, paw paw and goodness knows what other crops.  I even saw a local leading a herd of water buffalo along the side of the road, but I wasn't quick enough with my camera to capture the moment so you have to take my word for it and use your imagination - come on now dear armchair traveller, you have to do something more than sit back and contemplate the fluff in your navel every now and then or you will go to seed!
We finally arrived in Chiangrai which is s very big city and headed to the Golden Triangle hotel which has an amazing view over the Mekong River so that you are standing in Thailand but looking at Myanmar (100 metres away across a canal) and Laos (about 700 metres away on the other side of the Mekong) . Lovely buffet lunch with excellent glass noodles amongst the many offerings. So much food that we are beginning to feel like battery hens being forced fed.  Even just sampling a little bit from each plate means that you have over eaten yet again.
Anyway, back on the coach for a very short ride to the port where we have the opportunity to do the trip I had asked Joe about and he promptly arranged for us where we got onto a motorised boat that took us very close to the Golden Triangle island and then to Laos where we were able to disembark and have a wander in their local markets for about an hour. Some of my kittens went berserk whereas i bought a cotton short for myself and hmmmm, not telling you what else as you may be on the receiving end of one of the items for Christmas (if I like you enough, that is). I also bought a postcard that I sent to msyelf so that I would have proof that I had been to Laos. As it turned out I could have saved that 80 baht as when we got back to Chiangrai side Joe picked up our passports from the Immigration office where we had to leave them prior to going on the boat (to make sure we came back- yeah right...I'm from Australia and I'm going to jump ship and claim refugee status in Laos)
Anyway, bless their cotton socks, as I found a brand new Laos stamp at the back of my passport - and the year shows 2558 because their calendar is about 500 hears ahead of ours!!!
So we all return to our coach and back into the city.  there is a lot of roadworks throughout the country that so that certainly slows us down and traffic is also very heave so we don't get to out hotel until 6.15pm.  We are staying at The Legend hotel resort which is a sister hotel to another Legend hotel we stayed in earlier.  It is a huge place but down a narrow road so how Chook managed to get the coach there safely is beyond me.  There are bungalows in every direction and they are spread out far and wide.  i finally find my room which is at the far end of one corner of the compound and as I go in I practically tumble over myself.  This room is in fact about 4 rooms and even has its own courtyard with a swing seat and outdoor setting.  The room is a 5 star suite of rooms.  The shower room is bigger than my first room I lived in for 2 years in the RAAF!  The 2 large single beds both have a four poster netting over them and the day bed has pillows scattered over it.  Ive taken photos but to see it is to believe it!
However I only have a few minutes in the suite before I head back to reception and gather my kittens as we head back onto the coach for dinner in the heart of the city.  Joe has changed our dinner venue to Ayes restaurant as it is directly opposite the night market.  He couldn't have chosen better, however we are all starting to feel the pinch of so much food at every meal and we all felt guilty that so much food was left on plates, but what we did have ws excelletn.  it is a 5 star Northern Thai restaurant, so everything was very spicy and hot which I love, however they put pineapple in a lot of dishes and I don't touch them.  After dinner we wandered across the road and had some time to wander the market but i think we were all pretty pooped as there wasn't much buying so a very tired but fully sated herd of kittens once agin scrambled onto the coach and back to the hotel where I now have come to the end of my day,and my scotch, so I bid you a sincere goodnight because i need to get some sleep!!!

