Bangkok Dangerous

MONSTER fishing outside of Bangkok!

2011-01-10T22:03:00.000-08:00

For my birthday, Aubrey surprised me with something I hadn't done since my days in Michigan-a fishing trip. She arranged a full day of fishing after researching the best fishing company in Thailand, Kiwi Fishing Bangkok (http://www.kiwifishingbangkok.com/index.html). About 45 minutes outside of Bangkok, their Bung Sam Ran location offers a lake stocked with giant Mekong catfish just waiting to take your bait and challenge you to a fight. Kiwi showed us to our bungalow (complete with a bed, fan, and TV for Aubrey) and we got down to business. Kiwi, from New Zealand, has been catching whoppers his whole life and was an incredible guide. He carefully explained the equipment and the basics of catching these enormous fish. We affixed the bait to the hook (a Kiwi family secret recipe) and cast into the dark water. About five minutes later, I had my first monster hooked. This is only the beginning of the catch, however, because these things fight you. The beast I had hooked on my life fought and pulled and fought some more. Finally, after about 30 minutes of sweating and reeling, I brought my prize to the surface. "That one's just a baby", said Kiwi. The baby turned out to be 20 kg or 44.2 lbs! We fished from 10AM until 9PM straight, with only a break for lunch! Aubrey even got in the fun as she hooked a 20-pounder. The time flew by, mostly due to always catching huge fish and Kiwi's hilarious banter. Kiwi's wife, Kat, came out to show us how fishing is really done. She cast her line twice as far as I could and easily reeled in some big ones. As the sun set, Kiwi brought me a homemade birthday cake to end my perfect day of fishing. But I had only caught nine fish? My goal was double digits! No worries, said Kiwi, let's hook one more! I did, and my day (and night) of fishing turned out to be a perfect ten.

AubParkThailand's gift to the Boys & Girls Clubs of SE Michigan

2011-01-10T22:02:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! After a busy end to the school year and over a month of traveling around SE Asia, Aubrey and I have returned home to Michigan, USA. It is great to be back home and see family, but we already miss our students and friends in Thailand. When we got home, one of the first orders of business was to make our $1,000 USD donation to the Boys & Girls Clubs of SE Michigan. Our home state, Michigan, has gone through some rough economic times in the past few years, and Aubrey and I have always been passionate about helping out kids and the city of Detroit. The Boys & Girls Clubs of SE Michigan provide "high quality youth development programs, sporting activities, events and a safe haven for children from all walks of life. In addition, the Clubs have been credited with “saving lives” of children who often have no one to turn to in times of family problems, poverty, failing grades and other difficult situations." We were given a tour around the Dick & Sandy Dauch Campus/NFL-YET Boys & Girls Club and met the Director of the club, Jackie Banks. The Dauch campus provides a safe and fun environment for hundreds of kids and it is located in an at-risk area of the city. After talking with Jackie, it was evident to us that we made the right decision by donating $1,000 of our prize money to a great organization like Boys & Girls Clubs of SE Michigan.

Skydiving in Pattaya!

2011-01-10T22:01:00.000-08:00

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LN7WifUmOd8]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhdkpofPzYY]

For my 27th birthday, Aubrey and my friend Evan (who was visiting in Thailand at the time) decided to surprise me by telling me we were going skydiving. One small problem however; I am TERRIFIED of heights. I can't even get near the railing on a tall building or look down while on a ski lift. But as they say, "this is Thailand" and I felt like it was the time to let it rip. After all, if I was going to die, it would be on my birthday. The people at Thai Sky Adventures were so friendly and gave us plenty of instruction, but my adrenaline was pumping big time. As Aubrey and I got into the tiny plane, my heart was practically beating out of my chest. Houses looked about the size of ants and I asked my tandem jumper, "are we at altitude"? He laughed and told me we weren't even halfway there yet. You can see my shock in the video when I see one of the guys who was doing a solo jump launch out of the window. Yes, we were skydiving, but I just really did not expect someone to just jump out of airplane. That's when the sheer terror kicked in...I was next. I had told my tandem partner and guide, Wayne, that I wanted him to flip me out of the plane (if you are going to do something crazy, you might as well do it really crazy), so I heard a ONE, TWO, THREE and I was dropping like a brick. The first couple seconds were terror, and then the most amazing experience ever. It was almost and otherworldly experience to be free falling through the air and it all happened so fast. After about a 60 second free-fall from 13,000 feet, the chute was pulled and I was able to take in the spectacular views of Pattaya, while Wayne let me control the parachute and maneuver left, right, and do some hard spins. This once-in-a-lifetime experience, plus the fact that my old high school friends arrived on my birthday, would have to make this the best birthday ever.

Want to try? We definitely recommend Thai Sky Adventures, call them at 085 900 3412-

free pickup from Bangkok (Koh San road)...

Or Skype them at thaiskyadventures.com

www.thaiskyadventures.com

A Stylish Experience: Ketawa Chiang Mai

2011-01-10T22:00:00.000-08:00

For our stay in Chiang Mai, we were lucky enough to pick the Ketawa Boutique Hotel http://www.ketawahotel.com/main.htm , located downtown. The staff was incredibly nice and friendly and our rooms were spotless. Ketawa is true to its motto on the sign, which says "Ketawa: A Stylish Hotel". Every room has a different color theme and the ultra-modern and simple decor fits its location in a quiet but central location in downtown Chiang Mai. Breakfast is included at Ketawa-DO NOT miss it! It is heavenly! Their trendy cafe serves up great cappuccino and THE BEST omelets in Thailand! Ketawa is a great find for a weary traveler looking for a peaceful stay in the beautiful city of Chiang Mai.

Six Senses Destination Spa-Phuket

2011-01-10T21:59:00.002-08:00

One of our main prizes from winning the Ultimate Thailand Explorers competition was a two-nights stay at the Six Senses Destination Spa in Phuket. I knew I was in for something very different from the run-of-the-mill accommodations found in Phuket when we received our pre-arrival health and goals checklist weeks before our stay. By doing a bit of research, Aubrey and I learned that the Six Senses is a place for people to go to make healthy changes in their lifestyle. There are six life passages you can choose from, including detoxifying, de-stress, fitness and weight loss, enriching beauty, and more. Aubrey and I were looking forward to our short but healthy stay and aimed for learning about ways to eat and live healthier while living in Bangkok. Being a big time meat-eater, the "fishetarian" and raw foods menu seemed a bit daunting; however, I was pleasantly surprised by the delicious menu full of healthy choices. Visitors to the secluded island relax in comfortable private villas and have a schedule custom-tailored to their wellness needs, complete with massages and free classes and activities, such as muay thai boxing and a trip to a local village. Six Senses is located just a 5 minute speed boat trip away from busy Phuket, yet it seems a world away. I learned have never felt so rejuvenated mentally and physically after such a short period of time; I highly recommend this getaway to anyone looking to make healthy changes in their life.

http://www.sixsenses.com/Six-Senses-Destination-Spa-Phuket/index.php

Our Interview about the March red shirt protests

2011-01-10T21:59:00.001-08:00

This month, there have been peaceful protests by red shirts in Thailand. Some word-wide media outlets have presented Thailand as a dangerous place to visit, but it is not. People have asked me if they should cancel their travel plans to Thailand and I tell them "no way!" In fact, Aubrey's family just came here and had a great time; their trip was not effected by the protests at all. Take a look at our video below and we answer some questions about the current political situation.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9wbS5tTCQU]

Solo Adventure in Ko Chang

2011-01-10T21:57:00.000-08:00

I came to Ko Chang after staying for 2 days in Trat, and searched online to find a good spot to lodge for my short stay. I was looking for a relatively inexpensive spot where I could relax and unwind, get away from tourists and get some reading done. I happened to come across Paradise Palms bungalows and WOW...the place certainly lives up to its moniker. I was greeted by Tara, the owner Matt's wife, who waited for me despite me being delayed. I was warmly received by Matt and shown around the property. They are the nicest people and will go out of their way to make your stay a memorable one! They also have a lovely daughter who, the beach, Hadd Kai Mook (Pearl Beach), is named after! Paradise Palms is an old-school, family run place and you can really see the work put in by Matt and Tara; they really put their visitors first.

The accommodations are perfect-classic bungalows with air-conditioning and cable TV (should you need it) and a beautiful porch looking right out at the sea. Matt built these bungalows by hand, as well as the charming shore-side honesty bar, where you tally up your tab of Singhas and trade stories with the friendly family/fellow travelers. The sunsets are incredible! I really have nothing bad to say about this place and would recommend it to ANYONE looking for a unique, one of a kind experience in beautiful Ko Chang.

Ko Chang is a beautiful island where you can find peace and solitude as well as nightlife and shopping for local crafts. It is much less developed than Phuket or Samui, as there is no airport and you must arrive via ferry. Ko Chang, translated as Elephant Island, is mostly dense jungle lined by white sand beaches. It is also surrounded by 51 islands, so it's easy to jet over to a neighboring island and do some island hopping. Feeling a need for some adventure, I booked a jungle trekking tour through Kongoi Jungle Trekking in Ko Chang. Our guide, "Jungleman" Raht was awesome; such a knowledgeable and funny trekking companion. We explored the vast jungle for over six hours and saw a bamboo forest, rubber trees, huge burrowing tarantula spiders, monkeys, and vipers in their natural habitat. After working up a good sweat on the hike, we all took a plunge into a deep pool with a waterfall. Ko Chang is the perfect destination for the traveler who wants to experience nature and then chill out on a pristine beach.

Ko Chang/Trat Experience

2011-01-10T21:54:00.000-08:00

One half of AubParkThailand (Parker) ventured to Trat for two days and Ko Chang for two days. Relaxation was the goal of this trip and it was definitely attained through white sand beaches, spa treatments, and amazing accommodations. Trat first:I was lucky enough to be able to spend 2 nights at the Centara Chaan Talay Resort & Villas. It boasts a beautiful private beach (no rocks, perfect sandy bottom), and incredible villas. Great swimming pool and excellent buffet breakfast as well. The rooms were spacious, well-equipped and spotless. The manager was extremely accommodating and you are very well taken care of. The spa is AMAZING! Simply do not miss this, as you will have one of the most relaxing stays of your life. There is not much nearby for entertainment, but if you are looking for a break from reality and a place to recharge and renew, there is no better place. If you are staying in Trat, this is THE place to stay!

Lop Buri, Sunflowers & Monkeys!

2011-01-10T21:53:00.000-08:00

A week and a half ago, we were lucky enough to be invited out to Lopburi Province by the Suhatthaporn family, one of our favorite Thai families we have met on our travels. The city of Lopburi is around 150 km northeast of Bangkok and it is best to travel there by road on a Sunday, when there is less traffic. Lopburi is known by locals for its beautiful sunflower fields. We captured some photos of the rows of sunflower fields, but unfortunately, the sunflower season was not as long this year due to the warm winter. Usually, the sunflowers are everywhere from November until early February.

Lopburi is also known for its very unique temple surrounded by macaque monkeys. Prang Sam Yot, a Khmer temple in the middle of the city, is overrun by hundreds of monkeys looking for a snack! They are literally everywhere in the city as well--crossing the street, climbing up buildings, and scaling telephone wires. It was bizarre to watch some of their acrobatic feats, which would make a parkour artist jealous! The macaques are unafraid of humans, and we were able to feed them bananas and cucumbers by hand. Lopburi is a great destination for those who are staying in Bangkok and would like to see something quite out of the ordinary!

AubParkThailand on Channel 7, Thai TV!

2011-01-10T21:52:00.001-08:00

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDC1gURA1SA]

TAT announces the winners on their site: http://www.tourismthailand.org/news/content-2860.html

Ultimate Thailand Explorers Announcement Party Video

2011-01-10T21:42:00.000-08:00

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7d4vFe2s3fc]

Thank you PTT and Avis!

2011-01-10T21:32:00.002-08:00

Thank You to two of our sponsors, PTT and Avis for providing our transportation and fuel!

Avis: www.avisthailand.com/EN/

PTT: www.pttplc.com/TH/flashevent.aspx

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-bSCsGxRB8]

Last 4 days of the competition-here's why we love Chiang Mai!

2011-01-10T21:32:00.001-08:00

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2Tm4e9DAAE]

Music by Natives of the New Dawn

http://www.myspace.com/nativesofthenewdawn

Zip-lining moves by AubParkThailand

2011-01-10T21:29:00.002-08:00

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEIc1SOuyAo]

Music by Girl Talk

Flight of the Gibbon, The Rainforest Adventure

www.treetopasia.com

Int'l. Phone: +66 899 70 55 11 Thai Phone: 08 99 70 55 11 Email: info@treetopasia.com

Sunday Night Walking Street, Chiang Mai

2011-01-10T21:29:00.001-08:00

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvU-zpbiULs]

Sunday Night Walking Street, Chiang Mai

Our Favorite Market in Thailand!

The market sets up every Sunday on Rachadamnoen Road from late afternoon and continues until around 11 p.m. The street is closed to traffic and stalls line the sidewalks. Many of the items for sale are unique to Chiang Mai and the surrounding areas and are part of the nationwide program known as OTOP (One Tambon One Product) which encourages each district (tambon) to produce its own local specialties in items such as handicrafts, clothing and furniture.

There is much more than just shopping though…

Music by Belle & Sebastian- If She Wants Me

THANK YOU VOTERS!

