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Winifred Beach
Thursday, October 27th, 2011 /

One of my new favorites! I had never been toWinifred Beach before in all my times to Christmas Island. It is the furthest beach away from everything, on the other side of the island. About a 45 minute drive through crazy uneven jungle road, Julie drove through it like a champ, only to be followed by a 20 minute trek through the jungle, and then you come out on top of a cliff, looking down at crystal clear water.

On the way down!

 First you need to climb down these unbelievably steep stairs that more closely resemble a ladder, and then hope you’ve come at low tide, because then you have to tread through knee high water around some jutting cliffs to actually reach the beach! Potentially could be extremely scary and dangerous if you don’t check the tides schedule first!
So Steeeep!

First View!

Climbing around the cliff!

Once you’re there, there’s tons to explore. Mini caves, tons of tiny rock pools with eels, crabs and fishies swimming around, rocks to climb, birds to watch. Joh brought his fishing rod, and we grabbed the snorkels too. When you walk to the end of the rock pools, there’s an area to jump into beautiful blue water and swim as you sway around with the tide.

Julez and I swimming!

Bring food and water, because after a few hours in the sun, the hike back to the car is a bit tough! 

Joh fishing!
Category: Australia, Beaches, Christmas Island, Family, Winifred Beach  Tags: , , , ,  One Comment
Merrial Beach
Tuesday, October 18th, 2011 /

One of the hidden gems in Christmas Island, Merrial Beach is a tiny plot of white sand nestled in between 2 tall cliffs. A 4-wheel drive is needed to get there, followed by a hike through the jungle that is pretty unmarked (we got lost!!), and then a steep climb down rocks, and you arrive!

The hike to Merrial!

So happy we made it!

At high tide, the beach may not even be visible. At low tide, if you’re lucky, you can walk around through the rock pool, jump off a cliff ledge, and swim around to another beach. Unfortunately the water was a bit rough for us, maybe next time!  
The cliffs around the side!
A few weeks later, Brad and I made the hike to check out a killer sunset there. We were a bit afraid  of the trek back through the dark, so brought some markers to tie on trees along the way. It proved to be way easier than we thought, and SO worth the trip!  Definitely a favourite!

Beautiful Sunset!

 

 

Category: Australia, Beaches, Christmas Island, Family, Merrial Beach  Tags: , , ,  One Comment
Lily Beach
Sunday, October 16th, 2011 /

Every beach on Christmas Island is named after a woman….and if you ask me, quite an old-fashioned woman. Lily Beach is probably the second most accessible beach on the island, and a favorite to many. It’s quite a drive over a bumpy gravel road, but then you drive up to a little pebble beach nestled in between the cliffs. What makes Lily so interesting is the little pool of crystal clear calm water that you swim in while watching these roaring waves crash just a few meters away. The swimming area is protected by the reef, but swim out too far and you might never come back.

Typical!

Looking IN to Lily!

It’s easy to spend a whole day at Lily Beach, as there is more than meets the eye! Look to the cliff and you’ll see steps leading up to the top! Not only does it provide an amazing view, but it you wander off the path onto the sharp jagged rocks, you’ll see it’s also a favorite nesting place for the famous boobie birds. They’re SO cute, white and fluffy!

On top of the cliffs!

To the right, there are a couple pathways you can take. One is a narrow trail through the jungle that brings you out onto more cliffs that have a very different feeling than the other side. There is no boardwalk to feel safe on, and there are rockpools and blowholes going off. If the swell is high, it can be quite scary.  Behind you in a huge mountain with hundreds of birds flying around, and it really gives you an eerie volcano feel!

 

Scaryyy

 

However, head back to the beach, and you can go straight back into relaxation mode! Another cool thing about Lily is that there are barbeques and a nice gazebo for shade and a picnic. Or come back at night for a bonfire and see the amazing stars of the southern hemisphere! During the week, you’re bound to get the beach all to yourself!

Relaxation to the max!

Category: Australia, Beaches, Christmas Island, Lily Beach  Tags: , ,  Leave a Comment
Perth in a Nutshell!
Friday, September 30th, 2011 /

Ahh.. Australia!  Since we had been traveling for almost 9 months straight the timing was perfect!  Chels and I (and our bank accounts) were both in need of a break;  not to mention the added benefits of our pit stop being in Western Australia, home to some of the world’s most spectacular coastline and most importantly Chelsea’s family

All together again!

Our home for the next 8 months would be Scarborough, a small beach town in the  northern suburbs of Perth situated along side the miles of white sandy coastline.  The beachfront boardwalk is a modest size strip containing an amphitheater, some surf shops, hotel, restaurants and pubs and of course Denise and Bruce’s amazing condo.  We could never get tired of waking up and seeing the ocean from their place, having the soft sand and turquoise waters literally at our doorstep.  In the evening we’d sit out on the balcony watching the kite surfers carve up the waves as the sun set behind the endless horizon.

Scarborough Beach!

Since our stay in Perth was around 8 months, and we are almost a year behind on our blog, this is our attempt to catch up.  So here are some highlights of our stay.  Hope you enjoy!

