Chiang Rai for the New Year-Day 3

Oh my goodness, I can't believe I never finished writing about my Chiang Rai adventures! Time slipped away I guess. Well, really there isn't much more to say except that on the last day the plan was to go and see the flower festival I'd heard so much about before heading to the airport. We packed our bags, checked out of the hotel and left our belongings with the hotel staff. Then we caught a truck taxi and told the driver to take us to the flower festival. It took a few tries before he understood my Thai. He drove us outside the town and stopped in an area where there were a number of other cars parked. We hopped out, thanked the driver and paid our fare and then wondered where we were supposed to go. There was a path we decided must be headed in the direction we wanted and made our way towards what turned out to be a market. We wandered through the market, making mental note to return for some shopping later, and across a small road. There was a large fenced area so we determined that it must be where we were supposed to find the flower festival and we began to wander around. The amount of flowers was disappointing for a flower festival and I told my friend I didn't think we were in the right place. There were, however, replica traditional homes built around the area we were in which you could stop to meet various hill tribes and see their handicrafts. That was interesting but I was dissappointed in the flower display.

We walked back across the road and found a flower market where all sorts of flowers and trees were being sold. My friend was resigned to thinking that must be the flower festival and I reluctantly gave in. We wandered around enjoying the flowers and then made our way back through the market we had spotted earlier where I purchased a wood carved elephant and watched a man carving a very ornate clay statue. His works were displayed around and were quite impressive.

It became time to head back to the hotel to gather our belongings and then to the airport. We walked back down the same path we had taken upon arrival and again caught a truck taxi. We drove several meters down the road and there it was...the flower festival in all it's blooming glory! There were THOUSANDS of beautiful flowers and lots of people wandering up and down the paths enjoying them...and we had missed out on the whole thing!!!! What could I do but laugh to myself and make a mental note that when things don't feel right...ask.

Chiang Rai for the New Year- Day 2

After the festivities of the evening 9 AM sounded way to early the next morning to begin our next adventure. Since it was our agreed upon time we had no choice. The potential of the day motivated me. Today we would head to the boarder with Burma (Myanmar) and then to go to the area known as the Golden Triangle.

We began after winding our way through hairpin turns up, up, up the mountain, at the Mae Fah Luang, the Princess Mother's home in Doi Tung. The current King's mother spent a good deal of time in northern Thailand and was very concerned about the health and livelihood of the hill tribe inhabitants, especially the amount of efforts being spent on the drug trade. Initially she began by traveling to the area with doctors to care for the sick. Ultimately, she decided to fight against the drug trade by encouraging alternative sustainable options. Opium became replaced with coffee beans and other plants. It was inspiring to learn about her endless efforts in her older years and dedication to helping people improve themselves. A truly selfless woman. It's no wonder her son, the King of Thailand, is so good and beloved by the people.

We also visited the garden the Princess Mother had planted. Since her home is situated in the hills of the area she recognized that it could support the growth of plants from cooler climates. With a passion for travel she decided to produce the flower garden giving those who were unable to travel the opportunity to experience a wide variety of flora. It was a place I could have spent all day. Definitely a place of beauty. I felt grateful to begin the new year inspired by the good works of others. I felt the desire to increase my efforts to make a difference in the lives of others around me, looking for ways to make the world a better place.

After too short of a rushed visit to the popular and packed highland getaway we continued to our next destination the boarder town of Mae Sai, the northern most city of Thailand which boarders the city of Tachileik, Burma. There was a lot of activity at the boarder. People were crossing in such a variety of modes of transportation. By foot, by rickshaw, by bike, by tuk tuk, car, mini bus and on and on. The variety of what they transported with then was equal to the modes of transport. I would have been perfectly happy to sit at the crossing and watch the activity the rest of the day. But there was exploring to be done!

