Seven Months in Siam

Our very last port of call on the journey home to the USA was Abu Dhabi. It was an unusual choice , even for us. On booking our return flights from Sri Lanka , Etihad airlines had a promotion offering free hotel stays in 5 star hotels to encourage tourism as well as being the most competitively priced. We don’t ever say no to free ! Abu Dhabi it was.

I definitely had some fears about being in the UAE , I was worried about political unrest , wearing the correct clothes so as not to offend , the children being too loud or disruptive in public and not being able to show affection ( holding hands or hugging ). The intense heat was a fear factor also. In hindsight , I shouldn’t have been concerned at all.

First of all , Etihad airlines was terrific making a fuss of the kids with special meals and drinks. The flight to Abu Dhabi was just over 4 hours and whilst the airport security in Colombo was excruciatingly thorough ( our bags were X-rayed and passports checked at least 4 times in the airport ) Abu Dhabi airport was modern , super clean and all the employees were efficient and courteous, not exactly friendly or jovial though. The kids had been versed in the difference in clothing and not to stare or point.

Our hotel was the Grand Sheraton at the Corniche , which is a lovely older resort hotel with its own private beach, the grounds are maintained with curtain lined outside hookah lounges and a small amphitheater with scattered cushions to lounge in. Cabanas and soft double loungers available to all guests. The only shame was that it was March and the temperature was only 74 degrees Fahrenheit and a breeze was blowing. Alcohol was sold in hotels and restaurants but not in stores ( that we saw).

We used taxis around the city and visited beautiful modern malls , noting the Arabic spellings of familiar fast food restaurants. One day we ventured to a more traditional modern indoor souq and delighted at the tea vendor pouring a hot sweet , spiced tea called karak. It was 1 Diram per cup ( about 25¢). Lots of vendors offering to sell us beautiful name brand copies of goods from watches to purses. We declined.

The city was very quiet during our stay there. Not sure whether this was due to the recent Corona Virus , the afore mentioned lack of general tourists , or because it was the wintertime? Either way it made for an easier time for us moving around. The taxis are metered and modern. The most conversation we had with ‘locals’ was in the taxis but none of them were from the UAE. It is a country full of immigrants working the menial jobs. It was a tad unnerving just how quiet the malls and restaurants were.

We were careful not to hold hands or take that hug when we were needing one , in public. It is very much frowned upon as well as being offensive to their culture.

We were amused to see that often in the price list for admission to an event or theme park , etc, that there was a special price for the ‘nanny’. Just added to our minds that this is an uber rich country and that having someone to watch your children is not uncommon.

We went shopping for a momento from our trip and the men settled in Abu Dhabi National dress headgear. There are different ways to wear them. The shopkeeper chose this style for Justin.

We took a taxi to one of the most expensive hotels in the World, the Emirates Palace . It cost $3 billion US to build! Security was intense but it was quite the building and that night a basic room was $700. There were full sized palm trees in the lobby. We returned to our free room! !

The best part of our Abu Dhabi experience was a visit to the Grand Mosque at sunset. They have graciously opened it to visitors , and ladies who visit must be in a floor length robe with their hair covered. These are provided in a choice of four colours by the staff and are strictly monitored with staff asking ladies to pull their hair under the hoods. The mosque was spectacular and very well organised. Photo opportunities were plentiful.

We left the next morning very early with a lovely packed breakfast from the Sheraton staff. Our flight with Etihad took just under 17 hours to Los Angeles with Justin and another nurse onboard , spending the last hour with a lady who was short of breath. It never fails , “ ladies and gentlemen would anyone with medical knowledge please make themselves known to the cabin crew “ , every long flight we go on , he helps someone.

We landed in Los Angeles and our eldest lad was there to meet us, happy to have us home. Bags packed into the car and a long drive home, picking up In N Out burgers en route ( a family tradition each time we fly home to California).

The Morgans are home after the most thrilling adventure of our lives …so far. Seven months in Siam did not disappoint.

Thank you to all who followed our progress and supported us with well wishes and positive energy. It was a pleasure to have you along for the ride.

