Mine and Jeremiah’s new – and lovely – friend Ying orchestrated this trip for both of us and our other friend Hannah. We visited a Karen (kuh-REN) village and some friends she hadn’t seen in 3 years. Just a 2 hour, 1.50 dollar bus ride out of Chiang Mai City and we were threaded out in traditional Karen clothing, sliding down a waterfall, singing under the night sky, and learning a new language. (My favorite part: our host’s Mom kept on referring to us as her children. Awww!!)

The landscapes: breathtaking. The people: so warm and welcoming. The rice whiskey: a’plenty.

All in all, a phenomenal way to celebrate life, new friends, and the boundless beauty and peace in Thailand.

No, this post is not about Jen. Though I’ve seen more of Jen sans pantalons than I’d like to admit.

Chances are, when you visit a traditional Vietnamese village, you will encounter the adorable, dirty, pantless village children on your journey. I used to have a tradition of sending my mom a postcard of such a scene, which I knew always made her inevitably cringe as she gazed upon their dust-smeared smiles. While in Sapa, we were not let down. Perhaps most importantly of all, I was very happy to find that they didn’t once approach us asking for money or candy but simply waved, grinned and yelled “HALLO!”

I’m glad to see the no-pants-dance is still going strong in Asian villages.