We started by walking the crowded streets packed with vendors and shoppers. Vendors sold food, clothing, electronics, jewelry ranging from costume to precious stones. Just getting down the street on the sidewalk was a challenge. I picked a side street and turned up it. More shops selling herbs, healing concoctions, hill tribe fabrics, souvenirs and more. As we walked further up the hill we arrived at the foot of a long set of stairs leading to the top of hill, home to a Buddhist temple. We took on the challenge of climbing the stairs along with several others already making the climb. The stairs were uneven and seemed endless but we finally reached the top and found a great view of Tachileik. I have to admit that I've now seen enough temples that they rarely hold my attention. This was the case at this particular temple. The view, for me, was the most exciting discovery.

We descended the stairs, swearing that would be our last climb of the day and made our way back to the busy streets of city. I would have enjoyed spending a few hours wandering through the markets and doing some shopping but it was time to move on. I made a mental note to return someday and spend the day in this point of crossroads as we made our way, slowly, through the traffic and out of town.

I appreciated the drives between locations allowing us to see the countryside. I have a real passion for driving through farmlands. I love the view of farmers and animals working in their fields, planting, grooming, harvesting. Food, a basic necessity of life, yet there is such variety in where and how it is produced. A common thread is that it requires hard work.

Driving up another mountain we passed a caravan of trucks carrying people- young, old and monks- colorful decorations and instruments. I wondered if it was a wedding procession but there wasn't a couple I could identify as celebrating a union. It wasn't until we got to the front of the 10+ car procession, passing a few cars at a time up the narrow 2 lane road, that it became clear. The lead vehicle carried a large Buddha image. It was making its way to a temple. A family or community was beginning the year by making merit and ensuring good karma.

We continued up the mountain and finally reached a town. Again we met a crowd of people, the consequences of choosing a popular destination for the New Year weekend. Luckily, we were among the less than 10 people in the Opium Museum. Inside we learned about the role opium played in the lives of those living in the area, the folklore around its beginnings, the process of growing and delicate harvesting techniques. Displayed were the numerous tools used in each of the stages up to its use. All very interesting.

After learning the history through current day we then went to the Mekong river's edge where we could see both Burma and Laos, each on either side of the river dividing the three countries. This area, know as a key location in the transport of the drug is referred to as the Golden Triangle. While we didn't witness any trafficking of drugs there were shops lined up and down the street selling all sorts of souvenirs. I opted not to purchase any drug paraphernalia.

Before heading back to Chiang Rai we made one last stop on the edge of the town of Sop Ruak which had vinyl lanterns strewn back and forth across the streets. There was a ruined temple. The sun would soon begin to set and we were tired from a long day so we just spent a few minutes walking in and around the ruined bricks. What was once surely a beautiful ornate temple had lost its outer beauty but with its insides fully exposed, somehow the beauty remained in the mystery of what once was.

Day 1 of the New Year came to an end over a bowl of noodles.

Chiang Rai for the New Year- Day 1

The New Year holiday fell on a weekend this year giving me a 3 day weekend. As with all 3 day weekends I began to wonder which part of Thailand I should explore. Chiang Mai is a favorite for ringing in the new year but I was too late for that as all the flights were sold out. So, I decided on a city just north of Chiang Mai...Chiang Rai. I had heard that it was a beautiful place with a cool climate in the winter and it's located just an hour from the Burma, Lao boarder. I booked a ticket, found a hotel and began planning out the trip.

Since I couldn't take time off work I departed on Saturday morning and arrived to the hotel around 11:30. I met up with a friend who had arrived a day earlier and learned that she had arranged for a driver to take us on a tour of a few sites south of the city. Off we went to explore.

The first stop was at a Karen Long Neck Village. This is a hill tribe group that still practices neck elongation by placing rings around a woman's neck. It is thought that this custom began years ago after several attacks by tigers. It was decided that if the women placed these rings around their necks it would protect them from the murderous teeth of the tigers. I had mixed feelings about visiting this village knowing that such experiences are often turned into something more like a human zoo than an educational experience. My fears were accurate as we walked through the village which was basically just a shopping trip. The walking paths were lined with displays of various mass produced handicrafts, very few of which were made by the Karen. At one point we were sat in a thatch covered area to see some traditional dancing. A group of about 5 men and 5 woman unenthusiastically walked and shuffled a rhythmic circle while a few played instruments. The music played drum, gong and cymbals seemed a completely different song than what was played simultaneously by the bamboo flutes. Each on their own would have been interesting to hear but the combination was not music to my ears. The complete lack of emotion by the dancers left me chuckling as I again reflected on the zoo type feeling of the visit.

