There are a variety of ways that I could describe our most
recent holiday in Thailand, but most are highly inappropriate. We'll
gloss over some of the more risqué details and keep it PG13 (for my mother's
sake).
Our adventures started in Krabi at a place called Railay
Beach. A beautiful beach and surrounding area that is only accessible
via longtail boat due to the limestone cliffs cutting off any road access. It would have
been more beautiful had it not been rainy/cloudy the majority of our
stay (a common theme throughout our travels). Anyone staying there
should find Bang Bang Bar. Best cocktails I've had in Southeast Asia.
After three nights there, we took a ferry to Koh Lanta.
Being much larger than the Railay area, we were able to rent motorbikes
and explore the island. Unfortunately, my roommate/travel companion/life
partner/sayang got sick and cut into our exploration time. However, we
were still able to find some cool bars with even cooler owners who knew their
shit about everything on the hidden menu.
Next stop was Koh Phi Phi: where douchie frat boys go when
they just can't let go of the 'golden' years. Joe and I are all for
drinking (sometimes one more than we should), but the beach club with
buckets of alcohol just isn't our scene. We resigned to pubs, fire
shows, and Muay Thai boxing. Still a pretty awesome experience. Though
after snorkeling and cliff jumping, it was my turn to get sick. A case
of food poisoning cost me a day of exploring and about 10 pounds, but we
were both able to push through by the time we reached Patong.
Ah, Patong. Such bittersweet memories. Eh, Dingle? Phuket
had some work to do to change my perception of the place, but it didn't
disappoint. Bangla Road is an adult playground full of hawkers, ping
pong shows and far too many ladyboys. We celebrated New Year's there and
were doused with silly string as we watched fireworks, sky lanterns and
celebrated with locals and expats alike.
Tired of reading? Because I'm tired of writing. This trip
was jam packed with destinations and experiences that I could not fit
into one blog post even if I tried, so I'm going to wrap it up.
The last stop on our trip was Bangkok, as we prepared for
two job fairs. Both Joe and I had given our current school our intent to
discontinue, so we were on the prowl for new jobs. While I won't spoil
the surprise of Joe's employment situation, I have signed on to become
the Athletic Director at another school here in Jakarta. It was an
amazing opportunity that I had to take hold of. This is what I've wanted
to do since I've entered teaching and to get the opportunity at 26
years old, couldn't pass that up. Thanks to all the support from my
family and friends that I wasn't able to see over the holidays. June is
coming quickly. No worries.
Here's the biggest question now: after signing for another
two years in Indonesia, who's going to come visit? Food for thought as
you drink a diesel for me. Stay warm, suckers! 'Til next time.
