These bugs are a delicacy to Thais, so Muu and the guys hunt them not only to save money, but because they are a real treat. They wear "head lights" like miners, but without the helmet, to keep their hands free, as well as to attract the bugs. Then they snatch them up and put them in a two litter soda bottle which is slung over one shoulder.

Once we got thru immigration, we quickly located Tong and had the driver pull the van up to passenger loading area. Here, we reversed the drill from curbside LAX: Opened the boxes, and placed car seats and blankets into the van. We got out of the airport and stopped at the first gas station we saw and let the kids run around for twenty minutes; their first freedom in two days. Pure joy! The Dicky and Terry really took to Tong and Bing, respectively, and slept in their laps for the much of the trip. At dawn we pulled into a little "truck stop" with a 7-Eleven, Amazon Cafe, and some small shops. We hit the restrooms, and got some coffee, fresh fruit and groceries. These Amazon cafes have sprung up all over Thailand over the last several years — I hope they don't run out all of the mom and pop shops. Far and away the most important purchase was a SIM card, giving us a Thailand phone number and internet access. One of the really nice differences from the states is the ability to buy " pay as you go" phone and internet service without a plan. After this stop we drove a couple more hours and rolled into our front gate at 9:10 am — 39 hours door to door! Then we unpacked the van, and with all the endorphin energy we had we began to clean the house.