Despite my discomfort I did manage to take a few photos and find some handicrafts to purchase which I watched the artisans craft. There were several women hard at work on their looms weaving scarves. Typically this would be up my ally but I find I have very few opportunities to wear scarves in this climate and I'm pretty sure my friends and family are looking forward to the day they get something other than a scarf from me. :-) One of the handicrafts I purchased was a mug made from green bamboo. Very unique.

Next on the agenda was my main

purpose for wanting to visit Chiang Rai. I'd seen pictures of a new Buddhist temple which began construction about 12 years ago. It is completely white and has the feeling of an ice castle to me. I was excited to actually get to see it with my own eyes. My experience matched my expectation. The sight was fantastic. The temple, so ornately constructed was happiness to my eyes despite the swarms of people in and around the temple grounds. I was surprised to see that the inside of the temple was not yet finished. The construction was complete but the painting of the walls was still in progress. No photos were allowed inside but I snuck a picture of the painters pallet. The paintings on one wall were humorous, depicting images of super heros such as Spiderman, Superman, Harry Potter and others on the lower part of the wall and above it were paintings of heaven. I'm not completely sure what the painter was going for but I was left with the impression that the message was to rise above the world and things that aren't real, a message I can relate to.

The last stop required an 1800 meter hike up a mountainside to a lovely waterfall. It was a terrific ending to the outing. We headed back to the hotel to prepare for the evening festivities celebrating and end and a beginning.

The plan for the evening was to walk up the street a block to the city center which had been blocked off to traffic for the celebration. Food vendors were lined up both sides of the street which was already packed with families and friends visiting and enjoying the various stages of performers. My pick was the center stage which featured traditional dance of both the Thais and the hill tribes. Before setting off the fireworks a story was told that I didn't understand a bit of. But it involved a dragon in Chinese style, dancing around the stage. It was a beautiful performance and ended with fireworks being spewed out of the dragon's mouth.

We headed back to the hotel, drained from the days adventures and listened to the fireworks from our room. Welcome 2012! Please be as good to me as 2011.

Christmas in Malaysia 2011

I had the grand opportunity this year of spending Christmas in Malaysia. Why Malaysia? Because my aunt and uncle live there while they are engaged in humanitarian service for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (aka the Mormon church). They have been living there for the last year and will finish their time in March and return to the US. Over the last year I've visited them on several occasions and have made friends with their friends and worked with the people they get to serve. I've taught an English class, a Spanish class and Sunday School. Butterworth, Malaysia has become a place I look forward to spending time, not that there are magical sights to see but simply because of the people who live there. A real mix of people. Among our friends there are those with backgrounds from India, China and Malaysia. There are so many different languages spoken by the church members that the meetings are held in English as a common language.

Since I had taken my home leave in November (another blog for another day) I opted to spend Christmas with my closest relatives. I was unable to take any time off so I flew out on Saturday afternoon, Christmas Eve, and arrived to their home around 7:00PM. Upon arrival I found a Christmas party in full swing with good food and good company. It was fun to visit with friends and hear what had happened since my last visit. I turned my camera over to a young man after teaching him how to use it and then enjoyed watching him snapping photos all night and using up all my battery. It finally felt like Christmas.

During the evening the leader of the congregation asked me if I'd be willing to share a Christmas message in church the next day. I gladly accepted the opportunity to share my feelings about Christ, feeling it would add to my personal celebration of the holiday. I didn't have much time to prepare since church began at 9AM the next morning but the ideas of what to say came easily after reading a few thoughts of others.

Sunday morning came and we headed off for the short drive to church which is held on floor 12A of a highrise building. Floor 12A and not 13 since 13 is an unlucky number and hence not used in Malaysia. In place of having a 13th floor it's called 12A. Up the elevator and into the church. Inside the church door we remove our shoes and place them on the shoe racks provided which is already full of tattered shoes of various shapes and sizes. You can tell which shoes belong to the 19 year old missionaries since they are the shined black ones. The others are well worn with soles and heals thinned from years of use.

