travel gets better with age

We really love visitors.

When we lived in Switzerland we were really desperate for visitors. By visitors, I of course mean any other Americans. Anybody, who by virtue of being born in the same country as us, and speaking the same language, might possibly like the same things or want to be our friends.

Once when we were fake-Swiss, we ran into a friendly, middle-aged American couple in the elevator (clearly identified by the shorts and tennis shoes) and I remember hoping for the elevator to break so they would be forced to keep talking to us.

Here in Bangkok things are very different. We live on a street with three other American families, there are plenty of Americans at church and school. But we still love getting visitors--we're just not nearly as weird and clingy with them as we used to be. We especially love when grandmas come visit. No one loves our kids like their grandmas and they are lucky to have an extra attentive great-grandma in Phylis, who, at 83, still remembers my kids birthdays and sends them presents.

Usually when visitors come I give them 3-4 big things to during their week here. I knew I was dealing with a different breed of tourists when Cheryl and Phyl powered through my entire list in two days.

This was an actual day for them:
French bakery for breakfast
Visit to an outdoor zoo and crocodile farm
Lunch at traditional thai restaurant
Jim Thompson House Museum
Visit to Unicity offices
Khao Soi for dinner
Night show of Siam Nirimit

Two days after landing. With a 14 hour time change.

That's a solid day.

I feel like I'm a hardcore tourist, I can power through a city with the best of them but I went home after lunch convinced I had heat stroke. And I have the advantage of being in the right time zone and acclimatized to the weather here (if such a thing is even possible).

The next day we sent them off on their own to Ayutthaya and I took a nap. They came home full of energy, ready for the next adventure.

I was shocked. Ayutthaya is, unarguably, the hottest place on the planet, full of sandstone ruins and no trees or any kind of shade. It is guaranteed to zap all energy and life force within minutes. After visiting, I need a week of air conditioning before I even think about leaving my house just to walk to the car.

It phased them about as much as jet lag did. (Only confirming my theory that the Smart subspecies have evolved past jet lag.) After a refreshing break, involving playing with our kids in the Bangkok heat, they were ready to ride scooters through Bangkok traffic to dinner.

I sure hope I can travel half as well as them when I'm either of their ages.

Here are a few things they suffered through with us:

Cutest grandmas with some lucky grand daughters.

Fishy foot massage--totally sanitary.

Apparently your never to old to scooter Bangkok

Classic Thai elephant ride.

We've seen these before but never stopped to take a picture of them--mainly just joked about buying one and shipping in to my mom. Or better yet, somehow sneaking it into her chicken coop. I'm glad they got a picture, now I can find out what they are and who the heck buys them.

Walking the plank to get off the ferry back from the island. We sure know show Phyllis and Cheryl how to travel in comfort.

I think I just got heat stroke thinking about Ayutthaya.

With the dancers from Siam Nirimit.

Grandma Phyl showing off her manicure...while feeding a tiger. How often can you say that?

Just looking at these pictures of them at the Grand Palace is making me need a nap. Or some ice cream.

And yes, you guessed it, Elie is a Cullen. 

We really loved having them here. Now come back, Grandmas!