R & R in Thailand

We left on the 3rd for a little R&R in Thailand. Joe was ready for some time off and we were excited to spend some time on the beach and get some sun. We had also heard great things about Thailand and were anxious to see the country for ourselves.

Our first stop was in Phuket, Thailand a small island on the west coast of Thailand on the Andaman Sea. Friday was taken up by travel so on Saturday we hit the ground running. I had already looked at what there was to do for fun so we had most of our days already planned before we got there. We stayed at the Hilton Arcadia Resort which was a beautiful place with beautiful views of the ocean.

After spending some time at the beach and by the pool Saturday morning, we took a Sunset Cruise in the afternoon. We had a light Thai lunch onboard the boat on our way to take a sea kayak tour through sea caves in various islands and Hong Island. We had a wonderful and entertaining guide named Sonny who led us through these unbelievable caves into secluded areas that are only reached by entrance into the caves. There are only certain times during the day to go through these caves due to the tides. Once on the other side of the caves you enter the most beautiful untouched nature you could ever imagine seeing, even monkeys. It was the most peaceful and secluded place I had ever seen! The insides of the caves were covered in sleeping bats. It was an eerie feeling paddling through these caves with bats just a few feet above your head. After exploring the caves and paddling around some of the islands we had an opportunity to do some swimming before having a wonderful Thai dinner on the boat. After dinner we made Krathongs for a Tranquility float, small rafts made of banana leaves and flowers. At sunset they are lit with candles and launched into the water for good luck. It was a great way to start off a great week!

On Sunday we took it easy around the pool and did some exploring in the village near the hotel. We had lunch in a street café and did a little shopping. That night we met our friends Jon and Katie and their kids, Micah and Evey, for a great Thai dinner. The food here is some of the best I’ve ever had! Jon and Katie flew down on our plane from Chengdu and stayed two nights in Bangkok before coming to Phuket.

On Monday we met Jon, Katie and the kids for elephant trekking. Again this was an amazing experience! These huge animals are so gentle and mellow. We enjoyed about 30 minutes of riding through the mountains and taking in the views of the ocean down below. We got the opportunity to feed the elephants and saw a show of young baby elephants early in their training.

Tuesday, Joe, Jon and Katie took advantage of one of the many golf courses on the island and I stayed at the hotel with the kids. While they were trudging through the Thai heat and humidity, Micah, Evey and me were enjoying the comforts of the hotel pool and the nearby beach. In the evening Joe and I enjoyed a beautiful Thai sunset.

Wednesday had us on a speedboat with Jon, Katie and the kids to see the nearby Phi Phi (the “H” is silent) islands and do some snorkeling. It was a beautiful day and the views of the many islands in the area were amazing. These islands are steep mountainous islands, not flat. There is dense vegetation and some beautiful rock formations. The water in the surrounding areas ranged from dark blue to the most unbelievable color of emerald green you could imagine and very clear.

Our first stop was on an island where we were able to do some snorkeling. This was my first time to snorkel and the water was to clear you could see the bottom. The coral and fishes in these waters were awesome! I can’t wait to get our underwater camera pictures developed. From this island we went through an area called Emerald Bay known for its emerald green, crystal clear waters. From there we went to Monkey Island to see the monkeys living on the island. After that it was on to another island for lunch. This island had a secluded resort with individual bungalows built up into the mountain overlooking the water. It would be a great place to stay for a few days of peace and quite.

Our last stop was at another island for more snorkeling. By this time clouds were starting to come in and our snorkeling was cut short due to rains. We were able to get a quick glimpse of the beautiful coral reef in the area before the rain came.

Our trip back to Phuket was not very pleasant due to a downpour. Although the boat covered we were still pretty uncomfortable on the return trip. It was a great day and a great adventure.

On Thursday, Joe and I left for Bangkok for the remainder of our trip. We stayed in the Millennium Hilton Hotel on Chao Phraya River in Bangkok. Again, the views from our hotel room of the river and city were amazing. The hotel was beautiful and the staff were very helpful and friendly. We had a wonderful steak dinner that night in the hotel steak restaurant. It was a treat for us since great steak is something that is hard to come by in China, especially Chengdu.

Friday we did some exporing of the city. We took a river ride and road the rail system. My favorite was taking a ride in a Tuk Tuk, a fancy three wheeled scooter with a covered seating area. I guess it be might a modern day version of a rickshaw.

Saturday we had planned to take a tour to the Tiger Temple but it was a holiday weekend (Thai New Year) and there was growing concern for the “red shirts” causing disturbances around the city. The “red shirts” are a faction opposing the current Thai government. After we left on Sunday things escalated and travel to Bangkok was discouraged. Things are starting to settle down again now. We were discouraged from doing much so we stayed close to the hotel. Saturday night we went to a night market, where I did some shopping for things to take back home, and had dinner at an outdoor market with hundreds of booths where you could select your food and have it cooked for you on the spot. We enjoyed sitting and listening to live music while we ate.

On Sunday we met back up with Jon, Katie and the kids at the Bangkok airport for our flight back to Chengdu. We had a great week, did a lot of things we both had never done before. We had some of the most amazing food in Thailand. That coming from someone who is very picky about what she eats. I can honestly say we didn’t have a bad meal the entire week we were in Thailand. We took over 400 pictures and video. This is definitely a place we will be going back to again for a little rest and relaxation. We have already talked about going for Chinese New Year next year. Bangkok is only a three hour flight from Chengdu!