By now most of you have heard the tragic news about the tsunami in Southeast Asia. Originally we were a bit discouraged and sad that Thailand was so heavily affected. Our family and friends all asked the same question, "Are you still going?" Our answer is an emphatic "yes!".

Our tickets are nonrefundable, and we are determined to see this amazing country regardless of what natural disasters occur during the next few weeks. At this point, nothing short of a full-scale civil war would hold us back from making the journey. Besides, alot of people have suddenly changed their plans for Thailand (thanks to the tsunami), which means we will hopefully avoid crowds of tourists while we are there.

As of today we have recieved our vaccinations, confirmed our flights, and reserved a hotel at our first destination. Our itenerary reads something like this:

- leave the US on Wednesday, January 26th

- arrive in Bangkok around midnight on the 27th

- fly to Chiang Mai early the next morning and catch a songthaew to Chiang Dao, which is about an hour and a half northwest of Chiang Mai

After that it gets a little fuzzy. We are interested in climbing Doi Chiang Dao (a large mountain in the area), visiting a national park, visiting a little town called Pai, and then exploring Chiang Mai for a few days. In mid-February we hope to visit the temples at Sukothai as we make our way south to the Andaman Coast where we will finish our vacation on the beach. We have saved Bangkok for the last few days, which will be a great place for readjusting to the hustle and bustle of city life.

Of course, this itenerary is completely flexible. We have decided to keep our schedule loose enough in the event that we change our minds and decide to head off on some other whim.... Cambodia perhaps? Laos? Anywhere with a good beach and plenty of alcohol.