The first couple months were pretty lax and full of days at beautiful Scarborough Beach and  family get-togethers. I always love Christmas with my family, because its a huge get together on Christmas Eve, in honor of the way the Dutch celebrate the night before. This year was at Aunty Nets amazing abode…with tons of my favorite Aussie food and complete with a bouncy castle for the kids! Oh yeah….and all my lovely family was there too :) It was the first time all 5 of us were together since 2005, so my Mum was thrilled! After socializing and way too much food, we all take part in a “Dirty Santa” snatching game, and were surprised with a special poem “pass the parcel” from Scott and Jo!

All the cousins!

Christmas morning is spent with Dad’s family…a nice relaxing lunch with a great view from Mum and Dads! New Years was a relaxing night at home with the family! We had a Gormetta…my favorite!!! AND played Cranium, which most people know makes me extremely happy :) Unfortunately there were no fireworks this year at Scarborough, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise because apparently Angel goes “Troppo” when they go off! Instead we watched the spectacular display in Sydney Harbour on the “Tele”. I think my New Years resolution yet again was to quit picking at my nails…fail!

New Years!

January 26th this year was Australia Day! Similar to the 4th of July celebrations in America, its a day of drinking and barbequing in the sun!  Ours was spent at Cottesloe, one of the most famous beaches in Perth. BUT what really made the day awesome was the Havaianas Thong Challenge! Every Australia Day, the major cities around Australia compete to see who can put the most massive inflatable thongs in the water – all connected! Last year Perth won with 1,300 floats, so it was time to defend the title. Rachael, Gloria, Jan and their gang all joined in. Everyone brought drinks and food as we picnicked on the grass until the time came for the migration into the sea.

Thongs!!

The whole thing took over an hour,which would have been fine, except towards the end the tide was coming in, and giant thongs were toppling over with screaming girls all over the place. We ended up with ___ which was significantly more than last year! Watching everyone leave the water at the same time was a sight to see…it truly was like a migration of white thongs! Turns out… Sydney beat us by a couple hundred.. but still proud of Perth since we’re such a little city that had a huge turn out! The Havaianas Thong Challenge was such a fun unique experience and so so glad we did it… Thanks Gloria and Jan for suggesting it! :)

Great Migration!

Shelling out the cash for my Australian Work Visa turned out to be well worth it. Within 24 hours of landing in Perth Chels and I both had jobs.  Cafe Del Pescatore, one of the first places we called into offered us both work.  It was a nice seafood restaurant that could have worked out nicely since it was on the Scarborough beach boardwalk.  However, it wasn’t exactly what either of us wanted to do and it wasn’t long before we both moved on to something else.

Before leaving on our trip I had tried to get some work at REI and Eastern Mountain Sports, to stock up on travel gear at a discounted price.  There is an Australian equivalent called Anaconda and by a stroke of luck (the manager Jamie is a Bruins fan!), I was working there by mid January.  A casual gig at first grew to nearly a full time position in the technical soft goods department.  It was a customer service/sales position job selling some technical hiking and travel gear.   Within two weeks of working there Jamie offered me a chance to fly to Sydney for a product knowledge conference put on by our suppliers.  But by far the highlight of working at Anaconda was my workmates.  I  couldn’t have asked for a better crew to spend 6 months with.  I’m proud to call a lot of those guys my friends.  Cheers guys, until next time!

Goodbye Present from work.

I ended up finding the best job i could have asked for, nannying a family of 4 kids 4 days a week. The older 3 were in school, so although i was involved with school drop-off and pick-up, my main responsibility was to care for the 3 year old, Sophie, who soon became my best little bud! She was SO good, and so cute, and i had all the flexibility in the world to take her where i wanted! She LOVED going to Anaconda to visit Brad and give him a coffee!! It wasn’t long before my one day off Wednesday, was filled caring for their baby cousin, Christopher! He also turned out to be a dream, such a smart and good 1 year old! I was sad to leave, as not only was it good money, but i had grown to love these little kids! It was obviously a good gig….Mum ended up taking over :) …so I still have a little connection to them!

Sophie!

 

Baby Chris!

Now with jobs to help save money, we were on the lookout for some live music.  During the summer in Perth there are several opportunities to check out some emerging and popular artists at one of the many music festivals.  Generally they are a one day event ( with the exception being Southbound, a four day camping expedition).  Normally we would have jumped at that but we were dangerously low on funds then and there was only a few bands that we wanted to see.  Instead we opted for a few of the day long festivals.

Big Day out was our first one.  John Butler was there playing for his hometown crowd and put on a bangin show.  The night headliner was Tool and of course they put on a sick show as well.

Tool!

Good Vibrations was the next one we went to and scored free tickets for volunteering the day before.  The line up here was more hip hop and drum and bass focused with Faithless and Ludacris among the headliners.  We had the chance to catch Fat Freddy’s Drop, a dub style band from New Zealand who had long jam sessions and fit the “good vibes” category for sure.

Jump rope!

Loved this!

There was also Sets on the Beach, which we saw with Julie.  No big names that we recognized were playing, and it was mostly dj’s.  It turned into a hell of a dance party after sunset but sad to say the hot Aussie sun mixed with Absolute played havoc with my recollection of this day out.

Sets on the Beach!

The last festival we checked out was Throwing of the Grape.  It was in celebration of the grape harvest of a Vinyard in the Swan River Vally.  It was a pretty good setup.  A cover band was jamming some of our favorite beats and there were all sorts of things to do (besides drink wine).  Water dunking, sumo wrestling and of course, grape stomping.  The stomping AND the dance party was just starting to take off when a massive storm, or rather a mini cyclone hit. The branches were flying off the trees, the fences being blown over, the stage being completely wrecked, and everyone screaming and running for cover.   Once the storm had passed, we made our way back to find Mr. Whippie blasting trance music from his truck.  He was such a cool guy, we ended up buying some creamy treats from him on our way out!