Lampang

Up and out this morning at 8 and on the road again.  We are heading north west and the countryside is much hillier. In parts it is full on jungle and then around the corner it is rice fields or general farming land. This certainly is a land of contrasts.  Weather warm but only a little humidity so once again we are very fortunate. We stop for a comfort break and I buy some fried banana strips that I share on the coach.  I still had some Durain falvoured wafers left from the other day so we have those too.  We finally get to Lampang after about 2 1/2 hours.  We take a delightful ride on a horse drawn cart around the old city for about half an hour. It was great fun and very relaxing. Then back on the coach to an out of the way restaurant for lunch in a secluded spot where we have yet another of Joe's "light lunches".  So much food and always so tasty. One of the platters had prawns on skewers.  Most of us had one or two but Frugal clearly liked them and ended up finishing off about 10 of them.  I think she was a bit embarrassed by the time she finished when she saw the big pile of prawn shells in front of her, and all of us staring at her!!! (I sat and had breakfast with her this morning as I wanted to try and spend a bit of one on one time with her just to see if I could get through her 'serious' nature. She is enjoying herself but you wouldn't know it unless you push her on the subject.)
Anyway, time to get back on the coach again and we head to Wat Phra Kaew Don Tao which is the temple where initially the Jade Buddha was kept.  But King V had it moved to Bangkok some hundreds of years ago, so we are very privileged that we have not only seen the jade Buddha but its original 'home' which not many locals can say.
We stop in at a local market and have a wander through.  There are all sorts of foodstuffs that I can't recognise and then we see all the bugs for sale to eat.  I tried a cricket last time I came to Thailand but can't be convinced to eat bugs ever again... There was all sorts of offal and small skinned beasties for sale.  all was on display and nothing was refrigerated.  No wonder some people turn Vegan..
A small pet area at the back of the market had chickens, rabbits and puppies for sale.  I was horrified as I was worried that they were for sale to eat, but Joe assured me that they were for pets. He then told the story of some time ago he and some friends were at the market and each decided to buy a pet.  He bought a rat, but by the time they got back to Bangkok his rat had clearly escaped as it was no where to be found in their luggage!  At the mere mention of rats I was out of there.  Thankfully I didn't see them in cages at the back of this market stall or you would have heard me screaming from here! At the front of the markets I did however buy a silver belt so at least I have a half reasonable nice memory of that market now.
Time to head to our hotel which is the River Lodge at Lampang.  It is like a tropical garden with wooden bungalows dotted along the various paths. I had a wander around and eventually found my way to the pool so went for a swim, which was wonderful - the water is always just right, time for a quick change and then to a buffet dinner in an open air restaurant at the resort.  Way too much food once again, but hey, I'm on holidays...
aanother lovely day in paradise.
Tomorrow we head to Chang Rai.  I had asked Joe if there was any way we would be able to get to the Golden Triangle where Laos, Myanmar (Burma) and Thailand borders meet.  Bless him, he has organised a boat to take us on the Mekong river to go to Laos.  It will cost about 500 baht each ($20) and at this stage all have said they are interested in goign, even Frugal. I'm very much looking forward to our next few days.  I don't want to think about it that we have now been here a week which means that we are half way through our holiday. Denial is a strong defence to reality.
And with that, it is my bedtime.

Sukhothai

Had a very lazy morning so got some washing out of the way before heading to breakfast.  I love the asian food and if you want you can have chicken curry and rice for breakfast!  I opted for the best spring rolls ever.  They were so good I had three of them, and that was after I had myVegemite on toast...
It is quite warm and a bit humid but no one is complaining.
On the coach at 9.30 and a short ride to the ruins of the intial temple and palace when Sukhothai was the first capital of Siam (which we now know as Thailand) about 1,000 years ago.  I am sure it is hard to understand from reading my few lines, but the ruins are absolutely fantastic.  I am not sick of seeing them and love the stories that go with each different site. Joe is such a wealth of information and he is so very comfortable with my little herd of kittens that he often jokes with us and is always looking for extra things to show us or take us to.  Poor Chook (pronounced choke, as in strangle) simply manoeuvres the big bus through side streets and lanes to wherever Joe says and all without the blink of an eye or the scraping of vehicles on the side!!!
At the ruins we then board our own motorized tram ride around the ruins, getting off at key points.  I am amazed at how few people there are here, but then I realize that Joe has us getting to all these sites at just the right time as the crowds build up each time we are about to leave.  that's just another huge tick in the box for him and the tour itinerary.
We then head to a ceramics 'factory' which is a well known family business, to see how the products are made.  We are offered the chance to paint our own mug or plate but no one wants to embarrass themselves as we are quite happy to watch the lass painting a plate. Frugal decides to go for a wander up the street so I finally locate her and get her on the coach where the others are waiting... sigh...
We then head a short coach ride to lunch where Joe had been promising us since last night, that we were only going to have a light lunch as we have all been saying that there is just too much food at every meal and as none of us have any will power, we eat every time food is put in front of us.  So we were more than surprised to find at lunch that after the fabulous coconut chicken soup for starters, we then had our table filled with various Thai dishes to sample.  We just couldn't eat it all again!!! Joe thought it was hilarious. The excess baggage I will be bringing home will be well and truly stuck on my hips, thighs and bum...
Rolled back onto the coach and another short ride back to our hotel where we now have a free afternoon.  We were meant to go to a weaving factory but that isn't open so joe has promised to find something similar later in the tour for us.  So back at the hotel I head straight to the Spa for a Thai massage.  OMG, who knew I was as flexible as the girl made me??? I had legs flinging about in directions I didn't know they could go.  After an hour of being pummelled in the nicest possible way I then headed to the gorgeous big pool and went for a much needed swim.  I did give thought at one stage to what the poor people might be doing, but then I decided I didn't really care, so gave it no more thought.
Back to the room to shower and then add some photos for all you needy little armchair travellers, plus get the blog underway.  Dinner in the hotel again tonight as Joe and I agreed that everyone would probably want to stay in tonight after such a relaxed afternoon, so that's what Joe has now arranged for us.  We head off to Lampang tomorrow which is very rural and will be yet another change of pace and scenery for us.
I know I've already made mention of this, but all on the tour are repeatedly telling me of how good a time they are having, and our only fellow on the tour (partner of one of my kittens) said last night that even though he is world travelled, so far, this is the best tour he has ever done, so how good is that? I am very very very pleased with the first overseas trip I've organized for my kittens. Hopefully you armchair travellers are enjoying the journey too - if not, just consider my 'care factor'.
Am now back from dinner which was another huge banquet. We all feel like battery hens being force-fed!!! It has been a lovely day.  I'm almost packed up again ready for our departure in the morning. I am now going to treat myself to an early night... after my scotch night cap ofcourse.

