For New Years Eve all the main hotels had organised a Thai cabaret show of various musical acts. These acts would perform at one hotel and then quickly move on to the other. Performances mainly included dancing and singing, showcasing not only Thai culture but other countries’ traditional dances and costumes. It probably wasn’t the same seeing the hakka done by slight Thai males, nor petite, tiny females doing the Hawaiian hula but you have to commend them for trying! At the end of the show we were led down to Hat Noppharat Thara (the beach right next to Ao Nang) along with other hotel guests by a kathoey (ladyboy) and a procession of locals playing musical instruments. It was a great spectacle and a lot of fun, especially watching locals getting right into the celebrations, ... read more

While I worked for the first half of Christmas week, Matt did his own self-guided tour of Mae Sot. He joined me on my morning walks for some great sunrise views of the paddy fields and Jac and I took him to our favourite restaurant Aiya. On Christmas day I took Matt to Wat Phra That Doi Din Kiu temple because of its breathtaking views overlooking Burma. I thought this would be a quiet place to spend the afternoon, however I was proven wrong as we sat by hanging rock listening to some locals sing “Rudolph the red nose reindeer,” over a PA system and then say 1-2, 1-2 just to make sure it was working. Who would have thought that even in the middle of the forest you could hear a PA, at least we ... read more

During my week observing Australian cultural orientation classes at Umpiem camp I met such fantastic participants eager to learn about life in Australia. It was also exciting for me because I can track some of the families down when I return home to see how there resettlement is going. The class was once again mixed Burmese and Karen with 2 interpreters used. I mostly observed the adult class but on the fifth day both classes were combined to make it a Family Day. I was able to participant in the lessons and add information on some of the topics. Most of the families were very interested about education, weather and what Australia will be like. Family roles and parenting brought up some interesting discussions with the women seeming quite pleased that household roles were a little ... read more

It was a great week to be in the camp. As Thailand is a Buddhist country and Mae Sot has a large Muslim population it just did not feel like December or the Christmas season. However, the majority of the Karen population at Umpiem camp are devout Christians, very religious and this is an extremely important occasion for them. On the first night of our stay Bee and I could hear music and singing long into the night. We later discovered groups were singing Christmas carols around the camp so the next night we took a guide and followed a group while they sang at people’s homes. I really enjoyed seeing families getting into the true spirit of Christmas - the religious significance and importance of togetherness. Over the next couple of nights we had visits ... read more

The next day I hired a motorbike and rode for an hour through the Thai countryside of lush corn fields, rice paddies and banana plantations to Si Satchanalai Historical Park (SSHP). It was a very relaxing ride and a great break from the bustling town of Mae Sot. SSHP is located in Si Satchanalai district, about one hour north of Sukhothai by car. It is also listed as a World Heritage site and considered the sister city to Sukhothai. SSHP is less visited then Sukhothai Historical Park but is just as beautiful, if not more tranquil because of its forest and remote location. It offers similar Sukhothai era temples and monuments located inside and outside the city walls. Structures inside the walls include: •Wat Chang Lom - located in the centre of SSHP. The most important ... read more