The Eagle Has Landed

"That was a really good hug."

After a ten day (yes, that's right, ten day) school trip to Chiang Mai, Thailand, Alexander is back to the great joy of his family (especially his sister). This is some of what he shared with us on the taxi ride home from the airport:

1) Thai food is good, but not as good when you have to make it yourself;
2) Spelling Alexander in sign language is not that hard;

3) Elephants are not as cuddly as you might think, actually they are quite leathery;

4) The real luxury about home is not having to prepare a bed and tent each night;
5) One can never pack enough cough strepsils or socks;
6) A head torch is fundamental. Extra batteries, even more so;
7) Organic farming, walking on stilts, water rafting and trekking with a GPS...all great. Caving (what with the spiders and all) not so much;
8) It's cold in them there mountains, "luckily I had that wooly handknit penguin hat you didn't want me to buy."
9) It's nice having a sister bake a 'welcome home' cake and keeping all Christmas activities on hold.
10) Shopping for souvenirs is fun. (I don't know how he found fuzzy sock slippers in a Thai night market, but the boy definitely knows me. I am typing this with a smile and very snug toes.)

"How do you say hi in Thai?"

"Now, let's see who's taller."

The Thai cook with his penguin hat on.