New Missionaries In Town

Photo credit: Khemjira Peekaew

The Nat and Anne Williams family has arrived in Chiang Mai along with Tianna Hammond to help them as they re-enter the Thai world. 

Both Nat and Anne have been in this part of the world before but the same cannot be said of their young jet-lagged son, Paul. 

Poor kid doesn't have a clue what is going on but I will spare you my inexperience and let you read Momma's blog about that struggle.

Moving in to a new home is tough, and for the Williams it has meant more than unlocking the front door and unpacking suitcases. Bro Nat changed the first light bulb... which we hoped, in a good way, would not be his last.

Ta da! Success!

To keep the new arrivals awake, and to fill some hungry tummies, we headed out to an Irish restaurant named Kelly's. Yup it's a favorite of mine.

Tiana is figuring out the new money here... and no that's not a hundred dollar bill, it's one hundred baht which equals about three US dollars. 

Makes us feel rich though! ;)

So after a lovely dinner where most of us had fish and chips...

... we all made a beeline for home.

Photo Post

I have decided to post selected photos from my iPod from the past few adventuresome days.

Here goes! 

First we have a cool food experience.

I gave up on a lot of things after seeing this message appear. :(

This confused me at the grocery store...

The clock in my room was too loud so I took it out, but I could still hear it through the closed door.

I was elated to find mint ice cream, not green tea ice cream that looks like mint, but alas it tasted more like cough syrup. Mint cough syrup.

Discovered this lovely little creature in my shower. Other than startling me, I have not been bothered by the creepy crawlys here in Thailand... yet.

I shall finish this batch of photos with my friend's dog, Mulan. She is very protective of her meatballs, but looks so adorable at the same time!

A Little On Fire

I'm glad I didn't get this stuff in my eyes!

7 hours later my hand is on fire! Why? Because I offered to help with the meal that Pookie was preparing for everyone to eat after the church service.

See that evil grin on her face? No?

Well, what she's about to cook is something spicy.

And since I asked to help (first mistake right there) she had me mash the hot peppers and garlic cloves.

See the look on my face? That's complete ignorance of the fact that what you may have already noticed on my left hand is going to burn like crazy.

That yummy dish (oh yes I ate some) is partially the fruit of my said labor.

Now to be fair, Pookie did tell me to wash my hands a lot... But I thought scrubbing my hands two separate times was good enough. I was very wrong.

A note of caution to those who have yet to experience this agonizing pain... don't wash your hands in warm water. Just don't.

Isn't That Nice

... that you can buy this

(which looks like this on the menu)

for this much

($4)

at a place like this

(fancy look'n)

It tasted great and filled me right up!

Saturday Road Trip!

Saturdays seem to be the "no-office" day here in Thailand. No typing on a noisy keyboard or the blast of an air conditioner... nope, it's the mountains today!

We went to this really cool cave (well, actually it was hot in there) where Pookie and I followed a guide carrying a kerosene lamp while the Gaudets filmed outside.

Of all the fascinating things to photograph, I found most intriguing the stray dogs.

So scrawny and ill.

There are so many dogs wondering around Thailand. One day Krinny told me that the dogs at temples are well taken care of. I saw the proof today. After going to the cave we discovered a temple down the road... and some more dogs.

These dogs looked much happier!

We made a couple more stops before heading home that included a memorial with hundreds of chicken statues... that was odd.

A Celebration - Pookie

Today in Thailand our little group congratulated Miss Pookie on her accomplishments of a completed semester at the university!

Bro Tom treated everyone out to a lovely Japanese dinner. Soooo yummy!

Have I ever mentioned that wasabi makes me cry?

Then Pookie and I walked around all the shops and played with this cool black scratch paper.

The evening was almost over as Pookie and I began walking home... but then came the hysterical laughter when I decided not to follow her advice and I stepped smack-dab in the middle of a mud pit!

I will leave it up to your imagination the sounds my flip-flops made on the way home...... I VERY much dislike flip-flops.

A Foreigner

"You dress like an American"

I poked my head around the corner with a toothbrush sticking out of my mouth, "huh?"

Pookie, my wonderful friend here in Thailand, laughed and began to drescribe my outfit. Long sleeves, long heavy skirt and socks... 

Naturally my outfit had nothing to do with the fact that we just arrived home after a drizzly night safari in Chiang Mai.

But she is right, it must be odd watching a "northerner" from America bundle up for the heat of Thailand. I've loved turtleneck sweaters and anything with long sleeves as far back as I can remember.

But, in my defense... I have begun wearing flip flops.