Immediately we began greeting the church members with handshakes and hugs. The children were most eager to greet Sister and Elder Johnson and I. The love the church members have for my aunt and uncle is very apparent. The children swarm around them as if they were their own grandparents, negotiating who will sit next to them during church. As we make our way down the narrow hallway, through the kitchen, which also holds the above-ground baptismal font, down another hall and into the chapel we continue to greet church members young and old. Finally we make our way to our seats as we continue to greet and visit. We are accompanied today by a Hindu woman who has been living in Butterworth studying dentistry and who also lives in the same building as my uncle and aunt. It's her first time in our church and her second time in a Christian church. She was invited by my relatives to show her how we celebrate this special day.

The meeting begins with a Christmas hymn. The chorister stands at the front of the room, barefooted. The pianist, Chinese-Malaysian woman, newly returned from serving a mission in the Salt Lake City at Temple Square, begins playing at a fast tempo the chorister is having a hard time keeping up with with. Her hand beating and her voice following a much slower tempo she hears in her head. Everything is mismatched but somehow we all make it through the song ending at the same time...for the most part.

After the sacrament is passed to the members by young men between the ages of 12 and 16 the remainder of the meeting is announced. I will speak first, followed by a missionary from Utah who will be returning home in less than 2 weeks after his 2 years of service. The meeting will conclude with remarks by the recently returned missionary who had just been our pianist. I made my way to the podium with a few notes in my hand to remind me of the points I wanted to make.

"Joy to the world," I started by repeating the first 2 verses of this traditional Christmas carol. I talked about my experiences visiting Bethlehem and other historic sites where Christ lived and performed miracles throughout his life. I talked about being in the shepherds fields and reflected on the sign that was given of Christ's birth, reading scripture from both the Bible as well as the Book of Mormon describing the signs and events surrounding the shepherds. I then talked of recent conversation I'd had with a friend who asked me if I really believed in God. I shared my convictions rooted deeply in my heart of Christ and the role he plays in my life. I ended by asking the congregation what gift they would be offering Christ this year on his birthday, suggesting that some options might include giving up a favorite sin or developing a new talent. I then returned to my seat and enjoyed the remarks of the other 2 speakers feeling a deepening of my own feelings and gratitude for the blessings in my life. It was an enriching meeting for me.

Normally we would continue on at church to 2 more hours of classes and lessons but since it was Christmas the meetings were cut to allow more family time. The congregational family continued to visit and it was another 45 minutes before we left and headed home.

We weren't home long before it was time to head down the hall of the complex where we had been invited to our first of three Christmas meals. Friends and neighbors of my relatives invited us for the most delicious Indian turkey curry and other delicious dishes. I knew I'd need to pace myself if I was going to enjoy 3 meals in the next 5 hours but the first meal was so delicious I contemplated just filling up there but decided against it. That ended up being a good decision as meal #2 was in the home of friends from Nepal. The curry they served us in their small, sparsely furnished apartment was equally, it not slightly more, delicious. I helped myself to seconds. How could I resist!?

Luckily we had time to return home and take a nap allowing our food to digest before heading out for our last meal. At 7:30 we walked up the street a bit to our final appointment in the home of a Chinese Malaysian family (the home of the return missionary who played piano and spoke in church earlier). I could hardly think of eating more food but found just a little room to fit in a few bites of calamari, noodles and pineapple upside down cake (compliments of my aunt). Delicious!

After dinner and watching 17 Miracles, a movie about the miracles the Mormon pioneers experienced while making the trek to Utah from various parts of the world, we said our parting goodbyes and rolled ourselves home to crash on full stomaches into our comfortable beds.

Somewhere among all the eating we took time to open Christmas gifts. I had given my uncle a large box of his favorite cereal-Cherios, which I had hand carried from the US. To my aunt I gave detergent she wanted. I also brought a box of See's chocolates to share with them which I had received while in the US and a bag of carmel corn I found in a mall in Bangkok. I was surprised to find that Santa had found me in Malaysia and left me a gift as well. A beautiful purse from an Indian neighborhood in Malaysia. I was tickled.

