Run for the Orphans

Itinerary

Itinerary – Run for the Children

Day 1 (Tuesday):
Relax and prepare for a world-class trip on Singapore Airlines. Prior to your departure, you will have received your pre-departure packet, which will include your Rustic T-shirts, airline tickets, and important contact information.

Once you arrive at your international departure city, our Flight Liaison will help you get checked in to your international flight. Working with our Flight Liaison will be your Flight Leader, who will escort you all the way to Thailand! Our Flight Leaders are most often school teachers or good friends of our organization who happily fill this role for us each year. Once you’re checked in, feel free to relax and get acquainted with your new friends before boarding your flight to Thailand!

Day 2 (Wednesday):
Today is lost as you cross the international dateline. Fear not – you will get this time back on your way home.

Day 3 (Thursday)
Sawat dee, and welcome to Thailand! Upon your arrival into one of the world’s most modern airports, you will immediately get the feeling that you have arrived in a place that is far different from the United States. Thailand is known as one of the most welcoming countries in the world and is affectionately nicknamed the ‘Land of Smiles.’

As you exit the arrival hall with your friendly flight leader, you will meet our team of staff. They have been anxiously awaiting your arrival and will lead you up to the fourth floor of the airport, where you’ll have a relatively quiet place to unwind and meet new friends who have arrived on different flights or are connecting from different programs.

We’ll have ample space for you to relax, as well as a nice assortment of food and refreshments for you to enjoy. This may be your first chance to have truly authentic pad-Thai (you’ll like it, trust us) or one of the other traditional dishes (including vegetarian options) we have to offer. You can also expect to try a few delicious Thai fruits that you’ve probably never seen before but that you may quickly grow to love.

In the mid-afternoon, you’ll hop on a quick, one-hour flight up to Chiang Mai, where you’ll stay tonight. You will drop off your baggage at one of our Chiang Mai Base Houses before heading out for a foot massage and a nice dinner. Then return to the Base House for a good night’s rest.

Day 4 (Friday):
You will wake up early this morning for the scenic mountain drive to Mae Sariang. After stopping along the way for lunch and plenty of photo opportunities, you will arrive at the Hill Tribe Orphanage, located just outside of Mae Sariang. Once you arrive you will have time to unpack and meet the students Rustic Pathways supports, as well as the other Rustic students staying at the Orphanage this week.

After settling in, strap on your shoes for a light run – you don’t want to push yourself too much this close to the race! This short run through the rice fields will get you used to the climate and the terrain. In the evening, you will help prepare the Orphanage for the many visitors who will come on race day! This means helping out in the kitchen and preparing the grounds for the big day.

Day 5 (Saturday):
Wake up with a light run to keep your legs loose and your mind focused on the big race! After returning to the Orphanage, power up with a delicious breakfast. Our cook, Sun, used to work at the big five-star hotel in Chiang Rai, and his food is simply delicious. Whether it’s a hearty Western-style breakfast of eggs and toast you are after or a more traditional Thai breakfast, we’ll be sure to fill you up with the energy you need.

There will be a lot of work to do to prepare for the big day, and you can help with any number of projects – prep food in the kitchen for the 1,000 visitors we expect for breakfast on Sunday, build the stage where the awards ceremony will take place, help organize final details like numbers and registration, or mark the course so no one gets lost!

You will have a huge pasta and pad-Thai dinner tonight so you can carbo-load all you need.  Fill up on delicious local fruits and vegetables, garlic bread, and the all the traditional pre-marathon fare. Then it will be early to bed – the race will start first thing in the morning!

Day 6 (Sunday):
You’ll wake up in the pre-dawn hours to a flurry of activity at the Orphanage! Grab a slice of toast or quick bowl of cereal, and then take the van to the starting line. The cool morning air will help you early in the race, and cyclists with flashlights will accompany the marathon and half-marathon runners to ensure they have visibility even if a streetlight is broken.