Much love and peace from Justin , Arlene , Alexander , Andrew and Emmalynn xx

Our stay in Sri Lanka was only seven days ,but wow , did we pack a lot of adventures into that week!

We ventured south to Kandy , a major city in the Central area for 2 nights. Our hotel was a little out of town, but on the way we visited the Cave temples in Dambula ( only 340 steps up to these ones ) and this was in the afternoon after our Sigiyira climb. I was dizzy on the climb and had a nosebleed ( definitely pushed myself over the edge and I paid for it the rest of the week ).

The temple is a series of chambers made out of caves in a hillside. The statues were exquisite and the painted ceilings and walls , intricate. No monks were apparent here but plenty of security to dissuade vandals or thieves. We wandered in and out , enjoying the dimly lit caves. An entrepreneur set up a kiosk to watch our shoes for a small fee, and another sold fresh pineapple and ice cream. The kids all had a cone and poor Alex was jumped upon by a large monkey who stole his ice cream right out of his hand !

Kandy was a bustling city and our hotel was just outside of the city noise , by a wide river. Our rooms were spacious with a large veranda. On both mornings we saw bridal parties having photographs taken in the hotel’s beautiful gardens. A helicopter also landed on their helipad and we were told it was the deputy prime minister of Sri Lanka , who was also a very tall monk. Our driver wasn’t pleased at him using funds for such frivolity.

We visited the Temple of the Tooth Relic where a tooth of Buddha is kept in a golden casket. Thousands of people queue past daily to view it , as we did. It’s a quick glance as you are pushed along from behind , but we did see it , briefly. The worshippers give food and lotus flowers as offerings. Families brought their newborns to be blessed and school children came in droves. It was very interesting and a museum on the upper floors was informative and full of historical artifacts and explanations.

Catching the train from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya ( a 3 hour ride up through forests and tea plantations) was one the best experiences of our trip. We hung out from the doors and took photos , delighted by the scenery , played dominos , ate fresh roti , samosas , chocolate and hot sweet tea from the vendors.

Our driver drove up the windy hairpin roads to the 6000 feet elevated town in the van and met us from the train. It was much cooler and like a pretty English village , having been a popular location for the Colonial British.

We visited Lovers Leap Tea Plantation, had the tour and a lovely cup of hot tea. There was an elderly lady picking the young tea leaves on a small hillside and she waved us over to take photos ( for a small gratuity of course). The tea is only picked by females and they must pick 18kg per day to make their $5 paycheck.

The Grand Hotel was next for a delightful afternoon tea ( yes, we felt a little guilty spending money on such nonsense after seeing the hardworking tea pickers , but this was something I had wanted to do before we even left the USA.) We enjoyed pots of tea , scones and bite sized cakes and pastries.

The drive down from Nuwara Eliya took us past the river that they filmed the Bridge Over the River Kwai in and around (talk about full circle!) We had lunch and watched rafts floating by and children fishing.

Our last destination was Unawatuna Beach in the south. Our hotel room had a balcony overlooking the beach. Absolutely gorgeous sunsets and clean beaches. We went out snorkelling off a boat. I have a deep fear of open water and once I summoned up enough courage to slip into the water , I started having a panic attack the moment I felt the ocean. Justin calmed me down and I snorkelled , looking at fish of all colors and sizes , finally relaxed. Getting back into the boat was a challenge and let’s just say , not graceful in the least for me.

This area is famous for turtles and we were sad not to have seen any whilst out on the boat. A quick search on the internet and we found that the next cove over often had turtles swimming in shallow water. We were not disappointed ! They swam right up past our legs, eating the kelp growing on the reef. It was a special and exciting experience for us all, we were delighted to capture a few photos underwater of them.

The kids were invited to play cricket on the beach with a group as the sunset.

Our very last sightseeing was the harbor town of Galle , which has a historic Dutch fort and a lighthouse amongst the walled town. This area was hit hard by a tsunami but has recovered very well.

