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| View of Phi Phi Island and Town |
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| Our night out in Phi Phi |
It has been almost a week since my last post...But it feels like ages ago! After we left the school for the week, we headed back to Walker's Inn for my last weekend in Khao Lak. Unfortunately, it doesn't matter how much there is to see in the world, you can always find an excuse to be lazy and accomplish absolutely nothing. And that's exactly what we did for most of the weekend. We did finish however with a bang, as the Saturday before leaving Khao Lak happened to be the same date as the Full Moon Party in Koh Panang (I think that's how you spell it...). A beach bar just outside Khao Lak decided to throw a mini party for it, and we obviously couldn't resist. The two Scots - Rachel and Joanne - the Dane - Julia - and I decided to go all out and get matching neon shirts. I ended up going to three bars that night, and even though Khao Lak appears to be a lazy beach town, it definitely knows how to marry the night. I also met my first Canadians that night! Several actually! It was so funny, they were from Vancouver, and at first, I just left the conversation not thinking much of it, but then I though 'Okay, guaranteed we know someone in common and I'm going to figure out who'. And of course within a couple minutes, I did. It's funny, even meeting Canadians from the other side of the country, there is a familiarity and a comraderie that is inescapable when you meet halfway around the world. I also met several interesting people. It's so fascinating to me how everyone, no matter where they're from, has a unique reason for being in Thailand. Some come looking to find themselves, some just want to get away from whatever is happening in their lives at home, and some just want a change in pace in their lives. And a surprising amount never go back. I don't think I've ever found myself so willing to hear other peoples' stories than since I've been here. It's refreshing and insightful; I doubt people even consider what I might take out of their stories, but it's definitely more than you'd think from a simple conversation over a drink. I also pulled off my first ride on a scooter (I knew I had to do this at least once while I was here). It was actually pretty easy and I was definitely lucky to have a good driver, who knew I was slightly skeptical). And I ate a fried cricket! ...And it was kinda gross... That night I managed to pull my first all nighter and make it back to Walker's in perfect timing to catch our bus to the ferry. The Scots and I also got ripped off for the first time, and it was surprisingly humbling - but still a pain in the ass. We had booked a bungalow in an area of Koh Phi Phi called Long Beach and had read that it was about a twenty minute walk out of town. Of course, this was completely wrong and we're actually about a fourty minute walk out of town, and to top it off, we've got to walk up a grueling staircase to get to it. It is beautiful though and the restaurant's view is phenomenal (we were also saying how it would be the perfect place to be if a tsunami hit). After an evening of sleeping off the previous night (and being awake for almost fourty hours), we decided to take a tour to Maya Beach, which is where they filmed the DiCapreo movie The Beach. We kept saying how everything seemed so surreal, from being on the longboat to walking through the sand-ridden jungle barefoot. That evening, we quickly agreed to take in the Phi Phi nightlife. Though I haven't seen the islands on the otherside, I think it's safe to say that Phi Phi is the place to be. There are an absolute TON of young travelers looking for a good time, and it's as if the party never EVER stops. We ordered out first buckets, which is pretty much a giant drink in a sand pale and bar hopped to get a vibe for the whole town. For anyone who plans to travel to Thailand, the second bar we went to was called Reggae Bar and is a must-see. There is a giant Thai boxing ring and tourists can volunteer to fight for a free bucket. I expected people to go in, joke around and throw a few drunken punches and get out, but these were full-on fights. People took it so seriously and were beating the crap out of each other. One match ended because a guy took a brutal punch to the face and his nose started bleeding. I'll be honest, I was very tempted to volunteer, just for the experience, but opted to skip out, thinking that I didn't really need any bruises. Still, definitely a once in a lifetime experience. We then went to another bar where a Canadian was giving out free kisses (a drunken Canadian of course), and eventually ended up at a club on the beach with an amazing dance party where we finished the night. We managed to skip the walk and catch a longboat taxi back - and of course dragged ourselves up that bloody staircase. I have to say, I think I picked the perfect travel buddies. We all have the exact same outlook on traveling, and are all on the same page about taking the right precautions. It's strange to think that I've never been to Scotland, and they've never been to Canada but we seem to be pretty damn compatible travelers. Although sometimes there are slight differentiations in expressions and words that can be confusing... Anyway, after having a lazy beach day, we took a hike up to a viewpoint where you can see the whole town and island. Tomorrow, we're headed out to our next destination. We decided to skip Koh Lanta, and just go to Singapore, so we're taking the ferry back to Phuket where we'll have a day to explore and shop before catching our flight. Our tour guide I mentioned in my previous post is being an amazing host and is picking up us from the airport and cooking for us. Plus since it's the weekend, she's offered to be our tour guide...Hopefully no more rip-offs, at least not in Singapore. Next week will definitely be a complete 180 from beachtowns to city, but I think we're all unbelievably excited for the change. Until next time!
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| Rachel and Jo resting at the top of our hike |