Storms a brewin!

Just as Summer was on its last days, my love Jasmine came to visit us in Perth!! Brad and I were both able to get the time off work so we could take them down to one of our favorite places in the world, Margaret River!

Margret River wine region is about a 4 hour drive south of Perth. With plenty of stops along the way, half the fun is getting there.  Our first pit stop was made at stunning Meelup Beach where Adam and I flashed our paddle-ball skills as the girls soaked in the sun.  Another place we had to take Adam and Jazz to was the Bushhack Brewery, not only because it was one of my favorite places from our last visit but because Jazz had been dreaming about tasting the neon colored fruit beers that they are so famous for.  Their flavors range from blondes, a ginger; mango; passion-fruit; strawberry and oddly enough, chili beer – which has a surprising but welcomed finish.

 

Creamin Screamin!

Thanks to Aunty Net and Uncle Gary, we were able to rent out an amazing cottage right in the heart of Margaret River.   Our plan originally was to do a tour of the region then some of the surrounding areas, but only after a few hours of staying the rental house, we decided to just spend the whole time there, explore, taste, relax and soak it in.

Fun at Sunset

The wineries all close at 5pm the latest, so rushed around to visit a few before they shut.  We made it with just enough time to spare, having a taste of what they were offering and purchasing a bottle for dinner that night (this became our habit).  A quick walking tour of the city and a stop at the shops to stock up on groceries.  That night we grilled out and were visited by Chelsea’s cousin Micheal and his wife Kasha and son Raven.  It was great to catch up with them and get some insider info about the beaches and caves to explore the next day.

Winery in the middle of nowhere!

We got an early start the next morning, hitting up the olive farm Olio Bello, (which I later found out was owned by one of my mates from works family) for some olive oil tastings.. yum!  After that we were in search of my favorite stop in Margaret River.. Yahava, the coffee roasting place!  After the intense coffee tasting session, we all had the jitters and felt it was time to ease up and drink wine!  The rest of the day was spent pulling in the tastes from the agro-rich region.  On our way to catch sunset we happened to drive by some wild kangaroos hanging out in the shade and stopped for a photo shoot.  Jazz showed an incredible rout of bravery when she walked right up to a group of them to snap a photo.  We finished the day with a delicious seafood dinner whipped up by Jazz and Chels!

Baby Kangaroo!

The next day we decided to check out the other amazing things about the region, the beaches!  Micheal had told us one of his favorite beach spots is Hamelin Bay.  So we headed off early and on the way there drove through the beautiful Boranup Forrest blossoming with powerful Jarrah Trees.  As we made our way to Hamelin Bay, we walked through the dunes out onto the deserted soft white sands and safe blue waters of the bay.   I think we all were feeling euphoric, as that kind of scenery has a way of doing to you.  The highlight of being there was seeing the wild sting rays that swim right along the shoreline.  We followed a few up and down the coast, marveling at their size and grace.

Friendly Stingray!

The finally for that day was a stop at Jewel Cave.  Where you can view Helictites.  Unlike stalagmite/stalactites which form in a straight line, Helictites dart all over the place like lightening that baffles geologists , and according to our guide, Jewel Cave is one of the only places in the world that has so many!

I can say without hesitation one of the highlights of the trip.  The wine, food and scenery were amazing, but the company was even better!

On our last day we got to take them to Rottnest Island, and bike around the cozy island,  swim in the azul waters and chase after quokkas.   The bikes are a must-do, as well as trying a meat pie or sausage roll at the famous bakery in town!

Snorkeling at Rottnest!

It was great to have them come for a visit.  I’m always happy to see Jazzy F  and getting to know Adam was a bonus.  It was fun sharing travel stories and chatting about social issues while being in one of the most incredible areas in WA and probably the world. We were sad to say  goodbye as we had truly an amazing time.

Another visit we had during our stint in Perth was from the amazing traveling teachers.  Newly married and on their Global Honeymoon  touring the world, Devon and Mike.  Since we crashed with them in Switzerland they took us up on our offer to come and stay in Perth with us.

Sandunes at Lancelin!

It was a bit sudden but it all came together beautifully in the end.  We got to take them on a day trip up north to the sand dunes of Lancelin and the Pinnacles (random rock formations 1000′s of years old). The flies were OUTRAGEOUS, but we still had a fun time playing around in the rocky desert!

Pinnacles!

On the way home, we noticed some giant abandoned sand dunes, so pulled over to check them out. We ended up having a total blast, running around, jumping over each other, onto each other, playing with the shadows from the sun. Just as the sun was setting, we took some time to admire the view AND take advantage of some amazing photo ops. For me, the abandoned sand dunes were the highlight of the day. Although enjoying some red rooster on the way home was a close second :)

Hear me Roar!

We love being around them.  Their stories are incredible and energy is contagious, truly inspiring!  It was sad to see them go, and I found myself wishing we had more time to explore the wonders of Western Australia, but that’s how it goes when you are spontaneous world travelers like them.  Hope to see them soon in Ethiopia!