The last day was about a 4 hour drive to Colombo airport, stopping for some egg hoppers with Dahl and chilies for dinner. Security was tense at the airport and we were x-rayed and showed our passports to more officials than in any other airport we have been through.

Sri Lanka exceeded our expectations , a diverse , clean and friendly destination with the most delicious and cheap food options. We would most certainly consider another trip back there but at a slower pace next time.

We arrived late, after our flight was delayed, into Colombo airport , Sri Lanka. Happily, our 4 checked bags made it to our destination intact and after clearing immigration, customs and our Corona Virus temperature check ( 6 soldiers sitting behind a thermal camera) , we connected with our chauffeur for the week , Sanath.

We have never booked a guided tour before , always making our own hotel and travel arrangements ( not always successfully ) , but this tour company came highly recommended by a good friend as her cousin works for them.

Sanath took us to a wholesale vegetable market en route to the hotel , at first we thought this was a very odd choice , until we started walking around. The sight and colors of the masses of vegetables and fruit were pleasing. The kids had their hands shaken , cheeks pinched , shown tricks, and lifted onto trucks and tractors by the market vendors.

Our first hotel was Habarana Village by Cinnamon , which was a 4 hour drive from the airport (yuk) and on the way our guide explained a lot about life in Sri Lanka. His driving was fast and on windy roads , honking and swerving all the way , but I must add that this is the way everyone seems to drive. By the time we arrived it was almost dusk and the hotel bed beckoned. We first. had the most delicious buffet dinner including Sri Lankan curries and exotic fruits. There was even a separate walk in refrigerated dessert room!

We set out early the next morning after another fantastic breakfast buffet. We tried hoppers which are bowl shaped thin crepes which the lady serving them added sweet chili and honey mixture to. Very tasty.

After breakfast , we drove to Sigiriya , and spotted a wild elephant by the roadside ( yay, we finally found one ) ! Everyone was more than thrilled. (This site was unable to upload our video but it’s on our Facebook page of the same name)

Sigiriya is a large flat rock 200 meters high , which had the most incredible 5th century sumptuous winter palace built on it also shaping the rock into a lion , now in ruins, leaving only the brick foundations and the lions paws. UNESCO have been excavating and exposing the gardens since 1982 and there is a museum and exhibition of artifacts found on show. A locally born guide named Lal, came up with us and was very kind and supportive , he was contracted by the tour company on our behalf. He told us of crocodiles that are still in the moats !

The Sri Lankan’s call this rock formation the ‘8th wonder of the world’ and I agree!

There are 1202 steps up to the top of the plateau and we made it , just. Monkeys grabbed at us , I had to take a ridiculous amount of breaks , we drank liters of water but I was determined to make it all the way. We watched many not make it turning back , one lady was even having a panic attack , it felt like such an accomplishment to reach the top. The children were little superstars , not complaining about the heat or the steps. There were a few monks climbing up also because there are multiple caves in the rock which have been used by Buddhists for centuries.

The 360 degree view from the top was breathtaking with a welcome cooling breeze and for anyone suffering from vertigo , the height, dizzyingly high. It took us about 75 minutes to climb up and about 45 to come down.

There are fantastic colorful fresco paintings on the rocks , preserved and protected. Legend is the king was supposed to have 500 concubines and died by suicide during a battle with his jealous brother. No one used the palace after that and it fell into disrepair, abandoned.

I could not have climbed up all of those steps without Justin and our kids ( and even strangers as they saw me on my hands and knees for the last 100 steps or so ) cheering me on and the sheer determination not to miss out on this adventure. I am very grateful to them all. My legs the next morning , however , were like lead and very painful but so very worth it!

Sigiriya is worth the climb.

If you’d like more information about Sigiriya – https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigiriya

~Arlene

The last day was the hardest , both in packing everything from the last six months into four bags, and the emotional agony of saying goodbye.

Our time in Thailand has been full of adventure and drama , highs and lows , broken teeth and chikungunya virus , bus , train and banana boat rides. We have made friends with locals and foreigners , chatted and played. We have picked up trash from the beaches , swam in waterfalls and been chased by monkeys. We have eaten spicy and spicier foods , fruits and vegetables that we have never seen before , and drank enough sweetened coffee to fill a pond!

