Thailand snapshots

So it's been a while, but I finally have organized my Thailand photos! This was an REI "multisport" trip that Jeff and I took this year in late November/early December to escape from Portland's rain and get some good hiking in. We landed in Bangkok with a day to see the city (!) and then flew up to Chiang Mai, where most of our vacation was based. We mostly hiked in the hills/mountains in the surrounding area, and did a little bicycling and kayaking as well. It was supposed to also include a trip down to southern Thailand for some sea kayaking and camping on the beaches, but unfortunately the Bangkok airports were shut down by political protestors for about a week just when we were trying to get down south, so that didn't happen... But that's a story for another day!

Here are the snapshots from my dummy digital camera, used in a more "document your trip" kind of way:

I'll spare you the early-morning airport photos (not very flattering) as well as the story of my GI illness in Bangkok (also not flattering) and move straight on to our first day in Chiang Mai: Here is Jeff discovering a motorcycle dealer!	I discovered this hospital sign...
And something not quite so foreign: a 7-eleven!	Jeff taking a break along the walking tour we tried to do (we saw a lot of things, but probably not the ones on the walking tour in the book).
But at least we found the "Washy Mashy Laundromat"!!	Ah, I see we have moved on from our misadventures directly in Chiang Mai, and are on to our first warm-up hike (more like VERY warm, and straight up).
Here is a coffee plant	Lemongrass
Ginger	Hmm, please tell me this does not become food (see below).
Huge bamboo...	Our favorite, Freshy Ice Drinking Water.
Jeff at a nice view
Rice paddies, and some of the folks saw a big snake here (I missed it!)	This guy was posing for us ("what a little ham!")
The orchid nursery we visited (hi, Jeff!)

And an elephant camp where they put on a bit of a show for us	Including having the elephants paint pictures!!
Audience participation: here's Larry giving the elephant a banana treat.	We then went on elephant rides for about an hour
The view from the elephant ride: a village or part of the elephant camp maybe...	We are now on our trek: "Beer Chang" seemed to be all we could find for refreshment...
...and boy did we go through a lot of it...	Several friendly dogs in each village...
And pigs...	and a guy gave us these peanuts to eat (not on the recall list).
Part of one of the villages	A moth!
Jeff made friends with ALL the friendly dogs!
weaving baskets	On to more hiking...
Ah, and now we're on to the bicycles! what a lovely way to see some of the countryside. Rode around in the Chiang Dao valley	Rice being harvested
And kayaking! Here are Larry and Brent on the lake.	We paddled to this floating restaurant
Then it was off to a cave system that seemed to double as a temple of sorts... with interesting signs!
	We especially liked the bottom right herb...
Later one evening after campfire songs (thanks, Jake!) we launched paper lanterns	You light the thingy on the bottom...
...wait for it to heat the air inside...	...and send it off with a wish!
I wished for a fun cooking class the next day (well, not really... but here we are).	Clearly the boys got bored with cooking class and set off for slingshot practice instead.
Back in civilization, watching the news of the occupation of the Bangkok airports by protestors, realizing we weren't going on the southern part of the trip and would have to find an alternate way home...	...then realizing that, hey, we have a pool, palm trees, and mai tai's here... it's not THAT bad...
On our way now; this was just an entertaining pharmacy at the airport.	And a fun little stand in the Taipei airport on the way home. Guess that's all the photos I have here. Check out the slides next!