We had to interrupt our meditation session to post this blog!

We have been so busy the past two days... it started with a fund raiser (with a great turnout) for an orphanage in Chiang Rai run by the Buddhist Monks... (Keep up the great work Richard... you're the Man and we're proud of you!)... it got busier from there; the happy care free kind of busy.

The captions on the photo's say it all... we are enjoying ourselves immensely... great food, wonderful people and fantastic experiences.

So far we have met so many interesting and remarkable people from: Thailand, Japan, China, Israel, Germany, Austria, India, Australia, Poland, the U.S., Malaysia, Russia, the Philippines, England, Hungary, Spain and Italy... such a range of diverse intelligent people with very different perspectives... you know who you are and we'll stay in touch... (for the Italians; I'm sticking to my position that all of you are 100 g's short of a kilo! ;-)) I know, I know.... I can hear your retort now; "yes, but you have to take it from the source... which is an Irishman"... LOL!

After tonight we start on our journey to Laos, first to Chiang Khong where we stay overnight, the following morning we travel by long-tail boat to Hua Xai to go through Laos immigration and then onto Loung Prabang by slow-boat with a stop over in Pakbeng...  more about that in our next blog.

We're not sure how the internet connection will be over the next few days, or if the suspicious faces of Ce and I will make it through Laos immigration, so it might take two to three days, or even a lifetime to post again.

Stay tuned...

Signing off,

Derm & Ce

P.s. Thanks to everyone who has sent personal e-mails and have commented on the blog... it really helps to motivate us and to do this as part of our vacation. To those that don't we are having a meeting with the head Monks to discuss the next course of action;-}

Pps. To Mike and Rhonda, thanks to you for starting this infection... that's what your blog was while you were in South America... In other words, you were a bad influence on us and we are praying to Buddha to recover from it soon, and for you two to mend your evil ways... ;-)

Our friend Richard from Poland at a fund raising event
in Chiang Mai

Wachirathan's Waterfalls

Cecilia's new favourite pets

Royal Pagodas located on the highest mountain in Thailand

The top of Inthanon Mountain in Intahanon National Park

A perfect place

The evidence that we reached the top (by van)

The Queen's Pagoda, Ce wants
one of her own

The King's Pagoda

I love the weather here, although most people had on long pants
and sweat shirts... it was 19 degrees outside

Inside the Queen's Pagoda

Ce in love with the Queen's Pagoda

We are redoing our landscaping when we get back

What a view the photo doesn't do it justice

The mountains of Thailand

Ce has fallen in love with everything: Elephants, Buddha's,
Orchids, Pagodas, Birds, Silk, Jade, Precious Stones in general.
The only exception might be small furry animals living in caves!

Do you know how hard it is to steal a black swan?

The Royal Projects

We'll build our new house here

I'm just saying Ce is getting too
many ideas here... help me!!

Happiness is a thing called travelling

Good job there are no instant adoptions in Thailand

The Jade Buddha

A magnificent experience... we learned so much about Buddhism
today... secrets and all!

The marble Buddha

The Monk's blessing, he did a great job in avoiding us!

Waiting on their turn

Happy, Happy, Happy

We want the doors

If there is anyone that can tame this animal... it's Ce!

Somebody's Mom... Her bark is worse than...

I love ringing bells, or is that "making noise!?"

Waiting on his turn to visit Buddha

310 steps to reach the temple and the dragon is watching
you all the way... so you have to be well behaved!

Monks in action

Very focused today

This child is sleeping under the house
whilst his mother does some weaving...
a very different experience.