Train Ride

We paid for seats in a minivan for the 3 hour drive to Trang from Koh Lanta. This was probably the scariest part of our journey. We packed ourselves into this van and they had Shannon sitting in the front middle seat, between the driver and a Thai passenger. None of us had seatbelts, they had all been removed from the van. Twice along the route the van stopped and put on another passenger. Another family from France was also in the van and the driver tried to have their small son and Shannon share a seat, after their refusal he tried to put Shannon with a different, very small Thai girl. We objected vehemently because we had all paid for our seats. I was so scared we would be put off in the middle of nowhere! So the driver repacked the pile of luggage and a very old man and young girl shared a seat in the back with the luggage! Oh my! The driving was crazy! He sped through the very narrow backroads without much regard to other drivers and had me catching my breath many times. We arrived in Trang in time for our overnight trainride to Bangkok.

Another first for us, the train. The 1st class car was completely sold out so we bought the 2nd class ticket. We each got our own seat and own bed, but shared the train car with other people, and it was air-conditioned, what more could we ask! The kids began the trip by meeting a 17 year-old Thai boy and he taught them lots of hand games and magic tricks. The train was incredibly loud, the clickety-clack of the tracks, resounding through the traincar. We were doing just fine, enjoying a beer, when a rather inconspicuous bug traipsed his way across my table, right in front of me! My reaction of course was the butt of many jokes! But you won't believe this, while lying in my bunk reading before going to sleep, I swear that same bug went walking right in front of my eyes on the wall! The porter selling beer really took a liking to Eric. She would walk by and smile with a little suggestive eyebrow lift, then walk by from the other direction, and smile again, this went on throughout the entire trip, very disconcerting. Eric was actually worried about going to sleep! She went out of her way to make sure Eric had everything he needed. She even brought us a bucket to keep our beer cold! We bought a beer for each of us, then she brought us the bucket full and said it was in case we wanted another and she wasn't around, of course by then, they were all empty! :)

Koh Lanta

We toured the island of Koh Lanta on what is called a Tuk Tuk. Let's just say a family of five strains the limits of this mode of transportation! We had the most hilarious experience when we first got on it and tried to drive out of the hotel driveway. The driveway was sloped and met up with the regular road at a steep angle. We hadn't quite achieved the correct balance and we did a wheelie at the bottom of the hill! Eric was driving and the rest of us in the side seat were screaming as the whole vehicle was in the air except the back wheels! The Thai people rushed to help, although they couldn't help but let their laughter show. We laughed later, when we got back on all three wheels! We rented this for 24 hours for a ridiculously small amount of money and toured our side of the island. What a great day of seeing some of God's incredible wonders...and we shopped! We had a wonderful Christmas dinner on a beautiful beachfront restaurant and then watched an incredible fire show and fireworks. The ceremony on Boxing Day was very touching in commemoration of the Tsunami. It was very sad for many of the workers as I am sure many of them had lost something or someone in the devastating tragedy. They made some beautiful sand sculptures and lighted candles and released these lighted gas balloons in the sky. Koh Lanta was completely different from Phuket, more rustic and slow-paced, and completely relaxing! Definitely put it on your list of must do's!

Thai Massage

It may look bad, but it sure felt good! The massages can be had almost anywhere for about 250 baht for one hour. That's about $7.50 usd. You can't beat that anywhere. While on Koh Lanta, Eric had one almost every day! The women were ready to jump in his suitcase by the end of the week. Taylor and Shannon had their doubts, and weren't quite sure if it was torture or relaxation, until they had their own. I'd sure like one today!

Elephant Ride

On the island of Phuket, we drove to the jungle and embarked on a great adventure, an elephant ride! Eric took Shannon and Taylor on Henna and Erika and I rode Fanta. It was definitely nothing like anything we imagined. We were wayyyyyy off the ground! The experience gave new understanding to the word "lumbering" through the jungle. An elephant doesn't just walk, its whole body sways with each step it takes, and so do the riders! There were moments where we held on for dear life. We seriously thought we were going over the side, especially when she walked up and down a very steep incline. The skin was unexpectedly hair and very thick and rough. We walked through a rubber tree grove. We saw how they drain the rubber from the trees and even got to feel the dried sap. It was just like a rubber band! The young men driving the elephant took leaves and during the ride wove beautiful treasures for us, a bird and a grasshopper. We really enjoyed this "once in a lifetime" experience!

Taylor's Haircut

Taylor has lost his mind! Well, not exactly, but he's definitely lost the hair that covered it! Taylor asked me last night to shave his head! Eric was ecstatic, but the females in the house were mourning all his curls! Don't know what possessed him to do it, but I do know, he'll be a little colder for it. He certainly doesn't look like my baby boy anymore!