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Published: November 7th 2012
Where has the time gone? It seemed like yesterday when I booked our flights. This trip feels so different than the last one. Last trip: From the minute I booked our plane tickets to the moment of touch down, I was overcome with a sense of impatience. WHEN IS IT GOING TO GET HERE?! This trip: I am always thinking that I just need a few more days to get ready. WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE?! I was really worried these last few months because I wasn't as excited. Is my wanderlust leaving me? Has travel lost its magic so quickly? Luckily the answer is HELL NO! It was just placed on the back burner because I had other things I needed to concentrate on.
Now my itch has returned, and I can't wait to step on that plane. During this period of purgatory, I have solidified our travel arrangements. This time though I haven't memorized everything so I need this blog to put it all down on paper.
Visas: Well, I really don't want to talk about the visa situation. I completely messed it up, but I am hoping we are good to go now. I mailed out our visa applications, pictures, passports, a check, bank statements and my first-born child. I paid $75 in postage (not even joking) and sent the stuff on to the Royal Thai Consulate. I get a lovely phone call on Friday informing me that 1) I need the actual application not a photocopy (I accidentally sent the copy I made for myself) and 2) it must be a money order or cashier check, not a personal check. I totally knew better. Luckily I could send our money orders, actual copies of the applications, and an accompanied letter explaining what a dill hole I was through regular mail. I really did not want to spend another $75 in postage. So as of today, we don't have our passports and I am really hoping we get them soon!
December 19th: Fly out from Minneapolis-St. Paul. What time? Who knows because Delta and Korean Air keeps changing flight times. **Note** Airlines do this all the time and you get absolutely no compensation for it. As of September 30th, the departure time has remained steady at 7:10 a.m. We take a short little jaunt over to Chicago where we fly out on my favorite airline (Korean Air) to Seoul, So Korea. We then have 55 minutes to hop on the plane to Bangkok. Tight connection, but Seoul has a great airport that I find easy to navigate.
We arrive in Bangkok December 20th where I have prebooked our stay at Lamphu Guesthouse. The guesthouse itself is ok for the price, but I really enjoy staying there because I love Soi Rambuttri. It is like a less tacky KSR with good food vendors and a fun environment, while not being overcrowded with drunk tourists.
One night in Bangkok and then we hop on the overnight train for Chiang Mai. You can now actually book your train tickets on the Thai Railway website. It wasn't up and running back in 2010, so I was very excited to pay the actual train ticket price, not the inflated price from outside vendors. This site is:
http://www.thairailticket.com/. Don't let the other sites fool you. Of course we got two lower 2nd class bunks on the AC train because that is how we roll.
Arrive in CM on the 22nd, then off to the bus station where will head to Pai. Pai was on our must see list last time because all the travellers we ran into raved about it. I've heard mixed reviews online about how touristy it is and how crowded it can get during holidays, especially with Thai tourists coming for vacation. I still want to go and experience this unique town. We will be staying at Happy House Guesthouse until the 27th. I really would like to get out of the town though and do a little wandering. Merry Christmas to us!
Back to CM until January 3rd. CM Blue House is welcoming us back with open arms, probably because Z spent oodles at their bar 😊. CMBH is an amazing place for a really great price. Plus, we will be spending New Years here, and it seemed fitting to spend another major event with them (Last time it was Loy Krathong). What events happen in CM during New Years? I hope fireworks and a parade because no one knows how to put on a good show like the Thais.
Flying out late on the 3rd to Phuket. I was procrastinating and didn't buy our flights to Phuket until last week. Boy, those prices really go up quickly! Cheaper to fly late at night, though I have NO idea where we are going to sleep or where we will end up. Part of the thrill. We have no plans and no idea what we want to do until January 7th. Phuket? Khao Sok? Whatever sounds good at that moment!
So here is where Z and I may have a separate adventure. I really want to do a liveaboard and reserved two spots on the Poseidon Snorkelling Tour. It is a 3 day, 2 night liveaboard for snorkellers in the Similans (because I don't know how to dive and not really ready to get my PADI). Z is still not convinced. He is scared of sharks and I think nervous he will get sea sick. He has until December 6th to decide if he wants to stay behind. They will bill me 1/2 the price of the trip if we don't cancel his before then. Either way, I am STILL going and I WILL have the best time.... while Z stays behind and cries in his beer. Every couple needs to have their time apart, but it would be great to experience this with him.
Return from the boat on the 10th. By now I will be quite brown (or quite red, depending on how nice the sun treats me). Off to *drum roll please* Koh Lanta! Oh Koh Lanta... I've probably gone on too much about Koh Lanta and Banana Garden Home in previous posts, so I will leave it at that. The short of it is I love this place.
We leave Koh Lanta on the 19th and fly up to Bangkok. Our last few days will be spent back at Lamphu Guesthouse. January 22nd at 2 a.m. we fly home.
5 glorious weeks! We Americans don't take long vacations, so I have gotten a lot of remarks like "why so long" or "5 weeks!!!! Holy crap!!!" or "You are fricking insane" or "I wish I could do that, but I work (pointed glare directed at me)" I work and I love my job!! But gah, sometimes you need to get away and enjoy yourself once in a while. The world will not end if you spend some time learning another culture and experiencing a way of life other than your own. In fact, I wish more people did it. Perhaps people would bring a different perspective to issues if they did. When I die, I want ZERO regrets. I don't want to say how much I wished I saw/did this and that. I want to be able to say I saw what else is out there and I loved every second of it (even when I get the massive poops from a food stand and end up projectile vomiting for two days straight--- because THAT FOOD WAS SOOOO DELICIOUS!).
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Tricia
non-member comment
So glad you are blogging again!
Thailand is not necessarily a place I want to travel to, but I love the fact that you are blogging so I can feel as though I have been there without having had to go. Try to blog as much as possible because I will be reading intently. I want to see lots and lots of pictures. You can skip the guy in the speedo though ;) FWIW, I think it's great you are going for 5 weeks. It is true that life is toooo short and you need to enjoy it as much as possible. Traveling is your baby and you are taking time to nuture it! Enjoy!