Thailand - part one.

Let's see the last # i ended on was #22 on January 16, 2011.  In March of this year I took a trip of a lifetime with my oldest son.  We went to Thailand!  So many firsts happened on this trip. The trip itself being #23. :-)

• 23.  Flew across the Pacific, well up and over, but still the same idea.  Thailand is literally half way around the world from my home.  Exactly a 12 hour time difference. Three flights to get there.  Winnipeg to Vancouver, Vancouver to Hong Kong (so long! almost 13 hours) and then Hong Kong to Bangkok.  I could just rack up a dozen or so firsts with the new things about this travel.  Like first time having curry as an inflight meal on Sri Lankin Air lines.  Or first time in Vancouver and Hong Kong.  You see how the list could add up quickly.  But there are so many unique and once in a lifetime things I did that I really don't feel the need to count them all in my list of 40 new things.  So, #23 my first time in Southeast Asia and all that it took to get there. The pilot of one flight was so cool, he let Erik visit the cockpit...once we had landed, of course. :-)

24. Learning to really use an i-pod touch. I know it seems lame next to # 23, but it's good to keep things in perspective. New things aren't always life changing, once in a lifetime round the world travel. For a super busy full time working mom of three who is not techno savvy, finally mastering an ipod touch is a real accomplishment. I have dabbled before. But on this trip I learned how to connect to wi-fi everywhere possible, send not just emails, but photos, video and "voice" memos. I'd wake up ridiculously early and sit on the little "porch" of our room. i'd check emails, facebook and I just loved to hear all the tropical birds singing. It would start with just one and then as I sat more and more voices would join in. It was beautiful. As the days went on it rained more and more. It rained a lot while I was there and the sound of the rain falling added to the sound of the morning and made me know that I was definately not in Kansas (or Keewatin) anymore. :-)  This is a video of the area right outside our room at Lamai on Koh Samui.
• 24. Floating market - This was one of the first things we did when we got to Bangkok.  I had the best mango ever!

The floating market was really fun. You speed around on this boat and pull into all these fun shops with interesting things and people. I could have bought all my sovourneirs there that day, if only I had brought more money. They really should put an ATM right in the centre of all of it. Along this site seeing journey we stopped at a Buddhist temple. We bought the incense, flowers and gold leaf and did the ritual. We both thought is was very interestesting.

Along with buying fun stuff, eating some great food.

We also saw some wildlife along the way.
In upcoming blog posts I'll tell you more about Bangkok.  About petting a bengal tiger.  Getting taken by a con-artist/seaside sales woman.(ha!)  Having a seaside pedicure. Driving a scooter, successfully and without injury.  Getting a Thai massage.  And More! It was a great trip, filled with so many firsts.