It was a terrific Christmas full of Christmas spirit, good food and great company. Pictures to come!

I believe.

My Thai Massage

Yesterday, I decided, would be the day I would use the gift certificate a friend had given me for a 2 hour Thai massage in a private room at what I've heard is one of the best places to get a massage. I've been exercising a lot this week and my hamstrings were sore along with a few other muscles and I thought a massage would help. So, Saturday morning after an hour of bootcamp and then an hour of pilates I headed to the spa. I checked in and was asked to wait in the lovely reception area until it was time. I took a nice cold glass of water to enjoy while I waited and sat back comfortably until my name was called.

When it was my time, a nice woman in her 50s led me through the hallways, darkened for ambiance and showed me to the room. Normally when I get massages I'm laying on a mattress along side others with only a curtain hanging between us. This time, I would be in my own, private room. The room was simple and I was a bit perplexed that it came equipped with a television. I changed into the clothes I was given and the lovely woman returned. She began by asking if I wanted the TV on. No thanks, I responded. She then asked me where I hurt. I explained that the backs of my legs were sore from exercise, thinking she would go easy on them...not the case! She then began what started out feeling so good, spending about 40 minutes massaging each leg as I lay on my back and side and we chatted in Thai and she laughed when she bent my legs releasing a loud popping sound (I get the popping legs from my mother). She wanted to know about my family in America and if I was married and had children. She was amazed when I told her my age insisting I had to be 10 years younger and she giggled hearing that I have no husband and no children...not even a boyfriend! She asked if I like Thailand and Thai people and Thai food. She wanted to know about life in America and how much money I earn. I find this question difficult as I know there is a huge discrepancy between what I make and what Thai's make. I choose to tell her how much money I have the company give me in cash monthly rather than the full amount I get paid that is placed into my account. She then tells me that she makes about 10,000THB (approximately $330) monthly which she says is about 50THB ($1.50) per hour. The conversation was fun and challenging as I don't spend much time speaking Thai. I was grateful she was so patient with me and that she spoke so slowly.

She then asked me to turned on my stomach and what had begun as relaxing and slowly moved to minorly painful became torture! She started working on the backs of my legs where I was most sore. I was under the false assumption that she would be careful in the areas I had pointed out but she was determined to loosen up the muscles and scare the pain out of them. She began with the use of her fingers, then her arms and then her knees to kneed the fat lined muscle. It all culminated into the moment where she stood on my thighs and used her toes and heals to dig into the sore meat of my thighs. I winced in pain and she laughed. "You hurt," she said. "Yes", I responded. "I hurt a lot-mak mak!". But she didn't let up. I found it difficult to relax the hamstrings because every time I did the pain only worsened as the weight of her small frame (which no longer felt small) sank deep into the core of where I hurt most. Finally, just when I could bear it no more she stepped off and moved to another part of my aching body. Ending the experience sweetly with a head massage and some chiropractic upper body twists. At the end of my 2 hours she left me to get dressed. As I stood up my hamstrings and calf muscles ached so I took a few minutes to stretch them. And then, as if everything had been wonderful, she then lead me out and I thanked her with a tip.

So, if you learn anything from this experience let it be not to get a Thai massage on sore muscles! They may be luringly inexpensive (450THB/$14...or free for me in this case) but if you get the right woman, who knows how to give a great massage, what would normally feel amazing, could end up feeling a lot like torture!

Family Reunion-Nauvoo, Illinois

At the end of July I headed "home" to the US for the McConkie family reunion which was to be held in Nauvoo, Illinois, a small town of historical significance to the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I bet you didn't know that Nauvoo was once the second largest city in Illinois following Chicago! That is, until the the "Mormons" as we are often called, were driven from the city after Joseph Smith, the Prophet, was killed. It was from Nauvoo that Brigham Young led the pioneers to the Salt Lake Valley. Having grown up in Illinois I've been to this historic town many times but it has been years since my last visit so I was looking forward to gathering with my family in a town where I have a rich heritage (many of my own ancestor made the trek by handcart to Salt Lake from Nauvoo).

