Phi Phi at last

---

---

Finally arrived on Phi Phi island (Ko Phi Phi) on Friday afternoon. There are actually two islands, one that i'm on Phi Phi Don- and the other Phi Phi Ley which is uninhabited because of its sheer rock cliffs. I should be able to get over there tomorrow.

Phi Phi Don (where i'm blogging from now) was hit quite hard by the tsunami. The scene is quite relaxed here, and it seems there just aren't very many people visiting. I spend the first night enjoying dinner on a terrace overlooking the main beach area. I found an air-conditioned bungalow about 100 feet from the water for a couple days. And i've been relaxing to the max- waking late, enjoying an evening beer or two and just taking it all in.

Yesterday as the tide went out you could walk a couple hundred feet out onto the beach without even being in water... and it was hard not to think of what happened here last december. although the weather hasn't been great the last couple of days, it's still beautiful here (it rained hard until 12PM today). I've moved into a much cheaper place on the opposite side of the island today ($8) a night. The bottom floor of the building was completely gutted by the tsunami- and like things here is being rebuilt. on the side of the island i'm on now it's much quiter, and even more beautiful as the beach is completely void of development. Tommorow I will be taking my advanced scuba diving certification course (2 days long). I'm glad i'm there- they REALLY need the money to help rebuild.

This place reminds me of the many days I spent in the Sinai peninsula town of Dahab (in Egypt). The general vibe here is ultra relaxed, and the vast majority of the tourists here are from Israel (very strange to me). There are signs in Thai, English and Hebrew here. Going to try to get some laundry done now and catch the sunset. Maybe read up on SCUBA again before tomorrow's class. Cheers.

---

Photos

Dinner time
Weating a classic thai shirt and of course scrubs

Sunset
A gorgeous sunset

Comments

[JessRK]

Happy you are there...
Sol, good work... know it's tricky being out there with everything that happens, but you are doing well... stay strong, enjoy that world under water and have fun! :) Jess

[Marcus]

Just Beautiful
So lovely. Sounds like you continue to make adjustments to maximize your adventure. You are a student of many things and you're putting it to good use there. Such a lovely sunset.

[Unc]

I'm back ...
I made several mistakes getting ready to leave Rochester ... 1st, I left my carry-on bag unattended in your parent's family room, just long enough for your Mom and Bub to fill it with bags of nuts and mystery packs from the freezer. 2nd, your Dad weighed my check-on bag, already full with new clothes from your Mom, and found it to be 45 lbs. Both Bub and your Mom scrambled to find 5 lbs. of stuff to add to the bag. G-d forbid I leave without the max. 50 lbs.!! Your Dad made lots of great pictures for me to bring back. I'm glad I got to see you for a few days before you left. Be careful under water ... there never was a Jew named "Cousteau". So, 1 yenta turns to the other during the Rabbi's sermon and says "I've been sitting so long my touchas fell asleep", the other says "I know, I heard it snore 3 times". ps, just a joke about donations, Love, Unc

[Mom]

Buby's comment
You look very good and so handsome in the pictures - wonderful! I want to hear from you when the scuba lessons are over that it was successful. Glad you're having a good time. I'm still in Rochester and missing you all this time. I love you very much Solomon. I can't wait to see you home again. I am very proud of you getting all over the world to places I never could so I see them through you. Your Buby