I'm Ready to Go Home, But is My Plane?

No. The answer is no. After mechanical issues that could not be resolved, we were told our flight would leave 9 hours later than scheduled. That meant I would miss my connecting flight and the one that followed. The upside is, I'm blogging from the Hyatt regency in Taipei where I was able to sleep for 5 hours before going back to the airport to get on a plane that will get me home 14 hours later than planned. At least I'll get home. 

Now to wrap up the trip. The food tour of Chinatown in Bangkok was fantastic. We tried so much food including dumplings, steamed buns, duck, pork, squid, and my new favorite dessert dough that has been deep fried then grilled then covered in pandan sauce which has a coconut like flavor. So delicious!

Then it was off to Chiang Mai. Compared to fashion-forward Bangkok this is a small town full of shabby dressed tourists with a similar vibe to Siem Reap. I was in my element. It's also filled with over 100 wats and what seems like 100 coffee shops. It was here I hit my limit and stopped taking photos each time I passed a temple and instead thought "Oh, Buddha. Cool." 

I got a Thai massage at a business that trains and employees formerly incarcerated women to be the masseurs. A one-hour massage only costs $9! I also signed up for another food tour, this one even more adventurous. A lot of stops in the market visiting vendors who have run their booths for decades making sausages, pork leg, pork belly. I finally succumbed to peer pressure and tried both silk worm larvae (kind of mushy) and crickets (a crunchy snack). Hey, when in Southeast Asia. 

Friday was a visit to Elephant Nature Park, which I posted about the other day. It was very special to be able to walk among the elephants and hear about their stories of being rescued from logging or the tourist trade. Watching them frolic, yes I said frolic, in the river was also fun. And we got to spend 15 minutes in Cat Kingdom with 2000 rescued cats! I wanted to visit with more of them but one sat on my lap so I stayed with that cat the entire time. And... in the souvenir shop, I saw an elephant carved out of flip flops. It was done in partnership with Ocean Sole, an organization I visited in Nairobi and made a short video about back in 2007 when they were called UniquEco. So cool to see.

A trip to the night bazar for some local food and souvenirs and here we are, about to board the plane for the final leg home. It's been great to see places I haven't been before and inspiring to see what local people in both Cambodia and Thailand are doing to improve the lives of people and animals in their communities.

As has become the usual with these posts below is a selection of photos from this section of the trip. Thanks for following along!

Feel Good Friday - Elephant Nature Park

I’m feeling good this Friday because I'll soon be visiting Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai, Thailand, an organization known for their compassionate approach to elephant rescue and rehabilitation.

Founded in 1995 and headquartered in Mae Taeng District near Chiang Mai, the mission of Elephant Nature Park (ENP) is to provide sanctuary for rescued elephants while promoting ethical, observation-based tourism. The park is home to more than 75 elephants who have been saved from torturous situations in the logging and tourism industries, along with hundreds of rescued dogs, cats, and water buffalo.

Founded by renowned conservationist Sangduen "Lek" Chailert, ENP is recognized as the first ethical elephant sanctuary of its kind in Asia. The park operates with a strict no-riding, no-performing policy. There are no bull hooks, no tricks, and no exploitation. Instead, elephants roam freely across 101 hectares, interacting with their herds, playing in rivers and mud pits, and living with dignity and respect. Watch the documentary Love & Bananas: An Elephant Story to learn more. 

Many of the elephants at ENP have heartbreaking stories. Some are blind or crippled from years of abuse. Others are orphans who lost their mothers far too young. At the sanctuary, these gentle giants receive the care they need and deserve. That means medical attention from four on-site veterinarians, nutritious food through the Elephant Food Bank, and the freedom to simply be elephants.

Beyond direct rescue, ENP has expanded its impact through several innovative programs. The Saddle Off program provides elephants with the opportunity to roam, socialize, and forage in natural habitats, while allowing visitors to have an authentic and intimate interaction with these gentle giants. The Jumbo Express mobile clinic brings veterinary care to elephants that cannot reach the sanctuary while the Farm to Herd initiative supports sustainable food sourcing.

The best, and most fun, way to support Elephant Nature Park is by booking a visit to the sanctuary in Chiang Mai. You can also amplify their message on social media. Follow ENP on Facebook, Instagram or YouTube and share their stories of rescue and rehabilitation with your network.

Goodbye Siem Reap, Hello Bangkok

From mama pigs by the outhouse to skyscrapers, mega malls and an extensive subway system, I was not fully prepared for the culture shock I would feel transitioning from Cambodia to Thailand. And just when I had learned a few phrases in Khmer, I need to forget them all and try to learn some Thai. Sawasdee kha! 

To wrap Cambodia, thanks to all the work the teams did after we left, we were able to finish both houses and latrines and have blessing ceremonies that got the families off to a good start. Not only will their houses better protect them from the rain, they are solar powered so they have light and a fan inside. Cooking will happen downstairs and there is also a water filtration system. It's quite a change for both families. 

Saturday, the team went to Angkor Wat. It's not just the temple you've seen in all the photos, it's a complex of over 72 major temples. We started outside the gate to watch the sunrise then began our tour at the main temple before taking a break back at our hotel and visiting two more - including Ta Prohm, which many will recognize as the Tomb Raider temple. It was a wonderful way to wrap up my time in Cambodia. 

Now in Bangkok I have been navigating the subway system semi successfully and yesterday I went on a whirlwind tour of the Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun. All stunning in their own ways. The Grand Palace houses the Emerald Buddha, which is very cool but photos aren't allowed. Wat Pho is where the famous reclining Buddha is. He is 150 feet long - that's half a football field! Amazing. And Wat Arun is another spectacular structure covered in people wearing rented traditional Thai outfits and having their photos taken. 

After all that I met my friend Matt for dinner and he showed me around his neighborhood. We met at work 27 years ago and after promising I would visit him in Thailand, I finally made it. 

Today I walked around a less touristy, more hipster neighborhood and I'm getting ready for a food tour of Chinatown. Then it's off to Chiang Mai. What a whirlwind.

As always, the photos are showing up most recent to oldest in a giant stack below. The first picture is a bit of a spoiler alert for the subway sign I took on the Bangkok train when I first arrived but still worth including!