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Emory Women's Tennis Thailand Trip |
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SKIP TO DAY 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12
So the long awaited trip to Thailand has come to an end. We have all brought back so many memories of the incredible adventures we experienced. As the trip progressed, I think we all began to feel like we were at home, especially with Cinda's beautiful house and Mieu's breathtaking banana pancakes. The lifestyle we put ourselves through the last two weeks was something completely different from anything I have experienced. I grew so accustomed to going to bed at 10pm, waking up early to play tennis, taking a 3 minute ice cold shower with amazing shower pressure, eating noodles or curry for a dollar, and jumping into another culture. I even really got used to the inch thick mat, the 2 hours of freezing cold at night, and the extremely obnoxious dog next door which never ceased to miss its nightly barking fit.
All of these daily habits became rituals for us and these rituals became memories. Some of these memories, however, I'd like to forget, one in particular when an insane man chased Zahra and I down an ally shoving a handful of fish skin in our faces. No I am not making that up, it was straight up fish skin! I will forever cherish the funny things that happened to us, the mentally crazy tour guides we had, and the phrase "oh my Buddha." Hopefully one day we can return to Thailand and relive our experience. So at this I say farewell to the most amazing trip ever, but in other words we can all say, "Goodbye, my fellow jungle friends."
Today was a sad day as it was our last in Thailand! We woke up around nine still tired from the “Sunday walking market” the night before. They had amazing deals on everything from clothes, to jewelry, to pottery, so I bought entirely too much! However, Miew had an absolutely delicious breakfast of French toast with butter and jam waiting for us. Once everyone finished, we headed to the courts for our last practice of the trip. Unfortunately, upon arrival we realized that we had forgotten to bring the balls with us. After showering, we headed back to Cinda’s where there was a fabulous lunch of Pad Med on the table. It was after then that we realized we only had a few hours left before we had to leave for the airport. We all frantically finished packing and some of us went to get last minute manicures. Before we left, Cinda sat us down and showed us the absolutely amazing slide show she had put together for us with pictures from our trip. This was a great way for us to remember our once in a lifetime trip to Thailand! By then it was time for us to leave and we sadly packed our bags into the red trucks and headed for the airport. After checking our luggage—most weighing over the limit because of all the things we bought during our trip—we gave Cinda big hugs thanking her profusely for hosting us and making our trip so special. We then rushed to the gate as we were running tight on time and boarded the plane.
Wow! What an incredible day! After being woken up by the rooster bright and early, I quietly watched the family that we stayed with begin their day which included hiking to a nearby field to gather cabbage in a large basket, boiling water for both drink and food, and then they began to cook breakfast. As the rooster began and continued to crow at 8:00 AM, the team began to stir and come out into the sun for it was quite a cold night for us.
Warming our bodies in the sun while eating "Jungle Pancakes" lifted our spirits and prepared us for our trek down the mountain with our guides Neo, Singh, Tuk, and Peter Pan (Peter Pan's name may be questioned for authenticity). Gathering our belongings, we bid farewell to the warm family that welcomed us into their homes for the night and began our descent. The trek down the mountain seemed much shorter to us...but that could have been due to the fact that we were going down the mountain as opposed to up! On our way down we stopped multiple times for short breaks including on top of a rock with an incredible view and at a smaller waterfall where some of the girls took advantage of the warm weather and sun bathed for a bit.
Finishing up our hike, we ended up on a bamboo raft floating down the river. When we pulled up to the site where we entered the water we saw multiple long rafts about 7 bamboo poles wide. 3-4 people per raft were gently pushed down the river by our guides....well at least we thought we were going to be! Our peaceful floating adventure turned into an all out water war when Kelsey, Lindsey, and Sabra's tour guide decided along with my tour guide, Muang, that Daniela, Sara and I were too dry. Before I knew it, bamboo poles were slapping the water creating a torrent of water pouring down upon us three....but we fought back! We tried our own bamboo poles but to no avail...we were not as talented with them as our guides...so we resorted to using our hands and feet and whatever else we had
at our disposal. After that did not work, Muang began sinking the raft on one side trying to tip us off while the other raft was doing the same. Finally, after a long battle, the other raft's guide said something to Muang in Thai, hopped onto our raft right behind me while Muang turned to face me....I knew what was to happen a moment too late...next thing I know I'm swimming in the river, my teammates and the guides laughing at what had just happened!! I had been thrown off of my own raft...by my own guide! All of this was of course done in great fun and everyone left the battle soaked and smiling!