The course will begin in the heart of Mae Sariang, but it is just a few miles until you will traverse through rice fields and farms. This is the heart of Northern Thailand.  Local residents will be out to cheer you on, and food and drinks will be available every two miles at aid stations.  Thousands of people will participate in the day’s activities – it is truly a community event here in Mae Sariang. The race will finish at the Orphanage, where hundreds of people will have gathered for a huge party and to help cheer the runners on to the finish line.

Spend the afternoon with local residents celebrating your success! There will be plenty of Thai food (and trust us, you will be hungry!), Thai dancing (you can take a lesson if you have the energy!), Thai massage (your body will thank you!), elephant rides, and music!

Day 7 (Monday):
Today will offer a chance to recuperate from yesterday’s big event. Some students may want to take a relaxed recovery run, while others may opt to rest. No worries, we can accommodate everyone’s running schedule.

There will be a lot of options on this day, depending on how you feel. If you need a day to rest in the hammock, that’s not a problem – the view from the porch of the Orphanage is fantastic. You can watch the light change over the mountains and the shifting reflections on the rice fields. If you are feeling more energetic, you can accompany the other Orphanage students to the local vocational high school to teach English. In return, the students will teach you Thai-style cooking. It’s a fun cultural exchange and sure to be a memorable day.

Day 8 (Tuesday):
This morning will start with a run and breakfast. By now, you will know your way around and be able to choose from flat courses through the rice fields or a hillier course through the base of the mountains. It’s up to you!

In the afternoon you will head to a Karen village not far from the Orphanage. Here, you will have a huge traditional meal in a local family’s home. You’ll eat family-style on a mat on the ground for a true taste of traditional Karen life. From vegetarian morning glory to spicy basil chicken, huge bowls of steaming rice, and delicious fruits you have never heard of, you will want to come hungry to this unforgettable feast!  After lunch, your Karen hosts will teach you to weave traditional cloth, fish with nets, and say a few Karen words you can use with the Orphanage residents. The Thai Karen have been allowed to live quietly in the mountains, and their traditions have survived hundreds of years. Across the border in Burma, however, the Karen are not permitted to maintain their peaceful existence.

Day 9 (Wednesday):
You will have a couple of different options this morning—you can accompany the Hill Tribe Orphanage students on a community service project at the local sports club or you can take your last long scenic run. Choose wisely because you will leave Mae Sariang for Chiang Mai in the afternoon.

The scenic drive back to Chiang Mai will take you through one of Thailand’s most beautiful regions. When you arrive, you will have a chance to check out what has been called one of Southeast Asia’s most livable cities. You will find out why as you sample incredible food, listen to local music, and shop to your heart’s content – this is destined to be a great night! The Chiang Mai Night Bazaar is famous throughout Southeast Asia. If you can’t find what you need here, it probably doesn’t exist in Thailand!  Silk scarves, beautiful teak carvings, funny T-shirts, and delicious snacks will all tempt your pocketbook!

You will spend the night at the Rustic Pathways Base House with students from other trips. You can swap stories and show off the great treasures you found in the maze of the Night Bazaar. You will want to make sure everything is packed up tonight, as you will leave early tomorrow morning for Bangkok.

Day 10 (Thursday):
You will depart Chiang Mai for Bangkok in the morning. If you are continuing on to another Rustic Pathways program, you will meet with your new group today. If you are heading back to the United States today, you will catch the escorted group flight home. Wherever you are headed, you will carry the memory of race day in the hills of Northern Thailand with you forever.

An Important Note about Schedule Changes:
Rustic Pathways reserves the right to change, alter, or amend the daily itinerary for this trip at any time. Changes can be made for various reasons including changes in flight or program schedules, changes in the schedules of various external tours incorporated in our trips, the addition of new activities into a trip, or the substitution of an old activity for a new activity. The itinerary shown here provides a good outline of the anticipated daily schedule for this program. As with any travel program, some changes may occur.

 

Check out the Thailand General Packing List at www.rusticpathways.com/packinglist, and then click on Thailand. Here is a list of additional and important items you will need for this trip.