More photos

You need to consider yourselves very lucky, as we have a free afternoon and after my Thai massage and a swim I am feeling very mellow and happy to spend time down loading more photos for my dear little armchair travellers.
Enjoy...

The solid gold Buddha.

 Traditional dancers.  How they bend those fingers back makes me cringe.

The Orient Express crossing the bridge over the River Kwai

this would be me on the bridge over the River Kwai

Just one of the headstones at the Allied Cemetry.  I saw that this one was for an Adelaide boy so thought it only fitting to pay special respects to a local lad.

Face of Buddha carved into a tree at Ayuthaya

Elephants at entrance to the ruins of Ayuthaya

The photos cannot possibly portray the grandeur and splendour of the ruins at Aythaya

Sukhothai is the first capital of Siam 1000 years ago.  Its name means dawn of happiness which is clearly reflected in the ancient ruins and temples.

 Me at the pagoda showcasing the important part elephants played in development of the country during Sukhothai's early years.

Joe told us we were having a 'light lunch' today and we were all pleased to hear that, as we have eaten like kings since we got here.  This is a photo of the supposed 'light lunch'!!!! Just looooove that Thai food...

To Sukhothai

(I have uploaded some photos on a page earlier).
Can't believe that the darn alarm woke me at 5.30 this morning.  Could well have done with a couple more hours sleep but up I got, shower, suitcase out, breakfast and on the coach and way by 7. We have a very long travel day today.  Weather warm and a bit humid but fine inside the air conditioned coach - funny about that...
First stop after about 1 1/2 hours of driving is the ruins of Ayuthaya.  I haven't been to Angkor Wat in Cambodia, but figure that this has to be similar.  It was quite humid by now but fine in the shade.  we were able to take our time having a wander through the ruins which were fascinating.  Back on the coach for a short ride to the remains of the palace and surrounding temples.  This wasn't on our itinerary but Joe looks after us so well that as we were so close it made sense as far as he was concerned to fit this in too.  Very impressive once again. Even saw four elephants that were carrying tourists around.  Did I remember to tell you about the wild monkeys we saw in the jungle area two days ago?  Cheeky things were running across the road and having a wonderful time searching for food that passing motorists had thrown from their vehicles.
Anyway, I digress, back on the coach and about 1/12 hours later we arrive at our lunch destination which is just too hard to describe but was just wonderful.  There were a number of thatched roof areas alongside a big dam, and we were seated in one of these areas.  A fabulous lush path led from where the coach dropped us off to our esating area.  The flowers were beautiful and arches were formed by some of the taller plants, trees and vines.  Anyway we had a Thai banquet and the food was great.  A couple of the meals had pineapple in them so I said that I couldn't eat them because of my allergy.  I didn't wnat anythign else as the other 2 main options plus the soup were going to be more than enough for me, however next thing I know I am brought out my own special little dish of chicken and cashews.  The service was exceptional.  They kept coming to ask if we wanted more of anything and as it was we couldn't eat all they had brought first time around!   We then rolled back onto the coach and had about 2 more hours until a short pit stop (or happy stop as Joe calls them) at a large service station so that we could have a bathroom break.  there was a small mini mart there too so I bought some Durian flavoured wafers and a packet of sticky rice cakes with palm sugar syrup drizzled over them that I shared with all on the coach once we were underway again.  The Durian wafers were scrummy.. kind of like a custard taste and the sticky rice cakes were good too, altough the palm sugar toffee topping tested anyone with false teeth. LOL!!!
2 more hours on the road and we finally arrived at our boutique hotel, The Legendha at Sukhothai which was the oroginal capital.  It was about 6.20 p.m. by the time I got to my room and it had been a very long travelling day, but an extra good one.  Our hotel is really nice - and being boutique has quite a lot of quirky things.  I've already spent too long uploading your first lot of photos on the previous entry that you will have to wait for photos of my room for another time.
Dinner was at the restaurant and it was fantastic, yet again with a budffet that had so many options I barely touched on half of them.  We even had the option of having our own Pad Thai made up in front of us, which I most certainly took advantage of. In keeping with previous dinners I had a Legendha Special from the cocktail menu and as it had things like Gin, rum, grenadine, triple sec and a host of other yummy alcoholic beverages in it I was very impressed.  it ws uppose to have pineapple juice in it but the subsituted orange juice for me... and then went and served it with a big chunk of pineapple in it so had to go and make me another one (and yes I checked, they did make another one not just fished the pineapple out!) After dinner we were entertained with some traditional dancing from some of the local students.  It was lovely. However it has been a very long day and we are all pooped so time to retire to our rooms and just enough time for me for a cleansing scotch, upload photos (Sis, if it were quicker and simpler to upload photos, there really would be more of them) and pen these lines.  My bed beckons.