Halfway through our rafting we met up with the group ahead of us (Zahra, Shikha, and Emily), and our guides told us of a place on the river where we could run and jump off a rock into the water...so of course we were all in for it! Once we got to the place, they pointed up to the rock....some 20 feet above the water! Although some (including myself) are not very fond of heights we decided that this was an opportunity we could not pass up. After our guides reassured us that the water was deep enough to jump into, and after demonstrating the jump for us, we decided to go for it. After a bit of support and help from my teammates I counted down.....and jumped!!!!! Soaring through the air and watching the water get closer and closer was a rush I can't even describe! It was incredible!!! After jumping off a couple more times, we relaxed and floated back down to our meeting point. As we were floating, I reflected back on the day and realized how much of a perfect ending that was to our last full day in Chiang Mai before we started our journey back to the states.
Our leap of faith off of the rock, slightly unsure of what lay before us, was similar to the leap the team took to travel to another country, to another continent, on the other side of the world. We were not sure what we would experience once we arrived, but we took that leap, and I believe that I can safely speak for the rest of the team when I say that we are very glad that we did. Our time in Thailand has exposed us to so many different sights, smells, and tastes, we cannot help but be elated about our experiences here and how they have brought us even closer! Although tomorrow begins our bittersweet journey back home, Thailand will forever remain in our memories. DAY 9 - Saturday, January 10th
Rise and shine at 7:15AM. What an obscene hour! I am not an early bird. I know that this will not pan out so well when it comes time for morning conditioning to resume. As planned, everyone scurried to get their stuff, had breakfast, and dashed to the meeting place to begin our trekking trip. As our guides, Neo and Peter Pan (yes, that was his name) joined us, we began our voyage to the top of the tallest mountain in the Kingdom of Thailand! The bus ride took about an hour and a half, but during it, the landscape was breathtaking. Away from the pollution of Bangkok and downtown Chiang Mai, we appreciated the untouched forests and mountains of rural Chiang Mai. After the bus ride we stopped next to a couple of cabins. I noticed beyond the fences 6 or 7 elephants! Excited, everyone broke up into groups of two and three. I was fortunate enough to ride with Sabra on Bhenzi our Elephant for the next hour. As we experienced one of the bumpiest rides, Sabra and I noticed a language barrier between our guide and us. After each question we asked him or comment we made, he just repeated us with the equal excitement. Often our elephant detoured from the path and resolved to make his own, very new path,which made our path all the more bumpy and uncertain. It really was a one-of-a-kind experience! Afterwards, we traveled to next great activity for the day, trekking. As we began our journey upwards, which seemed like forever, it was pretty cool to see how we, as a team, really did stick together. As cheesy as that sounds, there really was no one person that was lagging far behind. Also I find that trekking itself was also a test of endurance. Uphill is not fun! We first took a break at a beautiful waterfall with freezing cold water and another one at a school where the team played volleyball or revisited their childhood past on the playground. As we resumed,nearly nine minutes later we reached our destination at last. Tired, we all sat around a big picnic table and played cards and zoom-zoom. What a game zoom-zoom! I actually didn’t like it so much, since I was the first one out… but Zahra and Tshema were the masters of the game. After dinner, everyone gathered around the campfire and listened to our multi-talented tour guides sing and play the guitar. It was pretty cool to see how in touch these natives were with American Pop culture as they began singing Hotel Californa or the Numa song. They kept us constantly entertained as we slept later than any other night! Then, after our live concert, we called it a night and retreated to our mats with mosquito nets surrounding them.