Some of our choices have been poor ( the slow , dirty train ride to Bangkok and choosing Ho Chi Min City as a vacation spot ) , but on the whole we have memories that will stay with us forever. The children haven’t been in school this year and might be a little behind in mathematics, but they will be advanced in currency exchange , cultural and environmental experiences and could probably give a TED talk on traveling!

Justin and I have absolutely no regrets on our decision to make this Seven Months in Siam a reality. Oh , and for anyone who is counting , no it wasn’t seven months , but just over 6 months. The blog was named before we booked our tickets , oops.

We are grateful for every hectic and relaxed minute we spent together, with our children and parents. Our thanks to them for hosting us and being our foundation and guides during our stay.

Sawadee Ka until the next time.

Next … onto Sri Lanka for seven days !

~Arlene

Thailand has between 3000 and 4000 elephants , of which approximately half are domesticated in some way , be it for elephant rides for tourists , in a sanctuary or rescue , or sadly chained up next to a village for work.

We took a trip up to Kanchanaburi last year and were fortunate enough to see them bathing and playing in the river, but they were in a rescue. We really wanted to see some in their natural habitat and so off we went to the Kaeng Krachan National Park about 75km from Hua Hin.

Our journey took us up past forest and lakes , valleys and upwards in elevation. Slowly we started to see signs for ‘don’t feed the wildlife’ and ‘beware of elephants’. My first thought was ,who on earth stops to feed an elephant from their car ? I looked up and read an article about pineapples being thrown from trucks by the truckers, only to backfire on them as the elephants were grabbing pineapples as they drove by !

We saw lots of elephant excrement on the side of the road and the kids were in awe as to the size of the blobs , the ‘size of coconuts’ and one ‘the size of daddy’s arm!’ The kids started classifying the pachyderm poop into fresh or old depending on how dehydrated it was and how dark in color it was. Quite the car game !

Tourists have also been seen stopping their cars to get out for photos and throwing bananas at the animals for their amusement. The elephants are then agitated when the supply of food stops, and have been seen to charge at cars causing much damage and fear. Whose fault is this though , not these large mammals , but the ridiculous humans.

This is a link to elephants seen on the road we drove on:

We saw evidence of broken trees and large trails through the brush (see video at the bottom) but alas no elephants. The best time of day is dawn and dusk as that is feeding time according to the locals. We did wonder at some point , what would we do faced with a herd of elephants blocking our road ? The answer is slowly drive past and do not make a noise or try to feed them. These animals must be left in peace otherwise they will start to encroach into civilization and this will lead to their demise.

We had a wonderful adventure out and made it up to Pala U waterfalls where the kids swam with carp and clambered over rocks with hundreds of colorful butterflies overhead.

One last note , in our first visit to Thailand many years ago, before we had our small children , we opted to ride elephants as tourists do, and now knowing the horrendous conditions that they are kept in and the hurt inflicted on them , would encourage visitors to contact a rescue and visit the elephants this way. The local rescue in Hua Hin has a great program , and offers a ride and bathing of the elephants for a fee that helps feed and maintain the rescued elephants in their facility.

Elephants are so weird looking , but so fascinating. Disappointed we didn’t see one , perhaps on our next visit.

~Arlene

It’s about three weeks until we have to leave. Our time is up, and soon back to the USA we must go.

I’ve been thinking back to how scared I was of the unknown three weeks away from coming here to Thailand. I was weepy , I was fearful , I was unsure as to how I’d settle in , how I’d drive on the other side of the road , how I’d cope with missing one of my family.

This is exactly how I feel again.

Our six months of living here has far exceeded my expectations and hopes. We have met every challenge with a great attitude , eaten what was in front of us , explored caves and waterfalls , collected shells and seen wildlife in its natural habitat , broken teeth , caught a virus , taken visa runs, driven around , in trains , by sleeper bus, planes , tuktuks, song thiews, been somewhat educated, snorkelled, fished, … all the things ! We will go back home with memories that cannot be taken away and will stay with us forever.

