The private Bamboo island in Cambodia, what a relaxing experience. The beach was pure white sand so fine that when you walked on it the ground made squeeky sounds. The island was barely inhabited with a few people operating bungalows and a restaurant and then the few other tourists there. We made some friends that had a volleyball and played a fierce match of volleyball, one game of which was against the locals. Not surprisingly they beat the crap out of us. One of the locals was playing in his tighty whities and that was a site to see. We only had electricy on the island for about 4 hrs a day while they turned the generator on to make shakes for us and until about 10pm at night when they would turn it off. This was a bit of a challenge as they gave no notification as to when they were going to turn the lights off so making your way back to the bungalow in the dark was pretty difficult. Not to mention we had no fan or air con so it was brutally hot at night. But luckily the days made up for the nights with beaches of paradise each day. After a few days on the beaches of Cambodia we were feeling the need to mix it up and decided to head to Thailand.
We booked a bus ticket to the Island of Ko Chang in Thailand. We were expecting a long day and indeed that is just what we got. In one day we traveled on a total of 3 buses, 2 minivans, a speed boat, and a pick up truck in order for us to arrive at our destination. It was an exhausting day but Ko Chang was definitely the reward at the end. I can say without a doubt that this island is the most beautiful place I have ever seen. The water is absolutely crystal clear and calm with a tint of aqua blue. The beaches are free of rubbish and beggers/vendors, the sand white and fine, and the coast line is filled with palm trees and rain forest so thick there are no roads on the interior of the islands. Today I caught a glimpse of monkeys swinging on the trees outside our bungalows. Not to mention that there are dozens of islands around us that provide nice eye candy as well.
The overall atmosphere of Thailand is one of relaxation and peace. The country is doing very well economically and that is evident in the tourism. No one is pushy or trying to rip you off. The Thai people have embraced a lot of Westernization but are still very culturally distinct. There are more customs here to follow than any other countries we have visited. Such as greetings, entering an establishment without shoes, eating etiquette, etc. We're trying very hard to not be rude or offensive as many things that we do are considered just that in Thai culture.
So what have we been doing? A lot of sun tanning and dining on the most delicious food on EARTH! Lastnight we took a Thai cooking class and learned how to make 4 dishes: Phad Thai, Tom Yum Soap, Fish Salad, and Paneang Curry. Our instructor was a "hippie" Thai lady named Chulie and she was so patient with us and helped us to make a fine feast.
Lonely beach where we are staying is a young hip place with a lot of super chill bamboo huts and restaurants right up on the beach. There is a lot of partying here and we've participated in the Mekong Bucket Craze (Mekong Whiskey, Red Bull, Coke, and lime all mixed up in a bucket like you would use to make a sand castle with at the beach, and a bunch of straws for everyone to share.) At night we find ourselves getting into all sorts of exciting conversations with other travelers. Often times we get lured into the topic of politics as everyone wants to talk about American politics, specifically the upcoming election.
Today we were supposed to go on a snorkeling trip but b/c of rain the trip was canceled. The forecast predicts rain for a few days so it looks like we had better head to Bangkok as there won't be much beach bumming in the rain. In Bangkok we will have a better chance of catching the game. That is, the Jayhawks beating UNC and making Roy wish he'd never left! Go Jayhawks. In just a few short days we will be meeting my mom at the airport in Bangkok. Can't wait to see her! Of course we're having a splendid time in utopia but miss our friends and family. It's going to be so refreshing to see family and friends.
Well, I better wrap this up. We love you all and miss you all! Happy to hear that you're finally getting some decent weather. See you in a few months!
Maggie and Mike