The day started off with an amazing breakfast made by Miew, Cinda's housekeeper. The star of the meal was most definitely her large, delicious banana pancakes. They were perfect fuel for our match later that morning. After eating, we headed over to the 700 Acres Stadium for our tennis match. Most of us played doubles against the local pros and tennis players from the area. They were all very good. Tshema and Sabra played a tough match against two feisty Thai men that were about 5'3 tall, tops. But that didn't mean they couldn't smash their overheads! I played singles against a 17 year-old junior tennis player. He was very good, and when I heard that he was looking to come to the States for college, I couldn't resist putting in a plug for Emory. Who knows, he might show up! We also found out during our match that Thailand has officially changed its name to The Kingdom of Thailand. So now we can say we've visited two countries on one trip! And we can also tell our children/grandchildren about how we were in Thailand when its name was changed. Overall, the matches (which were really sets) went well. Though I know there were some losses, I'm pretty sure we finished the day with a winning record. After showering and eating lunch, we all headed over to Tiger Kingdom where we were able to pet full grown tigers. Those animals were HUGE, but that didn't deter anyone from this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Once we got over the initial shock, many of us even worked up the nerve to take pictures while lying on the animals’ stomachs. The group then split up into two. Some of us traveled back to Cinda's to chill while others went looking for the Silk Factory. Unfortunately, our red truck driver took us to an umbrella factory, so we wound up seeing that instead. Emily, Shikha and I tried in vain to get directions to the Silk Factory, but we were met for the most part with blank stares and confused expressions. If only we spoke Thai... Dinner was delicious. A group of us went to a nice Italian place called Babylon. The food was amazing. I knew everyone was enjoying their meal because the table was completely silent. It was a nice break from all of the Thai food we had been eating, and also a typical post-match meal: pasta. The last activity of the day was Thai Boxing, which was unlike anything I've ever seen before. Unlike American boxing, Thai boxing allows not only punches, but also kicks and knees. We were all a little confused after watching the first fight. Several of the fighters couldn't have been more than 13 and all weighed less than Laura, our smallest player. Eventually, the real action, and also the more painful injuries, began when the larger boxers started to fight. There was a lot more punching and plenty of times when we all went "Ooooooo!" and made a face while watching. But it was all very exciting. In fact, I was so energized by the boxing that I was able to start writing this entry at 12:30 in the morning. Today was a great day. Looking forward to the trekking trip tomorrow!
5:45 AM was not an easy wake up call for any of us this morning. The only motivation we had was the anticipation of the Flight of the Gibbon, literally translated as “Flight of the Monkeys.” It reminded me of the flying monkeys from The Wizard of Oz, except I knew we wouldn’t be required to wear the matching blue hats and jackets. With this in mind, we agreed to the trip and sluggishly made our way to the vans conveniently located 100 yards outside Cinda’s house.
After an hour of winding roads, we reached the top where it was a cool 50 degrees. Hesitantly, we signed our release forms and trotted over to get our equipment in our strategically “assigned” groups. Group photo taken, we carpooled to our first platform, received our not-so-typical safety speech, and hooked onto the zipline. Not soon after being attached did I realize that I was about to fly 500 feet above the rainforest floor with only a metal hook gliding on a piece of inch-thick wire tied between two trees with a piece of bamboo as my only means of braking—was this really a good idea, Amy? But then I instantly remembered it was much safer than her original explanation of holding onto a washcloth draped over the line and took my first flight!
There were a total of eighteen platforms that zigzagged through the canopy of the 1,500-year-old rainforest. The lines, sky bridges, and lowering stations created a two kilometer path that securely guided us through our three hour tour, while our two guides showed off their skills as they nonchalantly soared from tree to tree.