Photos

Because the iPad and I struggle to upload photos apologies that there are so few, and anyway, the photos simply do not do justice to being here and experiencing it all first hand.  So that simply means that if you have never been to Thailand then you need to add it to your bucket list.  I'm not talking about Phuket or Pattaya or any of the other beach resort tourist traps. Start in Bangkok and head north. The people are just so friendly, the food fantastic, the weather fine as long as you pick the right season and the scenery unbelievable!

 Typical view along the Chao Praya River.

How those along the Chao Praya River in the klong of Thonburi live, but many not as nice as these.  There is no shortage of second hand galvanised iron all over the place.

Local taxis that are more generally used by the tourists.  haven't had the need to risk life and limb yet to go in one.

Reclining Golden buddha.  Couldn't possibly fit the whole thing into one picture.

Flower market - a florist's delight.

The railway market - everything gets whisked away when the train comes through.  You can see the sleepers in the centre of the photo.

 Floating market.  This was just  delightful! Bought myself a white blouse that I did a reasonable job of bartering for.  Wore it to dinner to noight and all commented on how lovely it was so I am extra chuffed.

 Hellfire Pass, unfortunately the photo doesn't give anywhere near the sense of actual size.  How those POWs cut through the sheer rock is just amazing. More than a few tears shed here.

Made me bloody proud to be an Aussie, that's for sure!

DAY 3

Reasonable night sleep but still waking up about 5 each morning which is way too early. When I went out to breakfast I saw that it had been raining overnight but didnt hear it at all.  Was a bit humid but by the time we had finished breakfast and on the coach at 8, not too bad at all. First stop was to a railway stop which is very popular marking a key section of the Thailand Burma railway that crosses the River Kwai at Kanchanaburi. Our timing was so good that we even got to see the Orient Express train which had travelled up from Bangkok.  It was full of rich Americans and English apparently. Once that train moved on we got a chance to walk a section of the actual bridge.  I felt like Alec Guinness and if I could have whistled better I would have done. So I simply started it off and then the rest of my kittens joined in.  You know the tune, the one made famous in the film, Bridge over the River kwai.  I have no idea of the name of the tune other than knowing some of the words that are not very flattering to Adolf Hitler. Whistling or humming loudly takes away the need to remember the words.
Back on the coach and then we head to the Allied War Cemetery which is superbly maintained by the locals.  Not a weed in sight and the grass maincured to an inch of its existence.  Very emotional experience once again, then we walked across the road to the Death Rail memorial museum which was equally as humbling and sad. Back on the coach and then we head to the local railway station where we once again see the Orient Express train and even had to walk through it to get to the other train track where our local train was which took us on an almost 2 hour ride through the countryside, shadowing where much of the original track would have been.  When we got to one of the spots where sheer cliff face had been cut away high alongside the River Kwai, the train actually slows right down for photos.  Just breath taking and all those other mixed emotions swirling around at the sheer feat of human endurance required to build that track.
At Wang Pho we get off the train and a very short walk down the street to our luncheon stop where we are once again treated to a fabulous buffet where they had the absolute best banana fritter EVER!!! They were so good, I had 4 of them!!!
Waddled back on the coach and then headed our jouney back to our hotel but with one stop at a lovely local waterfall at Saiyoke. There were kids everywhere splashing about in the waters which were grey from all the silt they had stirred up, but each child was having a ball and it was good to be amongst so many locals all having a great time.  Back on the coach and then back to our hotel about 3.30.  I had hoped to be able to book in for a massage at the local spa but they were booked out so I took myself down to the pool and had a very refreshing dip instead.  The pool area is huge and lots of little islands in it with lush vegetation.  the water was simply perfect. There were only two other kittens in the pool so dont know what the rest of my little herd were up to. Hopefully they were resting up for this evening as we are heading out to an unknown destination for dinner.  All are agreed that so far the holiday just keeps getting better and better so I am really chuffed that it is all going so well.  Frugal continues to be a bit bothersome as she is so damn serious all the time and when someone tells a little anecdote she counters with facts and figures.  She is clearly very well read and astute re history and politics, but on holiday, that is as useful as taking condoms to a convention for nuns... No one wants to know about them.  I've also told her that she has to stop hogging the front seat of the coach which she has done every day so far.  None of the others have spoken up about it and wont ask her to move but I have no such inhibitions or reservations... well, there's a surprise... NOT...
So I have time now after my swim to start today's blog and as it also happens to be scotch o'clock I'm imbibing in a wee tipple at the same time.
Now back from dinner which was a delicious Thai banquet at a fabulous floating restaurant right alongside the bridge over the River Kwai.  Exceptional.  We had quite a few laughs between us too over lots of silly little things, so that tells me how well the kittens are getting along being very comfortable with each other.  Even my kitten who was grumpy pre-tour about getting the dates wrong was having a good laugh and even had us laughing at a couple of things she came out with. a fun ending to another great day. It had been raining steadily by early evening but stopped entirely by the time we had dinner.  it has cooled things down beautifully and hopefully means we are in for another fine day tomorrow.  We have about 500 km to cover tomorrow so will be a long touring day.  Bags out by 6 so time for me to sign off for now.  Sleep beckons.