I left Thailand on July 23 and arrived to D.C. the same day despite the fact that it was a 25 hour journey. I have to admit that I wasn't the most obedient of passengers as I was asked to lower my shade but the fascination of seeing a 12 hour sunrise (or was it sunset?) as I flew from Japan to the US was too enticing and led to my disobedience. The rays of the sun peaked over the horizon the whole way creating an elegant pink hue beautifully lining the atmosphere where earth met eternity.

I decided to fly into D.C. and spend a few days there to spend some time with a dear friend who had just bought a townhouse. The 24th was my birthday and she treated me like a princess with many of my favorite foods and the sheer delight of being reunited. We spent Monday and Tuesday shopping our pocketbooks empty. I had a list of things I had hoped to take back to Thailand with me and I knew this would be my only opportunity to shop. What fun it was and what terrific treasures we found, not to mention fantastic prices! Almost everything was crossed of my "to purchase" list.

Tuesday evening I met up with my "baby" sister Cynthia (sorry Cy, I know you hate being called that) and her family who were finishing packing and preparing to move to Utah. The plan was for me to make the 12 hour drive with them to Mom and Dad's house in Illinois. After a long night of packing and cleaning we loaded, or rather stuffed, the car as full as we could making every effort to save room for us who would be the passengers. I squeezed (in every sense of the word) into the back of the car along side 2 car seats which held my dear nieces ages 3year and 6 months and off we went. Making several stops along the way to readjust, rearrange and refuel (both the car and our stomachs) we finally drove up to my childhood home where we found the family already beginning to gather. Esther and Anna had arrived with their families and Ruth and company would be arriving by plane within the hour. And the fun began!

The next 2 days were packed with preparation and play. We made menus, shopped for groceries, went to the petting zoo, had facials, caught fireflies, swung on the rope swing, chatted, played and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Cynthia even dragged me out on a run around the corn and soybean fields. Each road along side the corn field is a mile long making our run a 4 mile square up and down the rolling hills. It felt good to be out in the fields listening to the music of the insects. They say if you're real quiet you can actually hear the corn grow.

Saturday morning we loaded up the motor home with all the groceries purchased and other reunion related items and began the 4 hour drive to Nauvoo where we would meet up with the remaining family members. All of my siblings would be there with the sad exception of Bryce as he was in the middle of a school semester and couldn't make it. In all we had 80 people in attendance. Yes, that is just my immediate family. Incredible.

I made the drive with Mom and Dad in the motor home and then unloaded the groceries with the help of Camille's family and whoever we could get our hands on. For the reunion we rented out a camp site with air-conditioned cabins for all our family and a nice big lodge where the kids could play, the adults could meet and we could feed the masses. The kitchen was a dream! It really was perfect for our family.

As families began to trickle in you could hear the squeals of cousins reuniting. Laughter filled the air and at times it sounded like everyone was talking at the same time...which they probably were. Joy was definitely our companion. Everyone got settled and at dinner time we called the multitude together for our opening ceremonies and meal.

The first question people ask me when I tell them about our reunion is, "how did you feed all those people!" The answer is that each family was assigned a meal. Anna and I had organized all the food by meal and posted the menus so whoever was in charge of the meal could easily find the ingredients and put together the simple meals that had been planned. At first we were concerned we hadn't purchased enough food for the crowd...there were a lot of big appetites among the growing children...but it turned out that we had PLENTY and enough to spare.

Saturday night we enjoyed a country fair in the historic town where we played games, walked on stilts and danced dances from the olden days and then watch the pageant which is put on every night during the summer months. We were there for the last performance. The pageant taught a bit of history of the town and it's occupants and lifted our hearts higher than they already were, if that is possible.

Sunday we went to church and then returned to the lodge for a family meeting where we were able to share our feelings and gratitude for the Savior Jesus Christ and the blessings God had given us. It was a sweet meeting as the children, teenagers and adults all shared their tender feelings. I was in awe of the sweetness of the souls my siblings have raised. We then witnessed the blessing of Cynthia's youngest baby. You see, in my church we don't baptize children until they reach the age of accountability which is 8 years old. But at a young age the children are given a blessing. It turned out that the local Bishop who came to preside over this blessing was a not too distant relative of one of my sisters in law. The world is such a small place.

