Continuing Along Our Path

So much has happened since our last entry that we almost don’t know where to begin. Rather than trying to capture every little detail from each day, we are going to summarize the high points of the last week. When we left off, we mentioned that the preparations for Loi Krathong were in full force. Our anticipation for this national celebration was at its height when we last wrote, but our excitement for it waned as it unfolded all around us. This weeklong celebration came to a masterful finale with a 3-day explosion literally and figuratively. We were definitely not prepared for what took place. Envision a 4th of July on speed and you might be able to get a sense of the madness we witnessed. But we floated our krathongs together and we are happy to report that they followed each other right on down the river, Jill’s at a much slower pace but following Tom’s…with a watchful eye J. They say it is good luck for a couple if their krathongs stay together…so we were smiling brightly as our gifts took sail.

Next our path took us towards Wat Doi Suthep, a massive temple set up into the western mountain range overlooking Chiang Mai. The once picturesque beauty has unfortunately been overrun by a distasteful display of tourist exploitation. But at least we got to see a breathtaking view of the city and soak up the beautiful mountain air…a nice diversion from the city smog and hustle!
And as most of you know, Jill turned 28 on Sunday and we decided to celebrate it by heading up north to a small resort about 20~30 kilometers from central Chiang Mai. One of our first experiences with traveling a far distance with our huge packs, we had a pretty “fun” time trying to make our way out of the city…. after a few stops and shuffles with different types of transportation (and a language barrier), we landed at our destination: Paradise Spa and Resort. We scored a sweet deal on the internet and were thrilled to be staying at this cute thatched-hut bungalow resort set into Mae Sa Valley. Upon arrival we were floored by its beauty, but were spooked at the vacancy of the place. Where were the people hiding? All in all, the place proved to be a fine spot to stay for the weekend, it just gave us more of an excuse to hit up the Four Seasons Resort (the NICEST one in the WORLD) just down the road for dinner and lounging at our leisure J a.k.a spend little money on a resort to sleep in and take luxury in the nicest resort for everything else!! Just a few highlights of our experiences these couple days: renting dilapidated bikes (courtesy of our lovely resort) to explore the “real” Thailand…. (note the picture of Jill and the rice field workers), a stop at a yoga and meditation center tucked secretly into the hillside to be greeted by small Indian men and a guru with much personal guidance for the Prancers which we took to heart immediately, a “real” fishing village we stumbled upon, numerous close calls with heal barking dogs guarding their territory (**mom’s---DON’T WORRY ABOUT US, WE ARE PURCHASING MACE), and a pit stop at the Four Seasons to GAWK and set a dinner reservation… all within a few hours and a few kilometers. So, basically, viewing far ends of the world’s microcosms allowed us to gain much introspection into our own paths. We consumed life’s extremes in full force: the poorest to the richest. This drastic illustration in lifestyle difference allowed us to find even more comfort in our choice of the balanced middle.

Jill’s birthday dinner and celebration at the most awe-inspiring resort in the whole world, was just remarkable and hard to really explain. But the food, the ambience, the service, the serenity, and most importantly reflecting on our time of growth together gave us even more insight into our future as a couple.

So… back to Chiang Mai and so much to experience this week…. Next to come:
Trekking, elephant riding, rafting, cooking, massages, and learning massage…. STAY TUNED!