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Published: August 25th 2006
Disclaimer: I'm on a computer from the olden days (it may be running DOS) so please excuse the spelling and any photos that don't look great because on this machine they all look like junk).
"Sawatdee Kaa"!
That's Thai for "Hello". Ben and I have "Hello" and "Thank you" down, and that's about it. But we're really good at those two words, although Ben really says "sweaty cup" and it sounds like "hello". Anyway . . .
We couldn't have picked a better day for our Ko Phi Phi trip. It was sunny almost the entire day. There are two islands: Ko Phi Phi Ley and Ko Phi Phi Don. Ko Phi Phi Ley is the island made famous by the Academy Award winning movie (not!) "The Beach", with Leonardo DiCaprio. Maya Beach is beautiful; and as with most sites I've seen in the past four months, if you ignore the tons of other tourists enjoying it with you, it's really beautiful. It's a shame that Thailand hasn't seemed to adopt the "pack your trash" concept when it comes to their beaches.
We also visited the Viking Cave at Ko Phi Phi Ley, where a couple of people
Leaving the Harbor
Note the water level vs our return. This was high tide.actually live to "protect the site", and another beautiful cove (can't remember the name) where Ben perfected his cannonball technique.
Next up was snorkeling near Ko Phi Phi Don. The coral is so beautiful here . . .and so many kinds and so much sea life. I would be curious to know how today compares to the way it looked before the tsunami. Ko Phi Phi Don was one of the hardest hit islands. There are still many resorts that are not open, but enough that are open and the tourist business seems to be booming even during the technically "low season".
Right past our snorkeling spot was Monkey Beach, appropriately named because that's all that is there. And why would they ever leave when tons of boats full of tourists pull up there every day to feed them nuts and bananas. Boom, our cruise director for the day, (not Boom Boom as she corrected us) called one of the monkeys right up to our boat so we could feed him. The beaches of this island are beautiful, and the island does have that isolated feel to it. This is the place to come with a pile of
Little Island
Saw a lot of these along the way. books, a journal and pen, and some sunscreen and just be.
Our last night we kicked off Ben's birthday week Thai style. I'm not sure if they don't know all the words to the Happy Birthday song or if they just have a different version, but it was all good and he was thouroughly embarassed.
Our 12 days in Thailand have flown by. Ben no longer looks like a white farm boy from New Zealand in the dead of winter and I've got the summer tan of high school days (or of a jobless bum, take your pick). Ben left this morning back to New Zealand and I spent the day at the beach having one last Thai meal and one last dip in the ocean.
Right now (Friday night, 8/25 in Bangkok), I'm sitting at the Bangkok airport with a delayed flight (oh joy). The flight is oversold and the woman at the check in counter asked me if I had different clothes so she could put me on the upgrade list if it checks in full. I told her I had make up, earrings and a necklace and will wear anything she wants me to.
Ko Phi Phi Leh
The only time it was cloudy was on the way there. So I sit here for the next five hours dreaming of business class for my 12 hour flight rather than my middle seat in coach which I am currently assigned to. (I'll let you know how it turns out.)
I head back to London to stay overnight with my friend Lisa and then it's back to California and reality. Well, I think I've been in reality, but a different kind than what I was used to, and one that I hope stays with me when I come back.
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laura
non-member comment
don't leave
you can't come home yet!! i'm having too much fun keeping up with your travels! please call me when you get back. i can't wait to catch up! xoxo laura