I had a great time snorkeling! It took a long time for the boat to get there. We snorkeled at 3 different places and the last two were the best. I saw sword fish, blow fish, and 2 sea snakes. My Uncle Maarten told me they were the most poisonous snakes in the world! I think I also saw an eel. There were so many colorful fish and really big colorful corals. It's surprisingly noisy under the water. I LOVED snorkeling and can't wait to do it again!
I went snorkeling yesterday. It was BEAUTIFUL! Other people went scuba diving and we were the only ones snorkeling. We are too little to go diving. I saw beautiful fish and coral reefs. The fish were very colorful like a rainbow. We did not see any Nemo's but we did see some of his friends! Nemo is too deep in the water. I can't wait to snorkel again in the Great Barrier Reef! It's like swimming in the aquarium. It was so beautiful. I am thankful I did not see any sharks because they did say the little ones live where we were swimming around!
This is just a quick post to go along with the video. We really enjoyed our 'play' time together this day. It was so beautiful looking at the forest from a birds eye view. The trees themselves are huge and gorgeous. Platforms were made between trees and their were over a dozen zip lines of differing lengths and 3 repel lines. It was hard to tell how high we were because a lot of times there would be a canopy of leaves below us. Sometimes we were able to get a peek though the leaves at the floor and we were VERY high! This forest is a coffee and tea growing area and we got to see first hand the coffee and tea trees and how the local villagers pick them. Many of the trees are growing on such steep hills that I wouldn't even consider walking down them... and they are harvesting their crops without any difficulties!
We have spend the last 8 days in Chiang Mai in the north of Thailand. We love it there! It is a wonderful place to hang out and relax, plus there are tons of adverntures to occupy our time. It's a lovely town with beautiful surroundings. Lots of jungle and mountains. A huge plus is how cheap it is! We've spent just $15 per night for our room and we eat dinner easily for $2 per person! I'll let the boys continue to fill you in on what we've been doing. We arrived yesterday to Ko Lanta, an island in the south where Bart's brother is living. We will spend the next week with him here.
We've had a great couple of days in the elephant camp. We rode elephants bareback and learned commands to control them. We rode them two hours and then we gave them a bath. They pooped in the water and I fell in. After that we had to take a shower and change clothes. After that, I layed in the hammock with some new friends. They were fun Australians and I couldn't stop talking to them! That night we ate dinner and played pool. Afterwards, we sat around the camp fire listening to the local mahouts play on their guitars and sing songs. We ate rice that was boiled on the campfire inside bamboo with coconut milk. It was so good! I ate a lot! There was also a big paper bag shaped like a square, it had a metal circular bottom with a candle type thing that you set on fire. Then we waited for a little bit and hot air fills it and it starts to go up. Then you grab it and make a wish and then let it go. It goes so high that it looks like a star in the sky. We did a bunch of those! We had a great time! The next day, we went white water rafting. We had to wear helmets and life jackets. It was very exciting. We also went on a hike to a waterfall. We had to jump over streams, rocks, and balance on logs. Sometimes the path was too small for two people to fit on. It was like an obstacle course! When we finally got to the waterfall, we went swimming. I'll write more in a few days!
I learned some things about elephants. There are two different kinds of elephants in the world... Asia & African. Asian elephants have big tusks when they are male and little when they are female. All African elephants can have huge tusks. Asian elephants are smaller than African elephants and they also have smaller ears. When they are far away, they look very small, but when they are close up they look humongous! We got to ride a mommy elephant just like the mahouts do (bareback, without a seat). The mommy's baby elephant was hooked on her and it kept on falling down when we were going up a hill. That slowed us down, but it was very cute. After we rode the elephants, they went into a watering hole with us still on their backs! The baby elephant loved the water! He kept going under and coming back up for air and doing flips. My mommy got soaking wet because an elephant sprayed her right in the face! I love elephants! They are my favorite animal. I would like to have one.
The Tiger situation here is quite sad. They have been reduced from thousands to only a couple hundred in the wild. The government and various organizations have tried breeding them and reintroducing them into the wild, but they never make it very long before poachers kill them. The Tiger Temple is a place where monks started receiving baby tigers whose mothers were killed. Through breeding these tigers, they now have around 300. They are moved around throughout the day. Part is spend on chains, then they are walked to the canyon to laze about in the sun, and they stay in cages . They are in the process of building a natural habitat for them that is about 95% done. These animals are simply magnificent up close and personal. Really amazing. It’s quite a different, slightly uncomfortable experience to walk among these huge animals. There are lots of volunteers that help to keep all the vistors far enough away that the Tigers can’t snatch you and to distract the Tigers when needed. A couple of them were eyeing Mathijs and Ashwin and crouching down to get ready to pounce. Even though they couldn't reach them, I quickly made them walk behind me! We did get pictures of all of us petting them, but that was before they were eyeing the boys! We loved having the opportunity to play with 4 months old cubs. They were incredibly cute, but still had very sharp teeth and claws! We also went to the Chiang Mai Zoo today, which was something completely different. You could actually feed the panthers, giraffes, and hippopotamuses! It was the first time in my life that I have ever seen a hippo up close! We are trekking in the jungle tomorrow and spending all day with our very own elephant that we'll to learn to ride and care for. More on that later!
