Ultimate Day of Luxury

December 28

Golden Triangle, Chang Rai, Thailand

We had such a pampered day today. The hotel is super luxurious. I slept in, or as they say in England, I had a lie-in. Read the paper in bed and nibbled on exotic fruit from the complementary fruit basket in the room. Got some sun by the pool. Lunched on yummy Thai food at the hotel buffet while sitting at a table with a view of the fabulous grounds.

The guys went for a game of squash while the girls took advantage of a complementary spa treatment. We had a coconut body scrub, neck/shoulder/back massage, and a soothing facial. Soft music was playing and we once again were overlooking the view. I'm afraid we both fell asleep for just a bit during our facials. 

We met up with the guys just as they were finishing some strawberry milkshakes. We all freshened up to get ready for the next item on our agenda: a sunset elephant trek.

At 4 pm a jeep took us to the elephant camp located on the hotel grounds. We rode atop two elephants along a path up a hill overlooking the rivers that mark the boundaries of Burma, Laos, and Thailand. Along the way, Ryan and Chris each got to lower down from the seat on the elephant's back and straddle the elephant's neck and "drive". 

We disembarked at a clearing where a platform was ready for us with canapés and drinks. Here we could watch the elephants wander around and forage in the brush while we also watched the sun set.

Time to climb back on the elephants to descend the hill but this time Lexi and I got a turn on the elephant's neck. It was actually a smoother ride on the neck than on the swaying back. 

We were taken to the elephant baby camp for our Dining by Design experience. A private table was set up for us on an elevated torch-lit platform. A multitude of candles were flickering. The table and chairs were dressed with zebra and giraffe prints. We were given sticks of sugar cane to feed the three cute baby elephants. Again we could watch them as they played in their enclosure and we dined on a feast. The cook grilled our meat and prepared our dinner just below us and our waiter would bring up each course to us in turn while also keeping our wine glasses filled.

To top it all off, we were given the large paper lanterns to light and set adrift just like on Christmas Eve. We were told to make a wish as we lifted up each lantern. Spending a day like this with family is the stuff that dreams are made of, what more could I wish for?