My biggest personal sadness is leaving my Dad. He has been my rock when Justin was away , and my pal to have cake and coffee with. He’s been so good to us and the kids ( and I ) absolutely adore him and their Yai. Not knowing when we will be back is disconcerting for me. We will have to make another plan to come back soon.

During this time I have thought long and hard about where my home truly is. It really is wherever my family is. Yes , that old cliché , but I would live anywhere in the world with them. No looking back.

For now we have started packing and trying not to be too sad. We do have another 3 fun packed weeks to go , so it’s not goodbye yet !!

When and where to plan a long trip to next , we don’t know , but be assured there will be another adventure!! Wanderlust is in our blood.

~Arlene

We started out planning this trip by looking into international private schools abroad , but we quickly realised that most of the children enrolled in this type of school here are financed by their parents’ employers. We were on our own dime. We couldn’t afford it and it would have taken up so much time. Our local school district went out of their way to assist us in setting up an independent study program and we are grateful to them.

Homeschooling our 3 children in Thailand has been one of the most stressful, time-consuming, tantrum having, miserable times of our life. They just didn’t want to do the work.

Having said that, would we do it again?

If it meant living abroad for six months again, absolutely !! But it would/ will be different next time. Did you see that ? Already planning the next trip in my head….

We wanted this to be an educational adventure for our children and for us, so we renamed it an ‘Edventure’. We needed as much time to see the countries we visited ,taking in every smell , sight , color , culture , quirk and taste. School had to be quick and it had to be portable. After the first couple of weeks into our trip , we had to change the sitting in the school room up a bit. We took it to the cafes , on planes , trains and onto beaches , into caves , waterfalls , watched elephants at breakfast , took part in temple breakfasts , etc, all the time soaking in new experiences and always learning.

Our kids have learned more from the days we didn’t sit with traditional books or kindles , pouring over verbs and fractions. I have been making a list I’d like to share with you of how their lives have been enriched and minds filled with new skills and experiences. They are random items, but something that a school classroom just couldn’t provide. Are Mathematics and English important ? Of course, but so are social and life skills. Each one of our lovely children have special needs , one has behavioural issues , the next deals with anxiety and cognitive issues , little one has speech and developmental delays. They can learn in school , and will , but this time here has been wonderful to connect with them 24/7 , for months.

Things our kids have learned to do whilst traveling abroad (this isn’t everything , but a decent variety) :

• read books

• play together

• play board games (UNO, LCR , connect 4)

• use a coin operated washing machine

• hang the washing on a line

• respect for their elders

• write postcards and buy stamps

• order Thai food from a street cart ( and ask for no chilies)

• hail a song thiew

• communicate better

• snorkel

• Emmalynn learned to swim AND snorkel

• eat exotic fresh fruit

• walk in a ‘people pack’ down alleys past stray dogs for safety

• tolerate climate change without complaining

• currency conversion

• not get lost in an airport

• use a squat toilet

• eat rice with every meal

• play with other children who speak a different language

• how to fish with a rod

• some math

• play word games in the car and not realise it’s an English lesson

• use padlocks and walkie talkies

• temple etiquette

• how to handle power outages

• don’t drink from the faucet, boil the water

• how to treat and respect others less fortunate

• wisdom from their grandfather

• how to survive without electronics

• that the word ‘Uranus’ makes you giggle uncontrollably during the solar system class

• YouTube is a mine of knowledge

• that internet isn’t available everywhere

There are so many more but the list would go on for days!

These may all seem trivial to the reader, but each has made our kids stronger and smarter. We believe life is hard enough and so a little time away in the big picture of a lifetime isn’t going to delay them further. How could it ?

I think we have nailed it !

**Sorry in advance to the teachers that have to undo the Edventure out of our feral children on our return.

~Arlene

Our 90 days were up again , and off we flew, to Malaysia this time and a reunion with the leader of our family , Justin , flying back from the USA ! First stop was Kuala Lumpur on peninsular Malaysia , and then next was east to Sabah on the island of Borneo. The northern part of the island mainly belongs to Malaysia , and the rest to Indonesia and Brunei.

