Travel to Phuket

Woke up at 6 am thanks to matt, and headed to the party beach to watch the sunrise. Meandered through the locals living quarters which were dirty and stinky. But the streets were quite nice with us being the only ones on them. Made it to the party beach to did out the sun was rising over the beach nearest our hotel. Party beach was still nice though with only a few walk-of-shamers. We then went back to our hotel, I tried and failed Togo back to sleep so we got our swim suits on, went to breakfast and then packed up our room and laid next to our pool all morning. It was fabulous we checked out if our room at 1030 and drank a couple smoothies (with rum) my pineapple mango was the best went for a couple dips in the pool. Shared a Nutella/banana pancake (crepe) and just soaked up the sun while relaxing. It was very nice end to our trip In Thailand. Matt listed himself on his dragon air standby for tomorrow from Phuket to Hong Kong. Then at 120 we showered In a cold water shower. Just enough to rinse out the chlorine and set out to the ferry with a hotel dude pushing our bags in a cart. Very easy to board the ferry. Much nicer than the ferry from krabi and we already have our ticket. I fell asleep while Matthew was looking at planes for trade. Made it to Phuket in 2 hours. Were picked up by some Thai dude saying "taxi taxi" that is one thing I forgot to mention, the locals selling stuff like massages and boats speak enough English to try and attract tourists. So you walk by and they say "massa massa massa" which means massage thrice. Or boat boat boat for you to hire a private taxi boat. I digress. Got brought your hotel for 200 baht 6$. And checked in. Pretty snazzy place. Then learned there was a festival around the corner. So we went there forehand find food for dinner. No clue what the food was. But we just started pointing and buying. Tried a sausage hotdog thing with chili sauce. Tried some soup stuff. Egg wonton. Chicken kabob. Doner kabob. Pork and rice. Some dumplings filled with vegetables. And grabbed some dessert To go. It was really cool to see and experience. It's now 730 and we picked up a couple changs to sit on our pool side balcony enjoy our dessert and our last night in Thailand have a 1pm flight to Hong Kong in the morning.

Day on phi phi island

Woke up at 8am and had a big brunch with Thai noodles and omelettes and fresh squeeZed juices. Yummmm. Then we relaxed by the pool. Booked Andreas airfare to Hong Kong. Matt is going to fly standby. As the flight had green smiley faces on the zed fare. Then matt bought some fresh blended smoothies. Then it was noon and we needed to start getting ready for our tour. It's a cloudy day with a lot of overcast. Which is probably better so we don't fry. Found the location and waited for the group. Boarded a rickety long tail boat with 20 people. Waves were a little big. Took a long time to get to monkey beach. While other boats easily made it to the beach we watches the monkeys being fed. By the time we got there they were disappeared. What a joke. Then we went to cliff jump. We didn't pay to do the cliff jump and there were two boats ahead of us so we went to snorkel. Saw aome pretty fish. But again. There were maybe 2 life jackets on the boat. So it was up to yourself to stay afloat. Then we headed to maya beach. Ran Into the blokes from the ferry. The beach was gorgeous and from the film the beach with Leonardo dicaprio. After an hour we went across the open sea, skipped the sunset point which the skies cleared up just in time to see something pretty, but we went to the cliff jump spot instead with the sun setting out of view. Disappointed. Then we circled the long tails for some glow plankton. Also a let down. I'm used to fajardo and millions upon millions of phosphorescent dinoflagellates. This place had a couple maybe everytime you shredded water. Triple disappointment. Then we headed into the home island. Alive. Didn't mention as we were crossing the choppy open sea, waves upon waves would rush into our boat. We held up our situpon and try and block the cold water. No luck. Walked back to our villa showered and headed back to the pad Thai restaurant from the night before. The dude didn't understand us when we ordered. Split our order and did regular pad Thai instead of super pad Thai. Disappointment. Story of the day. But atleast it is 80 and warm here instead of 20 and snowy :-) made it back to our villa and called it a night. Tomorrow we ferry to Phuket, for a night in old town. We've been told it's not much. Then onto Hong Kong. Then home. Hopefully. May the non-rev gods be ever in our favor!