SE Asian airlines have strict weight restrictions on baggage. Please make sure you stay under the weight limits to avoid large fines that must be paid in cash at the counter. Students will be responsible for all overage fines incurred.
-Carry on bags – 7 kilos or 15 lbs.
-Checked Luggage – (1 per passenger) 15 kilos or 33 lbs.

-Running Shoes – Don’t forget these! Make sure that they are broken in and ready for the long run.

-Running Clothes – It will be hot and humid, so these should be lightweight and breathable.

-Sunblock – You will spend long days in the sun and it will become miserable if you have a sunburn. Thailand is in the tropics and the sun is a lot more intense than what you are used to back home. This can be purchased anywhere along the way as well.

-Sunglasses/hat – You can buy these for cheap in Thailand if you do not have them. They are important for protecting you from the sun.

1. -Medications (must alert staff about these) - Bring with you any medications that you will need while you are away. You will need to tell staff what medications you have brought during your orientation period. This is done privately, but it is essential that you disclose to your staff all medications you are carrying.

 

Email Thailand@rusticpathways.com with any questions about what to pack.

Tribe to Tribe Marathon FAQs:

1. Where does the money go that we are raising through this run?
The money will go directly to the students who love at our Hill Tribe Orphanage Project. It will go to feed them, clothe them, and buy them school supplies. These are kids who have grown up in remote villages in the area and have now been forced to make their way down into the valley and live away from their parents to attend school. You will be helping to give these kids the education they deserve and want.

2. Do I have to run the marathon to sign up for this program?
No. If you do not want to run the entire marathon, there will be a half marathon, and a 5k option. You actually don’t even have to run at all, you could walk all or part of it. The trip is about more than just running. You will be helping with the set up and take down of the event. We do encourage you to participate in some portion of the race as the money raised will be going to support the kids at our Hill Tribe Orphanage Project.

3. Where will the students be staying?
The students will stay at our Hill Tribe Orphange Project base house. The accommodations are rustic, but comfortable. Students will sleep on mats on bamboo floors under a mosquito net. It is actually very comfortable. Western bathrooms with hot showers are also available.

4. What is the ratio of staff / guides to students?
We never have less than one staff member for every five students.

5. What kind of food will the kids be eating? What if my child has certain diet restrictions?

For the most part, we will be eating Thai food that will be prepared by our staff. We cook Thai food that the students are comfortable eating. Vegetarian, vegan and other dietary restrictions can be accommodated as well. There will be something for everyone.

6. Will there be clean water to drink?
Yes. During this trip students will be drinking out of bottled water at all times. We recommend that you bring your own water bottle (Nalgene, Sigg or Klean Kanteen brand bottles will work great). We will keep a large water container around at all times that you can use to fill up your bottle. Bringing your own bottle cuts down on the trash that we produce and will ensure that you always have a clean container to drink out of.

7. Will kids be able to do laundry?
Yes. It will be available every few days at the student’s expense.

8. Where is the closest hospital? Will I need any special vaccinations?
There is a good hospital in Mae Sariang about 10 minutes from our base house. Hospitals in Thailand and excellent and will be able to take care of anything that comes up. If you have any questions about what vaccinations to get, please consult your local doctor. You can also check out the Center for Disease Control website (www.cdc.org) as well which gives detailed info on what vaccinations to get.

9. Will kids have access to internet / phones?
Cell phone service is available here, but can be spotty at times. When service is available, students will be able to use the guide’s cell phones for a fee. There will also be a few times during the week when we will visit the internet café in town. There is no internet available to the students at the Hill Tribe Orphanage Project.

10. How will the weather be?
Although it is rainy season in Thailand during the whole summer, the weather is still very nice. If it rains, it will usually rain hard in the late afternoon for 30-45 minutes and then stop and be sunny again. The weather in Thailand is also very hot and can be humid at times too.

11. Are there a lot of bugs?
Although it never seems as if there are a large amount of bugs, students must always be protecting themselves from them. It is important that students have bug spray (which we can buy in Thailand).

12. How much spending money do you recommend?
We usually recommend about $150 / week. This money can be used to buy souvenirs in local markets. They will also need money for internet, laundry, phone calls home, massages and snacks for road trips