2011-01-10T21:26:00.000-08:00

We finally did it (after four loooong months) and we owe it all to you, our voters! We have been totally blown away from all of the wide-ranging support we have received, from Thai neighbors, family and friends, and new friendships with online readers thousands of miles away in different countries. The amount of kind letters and congratulations from countless people from all over the globe has been simply overwhelming. Aubrey and I are also extremely excited to be able to make a $1,000 donation to Boys & Girls Clubs of SE Michigan http://www.bgcsm.org/. We promise to live up to our new tag as the first ever Ultimate Thailand Explorers by continuing to blog, photograph and document this beautiful country and keep you updated on our latest travels. Currently, Aubrey and I are both back at work teaching our wonderful children at our respective schools. We are pretty exhausted from the daily e-mailing and reminding people to vote (sorry friends!), but invigorated by the recent fantastic news. We are truly honored to have been selected out of 356 teams from 59 countries and we will make a personal commitment to do everything in our power to help increase tourism in Thailand.

http://www.ultimatethailandexplorers.com/

Sincerely,

Aubrey and Parker

AubParkThailand- 2010 Ultimate Thailand Explorers!

We're just getting started!

2011-01-10T21:22:00.000-08:00

We have officially been named The Ultimate Thailand Explorers, but that doesn't mean we are done blogging! In fact, we are just getting started! Please bookmark our blog and check back often, because we will be providing exclusive content of many destinations in Thailand, including Phuket, Trat, Pattaya, Lopburi, Chiang Mai, and much more! Also, we continue to gain international exposure for Thailand in all forms of media. Check out some of our latest articles below:

Detroit Free Press

http://www.freep.com/article/20100131/FEATURES07/1310353/1032/FEATURES07/Travel-news-Local-teachers-win-Thailand-contest

The Oakland Press (Their 3rd article on AubParkThailand!)

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2010/01/22/life/doc4b59789b2fd69363775955.txt

The Indianapolis Star

http://newsfromyou.indystar.com/posts/iu-alum-named-ultimate-thailand-explorer

Herald Times

http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/stories/2010/01/21/neighbors.qp-1373378.sto

Thank you to all of the media members who have taken the time to cover AubParkThailand throughout the competition!

Baan Thai Cookery School video

2011-01-10T21:20:00.000-08:00

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7goau-xAkY]

Chiang Mai Photography

2011-01-10T21:19:00.000-08:00

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2Tm4e9DAAE]

Music by Natives of the New Dawn

http://www.myspace.com/nativesofthenewdawn

Gastronomic Odyssey in Chiang Mai

2011-01-10T21:17:00.000-08:00

The following are restaurants, in order of visit during our trip that were gracious enough to host us:

dusitD2 chiang mai-Moxie- This was our first official meal of the trip and WOW, was it unforgettable! Moxie, dusitD2's signature restaurant was named "Thailand Best Restaurant 2009" by Thailand Tatler. As we quickly found out, it was well-deserved. The hotel is extremely modern and chic and the restaurant fits that description as well. The service was top-notch and all of our questions about the menu were answered in full. The menu is mostly Thai-fusion; however, there are European dishes as well. For an appetizer, we went with a sampler of Northern Thai food, which was delicious, and a devine ahi tuna dish. For main course, we had beef tenderloin and it hit the spot. We left Moxie full and satisfied, and exhaustedly made our way to our comfy rooms upstairs.

The Riverside- The Riverside has been known throughout the city as "The Legend of the Ping River" since 1984. The Riverside Restaurant faces the Ping River, which offers dramatic views and a romantic setting. The pub is a great place to knock back some Chang beer and Mekhong-infused cocktails, while listening to lively bands. The pub and restaurant were PACKED because this is the hottest place to be on any given night in Chiang Mai. Lucky for us, we had a reservation, so make sure to call and book ahead. The menu has a staggering 500!?!? items; I had the kao soi, the famous northern Thai dish made up of egg noodles in curry with chicken. Aubrey had the tom yam khung, her favorite Thai dish. We both were pleasantly surprised with how good they both tasted and they were cooked exactly to our specifications-not too spicy (ped nid noy)! The staff was so welcoming and hospitable, I even got a complimentary t-shirt as we were leaving! What an great dining experience on the beautiful Ping River!The Riverside

9-11 Charoenrat Road
Chiang Mai Thailand

Tel: +66 53 24 3239

THE CHEDI- Lavish, breathtaking, relaxing, spacious, and superb. These are a few of the first adjectives that come to mind when you walk through the entrance of the world-renowned Chedi Chiang Mai. This lavish, five-star hotel was incredible; the service was unparalleled. The friendly staff were helpful in answering questions about the menu and the the view of the Ping River was exquisite. Mix in some music and candlelight to add to the ambience and what you have is one of the most romantic dinner settings you could ask for. The meticulous attention to detail in the presentation of the food was what really grabbed me; we just had to take pictures of every dish because they all looked like a work of art. There is also a beautifully designed bar, terrace bar, and cigar lounge.

THE CHEDI

123 Charoen Prathet Road | Tambol Changklan, Amphur Maung,

Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand

Tel: (66 53) 253-333

Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center- Khantoke Show and dinner-The Khantoke Show at the Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center had perhaps the most gracious management and staff we have ever encountered while going to dinner. We were treated so well by the staff and they presented us with a beautiful commemorative chest when we arrived to the show. The delicious food was classic Northern Thai and you get a bit of everything without having to bother with a menu, which was nice. Also, when you finish with a dish, the staff promptly brings you a new one! We enjoyed quenching our spicy dishes with Chang beer, and we had fun with a few of the beautiful dancers who allowed us to video them speaking in Thai about the different items on the Khantoke tray. The show was also very intriguing; it was interesting to see ancient Lanna dance and it really adds to the festive mood of your meal. We were in such a festive mood that we got up and did a Thai dance with some of the other audience members (not pretty). What a way to go out though! We had some good fun, good food and fantastic service at the Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center and would recommend it to all travelers!
Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center

Wualai Road T.Hayya, Muang District Chiang Mai 185/3
T.Hayya, Muang District, เชียงใหม่ 50100, Thailand
084-1702772

Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center

2011-01-10T21:14:00.000-08:00

The khantoke dinner at Chiang Mai Cultural Center was a special memory from our trip to Chiang Mai. The service was friendly and the food was delightful. We recommend that you take a trip through Chiang Mai's past by experiencing ancient Chiang Mai dance, food and hospitality.

What is a Khantoke dinner? A Khantoke is a pedestal tray used as a small dining table that you can sit next to on the floor. Since earlier times, khantokes have been used as dining furntiure in a wedding party, a funeral party, a housewarming part, etc. The food served is Northern Thai food and can be anything. However, the regular food at The Old Chiang Mai consists of 1. fried chicken 2. Burnese pork curry 3. fried cabbage 4. pork tomato-chili paste (mildly hot) 5. fried pork skin (for dipping into the paste) 6. fresh cucumbers (also for dipping into the paste) 7. fried bananas 8. fried rice crisps as dessert. Two kinds to rice are also served; sticky rice (in bamboo baskets) and plain rice (Islamic and vegetarian food can also be ordered).

Dances:

1. Fingernail Dance
2. Sword Dance
3. Silk-Reeling Dance
4. Magic Fowls Dance
5. Shan Dance
6. Celebrating Dance
7. Mahn Mui Chiangta Dance
8. Flame Worshippers Dance
9. Noi Jai Ya Dance
10. Candle Dance
11. Tai Dance
12. Rumwong

*Please watch our video to preview some of these performances!*

Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center

Khantoke Dinner and Hill Tribe Shows Nightly 7.00 - 9.30 PM

185/3 Wualai Road, Chiang Mai, Thailand 50100

Tel. (053)275097, 274540 Fax (053) 274094

www.oldchiangmai.com

E-mail: info@oldchiangmai.com

Khantoke Dinner

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Khantoke Dinner at the Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8fQQFwIydA]

dusitD2

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Our first night in Chiang Mai we stayed at the trendy dusitD2 chiang mai. The dusitD2 is in a perfect location conveniently located across the street from Chiang Mai's Night Bazaar. The lobby's carpets are handmade and the orange raw-silk pillows really make for a cool and unique look when added to the modern-chic furniture! The rooms are extremely modern, yet maintain a certain coziness that makes you want to extend your stay. There are 130 rooms and an incredible workout room. After just 4 years of its opening the dusitD2 chang mai was listed in Travel + Leisure's "Top 40 City Hotels in Asia".

10th annual 'hot list' of top hotels CONDE NAST TRAVELLER

siamese dream TRAVEL + LEISURE

sophisti-kitten LUXE CITY GIUDES

one of the most in demand hotels in chiang mai LONELY PLANET

100 Chang Klan Road, Tambol Chang Klan, Amphur Muang, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand

Tel: +66 (0) 5399 9999, Fax: +66 (0) 5399 9900, E-mail: d2cm@dusit.com

Dusit Central Reservations, Tel: +66 (0) 2636 3333, E-mail: booking@dusit.com

Website: www.dusit.com/d2cm

Lai Thai Guesthouse

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Lai Thai Guesthouse was very comfortable and affordable lodging during out Chiang Mai trip. There are 110 air-conditioned rooms, complete with wooden floors and bamboo walls. Lai Thai guesthouse is located on the eastern side of the Thapae Gate in the center of the city. It is the perfect walking distance away from Night Bazaar (5 minutes) and has a beautiful pool. The service was unbelievably friendly at Lai Thai! We were having trouble with one of our computers connecting to the wireless Internet service and their friendly manager was in our room until 12:30 AM trying to fix the problem! At Lai Thai, the staff really does all they can to make your stay a comfortable one.

Address :
111/4-5 Kotchasarn Rd.
Chiang Mai 50100
THAILAND

Tel : +66 (0)5327 1725, +66 (0)5320 6438

Fax : +66 (0) 53 27 27 24

E-mail : mail@laithai.com

Website: www.laithai.com/

The Chedi

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The Chedi was one of the most amazing hotels we've ever visited. The Chedi lies along the Mae Ping River in central Chaing Mai. The design is contemporary Asian and every suite and room at The Chedi has a private courtyard and bedrooms that connect to open balconies with superb views of the river and mountain ranges. The Chedi Chiang Mai also offer spa services, fine dining venues (check our previous blog for pictures from our dinner!), business and recreational facilities. The service was phenomenal; we were always promptly greeted and all of our requests were met without a moment's hesitation. There was even a handwritten note waiting for us upon our arrival! Everything is perfect at The Chedi, even down to the meticulous details. There are always exotic fresh fruits laid out by the room service, blackout curtains, incredible breakfasts in the morning and balcony furniture to allow for some first-class lounging while overlooking nature. We would recommend this luxurious hotel for anyone looking to have a five-star stay in the heart of Chiang Mai.

The Chedi Chiang Mai, 123 Charoen Prathet Road, T. Changklan, A. Muang, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand

Tel: +66 5325 3333

Fax: +66 5325 3352

E-mail chedichiangmai@ghmhotels.com

Website:

www.ghmhotels.com

www.ghmluxuryhotels.com

Giving Alms to Monks

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJ85lMHSmkQ]

Grand Pearl Cruise

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When we returned from Chiang Mai we had the opportunity of spending our first night back with the other wonderful contestants on the Grand Pearl Cruise down the Chao Phraya River. The cruise departs at the River City Pier and cruises down the river to the Pinklao Bridge, all the while providing incredible views. Wat Arun (The Temple of Dawn) and The Grand Palace & Wat Pra Kaew (The Temple of the Emerald Buddha) can be seen from the river. On the way back there is live music and a Thai Classical Dance Show. There is a delicious full International buffet which even includes sushi! The Grand Pearl Cruise was a perfect way to reunite and hear stories from our new friends who traveled to the other destinations in Thailand!

Grand Pearl Company Limited

123-125 Soi Charoennakhorn 13, Charoennakkhorn Rd., Klongtonsai, Klongsarn, Bangkok 10600, Thailand

Tel. (662) 861-0255

Fax. (662) 2861-0446

E-mail address: rsvn@grandpearlcruise.com

www.grandpearcruise.com

The Life of a Monk

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Before the dawn, at around 5AM, monks leave their monasteries and begin their alms rounds. The monks in Chiang Mai brave winter temperatures of 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius), which is very cold by Thailand standards. Most Thai people seen on the streets at this time of the morning in December are layered with sweaters, winter coats, hats, and sometimes even gloves, while monks make their daily trek barefoot on the cold pavement. They walk through the streets of the city, without wincing as they step upon sharp gravel and rough concrete. They carry either an alms basin or a shoulder bag for collecting alms presented by Buddhists wishing to make merit. The alms rounds are not a form of begging; they are done as a form of humility and a detachment from material goods. When practicing Thai Buddhists see the monks' striking orange saffron robes in the distance, they already have their alms ready to distribute. They beckon to the monks, distribute their offerings (normally rice, curries or non-perishable goods), take off their shoes and crouch down to receive a blessing. The Monks give a blessing to the alms-offerer, wishing them a long and happy life in ancient language of Pali. Sometimes, monks are followed by a "luksit", a form of disciple, following the monk and holding excess food. No matter how much food the monks collect on their alms rounds, none of it is wasted. The monks can only eat what they receive from merit-makers; they save the extra non-perishable goods for later or share them with others. Giving alms to monks (tak bat) in Chiang Mai was such an interesting and eye-opening experience and it is one that we will never forget. The monks, as well as the Buddhists faithfully waiting for them every morning with prepared offerings, are incredibly dedicated to their religion.

