Take Your Mama Out...Show Her What It's All About

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  Phuket, Thailand
Sunday, March 19, 2006

M: Among the many benefits to meeting up with us on the trip is the chance to be a guest on the blog and help pick pictures. Because she is the only one who has met up with us, she's the only one who appears (so far!). Now, without further ado, I present: MOM!!!

E: This experience has been nothing short of amazing for so many reasons. At the top of the list is that continued feeling of being in awe of my daughters, for how they get along with each other and retain their individuality, who are entertaining, know how to negotiate their way in this world (and by negotiate I do mean bargain for tuk tuks, luxury hotel in Phuket, and the markets), and have been so willing to share a piece of this adventure. We have balanced some hang out time (really on the beach) and some running around mommy style all in the midst of incredible heat and humidity, which Miss & Jess have not described sufficiently

3/4 Family Kayaking Picture

. Needless to say it is hot from the inside out and all layers in between - I have not been cold once (but limits the snuggling this mommy loves). In one week, I have truly had a taste of Thailand (literally and figuratively) and as always never enough daughter time. The beach we stayed at on Phuket Island did not experience the Tsunami and hence was out of a picture book - clear water, snorkeling and seeing schools of fish, kayaking near the James Bond Island (don't remember which) and in and out of caves and gorgeous lagoons. We have seen many Wats/ Buddhist temples... and the crafts of Thai people at the market. I am truly overwhelmed by the market.. lots to see, temptations, and lots of people. I treasure this time with the girls on the gleckeling tour and will sort through more to share as I take time to process the together time and the sounds, smells, and sights of Thailand.

J: Never enough time is oh too true. Even though we choose to live 3,000 miles from our parents and choose to travel far far away it doesn't make being far from the people you love any easier. So I truly feel spoiled by Mom coming to join us for a week. It has been so much fun to show her how we travel (somewhat disorganized and fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants style) and some of the things we have enjoyed most about Thailand. She has experienced our "adventures", which for some reason tend to be travel/transportation related, these times with planes (catching flights, running late, that sort of thing); our eating (experimenting and trying whatever looks/smells/sounds good), which I have to say she has been particularly impressive trying things we never would have guessed she'd like; and even a bit of the heat of Southeast Asia...all with an amazing calm and ease I didn't know Mom was capable of while on vacation

Are Mom and Missy Synchronized?

. (Has anyone who knows her, known our mom to just take it easy and relax while she travels?) Like she said we spent a full day just relaxing on the beach...talking and swimming and playing in the sand. This week has flown past faster than I could have imagined it would. But it has been really quite amazing to be able to share this week of our trip with our mom. Wish you could have been here too, Dad!

We spent a day kayaking through the islands just east of Phuket Island. Before we went to Phuket with Mom, Missy and I were completely unconvinced of the beautiful beaches that everyone talks about (after our time on Koh Samet) here in Thailand. Not only was the beach we stayed by (on the west coast of Phuket) beautiful and serene and very sparsely populated, but the area we kayaked was also quite fantastic. There were so many islands (very unlike the 4,000 of the Mekong), incredible rock formations (thanks to the limestone) and caves (very different from the ones in NZ), and tranquil lagoons. I am sure our photos won't capture how postcard beautiful this area of the world is. Our day kayaking was great fun with our silly Thai guide, Frook, and a very yummy lunch, which even Mom couldn't resist (how shocked are all of you?!). Okay, I feel like I am just talking in circles now...it was beautiful, we had fun, it is so great to have Mom here. Honestly, what more can I say? This week has definitely been a highlight of the trip and I really do wish our time with our mom could last longer

Beating Out Cape Cod Sunsets

.

M: I will finish by echoing what Mom and Jess said about the time together. We decided to take Mom up to Chiang Mai because it has been one of our favorite places on the trip. Of course, 7 days is not enough. But we did get to see two temples in Chiang Mai, the museum, a waterfall, a boat ride, the flower markets and the night bazaar. We're taking her to the Sunday Market to snack and enjoy the goods before we fly back to Bangkok. It has really been so wonderful having her here. I think that seeing how multi-layered this part of the world is has given her an understanding of why these postings could never do it justice. And how it could never be enough time to share it together. Mom leaves first thing tomorrow and we're back to just the two of us, unless someone else wants to come meet up with us. For now, we gleckel on...

Post your own travel photos for friends and family More Pictures

Climbing [Dancing Up] the Golden Mount	Flowers in Bangkok	Jessie Paddling	Jessie, Mom and Squash
Limestone Islands off of Phuket Island	Limestone Overhang - Stalactites	Mom's Fancy Over the Shoulder Shot	National Palace, Bangkok
Nicest Place We've Stayed By Far	The Classic Shot, New Location (Naithon Beach)	The Kayakers in the Lagoon!

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