 

So for all the non-Aussies; footie or Australian Rules Football has become a national pastime.  Aussie Rules has the toughness of rugby, soccer’s finesse and requires the fitness level of long distance swimmers (the oval is 175m long/ 122m wide and play is continuous).  However, footie stands out as a sport that is uniquely Aussie-made. Western Australia has two teams, West Coast Eagles and Fremantle Dockers who both play at the Subiaco Oval.  Thanks to the generosity of Chelsea’s family Scott and Joe, who are season ticket holders, we were able to see a Dockers game.  We had a blast sipping Carlton Draught and being a part of the cheering when Fremantle kicked a goal.  It was great just to see some live sports again!

Yay Live Sports!

Reuniting with one of my longest friends, Gloria Poh, was another highlight of our Perth visit. She’s fun and spunky, SO easy to talk to, and has great friends and a great boyfriend! For her 25th birthday, she tried to bring back her youthful days :) … with a kiddie-themed birthday party. I was excited to show Brad the typical Aussie party food, like fairy bread (Sprinkles on white bread) and honey joys (Corn Flakes with Honey), AND the typical Aussie games, like “Pass the Parcel” and “Musical Statues”. We played a variation of the usual pin the tale on the donkey…”Pin the Junk Food on Fat Gloria” haha! It was a great night, complete with Lolly Bags at the end!

Pin the Junk Food on Gloria!

For those who know me, know I am in LOVE with board games..well any games really! I told Gloria we needed to organize a game night, and it turned out to be a huge success. All the girls brought their best dishes, loads of booze, and of of course an array of games. The last game night we had before Brad and I left turned into a pajama party American drinking games night! Beer pong, Chandelier, Flip Cup and upside down Margaritas!

Thats right...just won Beer pong!

Somehow in the middle of dinner and drinks with Gloria and Jan, Brad and I got suckered into participating in HBFs “Run for a Cause”. I’ve always wanted to run a 5k, so we jumped at the opportunity…only to find out no no..it wasn’t a 5k, but a 14k!!! AHH. none of us really trained, but we all made it to the end..some with better times than others :) It was a cool experience though..and running through the city was a bonus! Nobody could walk for a week after haha! But YAY North of the River won woop woop!

The gang after the race!

Thanks to Gloria, Jan and the gang for being totally badass! :) Seriously you guys made us feel part of the group and like we were all old friends… and  we had a great time handing with you! :) And THANK YOU Gloria for the delicious funpack you gave us on our last Sunday Sesh!  WE’LL MISS YOU!!!

Over our 8 months in Perth,  I attempted to assimilate into the Australian way of life. Along the way I learned how to surf, play didgeridoo, and speak the Aussie lingo.  Thank you to Ryan for loaning us a couple surfboards and a boogie board. Thanks to all of Chelsea’s family for being so welcoming and hospitable.  So amazingly grateful for the hospitality of Denise and Bruce, without them our stay would not have been possible, but not only that, it was really good spending time and getting to know them both. Farewell Perth!

 

 

Category: Australia, Beaches, Family, Festivals, Perth  Tags: , ,  Leave a Comment
Bali..resort style with the fam!
Wednesday, September 07th, 2011 /

Leaving Ubud was sad, but I think we were all secretly excited to experience living in comfort for a few days! As we were pulling into Santika Resort, we all noticed how gorgeous and lush the surroundings were, how sparkling blue the pool was, and how friendly and charming the staff were! I left Brad and Ash to chill by the pool while I went to pick up my Mum, Dad, Oma and Grandad from the airport! When they came back, it was a nice reunion with lots of hugs and kisses!

Santika!

As soon as we checked it, we promptly got our rooms changed to be poolside (good call) and then even more promptly went to go get medication for my very gross looking burn! Mum AND Dad made a huge fuss when they saw it…apparently you need to treat wounds very carefully in the tropics to avoid infection. Soon after though, we were on our way to a little Balinese joint for Nasi Goreng (Balinese fried rice) and Mie Goreng(Balinese noodles!) SOOOOO YUMMMY! OH and of course, a COLD Bintang! Apparently, there is nothing more important!

Bintangggg

It didn’t take long walking around before noticing that Kuta was significantly different than Ubud. Lots more tourist shops that sold Bintang shirts and Bali magnets, compared to the boutiques and art galleries you find in Ubud.  It attracted a much larger crowd, and we hadn’t even gone into the town center.

One of the highlights was definitely the first night there when we went out to a seafood dinner for sunset on the beach. Not only did we catch the most beautiful sunset, but the food was incredible. You walk up and pick out your fish, lobster, prawns, etc, and it is cooked right then and there and brought out to you on these huge platters! Along with traditional dancing and decoration, it makes for a perfect evening!

With Mum and Dad!

The whole fam!

The next day, we called up our driver, Raceng, and went on a tour around the island. First and best stop was to Tegunungan waterfall. First we enjoyed it from a lookout, but it didn’t take long before we walked down to play around. Dad, Brad and Ash went in for a swim, but I had to hang back with Mum to let my burn dry out.

Waterfall love!

