Thailand

I won't bore you with the details of the flight between Frankfurt and Bangkok, only to say:
- squeezed inbetween two guys over 6'4"
- celebrated the New Year over Germany somewhere
- coughed for 8 out of the 10 hours of the flight
- they played the same stupid movie twice
- slept for 2 hours, if that, of the 10 hour flight
- food was terrible
- and they played the same stupid movie twice (when you don't sleep this is a problem!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They promised Toy Story 3 but didn't deliver and I was the only one awake to notice!)

We arrived in Bangkok, having just had breakfast and it was 3.30pm in the afternoon. Weird! We then booked in for our flight to Chiang Mai and waited around for a couple of hours, feeling jet lagged and very very tired. Our flight with Thai Airways to Chiang Mai was a wonderful flight, with the plane only one quarter full and space and our own TV...bliss. I'm afraid Lufthansa do not have my vote for best airline...especially for long haul flights. Very uncomfortable! (Although here is an interesting fact: Lufthansa won the "Best Fun Airline" in 2010". Why? Because of the "pillow fight" flight! Go figure!)

We finally arrived at our destination and our host family were there to greet us! We were so happy to see the Siamphukdee family as they were to see us! Hugs all round!

I can't remember to sequence of events, but David was examined by Dr Judy shortly after our arrival and was promptly put onto antibiotics for his Bronchitis. I refrained from taking these antibiotics as being the "special one" that I am, I knew that I could possibly be allergic to these. David showed signs of improvement straight away, but I was still struggling with Bronchitis, anxiety (wanting to go home!), lack of appetite (for over two weeks - very very unusual for me - I love my food as anyone would attest!). Finally, Dr Judy had had enough of me not improving and insisted that I take antibiotics. I was too weak to disagree. So I took them for one day - all good! Two days - what's that red welt on my leg? Just heat rash. Day 3 - rash on my body from head to toe - not heat rash but a lovely reaction to antibiotics...I am so precious and special! (David says it's self-fulling prophesy, but I just say I'm special!)

I hate being special.

Our dear hosts, who had a full and wonderful week planned for us, were very patient with us as we needed to rest. So we only did about half the things Peter had planned. We did get to the highest point in Thailand, some 2,500 metres, and to the King and Queen's memorials not far from the highest point. Unfortunately, "special one" was having trouble breathing at this altitude and we needed to curtail our journey and go back to the hotel. Disappointing!

Handicraft village! Here they make the
Thai umbrellas!

Lunch at Tiger Kingdom! I declined the offer to go into
the cage with 4 very large tigers to have my picture taken
with them. I might have been lunch!!!!

At the night market! Thousands of people!

As the sign says "highest point in Thailand".

Memorials to the Queen (left) and the King!
Magnificent temples and stunning gardens.

We were taken to some temples in the area, and we appreciated the beauty of these buildings and watched with interest the monks and their routines. Very interesting! We had lunch at Tiger Kingdom, and watched as terrified people entered the cage with four very large tigers, and lay down next to them to have their picture taken. The tigers were like very large domesticated cats, but I didn't feel so inclined to join them. We also went to night markets, which were very busy, but full of life. Like many countries we have visited, they only come alive in the evening.

We were treated to some wonderful Thai meals while we were here! We love Thai food, but with a lack of appetite, I was very frustrated.

Toward the end of the first week, David had improved dramatically, but "special one" still needed to rest. Finally came the day we left Chiang Mai to drive (with our host family) to Chiang Rai to meet up with the Mission Trip participants. I had been emailing the tour director regularly to let him know our health progress, and really thought that we would both be going out to the village some 300 kms into the mountains from Chiang Rai, where there was no running water and no electricity, for mission work. But I was wrong!

I was not doing well...David and I finally decided that it would not be good for me to travel out into the back-blocks of Thailand still not 100%, not even 70%. So, it was decided that I travel back to Chiang Mai to stay with the Siamphukdees and David travel on alone to the village for extreme camping. I was so disappointed...I cried...alot!

Then the reality of David leaving came at 9.00am the next morning! I cried...alot! David and I have been together for 16 weeks 24/7, "Team Paech" was breaking up for this one week...the last week of our travels. I feel like a failure, to have faltered so close to the end. But it was the right decision and I am slowly improving and have finally got some of my appetite back.

So please pray for David and the Mission team (11 others) working with the very poor villagers in the Nan province of Thailand. He will be having a ball, I know! But pray for continue health improvement and safety.

I miss him very much. I am crying...alot! Can't wait for Team Paech to be together again and to be home!

Thank you to all who have followed along with the Paech Blog. We have really appreciated your comments as they have kept us connected to the "real" world back home! We look forward to catching up with everyone in the very near future. God bless you all!

With our love, Chris "special one" and David "extreme camper"

Wondering where these WALLIES are?

Hello out there in Blogging land. We are still alive, but these "Wallies" have had an interesting time over the past number of days. We have had limited internet access...so we have be out of touch and add complications with our Bronchitis to the mix and we had been out of sorts completely.

Back to where we left off in Holland and I'll bring you up to speed.

Speed...Hi-speed actually. This is where I will begin.

Hattem, the tiny medieval town we visited.
I was taking a number of pictures of this
house when I became aware of someone
waving at me from inside...the owners are
happy for us to take pictures, but it was a
little unnerving at the time.