I love Thailand! The best things I've seen so far are the elephants, the montior lizard & the tigers. The elephants are the biggest thing we have seen so far! There was a newborn baby elephant that was born too early hiding under the straw. We didn't even see it at first, but then the straw started moving! It was so little for an elephant! After it got up it went to its mom. We feed the elephants corn and someone else feed them watermelons. They put the melons in their mouth and they exploded with a crack! Could you imagine if that were your head?! Then we followed them down to the river and watched them bathe. There was a little baby elephant that kept following Ash. He was very playful.
When we were riding in a boat when we saw this 'thing' come out of the water. It was a gigantic montior lizard. It was as big as a crocodile! If my mom was in that water and it brushed against her legs, everyone's ear drums would bust out for miles around! The tiger temple was pretty cool. They have a lot of huge tigers laying all around the place and they stared at us like we were little antelope they wanted to eat for a midnight snack! We touched a huge tiger just for Uncle Dan! I wasn't scared. The baby tiger was really cute. I'll write more in a few days!
I am in Thailand. I went to a tiger temple. There were HUGE grown up tigers and two babies. See the picture of me and the baby? It was so cute. I got to touch a big tiger. It didn't eat me, that was a good thing! Two grown up tigers stared at me and my big brother like they wanted to pounce on us. My mommy made us walk behind her! She was scared! We also went to see the elephants. One baby elephant started pushing on me and following me. He was very very very cute. Now, I want a pet elephant!
Bangkok is a city full of strong smells, traffic, and people selling everything and anything possible. We were met at the airport by Bart’s brother, Maarten, and we were able to catch up with him for a couple of hours that evening and then spent the whole next day with him. Maarten walked with us through Bangkok, showing us the streets and how the locals shop and eat. The streets are completely packed with people selling food, animals, clothes, teeth (no kidding), and anything else you could think of. They set up their handmade carts back to back right in front of the stores and restaurants that line the streets. This allows for only a very narrow path to fit in between the two! Everyone seems to be trying to eek out a living by offering something to sell. We saw two woman in a slightly quieter corner sleeping on the street with a little baby lying in a makeshift hammock. They had two cages with a few squirrels they had caught to sell. So many cities are the same, with such a strong contrast between the rich and poor passing each other everyday on the streets, but I’ve never been anywhere like this before. They seem to have so little in the way of material things, but almost everyone is trying to work and make a little money to survive. We saw almost no begging. Thai people love children, but all the attention the boys are getting takes some getting use to! Men and women reach out their hands and touch their cheek or shoulder as we pass them on the street. The people here are wonderful though. Most are so friendly and helpful. We've always talked quite a lot to the boys about how blessed they are with what they have... a house, food in their bellies, a mama & papa who love them and care for them... but now they are getting to experience how blessed they are. They are now face to face with reality and they are now starting to understand. Their heartfelt prayers every night have been for these people that have so little, but seem so happy.
(boys on the very cool local bus)
River Kwai, Thailand
We finally escaped Bangkok and took a local bus to Sai Yok, which offered us a wonderful opportunity to sneak a peek at how the locals live outside of the city. We passed trucks piled so high with various goods, that they looked as if they may topple over at any moment. Many are laden with bamboo 15 meters high (for you Americans, that’s 7.5 times Bart!). We also passed small pickup trucks riding on the highway with two or three cows standing in the back. School children, dressed in their tidy uniforms, were sandwiched together in open aired trucks on their way to school. Whole families squeeze themselves onto their only transportation... small scooters. It’s not uncommon to see a family of four or five packed onto a scooter with the Papa driving, holding a baby between his legs, a toddler behind him, and then the Mama hanging on the back with one in her arms. In my humble opinion, the Dutch still have them beat with the balancing act they routinely perform on their bicycles! A baby on the front, one or even two on the back, a stroller hooked to the side, a basket with groceries, and all this while holding an umbrella! That takes a skill that is hard for foreigners to duplicate! We later glimpsed children huddled together on the ground in their schools; which consists of only a roof and dirt floor. Open not only for the world to look in, but for the kids to look out. I know I have at least one little boy that would be so distracted by everything he could put his eyes on, that he would never get any of his work done! Everything is dirt. I think we only saw one yard with grass. Our bus had to stop on two different occasions to allow long eared cows and then later people riding elephants to pass.