Well… i was insanely jealous of not swimming, BUT THEN we saw some locals jump off …and we all agreed we HAD to do it!! Jumping off a tropical waterfall is on my bucket list so screw the burn! Brad made the jump look easy, Ash did it like a champ, but once i climbed to the top and looked down…i was bloody terrified!!  Especially because the water is very shallow, not even deep enough to cover your head.  ”Just tuck your knees as you hit the water,” the local boy told us. I almost didn’t do it, but with some encouragement from Ash Bash and a countdown from the local boys, i made the leap!! It was awesome!!! Yay! The whole time Mum was freaking out in the background, but we all made it out safe and sound!

WOOO HOOO!

After our daring jump and long climb back up the hill, we drove to check out Batur Volcano…which is still active! There was a big eruption in 1926 which wiped out the town, and another one in 1974 that spewed out black lava.  Scrrry! As your driving around the windy streets, you can see smoke coming out of little craters everywhere. Eventually we found ourselves at a lookout…unfortunately it was extremely foggy and a bit hard to see…oh well…the drive itself was nice.

Foggy Volcano

As the afternoon was approaching, we were all ready for a coffee break, so Raceng took us to a spice farm and to try the famous Luwak coffee. It’s a regurgitated bean…first eaten by a type of cat, then collected once they release it….extremely expensive and actually…good! The cafe was on the edge of some rice paddy fields, so offered a gorgeous view. There were a few different coffee, teas and even tabacco to try for free.

 

Luwak!

Unfortunately Ashley’s departure came all too quickly, but not after she got to enjoy a massive free buffet and loads of resort pool time!  And with Ashley leaving our little love bed, Brad became a permanent resident with another crazy outbreak of fever. Eventually we took him to the doctor and realized his fever in Langkawi may have actually been Dengue Fever!!!!! Ahhh so the next few days truly were spent relaxing and recovering.

We did manage to squeeze in another day of sightseeing and visit the beautiful Uluwatu Temple. It’s situated on the edge of the cliffs over the Pacific. Free to walk around and visit, but beware of the monkeys… we saw someone get attacked AGAIN!!

 

Uluwatu Temple

Then it was off to the famous Rock Bar, which is located literally on the cliff at this crazy beautiful MASSIVE resort called Ayana. You don’t need to ever leave if you’re a guest, because they have pools, restaurants, shopping, bars, spas, etc. To get to the bar you need to hop in an incline.   Its multi-levels and open-air with couches, a pool, and the PERFECT spot for sunset. We actually went two nights because we loved it so much! Definitely worth the sort-of long trip out there!

Ayana Resort

Sunset at Rock Bar!

Another must-do for outdoor lovers in Bali is the Whitewater Rafting!! You drive to the top of the river somewhere in ubud, entrust all your stuff over to your driver, enjoy some tea, and then hop on the raft with your guide! The coolest part is when everyone has to lay down as low and flat as they can when the guide yells because you’re coming up on an extremely low bamboo bridge! In between admiring all the beautiful rice paddies around us, there are waterfalls you stop at, and even mini waterfalls you go down! At the end of it all, you enjoy a Balinese lunch overlooking the paddies, and your driver arrives with all your stuff so you can have a fresh shower! It’s great! :)

Waterfall while white water rafting!

After loads more lovely dinners, street-side shopping and pool hours, we all left Bali a bit more relaxed and a lot chubbier :) It was so nice spending time with my bestie, my boyfriend, and of course my awesome family! Thanks Mum and Dad for the awesome resort stay…it was just what we needed after 9 months of beach sleeping, crappy guesthouses and couchsurfing! The first part of our trip was wrapping up as we prepared to spend some time working in Perth!

Category: Bali, Family, Temples, Waterfall  Tags: , , , ,  One Comment
Langkawi 2.0
Thursday, August 04th, 2011 /

I was super excited and anxiously waiting at the Langkawi airport for Ashley’s arrival…. The first of our friends to actually come to travel alongside Brad and I!!!!! She was easy to spot with her blonde hair and I ran up to give her a massive hug!! She was about to experience the life of a budget backpacker….couch surfing style!  Woo hoo… now all the fun adventures could begin!

Hugs at the airport!!

We started simple and went to the beach for what turned out to be a beautiful sunset, before hitting up the massive duty-free shop for some cheap vodka! We checked out a very little local bar/hostel where we ran into Deb, our new Canadian friend who used to live on the island, and taught her and Ash our new favorite drinking game…golf (Thanks Chris and Joe)! It was an easy chill island-style drinking night!

Sunset at Pantai Cenang Beach

They next day we rented a car to go check out the sights! First stop, the Telaga Tujuh, or “Seven Wells” waterfall! It was super nice, walking through the green jungle, seeing monkeys running around on the footpath. Ashley and I both LOVED seeing the monkeys, as most people can tell from my abundance on monkey photos! Then we rocked up to the waterfall and it was so pretty and relaxing. We dropped our stuff, stripped down and jumped in! Places like this are cool because you can actually climb and interact with the nature…it’s not all roped off to prevent unjustly suing.

Climbing around!

After a bit of a play in the water, we explored the bottom part of the falls. We heard you could slide down the rocks, and were sure we found the right ones. Ashley thought she’d give it a try no worries…. Hahah but as soon as she gave herself a little push, she was GONE….no stopping her! After a brief moment of panic, we all started cracking up after witnessing her fully slide, flip and fall down the rocks! Phew…maybe a bruise, but made for a funny memory!

We took off for a further hike to the top of the falls where there was a nice lookout and a bit of a scary drop down!

Brad looking out right at the waterfall dropoff!

