8-9 May – The Long Neck Tribe, Thailand

Along the Burmese border there are some very special refugees from Burma. They are the Padaung people, more popularly called the Long Necks.
The women are wearing heavy brass spirals around their necks, and their necks look longer the longer they wear these spirals. The practice, which is very bizarre, starts when the girl is around five years old. Grown up women wear a brass spiral which can weigh 5-10 kg. That is a very heavy adornment to be hanging around your neck!

6-7 May – Karen village, Thailand

In the border areas between Thailand and Burma there are camps with hundreds of thousands of Burmese refugees. These refugees are caught in no man’s land. They lack citizenship and have no future anywhere. It is a silent tragedy.
We hired a guide who showed us to a very remote village where people from the Karen tribe live. It is only a kilometer away from the border with Burma. The track was ridiculously bumpy and steep.
We were warmly welcomed, but our unannounced visit caused quite a commotion. Our guide/interpreter explained that the people in this village had never seen blonde children before. Our four children were very much at the center of attention, so Nina and I could walk around and have a look at village life without people even noticing us.
We looked at how the people lived, played, weaved, cooked, and so on. Our children noticed the poverty and asked if this is how people live in Africa. They were right. This looks very much like the poorest parts of Africa.

5 May – Myawadi, Burma

We spent a day in eastern Burma, curious to get a glimpse of the country. We were not welcome to enter Burma by car. The military strongmen who are the dictators of the Great Socialist Union of Myanmar seem to be particularly nervous about being invaded by Swedish families in Red Land Rovers. So we walked across the Friendship Bridge into Burma, leaving Alhambra in Thailand.
Burma is desperately poor. The people are suffering immensely under the dictatorship. But as long as China wants to keep Burma as a buffer state, things will not improve.
That said, as so often in countries where poverty and misery is the norm, people are very friendly and we enjoyed our day in the backstreets of Myawadi.

3 May – Sukhothai, Thailand

Sukhothai is considered as the first capital of a unified Thailand. It flourished in the 13th and 14th centuries. The Sukhothai kingdom is viewed as the golden age of Thai civilization.
Today, impressive ruins are scattered over a vast area. Sukhothai is a World Heritage.

1-2 May – Floating Market, Thailand

The Floating Market has become a bit of a tourist trap. We can recommend a visit to the old market in Lad Plee, and canoe trips through the residential canal system, rather than through the tourist mayhem and souvenir shops of the main market.
With enough time on your hands, and if you manage to get away from the crowds, it is really a beautiful experience.

30 April – River Kwai Bridge, Thailand

We visited the famous River Kwai Bridge in Kanchanaburi. It is the symbol of the 415 km long railway that the prisoners of the occupying Japanese forces built 1942-43. Around 15,000 allied prisoners of war died during the brutal conditions.
Today, the bridge has become a weekend destination for Bangkok’s young party crowds. They arrive in doubledecker buses with serious karaokee systems. Then they party all night on floating platforms in the river. It is…loud. And weird.

27-29 April – Khao Lak, Thailand

Khao Lak covers a large area and includes many beaches. Some of them are very developed and bear no resemblance to the peace and beauty which made Khao Lak popular in the first place.

Hardly any trace of the tsunami damages can be seen today. Most resorts have been rebuilt, and more hotels are erected everywhere. But there are tsunami warning signs, evacuation routes and memorials – reminding you of the terrible tragedy which happened here 26 December 2004.
More remote parts of Khao Lak are still very beautiful. We found the nice Ao Thong beach in the northern Khao Lak area. Only a few bungalows. Mostly undeveloped shoreline. We camped on the long white beach and enjoyed our last lazy beach days before moving on to northern Thailand.

25-27 April – Phuket, Thailand

We did not expect to find our very own beach on the intensely developed island of Phuket. But we did, on Mai Khao beach. Not a human being in sight. Great place!
The children are such good travelers, adapting without problems to any environment. It is great to spend so much time together.
Pictures below, in order of appearance: Atlas, Tinna, Disa, Temba.

21-24 April – Cameron Highlands and Penang, Malaysia

After our steaming experience in the rainforest it was great to drive into the Highlands. At 1500 meters, the altitude reduces the temperature by at least ten degrees. We rummaged through our bags to find long trousers and sweaters. The air felt so fresh!
We visited the BOH tea plantation and enjoyed the marvelous views of the tea fields.
We feasted on strawberries and had tea and scones at the very colonial Ye Olde Smokehouse.
But our favourite culinary experience was at the Indian restaurant Kumar, where we had delicious meals. The children especially loved the Indian paratha pancakes (for breakfast, for lunch, and for dinner).
Cameron Highlands boasts a very substantial population of old, beaten up Land Rovers. We exchanged waves and friendly smiles with hundreds of them before leaving the mountains and descending into the hot and humid plains again.
Our last stop in Malaysia was a very efficient sightseeing of the World Heritage Site of Georgetown, Penang.

20 April – Taman Negara, Malaysia

The rainforest in Taman Negara is said to be the oldest in the world. We took a walk through the dense jungle, admiring all the flowers, insects and trees. It was steaming hot, exactly as it should be in a rainforest!
The Canopy Walkway of Taman Negara is a real engineering feat. Ten narrow footbridges, each at least 50 meters long, are hanging between enormous trees. The resulting loop is nothing for people who dislike heights. The bridges are swinging and trembling. Flying insects realize that their prey can move only at a very slow pace, and start attacking your face. You are defenseless since your hands are busy clinging onto the ropes. The children loved the canopy walkway, perhaps because their parents attracted most of the bugs.

19 April – Turtle Sanctuary, Malaysia

We visited a turtle sanctuary and learnt about the large turtles which come to this beach to lay eggs. Our children were very happy when they were allowed to help baby turtles to the sea and release them there.

13-16 April – Pulau Perhentian Besar, Malaysia

We wanted to do some snorkeling, so we went further up the coast and took a boat to the island Perhentian Besar. We chose a resort very close to the coral reef.
Upon arrival, we rushed to the beach, donned our new masks and snorkels, and plunged into the crystal clear water. Wow! On the picture below, Disa can be seen in action.