Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Thailand

Tha tha tha thailand!

These big sight-seeing posts can be vastly intimidating. The sights, people, and entire experience was so wonderful and full that you feel like you have to do it justice...and yet feel inadequate to do so. Therefore, I usually put it off for long enough that I reach the point of just posting something, however brief....which works out wonderfully for everyone since the blog is short, sweet, and full of photos. So. Ahem. Without further ado.....

Thailand.

Over Chinese New Year the first week in February, Brian, our fellow traveler friend Greg, and I made a last minute decision to head to thailand over the break. After blazing through ideas of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Bali, we finally settled on what had been the trip that I really really really wanted to take. God is so sweet to me. Due to the last minute nature (we bought our tickets the day before we left) and the holiday, we were very limited in accommodations. We didn't have the time to fully research the best islands, itineraries, yada yada and honestly just went where we could find a place to stay. And it couldn't have turned out better.


Stop 1: Bangkok

We spent a day and a half in Bangkok, a great day and a half. We got to have dinner with our good friend Swati from EDSA Fort Lauderdale who's now living and working there. We also took one of the best tours i've ever been on, a bicycle tour through the city....every part of it. We saw high end living, slums, parks, took a boat ride, a 7-11 on every corner, watched Thai boxing, ate pad thai for lunch, and sang "hellooo!" and "sawatdee ka!" to everyone we passed, frequently giving high fives as we rode by. Thai people are wonderful. They have the biggest smiles and freely bestow them on you. It's as if they see you and simply rejoice in the fact of your creation and of your being present in that moment. You can't help but smile back and be happy. (and side note, brian and i have a lot of great photos of the two of us since greg was there and is an excellent photographer! thanks, friend)








sketches



sawadtee ka!




greg and the lovely swati



Bangkok = food-lover's delight. Food vendors everywhere, working in shifts, lined up on every single street. Instead of seeing the touristy sights we wandered around the Sukhumvit area and tried as many food vendors as we could. yum.
who needs to see the Grand Palace when you can do Tour de Food Vendors?






Stop 2: Koh Jum

From Bangkok we flew to Krabi and then were transported to our quaint wood bungalows on very untouristy Koh Jum. What a great island! If you want to get away from the tourists and really get to know the locals, this is the place. But be prepared for unpolished. We were picked up at the airport by a family member of the people who owned the bungalows. It's not for the lovers of cushy travel. From pickup truck to sketchy dock to long-tail boat to a small yamaha motorbike that the boys had to push up the hill, to small hike to another long-tail. It was awesome. If you want to try the Thai Islands near Krabi and Phuket, i highly recommend Jungle Hill Bungalows and Old Lamp Bungalows. We sat overlooking the water and ate dinner and breakfast, soaking in the sea air, views, and wonderful fresh food. Then woke up in the sunrise to monkeys jumping in and out of the trees and roofs, celebrating the day with us.

long tail boats
on the very small motorbike. the boys weren't pushing yet.

Jungle Hill Bungalows!




Stop 3: Koh Phi Phi

It's well-known and touristy for a reason. Koh Phi Phi Ley is where they filmed The Beach and the whole area is incredible. Brilliant water, staggering cliffs, and gorgeous beaches. We spent several days here soaking up some sun, swimming, and scuba diving. It was wonderful, that's all I can say. Oh! When we were scuba diving we saw a very poisonous black and white snake attack and fight a moray eel to the death! That part was cool.

pina coladas and beach go together
greg.
watermelon juice: perfection

wonderful trip


I would go back to Thailand in a heartbeat. The heady combination of amazing sights, delightful people, and wonderful food is unforgettable.

5 comments:

  1. Love this!! You totally did it justice! Wow, I want to go to Thailand right now!!! What an amazing trip!

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  2. Phenomenal!!!
    Sooooo jealous!
    No offense to Kaueper, but can I tage along next time?
    Miss you guys.

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  3. What a cool trip! I wish I were half as adventurous as you!

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  4. i want to smoke some thai-stick right now... it's been years, but i'm there. it was a great experience, but yours looks better, and perhaps more real, come to think of it

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  5. you guys are awesome. thanks for all the comments, I say we all go to thailand together. Whit, um, you're going to Africa with a toddler for weeks. That's way more adventurous than thailand!

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