Last day

Hua Hin, last day - Here it is, the last hours of our great Asia escapade. We've enjoyed a wonderful last couple of days. With full mobility of our motor bikes, we've explored the downtown and side roads. Yesterday our focus was souvenir shopping, which we did at the market and the mall - yes, there's a mall. It's all so westernized, from Dunkin Donuts to Starbucks, your average North American or European tourist is well looked after. 

But the real Thailand is not too far away, as we discovered this morning on our elephant trek. We found Elephant Village just outside of town and once there, it felt as though there wasn't a city within hundreds of miles. Surrounded by Buddist shrines, temples, graves and monks, the village is the habitat of 14 elephants and their mahoots. Everything is very rustic and the care of the elephants was a bit questionable but what do we know about elephants and their needs. So we just went on our ride, had some fun feeding them and dutifully bought the overpriced souvenirs (we've been ripped off in Thailand more than anywhere else this trip, or at least it feels that way). Jo even sloshed around in the elephant muck for awhile but we'll save that story for when we get home. 

We've also learned about silk worms and the intricacies of Thai silk, and then we discovered "tailor's row," where you can get a suit made for less than the price of a good meal at home. So we did. Len and I each got a custom-tailored suit, mine of Thai silk, Len's of cashmere. I think Len has discovered that shopping really can be fun. 

Through all this we've met many Thai people. They have a great sense of humour, even when there is no language to share (the guy at the front gate of the Sheraton gives a little bow and a grin every time we pass) and they are all quick with a smile. Unlike the Chinese or Vietnamese though, they are not at all chatty. In our experience, it's hard to get any information from the locals and everything is very laid back. As the guy who runs these condos told Len, "You're in Thailand now, no need to book anything, just show up." 

We finished our travels by dressing up and going to a fancy dinner at the Sheraton. There were over 2o desserts on the buffet and among us, we tried every one of them. It goes without saying that we all felt sick when we got home. 

The girls and now in bed and that's where I'm heading too. Our taxi arrives in 5 hours to take us to Bangkok to get our flight home. The girls are reluctant to end the journey but we're all beginning to feel a little homesick. It'll be good to get back. It'll also be good to get out of this weather. Today on our mopeds, it felt like we were driving through a wood stove. Rain, drizzle and fog will, for once, be a relief. 

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