Day 2

It was a good night last night at the Thai dance and dinner.  I went down to the lobby bar before we needed to head off and decided to shout myself to a B52. I think that it has similar impact on the body as drinking jet full, and i loved it!!! At the show there was plenty of food, but only complaint is it could have been hotter, heat wise.  I washed my main meal down with a margarita.  Who knew that Thailand people love to make cocktails for foreigners so much???
Thankfully the dancing was only about an hour as the music does my head in.  Sounds way too much like cats wailing and fighting for my refined taste.  How the girls manage to bend their fingers back so far without breaking them off defies thinking about. You wont be surprised that I waas asked to get up and dance with the performers on stage for their final number but I declined as I was too busy taking photos...
Back to our lovely hotel at a reasonable hour with enough time for a night cap and packing as early start in the morning. Good night sleep had (with the entry light off) but up at 5, bags out at 6 and straight to breakfast.  Off we headed at 7.  there is still so much more to see and do in Bangkok but it has been a great taster for the group and my kittens are all having a fabulous time so far.  Similar weather as yesterday and even though it is 35 degrees it doesn't feel too hot and the humidity is very bearable, even pleasant for most of the time.  Our first stop is unexpected as we stop at the village that has the train which runs through a little market.  Cant remember the name of the place but Ive seen it shown on tv programmes.  The locals set up their little fruit, veg, fish, etc stalls immediately on top of the railway line and sell their wares.  They have rigged up plastic canpoies ov the top.  The train runs through 5 times a day, so 4 minutes before the train is due they pull back the canopies and remove any of the wares that are sitting up about the level of the rail track, wait for the train to pass and then set up their stalls again.  Absolutely incredible.  Thankfully the train is in for repairs at this time so we were in no real danger of getting run over by it! The market is only for locals who clearly use it well, but because of recent overseas media coverage about it, it is becoming more of a touristy spot.  We were the only 'foreigners' there though when we went through.
Next stop was the Damnern Saduak floating market.  it was buzzing and exciting and fun.  Wasnt too keen on the guys with the huge snakes that you could have your photos taken with, and some of the stall vendors were a bit pushy, but i did buy mself a little white blouse that i was happy with my bartering over.  it did however get very humid amongst all the stalls.  I know I keep promising photos, but I really did take some good photos of the floating market! Trust me...
Then back on the coach to head to our next spot which was at a floating restaurant on the River Kwai.  lots of choices from the buffet and i am becoming very adept at making the soup, chicken today.
After lunch we then headed to Hellfire Pass which you are probably aware was the Burma to Thailand railway that the Japanese forced our prisoners of war and the local Thai people to build under the most horrific conditions. Had the opportunity to have a very good look in the little museum.  Managed to shed a few tears whilst watching a video which was a compilation of photos and chalk drawings of the building of the track and the state of the POWS. Just heart breaking. Composed myself sufficiently to walk down into the actual part of the railway track and saw what was Hellfire Pass.  There is a very special plaque commemorating Weary Dunlop. It is impossible to tae in what was required to dig out the rock face to create the railway and bridges.  Something like 20 % (12,399) POWS died working on the railway and about 70,000-90,000 locals. The living conditions were appalling and if the dseases and malnourishment didnt kill you then the torture and beatings carried our by the Japanese would.
We were all very touched by the whole visit and are kind of looking forward to tomorrow when we go on a train ride on part of the track and a visit to the War Graves Cemetry at Kanchanaburi. But back on the coach it was, and time to head to our next hotel.  We got in about 5.30 and once again are in a very nice hotel, but quite old.  My room is huge!!!.  Time for some hand washing and get today's blog started and then to dinner at the restaurant.  The food was okay but way too much. 1. chicken salad entree followed by 2. pumpkin soup, followed by 3. chicken maryland followed by 4.fruit salad.    I thought I would keep trying out new cocktails, so had a Gin Fizz which I've decided i could become quite partial to. we had quite a few laughs over the entertainment during dinner.  A man on guitar and a woman singer did a darn good job of destroying every song they sang.  It was terrible.  I actually threatened to slap one of my kittens when she went up to them and asked them to play Tie me Kangaroo Down Sport.  Thankfully they had no idea what that was so we were at least spared that embarrassment.  I offered to go and grab the microphone off them at one stage and do a few ABBA numbers.  I think I even had a couple of the kittens ready to storm the stage for me, but in the end we all decided that it was all aprt of the experience so we sucked it up and hoped that their performance wouldn't make our ears bleed. So it was then time to say our farewells to each other after another great day.   As I now sit typing these lines, I can hear thump, thump, doof, doof from the restaurant area and have a sick feeling that it is our entertainment duo performing in the bar!!! Hope that isn't going to go on all night or there will be trouble.  Should have stormed the stage when I had the numbers behind me... night, night.

