I know, I know. Its been a ridiculously long time since I've written ~ and I'm very very sorry about that (to those of you who have written wondering what in hell is going on!!)
I think the last time I left off I was still in Hong Kong - enjoying Easter with Alex's family......curing the homesickness that had come on hard and fast. Welllll.....a lot has happened since then.
I had originally planned on spending a couple of days in Macau, with a friend I'd met in Cambodia who lives there.....but running into Skotty and Alex in H.K. kinda flattened those plans. I ended up taking the ferry to Macau in the morning, a taxi to the airport, and a flight to Bangkok that afternoon. Sheesh. What I DID see out of the taxi window in Macau did make me regret my decision, a bit, though. It looked really cool....and kinda incredible to see so many signs in Portuguese despite being in the heart of Asia! Very neat - I will have to make a point of going back one day.
Upon landing in Bangkok......I headed straight for Khao San Road. This is the area of town I'd skipped when I was last here - and now that I've seen it, I'm glad I did. Its really a little slice of hippy dippy insanity. My room was fine - spotless, with a fan and private bath, and INDIAN FOOD in the restaurant downstairs - for 200baht.....but outdoors was mayhem. The street and surrounding area is a melee of internet cafes, restaurants, guesthouses, street food (mmm...pad thai for 20baht!!), tshirts, necklaces, sarongs, elephant carvings, tattoo parlours.....it goes on and on. Add in a Burger King, Mcdonalds, and Starbucks for good measure...and you get the idea. Its pretty much anything you could ever imagine a traveller needing...and then some. I think its ok for a day or two..any more could drive you mad.
So, my first night. I think I made it about 20 feet down the street before literally bumping into a guy I'd met in China, in Chengdu. Madness. So I had a friend without even trying! And then the very next day, got an email from Isabelle - a wonderful girl I travelled with in Cambodia....so we met up and got massages and pedicures. Thats one thing I'll definately miss...a great hour long massage for way less than $10CDN. Wow. I have to say, I came very close to joining Isabelle on her flight to Bali...but in the end, decided that I wanted to see more of Thailand. She was planning on learning to surf......but I figured I was more interested in learning to dive. (a choice I am now SO glad I made....!)
I booked a flight from Bangkok to Krabi and planned to take off the next day. I was kinda feeling out of place and dying to get out of the city, but at the same time nervous that Koh Lanta would be full of people and it would be hard to make friends. Funny thing I've noticed. Every single time I begin to get depressed or feel scared or anything negative at all.....something comes along out of the blue to fix it. I think its turning out to be the one great lesson I'm gonna have gotten from this trip. Bangkok was no exception. My last night in town, I randomly ran into this great guy from Melbourne named Cameron...who was so great. We hung out all night, had great conversations about music and life and all manner of things - i just love when you really get along with someone. And it definately pumped me up for Lanta.
Arriving on Lanta.....the place I had booked myself into for the first night had one swimming pool, a ROCKY beach, zero charm or personality, and about 7 gazillion too many loveydovey couples for my taste... Needless to say I moved on very quickly. Hannah recommended the Funky Fish and it was exactly what I needed. Bungalow for 100baht/night, massages on the beach, yummy curry and coconut shakes on the beach, and super kind staff. Not to mention, a beautiful gorgeous beach that was mostly deserted since I had the good fortune of showing up JUST as low season was starting. In fact, by the time I left 2 weeks later, I was the only guest at Funky Fish left. It was GREAT.
My first morning there, I met Judith....a really sweet girl from Holland who had already made friends with some scuba instructors from one of the local shops....ready-made friends. That night was a party because the shop was closing....it was really great to meet everyone and I really think thats when I started to fall in love with that island. The people there are really really great.
And from there. Marc managed to convince me to learn to dive...so i did. Stupid girl that I am, I didnt' bring my camera with me ONCE on the boat...so no dive pix. Next course. But I loved it. Honestly, this man has the patience of a saint. You do a full day of theory and then a day in the pool...and then 2 days of diving.....so great. But the day in the pool ~ honestly, I'm surprised he didnt' try to drown me himself. Everything he tried to teach me, I needed it shown to me like 20 times. And I couldn't stop giggling for the life of me. But he did it......made a (sort of???) diver out of me. Thank you thank you thank you Marc. My time on that island wouldn't have been half as great had he not been there with me. So much fun!
And of course, as things always work out...immediately after Marc left to head back to the UK, I met up with Laurent and spent a great week in Phuket with him. He's actually the owner of the shop that Marc worked for.....so I'd met him earlier, but we just kind of hit it off when we were off on our own. Really great. So we'll see where this goes. But for now I'm pretty happy with myself...... !!!!!!!!!
We spent the better part of a week just running errands (he left for Paris the other day), playing in waves, lying on the beach, just relaxing. OH! And we stayed at the most gorgeous place ever..... www.villageresortandspa.com the pool access villas...oh MY god. So great. I've got a new taste for g&ts now...and french accents.....!
I kind of feel like I've been on vacation from my vacation...if that makes sense...and so haven't posted any pix or written so much lately. Sorry. I'll catch up soon, I promise.
OH and Mel and Addie...I'm so excited for you two!! You better let me know the very instant you book that surgery...can't wait to see his little face for the first time!!!!!!!! And Mel ...thanks for talking me down from the edge of panic this morning. Ah, emotions. Craziness!!!!!!!!
Ok, I love and miss you all...
would love to hear from more of you!
Better report next time, I promise!
xoxoxo lolo
