HUGE Elephants, Huge Day

Sat. July 5, our Wycliffe Associates host scheduled a full day of tours and activities, to include five team members, who leave the following weekend.
We began with a scenic hour drive into the mountains, then a 45 min. trek through fields and hills—on ELEPHANTS.

After our safari, we watched paciderm youngsters kick soccer balls, eat handfuls of bananas, twirl hula-hoops on their trunks and PAINT pictures of other elephants—truly! Didn’t get a t-shirt, but got great photos.
Then four people got into double-ox carts, which drag raced down a bumpity country road—or maybe that was simply Jody’s driving.

Next we enjoyed a peaceful 30-minute bamboo raft ride down the Upper Ping River. Jody and Rob both got to “pole,” while one guide occasionally teased, “crocodile!”

A nice tropical buffet of rice, chicken, veggies and fruit was provided, before we began the hour-long trip home, interrupted by visits to factories producing: silk, Celadon pottery, elephant dung paper (no kidding), and painted paper umbrellas of every size.

We arrived back at the guest house tired, hot, and with many photos, memories, and a few shopping sacks!

We are all well and fine, but the heat and humidity take a toll each day, and slow down our western pace.

The team is ahead of schedule on projects. Visit the school web site for work photos at www.GISThailand.org.

Penny

Chiang Mai, Work Week One

Sawatdee (Hello, good Morning/Afternoon/Evening, Goodbye) from Chiang Mai, 14 hours ahead of West Coast time.

We are up at 6 a.m., eat at 7, leave at 7:30, and work 8-4. Then home maybe an hour, walk to dinner somewhere about 6 p.m., then home to bed. Besides a full work day, the heat takes its toll, normally about 88-94 degrees and about 80 percent humid. Heavy daily rains begin in august, so it's only occational now.

LOTS of projects are done and it's a wonderful trip! Our supervisor says we are such busy beavers we are AHEAD of schedule!

So on July 4th, we had BBQ burgers for “American” lunch, then some swam in the HUGE pool and relaxed in the afternoon.

Grace International School of 500 students occupies a converted health & sport club, which the community uses daily, from 3 to 8 p.m.

We are all feeling a bit tired and slow as the days go on, and we still work at a “western” pace.

All week, Jody and Rob have been drilling and pulling computer cables through walls and attics.

Gary has been working with one of the Thai computer guys on programs they are using.

I, Penny, have done numerous “non-techie” things, like: un-boxing and installing 23 new monitors, making and placing labels on them and their accompanying 23 new computer towers, in one room (others later).

Unpacking, labeling, and re-boxing about 50 new UPS power supplies at 15 lbs each. And yes, I included two Ibuprophen with my vitamins a few mornings!

I’m also the official coffee cup washer and project photographer, for their web site.

Weather is less humid than anticipated; people are twice as friendly as expected; and the country is clean, with food better than imagined.

We enjoyed a walk through the acres and acres of “Night Market” on Tuesday. I got lost and nearly circumnavigated the globe finding my way home. Must have trekked 7 miles.

Thursday we enjoyed an event at the American Consulate compound, complete with tons of security, hot dogs, apple pie, and fireworks!

I forgot I’d bought a Thai chopping knife in the market and put it in my tote. They “almost” had a hernia, exclaiming “knife, knife!” seeing the security scanner. I retrieved it when we exited. I'm glad Gary didn't have to retrieve 'ME!"

Pray for our stamina, that we pace ourselves in the heat and don’t get hit by the HUNDREDS of scooters buzzing around.

Praise God for projects getting done for Grace International School, and visit their web site to see more photos: http://www.GISThailand.org/.

KupKunKa (thank you) Penny