The hike DOWN the waterfall however was the most memorable! We decided to eat a couple granola bars for an energy boost on our way down through the jungle, and I start telling Ashley about the monkey that semi-attacked me in Phi Phi when suddenly a MASS HOARD of monkeys is coming straight for us with greed in their eyes! Ashley and I start screaming and trying to hide behind Brad, but he takes off running down the hill and us girls are just freaking out with no idea what to do. We jump up on the bench, but of course, so do the monkeys…grabbing at our legs and arms! It was TERRIFYING!! Ashley then quickly realized she had half a granola bar in her hand and threw it which distracted them, so we took off running in the opposite direction, which happened to be back UP the hill. DANG! We were stuck and too scared to go down again. Some locals were walking up and gave us a few tips…glasses on, don’t look at them, NO food, and grab a stick. We finally worked up the courage to go down, and had no problems but our hearts were BEATING!

One of the NICE monkeys from earlier....

PHEW so we took off to a pretty white beach on the other end of the island to calm ourselves! It was beautiful with white sand, small rocky islands off the coast to admire, and overhanging cliffs in the distance! After a bit of a play in the water, we chowed down on some Malaysian flavored Twisties and headed home.  I took Ash to our new favorite dinner joint, “Tomato”, oddly enough an Indian restaurant … but it had the BEST (and cheapest) Roti around!!  We had a long girls chat and catch up, complete with Chai tea!

Time to calm down!

Brad was feeling sick and we thought he was having a reaction to the mold that was in Din’s house. It sounds gross, and it is gross, but it’s also kind of common living on a tropical island with crazy wet seasons. Anyway, he was feeling a bit queasy, so drove us to another waterfall the next morning, but opted to stay in the car! Ashley and I took the hike up, avoiding crazy spiders and insects along the way!  It was cool because we were the only ones around, and stumbled upon a broken bridge that we had to climb across! FUN! We didn’t take long though, knowing Brad was waiting, so hurried back to check out the famous Langkawi cable cars.

Climbing over the collapsed bridge!

We arrived at Oriental Village, hoping the weather was calm enough to take the 1 and a half mile long … steep…cable car ride to the top of the mountain! We were lucky! Once we started the ascend, we were able to see beautiful panoramic views of the island, jungle and waterfall on one side, ocean and rocky islands on the other! Once at the top, you get to walk across this incredible sky bridge. You can feel in shake slightly as you walk over it!

Amazing view!

On the sky bridge!

After lots of walking and an increasing appetite, we decided we HAD to take Ashley to a local Malay buffet, and made her eat with her hands! She took to the hands thing well, but don’t think she was a huge fan of the buffet… I’m usually not a buffet girl either! Actually, we were warned to stay away from buffets as travelers. But oh well…do as the locals do!

Ashleys turn!

Come night, Brad was REALLY HOT, so after forcing lots of water and fruit upon him, Ashley and I left him home to sleep while we again went to Sunba with Din and his crew. Same band, same drink coupons….lots of dancing…just as much fun! There were a few funny characters around that gave us lots of laughs throughout the night!

Love her!

We had time for one last relaxing swim on the beach the next morning, with Brad feeling surprisingly better,  before heading to the other side of town to catch a ferry to Penang!  

Love him!

Category: Beaches, CouchSurfing, Islands, Langkawi, Malaysia  Tags: , ,  Leave a Comment
Langkawi 1.0
Wednesday, August 03rd, 2011 /

The road out of Thailand was hectic and a tad bit stressful. The reason being….our visa was running out in a couple days and if we didn’t get out of there, we might have been paying a hefty fine!! The reason we COULDN’T get out of there was because there was MASSIVE flooding on all the roads leading OUT! Ahhhh  the buses weren’t running,  the trains were blocked. We even went to an immigration office, but they basically told us either way…we were paying! GREAT! We waited it out in beautiful, yet wet Krabi, and LUCKILY on the very last day, the bus was running! So we bussed it to the border, where we jumped on a ferry to Langkawi!

Ferry ride...with rice sticks!

We arrived by ferry but cabbed it to the airport to meet our Couchsurfer Din! He works there, but also lives close by…so gave us a ride to his place! Just off the beach on a little back road was his humble abode! After we settled, Brad and I walked to the beach for sunset! We were in Langkawi for the next 2 weeks and they were spent relaxing and partying with Din and his friends!

Han

Hanging around at Yellow cafe!

Din had the morning off so took us to a waterfall nearby. It was a nice walk through the jungle full with humping monkeys J We were lucky because the waterfall was roaring! The night before we experienced a torrential downpour and tropical thunderstorm as we were having drinks under a little tin roof. It was scary as…. The thunderclap and lighting shut off the electricity and everyone was sitting in the dark drinking…barely able to hear each other over the pouring rain! But hey…it made for a pretty waterfall trip the next day!

Climbing around on the waterfall!

That night, Din took us to his friends pre-opening of his restaurant. Turns out it was Rizal…who we were couchsurfing with for the second part of our trip!! Haha..small island! He brought out tons of amazing food for us to try (for free!) before we all took off to Sunba, the only late-night bar on that side of the island. We had a BLAST!!! Drinks were cheap…plus we had a pile of free-drink coupons, the band was rocking with Pink Floyd and Bob Marley covers, and we were all dancing as if nobody was watching (especially me ahhh!) We didn’t go home until 3 or 4am … and somehow Din does this almost EVERY night before taking off for work early the next morning!!