day 1 in Thailand

Slept well in my onderful room last night until about 2.30 and by 5 a.m. there was no more sleep to be had so a quiet morning until down to breakfast and most of my kittens were already there. Breakfast was excellent and already most have commented that our first hotel has set very high standards for all the rest to live up to now.
At 8 am we headed off for what was going to be a very full day.  Forecast is for 36 max, no rain but about 80 per cent humidity. In high spirits we make our way through central Bangkok until we get onboard a motor boat for a delightful hour and a half cruise on the Chao Praya river, up and down various canals checking out all the scenery, buildings, watercraft and even a short stop on a canal to feed the fish, seeing the biggest carp ever, at least one was a metre long!!! There is very stark evidence of the very rich and the abject poor. it was a lovely start to our morning.  We are then back on the coach for a short ride to Wat Po to see the temple of the Reclining Buddha which is the largest and oldest in Bangkok.  Couldn't get any decent photos of it though as it is simply too huge to try and fit in one image.  I think it is more than 34 metres in length.  Quite jaw dropping to consider how it was made and the gorgeous temple it is housed in.
As it is a Sunday and the end of a long weekend, there are very few people about at the time so traffic is good and no crowds, however our next stop is at the Grand Palace and the crowds are building up now. Everything is simply grand and there are so many wow moments with the work that has gone into creating the magnificent temples and buildings.  The Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew) is quite gorgeous but that is the only thing we arent allowed to take photos of. The buddha is about a metre high and carved from a single piece of jade.  Initially when it was found they thought it was emerald, but only later realized that it was in fact jade, however kept the title of Emerald buddha. My tour brochure tells me that it is considered the holiest and most revered of religious objects in Thailand today. Taking shoes off before entering temples is a bit of a nuisance but we even got a bag to carry our shoes in when wandering around this temple. I'd already decided that if my shoes were stolen I was simply to going to find an even better pair amongst the stored shoes and take them!!!
We also see the Grand Palace built by the 4th king of Siam (the one from the king and I story, you know the one with Yul Bryner) but no one ever lived in it.  Then the 5th king, Yuls' first son, because he had learnt English as a child under Anna's tutelage, travelled to western countries and came back to build his own palace that is very western on the lower 2 floors but traditional Thai on the top and roof line.  Also saw the Royal Funeral Hall and Coronation hall but only from the outside.
Then back on the coach to be taken back to the river for ourm buffet lunch at a floating restaurant. The boat was huge and the food choices plentiful.  Lunch was great and I even made up my own pork   noodle soup (minus the pork because I don't like pork...) and it was very yummy.  Might have gone a bit heavy handed with the chilli as it most definitely cleared my sinuses and made my eyes water!!! No room for desserts although most of the rest of my kittens managed to stuff them in. All have agreed that it has been a great day so far and it is only just after 1 p.m.
Back on the coach to go to the flower market to have a walk through.  Very interesting and so very beautiful.  The orchids and lotus flowers are simple magnificent.  Too bad we cant send them home. Next stop is a visit to Wt Trimitr, the temple of the Golden Buddha.  The statue is made from gold and weighs 5.5 tons.  It was discovered by chance just after the end of world war 2 and at the time was all that remained of a bombed out temple region.  None of the monks wanted to go back to the region and no one claimed this huge cemet covered buddha so it was eventually taken to Bangkok where it sat for a few years before a temple was built to house it and they tried to move it with a crane but it dropped to the ground where it was left until the next day when they planned to come back and have a second go. As  luck would have it very heavy rains overnight caused a lot of the plaster to wash off and when one of the workmen went to try and clear away a lot of the mud and run off from it saw that there was a deep crack on one of the choulders which when he kept washing away saw a bronze colour unerneath.  was then fully 'cleaned' and they thought it was a bronze statue so they began to polich it but found it was quite glossy, so kept polishing the damn thing until it was finally realized that this darn things was SOLID GOLD!!!! Amazing... as no records of its history could be found it is thought that during the way the monks plastered over it to hide it from the invading Japanese and none of those monks survived to know its true identity.  Whether that is true or not I reckon it still makes for a jolly good story.  My only complaint is that it is now house on the top of a 3 story building and we had to take our shoes off on the ground floor.  Walking across the bloody hot marble floor on the roof top has all but given me blisters on the udnersoles of my feet. Ouch!!!
Anyway time for our next bit o9f today's itinerary and we have a wander trhough Chinatown which has some 100 plus gold stores.  No one asked to stop to go inside any of them though!!! Back on the coach and then finally bck to our hotel.  We have had a jam packed day but it isn't over yet.
Time to have a drink upstairs in my room and then head to the pool for a refreshing ip.  The spa jets are super and give a fabulous massage to my back and sore feet.  Just what I needed.
Then back upstairs as it is now scotch o'clock and a chance to get today's adventures on the blog. We are all meeting for dinner at 6.45 when we are heading off th a Thai dinner dance.  Should be fun. We have an early start in the morning as we head off at 7 a.m. and have to book out of the hotel too. 2 nights at the Felix River Kwai resort await us so if I get a chance Iwill try and upload some photos tomorrow, but that's your lot for today.
No, on other though i will give you one little gem, as i was so tired last night when I finally put myself to bed i couldn't for the life of me work out how to turn off the light at the door entrance.  I simply couldn't find a light switch for it so in the end determined to keep the darn thing on all ngight, not tht it bothered me at all.  It wasn't until this morning after I had my shower, got dressed, put my glasses on and saw an electronic pad the size of a saucer on the bedside table on the otehr side of the bed that i slept on, that had not only the one and only switch for that light but the air conditioner control, the tv and dvd control and every other light and power connection in the room! What a numpty I felt.  That  was however, only until I was chatting to a couple of the kittens who are sharing a room who told me that they couldn't work out how to turn off the light by the door in their room so had to keep it on all night.  they thought I was so clever when i told them where the light switch actually was lcoated... until I finally confessed and told them I'd had my door light on all night too! Clearly a man decided where to put the light switches panel..... grrrrr.

