Day 8 Rain forest/Tree Tops

The group left Samui today early in the morning to begin our rain forest adventure. We took a ferry boat ride for about an hour to meet the vans that planned to take us to the Tree Tops Resort. After a few hours in the van we arrived at our destination. After getting our rooms and unpacking we left to go feed monkeys at a local temple. When we arrived the local people gave us bananas and peanuts and called the monkeys down from the trees so that we could interact with them. Some of us even got to hold a pet monkey that happened to be nearby with its owner. After we fed the monkeys, we traveled to a local high ropes/zip line course. The zip line course was very challenging and fun, and we only had one minor injury from the experience. After the zip line course we returned to the hotel for dinner, which was very similar to the lunch we had eaten, and then went to sleep.

Day 7 Samui

This was the first day that we were able to wake up after 8 a.m. and relax before any scheduled activities began at noon. The group rendezvoused shortly after to travel to a local waterfall and scenic viewing destination. Although the waterfall was significantly smaller compared to previous years according to Dr. Duke, it was still a very impressive spectacle to witness. We followed this event by visiting the local mall and "Wal-Mart" type of store called Tesco. We shopped for an hour or so to gather the supplies we would need to survive in the 4 day rain forest adventure that laid in store for us beginning the following day. After we were stocked up on supplies, we went out to a gourmet pizza dinner at a local restaurant called "Rice". The previous day's activities at the Miley Koh Ang Thong National Park quickly caught up with the group and several members went to bed early to prepare for a long van ride to the rain forest that awaited them in the morning.

Day 6 Samui

The group woke up early to depart from the hotel for a fun-filled day at Miley Koh Ang Thong National Park. We began our adventure with an hour long boat ride from Samui to the national park. When we arrived we immediately were assigned three person kayaks called Triyaks for a sea kayaking expedition. This event took approximately half an hour, after which students had a choice to relax on the beach and tour the beautiful national park, or take a 500 meter hike to 4 different scenic viewpoints on one of the park's highest peaks. The hike was one of the most physically trying experiences for many of us, but we were eventually able to reach the top and enjoy the spectacular views. After our hike, we got back on the boat to travel to another small island only a short distance away to see the famous Miley Koh Ang Thong Lagoon. After taking many pictures and experiencing the hikes to the new scenic viewpoints, we returned back to the boat for an hour and a half trip back to Samui. After arriving back in Samui the group got changed and went to dinner at a local European restaurant, and soon after traveled to one of the islands most renowned attractions, Bar Ice Samui. It is the world's first tropical island 7 themed ice bar that holds a constant temperature of -7 degrees Celsius. After visiting this extremely unique attraction, we returned to the hotel for the night.

Day 5 Samui

We woke up early on day 5 to catch an early flight to the island of Samui. After only a short 1 hour flight we arrived to our gorgeous destination. After our extremely busy schedule in Tokyo and busy flight schedules, the group was able to relax on the beach at our resort hotel before going to a delicious seafood dinner. The dinner was incredible and consisted of a large variety of local seafood choices, it was any seafood lover's dream meal. After dinner we went to the beach to partake in a Thailand lantern lighting ceremony. Each room was provided with a local lantern, and was told to light the lantern and hold it until the hot gasses caused it to rise in the air. We were instructed to make a wish before the lantern began to rise, and if the lantern rose past the coconut tree line our wishes would come true. This was quite a spectacle to witness and a fun activity for all of us to experience. After the lantern ceremony, we traveled to an extravagant restaurant named "The Cliff" for some after dinner sangria and to witness the spectacular views of the island. Afterward, the group ventured out to experience some of the local nightlife and socialize with one another.

Day 4 Tokyo/Bangkok

Our last day in Tokyo! The group began the day with a choice to visit the famous Tokyo Zoo or travel to the electronic district of Tokyo to visit stores and eat at one of the extremely unique electronic cafes. The Tokyo Zoo was quite an experience for everyone. As we arrived at the gate, we witnessed a large group of 6 year old Japenese children that were on their way into the park which the group instantly fell in love with. Some group members even have more pictures of the children than of the animals in the zoo. The animals were extremely lively and interacting for the duration of our visit, and we were able to see several exhibits that were very different than traditional United State Zoo exhibits. After the zoo we stopped by a local shrine to take pictures, and soon after traveled around this city sector to local specticals. One of the highlights of the day was visiting a very traditional food market that contained some interesting items that, to say the least, would not be found in our local grocery stores such as chicken feet, pig ears, and live frogs. After touring the city for a couple of hours, it was time to say goodbye to our local friends and leave for Thailand. After a 6 hour flight we arrived in Thailand and traveled in vans to the hotel. Soon after arriving, we got fitted for our custom made suits that are currently being made for us by a local tailor. We were able to choose a suit, two shirts, a tie, and an optional vest. After being fitted, the group immediately went to sleep to get some rest before an early flight to the island of Samui in the morning.



(PICTURES TO BE ADDED SOON)

Day 3 Tokyo

On our third day in Tokyo the group was instructed to dress in western cowboy attire to draw attention to the group, which it definitely did. We became local celebrities everywhere that we visited. On this day we traveled to a different sector of the city to visit the famous temples and shrines that resided there. Before visiting the temples the group traveled through the very busy alleyways that were full of a variety of different stores and vendors. We stopped at a famous crepe shop to enjoy some of the best desserts that Tokyo has to offer. The shop had a wide variety of choices that ranged anywhere from mixed fruit creme crepes to chocolate carmel cheesecake crepes. After our delicious treats we headed off to the famous temples with our local friends. The temple was quite a site to behold, words cannot describe the spectacular details that were instilled into such a well respected landmark. Our group was also lucky enough to witness traditional Japanese wedding that was taking place at the time of our visit which was quite an experience for everyone. After visiting the temples, we divided into smaller groups and were assigned a local friend to take us around the city to get lunch and visit various stores and landmarks. These stores included 5 story electronic stores, clothing stores, and souvenier shops. After several hours on the town, the groups rejoined and we went to a famous arabian themed restaurant for dinner called Arabian Rock. The food was absolutely incredible and very out of the ordinary, many of the students were able to try dishes that were very new to them. After dinner many of our local friends that were with us for the day brought us to an English Pub where we socialized for a couple hours before returning to the hotel.

Day 2 Tokyo

After a night on the town in Tokyo, we woke up early to discuss the days activities at Tokyo Disney. The group was given a choice to visit Tokyo Disneyland, which is very similar to the Magic Kingdom of Orlando Florida, or to visit Disney Sea which is a park that is influenced by many of Disney's sea movies and is the only one of its kind. As we entered the Disney Sea Park we encountered one of the most amazing parades any of us had ever seen. It was Disney's Spring Celebration event, and they truly knew how to make it a magical experience for all. The parade stretched around a large body of water in the center of the park, and had hundreds of parade participants to entertain the thousands of people in the surrounding crowd. After spending several hours at Tokyo Disney, the group traveled to a fancy authentic Japanese restaurant for dinner. The restaurant allowed us to cook our own meals with personal grills that were embedded into the tables. We had several different types of meats and sauces to choose from, many of which we had never tried before. After our gourmet dinner, we traveled to the famous Tokyo Tower which is an extremely famous Japanese landmark that resembles the Eiffel Tower. We were able to travel to the observation deck which stands at 150 meters (492 ft.) to take pictures and witness the spectacular views of the city. Shortly after our Tokyo Tower visit we returned to the hotel to prepare for the following day.