Bangkok!

BANGKOK HERE WE COME!

January 6, 2014 - The whole Daynes fam clan departed on Singapore Airlines for a direct flight to Bangkok.  As usual, Sing Air did not disappoint and there was dinner on the flight and movies.

Brian Markar's entourage of 2 huge vans and drivers were there waiting for us.  They took us to our hotel, the Grand Hyatt, where we had 2 rooms on the executive floor.  The kids and I instantly went to the executive dining area to have some snacks while Mike was checking in.  Jack was acting disrespectful pretty quickly (as he does quite often these days) and soon after Skylar started hiding under table, etc. so we decided to bail out of the executive dining area and go check into our rooms.

Bailey, Sammy, Skylar and I were in the "girls" room and Mike had Carson and Jack in the "boys"
room.  After I put Sky to sleep the big girls and I watched Downton Abbey on Bailey's lap top.  In the
middle of the show we heard a loud "thud."  Sky had fallen out of her bed onto the floor.  She didn't even wake up as I picked her up and got her safely back into bed.  Sammy, Bailey and I were cracking up because the poor little girl didn't even wake up!  She fell into a small area in between the bed and a dresser that barely fit her little body but she wedged in just perfectly.  She was asleep the entire time; she never even made a peep!  Cute Sky!!!

January 7, 2014 - Sammy and I woke up early to go on a run/walk together.  I told Sammy about how Bob Daynes likes to go on "great runs" and asked her to experience one of these great runs of the world with me while in Bangkok!  We left the hotel about 7:25am to find out that Bangkok had been awake for hours, buzzing with stuff going on.  We passed lots of breakfast vendors selling breakfast goodies on our way down to Lumphini Park.

The park was full of groups doing Tai Chi for their morning exercise.  At 8:00am a loudspeaker came on with someone speaking very loudly in Thai.  Then everyone froze for the playing of the National Anthem.  Sammy and I realized we were the only ones still running and everyone around us was "frozen."  We got the hint finally and stopped for the national anthem.  As soon as the music stopped it was business as usual again.  You could really tell how much the Thai people loved their country from this small gesture of respect.  Loved that!

Next was breakfast in the Executive Suites area,a quick dip in the pool and at 10:30 we had another of Brian Markar's taxis pick us up to start our adventure out to the country.

This is how everyone entertained themselves on the long rides in the fancy taxis:

Carson listened to lots of music -

Jack played games on whoever would lend him their phone.  Skylar cruised around the taxi getting into everyone's business.

These cuties watched episodes of Sherlock on their laptops.

We stopped for lunch at a local Thai restaurant as we were nearing Khao Yai.

 When we arrived in Khao Yai we were excited to find out that we had a house all to ourselves!  Our kids favorite part about this house was the doorways hidden behind the bookshelves.  All of the bedrooms in the house were this way.  

Sammy & Bailey's bedroom

Master bedroom is behind that fake bookcase on the green wall.

It didn't take long before the kids were out on the horses...with their new Thai friends.

Dinners both nights were at the Markar's beautiful home that they had built in Khao Yai.  Sammy took over for the band at one point and played the keyboard and sang a medley of songs.

For dessert we were introduced to an awesome Italian favorite: Italian cake with a homemade sauce which we drowned the top of the cake with...an Italian chef who dined with us made it from scratch for dessert.  It was amazing.

Breakfast every morning was served by Karen at the Markar's house also.  She spoiled us with wonderful food in this lovely setting!

Carson and Jack had so much fun playing soccer outside on their huge grass lawn and hide-and-go-seek with their new Thai friends, Melanie, Gaya and Kiri.

Jan. 8, 2014 - Today we packed in a ton of sightseeing and hit all of our Thai friends' favorite spots in Khao Yai!

First Stop: Go Karts!

Skylar hung out with the Markars since she was too small for the Go Karts.

Melanie Markar, Bailey, Jack is somewhere around there...

Sammy & Mike; Sammy had quite a crash into a wall of tires.  Watch out for this girl on the roads in the next year.

Bailey and Gaya

Carson Andretti

Next stop: Palio!  It was hard to believe that this cute, outdoor mall was her in Khao Yai, Thailand.  I could've sworn that we were in Italy!

Skylar and I walked all around while Mike and the other kids went to see some 4D movies.

Next stop was Grandmonte vineyard owned by the Markar's very close friends.  We ate at the Vincotto restaurant.  It was delicious but my pasta was so spicy I couldn't even eat it!  Carson's pizza never arrived and no one realized it until the check was being paid.  He ate alone while everyone watched.

Next Stop was: Elephants!

Bailey/Sammy

Gaya/Melanie Markar

Cherry's toosh

Sammy ridin' bare back!

Mike, Becky, Skylar

so fun!

Bailey chillin'

Sammy got sprayed

Jack, Carson and Kiri

Bailey bare back

Feeding potatoes to our elephant friends

What a beautiful creature!

Hard to say goodbye...

                                                            Next Stop: Adventure Park!
                       Sammy & Bailey hit the pendulum at the adventure park right off the bat! (on the right)

The platform was pulled out from under them so there was no turning back!

Sammy, Melanie, Gaya, Bailey = crazy girls!

sister time!

Jack loved the trampoline

Mike wanted to try the platform, Bailey 2X.

Skylar loved feeding the birds sunflower seeds!

 We ended up the evening back at the Markar's home for a traditional Thai meal.  Here's a few more shots of their place:

When we got back to our place we put the little kids to bed and then introduced the "big girls" to a favorite/classic movie of ours: Fletch  It was a great way to end a fabulous day!