Friday, February 1, 2013

where we stayed | an oasis in the dry . . .












we went in search of an authentic experience of thailand, and that was what we got. a taste of rural life in the isaan {north eastern} region of the country. an area virtually untouched by tourists. it was the height of the dry season and it had not rained since october. our villa sat as an oasis of luxury in a dry brittle landscape. 

for the first day or two we each struggled in our own way to adjust to the isolation. then slipped into an easy relaxed routine. delicious leisurely meals on the verandah. out and about exploring the local area. a massage on the pool deck. a trip to the local village in the tuk-tuk {our family wagon for the duration of the stay}. a swim in the pool. an afternoon nap or some thai cartoons. reading and resting. a whole lot of eating. 

our days centered around meal times. an endless stream of fresh local dishes delivered from the villa's open air kitchen. then magically cleared away and cleaned up afterwards. lively flavours enhanced by ingredients sourced from the property or purchased from the local markets. the food was an absolute highlight of the trip.

by the end of our stay there was a comfortable familiarity about the place and a real attachment the friendly people who took care of us. we could navigate our way around the network of dusty tracks connecting us to the local villages and communicate in a limited fashion with the smattering of thai we had picked up. it felt like a home away from home.

one day i'd like to return and experience it in the wet season. 

: : 

{we stayed at gecko villa ~ located in the rural area south of the city of udon thani in thailand.
this post is not sponsored in any way, but i'm happy to recommend this place for a truly unique holiday experience.}


14 comments:

  1. It looks like you had an incredible time. Your photos are so soft and light.

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  2. It looks and sounds incredible. You must feel so rested. I think I need a holiday like that.

    Gillian x

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  3. Beautiful photos, love the squidgy bottom pic, so very cute. x

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  4. Lovely photos. I love the yellow touches. x

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  5. Looks and sounds like a very tranquil stay. I find it so hard to 'wind down' so I know how you feel about those first couple of days! Though think I'd find it easier here!
    ! x

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  6. This sounds and looks amazing Rachel. I love the photo of the open air dish rack!

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  7. I didn't realise you were so close to Udon Thani - that landscape looks very familiar. What a magic holiday. Can't wait to hear all about it! xx

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  8. That villa looks so lovely! As for the food ... YUM. And did I read in a comment somewhere that you're pregnant?? If so ... congratulations! If not ... please excuse me. At my age my mind fails me often. Kellie xx

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  9. Wow. What an awesome cultural experience. Kids look like they loved it.
    I often wonder when we eat Thai food here in Aus.....is it fairly similar to real, authentic Thai food in Thailand? Because I love 'thai food' and would love to go there someday.....but was curious if the food was what we would expect?!
    xx

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  10. Oh this sounds amazing! (ps, visiting for the first time via Che + Fidel). I live in Jakarta, and am on the lookout for intersting trips in the region that are both family-friendly and low-key with a side of green lush nature. Going to bookmark this!
    Your images are captivating. I'm happy a stumbled across your blog! Lovely work.

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  11. Sounds like a fantastic holiday and certainly fantastic photos!

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  12. Sounds like an absolutely amazing holiday and a great experience for your children! I hope many happy memories where made and you do indeed get the opportunity to return in the wet season ... Ally

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  13. This looks amazing - we went to Thailand last year with the girls - wish we'd thought about an option like this. How did the children go with the food?

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  14. I want to go there now! Thank you for sharing this x

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