Monday morning half of the adult family members went off to the temple and in the afternoon the other half of the adults went as well as the youth aged 12 and above. There is such a sweetness in the opportunity of worshipping in such a sacred place together as a family. Unity in faith is a powerful thing. As I went to the temple in the morning I volunteered for babysitting duty in the afternoon to allow my siblings the opportunity to attend the temple in the afternoon. I love it when babysitting means taking a nap with the children and then feeding them ice cream and playing games. That night we had an adult meeting where we talked together of concerns on our minds and listened to the words of our wise father who instructed us in ways to teach our children and strengthen our families. While I've not yet had the blessing of being a mother I have the privilege of being an aunt more than 60 times with a responsibility to help my siblings watch over their children and guide them through the challenges of life. I'm grateful for a dear, wise father who cares so deeply for his family.

Tuesday we started the morning early with a handcart trek. We pulled our carts over rugged terrain, through narrow passageways and open pastures while reflecting on the experiences our family members and fellow church members had as they were expelled from yet another city and forced to find freedom of religion elsewhere. We shared stories of our ancestors and read the placards placed along the path of others who also made the journey. Afterwards, went into the historic town of Nauvoo to see shows, homes, shops and relive the old days. I was surprised when, while watching one of the skits, several references were made to my ancestors, the Ashbys, who had lived in Nauvoo. Surprisingly the skit mentioned their big family and busy children. It made me laugh! I guess big families are just in our genes. In the evening, after roasting hot dogs in 100 degree heat we came together for a talent show. Some sang songs, others played instruments (banjos, violins, pianos, ukulele), some recited poetry, several did skits, dad played his harmonica and mom told a funny story putting us all in stitches as she usually does with her skits. It's impressive to see the talent in my family!

Wednesday was a sad day as we said our goodbyes and went our separate ways. It was a terrific several days of renewing family relations, meeting newborns and other recent additions and having a good time. I was so impressed with my nieces and nephews. To watch them play together without excluding a single person was inspiring. It is amazing to me to see how well my siblings have done in raising good children who are kind, smart and fun. There were no injuries, only a few sharing issues among the youngest children and Ruth and Anna did just a fabulous job of planning a terrific time! We are all looking forward to doing this again in 2 more years.

I've posted about a gazillion photos in my flicker account which you can browse through if you're interested but they are mostly meant for my family as you may find them boring. :-)

Left Behind

Several weeks ago I was sent to Malaysia for a site visit for two weeks. During those 2 weeks was a 3 day weekend...and you know how I LOVE those 3 day weekends! I debated my options for the weekend. I could visit my uncle and aunt who are humanitarian missionaries in the northern city of Butterworth. This, of course, is my top option. But, when I find out that they will be in meetings most of the weekend I decide to consider the other options. Borneo? Panang? Singapore? Borneo would be beautiful but I decided I would really prefer more time there. Panang was a nice option as it would include beach, good food and lots to see with the benefit of possibly seeing my aunt and uncle. But when my coworker said I should go with her to Singapore where her husband lives and works I decided the company would be nice.

Friday afterwork we made our way to the bus stop and waited for the bus. The ticket cost about $30 US. We loaded the bus with snacks packed for the 5 hour bus ride which went smoothly and quickly.

We spent the next few days wandering through the city's various neighborhoods...Chinatown, Little India, downtown and more. We watched my coworker's husband play a tennis match, ate ice cream and lots of delicious food, enjoyed a ride on the giant swing as well as the bungee chair, went to an open air zoo and I was introduced to kayah butter. It was a great weekend.

