I greatly appreciated the varied pace, alternating between hotel nights and stays with local families, the different modes of transportation, the authentic food, the journey from city to countryside via the plateau grasslands and the forest, the opportunity to interact with and share the daily lives of the locals without feeling too much like a “tourist,” the leisurely strolls alongside the serene elephants, and the walks through temples filled with imaginative scenes of daily life, and through pagodas conducive to introspection.

The kindness, courage, humility, and genuine smiles of all these people, whether I met them closely or from afar, touched me deeply. Thank you for choosing such wonderful people, Proen and Bun Choan, to accompany us. I hope to have the opportunity to travel with you again.