Thailand it is then...

A fairly early start saw me at my benevolent car minding and airport taxi service friends' home so that I was dropped at the airport at about 7.30 a.m. which was just as well, because no sooner had I put my suitcase down than the only male and female couple in the group arrived, followed shortly by another couple of women.  I sent them in the direction of check in and then checked my baggage in.  As I had asked the group to meet me at 8 a.m. in the main departure area I had 5 more to go.  one came in right on 8.
As it got to 5 past 8 two of the women came in and one who I am going to refer to as Frugal, came up to me to tell me off as she had been waiting in the Arrivals area which is supposedly where I told her to be at 8 a.m.  'No' says me to Frugal, I would never have told you to be in the Arrivals area when we all have to check in at Departures! This from the same women who earlier in the week kept trying to tell me that the length of flying time is affected by the different time zones we corss so she had worked out that we arrive back home at 3 in the morning and she didn't know how she was going to expect anyone to pick her up at that time.  I'm sure I never did convince her that flying times and time zones are not connected - and she got in quite a huff with me then! I'm going to have to whip her into shape very promptly as it transpires that she has never been overseas before hence why she took so damn long to get a passport, and she has never flown in a big plane before. Talk about being Eddie the Expert and being wrong every time!!!
Anyhow at 20 past 8 I have 1 lady to go and am about to get in the queue at departures to see if they will tell me if she has somehow already boarded when I get a text message from her to tell me that she is waiting at the international departure gate.  Apparently she had arrived at the airport at 7 am and decided that she may as well just go through.... Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in....
So we all eventually end up at the international departure gate (after a tiny bit of single malt whiskey duty free purchasing) and we are all safely boarded.  It is a fairly full flight and unfortunately we had a very small baby with huge lungs that screamed unabated for the first 20 minutes. But we left on time and about 7 hours later we arrived in Singapore.  I managed to start drinking a very nice Chardy by 11 a.m. so I was mellowing nicely.  Watched 3 movies and ate half my body weight with all the food they kept bringing. We only had a 50 minute turn around in Singapore for our connecting flight so thankfully everything went according to clock work.  Mind you one of the ladies who is a friend of on of my kittens is a bit ditsy. She managed to misplace her boarding pass for the connecting flight and kept telling me that the man had taken it from her.  When I then went through all her paperwork and found the boarding pass I realized she had no idea what a boarding pass actually is.  Then she struggled to fill out the immigration form but we muddled through that.  Having just gotten her through that panic attack her friend decided she couldnt find her next boarding pass either so once again Miss Karen patiently went through all her paperwork, found the boarding pass and desperately wanted to hit her repeatedly about the jowls with it, but refrained from doing so...
All on board our flight to Bangkok and about 2 and a bit hours later, plus 1 more movie, more food and another Chardy we arrive in Bangkok.
A few decided to do a quick dash into the Duty Free and at this stage my first "Ive lost my boarding pass" lady is really struggling with the payment even though I have a calculator to tell her what it is in Aus dollars and she is paying cash in Thai Baht but cant tell the difference between 100 and 1000. So everyone is getting antsy as she is taking soooooooo long.  I tell them to all go through Customs and she and I will catch them up. Little did I know that she woud faff about for another 5 minutes after she'd paid, sorting out her bag.  Now what was it I was reminding myself about my need to remember to breathe???
But we get ourselves to Customs, we somehow all manage to get through and we all get our suitcases, that is all except Frugal.  As we watch the few remaining cases go around and around the carousel and I get assurances from Frugal that hers isn't there, I take her to report the missing suitcase just as she decided that her black suitcase really is on the carousel and had been all along. Get that bloody suitcase off the carousel and let's get out of the terminal!
Thankfully we are met by our delightful Thai guide Joe and a short walk to the bus and off to our hotel which was about 22 km away.  It is now about 6 p.m. local Thai time. We are all delighted to hear that Joe is our guide for the fortnight and the bus we are currently on is our tour bus for the entire time.  This means that we have a lovely big 40 something seater bus for 10 of us.  Surely I can manage to keep my distance from Frugal and  the 'Oops, now I can't find something else...' lady.
Our hotel is the Majestic Grande in Sukhumvit and it certainly lives up to its name.  It is certainly at least a 4 1/2 star hotel. Joe books us all in and then we are asked to go to the small lounge area where we are given a free drink of our choice.  There were cocktails, spirits and beers as well as juices to choose from so I had a Tequila Sunrise which was very yummy.  Most had Singapore Slings but one brave lady had a Mai Tai.  How good was that?We are all very weary now so all head off to their rooms.  I am very pleased that I have my lovely big room to yself as it gives me time to unpack a few things, open my bottle of scotch and wind down from my big day by penning these lines.  But now it really is time for this little black duck to go bye byes as we have a very full day planned for tomorrow. I reckon we are in for a fabulous time - problem kittens aside!

