Tag: elephant

I never wanted to visit Thailand until we created a trip of a lifetime for 20 travelers. 

Thailand was never on the top of my list as a destination, mostly because I had no connection to it other than through its cuisine and I thought of it only as a tourist destination with humid beaches and crowded cities — neither of which are especially appealing to me. Of course, it’s much, much more than that, but — like with so many things in life — I couldn’t know that until I experience it myself; well, myself and two dozen fellow travelers. 

We chose Thailand as our next CPG Trip since our co-organizers live in Bangkok and know the city and country really, really well. As a result, they created an incredible itinerary for this once-in-a-lifetime holiday. 22 people signed up to join us in Thailand, and it was as beautiful a trip as could be. I’m in the middle of writing the next Food for Thought podcast episode on our trip and will also be producing separate episodes on pressing animal issues and what it means to travel ethically. This small compilation of photos tells some of the story of our journey and the special people who have returned home with unforgettable memories and life-long friendships. 

In this photo album, you’ll see 

*canal boat rides in Bangkok
*visits to local markets
*communal meals of delicious cuisine
*interactive cooking class
*breathtaking scenery
*stellar accommodations
*cycling through Chiang Mai and its temples and rice paddies
*tubing on the Sok River to arrive at our jungle house
*staying at our jungle house
*canoeing down the river
*visiting the rescued residents at Phuket Elephant Sanctuary and supporting their important work
*visiting the dogs (and cats!) at Soi Dog Foundation
*learning about the work of (and supporting) the Gibbon Project to rehabilitate and rescue gibbons (listen to their amazing vocalizations!)
*our final day on a chartered catamaran (we don’t mess around)
*and most importantly: joyous faces and deepening friendships

That’s pretty much what we set out to accomplish, and I dare say we did it. I told the group that I feel like a proud momma watching everyone bond and laugh and cry and teach and learn and just be. That’s my intention for our next journey with CPG Trips: to celebrate the work being done to save and protect animals, to experience an abundance of the local vegan cuisine, to revel in nature, to be immersed in a new culture, and to create a safe space for like-minded travelers to experience the joy of reflecting their deepest values in the most abundant, meaningful, compassionate, and enriching way possible. 

Enjoy sharing our trip to Thailand with us, and I hope you can join us for Vegan Vietnam! 

[Tweet “Compassionate Travel is all about making choices that cause as little harm as possible.”]