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included, but alcoholic drinks with most And we always hope to add to our roster of
meals were extra. friends around the world. Luckily OAT would
Our travel companions numbered 13 - deliver on all three.
two others had backed out after an earth- Before we left, Joe shared details about
quake centered in Myanmar, rocked Thai- himself, including his brief time as a Bud-
land two weeks before our tour start. We dhist monk. Our respect for him grew daily
were one of two couples; another twosome as his kept us organized, comfortable and
was a mother and daughter. The others entertained, whether wrangling luggage,
were traveling alone, including one women buying Thai bananas to share, or teaching
whose husband backed out at the last us how to write our names in Thai script. His
minute. Unlike many companies, OAT encyclopedic knowledge of the country, its
doesn’t add a single supplement to its fee. history and culture never ceased to amaze -
After we introduced ourselves, Joe and gave invaluable context to our many
asked us to list our expectations for the experiences.
tour. As with most of our travels, learning Before long, his exclamation, “Oh my
the history and culture of a place is vital for Buddha,” became our rallying cry too.
us. So is discovering local food and drink.
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