David and I were still under the weather with this "stupid" bronchitis (diagnosed in Thailand - but more on that later!) and we still had to research, find and book our transport from Holland to Frankfurt Airport to catch our flight to Bangkok. So our dear friend Terry said she would do the research for us...and found that the Hi-speed train travels from Holland (Arnhem) to Frankfurt in 2 1/2 hours, which would be quicker than travelling ALL the way back to Amsterdam and flying out to Frankfurt. Good plan...book it Danno! (Thai TV screens the old series of Hawaii Five-O everyday...I didn't realise how much I had missed Jack Lord and Danny over the past 30 or more years! We saw a lot of Thai TV - but more on that later!)

Hoar frost close up! Amazing spectacle! It is on every
tree branch.

So, toward the end of our week in Heidebeek, I finally felt well enough to do some sight seeing (David was still not well enough to go out!) of the lovely little towns around the area. The best part of the trip was travelling along the dyke and the water frozen over, and being introduced to Hoar Frosts. Now, don't ask me what it is or how it happens (even though Terry did explain! Duh!???)...but the effect is spectacular. Every tree branch was magically transformed into an icy miracle. You will need to look at the pictures to understand...but it was stunningly beautiful and only happens under special weather circumstances. What a thrill to be there to experience this occurance. The next day it was gone...and Terry told me a few days after we left the snow was completely gone...so I think that Holland put on the snow and hoar frost just for us...what a blessing! (I love snow!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Hoar frost on the trees along the dyke. Gorgeous!

But finally it was time to leave our little (sick) nest and move onto our next adventure. With heavy hearts (amd colds) we arrived at the train station to catch our hi-speed train to Frankfurt airport. We looked at the timetable for our train and noticed that it was 15 minutes delayed...and we were there early anyway...so let's kill some time and grab a coffee. Great idea...although I said to David I would be more comfortable waiting on the platform...you just never know with these things! David mockingly said...so you think that the train that is delayed by fifteen minutes (says so on the board) would actually leave on time...without us? Duh! What was I thinking! Alright I'll relax and enjoy my tea (I don't drink coffee!)

Magical Holland!

Skaters - these people are very excited about skating in
December which is much earlier than in past years.

So, taking into consideration the 15 minute delay, we made our way up to the platform (which was an open air platform minus 2 degrees and we were coughing and spluttering everywhere!) and noticed a group of about 10 people gathered around the train attendents. Very quickly we became aware that there was no train on the platform going to Frankfurt airport. Huh??? Fortunately Terry was with us and jumped into the conversation that these people were having with the attendants...and yes, the train to Frankfurt airport LEFT ON TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I gave David one of my most SEVERE looks (scary at the best of times!) and he conceded that it might have been a good idea to be on the platform waiting for the delayed train that went on time. I KNOW ABOUT THESE THINGS...I HAVE A SIXTH SENSE! WHY DON'T PEOPLE LISTEN TO ME????????????????????????

Okay, it wasn't the end of the world because I had decided to take the earlier train anyway, we still had plenty of time to get to the Frankfurt airport. But how???

Because there were 12 of us that the train left behind...the train attendants were busy organising alternative transport. Finally it was decided that we would get a taxi from Arnhem (Holland) to Oberhaus (Germany) and then catch the necessary train from there to the airport. Hmmm! Sounds easy doesn't it?

Waiting...waiting...waiting (in the open air minus 2 coughing, spluttering!) for the taxi. An hour or so later it arrives, one taxi for the 12 of us and our luggage...squeezy! We said our goodbyes to Terry who had been patiently waiting with us and interpreting for us...and had looked after us so well along with husband Ed and kids David and Chris. It was sad to be leaving...but we were moving on again!

Taxi ride just over one hour...our last look at real snow! Goodbye SNOW! I love you!

Arrive at the station...go to information. How do we get to Frankfurt airport? Catch this train and get off and then catch the hi-speed ICE train to the airport. Sounds easy doesn't it?

Okay! David suggests that we get something to eat and go and wait on the platform. BRILLIANT IDEA!!! Although I didn't have the sense of urgency this time, but I humoured him! We get MacDonalds (we lowered ourselves to the lowest common denominator!) and got up to the platform which of course is in the open air (minus 5 by this stage). We sit down, coats, scarves, gloves, hats - battened down. How does one eat MacDonalds (by now freezing cold) with all this gear on??? Not easy..but we managed to down the solidified fatty chips and icy burgers! Yuck!

We wait and wait and wait...the 5.12pm train finally came...delayed of course! We get on and we get off at the next station...yes dragging our lugguage on and off the train and up and down stairs.

We are now waiting for the hi-speed ICE train, which has been delayed (of course!) We are again waiting on the (open air) platform, trying to discover the correct information (our German is not so good!) about the train we need to catch. We wait! The information on Platform 4 finally turns to display our train information...it's coming! It comes...we get on...we find some seats (very comfortable seats) and make ourselves at home! We are finally on our way to the Frankfurt airport...but here comes the conductor. We have tickets for a completely different train.  "You explain the situation to him" I said to David. "Why me?" "Because you didn't listen to me in the first place!" "Oh!"  A number of minutes of broken German/English, the conductor was quite happy with our story! We are on our way...in a very fast train...192 kms per hour.

Off to Bangkok to be with our host family, the Siamphukdees - Peter (Dad), Judy (Mum), Aim and Ongard. (More next blog!!!)