Our flight left from the small regional airport in Hua Hin. Only two flights come in and out each day , one to KL and the other to Don Muang airport , Bangkok. It was a 2 hour flight and very pleasant on Air Asia, a budget airline.

Arriving at KL we found Justin and had a great group hug , hailed a taxi , and off to our rented condo. The weather was humid and at approximately 4pm every day it rains. I’ve never seen such a green city , it seemed like there were trees and vines everywhere. Our taxi driver said that if you drop a seed in Malaysia , something will grow. I believe it. The city is full of skyscrapers and high end malls, we were immediately impressed at the cleanliness of the streets. We chose to stay in the Bukit Bintang area.

There are Buddhists, Christian and Muslim folks all living in this city amongst others , with the Muslims being the most visually obvious due to their dress code. This was the first time of the children being exposed to ladies covering their figures and heads. We had an in-depth discussion about why they do and the usual warnings about not talking about others within earshot but keeping questions they had until later. They did well.

The ladies of the Muslim faith dressed covering themselves from head to toe , some in the most gorgeous traditional Malaysian style of bold prints and long skirts with chiffon scarves and high heels , others in just black. The female police and immigration officers wore their uniform hats atop their scarves and this probably surprised me the most. I assumed that if their head was covered with a hat there would be no need for a scarf. I was wrong.

We discovered that there are prayer rooms in most public places and often near the restrooms. We had to be very careful not to enter these instead of the restrooms.

Malaysia is a land full of different cultures , including Indian , Chinese and Malay and the food reflects this. Malaysian curries are more like Indian flavors than the Thai curries full of coconut we have become used to. Seafood is abundant and we encountered a very varied menu at most restaurants including deer meat and frog dishes. We tried the deer in ginger and green onions in the bustling and vibrant Chinatown.

During our 3 days in Kuala Lumpur we visited the Eco Forest in the middle of the city. It has a wooden canopy walk with many monkeys and birds within the park, it is approximately a 2km walk up and down spiral towers , across the treetops and on gentle paths. The monkeys jumped through the trees and were a little too inquisitive for my liking !

We walked over to the KL tower and noted it is similar to the towers in Seattle and Toronto. We walked to its base but chose not to ride to the top.

Next for us was the Petronas Twin Towers and a tour. This entailed a small elevator ride to the 41st floor ( my looking at my feet and trying not to let my claustrophobia overwhelm me) to the bridge that connects the two towers. They are the tallest twin towers in the world and owned by a Malaysian oil and gas company , Petronas. There are no residences , only offices and a large mall. 11,500 employees work here. The tour was $20 for adults and $8.25 for kids.

Moving on up to the observation deck on the 86th floor , in an even smaller elevator , our ears popped and our eyes bugged ! What a view. It was incredible. Happily our guide answered our many questions and we were allowed to wander for 15 minutes or so. Another lady from Alaska (of all places) was so kind as to take our family photographs for us.

(I cut my hair short during this trip as the virus I have acquired was attacking the hair making it very thin.)

A rain storm came out of nowhere after we left and we ran and sheltered in a gazebo by the park , it was torrential but only lasted about 15 minutes.

Next we returned to the airport and another 3 hour flight to Kota Kinabalu in Eastern Malaysia. We had arranged a rental car and when we were checking in at the kiosk the girl delighted in telling us they had upgraded our vehicle ..to a Proton Saga. I have to wonder what we originally had been booked for as this was a tatty compact car with so many dings and scratches they just said ‘just bring it back with fuel’. Even a cockroach ran out of the car as we opened the door !

We stayed two nights north of Kota Kinabalu at a beach villa. We made full use of the facilities and the kids snorkelled but it was silty water and murky.

We preferred the 5 star resort next door and partook of high tea and their beach bar pretending to be guests ( yes, we paid ). The kids were chased off by two monkeys whilst on the play equipment !

