We arrived in Thailand to our first destination- Chiang Mai. It is the first time in a long while that the newspaper clearly reflects free speech. This along with so many other items jump out as being so different to Cambodia. We realize how rich our decision was to visit Thailand post Cambodia because they too are descendents of the Khmer Empire and you get to see the contrast of a nation ravaged by war versus one with a relatively peaceful history. Our ho...

The point in my spine that has been taking the bulk of the strain now feels like a crab claw tapped and indented with a knife- just a little sideways pressure and it will snap. I long for my legs to bend at my hips to alleviate the pressure on this spot but there is nothing I can grab hold of to help pull me from this disastrous pose. We have traversed 3 downhill paths and at the next flat I make it clear to the oblivious mahout that I want off…OFF. He yel...

Hello my friends. I was not exaggerating. Front Page International Herald Tribune: The Global Edition of the New York Times Tuesday, April 2, 2013 China Smog Linked to 1.2 Million Deaths Beijing By Edward Wong In summary, the 1.2 million deaths in China equal a loss in 2010 alone of 25 million years of life. The study found outdoor air pollution contributed to 3.2 million premature deaths worldwide, which means China is nearly 40% of the worldwide ...

Hi Mom. For Easter I went to a Buddhist temple with a dash of Hindu. Our youngest intuitively fell to her knees as we lit incense offered in ancestor worship then our eldest asked what the hell happened to the 10 commandments as she noted the onlooking golden idols. There goes Christian mother of the year. Craicy. The Easter bunny came in the night using 3 hotel towels twisted then shaped into circular vessels and filled with local candy. Acknowledgment ...

We rose at 4:45 and put on our anti-mosquito uniforms. It remains counter intuitive to fully clad our appendages in the sweltering heat; we fight the desire to pull on a billowy sundress. Our destination is a half hour out of town at the Bakong Primary School. We all are a bit nervy as have no idea what to expect. The changes over the course of months of planning have left me wondering if it will even all come together. Details would change with every com...