We returned to the tiny village and reclaimed our bags before going to witness the Mae Kompong waterfall. As we approached the falls we saw a very unattractive mountain of steps that climbed up the left side and went farther than the eye could see. After a few moans and groans we did indeed climb up, only to find that our puny bodies barely carried us to the half way point. We were rewarded, however, with an herb-scented towlettes and herbal tea that some commented as tasting like fruit loops. A lunch with potato curry, steamed rice, vegetables, and watermelon concluded our excursion and we headed back to town. The rest of the day we chilled around the house and watched some interesting YouTube videos. Later that evening we flocked to a local Japanese restaurant where we waited for what seemed like a century. We soon realized the food was well worth the hour and a half wait and gobbled it down in a flash. The thought of sleep lured most of us back to the house where most passed out by the early hour of 10:30. DAY 6 - Wednesday, January 7th
Around 2 PM, we left for the orphanage again. We had such a good time yesterday with the children and were so excited to go back. We threw the 1-2 years olds and 3-5 year olds a little party today with cake, cookies, and milk. They were absolutely adorable and so happy, all smiling and excited we were there. After they finished their snack, we headed outside with the 3-5 year olds and played soccer with them (well, more the children kicking the balls and some of us chasing them down). Zahra was somehow placed into the role of the “tickle monster”, chasing 4-5 laughing children who would run to Emily, Tesh, and I for “protection”. One of the orphanage directors taught a couple of us to make fish out of reeds which the children loved! They made fishing rods, bracelets, necklaces, and headbands with them. After reluctantly saying our goodbyes, we took our “red trucks” back to the house. We left for the Night Bazaar later that night. The Bazaar included an overwhelming amount of shops selling items ranging from clothes to jewelry to knockoff purses to Thai cultural souvenirs. We spent close to 3 hours there and Tesh and I only managed to shop through ¼ of the street! After grabbing dinner and souvenirs for everyone, the team met back up, exhausted from shopping, and we headed home for the night.
The day started bright and early with tennis practice at 9:30 AM. We had a pretty intense work out which consisted of not only playing tennis but of sprints, crunches, push-ups, and lunges. After practice, we headed back to Cinda’s house and many of us went out to grab some lunch in the nearby restaurants. After lunch, we went to the Vieng Ping Children’s Home, an orphanage in Chiang Mai, which houses children from the time they are born until they turn 18. On our way there, Cinda explained to us that some of the children in the home were orphans who were up for adoption, but others were staying in the home temporarily because their parents wanted them to be well cared for until they had the means to care for them themselves. While at the orphanage, half of us worked with a group of 3 and 4 year olds, and the others worked with the infants. No matter their age, the instant the children saw us they came up to us, grabbed us by the hand and took us to the playground. We spent the time we were there playing with the children outside in the various swings and slides they had in the play area. All the kids were extremely bright and instantly realized that we did not speak Thai and could not understand them, so they would take us by the hand to where they wanted to go. I had the opportunity to play with many of the children, but I found myself spending a great deal of time with one four-year-old girl, Doi. While she was playing with Daniela she kept pointing up and saying “noon.” At first Daniela didn’t understand what Doi was saying, but then she realized she was pointing to the sky and showing her the moon. When we figured out what she was saying, we realized that she was extremely smart, so I tried to teach her some simple English. By the end of our time there she was saying “My name is Doi,” and counting to 10, along with saying some other words like "shoe" and "monkey." I could not believe how quickly she had picked up the English and was completely amazed by her. Getting to spend time with the children in the home was an absolutely incredible experience and none of us can wait to go back tomorrow! After leaving the orphanage we went back Cinda’s house for a quick break and then soon after we were on our way to our Thai cooking class. Many of us were a little hesitant since we did not have very much experience in the kitchen, but we were all excited to see how our meals would turn out. The class began at the local market were we met up with ourinstructor. While we were there, he explained to us the main ingredients that we would be using to cook in our meal. Then we went to the kitchen where each of us had our own station equipped with a stove, pots, and the utensils necessary to prepare our meal. The instructor took us step by step through the instructions of how to prepare our meal. During the almost 3 hour class we each made Hot and Sour Soup, Chicken with Cashews, Sweet and Sour Vegetables, Peneang Curry, Sticky Rice with Mango and Pad Thai and then got to enjoy the food we prepared. Though there were a few mishaps, including Sara nearly setting herself on fire, all of us were pleasantly surprised with the way our meals turned out. Once we got back to Cinda’s house some of us spent some time checking our email, but almost all of us were asleep before 11 PM. Though we had a long and exhausting day, we all enjoyed ourselves very much and can't wait to see what tomorrow has in store for us!
