Alwyn Cameron back from Golden Triangle

Buddha on Mae Khong River - Golden Triangle

Elephant statue on Mae Khong River - walk under and around the elephants' belly 3 times for good luck

White Temple at Wat at Rong Khun

 

Walkway looking back from Temple entrance



Lorcha Village - Akha Tribe



Mountain Bike Riding - Sri Lanna  National Park

Long Neck Hilltribe - weaving cotton scarf

Buffalo Girls - A story in pictures

A tour of the jungle garden....

... led to a discussion about how we can use the food around us to...

... make delicious food....

...which can be cooked over a small coal fire...

... and then presented beautifully....

... and ready for us to eat.

A bike ride to see the buffalos on a working rice farm...

... leads to tilling the paddy...

...which leads to a fall...

... and an all in mud fight can lead to...

... some quiet contemplation.

Some Photographic Memories

Elephant Nature Park

On the Path to Pun Pun

The Le Su Village

Happiness is a pair of Plastic Shoes

It feels wonderful to be back again this year and see beautiful Thailand. I have been shocked at how lush and green it has been this time round- the wet season has come early and the rice paddies are overflowing and the bananna trees are plentiful! We can pick the banannas off of the side of the road here- and not have to pay an arm and leg like back home.

Speaking of food I have been so impressed with how the girls have embraced the Thai cuisine so far- they are piling up their plates and trying every new dish and local delicacy offered to them; spicy sausage, crickets and silk worms, curries and many new and strange fruits. Most have developed a real taste for the rambutans, dragon fruit and star fruit. Every day we have the freshest fruits and vegetables and of course rice! Our eyes are bigger than our bellies and we will all roll off the plane when we get home, I am sure.

This being my second time here on this trip it has been great to have such confidence in the activities before us and knowing how much the girls will get out of it. Yesterday one of the students was quite petrified by the Elephants and being so close to them. I remembered the absolute thrill of touching and patting an Elephant for the first time last year and I wanted her to have the same experience. I took her hand and led her over to the massive, but gentle beast and stood by her as I touched the Elephants leathery skin. At first she shied away and I assured her and held her hand tighter. She tentatively reached out, felt the bristles on the skin and gained enough confidence to pat her. I looked at her as I held her hands- her mouth was agape and her eyes were wide. "Does it feel like you imagined?" I asked. "Yes! But better! I cant believe I was afraid!" We laughed and I looked around at the other tourists cheering her on and clapping. It was the highlight of my day.

Today I really enjoyed seeing the girls just embrace the dirt and the mud and get filthy! When we had washed the Elephants they had no qualms about splashing around in the muddy water and today was the same. So often girls are told to keep clean and look pretty, but it was great to see them not care and just experience the fun of being soaked in mud. They even managed to make some mud bricks, but I think that was just an after thought.

One day in Thailand is like a weeks worth of school- they are learning so much.

Last year the best thing I bought was a pair of rubber boots to combat the climate here, but this year my crocs have been champions as well. With Thailand being just constant states of wetness (sweat, swimming, showering, raining, sweating, jumping in rivers, showering again and then sweating) happiness really is a pair of plastic shoes.

Marian Haddrick

Update from Thailand!

There have already been many highlights of this trip - which does tend cause the mind to boggle when we stop to consider that we have only just finished our third full day of the program. The girls are all displaying very adventurous spirits, getting involved with everything; It has been a joy to watch the students getting down and dirty making mud bricks...

... which quickly became a chance to have a mud fight.

Another highlight has been the chance to wash the elephants at the Elephant Nature Park. All of these elephants had been used in domestic situations and had been abused or damaged through the course of their work, so the students were thrilled to be able to participate in the important rituals of feeding and bathing the elephants. It was a truly exceptional experience for all.

Last night was a chance to experience how some of the local Thai people live in their local communities. We trekked (in the heat of the day) to stay with the Lesu Tribe. There was the chance for some much needed rest and relaxation when we arrived, and many of the girls used this as a chance to play with the local children, who fed us with some local flowers and helped to make bracelets out of the leaves off the trees.

After dinner we were treated to a traditional dance, usually only performed on New Years Eve. The girls were given the chance to participate in this, and had a great time dancing around the bonfire. We then reciprocated by singing "Kookaburra sits on the old gum tree" and, perhaps somewhat unusually, "Someone like you" by Adele. Our guide "X-Man" then taught us all some of the local songs and dances that are sung by the Thai people, with some help from the local children.

Alwyn will be back with us tomorrow night are all looking forward to their contributions to this blog when they return. It will still be a few more days before we see Hancock or Tonkin.

While I am sitting here typing this, I am listening to some of the chatter from the girls that is filling the room. One of the comments that I just overheard was, "This is a life changing experience!"

I couldn't agree more.

Jacqui Cusack

Safe Arrival!

We have landed safely in Thailand and this morning we are all very excited to be heading off on our first adventures of our trip.

The flight was long, but the girls were very well behaved. Many were able to catch at least some snooze time. We farewelled Ms Sharp and the Tonkin Clarke girls at Bangkok as they headed off to the barge portion of the program, and we continued on to our connecting flight to Chiang Mai.

When we arrived at the Chiang Mai airport, we were greeted by some of the VSP staff who will be working with us through the Global Citizens program. They gave us a tour of Triahos, and we all settled comfortably into our rooms.

The afternoon was spent participating in some games and having a well deserved swim. Last night we were very busy settling in and packing for our trips out to the various activities for the next few days.

All of the girls are happy and well and very much looking forward to the next part of their journey. Contact with home from the girls will commence when each of the groups returns to Triadhos following the next section of the program.

 The banner in the dining area, welcoming us to Triadhos

 Briefing about our accomodation from Michael who runs the visitng schools program. You can see the accomodation in the background.

We hope you are all keeping well at home, and the girls look forward to telling you all about their adventures when they can.

Jacqui Cusack