A Thai Style Western Reunion

Hello!!!

Sabrina here! I am writing from Koh Phi Phi! We got here about 3 days ago and have been having an amazing time!

Last time Amy and I checked in we were in Ko Tao awaiting Jay. He finally arrived (actually, moments after Amy and I headed to the beach...woops!) and we had three great days on the island. Koh Tao is an amazing little place, with two main beaches and a myriad of travellers who are excited about either getting certified to scuba dive, or those who are already certified who want to see some amazing wildlife under the ocean.

David did the scuba diving course and now has his open water certification!! However, I do not think he will ever dive again - the course was not his favourite learning experience, but he was a trooper and made the most of it. Amy and I decided to 'take it easy' and hung out on the beach, took a yoga class, met some interesting people from Manchester, and soaked in some rays. Perhaps too many rays. We also went up to the viewpoint on Koh Tao and saw some pretty amazing sights from the top of the island. Overall, the weather was great and the food was delicious. Barbeques are common at the restaurants on Tao. WE basically ate some of the largest Kebobs and corn on the cobs we had ever had, and it truly was delicious.

Amy and I also tested our friendship. Amy wanted a haircut and had been talking about it since we got to Thailand. So, I offered up my 'skills' and gave it a try. What was supposed to be a small trim to the back of her graduated bob, became an all-round haircut - my very first one! Those who know me well know that I am a hairdresser's worst nightmare. I am not a trusting customer unless a hairdresser has proven their skills, and was truly impressed that Amy trusted me enough to cut her hair! I am happy to say that it did not turn out half bad, and we are still friends, despite some nervous moments on both of our parts. Let me know if there are any other takers when I return home...anyone? anyone?? Maybe this experience will make me a more 'relaxed' client when i am under the scissors for my next trim...

Amy, Jay and I went to a Thai Boxing match as well. Thai boxing is a common sport in Thailand and most cities and islands have an arena. We watched several matches and it was interesting to see. Each boxer wears a specific head dress associated with where they are from and does a particular bow before they begin the match. Music is also played throughout the match and it sounds like a cross between thai and indian music. While it is ultimately a violent sport (which is not normally my cup of tea), it was a very interesting cultural experience.

We left Koh Tao and headed to Krabi on our way to Koh Phi Phi. We stayed at Ban Chaofa on the way. It was a nice little guesthouse with some friendly staff. Among them was Tuz. Tuz has the ability to light up a room with his smile alone. He helped set up a cot in the room we were staying in and kept saying 'oh...my life! there is always something new!' His mantra is simply to make people happy and he did his job with pride. You could tell that service was his forte and that he had found his calling greeting guests and welcoming them to KRabi. The next morning, Singh decided to shave his overgrown facial hair. When he went to the guesthouse lobby to check us out, Tuz looked at him, tapped his hip and said 'ah..without sexy!'. Apparently sexy is the equivalent of facial hair to Tuz and he was unimpressed with Singh's new look!

That morning we took a VERY choppy and nauseating ferry ride to Koh Phi Phi. When we got here, it was pouring rain. We quickly booked a room at the Guesthouse our friends Courtney and Christy had mentioned they were staying at - P.P. October. Upon arrival, we looked across the way and saw Laura Burke. For those USC readers, you will know Laura as a long time devotee to student government and she happened to be on Koh Phi Phi at the same time as us! We all walked around the island together and caught up, and ran into Christy and Courtney at a local bakery. It was an amazing coincidence and a better Western Reunion than we could have ever expected in Thailand!

Together, the six of us headed up the Tsunami evacuation route, which doubles as a path up to three INCREDIBLE viewpoints of Koh Phi Phi. Despite the overcast weather, the view was spectacular. It gave us an amazing perspective of the island. There was an informative sign along the way that indicated where the devastation was from the Tsunami. Most of the island has been rebuilt, but it is still visibly in repair from the devastation. It was quite the hike to the top! Our legs were mosquito bitten and shaking by the end.

That night we all went to an AMAZING restaurant - Papaya - for dinner. After eating a delcious Thai meal and laughing hysterically at a cat who decided to nap in the fridge at the restaurant, we headed to Tiger Bar for 2 for 1 buckets. Laura and her friend Jade had yet to try a bucket in Thailand, and so we felt it was our duty to ensure they enjoyed at least one before they left Thailand! It was a fun night to say the least. Jade ended up really liking buckets.

Yesterday, David, Amy, Christy, Courtney and I went on a Longtail boat ride. These boats are long and made of wood panels, and are run by a car motor with a small propeller at the end. The motor even said Toyota - so it was CLEARLY meant for inside the hood of a car, and perhaps not for the open waters. We went to Monkey Island on our tour around Phi Phi and met some very friendly and sophisticated monkies. One of them was so friendly, it decided to jump on Amy and almost completely pulled down her bikini bottoms!! After that we headed to some other islands and took a tour around Phi Phi Ley. Unfortunately, we could not go to the beautiful sister island of Phi Phi because of the weather. It turned out to be a very stormy day and by about 4 pm we were freezing and the winds were so harsh, we asked the driver to pack it in for the day and we headed back to Phi Phi.

Last night we ate at a James Bond inspired restaurant. There is something here for everyone - truly. At each of the islands we have been to so far, there have been so many restaurants and businesses geared towards tourists and the comforts they are used to in their native country. Every menu has American style food options, and each restaurant plays English music and movies. Movies are played all throughout the day and mealtimes and are ideal for rainy days. Last night we watched Blood Diamond after dinner at the restaurant. I know it seems like a strange thing to do while you are in the tropics, but it was a nice break from the wet weather and it did seem like a little taste of home, which can be nice when you are so far away.

It rained all day today so we basically chilled out, booked our travel out of Phi Phi, and went to the used bookstore. Tomorrow we are heading to Chiang Mai to do some trekking, take a Thai cooking class and hopefully ride some elephants. Christy and Courtney headed up there today so we look forward to reuniting with them again soon!

We love and miss you all and hope you are well! leave us comments as we would love to hear from you!!

much love from Thailand,

Sabrina, David and Amy