Chiang Mai Night Safari

2011-01-10T20:56:00.000-08:00

The Chiang Mai Night Safari is quickly becoming a huge tourist draw in Chiang Mai. Where else in the world can you feed a baby white tiger (only 300 in the world) milk while it sits on your lap? Or play with a baby hyena? Or hold and feed a newborn baby puma? We were able to do all these things and more at the Chiang Mai Night Safari! The Night Safari officially opened on February 6, 2006 and has had over 2.5 million visitors since then. We first watched the biggest Musical Fountain and Water Screen Show in SE Asia and then took the Predator Prowl route through the park at around 9:30 PM. This area is primarily carnivorous animals and consists of about 27 species and over 200 animals, including lions, tigers, white tigers, bears and crocodiles. It is a strange experience being so close to these large and dangerous animals at night, but you are perfectly safe thanks to a proven and tested safety system. The safari-goers are seated in an open-air trolly, which really adds to the excitement of being right there with the animals. After our hair-raising predator experience, we went through the Savannah Safari zone. This exhibit is mostly animals from the African savannah habitat and includes 34 species and over 320 animals, such as spotted hyenas, white rhinos, cheetahs, giraffes and wildebeests. This is the closest you will ever have the chance to be to so many exotic animals; certain ones, such as the zebras, come right up next to the trollies! After these two splendid tours, we had the great pleasure of meeting the CEO of the Chiang Mai Night Safari, Mr. Narong Tananuwat. He was more than happy to provide us answers for our many questions about the variety of species and the safety of visitors to the park. Mr. Tananuwat informed us that we were visiting the largest Night Safari in the world, at over 234 acres, and revealed that they are in the midst of expanding the park. The Night Safari's mission is to provide a one-of-a-kind experience while educating park-goers about all species of animals. It is beautifully designed and large-scale in every aspect, yet you are able to find yourself and be at peace with nature. AubParkThailand strongly recommends you devote a night to visiting the Chiang Mai Night Safari to get a unique view of some exotic and wonderful creatures.

Chiang Mai Night Safari

33 Moo 12 Nongkwai, HangDong district, Mae Hia, Muang, Chiang Mai 50230 Thailand

Tel: 0-5399-9000, 0-2357-3580 Fax: 0-5399-9099, 0-2357-3598

www.chiangmainightsafari.com

Nancy Chandler's Map of Chiang Mai

2011-01-10T20:52:00.000-08:00

Nima Chandler, Nancy Chandler's daughter, was generous enough to provide us with complimentary Nancy Chandler Maps of Chiang Mai and Bangkok. We used the Chiang Mai map during our trip and it made our lives much easier. It provides detailed information, such as which restaurants are MSG-free, best grocery stores for toiletries, and even phone numbers for appointment-only massages! The maps are so colorful and detailed that you might just want to get lost to have an excuse to pull it out and use it! Nima Chandler has carried on the family business and improves and updates the unique maps and information constantly.

Here are just a few of the compliments some of the experts have to say about Nancy Chandler Maps:

"An invaluable resource for travelers" ~ Los Angeles Times Travel Section

"A very worthwhile investment ... shows all the main points of interest, shopping venues and oddities that you'd be most unlikely to stumble upon by yourself" ~ Lonely Planet Thailand
"An essential part of the traveler's kit" ~ Bangkok Post

Using the Nancy Chandler' Map of Chiang Mai greatly enhanced our trip and we can't wait until we have some time away from blogging to try out Nancy Chandler's Map of Bangkok to give us some secrets about the city we have lived in for over a year and a half!

Lin Bing at the Chiang Mai Zoo!

2011-01-10T20:51:00.000-08:00

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJV__Ms755Y]

Giving Alms to Monks, Farewell to Chiang Mai

2011-01-10T20:49:00.000-08:00

December 15, 2009 -5:30AM- We blogged until about 2:30AM and got about 3 hours of sleep. Our last task to complete in Chiang Mai was to give alms to local monks. We were awake before the sun (5AM) and arranged the offerings, which we had purchased the night before. We had a small feast for the monks, including nuts, trail mix, bread, Ovaltine, drinking yogurt, a whole bunch of bananas, and Aubrey's addition, gummy bears. The act of giving alms are the first step on the way towards Buddhist Nirvana. You give the monks what you would like to someday get in return and as an act for good fortune and health. We went to a monastery just five minutes down the road from our beautiful hotel room at The Chedi. Two barefoot monks emerged carrying alms basins dressed in saffron, orange colored robes. We were informed that we should remove our shoes [this is called dtukbaht ( ตักบาตร )] and wei at around eye-height to show respect, so we did that and preceded to divide the alms between the two monks. Aubrey had to be very careful while doing this, because Buddhist monks are forbidden to touch women. We then knelt down before them, barefoot, while they simultaneously chanted a blessing in Pali. The whole alms-giving experience was surreal and it is something we have wanted to do since we began living in Thailand but never knew exactly how to do. It was really interesting learning about the many customs and rituals of Buddhism. After presenting the alms, we drove a bit to another popular crossing point of town for the monks and took some pictures and videos of other giving alms to other monks. So many good Buddhists make merit every day in the same spot; their dedication is really incredible. The monks do not accept money and only eat what they have received from merit-makers, so non-perishable food is preferred but not necessary. As the sunlight began to light up the sky, we sadly trudged home with the knowlege that it was time to check out of our hotel and head to the airport. We had a great flight back to Bangkok on Bangkok Airways while remembering the great times we had on our trip. This trip was simply remarkable; Aubrey and I experienced things that we will likely never experience again and had the chance to do things that many only get to dream of. We are currently in Bangkok now for Ultimate Thailand Explorer activities, including Mekhong Workshop for cocktail mixing at the Amari Watergate Hotel and our Thank You dinner tonight at Karaoke City. We are sad for this incredible experience to end soon, but fear not! We have many more in-depth blogs, videos and photos to share with you, so check back daily. Voting continues until January 8th, so keep up the good work! Please remember to vote every 24 hours!

Regards from Bangkok,

Aubrey and Parker (AubParkThailand)

Chiang Mai recap!

2011-01-10T20:48:00.000-08:00

Here is a recap and preview of videos to come! We showed this tonight at the UTE Thank You Party... This was an amazing experience for all!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdYN6j_z6YE]

Check out all of the positive coverage we have gotten for Thailand so far!

2011-01-10T20:43:00.000-08:00

We are doing our part to spread the word about Thailand's beauty. All the way from the other side of the world, we have been able to garner interest in our incredible journey with media from two different states and two different countries. Here is a compilation of the media coverage we have received thus far, and we are just getting started!

The Paper for Birmingham-Bloomfield

http://www.oaklandpaper.com/Articles-c-2009-11-27-71669.113117_Parker_Lynch.html

The Oakland Press-1st Article

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2009/11/01/life/doc4aecf942d3844949341582.txt

The Oakland Press-2nd Article

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2009/12/07/news/local_news/doc4b1af20da1b99054365326.txt

Cranbrook Schools website (Parker's high school)

http://schools.cranbrook.edu/podium/default.aspx?t=204&sdm=2&nid=505684&bl=/default.asp

State News (Michigan State University, the university Aubrey attended)

http://www.statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/11/msu_alumna_competes_in_thailand

Indiana Daily Student (Indiana University, the university Parker attended)

http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=72660

Ultimate Thailand Explorers finalists journey to Asia

The Bangkok BigChili (Bangkok’s leading English language magazine for expatriates and internationally educated Thais. This month's -Dec'09- edition)

Amazing Thailand, Amazing Value...The Oasis

2011-01-10T20:41:00.000-08:00

Our first stop when we landed in Chiang Mai was to drive straight to the Lanna Oasis Spa, Chiang Mai. After a flight there was no better way to start a trip than visiting the award winning spa. The Oasis Spa features signature spa treatments that feature fresh Thai herbs, massages and treatments that have been proven to be effective. Patrons enjoy unprecedented levels of relaxation, restoration of balance, and rejuvenation of vigor. In a private and lavish but warm and friendly environment serenity is gained through enjoyable sights, restful sounds and pleasing aromas. The Oasis Spa has won many prestigious awards including The Award of Excellence for Thai Day Spas, SME's Best Brand Award, and The Prime Minister's Export Award (Most Recognized Service 2007).

As you walk in the door you are presented with Thai Herbs Tea and a lavender warm towel to start the relaxation process.Even the music at the The Oasis Spa has been especially designed to guide you through each stage of your treatment, it Welcomes- Relaxes- Heals- Energizes- Awakens. Oasis Spa's Authentic Lanna Music Therapy Gold Massage envelops clients in a symphony of sensations- created especially for this treatment delights the ears and guides the therapists through the four-hand massage which we had the opportunity to preview. 60 minutes of treatment with 2 times the impact!

The detail at The Oasis is exquisite. There is attention to detail everywhere you look from the sink to the gardens.There are 5 locations of The Oasis Spa in Thailand.

Bangkok Tel. 02-262-2122, 64 Sukhumvit Rd. Soi 31 (Sawasdee)

Chiang Mai Tel. 053-920-111, 2 Locations in the middle of the city

Pattaya Tel. 038-364-070, In Chateau Dale Complex, Between South Pattaya and Jomtien

Phuket Tel. 076-270-271, Located near the entrance to Laguna Hotels

Reservation Center

Chiang Mai: +66-5392-0111

Bangkok: +66-2262-2122

Phuket: +66-7627-0271

Pattaya: +66-3836-4070

Website: www.oasisspa.net

Upon our visit at the Lanna Oasis Spa, Chiang Mai we had the opportunity to interview the Assistant Spa Manager to find out more about the amazing packages you can receive at The Oasis Spa. A trainer created the massages for all of the Oasis branches. All of the masseurs have been trained in a Massage Academy before working at the branch. We were told the "Oasis Four Hand Massage" is very popular because of the intense treatment you get in such a short time.
Oasis has four signature massages. We also had the chance to receive treatments ourselves! Aubrey got the "Queen of Oasis" which was designed for deep relaxation and Parker received the "King of Oasis" designed for strong deep tissue relaxation combining hot oil and Thai massage style. They truly were relaxing, it's unbelievable how fast the two hours went by! The four signature massages are:

King of Oasis (120 minutes) 3,900 Baht

Queen of Oasis (120 minutes) 3,900 Baht

Oasis Four Hand Massage (60 minutes) 2,500 Baht

Aroma Hot Oil Massage (60 minutes) 1,350 Baht

Spa packages are not the only treatments on the Spa Menu. The Oasis Spa also offers Traditional Thai Massages, Ayuverdic Massages, Hair Treatments, Body Treatments (Scrubs & Wraps), Facial Treatments and Hydrotherapy. There are also ten other Spa Packages that you can choose from ranging from 1,900 Baht for 2 hours to 6,500 Baht for 4 hours! This is a exceptional deal.

We are frequent spa visitors in the United States. I researched the prices at a high class spa in a major city in the United States. For 80 minutes of the "Stone Ritual Massage" is $235 USD. The "Sabai Stone Massage" is 4,900 Baht for 2 hours which is only $147.49 USD! That is almost $100 cheaper and 40 minutes longer at The Oasis Spa! The spa in the United States also offers a "Thai Massage" priced at $250 for 80 minutes, however here at the Oasis the "Traditional Thai Body Massage" is only 1,700 baht for 120 minutes! That is only $51.17 USD, an amazing $200 less and 40 minutes longer at The Oasis Spa, Thailand!

Another great aspect of the Oasis Spa is their monthly promotions. We have recommended this spa branch in Bangkok to Ben & Brian, Pattaya for their last day in Bangkok and the special of the month was 50% off the "Coconut Nourishing" Package which is a 2.5 hour massage for only 3,900 Baht to begin with- so they got two massages for the price of one! I asked them about their experience and Ben replied "It was heaven!"

Amazing Oasis Spa, Amazing Thailand, Amazing Value.

Amazing Thailand, Amazing Value. The Oasis

2011-01-10T20:40:00.000-08:00

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBzvdHILYCU]

Scorpion Tailed Boat

2011-01-10T20:37:00.002-08:00

Mobile 081-9609398, 081-9510791

Scorpion Tailed Boat Village, Chiang Mai

Baan Rua Hang Mang Pong 381/ 1-2 Near Far-Ham, Charoenrad Rd., T. Waket, A. Muang Chiang Mai 5000

http://www.scorpiontailed.com

We knew we were taking a boat ride along the Ping River in Chiang Mai, however we had no idea how much fun we would have along the way learning about the history. Mr. Songsri was a wonderful guide and by the end of the tour we made a new friend. It was amazing to see the development of Chiang Mai from the Ping River from the inside of a northern-style boat that was revived by Ms. Songsri Wongvech when she was receiving her Masters at Chiang Mai University. Mr. Samak and Ms. Songsri together re-built the small fleet in which they now use to give tourists a unique and entertaining cruise along the charming Ping River. AubParkThailand highly recommend the Scorpion Tailed Boat River Cruise as a "must do" on your Chiang Mai Itinerary.

The Scorpion Tailed Boat has pick up service to bring you right to the Wat Sri Khong's boat landing. The river cruise has pictures of several historic places along the river, and you can view the pictures of the past as you cruise along the present. It's wonderful hearing stories and seeing pictures from a century ago while asking questions to how they relate to the present.

We thought we were finished after the boat, but we were delighted to get a tour of Scorpion Tailed Village all with "Boat Houses" which are quaint resort houses with tailed-boat shaped balconies. We definitely want to stay here our next visit to Chiang Mai. The whole village was like a story unraveling as you walked through. Everything we passed was explained with detail by Mr. Samak.

Our tour concluded with mango sticky rice and lychee juice. We saw crafts made by Mr. Samak himself, such as coconuts carved into animals like monkeys and birds!

Scorpion-Tailed Boat, Ping River

2011-01-10T20:37:00.001-08:00

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0ESHQ6HA0I]

Local support from Chiang Mai!

