Khao Yai

My Time in Khao Yai - by Riley Mei

When I went to Khao Yai the first thing I did was have lunch. Then, we all explored termite mounds and grassy areas, but didn't see any termites, only their habitat. We also saw 2 rabbit holes that were very deep for extra protection from animals and heat. And 2 huge deer, 1 male and 1 female. After that we went up to our dormitory. Lucky me! I got the top bunk! I set up my nooks & crannies and other space. We then explored some more. I found pretty flowers on mini ferns that close up. They were pink white and red. They felt so fuzzy! After that, we ate dinner. I had rice and chicken. After dinner, we loaded up onto the mini busses and went to the bat caves. Abishack was fooling around and not aloud to go to the night safari. Then this HUGE cloud of bats flew out of the caves! It was like a big, black fast cloud coming by! They came out to hunt for bugs. Each bat is estimated to eat 10 grams of bugs each night, that's 2 tons of bugs each night for this cave of bats! After that, we went back to go to night safari. We packed into baht busses and saw 1,000,000,000 deer, peacock/rooster, makak (small monkey), ferret, owl, and butterfuly. When we got back we changed clothes brushed teeth and slept. It was a big day! Good night, everyone chorused. I said quiet! Tee Hee everyone giggled! ZZZ... morning! Everyone bellowed. We got dressed and ate toast. Pack up! 2 hour hike now! I brought a water bottle, sunscreen, money and carmax. We thought we would die but we didn't. Along the way we saw tropical fruit and ones like rambutan, only they were green but they were spiky and had a colorful pit inside like rambutan. We also saw big buttress roots. They are huge roots to enormous trees.  They stick out of the ground and can provide shelter for animals when they are hollowed out. We also saw a wild elephant drinking water, and a deer, and more monkeys. We then packed up ate lunch and went home. That was my trip to Khao Yai!

Evening Stroll at a Nearby Park

On the beam in the exercise area... does this mean men need more practice with their balance? Lots of other stations & signs suggesting women aren't capable of same rigors as men. Silly Thais.   

Water buffalo grazing on banana leaves

Girls obnoxiously sang Christmas carols to keep snakes away. We haven't seen a live snake since last September... KNOCK ON WOOD

We see this beautiful beast everyday.

For every kilometer down the road (any road) travelled, one will spy 2-10 (or more) crazy truck/motorbike configurations.

Temps are still fabulous, so we're trying to enjoy the outdoors while we comfortably can. Heat's a comin'.

Neighborhood Photo Game

Bug - Al

Bug - Ry

Palm Tree - Ry

Palm Tree - Al

Door - Al

Door - Ry

Thai - Al

Thai - Ry

Food - Ry

Food - Al

Water - Al

Water - Ry

Flower - Ry, quite the color, not photoshopped

Flower - Al

Bird - Al, false bird of paradise

Bird - Ry, in flight above the column

Gecko - Al, we played this game mid-day when hot & geckos are hiding, couldn't find any, but very, very often they are running around house & in places like these toy ones are

Gecko - Ry, geckos love windowsills

Pool - Ry, another smile with intertube eyes

Pool - Al, as one of our rules required only the girls snap photos, I was the lucky one here 

Awoke Sunday to a grumpy morning. Everybody tired from hosting sleepovers both Fri & Sat, Rob traveling last week and this, me in tears because we need family time but kids glued to computers... and where are we going to live in 8 months? 

Rob to the rescue, came up with a photo game. Al & me & her new Christmas camera vs. Rob & Ry. We took matching list of 10 subjects and set out to the neighborhood to snap. Came home for judging (pretty much a tie) and then watched The Goonies. Saved our day. It's now 5:53am Monday, and Rob's already been gone an hour on his way to Singapore. So begins another week.

(A few more photo contenders from yesterday.)

Gecko - Ry

Food - Ry, these are growing in our back yard

Thai - Al

Last Saturday

The chem lab that is our kitchen... orange shortbread, and Kraft's finest

Since we can't snowboard Thailand, perhaps kite board? Rob had first surfing lesson in Bali last month & would love to do more, but no big waves here so surfing is less common in Thailand.

This guy was totally ripped, we might need to get to the gym and fix my shoulder before we attempt.

Looks like fun

Doing his own arm workout

Girls had a brilliant first week at new school, smiling big, making friends, studying new (Allie's dissecting a pig's heart today) and old (nice to hear French around the house once again, makes me smile). 

We all went to the sea Saturday evening to unwind. Had dinner together on bean bags at tables in the sand. Twas so nice. 

Rob then flew off Sunday for the week. Malaysia & China. Singapore next week. He had to have more pages added to his passport a couple weeks ago. This adventure is a priceless gift for us all, but last night while Ry was reading poems to Rob for 5 quick minutes over phone (after accidentally hanging up on him twice, after he had called a couple other times, but she was off to play with friends), I couldn't help but think on the things we are missing, because they are numerous. And dear. And treasures, even if simple.

'Lil More from our Week

The young scholar, learning to tie

The fun they were having was better than sleep they should be getting.

Rob & his team dine by the sea.

After dinner Karaoke

Next day, family time by the sea

While Rob harrangles numbers all week, I work the bugs. This little bug season is now going on 2 weeks long. They come in and just die, scattered all over the floor, only in our bedroom in front of the gappy window. Quite strange.

New School

new shoes of stiff leather
new friends, she prays soft
new routine at a new canteen,
m' baby ventures into a new place
of learning

reading
writing
'ritha-ma-ticking in that sweet way,
her way,
to solutions ending with promise

there's a dance today
with monarchs
reprising history,
centuries of flight in school yards
and tummies

not sure who's got more
of them beauteous butterflies,
her or her mama

Happy New Year

nearing Kamchatka
8 hours down with 4 to go
we toast a new year

(My mind is still thinking in simple haiku, my apologies.)

This year we flew by Russia as our calendar turned the page. Departing GRR at 7am on NYE and arriving BKK at 10pm on NYD, we were in transit during all the festivities everywhere. But flight attendants came around with champagne just minutes before crossing the Dateline, so we were covered. Mostly covered with sleeping girls sprawled all over us, but that's okay. This is the year we gain a teenager... soon enough we'll be wondering where she is on this festive night, so we didn't mind her feet in our face.

Another big year ahead of us, besides the teenage thing. Rob's Thai contract wraps up in September and soon we need to make decisions about staying on for a third Thai year. He is loving his work here, the Thai auto industry is humming along beautifully, and in many respects this is a great place for us to be. It will be the question of the hour for the next month or so... stay tuned.

Girls are beginning a new school this Monday morning, another difficult choice.  Much about previous school will be missed, like FANtastic teachers, staff & families. There are pros & cons to the very small school environment, however, and a larger school with more opportunities may prove beneficial to our little ladies, particularly if we stay for year #3. They are extremely excited and feeling good about the change, for which we are grateful. They can both study French again, Allie can resume violin, and Ry will have fun growing her hobby of a British accent (Regents is a British school where kids walk down corridors, boys wear trousers, and you wear a jumper instead of sweater if air con is too high). If interested in spying their new realm, check out  http://www.pattaya.regents-school.com/

Happy New Year!