"Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the noon day sun."

---

Hello all!! For the last few days we've been soaking up the sun on Ko Lanta, one of the islands near Krabi in the famous Andaman Sea. God knows we had to stay active, so we've done a ton other than just lying on the beaches! We went hiking past elephants in the national park to a waterfall dwindled by the dry season, then explored the island by moto to the old town, sea gypsy village, and less developed southern beaches. One of them only had six other people on it! The Thai food has been incredible and the white sand beaches are idyllic. The island is mostly Muslim, so the call to prayer often mingles with the music from passing trucks adverstising Thai boxing matches.

Tomorrow we're going on a boat trip to Ko Phi Phi and some surrounding northern islands. Then we'll kayak in the Ko Lanta mangrove forests before heading back to Shenzhen. Three more days of vacation with the parents! It's strange when you realize you're at the point where your parents don't necessarily know better than you anymore about everything (just most things 😉 ...that your judgement is sought after and accepted as an equal. Not really an equal, but you know, they're not just trying to please a kid anymore. It's one of the first times I've really felt like an adult with my parents. I'm able to understand them in a different way, and they've told me things they never did before, like why my dad wanted to leave England. It's been a rewarding trip because I can see our relationship maturing in front of me. I don't think there was a better place to do it than in southeast Asia!

Good things!

---

Photos

My mother in the morning ;)
The Grand Palace, Bangkok

Maya Beach, Koh Phi Phi
Where "The Beach" with Leo, was shot