2011-01-10T20:36:00.001-08:00

It's great to get support from quality local Chiang Mai websites, such as www.visit-chiang-mai-online.com!

http://www.visit-chiang-mai-online.com/our-homestay-in-mae-kapong-village-chiang-mai.html

Baan Thai Cookery School

2011-01-10T20:32:00.000-08:00

We visited the Baan Thai, Thai Cookery School in Chiang Mai. We recommend this cooking school because it was completely hands on, had a small class size and even included a local market tour! The Baan Thai slogan is "enjoy cooking in an easy and friendly atmosphere" and this is exactly what we experienced. The instructors were very friendly and funny as well. The class is limited to nine people so each person in the class gets one-on-one instruction(which was good for Parker's cooking skills!)
We got to select which six dishes we prepared from six different categories.

Curry Paste
1. Red Curry Paste
2. Green Curry Paste
3. Panaeng Curry Paste
Curry
1. Chiang Mai Noodle with Chicken
2. Green Curry with Chicken
3. Panaeng Curry with Pork
Stir-Fried
1. Fried Noodle Thai Style
2. Fried Cashew Nut with Chicken
3. Stir-fried prawn with curry powder
Soup
1. Hot and Sour Prawn Soup
2. Chicken in Coconut Milk
3. Seafood in Coconut Milk
Appetizer
1. Papaya Salad
2. Spring Roll
3. Fried Fish Cake/ Corn Cake
Dessert
1. Deep-fried banana
2. Mango with Sticky Rice
3. Water Chestnuts in Coconut Milk

Here is a recipe from our Thai cooking class that we would love to share with you! You can get a full recipe book at the Baan Thai Cookery School in Chiang Mai!

Fried Cashew Nut With Chicken [kai - pat - med - ma - maung - him - ma - pan]

Ingredients:

1. 50 g chicken
2. 50 g cashew nut or almond
3. 30 g jelly mushroom, slice into 1 cm. width
4. 2 baby corns, slice into 1/2 cm. width
5. 1/2 large onion
6. 2 tbsp. spring onion, slice into 1 inch width
7. 1 tbsp. chopped garlic
8. 5 g. dried chilli, slice into 1 cm. width
9. 1/2 tbsp. fish sauce
10. 2 tbsp. oyster sauce
11. 1 tsp. sugar
12. 2 tbsp. oil

Method:

1. Put oil in the wok and stir-fry cashew nuts until brown
2. Put the cooked cashew nuts into the bowel, leave the oil in the wok
3. Fry garlic until golden
4. Add chicken and fry until chicken is cooked
5. Add jelly mushroom, large onion, baby corn and dried chilli
6. Put oyster sauce, fish sauce and sugar
7. Add spring onion and cooked cashew nuts
8. Stir until cooked. Serve with rice.

Tips: If you have the cooked cashew nut or almond you can skip step 1 and 2.

For more information about the class please visit www.baanthaicookery.com

Baan Thai Cookery School is located at

11 Radchadamnern Rd. Soi 5 T. Sriphoom, A. Muang Chiang Mai 50200.

The reservation line is open from

8:00 AM-10:00 PM and can be reached at 0 5335 7339

The school is open Monday- Sunday from 8:30 AM- 8:00 PM.

You can e-mail for further information at info@baanthaicookery.com

Flight of the Gibbon and Home Stay at Mae Kapong Village

2011-01-10T20:31:00.000-08:00

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBu8spiqiuk]

The Chedi, Maesa Elephant Camp, Bo Sang Umbrella Village and Sunday Market

2011-01-10T20:29:00.000-08:00

Aubrey, Pam and I woke up freezing in our home stay room under mosquito nets. We were each huddled under piles pf blankets, not wanting to get off our mattresses to go to the bathroom outside. We finally mustered up the courage to go brush our teeth, pack our bags and bid farewell to the wonderful family we lodged with. We took a taxi from out humble home stay in the Mae Kampong to stay in a slightly different lodging-the Chedi Hotel, a 5 star hotel (http://www.chiangmai.bangkok.com/chedi/). This hotel left Aubrey and me completely awestruck; from the minute you are warmly greeted by the bellman, to the first class accommodations, The Chedi pampers its guests. Our current room is enormous, complete with automatic blackout curtains, balcony with a lounge area, and more amenities than I could ever begin to list. Simply put, this is by far the nicest hotel room I have ever stayed in and we have been treated so well by the staff. Reluctantly, we didn't get to spend much time in our new digs and we rushed off to the next item on our itinerary, the Maesa Elephant Camp (http://www.maesaelephantcamp.com/) . The elephants are trained by mahouts (elephant keeper or elephant driver) in the camp since birth and they put on a spectacular show. The sheer power and skill of these large animals is something to marvel at; people in attendance are treated to elephants kicking a soccer ball into a goal, lifting huge logs, and balancing on their front and hind legs. The most amazing, however, is the elephants that can paint pictures by holding a paintbrush with their trunk. The elephants can literally paint better than I can! For those of you who don't believe an elephant can paint, we have some video to show you soon.

To rub in the fact that the elephants paint better pictures of me, we took a trip to the Bo Sang Umbrella Village to try our hand at painting an umbrella. For hundreds of years, Bo Sang has been a craft-making mecca of Chiang Mai, especially umbrellas. We met some of the ladies who make the umbrellas by hand and watched the umbrella-making process, then we got down to business. Aubrey's strange obsession with pandas was revealed when she painted not one, but two panda umbrellas and one panda fan. I made a SWEET umbrella and it is debatable whether I am better with the paintbrush than the elephant (elephant is better). The paint shop owner put the finishing touches on my umbrella with a very artistic waterfall, it is definitely a keeper.

As darkness crept in, it was about time for one of my favorite activities in Chiang Mai, the Sunday Market. This market is teeming with people, homemade crafts, and skillfully crafted art. I bought a BUNCH of great gifts; everything from silk scarves to some odd antiques from Myanmar that my dad will love. There is something for everyone at the Sunday Market and the atmosphere really is magical. We even ran into our new friend Linda from the Baan Thai Cookery School while we were in the midst of hundreds of other shoppers while filming some footage! Pam wanted to see how adventurous I could be and bought a Northern Thai delicacy, and omelet-like dish containing bee larvae. In case that wasn't enough, she also bought another one complete with ant eggs. I actually ate both dishes and I have video to prove it-and it wasn't bad! The bee larvae were actually spicy and made my tongue tingle, appetizing huh?

After the Sunday Market, we headed back to The Chedi, where we had a three course dinner overlooking the Ping River. The atmosphere was incredible, with candles lighting all of the tables and floating in the nearby fountain. My dinner consisted of Ahi tuna appetizer, red snapper, and black sticky rice, mango and coconut ice cream. W-O-W, it was fantastic! The entire meal was expertly prepared and presented and the service was top-notch. It is time to retire to our amazing luxury hotel room right now; I have to say, we deserve it after all of the filming, photography, sightseeing and hard work we have put in! Chiang Mai Zoo tomorrow to hopefully meet the baby panda Linbing!

Sawadee Khrap,

Aubrey and Parker (AubParkThailand)

Video from Day 4 in Chiang Mai! Sunday Walking Street Market+insect eating!

2011-01-10T20:28:00.000-08:00

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4wze1wHvOk]

Chiang Mai Sky Adventure

2011-01-10T20:27:00.000-08:00

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cf8YrK93Jw4]

Check out our micro flight from Chiang Mai Sky Adventure! We had an amazing time. Half of the video footage is from the video camera that was hooked to the wing and the other half Parker captured. Aubrey took the photos and combined we give to you our flight adventure! We definitely recommend this as a highlight of Chiang Mai.

http://www.skyadventures.info/

Chiang Mai Sky Adventure.
143 M.6 T.Cherngdoi, Doisaket, Chiang Mai 50220
Tel./Fax (6653) 868460,081-9936861

flying@skyadventures.info

Chiang Mai Night Safari

2011-01-10T20:26:00.000-08:00

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJJH60OGl1w]

Here is a quick highlight from the Chiang Mai Night Safari... We will add more information soon about the other attractions, but feeding the white tiger was definitely an unforgettable experience we would like to share with you!

http://www.chiangmainightsafari.com/

Objectives

1. To be a magnet for more Thai and foreign tourists coming to and staying longer in Chiang Mai Province.

2. To make it an environmental education center leading to the environmentally sustainable conservation.

3. To create more job opportunities and better standards of living for the local people.

With a large area of 819 rai (327 acres), Chiang Mai Night Safari is located in Doi Suthep - Pui National Park which is in the area of Tambon Mae Hia, Muang Chiang Mai District and also Tambon Nhong Kway, Hang Dong District, Chiang Mai Province. It is about 12 km from the Chiang Mai city. Traveling by car on the High Way No. 1004 (Huay Kaew Rd.), turn left to the highway No. 121 (the road along the irrigation canel) to Hang Dong about 10 km, then turn right at the bridge to Ratchaphruek Road about 2 km to reach Chiang Mai Night Safari or on the High Way No.108 (Chiang Mai - Hang Dong Rd.), then turn right to Ratchaphruek Road and go straight about 4 km to reach CnS.

Article about us in the Indiana Daily Student

2011-01-10T20:24:00.002-08:00

We are in today's edition of the Indiana Daily Student! Great article, well worth the read! GO HOOSIERS!

http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=72660

Panda Dream Date, Doi Inthanon, and Khantoke show

2011-01-10T20:24:00.001-08:00

This morning was the day that Aubrey Hang has been awaiting her entire life: a chance to meet a baby panda. Her dream came true thanks to the generosity of the Chiang Mai Zoo http://www.chiangmaizoo.com/ and Prasertsak Buntragulpoontawee, Chief of Project for Panda Research and Display in Thailand. His website where you can watch video and get information about Lin Bing is http://www.pandainthailand.net/index.php. The Thailand Authority of Tourism set us up to tour the zoo to get an exclusive look at the seven month old baby panda Lin Bing. We saw Lin Bing's daily 9AM check up, where she plays around in what is basically a baby's playpen and doctors checked her health. We watched this through the glass with some other lucky observers and media. Lin Bing is a big time celebrity in Thailand; she is the only baby panda in Asia outside of China and she is the product of an artificially inseminated birth. Her birth was celebrated across the country and she was on the every major news outlet. Believe it or not, she even has her own 24-hour television channel on True TV! After seeing the check-up, we followed the large group of Lin Bing fans and went look down at the nursery below where the panda is free to play. I have to admit, this panda was the cutest thing I have ever seen. She was so excited to show off for us that she ran right into a bush immediately after she was released by the doctors! No worries though, she was fine and showed us by sliding on her belly down a ditch repeatedly as the crowd laughed hysterically. After the crowd left, we got to interview Mr. Buntragulpoontawee and ask our many questions about Lin Bing. Then the really overwhelming part-we got to suit up in a veterinary uniform and visit Lin Bing's private cage where she was about to be fed by her mother. We got some unheard-of video and pictures as we were inches away from the mother and baby.

We knew it would be hard to top that experience, but we took an hour long trip to the breathtaking Doi Inthanon to see the national park and the amazing views. After we entered the national park, we ate at a great restaurant which serves only organic food grown in the park. We then hiked up some nature trails and reached the highest peak in Thailand. The views were spectacular! King Inthawichayanon, one of the kings of Chiang Mai, was an early conservationist and his bones are buried inside the park. Two magnificent chedis top the mountains, and you can go inside and pay respects to the Buddha images beneath the beautifully painted ceilings. We topped the day off with dinner and a Khantoke show http://www.oldchiangmai.com/index_en.php at the Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center. The Khantoke show is a tribute to Lanna culture, with Lanna dance and costume.

The word "khantoke" means a low round table , where you can sit on a mat on the ground and eat a variety of delicious Thai food. The menu is set with all of the essential Northern Thai delicacies, so no worrying about what to order! The hosts were so incredibly kind to us; they reserved a great spot for us near the performance area and even presented us with a personalized gift for coming to their show while representing the Ultimate Thailand Explorers competition. Aside from the food being delicious, the performances were memorizing. Beautifully costumed girls did elegant Lanna dances and the men did a fighting show. Northen Thai-costumed children did a complex bamboopole dance, where they had to jump over the poles in sequence with their partners. We enjoyed all of the shows and stayed until closing time-we loved every minute of it and recommend it to anyone wishing to experience ancient Lanna culture and food. We can't believe this is our last night in Chiang Mai! This trip has flown by and has been the most amazing trip of our lives. We need to get some sleep because we will wake up at 6 AM to present alms to the local monks here and then check out of the beautiful Chedi Hotel. We are so sad to leave but so thankful to have this incredible opportunity to bring Thailand to you! More to come tomorrow, including new video updates of our first days in Chiang Mai!

Goodnight from beautiful Chiang Mai, Thailand,

Aubrey and Parker (AubParkThailand)

Article in today's Oakland Press!

2011-01-10T20:22:00.000-08:00

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2009/12/06/news/local_news/doc4b1af20da1b99054365326.txt Please check it out and vote!

Welcome Dinner!

2011-01-10T20:21:00.000-08:00

We both had work today. Parker started the morning going to kindergarten with a giant backpack full of clothes and video gear and Aubrey's rolling suitcase. Parker's school is Wells International School on Sukhumvit Soi 47 and our hotel is at Sukhumvit Soi 24. We are staying at the President Park Executive Serviced Apartments (http://www.presidentpark.com/). Parker checked in at around 4 PM where he was met by our Thai liaison Pam. She was very nice and informative about our activities in the upcoming days. Aubrey arrived around 5:30 PM after a day at Nursery just in time to unpack a little before meeting in the lobby at 6:00 PM to meet the other finalists!

