Not All That Glimmers is Gold

This post is going to be very different from most.  We’ve traveled to some incredible places and found wonderful things to do as a family in Thailand and in the region, but that’s not to say that we haven’t had our share of busts as well.    I’ve been thumbing through a lot of mom blogs lately and it is shocking how many are sponsored.    I realize that virtually all of my posts offer gleaming reviews of the places we’ve stayed and things we’ve done, and that is because I want to share our best experiences with others.

Well, not today.  Today I’m going to outline some of our not-so-great experiences.  You might be shocked by some of these; you might disagree, and that’s completely okay.  They are just things that didn’t work out for us for one reason or another.  So, let’s get this non-party started.

1. The Greenery (Khao Yai)

We are no strangers to Khao Yai.  We love Khao Yai.  Usually we stay at the Kirimaya/Muthi Maya (which I do highly recommend), but this time we wanted to do something different – so we stayed at The Greenery.  The place does a good job of luring you in with its website – fancy pictures, beautiful scenery, things for kids, etc.  What really drew us to the resort was that they have a small water park onsite – which looks like a lot of fun, but in reality, it’s not fun at all.  Every few minutes a bell rings and a huge bucket of water comes crashing down on everyone’s head.  This scared the sh*t out of my little one and it made Logan super-cautious.  To top it off,  the room was expensive and not that great.  It was a bust, for sure.

Khao Yai Golf Carts

After The Greenery, I think we’ll probably stay loyal to the Kirimaya/Muthi Maya (pictured here)

Continue reading

In Asia, It’s a Fair-Haired Child’s World

I’m guessing that many of my readers in the region will be able to relate to this piece about what it’s like to raise fair-skinned babies in Asia.

Many, many thanks to World Moms Blog, a “Must Read” by the New York Times Motherlode and listed in the Forbes Top 100 Websites for Women 2012, for publishing my piece.

In Asia, It’s a Fair-Haired Child’s World – via World Moms Blog

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Kate making friends in Chiang Rai, Thailand

Ode to Asian Air Carriers

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Kate enroute home from Phuket on Bangkok Airways at 13 months old

Ode to Asian Air Carriers

Oh Asian air carriers how I love you so,

You still allow my family priority boarding

so we don’t block our neighbors’ row;

You give my children stickers before take-off so they won’t throw a fit

when that seatbelt sign is on and we’re not quite cruising yet. Continue reading

Dishing on the BTS: While Pregnant and with Kids

Hi Everyone!  I wrote a little something about my experience with taking the BTS while pregnant (spoiler alert:  much more comfortable than taking the Washington DC Metro while pregnant) and with tots in tow.  Check it out on the Expecting Expats site here.

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Okay, so this was not taken on the BTS, but I thought I should leave you with some photo, and this is a recent favorite of mine (Anantara Golden Triangle)

And This is Why I Write . . .

Aside from being a wonderful outlet for me to write about my children and experiences I share with them, I write to be a resource for others.

In the past couple of weeks, I received the following comments and it makes my writing that much more rewarding.

  • “I love your blog! We report to Bangkok in June with a 4 yr old… Your blog has subsided a lot of my fears. Thank you!”
  • “Thank you for your wonderful tips. We just arrived this past weekend, and your website has been tremendously helpful during our adjustment period.”

So happy to know that Toddle Joy is a helpful resource for others.  Thank you for your comments!