The last 2 nights were in the city of Kota Kinabalu and how pleasant that was. We Airbnb’d a condo above the Imago mall ( highly recommend this area ).

We drove down to the pier called Jessleton Point and organised a snorkel trip to the nearby islands. My father has memories of being in Kota Kinabalu as a young teenage soldier and was sorry to miss this trip with us to see how much it has changed. We secured a boat , life jackets , snorkel gear and a mat. The islands were Sapi and Manakan and less than 20 minutes on a fast boat carrying about 30 souls.

The islands were well organized and a constant revolving cycle of boats and passengers. There were little cafes selling hot food and icy drinks at reasonable prices. We had 2 hours at each one and thoroughly enjoyed the clear water and fish watching. We also encountered a large monitor lizard walking amongst the tourists eating lunch.

Our other day was a 3 hour drive up to Poring Hot Springs. A natural hot source in the mountains near Mt. Kinabalu, up a very windy road. Justin was magnificent ( he watches enough Top Gear so I’m sure that helped). Once there we were disappointed to discover they had tanked the hot spring and we had to sit in a deep bathtub and fill with a very slow running tap. 45 minutes in and only 4 inches was disheartening to say the least. We would not recommend this attraction unless you have lots of spare days to fill.

We had roast boar on the route with fresh squeezed lime as recommended and it was delicious ( according to the meat eaters in the family).

The 3 hour ride home was very long and we slept well that night after a visit to the local Gaya Street Chinese New Year celebrations.

Our return flight to Hua Hin was an early morning rise at 3:30 am to catch the 5:20 flight as again only one flight per day. We arrived safely back in Hua Hin and immigration stamped us back into Thailand for our last time.

We have about Six weeks in Siam left and we plan on making the most of every minute !

~Arlene

My father met and married his beautiful Thai wife many years ago. She is small and refined , strong and hardworking , funny and loving , and most of all she is a devout and faithful Buddhist. She loves my father and cares for him so I never have to worry being so far away.

At the same time , if he goes to spray a trail of ants off the deck she shoos him away so as not to harm them. If a dog or cat is sick on her property, she nurses it back to health (or to death if that is the case ) with dignity and love. These animals know no suffering whilst in her hands. I set a mousetrap and she was upset that it might die in the trap overnight. She needn’t have worried , it stole the bait of mango and ran away.

Her name is Naphat and she has graciously allowed our family into her temple and congregation. We follow her in some confusion , but gently she shows us how to greet and gift food to the monks , also giving to a shared plate for Buddha.

There are flowers to be laid and incense to light with candles and a soft chant. It is a beautiful place. No one has to be uncomfortable, certain rules have to be followed. Females do not touch monks and there should be a large amount of dignity afforded to them by all. They are revered and holy.

Young men , who choose to , enter the monastery or ‘Wat’ become monks for about 2 years in order to honor their ancestors and families. Some stay on and live their whole lives as monks , others leave. They live meekly and in prayer, often in silence , live humbly , and have no personal possessions. Their robes are dark gold colored , simple , and most of the time , their feet are bare. Most only eat the food they are given in the early morning , either from the community or from special days at the Wat. The rest of the day is usually fasting.

On the days that we attend with her, Naphat dresses impeccably in traditional Thai costume ( not everyone does ) , my father usually dresses in shorts and a T-shirt. Females are expected to have clothes to cover the shoulders and down to the knees. Shoes are left outside.

She stops for food , treats and flowers at roadside stands on the way to the Wat. Picking carefully as she wants them to have variety and flavor.

The particular temple that they attend is about 5km from their house and of a fairly modern design with a tin roof and open sides , unlike some we have visited which are built of stone. A courtyard lined with huge statues are impressive and golden there , shining in the sunrise. Many dogs and cats litter the temple grounds and again , are welcome to share in the space.

There’s no music except for chanting and the occasional bell or gong , and it is powerful to close your eyes and listen. Not so pleasant when the kids have a go !

After prayers the monks eat their breakfast as provided by the flock and generally are done in about 35 minutes. They accept offerings and give blessings of holy water gently sent out with a small bamboo broom type apparatus.

