Family vacations are rare and precious moments, especially when everyone can be present. Finding the time and opportunity can be challenging, but this trip was once again missing a key member: my mother. She is very much a homebody and is reluctant to travel. T_T

When the people and time were ready, we booked a house in Pak Chong. (Initially, we planned to stay in Khao Yai, but family-friendly dormitory rooms were scarce or very expensive, so we came here instead.)

The trip involved two cars. Initially, we planned to bring seafood for grilling, but my sister suggested buying food instead to avoid the hassle. However, we secretly prepared ingredients for papaya salad to make on-site, as it's simple and enjoyable. The process of making the salad while chatting and enjoying soft drinks promises to be a unique and delicious experience.

We had arranged to meet at 7 am to pick up my eldest sister and brother-in-law. However, I overslept and woke up in a panic at 6:40 am. I rushed to get ready and sent a message on LINE to let them know that I would be a little late.

Quickly bring the equipment and bags to the car to pick up my older sister (30 minutes late). The other car, driven by my younger sister, went ahead and stopped for breakfast first.

We finally met up, but it was almost 10 am because we got lost while driving. We were almost in Lopburi! Oh my god! What a day! I'm so exhausted. T_T

Upon meeting, they drove in a convoy. At lunchtime, they stopped for a meal at Laab Kru Sai restaurant, which the younger sister had found online as a recommended eatery. The entrance was difficult to find, but there were still many people dining there. It was worth trying to see if it was truly delicious.

The table is full of orders, it seems they have never eaten Isaan food before. 555

Two sets of each dish were ordered, which was definitely more than enough for everyone. While waiting for the bill, we decided to have some fun and play a game. We challenged each other to guess the price of the food, with the closest guesser being declared the winner. To make things more interesting, we decided to wager 50 baht each, resulting in a total pot of 450 baht. The winner would take home the prize money.

The younger sister's family, Libra and Aries, were predicted by various fortune tellers to have good luck this year, and indeed, they have been very lucky. However, I will reserve judgment and wait for the next opportunity to prove myself.

The food was decent, but not exceptional. The grilled dishes and dipping sauces were tasty, but the papaya salad was a bit too sweet and the spicy salad lacked a bit of punch. The spicy soup was good, though. We mentioned that the real treat would be the fermented fish dip we had waiting for us back at our accommodation, which would be so flavorful it would be unforgettable.

The initial plan was to visit the Manee Sorn Sunflower Field first. However, since it is close to our accommodation, we decided to check in first. So, let's head to the accommodation now.

We booked our accommodation through Agoda because it was cheaper than booking directly with the property. When we called, they quoted us a price of 8,000 baht from their website. However, we played a game and got a 15% discount, bringing the price down to only 6,189.05 baht. As I always say, if you want a good deal, you have to be a bit of a bargain hunter!

Our house will be pushed out from the others (but you can still walk to take pictures). It is suitable for families because it can accommodate 15 people. We came with 9 people, so we could choose our beds comfortably.

The charming accommodation has two floors. This is the lower floor, where the three gentlemen will be sleeping.

Upstairs, the ladies are sleeping together. (How many years has it been since the four of us slept together? Let's not count, or else you'll know our ages. Haha!)

The photo was taken when there was no one around. As soon as they saw the accommodation, they rushed to sit and lie down, enjoying themselves immensely.

We were so excited about the accommodation that we forgot to take the cooler bag out of the car. We unloaded the luggage, drinks, fruits, etc., and rushed to open the cooler to check the papaya, fermented pork, and fresh vegetables. Fortunately, they were still fresh. We looked around for the rainbow-colored bag containing the mortar, fermented fish paste, fish sauce, plates, bowls, and spoons, but couldn't find it. We searched the entire car, but it was nowhere to be found. We realized we had left it at home and didn't bring it. Oh no! Everyone missed out on the delicious food. This was our second major blunder. We sincerely apologize. We will never forget this, especially the spicy fermented fish paste.

The nearby resorts and accommodations were also photographed.

Nearby resorts have planted sunflower fields for visitors to take pictures in.

Our destination today is the 500-rai Manee See sunflower field. Let's see if it lives up to the hype.

We arrived at the sunflower field around 4 pm. The sun was starting to set, and the sunflowers were beginning to wilt. My sister parked the car in the designated parking area and suggested we come back the next day. However, the person collecting the entrance fee informed us that the sunflowers in that section would be in the same condition tomorrow. He advised us to walk to another field where the sunflowers were still in full bloom. We decided to follow his suggestion, as we had already come this far. We paid the entrance fee of 40 baht per person and proceeded to the other field.

The optimal time for photography is between dawn and 10:00 AM, when the sunflowers are fully open and bathed in the morning sunlight.

Overall, it's quite beautiful. The planting area is very large, but I don't know if it's really 500 rai as advertised. Hehe.

Having a great time taking photos.

Jump before returning.

Before checking into our accommodation, we stopped for dinner at a Japanese restaurant, which I won't name, and will only post pictures of the food. This is because we were not impressed with the chef using rotten squid in the yakisoba dish. We called over a staff member and returned the food to the chef. The staff member returned, apologized profusely, and offered to make something else. We declined and canceled the order. The other dishes were fine, as they are prepared in separate kitchens.

The family played a guessing game again, placing bets on the outcome. The second-oldest sister's team won once more. Was it just a lucky guess, or is the fortune teller truly accurate? We'll have to wait and see who wins the next round. Stay tuned!

Upon arriving at the accommodation, we purchased fruit to enjoy while chatting on the balcony. We then retired for the night, as tomorrow we plan to visit the Jim Thompson Farm, which is only open for one month each year. Notably, tomorrow is the last day of its opening period. Good night.

The accommodation was honest. We went with 9 people, but they gave us 13 food coupons, according to the number of people staying. So, many people got to double their food. Haha.

After checking out, we headed to Jim Thompson Farm. However, we were delayed due to my younger sister's sudden stomachache, likely caused by the spoiled squid we had the previous night.

The entrance fee to Jim's farm is quite expensive.

After purchasing your ticket, hop on the tram. The tram will stop at designated points, allowing you to disembark, explore, take photos, and wait for the next tram. Trams arrive frequently, with a maximum waiting time of 5 minutes.

Point 1: Cosmos flower field and organic vegetable plot

Point 2: Pumpkin patch and colorful flower field.

Point 3: Isan Village

We're having lunch here today. Oh, I won't be able to play games because everyone went to buy their favorite food to eat together. Hehe.

Marvelous

Point 4, Jim Village

Point 5 Jim Market

After leaving Jim Thompson Farm, we had to split up because my sister had a stomachache (food poisoning) and caught a cold from me. On top of that, she was in a bad mood because she only got to visit the first spot and then had to take the tram back to the car to wait. She was grumpy because she had to wait for a long time. So we went our separate ways. I took the opportunity to make merit by offering food to the monks and then went to pay respects to the Buddha at Wat Theppitak Punnaram (White Temple) before heading back.

Unfortunately, we arrived too late to conquer the 1,250 steps. We'll have to try again next time!

Before leaving, the good eye gets a lot, the bad eye gets a little, the peacock gives our car luck, and we return home safely. The traffic is so bad. Bye ^_^