Thailand

Or, a tale of caution/why you need to start buying travel insurance

I have started working as a travel agent on the side. It isn't full time, but I have so much knowledge and experience, that I found myself constantly helping friends and family with their travel bookings and finally thought, "Hey! Maybe I should be getting paid!"

What's great about having a travel agent is that you don't pay them! You get all of their perks, and pay them $0. For example, if you book a cruise, the price may be $2000. If I, as a travel agent, book that exact same cruise for you, your price is still $2000. The only difference is that the cruise line will cut me a check for a VERY small percentage of that sale, and you are eligible for free perks, like room upgrades, champagne upon arrival, etc. So, I highly recommend that anyone and everyone book travel through an agent, because it does not cost you a penny more, and you have access to freebies!

All of that is said to preface my purpose behind this trip; work. I was approached by a company called "Trails of Indochina," about doing a FAM trip. "FAM" trips are offered to travel agents at for a very low cost. This allows the agents to experience the locations and theoretically, convince their clients to go on the same trips, for full price. It's a really brilliant program because it's so much easier to sell clients on places that you have personally been. Plus, is a really great perk for the agents!

My trip was supposed to begin in Chiang Rai, Thailand, where I would be staying at the Anantara elephant resort for 3 days. I would then board a Heritage Line Cruise in Laos (right across the river from the resort) and travel down the Mekong River, stopping at various villages along the way. I was SO excited to be able to experience real culture. We would be stopping in villages almost inaccessible, meeting locals, eating homemade food, learning their crafts and witnessing their religious rituals...

After landing in Chaing Rai, we were met with an English-speaking driver who would take us to the resort, about an hour away. The entire way, he was asking us about whether we would eat bugs, snakes, wjhat kind of animals would lurk into our homes back in America... I began to regret agreeing to come. I started thinking that our "resort" might be more like some kind of hellscape, with nets instead of doors, and giant jungle bugs creeping under the covers, while tigers growled outside...

We finally pulled up to the front gates of the resort, complete with intricate elephant statues, well-groomed greenery, and when our car reached the grand entrance, we were met with a personal drum welcome. We were then ushered through the fron entrance, into the grand foyer where we were met with homemade pineapple tea cakes and refreshing sprtizers. This was "check-in," undoubtedly the best and most relaxing one I've ever experienced, definitely beating standing in long lines.

After checking in, we were escorted to our room, which was absolutely incredible. I have been blessed to stay in some of the nicest, more ecpensive hotels in the world, and this room has to be my most favorite of all. In addition to a double balcony with sweeping views down to the Mekong, it had a king size bed, adorned with welcome written in palm leaves, a full couch, an enormous walk-in shower, bathrub as big as a swimming pool, a personalized cocktail cart already set up with welcome drinks, a tiny play tent for our boys, and an elephant cookie decoration set up for the boys. No detail was overlooked.

Even looking at these photos make my heart sing. If you ever, EVER get the opportunity to stay at the Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Resort, taken it. I desperatley want to go back.

Life was good, y'all. We decided to go down to one of the restaurants for lunch, and booked a babysitter for that afternoon, so Ian and I could do the resort's "Walk with Giants" experience, where we would get to meet rescued elephants and learn about their daily lives, without having to chase a 2 and 5 year old around. Ian and I went back and forth on whether we should bring the kids but he finally succumbed to my requests to leave them in the room (with a babysitter provided by the resort). We put on our required tour outfits (denim and denim, also provded by the resort) and headed down to meet the elephants.

The elephants and their handlers (mahoots) have various backgrounds. To a mahoot, an elephant is their closest accokmplic e. Many of the mahoots are the same ago as the elephants. They would grow up together. One of the elephants that we met was working on the streets in bangkok, giving flowers to tourists and performing tricks for money. She was hit by a car, and her mahoot knew that she derserveda better life. He brought her to the Anantara Elephant Resort and asked for help. In turn, the resort provided medical care for the elepahnt, housing and food for the mahoot as well. If you were to separate a mahoot from their elephants, it would be like losing a family member. So, the resort pays to take care of the elephants and their mahoots, and sometimes even the mahoot's families. It a really incredible program.

Tao, one of the veterinareans at the resort, was our guide. We drove a short distance to meet two female elephants. It felt like a scene from jurrasic park, walking right up to these maginificebngiants.The elephants were just strolling along the muddy roads for their afternoon walk, stopping only to eat bamboo along the way, along with various other plants. They didn't seem to worry too much about us being there. Tao and the mahoots encouraged us to get close, but it's pretty scary being that close to n animal that could so easily cruch me. I definetely made the right decision by not brining the kids. Tristan would have fallen off a muddy cliff within the first 3 minutes.

Obviously, meeting and touching elephants was magnificent, and a huge CHECK off of my shit that would be cool to do before I die list.

The following day, Ian had a market visit and cooking class, which was on-site at the resort. The plan was for me to take the kids to the pool while he had his class. Then, we'd swap and I'd head to the spa for a massage. After the massage, we'd have a babysitter watch the kids awhile we did the canopy dining experience.

I was jealous that I couldn't go to the market, but since Ian used to be a chef, any market, anywhere in the world is his favorite place to be, and I wanted him to have that experience. The boys and I, slathered in sunscreen, spent a couple hours by the pool, until Ian returned. He had just run into someone at the front, saying that the elephants were super close, and it would be the perfect time if we wanted the kids to do a quick mkeet. I would feel like a super shitty person if the boys didn't evenb get to see an elephant, so I quickly grabbed, Tristan, Ian picked up Winston, and we rushed from the pool to the front of the resort. I turned the corner, and my ankle had other ideas.

I shoved Tristan toward Ian as I fell into the ornamental rocks. Ian didn't even notice until he felt Tristan against his leg. No one was around to see me fall, but I bet there is a mortifying security video somewhere. I went down, and I knew that I could not get up. Ian offered me his hand and I smiled and said, "No. I need medical help." A staff member walked out and offered to help, but I said that there was no point. I could not get up. They immediately sent for a nurse and brought over a pillow for my head. Within a matter of minutes, I was swarmed by staff. They were able to lift me into a wheelchair and I finagled my way into one of their large passenger vans. Ian and the boys stayed behind as the driver and nurse took me to the nearest hospital.

When we arrived, I was immediately seen. There were no lines and there was no wait. The doctor said I would need an X-ray. I assumed that would take time, but they wheeled me straight from her office to get the X-rays, and immediately back to her office. She told me that I would need emergency surgery.

That's when I started crying. I had never had surgery before. I had never even broken a bone! I had lots of questions, but the doctor told me that I would have to be transferred to the larger hospital because theirs did not have an orthopedic surgeon. Of course I ended up in some hospital for farmers in the middle of nowhere. At this point, I envision them carting me off in a wheelbarrow to the nearest bone doctor, only to use a rusty chainsaw to cut me open... I was going to die in Thailand.

To be continued...

#medical #travel #insurance #thailand #chaingrai #fora #antm