Scavenger hunt and night safari: Our family experiences in Thailand
Coffee or not, yoga or not, first thing in the morning or not, the clues were not going to write themselves. We had a list of things to do in Chiang Mai with kids, but our first priorities were going to be all about our birthday girl.
We’ll also share some family experiences we took part in during our trip to Chiang Mai, along with suggestions on places to stay in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Scavenger hunt at our rental before a special adventure out
Normally I start the day with a few minutes of yoga, but this morning I hadn’t even gotten out the yoga mat. The kettle was building toward the gurgling climax of its song, but I’d be the only audience for the time being. Connor was still sound asleep in his bed. Aster was snuggled up with Jodie—and I knew that once they woke up, Jodie would do everything she could to keep Aster shut away behind the closed door of our bedroom.
So, in the quiet, calm light of the morning of Aster’s eighth birthday, I looked around about a hundred and twenty square feet of combined living room, kitchen, and entry way, and wondered where in the world I was going to hide the few small gifts we had gotten Aster.
The bathrooms? No. Too easy for that to get gross. Nor the bedrooms, since they were occupied. But as I sipped coffee and worked the problem, I began to find the little places. The nooks, perfect for clues and wee gifts: In a tabletop houseplant, inside a coffee table drawer, on a shoe rack in a cabinet, on the bottom kitchen shelf behind a potato, below some art supplies by the couch, and, for the finale, on the seat of the high chair we had set on the balcony so we could stop tripping over it.
“Coffee or not, yoga or not, first thing in the morning or not, the clues were not going to write themselves.”
Why scavenger hunts?
Scavenger hunts have become a little St. Clair family tradition over the years, especially on birthdays and Easter. Jodie takes care of getting the treats or presents. I write the clues and do the hiding.
Yet on this morning, with my clues all set and the gifts all hidden, it turned out I wasn’t the only one who was prepping a scavenger hunt.
Connor emerged from his and Aster’s room, and began hiding little slips of paper all over the front room too. Then he went back into his room, got onto his bed, and buried himself in pillows and blankets.
Once Jodie and the birthday girl emerged, Aster went to work on the clues her brother had laid for her. Finally, after zigzagging and crisscrossing the little living room, Aster made her way to the doorway of the room she and her brother were sharing in Chiang Mai.
Pillows launched upward. Blankets were blasted off to the sides. And Connor sprang up from the bed like a jack in the box, throwing his arms wide and shouting, “Happy birthday, sister!”
Night Safari
Straightaway, I’m going to acknowledge that animals events and experiences can be complicated and controversial. We didn’t go out to elephant experiences Thailand, for example, as we often encountered very mixed reviews about how the animals were treated.
We did, however, treat Aster to a birthday girl evening at the Chiang Mai Night Safari. Do we wonder ultimately how the animals are treated? Yep. Did we also give our daughter an amazing birthday evening, around animals? Also, yep.
The highlight of the evening was riding in open-air vehicles throughout the nature preserve area of the safari park. We watched for night predators, and spotted jaguars and tigers swimming. Aster especially marveled at the civets and warthogs. Two porcupines crossed in front of us.
But the best part? Giraffes came up to our vehicle, and lowered their heads enough for the kids to be able to touch them.
Back at the park, over peanut butter and jam buns, purple sweet potato buns, sticky rice, and pork skewers, we asked Aster how her birthday was going.
A birthday with animals? All worthwhile.