At the end of our bus ride we then transported our luggage and ourselves into a long boat that carried us about 15 minutes up the River Kwai. Where we were staying is quite remote and the the only way to reach it is by boat. This area is surrounded by mountains and lush green foliage on the river banks. We have to eat dinner were we are since we are so far out, but the days are spent exploring. The boys are quite content because they also have a pool that they are in the process of wearing out! Today, we went to the jungle for a hike and swim in the Erawan Falls. When we first arrived, our driver attempted to tell us through hand gestures and Thai (with one or two English words thrown in) to be careful of the monkeys. He said the monkeys bite and we were to hit and kick them and look for a stick if necessary. I later saw a sign that said ‘Beware of the Fierce Monkeys’. I was excited to see my first wild monkey, but after the boys heard the bus driver, they weren’t as excited as me. The good news is that no one got bit... the bad news is that we didn’t see any monkeys. The air was full of their chattering, but they stayed hidden in the tops of their trees. I think the boys were pretty glad about that. (Ash getting his feet 'kissed' by the fish)
It was a spectacular hike up to the top, passing a total of 7 waterfalls the entire way. The path was narrow and filled with twisted roots and boulders made smooth by the footsteps of everyone who has been before us. Sunlight dappled the path and played off the river beside us as it filtered through the canopy of trees overhead. We stopped at every waterfall, taking in the beauty all around us, and swimming and playing at our favorite ones. The boys found a waterfall that cascaded over a rock that they were able to use as a slide. They had so much fun sliding down into the pool of water below and then climbing back up to the top. I do believe that was the highlight of their day! As soon as we put our feet into any of the pools of water at the bottom of the falls, little fish would come and nibble on them. Mthijs got pretty good at staying still and had them sucking all over his feet! They tickled so much, I never managed to keep mine in longer than 5 seconds! In Bangkok we saw the newest trend being advertised on the streets. It was to have “your feet kissed by hundreds of little fish as they suck the dead skin off your feet” (yuck!) To think, we were getting the newest trend in foot care done for free!
The next day we took a long boat up the river to the next village and walked around a bit. The way the people live is so different than what we know. Afterwards, we floated back down the river with a raft, made out of logs, following behind. Unlike all three boys, I’ve never been very comfortable in water. I can swim, but I’m more worried about all the critters that may be swimming in there with me that I can’t see. So, as I’m trying to put mind over matter, I ask Bart if he thinks there are any crocodiles in Thailand. Well, you would hope they wouldn’t let foreigners go floating down the river if there were, but you never know. Now, let me tell you what I have seen in the river since this day... you know those HUGE monitor lizards that are just as big as a crocodile? We were in a boat today and I saw one, plain as day, his whole body, coming out of the water! He was huge! Can you imagine, I’m in the water, wondering about crocodiles and then that thing could have went right by me! I would have peed in my bathing suit and had a heart attack all at the same time!
We are staying where there is internet again, so hopefully, I can have another post in the next day or two! We love to read all your comments! There's not enough time to respond to them all, so I'll just say a big Thank You and we love hearing from you all!
Hello Everyone! We survived our longest flight of the entire trip! Our total travel time, door to door, came out to 33 hours, but it’s smooth sailing from now on! The boys did great on the plane, like always. They slept a good part of it and watched movies and played their DS. Arriving in Hong Kong was a thrill to our senses. It is such a beautiful city to explore, full of glass incased sky scrapers nestled between mountains and water. It is full of rich, beautiful people driving incredibly exorbitant cars, shopping in the most expensive stores. This is a city that is truly asian yet also has very strong western influences. Walking the streets it seems like any other city, but when you turn off onto back side streets, your experience becomes very different. Streets are filled with open aired shops selling everything imaginable. Butchers are displaying and cutting their meats on the street and seem to use every imaginable part of the animal-nothing goes to waste! Heads, tongues, feet, everything hanging from hooks on display. Fish and shrimp were all still jumping around on the packs of display ice. The boys found it a sad sight to see, but didn’t mind eating them later for dinner! Everything is incredibly fresh! We also went to Ngong Ping on the lush green hills of Lantau Island. We took a 25 minute cable car ride up to the top which offered us some spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. Ngong Ping has the tallest, bronze, outdoor seated Buddha in the world. It was a very interesting and eye opening experience to see so many people burning incense and praying to this Buddha statue. We also went on the world’s longest escalator. It was completely different than what we expected. The whole thing climbs the streets of SoHo, an area filled with small winding streets & trendy restaurants. Bart is a giant here. One little old lady got on the metro and started giggling like a schoolgirl when she saw Bart. She only came up to his elbow and was pointing and showing her friends how tall he is. I think he stands out just a little bit!
Hong Kong, Thailand, New Zealand, Australia, Hawaii, & Driving Across America
We are counting down the days to our 5 month long journey to the other side of the world! We are all extremely excited and can't wait to get started. The next few days are filled with packing, sorting, and saying goodbye to family & friends... not to mention all the other odds and ends that creep up on us! We are attempting to keep our packing to a minimal. Basically, enough clothes for a week and hopefully everything should fit into two suitcases for the four of us! Luckily, boys require much less in the form of clothing than girls! For entertainment, the boys will have their DS, regular and spoken books on the ipod, schoolwork, and of course mama & papa.