We arrived in Chiang Mai today. Our train was a little late, seeing as we left late the night before, but as soon as I stepped off the train, I was greeted by the glorious sunlight. It was a perfectly warm temperature, with a very light, comfortable breeze. We were picked up by two red trucks, a common mode of transportation here in Chang Mai, and brought to Cinda’s beautiful home. From the moment we arrived, Cinda has made us feel right at home here. We were immediately welcomed with overwhelming hospitality, including fruit, nuts, and other snacks waiting for us on the dining room table. After having some time to unload our belongings and rinse off in the shower if we chose to do so, we headed to Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep Rajvoravihara, a famous temple in Chiang Mai. Before we arrived at the temple, we had to overcome the challenge of climbing up the most steps I have ever seen in one place. The task looked daunting to all but our coaches, who immediately began sprinting up the steps. The rest of us looked in disbelief as we took our time, casually ambling up behind them (somehow still managing to be out of breath when we reached the top...don’t worry, Amy and Meredith did not make it the whole way up running). The temple was, as always, very meticulously and beautifully decorated. The charming floral arrangements provided a pleasant aroma for our walk. The buildings and statues were all decorated with beautiful gems and gold coatings. Some of the girls even received blessings from a monk. After we made our way through the little shops outside the temple (always a must no matter where we go! Looking never hurts...buying too much sometimes does...whoops!), we proceeded to the tennis courts, which was, of course, our favorite part of Thailand! It was hot, but not unbearable. We were a little rusty, but everyone worked their way through the kinks. The most astonishing part was after practice when we managed to get all 11 girls showered (in freezing cold water and partial darkness, I might add) and dressed in only about twenty minutes! Amy was very proud! We had a little time to relax before we headed to our team dinner this evening. I have never in my life seen so many beautiful and well-kept flowers. The smell was so refreshing as we sat down to eat, not to mention the beautiful, peaceful lake in the background that added to the wonderful experience. Dinner, of course, was fabulous. Cinda had preordered the food, and, as always, the food was abundant, and we could not possibly finish it, even after inviting our red truck drivers to join us for dinner. The Thai waitresses were so adorable trying to cope with such a large number of people hoarding down the plates of food in front of them. I don’t think they often see much quite like it. But what can we do when the food is so mouth-watering? As always, we are exhausted after a long day and can’t wait to finally snuggle into out warm beds, so that tomorrow we will have the energy to experience more adventures in Thailand.
The first order of business on our second morning in Thailand was gathering for breakfast down the street from our hotel. Seeing the fruit stands and other street vendors felt almost familiar the second time around, which was comforting since everything else we had been experiencing had been slightly shocking but in the best possible way of course! My day did not start at 9:00 AM like everone else's however. Not yet adjusted to the 12-hour time difference, I was wide awake at 5:00 AM and starving! Luckily, we had feasted on a hundred different Thai dishes the night before and brought leftovers back to our hotel. Thinking ahead as I always do when it comes to food, I kept a few boxes in my room's refrigerator and chowed down in the wee hours of the morning. After breakfast and a quick ride in our trusty tuk-tuks we were dropped off at the King's Grand Palace where we got personal tours of the impressive buildings and grounds. Most memorable were the world's largest golden teakwood building and the beautiful Emerald Buddha. Our next stop was the Wat Pho which held the longest reclining buddha in Thailand, but it is outrageous to think a buddha could be any bigger! The 148-foot long outer shell of the buddha was made of solid gold and had its feel inlaid with mother of pearl; it was a magnificent sight none of us will forget. We had 20 minutes for lunch which we grabbed at an outdoor market right before getting on a river boat ride. For the next leg of our day's excursion we rode the sky tram through the heart of Bangkok. We noted the apparent divisions in economic status even along this short trip. The scenery changed quickly from crumbling shacks and cramped alley ways crowded with pedestrians to skyscrapers and massive highways full of fancy cars. The mall we visited was extravagant. I don't think any of us had time to visit its seven different floors, but most of us were drawn to the huge market and food court on the first level. YUM! The agenda for the end of the day involved heading to the train station and catching a night train to Chiang Mai. Even though our departure was a little delayed, we eventually filled our car and waited for our beds to be made up. Exhausted from a whole day on our feet, we passed out pretty quickly and rode into the night.
