Helping Families to Connect and Thrive

Spring Highlights

02.01.18

Because I just can’t bring myself to post current happenings without sharing some of our favorite 2017 moments…

We kept our pregnancy a secret from our family during our travels, which was no easy task! We had the BEST time, however, showing up at home after 10 weeks abroad with a baby belly and surprising everyone with our happy news.

Dying Easter eggs. Isla was all about mixing the colors and she created some really beautiful eggs!

Easter morning. Super excited about her butterfly inspired basket from the Easter Bunny.Give her all the jelly beans!

Easter celebrations with her buddy, Piper. These two cleared out the relish trays and wore every single olive on their fingers before venturing outside for their Easter Egg hunt.

Isla absolutely LOVED the tiny chicks she found in some of the eggs. And speaking of chicks, Isla was in absolute heaven when we went to visit our friends’ newly hatched babies…

Contrary to how it looks, this chicken is NOT dead. She cozied up on Isla’s lap and took a nap! I’ve never seen anything like it. Our sweet girl was in absolute heaven… and then she asked for chicks of her own for weeks!

Ninh Binh and Hanoi

01.30.18

After a few days in Saigon we headed north to Hanoi. We stayed one night in the old part of the city- a fascinating maze of narrow alleys, packed shops, and constant movement- before moving on to the quieter town of Ninh Binh.

In Ninh Binh we chose to stay at Tam Coc Rice Fields Resort, a guesthouse on the outskirts of the city where we were surrounded by winding waterways, emerald rice paddies and towering karst mountains.

During our first full day in Ninh Binh we took a boat tour on the Ngo Dong River and floated past verdant rice paddies and through three mountain caves.

The guides used their feet to control the paddles (this was the first we had ever seen of this!), and we were totally impressed with their strength and dexterity.

This is the point in our trip where things really took a downward turn. We have traveled all over the world for the past 10 years without much more than a scratch. During this 10 week trip we were hit with one doozy after another- morning sickness, strep throat, intestinal troubles, Isla biting through her lip- and then the bike accident that occurred shortly after this photo was taken. Isla’s foot got caught in the back wheel of the bicycle, causing the bike to come to a screeching halt. Her shoe was ripped off, along with the majority of the skin on her heel (just a paper-thin layer remained covering her Achilles) and she had a terrible sprain. There is absolutely nothing worse in the world than witnessing your child suffer. The hotel staff was amazingly helpful and they rushed us to two local hospitals to seek help. The hospitals were filthy and care was very, very limited, so first thing the next morning we took Isla to Hanoi to visit an international medical clinic. We spent the remainder of our stay in Hanoi holed up in our hotel room watching movies, crafting, and doing everything we could to keep Isla still and comfortable. She and I only left the hotel room only for doctor visits until we flew back to Dubai. It’s a very long story, but now, 7 doctors later (including 4 orthopedic surgeons), countless trips to hospitals, weeks in a splint, lots of physical therapy, and an unbelievable amount of strength from our girl, she has recovered from this terrible injury and is walking again like nothing ever happened! Only a knot of scar tissue remains on the back of her heal to remind us of this whole ordeal.

During our stay in Hanoi Isaac would venture out during the day to search out meals and stretch his legs a bit. The only glimpses I got of the city were through a few photos he took on one of his walks. We’ll definitely need to go back!

A Last Minute Trip to Saigon

01.30.18

After our stay in DaNang we made the last minute decision (as in literally 2 hours before our flight was supposed to leave for Hanoi) to continue adventuring with our friends by joining them down in Saigon. It might have been one of our most spontaneous travel decisions to date.

Vietnam is home to many motorbikes- over 45 million are registered in the country! It was fascinating to see how families arranged themselves.

We couldn’t believe how many people we saw dozing on the backs of moving motor bikes!

During our first day in Saigon we took a wonderful boat tour through the Mekong Delta.

Fresh fruit was served on the boat and Isla consumed more dragon fruit than everyone else altogether!

At one point in the tour we transferred to small paddle boats to explore the narrow channels of the delta.

Many of the boats have eyes painted on the bows because they are believed to have souls of their own. The shape of the eyes varies based upon the different cultural influences of each region. The boats in the north have narrower eyes, while the boats in the south have rounder eyes.

Isla practicing her big sister skills with Elise!

We made a one stop to learn all about the production of rice paper and other rice treats. It was a fascinating process and there were numerous tasty treats to sample.

Isla and Lucas cooling off, Shanghai-style.

Lunch time grumpiness. The heat took a toll on everyone that day!

The next day we wandered around the city. We found an old apartment building that had been converted into boutique shops and cafes- a truly unique place to explore!

Hoi An and DeNang

01.30.18

We spent several days in Hoi An, Vitenam, and found it to be absolutely enchanting! A blend of Asia and Europe… charming colonial buildings, glowing lanterns strung overhead, darling cafes dotting the alleys, colorful goods inside every shop… we both felt walking through the night market was akin to floating through It’s a Small World at Disneyland! We spent just a few days in this lovely town, and like much of the rest of our trip, morning sickness overshadowed much of our stay. I am absolutely itching to go back and spend more time exploring, nausea-free!