We went to dinner at Ruen- Mallika Royal Thai Cuisine located at 13/10 Moo 9 Kaset- Navamin Road, Bueng Kum, Bangkok 10240 ( http://www.ruenmallika.com/ ), which was absolutely delicious! It was a culinary delight for the senses! It was a traditional Thai menu consisting of Morning Glory vegetables, gigantic prawn Tom Yum soup, Chicken Satay with peanut and cucumber sauce, fried fish, fried sea bass in fish oil, fried Thai flowers, red curry beef, and of course a tasty mango sticky rice for dessert!

Today we also met the other finalists Curtis & Mark (Bangkok), Mathieu and Emilia (Phuket), Michael Paul and Jennifer (Koh Samui), and Benjamin and Brian (Pattaya). It was great meeting the people we have seen such amazing work from, such as the beautiful City of Angels video from Curtis & Mark, seen the world from a birds-eye view with Mathieu and Emilia, experienced the adventurous spirit of the loving couple Michael and Jennifer and shared in the innovative itinerary-making process from Ben and Brian.

The first comment most of the other contestants told me, as well as every member of the TAT was "You look much younger in person than your video". The reason this was interesting was because I heard it not once, but about five different times! Everyone was in great spirits and very friendly. Everyone was excited to be in Thailand and couldn't wait to start their adventure!

Matieu, Emilia, Mark & Curtis!

Aubrey and Parker take on Chiang Mai!

2011-01-10T20:19:00.000-08:00

December 10, 2009

We arrived at the modern and high tech Suvanaburi Airport at 8AM Bangkok time, bleary-eyed from lack of sleep. As we pulled up to the Bangkok Airways (http://www.bangkokair.com/) gate, the adrenaline began to kick in and it finally hit us, “WE ARE GOING TO CHIANG MAI, like, NOW!” We couldn’t stop smiling and happily checked in and sat in the Bangkok Airways lobby, where we were provided with free snacks, drinks, and even had a chance to post a quick update to our fans on Twitter using the free Wi-Fi provided! Before we knew it, we were boarding a brand spanking new Bangkok Airways boutique plane headed towards our dream destination.

The first hurdle I experienced in Chiang Mai was driving for the first time while sitting on the right side of the rental car. The first few times as I instinctively used my left hand to flick my turn signal and the windshield wipers started going. It was a little weird trying to drive on the left side of the road and remembering that right turns are hard and left turns are easy. After a few minutes of fighting my instincts, I was able to find the Lanna Oasis Spa (http://www.chiangmaioasis.com/En/home.php), our first “duty” of business. Upon our arrival, we were warmly greeted by the Oasis staff, namely Jennifer and Keng. Jennifer and Keng sat down with us to answer a few questions we had about different types of treatments and their benefits. Stay tuned, we will have more information shortly about all you have ever wanted to know about massages from the best in the business. We witnessed the “4 Hands Massage”, where two masseurs treat a patron simultaneously. It looked amazingly relaxing! After our tour of the complex, we did some research by getting a King and Queen massage. More info on that later, but let me tell you it was AMAZING.

Next stop on our list was lunchtime and we went off the itinerary and found a fantastic northern Thai restaurant down a side-soi called Huen Phen. It was completely packed but we managed to flag down a waitress and order a northern Thai feast. Included in this smorgasbord was koh soi with chicken, northern Thai sausages, sticky rice, fried chicken, and red curry (recommended by the waitress). Delicious. For drinks, we had Thai lemon iced tea and 2 Pepsis-spicy food! Take a guess at the price…give up? 180 baht (about $6 US)! Our amazing liaison, Pam, met us at the restaurant and accompanied us to Doi Suthep.

When we reached the famously beautiful temple within a national park, we performed a Buddhist ritual asking for protection throughout our trip. We took a tram to the top and explored the wondrous site. We got some great pictures and learned more about Buddhism from Pam, our knowledgeable liaison. After Doi Suthep was Warorot Market, a cacophony of fruits, vegetables, fried foods, and crafts. The chaos next to the river was wonderful and beautiful. Hungry and tired from a full day, we made it to our posh hotel downtown, the D2 (http://www.dusit.com/en/hotels/thailand/chiang_mai/dusitd2/index.html). The dinner will need to be explained in a separate post later, that’s how good it was. Finally, to end our day, we went to the Chiang Mai Night Safari (http://www.chiangmainightsafari.com/). The staff was beyond friendly and ushered us around the park, bringing us on the Savannah animals tour and the Predator animals tour. Both were surreal; you are able to see some amazingly rare animals at nighttime and most can come within inches of you while you sit in an open car. Well, I have stayed up too late and we have a full day again tomorrow so its time to turn in. We will have more video and blog updates for you tomorrow, stay tuned! Aubrey and Parker, coming at you LIVE from CNX, Chiang Mai, Thailand!

Chiang Mai Day 1

2011-01-10T20:17:00.000-08:00

Check out a preview of our first day in Chiang Mai!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F87z2LXNRAk]

Chiang Mai Day 2

2011-01-10T20:16:00.000-08:00

December 11, 2009

DAY 2

After talking with Mattieu and Emelia on the way to the media party at the beautiful Amari Watergate Hotel (http://www.amari.com/watergate/) in Bangkok, we decided that we would wake up early and add a Microlight flight to our itinerary. We ended up booking our flights through Chiang Mai Sky Adventure (http://www.skyadventures.info/) and we were pleasantly surprised. It was a extremely foggy when we reached the field where the aircrafts take off and we were in danger of not being able to fly, but luckily the fog lifted a bit. Microlight flying gives you the sensation of flying like a bird; you have the cold air whipping you in the face and you can look directly down from 1000 feet in the air. The Microlight planes are capable of flying for 3 hours continuously, but the company we chose provides flight for 30 minutes maximum. Being afraid of heights, it was harrowing at first, but strangely peaceful as the flight progressed. The views of the Chiang Mai countryside were gorgeous, and my pilot, Apple, pointed out all of the essential landmarks and was able to answer my many questions. We have some great video footage, which will help you understand why you should add this activity to your next trip to Chiang Mai!

Next on the list was Baan Thai Cookery School (http://www.cookinthai.com/). I am not much of a chef, but after taking the half day class, I am confident that I can whip up some semblance of a Northern Thai meal. Aubrey and I met some really nice people from Germany named Patrick, Ana, and Katja, and fellow American named Linda from Oregon. We had a great instructor named R and he showed us how to cook Northern Thai dishes, such as Penaeng red curry, spring rolls, hot and sour prawn soup, deep fried bananas, papaya salad, and mango sticky rice. Needless to say, after learning to cook these amazing dishes as well as dining on them, we were stuffed.

The Scorpion Tail Boat Village (http://www.scorpiontailed.com/) company picked us up from the Baan Thai Cookery School. The owner was so gracious and told amazing stories about the Ping River, the main river in Chiang Mai. He was so entertaining and wove amazing tales about the history of the great river. In fact, we have some upcoming videos dedicated to some of his humorous stories. We also were shown the Scorpion Tail Boat Village, where tiny villas were shaped like boats. Our guide showed us some of his skilled handiwork, which impressed us so much that we made some purchases. The generosity shown by the Scorpion Tail Boat Village was overwhelming and the trip down the historic Ping River was both relaxing and informative.

After the Scorpion Boat trip, we made an unscheduled visit to the Chiang Mai Night Safari (http://www.chiangmainightsafari.com/main.htm) and we ended up being very thankful that we did. As we entered, we came upon a baby hyena on a leash. We played with the baby hyena for about 15 minutes and he took a liking to our “Vote for Aubrey and Parker” flyers we have been passing out, pawing and sniffing it. I think we might have a new fan! Afterwards, we were able to go into a private room with a baby WHITE TIGER and feed it milk and hold it! Considering there are only 300 white tigers remaining in the world, this was an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We got some priceless photos of the not-so-little and very rambunctious tiger quenching his thirst! Still buzzing from our amazing opportunity, we were led to meet the CEO of the Chiang Mai Night Safari, Mr. Narong Tananuwat. Mr. Tananuwat was very gracious to take time out of his schedule to answer many of our questions about the now famous Chiang Mai Night Safari. We were offered a sneak peak into the inner-workings of the successful zoo/educational theme park, including the shocking revelation that our beloved white tiger, Henry, is scared of live chicken. Instead he insists on roasted chicken, making him the pickiest eater in the whole zoo! We have MUCH more in-depth information coming shortly as well as some incredible video footage, so stay tuned!

-Can’t wait for tomorrow,

Aubrey and Parker (AubParkThailand) Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai hightlights Day 2

2011-01-10T20:15:00.000-08:00

A preview of the videos to come!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpLXCaBESTg]

Flight of the Gibbon and Homestay

2011-01-10T20:13:00.000-08:00

12/12/09

DAY 3

We got to sleep in today until 8:20, which was much needed after our first two action packed days. We woke up after a short but lovely stay at Lai Thai Guesthouse. Our room was comfortable and the management was extremely accommodating to all of our needs. We were whisked away by the Flight of the Gibbon (http://www.treetopasia.com/) van and taken to Mae Kapong village (population 500 people) where we suited up in our harnesses and helmets and met our guides, Tiger and Make. Tiger was very informative during the drive to the zip line course and told us about how the inhabitants of Mae Kapong have built a reputation as excellent harvesters of very strong coffee and meang tea. We met our fellow adventurers, friendly honeymooners hailing from Melbourne, Australia and a young couple from Bangkok. We were all a bit freaked out when we first clipped into the harness and looked over the ledge at the vast jungle canopy below. Right on cue, we heard the howling of gibbons in the distance, which made the experience even more surreal. The zip lining was a huge adrenaline rush and a neat way to gain a gibbon’s perspective of swinging from branch to branch. Those afraid of heights might be apprehensive at first, but this experience is a must for anyone visiting Chiang Mai.

After our zip lining and repelling, we were transported to the nearby Mae Kapong waterfall. We climbed all the way to the top of the beautifully cascading falls, which took about fifteen minutes of strenuous stair climbing. We got some breathtaking pictures of the famous waterfall, which is only accessible during the dry season. From there, we were returned to the Mae Kapong village, where we bid farewell to our fellow Gibbon fliers and met the family we would be lodging with in the village. The Mae Kapong Village homestay (http://www.treetopasia.com/thailand-holiday/thailand-village-homestay) family were so wonderful to open their lovely home and lives up to us. They could only speak Thai, but their smiles spoke more than words could say. Pam was able to translate some of the information they had for us about the house and we went into town to explore a bit. The main thing that hit me immediately was how nice everyone was and how young and old smiled at us.

A man named Anon was our guide and took us through the town and we rode in the back of a flatbed truck to the Jea Song National Park. We climbed a mountain and took some spectacular photographs of the lush and mountainous terrain that surrounded us. On our way down the mountain, we met two monks who traveled to the park to climb the same peak we climbed. One of the monks spoke very good English and spoke to us for about fifteen minutes, asking about what we were doing in such a remote village and inquiring about our background. He invited us to climb the mountain again with him but we politely declined because of our tight schedule. Anon showed us coffee and tea trees and had the answer to hundreds of obscure questions I had about our surroundings. On our way down the mountain, the truck carrying the two monks stopped and invited us for a ride. We thought, “why not, how many chances will you have to ride in a truck with monks?” and we hopped aboard. We joked and laughed with these two, who were the friendliest monks I have ever met! When they dropped us off, they gave us each a small Buddha made of dried and hardened mud, which they had blessed. The Buddha offerings, according to them, would protect us and leave us under the cover of angels as long as we keep them safe and in a high place (in Buddhism, height is the equivalent of respect). We returned to our home stay family and Aubrey volunteered to put her new Thai cooking skills to the test in the kitchen to make our dinner. Pam and I were smart and opted to get Thai massages in our host family’s house for only 150 baht! After our massage, we sat down to a lovely Thai dinner in the family room of our Thai hosts. They were so gracious and welcoming; they were so intent on making sure we were enjoying our food! As I type this, it is about 11:30 PM and it is FREEZING here, as we are in the mountains and it is 8 degrees Celsius- a big change from the heat of Bangkok we have become accustomed to! We are so worn out from our busy day and we need to bungle up under our mosquito netted mattress on the floor, but we wouldn’t rather be anywhere else in the world. Mae Kapong village is truly a remarkable place unchanged by time and we will be sad to leave it tomorrow morning.

Fun dee, (goodnight),

Aubrey and Parker -AubParkThailand

P.S. We didn't have Internet access in the village obviously, so this post will be put up a day late.

Chiang Mai Itinerary

2011-01-10T20:10:00.002-08:00

We have received our Chiang Mai Itinerary! We are so excited for this adventure. Our schedule is packed, but we're ready for everything!

December 10, 2009

9:15 AM- Arrive Chiang Mai

10-12 AM Chiang Mai Oasis Spa

Parker will get the King of Oasis: This 2-hour treatment is stress-management Thai style. It begins with Thai Herbal Hot Compress along the strong muscle lines and continues with a Hot Oil Massage that works and stretches the muscles while reopening the body’s energy pathways. This will wake up the king of your jungle.

Aubrey will get the Queen of Oasis: A two-hour hot oil massage specifically for women combines many different massage styles including Thai and Aromatherapy. This synergistic treatment promotes serenity, beauty and a sense of well being. It has been compared to doing yoga without the effort while receiving acupressure treatments!