Home from the western front

It is 10.30 so downstairs I go to checkout and ensure my little herd have done likewise. No surprise there, that they have all done so and are milling about in different areas of the foyer. When I told Little M that I was going for a walk along the river bank, she said that she was thinking of doing that too! I simply said that we might bump into each other there then. I simply couldn't amble along at snail pace with her any more! And then when she comes to a dead stop to talk I am ready to do the 'scream' face. So I leave her in company with MS and decide that they can drive each other nuts for a change. Being well satisfied with my cunning plan I then go to leave the hotel for my walk, but am collared by one of my kittens to find out if she can come too as her room mate had gone out to see relatives and this little sweet kitty hadn't had to be on her own all week. As she is the one who stepped in the bull ant nest, I know how quickly she can move so decide that as she won't slow me down, she is welcome to come too, so as I then attempt my second getaway another kitty is sitting right by the foyer door (I think she may have been there all night just to make sure I don't go anywhere without her) and wants to come with me, without even knowing where I intend going. With a barely disguised sigh I agree and as I think I may now be able to make the great escape I make the fatal mistake of looking back into the foyer to see the remaining kitty looking at me very forlornly so I tell her that I am going for a walk along the riverbank, but it is quite steep going down to it and as she is also on a walking stick that she probably won't want to come. Well, that was a waste of my breath,because of course she wanted to come too. Soinow have three kittens following me out if the hotel. We take less than 10 paces down towards the river, last kitty decides she can't take the stairs but will walk down the street to the next block and one down that road as there are no stairs there. At this stage I'm beyond caring who goes where as my solitary riverbank walk has now become a. Fully escorted flipping tour! However it is 19 degrees, beautiful blue skies and our last day together so this little princess is attempting to suck it up and just get on with it. At a fairly slow pace we get down to the sport playing field park which runs along the waters edge and I tell the kitty's that I am heading for the bell tower so at least they know what direction to head. We meet up with my walking stick kitty again and head towards a beautifully maintained park which is behind the Court House. Two of my kittens decide they can't walk any further so are going to find a seat in the sun in the park. I ask them if they know where they are so that they can find their way back to the hotel, when they both look at me horror stricken saying, "but aren't you coming back here for us?" So bull ant nest kitty and I continue on through the park to the bell tower and then turn back into the park to collect my pooped kitty's. Back to being a Gang of Four we then amble around to the front of the court and find even more lovely gardens to stroll through. It is now about 11.30 and I know they are ready for lunch but I said that I was going to find a place for a coffee and they were welcome to come too if they wanted. No prize for guessing their responses...

Thankfully found a Coffee Club nearby and we all went for a cuppa. Then headed back towards our hotel and as it was now about 1 pm I said I was going for lunch. Found another CoffeeClub one block away from our hotel so in we all went, only to find Little M and MS already in there having lunch, I figured that they had managed to move about 100 metres from where I left them this morning. Had a lovely vegetarian bruschetta and then it was about 2.30 so we head back to the hotel with the idea of sitting in the informal lounge area until our 3.10 pick up for the airport, however we had only been there 10 minutes when our driver arrived. Thankfully all my kittens were present so on the little coach we get and head to the airport. Very easy book in and a couple of my kittens even did their own kiosk book in, that they had to come and tell me about as they were so proud of themselves, and so was I! On board our flight departing at 5.20 and arrived in Adelaide at 9.30. All kittens safely delivered to loved ones or taxis and time for me to head to the pick up point for my car which went very smoothly so I was home at about 11.45 pm where it was straight to bed for me.

Perth really is a beautiful city and very easy to get around. If you haven't been before or for a long while, then add it to your 'must visit' list. But time to sign off now as I have to rest up for my next trip. You'll need lots of light clothing and tropical strength insect spray for when we head off to Thailand in October... So until then...