We got to go to a local school today. They had all these stations set up, bracelet making, Thai massage, traditional dance and a little refreshment hut. I spoke to a teacher for a while and he told me there are five different tribes of children who attend. Some live in the mountains and the bus them in from Monday to Friday to go to school and stay in dorms. They teach them life skills so they can have a job when they are done with school. Having us there helps them practice dealing with foreigners. This afternoon after watching the elephants bathe in the river (I could never grow tired of that) I held a yoga class on the skywalk overlooking the beautiful property. We did a gentle relaxing class and the breeze was gently ... read more

My roommate mellisa and I woke up at 6am and took our cameras and sat out overlooking the property, with the mountains in the background. We waited for the sunrise, and had coffee it was a beautiful way to start the day. We worked in the morning shoveling poop,37 elephants make a whole lot! It wasn't a bad job and we actually got done pretty quickly. I got to feed them from our observation platform, there trunks are so incredibly strong and my elephant liked watermelon and pumpkins and bananas. After that I went to a different part of the sanctuary, where all the dogs are, all 400, rescued from the flood in 2011 and also others that get dumped off. They need attention from people and volunteering with the dogs apparently is a pretty hard ... read more

Well, after waking up, for the day at 3am to the sound of roosters-dogs and planes, followed up by a 7am presidential speach and song about, well I am not really sure. It was kindof a rough start. Took a sunrise bath in my ceiling less bathroom and I was off and running. I had breakfast and was promptly picked up at 8am for my day of Thai cooking classes. The man who picked me up was quite nice and spoke some English. I asked him about the trouble in Bangkok, with the rioting and political upheaval and he started talking all about the upcoming erection, that's right erection (if you have not figured it out this was in Lui of the upcoming ELECTION. He must have said erection 40 times. It was sad I had ... read more

Finally got a great nights sleep last night, hurray! Woke up in time to have breakfast and rush off to the spa lady who promised me I would look 10 years tougher with the facial she was going to give me. It was hot, it was cold, it was scratchy and smooth, smelled good and a little not so good. In the end ten years younger might be a stretch, but maybe a couple of years. I decided today is the day I venture out and enlisted the young guy at the redemption desk to help me make an exit stradegy. "ok, go here cost 200 bhat then go here 100 baht, "ill call you a red truck" he said. So I pulled on my big girl pants and grabbed my camera and went to wait ... read more

Well, after a wink of sleep, I gave up and thought at least I have time for a nice lonnng shower, it was only 2:30am. Well, no time to get on Thai time like the present. I have zipped my bag up (symbolizing no further costume changes) and printed out my first boarding pass! I was lying in bed trying to think of anything I missed……"are they going to ask me for proof of my shots?" well, I don't have proof, so here's hoping I don't get turned back at the border. Hopefully my blog will become significantly more exciting, hah…… I was thinking The times in my life when I just went with a nagging idea (costa rica with Tim, yoga month at the ashram) it has never been anything liked I had imagined it ... read more