After being referred to Sister Joan, renowned for wandering the streets of Bangkok’s Klong Toei slum, looking for children and adults in need of assistance, she introduced us to the slum’s nursery where we took balloons and scarves to entertain the young children.   Then we made our first return visit to Baan Poomwaet, a home for boys. Much to my surprise, they remembered me from my Christmas 2012 show.

Our next sponsored booking was referred to us by the late Jerry Snell, the founder of ASCA, the Asian Social Circus Association, which was kind enough to invite us to become members of their organisation. Special thanks goes to Denis Trudel, who not only booked and sponsored us, but also drove us two hours up to Lop Buri. There we visited Wat Prabat Namphu (the temple of death), which is currently used as a hospice for people with terminal AIDS. Denis arranged for 60 children to be brought down from the orphanage for dinner and circus fun.

On to Baan Gerda, which specialized in taking care of children with HIV. This was our first place on tour where they had actually seen something similar before.  A couple of years before, they had a visit from a Spanish circus troupe and they remembered all the equipment and were amazing with the diablo and the juggling. Luckily, we had a few new tricks they hadn’t tried before.

Back in Bangkok, and another return visit to Baan Mahamek, who again remembered my Christmas show, 2013, it was such a good feeling to know ow much they loved it.

Over the lush countryside to the border town of Sangkhlaburi,  where Baan Unrak and Baan Dada are nestled in the hillside and house children from Burma, Thailand and the Mon tribe. They teach self-sustainability as well as relying on donations.  They also grow their own food and make woven goods for sale.

On to the New Life Project in Kanchanaburi, we surprised the kids on their way back from school when we jumped in their bus to pick them up.  They were so excited to see us and come back for a surprise circus workshop.

Back to Bangkok, we went to visit the young girls of Ratchawithi Home and then up to Nakhon Pathom to a junior orphanage.  Endless numbers of children – unbelievable how many places in one country have to rely on donations and the kindness of others just to take care of unwanted children.

Over to the horrible city of Pattaya, overrun by the unfortunate children of the city’s sex workers. Luckily, they have three foundations looking after thousands of children –  the Camillian Centre, Father Ray Foundation and the Pattaya Orphanage.

Our last shows of the tour, which were also possibly my favourite, brought us to the seaside town of Lamae in Chumphon. There they have another New Life Project which concentrates on training boys from 13-18 years of age in organic farming and agriculture. As the boys were older, after the workshop we taught them how to make their own fire poi and staffs. By the evening, they were even performing a fire show for us. The boys dropped us off at our last orphanage, Baan Eurphon, and only left after making paper aeroplanes for the younger kids and playing with them.  It was so lovely to watch two places integrating.

Baan Eurphon is run by a lovely couple who have made their home and all the childrens’ houses from scratch, using bamboo and wood from the area, even our little tree house, made especially for guests. They grow their own coffee, vegetables and still cook on a small wooden fire. They take care of 24 children in the day and 12 stay full time.

What an amazing end to our first Balloon Circus tour, 59 orphanages with over 3000 smiling, happy faces!