Two Terrific Weeks in Thailand

Spending two weeks in one country was just enough time to get a brief glimpse into different places within that country. It definitely isn’t enough time to truly immerse yourself into the culture and lifestyle. It’s a whirlwind of seeing sights, participating in activities and then packing up to move to the next spot. We spent a jam packed 14 days in 6 different cities!

Because of this I’ve learnt that rather than checking a country off my bucketlist when I travel to it, I’m continuing to add new things to the list. I've learnt that the first trip to a country seems to be simply a feeling out process so I know where I want to spend more time when I return there! More importantly, I’ve also learnt that no amount of Pad Thai will ever be enough and I’ve learnt that one should ever take for granted a 100 Baht massage (miss them already).

We started our trip in Bangkok – wow – words can’t describe the culture shock that occurs when you are coming from a conservative and strict Middle Eastern culture (I was feeling risqué simply showing my elbows and knees). In Bangkok I learnt that the “anything goes” attitude is apparently contagious and you may find yourself in shock as you watch your boyfriend and brother eat a scorpion. I’ve learnt that you may as well stop trying to figure out if you are talking to a lady with too much makeup or a man who is dressed as a lady. I learnt that the excitement of a 2$ meal quickly loses its appeal as you notice the rats, garbage and smells surrounding the vendors and you wonder “Was that really chicken that I just ate?” I learnt that it is possible to start shopping literally 1 minute after arriving at your destination – even if you haven’t slept in 24 hours, desperately need a shower and still have your luggage on your back. But who can really pass up a 3$ tshirt or a $5 dress?!

Next up was Chiang Mai. Leaving the hustle and bustle and craziness of Bangkok Chaing Mai felt like a breath of fresh air. It’s lush, green and smells worlds better than Bangkok. To say that the day we spent at Elephant Nature Park was my favourite day would be an understatement. The kindness and dedication that these people have should act as an inspiration to us all. We spent the day following 3 elephants. I learnt that these amazing animals are gracious, gentle, patient, strong, loyal, demanding and mischievous. We walked with them, we rubbed them affectionately, we got splashed with water, we chatted with them and we guarded our bananas as they were very sneaky and very demanding! We watched them interact with one another and their environment. Elephants are known to be strong-minded and patient animals. The abuse and trauma they endure as a result of humans is heart wrenching. Yet these animals rarely, if ever, retaliate even though one swipe of their trunk could send you flying. My favourite elephant was May Banyen. She was rescued 2 months prior to our visit from a life of tourism in Chiang Mai. The puncture wounds in her head and back were still visible and raw. I’ll admit that I was skeptical of approaching her after hearing her story. However, she quickly responded to my rubs and continued to following me around nudging me gently to ask for more bananas. The one word I can use to describe her is gentle. Another of the elephants rescued is blind due to abuse from her owner. She was forced to work for years in the logging industry. She was pushed to her limit and lost her newborn baby as she gave birth to her while working on a hill. Her baby fell to it’s death. Distraught and refusing to work – she was beaten and blinded. I tell you these stories so that you may make more informed choices when you are travelling or when you are given the opportunity to visit a circus of go for an elephant ride. Please do not support animal exploitation in the form of tourism or entertainment. It was a humbling and moving day that I will carry with me forever. Through this day I learnt that it is possible to be strong but also patient and gentle.

Next leg of our adventure was a flight south to Phuket. Although our first impressions were tainted by the smells and sights of Bangla Road, we persevered through and stayed for 3 days. Here I learnt that you should never book a hostel on Bangla Road!  I also learnt that there is a reason many tourists are walking around with scrapes and bruises – having a few mishaps ourselves and a couple members of our groups will now be sporting tough looking scars from a bike accident. Aside from the accident the day we rented bikes and cruised along the ocean was bliss. Wind in the hair, ocean breeze on the left, sun on the right. We arrived at a semi-secluded beach “Paradise Beach”. It was in that moment that I thought “now this is why I came to Thailand!” To get away from the crowds, to hear the ocean waves and to soak up the sun. Our last day in Phuket was a rainy one so we figured why not spend it visiting another animal rescue – pure heaven for this girl. We took a tuk-tuk to the jungle to see the Gibbon Rescue Centre. Read my animal blog for more info J

From Phuket we took a ferry to Koh Lanta. Koh Lanta ranked top 2 for me on this trip. Koh Lanta epitomizes the phrase “chilled out”. Our hotel balcony opened up onto the pool. The ocean was a minutes’ walk away. Here I learnt how to truly relax and just breathe. The beach was next to empty – with beachside restaurants, massages, yoga. The 3 days we spent in Koh Lanta were the most relaxed I felt on the whole trip. I loved the feeling of waking up with no plan, no alarm and just seeing where the day leads. In this place we went to visit the local Animal Rescue. We spent the day cuddling with kittens who needed love and walking 3 dogs who needed some attention. Elvis (who broke his pelvis) was the highlight of our day. Justin had the pleasure of walking this little fella who had just recovered from his injuries but has a permanent bowlegged walk. He was full of spunk and sped along with the rest of us, even though we knew it was tiresome for him! Our last day in Koh Lanta we braved the tiger cave. Headsets on our foreheads, non-english speaking guide to lead the way and we were off.  The 3 of us scrambled to keep up with our guide as we hiked the hour through the jungle. Arriving at the cave we found we had to climb up ladders made of merely sticks and logs and scale down a 10 foot rock cliff (with no harness). The worst of it was a bridge – just over a foot wide, made of two logs with sticks every few inches. I thought I was an adventurous soul but in that moment I learnt that I value my life too much and logic won over and I called it quits!

The next stop was simply a blur – we went to Koh Phangan for a brief stay – 1 night to be exact! We couldn’t miss the chance to attend a half moon party while we were in the country. All there is to say about this night is: buckets of bevies, neon paint and laughing gas.

Our last stop was in Koh Tao. Our “budget” trip turned into a bit of luxury, with a 5 star cottage on the hillside, overlooking the ocean. Just thinking about it soothes my soul. We spent 3 blissful days in Koh Tao (which ranked in my top 2 as well). We took a long-tail boat tour with just the 6 of us. We snorkeled all over the island, stopping along the way. Our last stop was “Shark Bay” so needless to say, I didn’t get into the water. Within 10 minutes Justin had spotted 2 sharks! The next day I worked up the nerve to kayak back to shark bay and try snorkeling. Half hour into the adventure I spotted a baby reef shark. Although small, that was enough for me and I was right back into the kayak. We paddled around for awhile after and spotted at least 5 more reef sharks. It was here that I learnt how one can be mesmerized and moved by these powerful animals. But a quick flap of their tail and they are off – blink and you miss them!

Thailand – I hope to see you again one day xoxo