This morning we woke up at 9:00 to walk to breakfast just outside our hotel, the Wild Orchid Villa. We were happily surprised to find we could purchase breakfast for three people with $5 US. After breakfast we were "kidnapped" by tuk-tuks (open motor cars fitting four people per cart) and taken to see Bangkok! As we hurtled though the narrow streets I was shocked that there were not collisions at every street light-less intersection! The open tuk-tuks offered a welcomed breeze in the heat. Our first destination was Mount Gold - an elaborate temple where Buddhists come to give offerings and 'merit.' I was informed Buddhism teaches that it is through serving others that they will be rewarded in their next life. Because of this strong devotion to giving to others, the monks, and Budda, these shrines are absolutely incredibly decorated. People of all ages crowd around the gold Buddha statues to place thin pieces of gold on the shrines. A short walk up the mountain brought us to the top where a 70 foot golden steeple was the focal point of the mountain. Hundreds of Buddhist followers walked around the gold steeple, heads bowed and murmuring prayers. Kneeling carpets were laid for people to stop and say a prayer. Looking out over the ledge revealed the shanties and slums of the poorest in the city. The stark contrast between the wealth at the top of the mountain and the poverty below was difficult to understand at first. I realized how much the people took their religion to heart and truely put their beliefs into practice. To watch those barely able to afford food and clothing, place gold and money on shrines to their god... it gave me a whole new meaning for the word 'sacrifice.' Along with gold pieces, people were stapling Baht bills (Thai currency) to lines of string around the steeple, like clothing on backyard line. Large bells lined the pathway as we walked down the mountain. The bottom was scattered with alters , shrines and more golden Buddhas. After making it through the vendors circling the bottom of Mount Gold, we met back up with the tuk-tuk drivers to be escorted to another Buddhist temple, known as a 'wat.' We arrived and walked through a gold archway into the temple gardens. A woman approached us with tiny turtles swimming in plastic bags, similar to a goldfish you would win at the state fair. Contrary to Mer's inital thoughts that these turtles were a mid-tour snack, the turtles were bought to then be released into the ponds in the garden. Buddhists see this as a way to give back to nature after having taken so much from it through their lives. Entering the temples I was again astonished by the devotion the Buddhists have to their god. Little trees were placed around the temples and like Christmas ornaments, gifts for monks were hung on the branches. Toothpaste, ibuprofen, and Kitkat bars seemed to be favorite gifts. As a favor to the tuk-tuk drivers, who receive payments from stores when they bring them customers and who had been our escorts for the day, we stopped at a taylor shop and gem store. The taylor shop had bolts and bolts of facrics and fine Thai silk of every color that lined the walls of the expansive shop. The gem and jewel store was nothing like I expected. When we arrived we were lead through a hallway where workers had set up small station to cut and polish gems coming in from the east coast of Thailand and all over the world. The next three rooms we walked through were lined with cases and cases of the most exquisite jewels. After the gem shop we headed back to the hotel and then wandered the streets for lunch. Bargaining for dresses, purses, and souvenirs followed and the afternoon was spent exploring the streets and vendors around the hotel. We met up with Cinda and Allen again for dinner. They took us to a beutiful restaurant along the river. Dinner was wonderful and consisted of nine different Thai dishes which were passed around the table 'family style.' Everything with delicious and we all ate till we were unable to take another bite. After dinner the group walked to the night market where bright neon lights and signs lit the street. Walking down the crowded, noisy, narrow road I began to understand why Bangkok attracks so many young tourists - the nightlife is fantastic! Music drowned the noisy chatter as people of every age and nationality streamed past. Although the night market was entertaining, we were exhausted and beginning to feel the jetlag. An early bed time was in order before another adventurous day tomorrow!
Today has been a very long day. We started at 10 AM this morning in Atlanta and are still going at 5 AM the next day! The flight to Korea was long, a good 15 hours or so. Luckily we had individual TVs on each seat and a wonderful selection on movies to choose from. Personally, I couldn't sleep and managed to watch The Dark Knight, Wanted, Mama Mia, and Jerry McGuire. Not to mention, I also really go into my Twilight book. Overall the plane flight was rather enjoyable. I won't comment too much on the food other than the fact that we needed instructions on how to eat it. So here we are waiting in the Seoul airport, feeding on KFC, waiting impatiently for our next flight. Half the team has taken this oportunity to spread accross a few seats and pass out. Now that me and a few others have successfully assited Sabra in her crossword puzzle, it is time to get a snack and go! More to come from Thailand! |
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