2:00 PM- 4:00 PM- Doi Suthep

5:00 PM- 6:00 PM- Warorot Market

6:00 PM- Dinner at Dusit D2

8:00 PM- 10:00 PM- Chiang Mai Night Safari

December 11, 2009

9:40 AM- 4:00 PM- Thai Cooking at Baan Thai Cookery

5:00 PM- Scorpion Tailed Boat

8:00 PM- Dinner at The Riverside

8:00 PM- 10:00 PM- Shopping at the Chiang Mai Night Market

December 12, 2009

All Day Event & Dinner at Flight at the Gibbeon

December 13, 2009

9:00 AM- 12:00 PM Elephant Training Center

2:00 PM- 5:00 PM- Borsang Umbrella Village

7:00 PM- Dinner at the Chedi

7:00 PM- 10:00 PM- Dinner at the Chedi

December 14, 2009

8:00 AM- 9:00 AM- Give alms to monks

9:00 AM- 11:00 AM- Visit the Chiang Mai Zoo and visit the new baby Panda!

11:00 AM- 4:30 PM- Doi Inthanon

7:00 PM- Dinner + Kantoke Center Show

December 15, 2009

9:55 AM- Back to Bangkok!

Happy 82nd birthday to the King of Thailand!

2011-01-10T20:10:00.001-08:00

December 5 is the King of Thailand, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej's 82nd birthday. The King of Thailand is literally everywhere in Bangkok and he is currently the longest-serving monarch in any country in the world. The King and Queen are pictured on billboards, shop signs, and in most every cab you take in the city. Thais wear yellow on Mondays to honor the King, who was born on a Monday. The Queen was born on a Friday, so Thais wear blue on Fridays. These shirts have the royal insignia on the front and are emblazoned with “I love the King” or “I love the Queen” on the back or the sleeve. The sidewalks are a sea of yellow on Mondays, it is amazing to see. Every day at 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. all radio and television stations will play the national anthem and show the pictures of the King and royal family. Everyone (including drivers of cars) stops what they are doing and stands still until the anthem is over.

I first experienced this when I was running just a taaad late for school due to oversleeping and found myself speed-walking through the Bangkok Transit System (BTS) station at 8am. I was running down the stairway steps and saw everyone stop in their tracks. I had heard about the anthem before and sure enough it was playing over intercom. Even though I was extremely late, I had to awkwardly stand on the steps and wait for the anthem to finish. Another odd place where Thais pay tribute to the King is in movie theatres before every film. The anthem is played, everyone puts their popcorn down and stands up to watch a slide show or a film of dramatic pictures of the King’s childhood and adult life (the King as a Buddhist monk, the King sailing, the King helping the poor).
The last thing you want to do in Thailand is insult the royal family in any way. Doing so can be considered very offensive and it is not a subject you want to broach. I went to a Thai department store after I moved into my place to get sheets for my queen-sized bed and realized I had no idea how to ask the employees for a “queen” bed set without potentially insulting them. I didn’t know if calling a set of sheets a “queen” set would be an insult to Her Majesty, so I asked for “2nd biggest sheets” and “bigger than a twin”. Needless to say, this totally confused everyone so I went home empty handed and slept on a towel for the next week. It turns out a queen bed is called a queen bed, even in Thailand. I would like to wish the King a healthy and prosperous year; LONG LIVE THE KING!

Thais and Respect

2011-01-10T20:08:00.000-08:00

One of the first things you notice upon entering Thailand is that everyone is smiling at you. The country is not called "The Land of Smiles" for nothing and Thais will do everything they can to communicate with you even if you don't know any Thai. I am working on mine and know very basic phrases and I can get around pretty easily. Most Thais are extremely generous and respectful people. As a sign of respect, Thais will often wai to you (bringing two hands up to around their chin as a sign of respect) and you should acknowledge and return the wei if possible. This is always interesting when you are trying to carry groceries and they fall out when you try to wai back. Some of the other signs of respect are not as immediately evident. I take a motorbike taxi everyday to school and I heard that if you are late on the bill, you can hand the bill and cash to a motorbike taxi and they will take it to the office, which is miles outside of the congested city. I scoffed at the idea, thinking that there was no way I would trust a stranger with my cash. One day soon after we moved to Bangkok, Aubrey and I discovered we were very late on our electric bill and we had no idea where the payment office was. We decided to go for the motorcycle taxi courier option and handed some random Thai taxi driver close to the equivalent of $100 in Thai baht and expected to never see the man again. Much to our surprise, the taxi driver returned with the payment receipt and he charged us a mere 100 baht (about $3). Amazing...

Also, young people show a lot more respect here than in the States. Elders are always treated with respect, no matter what. When my hometown movie theater was built not long ago, it was amazing and state of the art. About a year later, there was graffiti all over the bathrooms and the seats in the movie theater had been slashed and broken. The theaters here are unreal; they are 100% nicer than any I have seen in the U.S. and kept spotlessly clean. I have never seen any vandalism and the tickets are about $3 for a new film and $1 each for popcorn and drinks. Also, everyone stands before the movie when a short tribute film to the King of Thailand is shown, no matter what their political belief. Bangkok is a pretty amazing dichotomy of old and young, rich and poor, tradition and technology. Respect is the constant throughout.

Chiang Mai Province

2011-01-10T20:07:00.001-08:00

Population is 174,000

Chiang Mai is known for being a laid-back cultural capital. Chiang Mai is one of Thailand's largest cities, with the charm of a small town functioning as the north's principal spot for tourism, trasnport, education and cross-border commerce. Chiang Mai has more natural forest than any other province in the north. Two of Thailand's highest mountain peaks are also in the province: Doi Inthanon and Doi Chiang Dao. There are a wide range of activities in Chiang Mai to attract tourists such as cycling, hiking, elephant trekking, birdwatching and river rafting. My sister actually has a friend from university that is currently living in Chiang Mai. I contacted her to ask her about living and working in Chiang Mai, and advice for a tourists and she replied that people come to Chiang Mai to learn new things and have new experiences. You can learn to make Northern Thai cuisine, how to give a Thai massage, take a kick boxing course and learn to care for elephants!

The cool season in Chiang Mai is from November to February. The hot season is from March until June. The annual monsoons last from June to October, however it should not affect your travel plans!

Chiang Mai International Airport receives domestic and international flights.

Chiang Mai combines city and country. This combination brings together a sense of education, creativity and culture. There are nearly 300 temples within Chiang Mai.

Bangkok Thanksgiving

2011-01-10T20:04:00.000-08:00

We just had a lazy post-Thanksgiving weekend in Bangkok, complete with movies and plenty of good food. It is amazing to live in Thailand and there is so much to do here, but when the holidays hit, there is always a bit of homesickness. Aubrey and I miss our families and friends back home. We miss the amazing Thanksgiving feasts (not quite the same out here), the Gobble Wobble, the Franklin Cider Mill, the Thanksgiving Parade, the Turkey Bowl, and watching the annual Lions football beat-down. We are from Detroit, where it is currently 36 degrees F while I write this. It is 88 degrees in Bangkok, and for the past few weeks the weather has been close to perfect.

Typically, the weather stays amazing like this until February, when it starts to get a bit hotter and stickier. Soooo, what we are trying to say is, ditch the cold weather and come visit us! We have shown over 20 visitors Thailand, and we want to introduce more people to this great country! And honestly, who better to show you around The Land of Smiles than the Chiang Mai Ultimate Thailand Explorers! Get yourself an early Christmas present and book a flight to Thailand! Let us know when you get here; we will help you make an itinerary and show you the best of Thailand!

New Logo Unveiled

2010-03-21T01:50:00.000-07:00

Behold the new logo Aubrey has designed for our bid to become Ultimate Thailand Explorers:

We are heading to the jungles of Chiang Mai, Thailand so we wanted to use "natural-looking" colors and incorporate nature into our logo. We also wanted the our symbol to reflect how adventurous we are. We hope you like it!

Counting down the days Until Chiang Mai

2010-03-21T01:40:00.000-07:00

Sawadee Khrap from Bangkok! Aubrey and I are extremely honored to be the Chiang Mai representatives for the Ultimate Thailand Explorers contest and we CANNOT WAIT until our big trip! We are keeping ourselves very busy with working at school and training for the Bangkok Marathon this weekend (and obviously continuing to kick some tail-feathers on the ducky boats in Lumpini Park-essential to any workout).

Here is a very, very tentative itinerary for Chiang Mai, we welcome any suggestions that readers might have:
-Battle the rapids and see who wins: whitewater rafting!
-Take a meditation course, GET SPIRITUAL.
-Take a Northern Thai cooking course. I hear Northern Thai is usually not quite as spicy as the Thai food we are used to so hopefully no crying.
-Take a Thai massage course (and of course, relax with a Thai massage!)
-Visit the Elephant Nature Park, where we can help take care of abused elephants.

-Do some serious bargain shopping at Saturday and Sunday Night Walking Street Markets.

-Hot Air Balloon Ride over Chiang Mai to get a birds-eye view of the city.
-Visit the newborn baby Panda, Linbing at the Chiang Mai Zoo!

- Get dirty mountain biking through Doi Suthep.

-Take a Muay Thai Boxing Course (Aubrey is a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, so I'm already a tad scared of her...this could get frightening).

-Participate in "Monk Chat". We also will take suggestions of questions to ask the monks.
-Blog about and take pictures of beautiful Chiang Mai!

We want to hear from you, what do you think?

Our Team Name

2010-03-21T01:23:00.000-07:00

We have created our team name, AubParkThailand. There is no hidden meaning and no cute story behind it besides the fact that we both have somewhat memorable names which can be shortened: Aubrey (Aub) and Parker (Park) and we currently reside in Thailand. And there it is...

Here are some of the attempted (and failed) nicknames for our team:

-Motor City Madmen (we are both from Metro Detroit a.k.a. the Motor City)- Aubrey is not a man, so she objected to this name. Plus Ted Nugent could get upset and we DO NOT want that.

-AubbieParkie- Parker's mom coined this name, which was a bit too cute for Parker's liking.

-PAnda Team- Parker Aubrey + nda too confusing, too many colors.

-Team Whitesnake- Great 80s band, no need for explanation.

Bangkok Marathon

2010-03-21T01:03:00.000-07:00

We ran the Bangkok Marathon on November 22, 2009; 10k (6.2 miles) which was the quarter marathon. The weather is currently perfect in Bangkok, 75 °F (23.89 °C) and sunny with a beautiful breeze. The quarter marathon started at 6:45 AM, so we woke up at 5:20 AM to give us plenty of time to hydrate ourselves and get to the starting point destination. The marathon started near the outside entrance of the Grand Palace. It continued to Rhra Pinklao bridge and turned around to come back on the Rama 8 bridge, and through various side streets back to the Grand Palace. The sun was still rising as we began the race as hundreds of participants ran together along the way. Parker and I both finished the race and we were able to run the entire 10k without walking! This was my goal considering it was the first marathon I have ever participated in. This was one of my favorite experiences since living in Bangkok, what a perfect way to remember my first marathon. My favorite part of the marathon was watching monks in their saffron robes walk through the side streets of Bangkok as they collected rice, curries, or fruit in their bowls. They do this every morning, and this rite provides the monks with their only source of food. People donate the food to gain merit to ensure a better incarnation in the next life. There were school children on the sides cheering as we ran by, and locals all stepped out of their homes to smile and wave as we ran by. At the end of the race we were presented with hamburger coupons to get free hamburgers at a stand set up by one of the sponsors. Usually after a intense workout, I am motivated to eat something a little healthier than fast food- however it was such a fun surprise we treated ourselves to free hamburgers! As Parker and I walked home, we were unsure of the direction to pick up a taxi because we were unfamiliar with the area we were in. I asked a Thai man who just finished the race if he knew which direction would be best for picking up a taxi and he offered to drive us back home! He explained he was going to work at his office and would be passing our direction. It was such a nice gesture and a perfect way to end a perfect morning.

About Aubrey and Parker

2010-03-21T00:59:00.000-07:00

winners of the Ultimate Thailand Explorers competition, Aubrey and Parker. An interesting fact about us is that we are both from Metro Detroit (and a 45 minute drive away from each other), yet we didn't meet until we were halfway around the world in Thailand! We have both been living in Bangkok for about a year and a half and we are in love with Thailand and its people. We both work at different International Schools in the city; Aubrey teaches Nursery and Parker teaches Kindergarten (K3) and soccer.

Aubrey graduated in 2008 with a BFA in Graphic Design and a BFA in Art Education from Michigan State University. She excels in freelance design and has experience with everything from website layout to logos. Aubrey enjoys running, art, photography, ethnic foods, panda bears and trying new things.

Parker graduated from Indiana University with a degree in English and a minor in Political Science. He plans on getting his Masters degree soon in Screenplay Writing. Parker has always had a love for sports and has continuously been playing them and writing about them since a young age. Football, lacrosse, swimming, and alpine skiing are passions of his and both Aubrey and Parker love leading an active lifestyle and challenging themselves on a daily basis.

Aubrey and Parker come from a diverse background; Aubrey is Chinese and Italian and Parker's grandmother was born and raised in Australia and lived in New Zealand. We love meeting new people and learning about different cultures. We are young, enthusiastic, and ready to share all that Chiang Mai has to offer with you!

New Blog for the UTE Finals!

2009-11-20T06:22:00.000-08:00

Hello all,
We have a new blog we will be operating through for the Ultimate Thailand Explorers finals. Please check out our awesome new blog found here: http://www.ultimatethailandexplorers.com/blog/chiangmai/
Beginning Dec.1-Jan.8th, you can vote for us every 24 hours through our new blog!

A big THANK YOU to all our supporters!