Travel to phi phi islands

Woke up at 8 and went down to a massive buffet breakfast in the middle if this gorgeous jungle resort. Had made to order Omelets. Inatant coffee once we could catch the coffee ladie and bee infested orange juice. Then we went to try and catch a boat to poda island. Only problem, they go and then come back at 3pm and we were going to phi phi island at 130. So we laid on the beach with a couple changs and relaxed. Bought a silk bathrobe for 10$ from one of the beach vendors. Then we started our way back to the hotel. Stopped at a couple travel agents to book transport and ferry to phi phi but the bus was full. So we had to get a taxi. But first we tried to take out more cash and my debit kept declining. So despite me submitting the online form like I was told to do, and got response back, they still shut off my card. Furious. I called them and it took them 15 minutes to reopen my card. And then they noted my account for a third time. Poor matt. Then we got to our hotel 15 minutes before checkout to find they took our bags down. But we were allowed back on our room to shower quick and they called a taxi for is to the ferry dock. Our taxi driver stopped so we could use ATM quick and then dropped us off. 1500 baht (50$) for two for ferry to phi phi and Phuket. Got seats below and started chatting with some dudes that were backpacking. One from Vermont the other am Aussie. Chit chatted about travel on our hour and half ride then we were greeted by hotel representative to help our bags back to our resort. About a mile from the ferry dock. Matt had to help the dude push the cart up the hill. Then we arrived to our gorgeous hotel! We booked a deluxe villa for 100$ a night. Our resort has a pool and overlooks the quiet side of the island. We then dropped our stuff and started to explore the city. We walked amongst the locals including carts and bicycles along the narrow winding roads looking at the various fresh caught seafood and trying to solidify a snorkel tour for tomorrow. We found a three in one (cliff jumping snorkel maya beach at sunset and swimming with bioluminescent plankton) for 400 baht each. Kept looking. Found the party beach. Ran into the blokes from the ferry. Grabbed a drink on the beach at a party bar. Watched the sunset and then meandered out way back looking for dinner. Found a good local looking place and order deluxe pad Thai. It was delicious. Best pad Thai yet. And 2 changs for 480 baht 15$. Tipped them 20 baht (80 cents) which is not common here. They were very appreciative and then continued on our way. Booked our trip for tomorrow. And then made it back to our hotel and fell asleep as soon as our heads hit the pillow. One more day on phi phi. Then a night in Phuket. A night in Hong Kong. The home.

Travel to krabi

Woke up at 440am packed up our stuff and went downstairs to meet our tuk tuk to bring us to the airport, only the hotel didn't arrange for that like we planned. So the night guard drive us in his vehicle. Got to the airport and checked our bags and proceeded upstairs to the gate. Bought some egg mcmuffins and hashbrowns and coffee and then realized we had another set of security to pass through. Matt attempted to chug his coffee before our plane started boarding. We then realized we did not have seats next to each other so we sat next to each other in the upgrade seats. Which have leg room comparable to regular economy back home. Watched the end of Harry potter three and started on Harry potter 4. Landed. Grabbed our bags. Paid 18 $ fora half hour taxi ride to our hotel. Checked in, found out we couldn't get a room until 1pm (it's 930am mind you) left our bags and set out for the water. Found the beach and then went searching for food. And some beverages. Four a breakfast place. Ordered Babana and orange smoothies and Omelets. Quite tastey. Then we set out for the long tail boats. 15$ got us to railay beach and back. Enjoyed the view on our way. Sat on the beach for a couple hours before realizing it was so late in the day. Hopped back on a long tail boat made to it the hotel got our room through a windig terrace of outdoor foliage laid down and took a four hour nap. Whoops woke up half way and it was torrential downpour. Then woke up and got massages. I got a facial matt got a back and shoulder, then we grabbed dinner. Walked the beach and headed back to our room where we fell asleep at 1130! Maybe we are actually adjusted..... Tomorrow we are off to poda island then overnight on the phi phi islands!

Elephants in chaing Mai

Woke up at 3 am. Darn jet lag. Unable to fall back asleep we started planning our next few days. The all of a sudden it was 7am and our alarms were going off. Matt got coffee and started putting in his bids as I got us ready for the elephants. Our guest house provided breakfast, matt got the sticky rice and pork and I had the American breakfast (2 eggs ham sausage and toast) then our guide picked us up for the elephants at baanchang elephant park. We picked up 3 other couples and did the hour drive of twisty roads. Then we arrived. Changed into te new uniforms which were no longer denim and went to feed the elephants sugar came and bananas. We had one try and give us a neck hickey with its trunk. Then we learned about the gains and bull hook. Had a quick break then learned to mount and ride the elephants. Matt hopped on the talk one and I for the short one. Then it was time for lunch. Delicious pad Thai with tofu. We both had seconds. Pineapple for dessert. Then we went to our elephants and ride them around the jungle we did one loop twice before we took our elephants into swampy elephant poopy water.

