Family adventure in Thailand | Gillian Lamb

There’s no better way to educate our children about the big wide world than showing it to them – firsthand.  Let them see the sites with their own eyes, fill their nostrils with wonderful aromas (most of the time!) and taste traditional cuisine cooked by the local people. So that’s just what Rickshaw Rambler Gillian did, she whisked her family of four off on a special family trip to Thailand. Here Gillian shares the highlights of their trip…

Backpacks on, Bangkok here we come

“With our 14 and 12 year old sons in tow and rucksacks on our backs, we began our Thailand family adventure. Bangkok did not fail to disappoint and was all we expected it to be and more. However the trip just went from strength to strength and our experiences beyond Bangkok were amazing. At times I had to pinch myself to remind myself that I was actually there and living these unbelievably special moments.”

In awe on the River Kwai

“The Railway market at Maeklong Station is a must to see – the stall holders literally drag their products back off the railway line to let the train through then return them once it has passed! Physically seeing and being on parts of the Railway on the River Kwai which the POW’s built during the war was very poignant and really brought home the reality of their experiences. However, the floating rafts on the river which were our home for one night were fantastic. We all loved jumping into and floating down the river trying to catch hold of the ladder on our own raft to climb out of the water – that was easier said than done and caused great hilarity! Due to the fact there is no electricity on the rafts, the atmosphere at night with everything lit by oil burning lamps was very special.”

Making new friends – with trunks

“Chiang Mai is a beautiful city; smaller than Bangkok and easier to get around but the highlight of our time in that area was the visit to the Elephant Park where we were educated by the Mahouts about how to look after and control your elephant. Washing them in the river at the end of the day was an absolute joy and I have a new found respect for these massive beautiful creatures.”

Ethical Elephant Experiences

At Rickshaw we’ve been making some changes to our wildlife trips to ensure we’re putting animal welfare first – starting with our elephant experiences. Since Gillian and her family visited Chiang Mai we have removed all trips that included riding elephants, instead we’re giving our travellers the chance to help look after and bathe these magnificent creatures instead – read all about our ethical elephant journey.

It’s a hoot on the Night Train

“You just have to experience the Night Train! I think our younger son would have happily just spent his time travelling around on them; great fun and a great way to cover longer distances.”

A spot of Island hopping

“The Islands of Koh Phangan and Koh Samui are stunning and showed us a totally different side of Thailand. Koh Phangan was our favourite and it was so quiet while we were there too – it really felt as though we were in paradise and having warm sea to swim in was a real added bonus. The Thai people were so friendly and so helpful – they genuinely could not do enough for us. Andrew was a real hit which we think might have had something to do with his ginger hair!”

Tantalising our tastebuds

“All that is left for me to say (well actually there is a lot more I could say, but you would be here a long time reading it!) is about the food! We ate the most amazing, beautifully cooked food every day; Asian food in the UK will never live up to the amazing meals we experienced.”