2009-11-14T03:11:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone,
Aubrey and I just wanted to thank everybody for their support throughout the semifinals. There is no way we could have advanced to the finals without our amazing families and friends! Thank you all for remembering to vote and for sticking by us. We have met some amazing people through this competition already and it's not even over yet. We consider ourselves extremely fortunate to be in a position to travel to Chiang Mai and tell everyone back home and around the world about it! And for those of you who have voted for a different team throughout the Semifinals and your team didn't make it, we would like to earn your vote! We will continue the hard work throughout the duration of the finals to hopefully influence your decision! THANK YOU for sending us to Chiang Mai and make sure to vote for us starting December 1st.

Sincerely,
Parker and Aubrey

New Videos! Check these out!

2009-11-06T08:48:00.000-08:00

INTENSE work out-getting pumped for UTE:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKBCgstSF_s

Chu and Jim want YOU to vote for Aubrey and Parker:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cXui5wu6lo

See a first-hand account of how Loy Krathong really goes down; live from the Chao Phraya River :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFQA8T0ylis

Pad Thai on the streets of Bangkok. How is it made? Watch and find out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2ENVIUEHpI

More Publicity for the Ultimate Thailand Explorers Chiang Mai!

2009-11-03T22:38:00.000-08:00

http://www.statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/11/msu_alumna_competes_in_thailand
Read this and then please VOTE! We need your vote every day!

Article about Aubrey and Parker

2009-11-02T02:00:00.000-08:00

We got some local pub! Check out our article in the Oakland Press! http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2009/11/01/life/doc4aecf942d3844949341582.txt

Chiang Mai!

2009-10-24T04:49:00.000-07:00

By Aubrey

We have been researching Chiang Mai now for one year. It will almost be one year since our last visit (in December 2008) and we have been planning to go back ever since. I absolutely fell in love with Chiang Mai on our first visit. It is the perfect combination of city and country with a creative and artistic feel. The local artisans and craftspeople show their talents through the local handicrafts sold at the Walking Street night markets.

On our first trip to Chiang Mai Parker and I convinced Mr. Lynch (Parker's father), who is afraid of heights to go with us on the Flight of The Gibbeons, zip lining through the jungle! He was terrified at first but after wards claimed it was one of the coolest experiences of his life.

Our next adventure in Chiang Mai is already planned out! Check out some of the sights, courses, and adventures we plan to experience on our next trip.

1. Hot Air Balloon Ride over Chiang Mai

http://www.wind-and-fire.com/

2. Visit the new baby Panda, Lin Bing at the Chiang Mai Zoo!

http://www.chiangmaizoo.com/

3. White Water Rafting

http://www.siamrivers.com

4. Take a meditation course

5. Take a Northern Thai cooking course

6. Take a Thai massage course (and of course, get a Thai massage!)

7. Visit the Elephant Nature Park

www.elephantnaturepark.org
This is a elephant sanctuary for rescued elephants who were abused.

8. Go shopping at Saturday and Sunday Night Walking Street Markets

9. Take mountain bikes through Doi Suthep!

www.mountainbikingchiangmai.com

10. Take a Muy Thai Boxing Course (I am a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, so I think it would be fun to learn Muy Thai as well!)

11. Participate in "Monk Chat"

12. Take pictures of beautiful Chiang Mai!

Baby Panda

2009-10-23T22:25:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things in Chiang Mai was the Chiang Mai Zoo. I loved the panda exhibit and could have stayed there all day watching the two pandas. When we found out a new baby was born, I knew we would be heading back to Chiang Mai to see it.

The Chiang Mai Zoo website has pictures of the new baby, check them out...

http://picasaweb.google.com/thailandpanda8/

The baby Panda was born at 10.39am on 27 May 2009. The baby is a female and her parents are mommy panda 'Lin Hui' and daddy panda 'Chuang Chuang'. They are both from Wu Long, China and have been living in Thailand since 12 October 2003.

The baby pandas name is Lin Bing. You have to check out some of the pictures, they are absolutely adorable!

Lin Bing, here we come!

The new panda at the Chiang Mai Zoo!

2009-10-23T22:24:00.000-07:00

Railay, Krabi

2009-10-23T10:24:00.000-07:00

Railay
By Aubrey

I thought we should talk about Railay in Krabi because not only is it one of my favorite places in Thailand, but also one of my favorite places I've ever visited. I have visited Railay twice, once was with Parker during a four day holiday in February where Parker's friend Pat met us and the second time is when I took my six visitors from the States. We discussed back and forth which beach they should see, because Thailand has so many options of beautiful beaches, but after my trip in February I told them it didn't matter that I already visited it because I loved it and they needed to see it for themselves!

I will tell you a little bit about Railay...

To get there you fly into Krabi airport. From the airport you take the shuttle buses to Ao Nang, it is best to get there early in the day because you have to take a long tail boat from the Ao Nang pier to get to Railay. The first time Parker and I went we stayed the night in Ao Nang because for just two people for the long tail you have to take a private boat and pay the full price, but during the day many tourists take the boat to Railay so it is split and you are charged a flat rate. It is not a bad option staying in Ao Nang for a night either, there are plenty of delicious restaurants, bars and shopping to keep busy :)

The long tail boat to Railay only takes about 20 minutes from Ao Nang to Railay and is about 120 baht. When you drive up to Railay you notice right away the amazing limestone. It is very laid back and peaceful on the island with plenty to do and see for being so small. There are no cars on the island which gives it a really secluded feel as well.

Parker and I stayed at Railay Princess and it wasn't our first choice of hotels because it wasn't directly on the beach, but we went without a reservation and we were quite pleased. Railay Princess is a sister hotel to Railay Bay and we could use the Railay Bay pool which faced the best bit of the beach so we could switch from the pool to ocean in seconds! I would definitely recommend the second hotel I stayed at with my friends, Railay Village. The breakfast had the best banana pancakes I have ever tasted and our room even had a hot tub!

There are many activities in Railay for the laid back to very adventurous type. Parker and I like to think we are a little of both. We spent one day relaxing on the beach and exploring the island, but the next day we were off to rock climbing! Rock climbing was truly an amazing experience. I had NO previous experience in rock climbing so was a little bit nervous but we went through a great climbing school, Hot Rock (www.railayadventure.com) and our guide made us feel safe and helped us on our first climb. I was able to climb every rock, even the one I couldn't even believe we were going to attempt! The view of the beaches from the top were stunning! I loved it and would love to try it again in the near future.

Railay is divided into two sides, Hat Rai Leh West and Hat Rai Leh East. You can also walk to another beach called Hat Tham Phra Nang which is beautiful. It is a white sand beach with cliffs framing the sides. There is a path that leads up to a hidden lagoon called Sa Phra Nang and a viewpoint you can walk to as well. This is a very strenuous hike and while they are not required, tennis shoes are recommended and I would strongly advise them having hiked to the viewpoint and the lagoon myself. The picture on top was taken from the viewpoint and it is amazing to see the whole island from the top.

Parker and I went kayaking to a Hat Ton Sai, which is mainly backpackers. It had lively bars with a rustic feel and music. We spent a few hours there but headed back to Railay for our favorite part of the day; SUNSET!

The sunsets in Railay are enough of a reason to book a trip to Thailand! The picture Parker and I use on this blog, our facebook and even our video is taken from a sunset in Railay. I will include some more pictures to get a better idea, because it really is unexplainable.

The nightlife in Railay is very laid back, I basically just stayed in a bathing suit cover up and flip flops for my attire! There is a really cool bar called Stone Bar worth checking out which is literally sitting under a climbing wall! My favorite bar is at a restaurant called Flame Tree which is on the West side and come nighttime they set up mats on the beach with candles to enjoy the sunset and at night to gaze upon the stars. They have a great happy hour and it is a great place to meet other travelers!

There is hotel called Ravadee that you are not even allowed on the property if you are not a guest! The prices are outrages, but you are allowed to their restaurants. Most of our trip in Railay we ate very reasonably at the local bungalow restaurants on the beach, so we decided to try out the Ravadee restaurant and I definitely recommend it. They had a great pitcher of Sangria as well! It was not too expensive, however first priority goes to hotel guests so it can be hard to eat there. We were turned away the first night and had to come back because there were no openings, but I am happy we tried it out.

During sunset local Thai children play soccer on the beach, Parker included himself in the game a few times as well as his friend Pat who visited us. They became local favorites and the rest of the trip the children would wave to their new soccer friends!

Please check out our facebook page for more pictures of Railay, and message us at "Aubrey Parker" if you are interested in going there and have any more questions :)

All of the beaches in Thailand offer different things for different people, so it is important to look at what kind of trip you are interested in before booking a beach holiday. We will add our opinions on different beaches that we have loved as well!

Living and Loving Bangkok

2009-10-23T01:10:00.001-07:00

Parker and I have hosted many friends and family from the states since we have been in Thailand. I love organizing their visits and planning everything before! Last April I had 6 friends come from all different states in America to visit me for 10 days! Needless to say we prepared weeks in advance. I want to share one of the itineraries we shared to help give people traveling to Bangkok some ideas of some of the amazing things they can do once they arrive! If you have any questions please feel free to contact us, add us as a friend on facebook at "Aubrey Parker" and send us a message. We'd love to give you any tips and recommendations on our favorite things to do, see and EAT in the places we've visited in Thailand!

(This is copied and pasted from a previous e-mail thread between my friends who were came to visit and I)

Thai-inerary

Ok. Here are things in Bangkok I want to tell you guys about- so you can look over and decide what you want to do. There are all kinds of things for all different prices in Bangkok, we could get dinner and a smoothie for $1.50 total or eat at amazing places which are probably still cheaper than the restaurants back home. Just take a look and give me a idea so I can make reservations or book certain events if I need to :)

With that said…

Here are places I think you would like-

To See:

1. Grand Palace... This is a must see. "Temple of the Emerald Buddha" Wat Phra Kaew. My favorite thing about the Grand Palace is the Emerald Buddha, and the museum you can stop in before you head in and see the different outfits they change the Buddha in for the different seasons in Bangkok (hot, cool and rainy).

2. Wat Pho (Reclining Buddha) This is one of my favorite places in Bangkok, I love taking pictures here and getting my fortune read! There is a famous massage school here we could take courses at.

3. The Oriental (hotel) where they have the cutest afternoon Tea room called the Author's Lounge

http://www.mandarinoriental.com/bangkok/dining/lounge_and_bar/authors_lounge/

4. Boat ride on the river, we could either take a long tail boat or the river taxis. Both a great way to see the city from the water!

5. Chinatown (especially at night!) I love Chinatown! There are great Chinese restaurants and a lot of things you can buy. We do a lot of supply shopping for my school here and get great things to make arts and crafts for the kids projects at school.

6. Kho San road (backpacker street, and we can go out here too it’s really fun and cheap. They have a lot of cool random bars, like a rooftop bar with live music that overlooks the street. You can also buy great Red Bull, Chang, Singha t-shirts and Thai souvenirs)

7. This place for dinner called Amarosa that is right across Wat Arun, the temple of dawn. Wat Arun is also great to visit, but sitting across the river at Amarosa and having dinner and drinks during the Sunset is unforgettable!

http://www.arunresidence.com/dining.htm

8. We could do a dinner cruise along the river that has Thai music/ food, I haven’t done this yet…

9. MOVIE at paragon, at the Nokia theatre (about 15 dollars) which is leather reclining chairs with silk blankets and pillows, and a waiting room with juice and cookies, ALSO a BAR!), or we could do the more expensive theater called Enigma that includes a food dish appetizer and a alcohol drink and they are BEDS... This runs for about $30. We did this only once, but it was fun!)

www.paragoncineplex.com

10. Siam PARAGON in general is an amazing mall. There’s a really good Japanese burger place called Mos Burger that I would love for you guys to experience and a really cool food court with all Thai dishes (Great spicy Papaya salad), the most amazing supermarket you will ever see and great souvenirs in a Thai section) This is the mall with all the top designers as well.

11. Central World (Another really cool mall with the BEST food court, a upscale food court where you order your food then go sit down and they bring it to you called Food Loft. The department store ZEN has a DJ on the ground level too!)

12. Alcohol Ice Cream bar at Central World

13. Siam Square (Across from the malls, a lot of shopping, food, smoothie places, trendy Thai teenagers hang out)

14. Chatuchak Market (Truly amazing, everything and anything you could possibly want to buy! Just take a look at all the sections)

http://www.jatujakguide.com/home/

15. Damnoen Saduak Floating Market (This is exactly what it sounds like, a market on water! You have to take a boat to get around, it's really something you have never seen before!)

16. Ocean World at Paragon, it’s a really cool aquarium with sharks and crazy fish.I love ocean world!

http://www.siamoceanworld.co.th/

(We can also walk with sharks here in the water)

17. Kanchanaburi- Tiger Temple... One of my favorite things I have ever experienced!

18. Muy Thai Boxing (It’s cool, I went to the Lumpini Stadium, it’s near the Suam Night Bazaar which I want to take you guys too, so let me know if you would be interested in boxing)

19. Elephant Riding (If we end up traveling to a beach then we can for sure do it there, otherwise there are places a few hour from Bangkok we can go as well if you're interested)

20. If you guys are interested in getting suits made, Parker and his friend got really good ones at a place that was recommended to us in Kho San. Each of Parkers custom suits were like $90 and he got custom made shirts for $15!