Then were able to shower and were brought back to our hotels. Matt then started bidding. We had a Chang beer each AND I went for massage. 10$ for one hour and half foot massage and neck back shoulder massage. About an hour later matt came looking for me as he was done bidding and thought I was gone for too long then when I was done met him back at the hotel and we walked downto the night market. Bought some Thai silks carves (3$ each) and matt bought a black canvas painting for 11$ and we sat and are pad Thai made by old ladies on the street. With Chang beer each for 8$ total. Then we started our 20minute walk back. Grabbed a Nutella banana crepe for 80 cents and called it a night. 630am flight to krabi in the morning. Hopefully to spend the day at railay beach.

Arrival to Chang Mai

Woke up naturally at 2 am. Then 3 am. Then 5.6.and 7 our alarm was set for eight. Packed up our stuff and made the 840am airport shuttle for our 1035 flight. Has to get dropped off at terminal 2 for checkin. Then go downstairs exit hing kong customs then catch a train to terminal one, go to out gate area hop a shuttle bus to our remote terminal and then get to our gate. All without breakfast. So we stopped for food within our gate, ordered our food and I checked our gate "final boarding" thirty five minutes before scheduled. Freak out mode! Told the gate agent we just ordered food and he said oh take your time I'll come find you. Phew. Got our food. Boarded not last. And then sat at the gate for 45 more minutes. Oh well. Seats are very tight for us tall Americans watched Harry potter 2 and 3 and ate our really good Chinese noodles for breakfast.

Made it into chaing Mai at 1pm. Walked until we found a tuktuk unloading passengers and asked him to bring us to anoma boutique guest house within old city. 3$ for the 10 minute drive. Checked in and our house owners organized us a car for 50$ to bring us to tiger kingdom and the gold temple on the hill for sunset.

Tiger kingdom was 3800 baht (100$) for the two of us to go in all five cages with two cages with professional photographers. Smallest and biggest cages got the photographer. Waited and then let in the medium small smallest small big cages. The babies were very playful. Most the others were sleeping. Oh, it's like 80 and humid here :-)

Big ones weren't as bad as I remember even though they were walking everywhere. After the park we went up the windy road to the golden temple overlooking te city of chaing Mai. Gorgeous. Grabbed some pork balls on a stuck for a light snack. Then we started the half hour drive back to the hotel. I fell asleep in the car and woke up back at our hotel. Where we crawled into bed at 7pm and were out for the count. Tomorrow is the elephant park!

Flight to Hong Kong

Made it easily to San Fran I a Skywest flight I economy plus. And to the San Fran airport with 3 hours to spare. Looked up flights and hotel information then went and grabbed nachos at a Mexican restaurant in the international terminal. Then it was the waiting game, 60 seats open and we were 24:25 on the standby list. No first class seats open. We got separate middle seats in economy plus. More leg room. We took them hoping someone would change with us on board. The dude matt was sitting next to was some hot shot who refuses to switch a middle for a middle. But with the united app we discovered an open seat asked the gentleman in the other middle seat if he would switch and he did so we could sit next to each other. Then my fast fingers went to work. 20 minutes before take off and I was busy booking our flight to chaing Mai. Pricelined an airport hotel for 60$ less than list price, emailed the elephant dudes and paypaled them for our elephant ride all the while trying to get comfortable in our middle seats for the next 15 hours of boredom.

We watched Harry potter 1 on te iPad (united doesn't have personal entertainment like delta) then a few good men. Then Harry potter two. But I fell asleep a lot and matt kept turning off the iPad to conserve energy since the double decker 747 did not have in seat electricity plugs. Food was typical airplane food not the five course gourmet meals we got across the pond. And the we landed. Has to wait to get back to where matt threw our bags up grabbed them. Made a pit stop and easily through customs. Caught the complimentary shuttle to the marriott sky city hotel which is on the airport island. We made it into our 150$ hotel room for 14 hours of good sleep. Off to chaing Mai in the morning!