Ok, that's not Tanya's hands, her nails aren't that clean. Whilst I admire above all else children's curiosity, It can be hard to keep them interested long enough to shoot a photo. So this photo is a little different, having my hands in them.

Tanya is the daughter of Effie, the owner of Lita guesthouse in Chiang Mai, a wonderful place that feels just like hanging out at your friends house. Very easy going, super friendly, no one to impress and small amount of alcohol always being consumed.

What forged this relationship was not the instant photo, but rather the Poi ( the white balls on strings). I had been spinning a bit of fire poi in Tonsai and was working on some new tricks on these plastic glow ones. Tanya thought it was hilarious and decided that she should learn. At two and half years old she picked it up surprisingly quickly. She'll be teaching the local fire spinners of Tonsai how its done in no time.


Normally i'm fairly averse to children, but this one was charming enough that I enjoyed her company, and I'd say she enjoyed mine as she followed me around often. I guess it's only natural that my opinion shifts on children as I race towards thirty years old.

So after spending time teaching Tanya poi via a long game of silent charades it turns out she speaks good english as well as Thai.  Growing up in a guesthouse she'll speak a few languages before she's a teenager, no doubt

Photo by Silke Muys