North East and into the hot dustbowl which is know as rice country.We started with a request to visit the local temple school of Ra Si Salai to entertain the infants looked after there. Next to the welfare, senior school for teenage boys who were amazing and picked up everything so quickly. Then to the village of Nang Rong to teach the girls and they took us out for a lovely dinner to say thank you.

On to Buriram and the Tree of Life orphanage school set up with help from the local football team. Back to Khorat’s welfare school who have no sponsors or private donors and really need your help! Amazing to see the difference help from the international community can make.

Back on the train through the dusty, dry landscape in to Khon Kaen. Baan Kaenthong’s junior orphanage for girls loving their time out from lessons as a special treat. Baan Luk Rak set up by P Noi just a caring individual giving up their time for the children who have no one else.

Up to the border town of Nong Khai and we were lucky enough to be invited by the Thai Children’s Trust and sponsored by Travel Kandi in the UK to visit and entertain our largest group yet of 160 children at Sarnelli House. We nearly ran out of balloons! Next on to SOS village Nong Khai, they are at this point becoming some of my favourite orphanages.

We met a girl who worked for Interplast, a great organisation, treating children for burns in hospitals around the world. They invited us to Vientiane as it is only half an hour away. I just happened to need to do a visa run so why not tie it in. Also there is an SOS village in Vientiane, so off to Laos we went. SOS in Laos aren’t so great with responding so we thought we would just show up and sure enough the teacher and kids were more than happy to ditch their after school chores and have some circus fun instead. Next day we made our visit to Mahasot Hospital to cheer up the children with balloons.

Back in Thailand and over to Bethany House in the tiny village of Wang Saphung, with their dwindling donations, they care for the remaining 15 children who remain in the orphanage.  Next, we must thank Yo from Sri Thong Resort, who generously drove us two hours over the mountains to reach Baan Meatha after we realized there was no local transport!  Last stop was Saeng Sawan, another government orphanage taking care of approximately 30 children.