21. SPA SPA SPA!! You can get massages every 5 steps. Most foot massages are about 6 dollars for random place, there is a really nice spa where you will be staying called Green Leaf Spa. This is where I get my haircut because it is so close to me! We also like Healthland and Oasis Spa.

http://www.healthlandspa.com/home.html

http://www.chiangmaioasis.com/

Dinner

1. Sirrocco or Vertigo (our favorite rooftop bars, MUST SEE!)

http://www.lebua.com/bangkok/dining/

2. Zense (it’s another rooftop but now as high as the other two, it’s really cool though and less expensive, located on top of Zen at Central World)

3. Bed Supperclub (www.bedsupperclub.com) dinner then out there, the dinner is unlike anything. I have already made reservations for your visit, this is a MUST!

4. Blue Elephant (Really good Thai food, also where I want to do the cooking course with you guys. Would you be interested?)

5. Cabbages and Condoms (This is like a safe sex place, but the food is awesome and everything is made of condoms, it’s crazy!)

6. Food Loft at Central World (really cheap and amazing food, they have food all around the world here, it’s my favorite!)

There are so many great places. There is a great vendor right across where you guys will be staying we can get a quick lunch one day before heading out to the Temples :) When we know what day we are doing what I can plan accordingly where to eat based on which location we will be in..

OUT

1. Long Table

2. Bed Superclub (we’ll see this after dinner)

3. Nest

4. RCA- I like Route 66 and 808

5. Tappas, Silom

6. Silom in general, we like to start at Coyote because they have the most amazing margaritas!

7. Kho San Road (the Rooftop bar I told you about is great)

8. Q Bar- cool place on Soi 11 in Nana, Sukhumvit

9. The Night Bazaar

Ultimate Thailand Explorers!

2009-10-22T12:47:00.000-07:00

What a week this has been! We are so excited about being selected semi-finalists for the Ultimate Thailand Explorers competition! We contacted our friends and family back home and the support has been amazing. It has been great catching up with our friends and family around the world. We invite everyone who reads our blog to add us as a friend on facebook, under "Aubrey Parker"... This contest has definitely peeked interest in fellow travelers to visit Thailand and for those who want any information please feel free to contact us. We would love to meet up with anyone traveling to Thailand. We love making new friends and sharing our travel experiences as well as hearing yours :)

WE MADE THE TOP 25!

2009-10-18T22:09:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone! We did it! WE MADE THE TOP 25! Now we need your VOTES to
become finalists :) Here is what you do:

1. Log onto http://ultimatethailandexplorers.com
(OR us directly at
http://ultimatethailandexplorers.com/no_cache/semifinalists/chiang-mai/applicant-profile/?user=AubParkThailand)

2. YOU HAVE TO REGISTER (It only takes a few minutes, and if you can
WIN prizes!)

3. You can vote ONCE every 24 hours!

4. Please help us, we need YOU to win!!

5. Thanks everyone for all the support!!

Sincerely,
Aubrey and Parker, the ULTIMATE THAILAND EXPLORERS!

Check out our new Thailand Video!

2009-09-30T07:45:00.000-07:00

Check out our new video on UltimateThailandExplorers.com

http://ultimatethailandexplorers.com/no_cache/destinations/chiang-mai/applicants-profile/?user=AubParkThailand

Let us know what you think. Here is our explanation about why we should be the Chiang Mai representatives (also on the website):

About Aubrey & Parker

Aubrey and Parker are both seasoned world travelers! We are both from Detroit, Michigan USA yet we did not meet until we both separately moved to Bangkok, Thailand! Aubrey was already living here for 2 months when mutual friends put Parker in touch with her before moving to Thailand. After a month of exploring the city, we found that we were the perfect travel companions and we started dating! We have lived here now for over 15 months together and we have hosted over 20 guests from the States! Both our families and friends have ventured out to Thailand and we have been their tour guides; according to them it is unanimous that we are the best tour guides in the city! Aubrey has studied photography and art in Rome, Italy where she lived for four months during University on a study-abroad program, which sparked her interest to live abroad. Parker backpacked around Europe for two months and became enamored with the adventurous lifestyle of traveling. We are the type of couple who aren't afraid to try new things. We would appeal to all viewers because we do things in all different price ranges. We love street food as much as we love trying different gourmet restaurants! Our youthful energy and knowledge of Thai culture makes us the perfect team to guide you through beautiful Chiang Mai.

Thais and Respect

2009-09-26T04:36:00.000-07:00

One of the first things you notice upon entering Thailand is that everyone is smiling at you. The country is not called "The Land of Smiles" for nothing and Thais will do everything they can to communicate with you even if you don't know any Thai. I am working (slowly) on mine and know very basic phrases and I can get around pretty easily. For the most part, Thais are for the most part extremely generous and respectful people. As a sign of respect, Thais will often wai to you (bringing two hands up to around their chin as a sign of respect) and you should acknowledge and return the wei if possible. This is always interesting when you are trying to carry groceries and they fall out when you try to wai back.
Some of the other signs of respect are not as immediately evident. I take a motorbike taxi everyday to school and I heard that if you are late on the bill, you can hand the bill and cash to a motorbike taxi and they will take it to the office, which is miles outside of the congested city. I scoffed at the idea, thinking that there was no way I would trust a stranger with my cash. One day soon after we moved to Bangkok, Aubrey and I discovered we were very late on our electric bill and we had no idea where the payment office was. We decided to go for the motorcycle taxi courier option and handed some random Thai taxidriver close to the equivalent of $100 in Thai baht and expected to never see the man again. Much to our surprise, the taxi driver returned with the payment receipt and he charged us a mere 100 baht (about $3). Amazing...
Also, young people show a lot more respect here than in the States. Elders are always treated with respect, no matter what. When the Birmingham Uptown Theater was built not long ago, it was amazing and state of the art. About a year later, there was graffiti all over the bathrooms and the seats in the movie theater had been slashed and broken. The theaters here are unreal; they are 100% nicer than any I have seen in the U.S. and kept spotlessly clean. I have never seen any vandalism and the tickets are about $3 for a new film and $1 each for popcorn and drinks. Also, everyone stands before the movie when a short tribute film to the King of Thailand is shown, no matter what their political belief. Bangkok is a pretty amazing dichotomy of old and young, rich and poor, tradition and technology. Respect is the constant throughout.

Bangkok Year Two

2009-08-22T22:09:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone,
Switching up the blog format for year two to allow for comments and feedback. I would love to hear from everyone who reads this and I welcome any blog ideas or questions you can think of. I am sure I will have interesting Thai stories to tell you about!

-Parker

PS...THANK YOU to Aubrey for all of her help on the main blog picture, it looks awesome!

My Daily Work Commute

2009-08-22T22:03:00.000-07:00

Wow, sorry for the lapse in blogging…I’ve been traveling a lot and I have been busy with school-no excuse though I need to blog more. I have had some questions asking how I get to work everyday. It is about a 45 minute commute from my place in Satorn district of Bangkok (Business/Financial district) to my school, which is located on Sukhumvit Road, Soi 47. I wake up at about 630 and shower/get dressed, grab some breakfast, and head out to the street to get a motorbike taxi, or “Bangkok helicopter”, as they are called here. The motorbike taxi drivers have orange or purple vests on and usually spend their time in-between fares playing checkers on homemade boards with beer bottle caps as the checker pieces. I wave to the guys now (they know me because I take them everyday) and they pick me up. I tell them “Sawasdee krap” (hello) and say “Chong Nonsi BTS, kop khun krap” and we are off. We speed through the dense traffic jam and weave in and out of the cars. All of the motorbikes drive this way; it is the only way to get through Bangkok traffic. If I took a normal taxi, it would take me an hour to get where I need to be and on the bike it takes about 10 minutes. When I get to the BTS station (the elevated metro system), I pay the motorbike driver 40 baht and get on the train. I take the train for about 20 minutes and have to switch lines once, then I get off and walk down Sukhumvit-the famous road in Bangkok-for about 8 blocks until I reach kindergarten.

Travel Pics from '08/'09

2009-08-22T22:02:00.000-07:00

Chiang Mai, BKK Xmas

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2560610&id=6802265&l=0def577b2a

Cambodia

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2560601&id=6802265&l=423590eefa
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2560607&id=6802265&l=20d93a85b1

Phuket

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2560599&id=6802265&l=08a444f382

Valentines Day in a Shark Tank.

2009-08-22T22:01:00.001-07:00

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2576062&id=6802265&l=8b973

Loy Krathong pics/Grand Palace/Reclining Buddha

2009-08-22T21:59:00.002-07:00

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2536891&l=46e66&id=6802265

The King and I

2009-08-22T21:57:00.000-07:00

The King of Thailand is literally everywhere in Bangkok. The King and Queen are pictured on billboards, shop signs, and in most every cab you take in the city. Thais wear yellow on Mondays to honor the King, who was born on a Monday. The Queen was born on a Friday, so Thais wear blue on Fridays. These shirts have the royal insignia on the front and are emblazoned with “I love the King” or “I love the Queen” on the back or the sleeve. The sidewalks are a sea of yellow on Mondays, it is amazing to see. Every day at 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. all radio and television stations will play the national anthem and show the pictures of the King and royal family. Everyone (including drivers of cars) stops what they are doing and stands still until the anthem is over.

I first experienced this when I was running just a taaad late for school due to oversleeping and found myself speed-walking through the Bangkok Transit System (BTS) station at 8am. I was running down the stairway steps and saw everyone stop in their tracks. I had heard about the anthem before and sure enough it was playing over intercom. Even though I was extremely late, I had to awkwardly stand on the steps and wait for the anthem to finish. Another odd place where Thais pay tribute to the King is in movie theatres before every film. The anthem is played, everyone puts their popcorn down and stands up to watch a slide show or a film of dramatic pictures of the King’s childhood and adult life (the King as a Buddhist monk, the King sailing, the King helping the poor).

The last thing you want to do in Thailand is insult the royal family in any way. Doing so can get you time in prison for treason, so I try to avoid the subject altogether so I don’t offend anyone. I went to Tesco Lotus (a huge Wal-Mart style big box store) after I moved into my place to get sheets for my queen-sized bed and realized I had no idea how to ask the employees for a “queen” bed set without potentially insulting them. I didn’t know if calling a set of sheets a “queen” set would be an insult to Her Majesty, so I asked for “2nd biggest sheets” and “bigger than a twin”. Needless to say, this totally confused everyone so I went home empty handed and slept on a towel for the next week. It turns out a queen bed is called a queen bed, even in Thailand.

My job.

2009-08-22T21:56:00.000-07:00

I am a kindergarten teacher (K3) at an international school in the heart of Bangkok. My job is to mold the minds of impressionable children from age 4-6…kind of scary, haha! I am enjoying my job a little more each week. I had no teaching experience prior to coming here and now I have my own classroom of 19 kids. Some of the kids speak little-to-no English, so it has been a challenge, especially since I had no idea what I was doing at first. Apparently I am the first teacher this school has hired with no experience; most of the teachers who work at the school have lived in Bangkok for years. There is a suprising amount of pressure teaching at this school. The parents treat kindergarten like western parents treat high school, because it is really uncommon for children in Thailand to advance far in school. Plus, my school is expensive and we operate very closely with the parents. I am expected to keep close communication with them and I usually write messages to them 3 times a week talking about what we are doing in class and how their child is doing. Waaaayyy more intense than I pictured kindergarten to be; plus I have to lesson plan every day and teach all subjects. I am much busier in Thailand than I expected to be!

I really like my coworkers; they are from all over the world (England, New Zealand, Bangkok, India, and Iran). They have really helped me with advice of new teaching games and methods to keep the kids attentive and somewhat well-behaved. Likewise, my students are from all over the globe: India, Thailand, Japan, Korea. As big of a pain as they can be at times, I love my kids, they make my day so much better and make me laugh all the time.

The hardest thing for me to do is be a good diciplinarian; it was really tough for me to get stern with them because they are so cute and usually mean well. I have found a better method though, I made a “safari” board in the front of the class with a little jeep and I made cutouts using each child’s headshot picture. If they are good students, they get smiley faces next to their name . Whoever has the most at the end of the day get to “go on safari” and they usually go nuts over that. If they are bad, they get the dreaded “boo-boo face” next to their name, which means trouble. We had parent-teacher conferences last week and they went really well. I was so nervous but all the parents seemed to really like me and I got a bunch of cool gifts and stuff. I also coach soccer after school-funny since I haven’t played since middle school-but I am actually getting to be pretty lethal on the pitch as they say. I am coaching the tiny kids-K3s and the older kids-grade 1 through 3. Its really fun coaching the older kids because we usually scrimmage the whole time and I get to showcase my skills and feel good about myself as I dribble around 10-year-olds. I have to write a lesson plan now and get to bed early but upcoming posts will be about the Bangkok protests, my daily commute, and some random funny stories I need to tell.

Inaugural Bangkok Post!

2009-08-22T21:54:00.001-07:00

It first hit me that I was going to be a long way from home when I stepped on the Japan Air 797 flight from Chicago to Tokyo on September 29th. I looked around the crowded cabin and realized I was the only white person sitting in my section. Severely jet-lagged, I arrived in Bangkok at 9PM local time and managed to find a taxi to take me to my hotel. As we turned onto Sukhumvit Road, the main artery of the city, I saw an enormous elephant walking down the sidewalk with a blinking light attached to its tail. From that time on, it has been an adventure (and misadventure) in this huge and vibrant city. It has been pretty nuts so far but I am really loving it here. Sorry about the long wait for my first blog post; I have been so busy with finding a place to live, finding Internet and working. Here is a link to some of the pictures I have taken so far: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2482803&l=fdf7b&id=6802265

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2499205&l=93fff&id=6802265

Also, if you want to get ahold of me, my email address is parker.a.lynch@gmail.com…I’d love to get feedback or suggestions about the blog! Many more blog posts and pictures to come I promise!

Bangkok Year Two

2009-08-22T21:00:00.000-07:00