Bangkok, Thailand

Our first visit to Thailand was to colorful Bangkok over the Chinese New Year holidays. Arriving late in the day on Saturday night, we hopped in a pink taxi and headed downtown. (Prior to booking, I had researched to find a hotel close to both the BTS skytrain and the Central Pier. Centre Point Silom was a great pick: comfortable and clean, with connecting rooms, and almost half the price of the adjacent Shangri-la!)

Our first venture out was to the newly opened waterfront development called Asiatique. A short, free express boat took us there directly, and we had no trouble finding a place to eat. Afterwards, we browsed through a few of the hundreds of stalls selling local crafts.

In honor of the “Year of the Snake”, our first stop the next day was to the Snake Farm at the Thai Red Cross Institute. We bought “rabbit cards” and easily navigated the BTS skytrain to get there. All enjoyed watching the informative snake show and were amazed at the skill of the snake handlers. They showcased various venomous species and explained the procedure for extracting venom and making anti-venom serum. (I hope I never need it!)

We then found our way to Jim Thompson’s house and museum. An American sent to Southeast Asia during the war, he fell in love with Thailand and made a home there. Fascinated with the silk-making process, he developed a very prosperous silk business. He lived in a traditional Thai-style house and accumulated an impressive collection of Asian art before mysteriously disappearing into the Malaysian jungle in 1961. (Prior to our trip, I bought a fun Choose-Your-Own-Adventure book about Jim Thompson, and my kids had fun coming up with possible explanations for his disappearance!)

We had a flavorful lunch at the lovely onsite café, then enjoyed our tour through the house and gardens. Outside, we watched demonstrations of silk-extraction and weaving.

To cool off, we took a caffeine and dessert break at the huge Siam Paragon, and I got a chance to brush up on the latest fashions.

For dinner that night, we dined on yummy curries at Deck, overlooking the spectacular Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn). It was quite an adventure getting there, however, as our driver did not understand where we wanted to go, and alas, I speak no Thai!

On the way back, we had a different kind of adventure and squeezed in a tuk-tuk, a small, loud, and colorful motorized truck. As we sped down streets within inches of other cars, my kids squealed with delight!

The next day, we took the Chao Phraya express boat down the river to the must-see Grand Palace and most sacred of temples, Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha). We were NOT the only ones there; the tourist crowds were unreal! Swept along like cattle, we stood sweating for 20 minutes as we were slowly funneled inside. Needless to say, our kids were out of sorts, but once inside there was room to explore. We marveled, for as long as they could last, at the amazing details and colorful, mirrored mosaic tiles everywhere!

We had yummy street food for lunch and then chartered a private long-tail boat to take us through the “khlongs” (canals) of the “Venice of the East”. Locals live along the waterways and travel around by boat, some selling their wares directly from their boats. Being proper tourists, we bought some Cokes and Chang beer, one for Adam and one for our driver! We also bought bread to feed the fish for good luck!

We made a stop at the Royal Barges Museum to admire how Thai kings travel in style.

We cooled off in the afternoon at our hotel’s rooftop pool and looked out over the bustling city. We didn’t get a chance to visit the famed skybars, but we enjoyed cocktails and drank in a bit of Bangkok’s fine dining scene at the artsy restaurant Eat Me. (My giant river prawn was amazing, as was the butterscotch pudding!)

I love big Asian cities, and Bangkok is the fifth one we've explored. =) We return with many fond memories of our short trip to the "land of smiles"!

NZ: Mt. Cook and Queenstown

After a long day of driving, we stopped for the night at Lake Tekapo and marveled at the aqua glacial lake water. In the morning, we visited and snapped pictures at the famous Church of the Good Shepherd.

Our favorite experience in New Zealand was the amazing hike we took at the base of Mt. Cook. The Hooker Valley Track was promoted by Steve Cook’s NZ Frenzy as “indisputably, the south island’s best day hike”, and I fully agree! This trail really had it all (swing bridges, boardwalks, glaciers, majestic mountain views), and we were blessed with perfect weather. I was amazed that my kids (even my 4-year-old!) hiked the entire 10 km (that’s 6.2 miles!). With snack and rest breaks, it took us four hours, but it was worth every step!

Exhausted, we parked that night opposite the “Plains of Rohan”, sipped wine, ate fajitas, and put a movie on for the kids. The next day it rained, but it didn’t dampen our spirits. We spent a few hours at Puzzling World in Wanaka, exploring the world of illusion and conquering the Great Maze.

Continuing on into Queenstown, we parked at Lake View Holiday Park then took a 5-min walk into the heart of town. Bars, restaurants, and shops lined the streets, and my kids were quick to raid the Remarkable Candy Shoppe, named for the surrounding Remarkable Mountains. (Meanwhile, I bought some treasures of my own!) We enjoyed not cooking dinner (Mt. Cook salmon!) and drank in the lively, fun atmosphere and the hip, young crowd.

Despite the rain, the next day we rode the luge. It was fun but very cold zooming down the hill in our ponchos. =) For a brief ten minutes, the rain cleared and we were able to see what a beautiful city Queenstown is, truly “fit for a queen”!

We went back to the city for the afternoon to have lunch, wander, and eat cookies. The kids enjoyed some carefree time on the beach by the gardens.

Sadly, we didn't plan enough time in this fun city, and the weather wasn't cooperating. It was clearing up and getting really beautiful as we left, but we had to start making our way back to Christchurch for our flight home. Also, we were unable to ride the “must-do” thrill, the Shotover jet boat, due to high water levels. We’ll just have to return! =)

Back in Christchurch we made a brief stop before closing at the International Antarctic Center. We saw some cute fairy penguins and learned about this continent too cold to live in without the help of technology.

We LOVED our holiday in New Zealand and made many “sweet as” (fine) memories. Where in the world will the Dews end up next? Just wait and see . . .