Partying with Din!

One of the coolest things about Malaysia, seeming as Brad and I are food lovers, is that they eat with their hands!!! It’s a very skilled art, but it doesn’t matter how sloppy the curry…you’re eating with your hands. Din took us to a super local buffet and everyone was extremely impressed that Brad and I not only tried eating with our hands….but knew the correct technique (thanks Aunty Suhaima!!)

Brad eating...Malaysian style!

So with Din being the ultimate man…he then invited us to ANOTHER party with tons of free food, and this time free booze as well. It was a 75th birthday party of a local German man who was partnered with a Malaysian man.

Brad dancing with traditional....?

The party was AMAZING!! The most food Brad and I had seen on our whole trip….and ALL FREE! We were in heaven but absolutely stuffed out faces (in an elegant mannered way of course). The party was on the sand with nice tables and decorations, and full of entertainment from lady boys to a slideshow of Johnny’s life. Everyone was so friendly and towards the end everyone let off those floating lantern things…which turned out to be surprisingly difficult…but really nice!

Floating lights :)

Again the night ended with everyone off to Sunba…but I was mostly excited for the anticipated arrival of my bestie Ashley!

Category: Beaches, CouchSurfing, Islands, Langkawi, Malaysia, Uncategorized  Tags: , , , ,  One Comment
Phi Phi!
Thursday, June 23rd, 2011 /

For the ferry ride over we had a movie prepped and ready to enjoy for the approximately four hour journey. “The Beach” – filmed at the incredible Ma Ya Bay, is not just the scene of a dope movie, but an absolutely eye popping natural gem that screams sensory overload and delivers!  It may have been amazing to see on a screen but there was nothing that could pull our eyes away from the jaw dropping beauty that surrounded us as we pulled into port.

THAILAND!!

Phi Phi Don is the main island where all the accommodation is, and Phi Phi Ley is a marine park that houses one of the worlds most beautiful beaches.  Sheer cliffs peppered green by lush vegetation that  greets you at every turn.

Pulling into Phi Phi Don

We found a nice little pension right in the center of town and negotiated a few nights stay. We were happy to finally rest and decided to hit the beach for a nap.  After a photo shoot in the shimmering turquoise waters we laid on the soft sand, content.

Fish out of Water!
Fish out of Water!

Right as we were falling asleep, a Canadian man approached us selling his services for a cruise on his sailing yacht around Phi Phi Ley. We listened as he talked but told him we were nearing the end of our trip and unfortunately…  our funds. He was understanding so he offered us a price we couldn’t refuse. But, we had to meet on his boat in 20 mins. We quickly grabbed what we needed out of our room and boarded. He had the whole day planned out with made lunches and all the cold Chang beer we could drink.

Fun on the Boat!

Before we knew it, we were on the boat with 4 other peeps about our age, and were dropped off to swim up to monkey beach with a dry bag full of bananas and a strict warning to stay away from the grown up ones. It was packed full of tourists slinging fruit and as Chels bent down to feed a baby monkey, the angry parent went for her. She high stepped out of the way behind a shocked teenage European kid in rock’n a Speedo. Laughter ensued.

Monkey Beach!

We all swam back to the boat and headed off to do some cliff jumping. The only other guy and I were the first to go. We climbed up the sharp limestone cliffs to a height of about 30 feet and leapt off into the blue waters. As I swam back to the boat, Chelsea jumped in and we swam over for her turn. As we began climbing we were met by a swarm of hissing monkeys. When we looked up further, the swarm was growing and most certainly were telling us we were not welcome.  Unlucky for Chels but better to turn back than challenge a pack of pissed off primates.

Cliff Jumping!

It was time to sail off to Phi Phi Ley. As we approached, our skipper told us a brief history of the island. How there is a highly coveted swallow that nests in the high cliffs. The birds spit is sold for around $1000 a gram as it is believed to be an aphrodisiac (…..yea).  So for many years the island was a battle ground for this bird spit.  There had been mafia type warfare going on for years until the government stepped in and said no mas. They took possession of the island and made it a marine park. The bird still nests and is still highly valued so “don’t be surprised if we are greeted by a man holding a AK47, but it’s okay.. because he knows me” – says our confident captain. He explained how the birds nest high up in the cliffs and is only accessible by a dangerous climb that claims the life of at least one person a year.

Crystal Clear blue water!

The water was so incredibly beautiful, and the undeveloped island provided a perfect backdrop as we sat on the yacht drinking beer and eating watermelon.  We pulled in to a small bay and ate some lunch. Suited up with snorkel gear and swam to shore. Right before I jumped in, I asked Captain Bob what kind of sea life I should look out for? He named a few native fish, sea snakes, Tiger Shark, etc.  At the time I guess I wasn’t really listening but looking back I realized, man why didn’t I pay stay in longer… And that thing about the Tiger Sharks being one of the more aggressive brands of fish.

Num Num NUm!

We snorkeled across the bay, spotting “Dory” and even a sea snake before coming to a small cave opening we had to climb through! Suddenly the colors around us changed from crystal blue to piercing green as we trekked through the jungle to find MaYa Bay. We knew we were close when the dirt below us turned to soft pure white sand, and when we emerged onto the beach, it was unreal!! The water was just SOOOOO turquoise, the sand SOOOO white and soft, and barely anyone around! The ONLY disappointing thing was seeing a few boats in the bay. We figured since it was a national park, boats wouldn’t be allowed. BUT still plenty of space to admire the beauty.

