Family in Europe goes to Thailand!

Countdown to big trip begins.

Our family of four is excited for our next adventure to a new continent. Our kids have grown (ages 9 & 11) and have many travel opinions of their own. We picked Thailand for many reasons.

• It's known as "The Land of Smiles".

• The food is amazing!

• We have researched a broad range activities ranging from historical and religious sites to zip-lining and waterparks.

• Once we take the ridiculously long flight there, it will be affordable. Even the massages. Yes!

• Thailand seems to have a good tourist infrastructure that is calling us!

• Quite simply, Thailand has been on my list for years.

So what are we going to do there?

Here's a quick glimpse at our itinerary:

Days 1-7 - Bangkok. Explore the city's many wats, markets, neighborhoods, a couple of museums, and a few recommended kid-friendly attractions. I have two friends who live in Bangkok so I hope to reconnect.

Days 7-10 -Chiang Dao. We will fly to Chiang Mai and make our way an hour north to the small village of Chiang Mai. There we will escape the city and have a totally different experience staying in our own bungalow near one of Thailand's largest mountains.

Days 10-16 - Chiang Mai. I am most excited for this part of the trip! While in Chiang Mai, we will spend a day at Elephant Nature Park, zip-lining amongst the gibbons, and taking a all-day cooking course, and staying within the old city. I have read many great things about the vibe of this town!

Days 16-19 - Sukhothai. We will take a bus 6-7 hours south to this small historic town to see the ruins of old Thailand.

Days 19-21 - Ayuthaya. Again, we will bus or train another 5-6 hours to another historic town not far from Bangkok. We are staying at an inn surrounded by a moat!

Days 21-27 - Hua Hin. We will travel another 3-4 hours south to this beach town where we will take a vacation from our vacation.

Days 27-28 - Bangkok. One last hurrah in Bangkok before flying home.

It has been particularly fun researching hotels, guest houses and airbnb options for this trip. The prices are so affordable compared to our trips to Europe. I am excited to stay in two bedroom apartments where we will have room to spread out. We are not luxury travelers and have selected accommodations that fall between $50-100 USD per night. All places have AC, private bathrooms, wifi, and most have swimming pools.

My biggest worries about this trip:

• The heat. Hands down, this worries me the most. We are from Oregon and needless to say, Thailand's sticky, hot, and humid temperatures will be shocking. I hope we adjust to this with minimal whining.

• Staying healthy. We visited a local travel doctor where we made sure we were up to date with vaccines. I still worry about mosquitos, tummy bugs, mean feral dogs, and staying hydrated. I am packing more healthcare supplies than usual.

• As always, I worry about my family having fun. We are travelling at a fairly slow pace on this trip with long stays in several locations. I just hope we find activities for everyone. After a busy school year, I most look forward to whisking my family away where we can have quality time together.

Stay tuned as we bring the blog back to life and go on another adventure. We are very excited!