Anything that the monks have chosen not to eat ( everything is served in separate containers) is open to anyone. We picked out a few unusual desserts to eat. Naphat also brings pork skewers and sticky rice for the kids breakfast as it’s their favorite !

The photos truly don’t do it justice. The children are welcome and can play quietly around during the service , no one judges them. Monks chat to them and ask where they are from , their faces smiling widely as the children raise their hands in the Thai wai to greet them.

It is a deep religion and I truly know nothing of their teachings other than what I have experienced , but from what I have seen on the surface , it’s a kind and wonderful entity to be allowed to be a part of. There’s a beautiful serenity to Buddhism that I haven’t felt with any other organized church I have attended so far. I’m not saying it’s better than any other religion , but I like it and it calls to me.

~Arlene

When we planned this trip we knew that being a firefighter family meant having to work holidays and high days. He has his schedule a year in advance and if his shift is on for Christmas there is very little we can do to get out of him doing so. He had to fly back over the festive period.

This year it happened to fall during our Seven months in Siam and so we did as all good calendar adjusting fire families do , we celebrated on December 15th before he flew out on the 17th.

Don’t know if I’ve ever mentioned this but I’m pure Scottish , not mixed , just Scottish. I moved to the USA in 1997 to enjoy the sunshine and privilege for 18 months…and I stayed. My father has been in Thailand for 25 years plus , and is also an expatriate Scot. Christmas comes with a few Scottish traditions when we can get them. I tried to incorporate some into our faux Christmas Day. We haven’t had a family Christmas with the parents together for a decade or more.

We took our photos on the beach to capture the essence of our being here. It was windy but the kids were troopers and we made it work, having to weight the little tree down. Bribes of a lovely posh treat at a restaurant by the beach might have helped.

Our elves on the shelf followed us here and have been mischievous all month. It’s kept the kids amused and reminded them that even in this heat, it is December.

Preparations started very early on , sourcing ingredients that would make our dinner into a real treat both for the American Family and the Scots and please a Thai palette also.

The parents arrived in full traditional Thai outfits , they looked amazing. 10/10 for effort.

Justin brought back cranberry sauce , stuffing mix , Talisker Scotch whisky , paper plates and napkins , and chocolates from his trip in October to America. He also carted all of the gifts I had ordered from Amazon.

There are a few stores here in Hua Hin that cater to the foreign residents but wow, are the prices high ! I found Australian leeks at $21 per kilo ! Turkeys were $100 each as were 5lb hams. A real Norwegian Christmas tree can be purchased for $300. Wine starts here at $10 a bottle for cheap plonk and champagne was out of our budget. We did manage a bottle of red , a white and a bottle of sparkling. Not too bad.

I made Christmas crackers out of empty toilet tubes and tissue paper , put a joke and a small gift in each , and instructed the people pulling to shout ‘bang’ as the cracker ripped ! Everyone got the required Christmas crown.

We had Brie en croute and leek and potato soup ( apparently cheaper in local markets as Japanese spring onions), a feast of ham , potatoes ,carrots, roasted Brussels sprouts , stuffing and Bisto gravy (found in the expensive market).

Only one small hiccup when the wok caught fire but I did say we were a fire family. FF/PM Morgan rushes in with the extinguisher as I was about to throw the flaming wok out into the garden and saves Christmas Day !!

Trifle was next , real custard in the layers and very, very delicious cheese and crackers that had to be hidden for days before. Isn’t it funny that the fridge is full for a week and nothing can be eaten as it’s being saved for the big day ?

My big surprise was that I managed to find a box of Quality Street ( mixed , wrapped chocolates from the UK) and opened them up as we undid our top buttons of our jeans.

Lots of laughs and bellies full , it didn’t even occur to us at that moment , that Christmas Day was a full 10 days away. It really is who you are with , not when you are with them. A lovely day was had by all !

The whisky was brought out to fanfare , I believe my dad cried.

Merry Christmas to one and all with love from the Morgans xx