Thursday, July 25, 2013

Momma and Daddy Dog Went to Thailand, and All I Got Was a... Hug Upon Return.

Jeff and I just returned from quite the adventure!  We tackled the continent of Asia.  Well, actually, we visited Thailand.  The funny part about our trip was quite frequently when I mentioned to someone that we were going there the immediate response was, "Why?"  My answer to that was, "Why not?"  Growing up, my dad instilled in me a great fondness for travel, and I am still quite enamored by it.  There is just nothing better than immersing yourself in a completely different culture to give you a greater perspective of the world and your place within it.  I already have big dreams to visit Russia next summer -- onward and upward!

Thailand was pretty amazing, although, I have to admit that during our first day there I did utter, "Ugh, I wish we went to Europe instead of Asia."  I quickly withdraw that statement later on, but at the onset my jet lag (sleep deprivation, nausea, irritability, etc.), due to the 12-hour time difference, was so terrible that Bangkok's chaos was just too much for me to handle.  Once I was a little better rested, I perked up, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself both in Bangkok and on the nearby island of Koh Samet.  During our travels, Jeff and I visited countless wats (temples),  rode in a tuk tuk and a long boat, ate lots and lots of pad Thai, and partook in an infamous Thai massage.  It was a wonderful vacation, and I am just a little sad to be back home again, well, except for one big bright joy in our lives -- the Milt Dog! 

For this trip, Milton was shipped down south to his grandparents' house.  Momeaux and Pop very graciously offered to watch Milton despite us already having a boarding reservation.  As usual,  our goldendoodle had a ball running around in the slough, clamoring for Momeaux's attention, playing countless games of fetch with Pop, and, most importantly, aggravating Uncle Dusty. 

Here are a few pictures of our vacation along with Milt's:


Strolling through one of the many Bangkok markets with my new purchase (Can you tell what it is?!) and a tasty coconut water straight from the nut itself.

Jeff (6'2") and I (5'9") folded up into a tuk tuk

Lucky Buddha Wat -- As we were informed, he is "Lucky for Love."

Skyline on our ascent to the Golden Mount

The Year of the Ox - 1985!  I was quite familiar with this symbol because I ate a lot of Chinese food growing up on The Year of the... placemats.

The Grand Palace -- everything reminded me of The King and I!

Giant Siamese figure

The palace, a sacred spot, mandated strict rules (no bare feet, legs!), which sent me into a tailspin because I hate wearing jeans in the heat, especially after consuming copious amounts of pad Thai that goes straight to my gut.

I'm convinced I look like Audrey Hepburn in this hat, but I just don't know if it's a My Fair Lady Audrey or more of a Breakfast at Tiffany's Audrey.  Jeff thinks neither.

Jeff orchestrated these two shots, with the Grand Palace in the background, but I just wish we were together in them!

Thai cultural show

Jeff atop an elephant - I don't think I have ever seen him more excited.

The eating began on the plane (China Air).
I ate pad Thai five times on our trip; I think I kind of missed out on the experimentation with new foods, but nothing beats a little or a lot of pad Thai.

This was Jeff's favorite meal, eaten in China Town, but it was a little too earthy for me...

 
All you can eat sushi buffet for only $11 (30 baht = 1 dollar, so we made out quite well!). 

Note the strict time enforcement.

Roasted chicken, papaya salad, and sticky rice on the beach, and the eating rolls on...

I did, however, manage to resist a Dairy Queen, and you know how much I love DQ.

En route to Koh Samet

Our hut

Jeff swinging beachside

Gorgeous overview shot, despite my greatly mismatched hiking outfit/beach coverup

$10 massages are simply the best!

Natural beauty

Milt might have been missing us while we were in Thailand, but I, honestly, do not think so.

Of course a little dirt was involved

Drying off on Momeaux's chair

Ready and waiting for play

Kicking back, just like at our house...

As my luggage tag says, "Travel the world.  Come home for love."  While in Thailand, I cannot tell you how many times Jeff and I remarked I wonder what the Milt is doing right now..., or better yet we just talked in our kooky Milton voice while mimicking his goofy mannerisms and people stared.  I have to admit, Thailand was spectacular, but it feels pretty darn spectacular being home with our boy again.

7 comments:

  1. Great pics! So glad you had a wonderful time and that Milt did too!

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    1. Thanks for reading! I have been following your workout progress; I am trying to overhaul myself as well. The working out part has always been easy for me, and I tend to eat well 90% of the time, but that 10% of going out and eating way too much is what's killing me!

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  2. Oh my goodness, I was getting ready to leave a “WHERE ARE YOU!” message and BAM…..vacation pictures! What an exciting trip, so envious. I wish I were able to travel more but between the whole single mom thing followed by all these kids in college, well, Disney is about as good as it’s going to get for the next few years. LOL

    I loved looking at your pictures and sharing the experience vicariously through you. I was crackin’ up how you can get a massage AND order lunch cooked right on the beach all at once. SCORE! I’d like to pass along a message to the people of Thailand, though; do you KNOW how much food I can pack away in an hour and twenty minutes? They may want to reevaluate their strict time limit. Your hut on Koh Samet was so cool, what a great place to stay.

    Now about Milton. What in tarnation were he and Pop doing? I know Momeaux would never let the Milt get that dirty; it had to be the boys and only the boys’ fault. But he looked like he had one heck of a time.

    So glad you had a wonderful time, it was greatly deserved. Welcome home Mom and Dad!

    Oh…..and tell Jeff your lovely hat more resembles Audrey’s hat from Paris When It Sizzles – but that’s just me. Or even better, with it on you resemble the iconic photo of Faye Dunaway in a floppy hat.

    http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ieifCgtPAUo/TYF5v0HEPQI/AAAAAAAACnA/2wFjdq2um0Q/s400/faye-dunaway.jpg

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    1. Goob! I've missed you! I suppose I need to post on a more routine basis, so we can keep in better touch. Your sushi comment is so true; we definitely threw back an awful lot of food, despite the small plates they provided to dissuade us.

      Milt was just being Milt. He loves to get down and dirty whenever he possibly can.

      That picture of Faye really does resemble my hat -- good eye, Goob!

      Anything new and exciting happening with you over there in Florida? How's your summer progressing?

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  3. Hey Blondie! I spent the whole weekend (Friday thru Sunday) and my mom's painting her master bed and bath and her hallway. I'm a tad achy but so glad we got it all done and don't have to go back next weekend to finish. We DID end the busy weekend with a Christmas in July "holiday" dinner with all of the workings. My turkey look hysterical when I brought it out of the oven but it sure tasted delicious. (The legs, for some reason, stretched out and made it look.....well, needless to say it was a bit uncomfortable. LOL) I post a lot of pics on Instagram, are you on there?

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  4. looks like an amazing trip! what did you think of the thai massage?

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    1. We loved it! The exchange rate was 30 baht to one dollar, so it actually only cost us ten dollars each. A Thai massage is much deeper than a typical Swedish massage. I feel that in other areas of the world, they are much less inhibited by the body, so they really dig in and use their own arms and feet to really press hard and stretch you out. We actually received the massage on one of our last days there, otherwise I think we would have gone everyday!

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