As we learned more about the elephants we'd ridden, we learned the meanings behind Boon Mar and Thong Kom. Good Luck and Gold. We also learned the two elephants were the best of friends. They got noticeably excited in each others presence and slept side by side every night.

For our last day in The Golden Triangle, we had a packed day of activities. We had breakfast with the elephants as we did every morning. It was such a fun and rewarding way to start the day. It was super rainy in the am, the rainiest day we have had in Thailand. But we had plans to do a hike to nearby foothills to experience local hill tribes and beautiful views of the GT. It was pouring rain as we ascended and quite difficult given the path was a dirt road which had turned to mud at this point. T gave us traditional straw bamboo hats to wear and we both looked so ridiculous in the hats and rain parkas. By the time we got to the top the rain had stopped and sun came out and Rick still continued to wear the ridiculous hat which cracked me up to no end. Along our way we climbed through many hillside villages and it was really eye opening to see how simply and traditionally these people live. All of the houses we're built of bamboo and on stilts. Many homes supply their own food and chickens and pigs were running around and Papaya, mango, and pomelo trees planted everywhere. Many of the villages had "spirit gates" which were essentially a symbol they'd built with bamboo or other materials to ward off evil spirits. They made life just seem simpler. At the top of the mountain we saw beautiful views of Burma, Laos, and Thailand. Well worth the 90 minute trek.

Next we stopped by the elephant camp to visit Lucky, the baby one year old elephant. Baby elephants stay with their moms until they're 2 to nurse and i guess "learn the ropes". When we got there Lucky was snoozing away but woke up soon after for Rick and I to feed him. Lucky was a cute little guy and it was amazing to see how small he looked next to his mommy. I was also surprised to see that his mother wasn't super overprotective when we were feeding and petting Lucky. I guess she must be used to all the fanfare by now.

In the afternoon we were scheduled for a 2 hour massage. We've been quite spoiled on this trip with massages, but we are in the place where Thai massage was born so "when in Rome!" It was an al fresco massage in what felt like a tree house in the jungle and was totally relaxing and amazing. Unfortunately my brain has started seeping back into work mode and I spent the majority of the 2 hrs thinking of everything I have to do when I get back. Type A+ can be quite a cross to bear sometimes!

The beauty of this latest leg of the trip is that the resort had really let us build our itinerary and adventure. Rick and I loved being on the long tail boat on he Ruak and Mekong rivers. So for our last night we were able to take a long tail sunset boat cruise on the river. When we got down to the dock we saw they had put blankets on the boat, a bottle of the Chardonnay we'd been drinking at dinner each night, and our favorite canapes - cheese, seafood, and spicy appetizers. We cruised along the Ruak river which was smooth as glass, winding through the beauty of three countries, surrounded by the greenest and most unbelievably breathtaking scenery. After cruising for a bit we noticed a rain storm off in the distance. To our right, bright blue skies with the sun slowly dipping into the horizon. To the left, some seriously ominous but beautiful clouds no doubt carrying with them some serious rain. It was the most beautiful 360 degree, contradicting views I've ever seen. We noticed the rain clouds moving closer and our guide suggested we start heading back. At that point to our left slowly forming and becoming stronger was the most perfect rainbow. A full rainbow. And beside it, another rainbow started to take shape. Side by side. I don't know if I'll ever see anything like that again but it felt like such a special moment. As we were taking it all in, the rain started to come in hot! Next thing we knew we were in a full fledge downpour on our romantic sunset cruise. But the experience was so special and once in a lifetime that we both just started hysterical laughing as the guide took us back to the dock. We were both soaked, my hair a disaster (though I've had trump hair much of this vaca, the humidity has not been kind to my tendrils), but it was one of the highlights of the trip. My favorite and most memorable night.

When I think about this amazing vacation I genuinely feel like it has blessed our marriage. Everywhere we've traveled has shared with us good luck, health, fortune, and a long life together. In blessing, we had our shared wish in the 108 bowls at the Temple of Dawn and the monks blessing we received at the temple in the Golden Triangle. In friends, we had our amazing elephants Boon Mar and Thong Kam - Good Luck and Gold, and most importantly best friends. We met friends like Susie, Jaruwan, and T who delivered home to us halfway across the world. In symbolism, we banged the gong at our arrival in Samui and Chiang Rai to symbolize our wish for health, wealth, and long life. We met Lucky our baby elephant friend. And I know those side by side rainbows last night were something special.

Not that Rick and I need it. We are lucky to have found one another. I feel so blessed to have shared, lived, laughed, and loved through this experience with him. I am a very proud wife. And Thailand delivered us a magical experience that was so meaningful at this special time in our lives. One we'll never forget.