While in Hoi An we stayed at the amazing Hoi An River Town Hotel. Tucked away in a quiet little bend along the river, it was just far enough away from the hustle and bustle to be really relaxing, but only a short walk from town. The service was absolutely incredible! The friendly hotel staff accommodated for our arrival in the wee hours of the morning, and made up a room for us to sleep in until our room was ready at check in time. The beds were seriously the most comfortable we have ever slept in- like heavenly pillows! The more I type about this amazing hotel, the more I want to go back! 2018 travel plans are already in the works, and for the first time in years, do not include a SE Asia loop. I think a Vietnam 2019 trip is necessary… time to start dreaming!

We were delighted to meet up with some of our dearest friends from Shanghai during our stay in Hoi An. We spent a day exploring the charming shops and alleys, and then moved on to DaNang for a few days of beach front relaxing together.

Lucas was Isla’s first ever friend, and it was SO, SO, SO wonderful to see these two reunited and just as crazy about each other as ever!

We spent lots and lots of time in the pool while in DaNang, and it was here that Isla taught herself to swim without her floaty! Watching the pride on her face as she accomplished this new milestone was simply incredible!

Singing to the waves at the end of the day… love, love, love this little mermaid!

Our Days at Elephant Haven

01.01.18

We discovered Elephant Haven last year when we were making plans to take Isla to the Elephant Nature Park. The park was completely booked (how wonderful that this incredible organization is thriving and reaching so many people!) and after a little research on their site, I learned there were several sister organizations we could visit that upheld the same standards and beliefs surrounding elephant care. Elephant Haven is located in Soi Yok, just outside of Kanchanaburi and a short train ride from Bangkok. Our first experience there, an overnight stay, could not have been more magical, and we were beyond thrilled to return a few days this year to be surrounded by such magnificent creatures and lovely people. Elephant Haven is a wonderful, ethical organization that allows you to interact with elephants in a loving and respectful manner. This means no riding, shows, tricks, bull hooks or brutality. The elephants have a daily routine, but are not forced to participate in anything they do not want to be part of. When you visit Elephant Haven, you have a rare opportunity to observe and interact with the elephants. Your day is spent preparing food, feeding, walking alongside, and bathing the elephants. It is such an enriching experience!!! Knowing we are contributing towards a program that is pushing for the ethical treatment of animals fills our hearts with joy. When you visit Asia, please don’t ride the elephants! Instead, do your research and support organizations like Elephant Haven who put the welfare of the animals first.

Some tips before you go:

It is hot, dry, and dusty. Elephant Haven has lots of cold water available, but it’s a good idea to bring your own water bottle. Drink lots throughout the day so you stay hydrated. Also, bring plenty of sunscreen.

Bring a towel with you. They are not provided.

Wear outdoor water shoes. The river bed ranges from muddy to rocky, so it’s nice to have your feet protected.

Stay overnight. You have the opportunity to spend a little additional time with the elephants before the day visitors arrive, and may be able to visit a local market in the evening. We were able to connect with the staff during the evenings when we stayed, and really enjoyed getting to know them more!

Bring cash. There are some small trinkets, cold drinks, and snacks available on site. It’s good to have cash for purchasing snacks and souvenirs if you stay overnight and visit the local market (and cold beers at 7-11). Also, you can leave additional donations and tip the very hard-working and deserving staff.

Bring your camera! You will want to document your interactions with the elephants. If you have a waterproof case or camera it is so fun to bring it into the river for the elephant bathing.

Elephant Haven has internet and electricity, so you can charge your electronics while you’re there.

Each morning starts out with an opportunity to feed the elephants before walking around the grounds with them.

While still cautious, Isla displayed such a growth of confidence around the elephants this year! By day two she was really at ease while feeding and walking alongside her pachyderm friends.

I cannot rave about the caring staff at Elephant Haven enough! Not only are they wonderful with, and knowledgeable about, the elephants, they absolutely ADORE children and provide them with endless attention. Isla felt so loved, and I truly think she may have been more excited about her human friends at Elephant Haven than the elephants!

If you stay overnight at the park you will have an opportunity to visit a stretch of the Death Railway nearby. We went to the railway on a scorching hot afternoon, and as we had seen this spot the year before, we opted to look around the nearby shopping stalls and enjoy a cool coconut treat.

In the afternoon the elephants have an opportunity to bathe in the river and all of the visitors get to jump in as well. It’s refreshing and exhilarating to play with these giants in the water. They work up quite an appetite during their bath time, so there is another feeding afterwards.

Little Miss, off to feed the elephants! Behind her you can see the little cottages we stayed in. They are basic, with a toilet, shower, and mattress on the floor, but it is SO worth staying overnight, as it affords you extra time with the elephants and the staff.

Up and at ’em bright and early the next morning before the day visitors arrive. We loved having this time to ourselves with the elephants!

That confident little smirk on her face is too much!

When the daily visitors arrive, food preparations begin. Everyone pitches in and it’s a great opportunity to start to get to know the other travelers you’re about to share the experience alongside.

Prepping rice balls for the elephants. This fiber-filled snack is helpful to the elephants’ digestive system and they find them super tasty! Isla wasn’t so certain she wanted to get her hands dirty at first, but once she knew the rice balls were helpful to the elephants she dove right in!

Both our stays at Elephant Haven were so enriching and wonderful! The opportunity to interact with these incredible creatures in such a loving and ethical environment is truly life-changing. We cannot wait to return again, this time to introduce Cole to the Elephants!