Monday came too soon and it was time to head back to Malaysia. My coworker decided to stay a few hours longer, finding it hard to say goodbye to the husband she sees not near enough of so I made my way alone to the bus station and found my seat inside the 24 seat bus. I turned on my music, pulled out my book, placed my dinner at my feet and enjoyed the 90 minutes of the journey. We arrived to the Malaysian boarder where we were to unload the bus, grab our bags and make our way through immigration. I took my stuff, got in line and made my way to the front of the line. The immigration officer had some trouble with my passport as it wouldn't scan properly, a problem I had entering Singapore as well. It took a few extra minutes for her to key in all the information and soon I was allowed to continue on. Everyone else had made their way through so I grabbed my suitcase as quickly as I could and walked out the door only to see that my bus had already left. I looked out and watched as it drove away, too far for me to run down. In disbelief I looked up and down to confirm that it really was my bus that I had just seen. Certainly the bus driver would have taken a minute to look and see that all 24 passengers were back on the bus. And certainly he would have noticed if the only white girl hadn't yet made her way back onto the bus...certainly...right? WRONG! Indeed it had been my bus.

So, what do I do now? Luckily I had my ticket on me so I went back inside and asked the ladies at the bag scanning station where I could find a phone to call the bus company and send the bus back for me. They told me there was a phone outside (my cell phone had no charge). I went back outside to the side of the building, found the pay phone and it looked like it hadn't been used in about a decade. It didn't work. I went back inside and explained my situation to the women at the scanning station and asked if they could help me call the bus company. "Just wait until the next bus comes," one suggested. I did know that the company had several other buses scheduled to come by about every hour or 2 but I also knew that my bus had been completely booked so who was to say that the next few buses wouldn't also be booked and I'd just be sitting there waiting for who knows how many hours. Besides, I wanted to get home at a reasonable hour. I explained this to the women and she was not being very helpful. "Listen," I told her, "I don't need you to do anything for me except to help me find a phone where I can call this bus company. I'll do it all myself, I just need a phone." Apparently those were the magic words. She agreed to take the phone number and try calling the bus company. She disappeared for about 5 minutes and then returned. Unfortunately it was after 6:00 and the offices were closed and not answering the phones. Good grief. Now what?

The next option was to sit and wait for another bus by the same company. But, again, knowing that it too could be full and who knows how long I would have to wait, I decided to try and get ask a driver from another bus company to take me back to Kuala Lumpur. By this time I was frustrated and slightly angry. I went from bus to bus and asked if they were headed to KL. No, no, no, no, no. They were each going to different locations. Finally I found a driver that was going to KL and his bus was nearly empty! Only about 7 seats looked occupied. I explained my situation and asked him if he would take me back to KL. He didn't speak English so he called over the attendant on his bus, a young woman and I told her what I needed and she translated to the driver. He looked at me and took a few deep breaths. He told me I'd have to pay. Knowing that the money I'd give him would go straight into his pocket, but not caring as I just wanted to get home I asked him how much. $30 the full price of a ticket. I looked and found that I only had 52 Malaysian Ringit, about $16. I offered it to him and he just looked at me. At that point I decided he didn't have a choice. He was going to take me home. :-) I put my bag in the luggage compartment boarded the bus and took a seat behind the other few passengers. I'd just see what would happen.

Not only did they take me back but they also served me dinner, as mine had been left on the first bus, and I was given a blanket and a pillow. I spent the next hours of the journey enjoying my book, my music and my thoughts. We stopped for a potty break and you can imagine my hesitancy to even leave the bus! But, I gathered my courage, RAN to the toilet and RAN back with plenty of time time to spare.

The last leg of the trip was super slow as it had begun to rain and then pour...harder and harder. It was hard to see further than a few feet in front of the bus, not that it mattered, there were so many other cars on the road we were moving at a snails pace. We finally made our way into the city and unloaded the bus. The driver, through his attendant, asked me for the money. I again told them I didn't have the full amount and they asked for what I did have. I told them I was happy to give them the money but asked where I could find an ATM so I could pull more money out and pay for a taxi ride home. The attendant told me there wasn't an ATM nearby so I told her I'd have to bring her the money the following day as I would have no money for a taxi if I gave it all to her now. She then confessed that there was an ATM nearby and showed me where I could find it. Why she didn't just give me that information the first time is beyond me. I gave her my money, pulled more out of the ATM flagged a taxi in the rain and finally made my way home.

Adventures are found in the most unusual places!

I'm off to Malaysia again for 10 days to work. This time, over the weekend, I'll be meeting up with my aunt and uncle to participate in a service project in the Cameroon highlands. I wonder what adventure will find me there.