Best of Thailand

In November of 2014 we went on our most adventurous vacation to date.  Thailand was unforgettable, but it's easy to lose track of the details as time flies by.  This is the first of our retrospective (b)logs, so we'll stick with the highlights.  There were too many memories to choose from or call "the best," so we'll go by category!

1. Most Memorable.  Hands down, the elephant ride.  We specifically chose a humane elephant riding outfit that is not cruel to their elephants, which means we ended up riding them without saddles or harnesses or any other reassuring safety devices (other than a rope) since these hurt the elephants.  The whole day was devoted to our adventure, including bonding time with the elephants, washing them, riding them to a picturesque waterfall, eating at said waterfall, and then riding them back.  Our elephant, Marie, had been rescued by the organization.  They were quite adamant about how happy their elephants are since they are allowed to sleep in the "wild".  We are not elephant whisperers, so we had to take their word on it.  Still, this is something we'll never forget:
   
    
2. E's Top Pick.  CATMOSPHERE!!  While elephant riding was unique and exciting, let's just say that hanging out at a cat cafe with lots of strange cats holds a special place in her heart.  They finally opened one in the US after battling the obvious health-code issues.  Thailand doesn't have that problem, so it was a wonderful hour sipping our iced coffees while being highly entertained:
   
3. T's Top Pick.  Sitting on the beach!  We both enjoyed relaxing on Ting Rai Bay Resort's beach during our stay on Kho Jum island.  Travis took particular delight in reading his book, staying cool under one of these huts, all while sipping an ice-cold water or (better yet) a beer Chang.  He did the calculation and determined we could expat it up and live on our savings for several years if we were a little more frugal than this...
   
4. Most Surprising.  Seeing Interstellar in 4D at a movie theater in Bangkok.  Yes, yes, it sounds silly to go see a movie while on vacation, but there are two magical words that make all the difference...  Air.  Con.  Or at least, that's what they call air conditioning in Thailand.  Plus not only was it refreshingly freezing in the theater, the cultural experience was wildly different than seeing a movie in the US.  They start the movie with a unique tribute to their very-beloved emperor.  Being in 4D, the seats moved frequently and they occasionally misted you with water.  It was also super confusing and crowded since the theater was jam-packed with Thai tweens for some sort of Japanese pop concert.  And the popcorn combo came with this exciting toy we sadly had to chuck:
   
5. Most Tasty.  Thailand was all about the street food, so the options were numerous.  Khao soi is a classic northern noodle soup that hit all the right notes in Chiang Mai.  The steaming bowl consists of noodles swimming in a fiery red broth, bursting of curry and coconut flavors.  Succulent meat and crispy, deep-fried noodles top off the bowl.  It is served with pickled mustard greens, onions, lime wedges, and a frightening chili powder in case the initial bowl isn't up to your spice requirements.  YUM.  The dish was done perfectly at a poorly-marked joint we barely managed to find.  Thank you The Internet for pointing us to this gem.
   
6. Most Blissful.  The Marriott bed on our last night.  All of the beds during our stay were rock-hard.  Travis had the wise foresight to realize we'd like a night in a western-style hotel after our stay on the remote Kho Jum island.  The bed was so fluffy, so soft, so...perfect!  This is why I love my husband...