Last month we visited a fun art museum in Chiang Mai, called Art in Paradise. We decided to go because our son, Ethan, loves to draw, so we thought he’d enjoy it. It turns out we all had a great time.
Tag Archives: Chiang Mai
Riding Elephants in Thailand
Most people visiting Thailand have “ride elephant” on their to-do lists. We were no exception. There’s been much debate about whether it’s cruel or right to visit elephant camps in Thailand and we certainly weren’t oblivious or indifferent to the concerns. In fact, we did a fair amount of independent research before deciding to move forward with our plans and selecting a destination that focused on providing a sanctuary for rescued elephants. You can read more about some of our thoughts on the broader topic here. Continue reading Riding Elephants in Thailand
Zipline Adventure in Chiang Mai, Thailand
When in Chiang Mai, one can’t help but notice numerous advertisements for zipline jungle adventures. At last count, we noticed posters for at least 4 different zipline companies – all vying for the tourist dollar. Wanting a little adventure and a good activity to entertain our 8 year old and a visiting friend, we decided to go with Flying Squirrels Zipline Adventure.
For convenience and the discounted price, we opted for the online booking option. Our fee was 1,999TB (~$61) per person. Not cheap, by any means, but competitive with the current going rate and worth it for a full day’s activity with transportation included. We tend to be early risers, and we wanted to take advantage of the cooler morning weather and lighter crowds, so we booked the 7:30am pickup time. Continue reading Zipline Adventure in Chiang Mai, Thailand
Thailand’s Songkran Festival
We arrived in Chiang Mai, Thailand two weeks before the Songkran festival began. As traveling Farang (foreigners), we had heard about the soaking we were soon to receive. Songkran has become known in the contemporary world, especially to travelers and tourists, as a giant water fight or celebration where everyone is drenching everyone else with water guns, water cannons, hoses and buckets. We were certainly excited and curious to see what it would be in reality.
Being the curious travelers that we are, we wanted to learn more about what the tradition was behind Songkran. We wanted to know things like why it was celebrated? Where did it originally come from? Was it still celebrated in a traditional way? How did the traditional fit in with the contemporary images of a giant water-pocalypse? Continue reading Thailand’s Songkran Festival
At Home in Chiang Mai, Thailand
Slightly more than 2 months ago, our little family decided to sell our home in Portland, Oregon and begin a year-long adventure in Southeast Asia. We arrived in Chiang Mai, Thailand almost a month ago and have settled in nicely. After researching and viewing several condos in various parts of town, we rented a very comfortable and conveniently located condo in the Nimmanhaemin neighborhood, northwest of Chiang Mai’s central Old Town. Continue reading At Home in Chiang Mai, Thailand
Unexpected Detour
I was 10 years old when Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark was released into theaters. Like so many others, I was instantly hooked. Yes, I was absolutely riveted by the action and adventure. Yes, I had a crush on Indiana Jones (and Harrison Ford). Who didn’t? But, what I found most fascinating was all of the exotic destinations, unraveling history, and the idea that it might be possible to actually travel the world discovering all these things for myself.
When I entered college, it was with the intention to become an Archaeologist or an Anthropologist. I envisioned a future where I would become either Indiana Jones or Margret Mead, or some combination of the two, and I would travel the world making discoveries and learning about other cultures. Ultimately, I ended up focusing on History and Political Science while in school, and then unexpectedly spending almost 20 years managing technology projects as a profession, but I never lost my interest in archaeology or anthropology. Or my desire to travel and explore.
Maybe it’s my interest in anthropology, but I’ve always enjoyed chatting with people and discovering the little differences in how we all live our daily lives and how we see the world. One of my favorite pastimes is to simply relax in the park or at the cafe and people-watch. Because of this, I’ve never had a problem eating alone in a restaurant.
When I was approaching my 30th birthday, and I still hadn’t done any international travel to speak of, I felt that I had to do something to change that. And, along with my husband, and more recently my son, I have been lucky to spend weeks, and even months, vacationing in France, Italy, French Polynesia, and Mexico. But, somehow it never seemed enough. A vacation simply wasn’t what I was really looking for.
For many years now, my husband and I have dreamed about living abroad. I have spent many hundreds of hours researching countries and cities all over the world… just in case. But, for one reason or another it just didn’t seem like it would ever happen. As responsible adults and parents with established careers and a mortgage, there were always too many obstacles to overcome.
Then, we were suddenly presented with a situation where we had a choice to make. Door #1: make a change, but continue on our comfortable and familiar path – OR – Door #2: make a change, but take a serious detour into the unknown. We decided to take the detour.
In less than 2 months, we have chosen to sell our home and make our dream of living abroad a reality. We leave for Chiang Mai, Thailand in just a few days. It’s been a whirlwind of logistical details, excitement, anticipation, stress, difficult sacrifices, and on the rare occasion.. apprehension. But, we’re making it happen.
It’s a little crazy, but this experience is about discovery and stepping outside of our comfort zone. We’ll be sharing our experiences along the way, so stay tuned.
Meandering Family: Beyond the Nest 