Revisiting Singapore...as Executives

Traveling to a country for a day, getting lost, waisting tons of time and figuring out how not to visit that place was great practice. On our second round of visiting Singapore we had a fantastic time and knew just what to expect. As an added bonus, we were able to buy a lifetime supply of condoms at House of Condom :-).

We had been pretty conservative for most of the trip, but Singapore will wipe conservative right out from under you. We quickly blew a wad of money on the cable car to Sentosa Island, which was a lovely ride over the water and gave a great view of the city. This is rated the number one most toursity thing you can do here. Check. 

After seeing how good we looked as high adventurers, we heeded the advice of the signs all over the island and decided that happiness really is flying without wings. As a mid-afternoon tropical stormed ensued we took flight in the world's largest indoor sky diving tunnel. It was VERY different from actually diving as there is no free fall time and the whole jumping out of an airplane bit is eliminated, but it was outrageously fun and we were really happy to have had the opportunity. Highly suggested to anyone that has the chance!

For my Mom and Dad! We found a Hershey's store and had to take a photo with this guy. Too funny.

A couple of shots of the city at night from the Cable Car. The city transforms at sunset and becomes a mecca of restaurants, entertainment and energy.

5:30am flight? Who cares!? Let's figure out the public transportation system and go across the city to see the Gardens by the Bay at night! Turns out it was well worth it. It was calm and peaceful and this "super tree grove" transported us to another world. A wonderful ending to a fantastic trip. 

Paradise Found... ourists

Stories to come later! Just wanted to get some photos up!

Scooting, Caving & Mango with Sticky Rice-Chiang Mai

Stories to come later! Just wanted to get some photos up!

Temples and Curry and Massage, Oh My!

After our most fabulous day at the Elephant Nature Park, we wondered around the "old city" to find a famous temple, have dinner and try out our first Thai massage.

The temples here are absolutely incredible and can found at the turn of almost every corner...over 300 temples in Chiang Mai alone. They are absolutely stunning, calm and peaceful, right off of a bustling main street. All are welcome to join the monks inside to sit and clear the mind for as little or long of a time as they please. It feels quite different than most closed door churches in the states and was not only an astounding feat of architecture, but also very welcoming.

Mai Tais followed by the most wonderful, aggressive, stretchy massage I have ever experienced made for an absolutely spectacular day. We will be going back for as many massages as possible (for 200 baht each, about 8 dollars) before we leave Thailand!

We have also really enjoyed cruising around the old city in a tuktuk. This is always an adventure where you have to sit back and trust that the driver knows the city MUCH better than you. So far, that has always been true :-). I absolutely love the yellow curry and mango with sticky rice. Last night my curry was served to me in a whole, fresh coconut. Spectacular.

Elephants, Landmines & Logging

Ruby picked us up on Thursday for our day trip to the Elephant Nature Park, a place where elephants are rescued from the most obscene circumstances. Many of the elephants are blind in one eye or are completely without sight thanks to knives and slingshots to the eyes by their Mahout in the logging industry, made illegal in Thailand in 1981. Some elephants have shoddily repaired broken backs from falling down the hillside after being hit by a loose log or humps indented in their spines from the deteriorating wooden basics that elephant trekking companies use.

These are some of the most majestic creatures on the planets. I can attest to that firsthand. There are also some of the saddest stories I have ever heard and witnessed the repercussions of from animal cruelty. Thankfully, 37 of these elephants have found a new home at the Elephant Nature Park where they are free to roam, create families from new friendships and receive so much love/food and attention/food that they are, miraculously, seem happy and adjusted.

Our day was filled with bathing the elephants in the river, having the 2 month old, 500 pound baby ask me for a game of tag (to my chagrin his mama was not interested in this game with humans) and feeding them pumpkins, watermelons and bananas.

  

Each elephant eats 2,500 pounds of food a day. They each have a special basket prepared for them depending on their age, teeth and digestive situation. They take the food right from your hand with their VERY powerful and gentle trunk before manipulating it around to put in their mouth just right. It is quite amazing. 6 of us could barely keep up with the demand of one elephant!



Each elephant has a Mahout, or caregiver. Because this is a misfit bunch, the elephants are prone to being territorial and will fight each other without supervision. It is obvious that they have a close relationship with their Mahout, which is AMAZING given their previous interactions with humans. They have no reason to trust, but they learn to again through positive reinforcement...and did I mention food?

Each elephant had a different story, each baby being born at the park naturally and all but one adult having come from mishandling in logging, street work trekking. Not every elephant wanted to be touched, but the park knows each creature intimately and does not force them to receive human touch. Many of the elephants loved a good scratch on their thick, wrinkly, sensitive skin, which we were all delighted to provide.

It was absolutely incredible experience. I will always remember these beautiful beasts with a fond heart.