About to emerge onto the beach!!
MaYa Bay!

Before we knew it, we had to make our way back to the boat to try for a little open-sea fishing! Although we DIDN’T catch anything, we did see a crazy fish swarm/sea gull fight! Along the way, Captain Bob also taught us how to sail the yacht (super cool!) before taking us to a little private beach on the side of Ma Ya bay. This one was teeny tiny but really exotic feeling. The jungle came right up to the sand, with steep cliffs surrounding the sides.

The Crew!

 

Private Beach!

Just when we were hopping back on the boat, a crazy storm suddenly approached, and it just started down-pouring. The 3 girls climbed into the cabin but before we knew it, the hurling wind and rain had passed and we were all jumping off the boat into the warm water! Unfortunately we had to skip the caving part of the trip because of rough waters, but we were all pretty beat by now anyway. The sun was starting to set as we played in a private cove….which gave perfect opportunity for some cool pics!

Brad backflipping at Sunset!

Eventually it was time to head back, and Bob took couple by couple back to the mainland on his dinghy. Brad and I were last to go, but decided to ask if we could stay to have a beer with him. He was super cool the whole time, letting us bring our ipods to rock out to our own tunes….so of course he said yes. In retrospect…probably a bad decision haha. We had already had plenty to drink! Anyway, the boat ride made for one incredible…and memorable experience! We felt so privileged to have seen “The Beach”!

The next day was spent wandering the streets of Phi Phi. It’s really small with so many little shops and restaurants. Lots of tourist stuff…but also if you really wander… you can find the local markets with fresh raw fish and veggies galore! We stumbled onto a place that we decided was a MUST to visit later.

BUT tonight was Halloween and Stones was the bar to go to tonight! Right on the beach and offering free BBQ, drink specials and a fire show…it was an easy decision. As we walked down the beach, we noticed it was a huge competition between the bars, with a contest of skeleton sand castles and fire, free giveaways, and lit-up jump ropes. We weren’t terribly anxious to drink, but went for the buy one get one free buckets anyway, and anxiously awaited the fire show. The crowd grew in perfectly sized numbers as everyone chilled out around the fire.

Stones!

Finally about 4 Thai guys, 1 Thai girl, and 1 white dude painted like a smurf emerged with fire poles and sling-balls to start the show. IT WAS AWESOME!!! The music was perfect with the DJ placed high in a tree house overlooking everyone. The dancers were amazing, especially the smurf-guy!

Smurfy Fire Dancer!

Somehow we got so lucky with the weather because the day we were leaving was a crazy rainy day! We didn’t leave without going to “Just Noodles”, the little hole-in-the-wall spot in the middle of the local markets we found yesterday! The reason we were attracted to it was because everyone that eats there from around the world leaves a note and hangs it on the wall! EVERYONE said it was the best Pad Thai they ever had…and it WAS!! It was creamier than normal…think she added a bit of coconut milk….but SOOOO good!

Just Noodles!
Our note for the owner…”Song”

A belly full of pad thai is possibly one of the best ways to leave a place…even though we didn’t want to.  But I get an easy feeling knowing that Phi Phi, like so many other places we’ve been to, will never have to leave us!

Category: Beaches, Phi Phi, Thailand  Tags: , ,  One Comment
Phuket
Sunday, June 12th, 2011 /

There is nothing quite like Thai-island hoping, at least not that I’ve done yet. Despite being passed from one mode of transport to the next during the course of a trip; with touts threatening a longer wait time without additional payment, it’s actually a cinch – just as long as you stay persistent!

Beautiful Phuket

We were traveling from the east to the western islands for our next destination – to the popular island/peninsula of Phuket. The overnight journey went off with only a few hiccups and before we knew it we were standing in front of our Couch Surfing hosts house in Chalong Bay. Our host Val is originally from France but is posted up in Phuket running her scuba diving school and has been for the past few years. She made us dinner and we spent the hours in conversation about political & social issues surrounding the marine conservation efforts that she is involved with there. She is an absolutely lovely woman whom we so easily bonded.

Chels's first time driving

When daylight came we took off early in search of a motor bike. It had been such a success in Koh Phangan it deserved another go. We had a place in mind as we walked down the main strip of Chalong Bay. Since the first place was closed we ended up renting from a Thai Massage business that tripled as a restaurant and apparently bike rental place, perhaps even travel agent if we needed. Normally this might have seemed dodgy, but in Thailand even the most unsuspecting places are legit and as it turned out, so was this one.

Phuket is more metropolitan than Koh Phangan so instead of avoiding crater-like potholes and steep dirt roads we now had to watch out for other drivers whizzing past us. Despite all that, cruising on a motor bike had become one of our new favorite hobbies. It’s such a great way to explore an island, cruising to the far reaches, feeling free. Not only did we get a chance to explore but we felt like locals (even though we can’t balance 3 kids and two adults on one bike).  And pulling off to fill up our gas tank with a Johnny Walker bottle full of petrol at little stands set up along the roads was a welcomed experience!

chilln

Val clued us in to a sweet snorkel spot on the south east corner of the island and even loaned us some equipment. The road to the secluded beach was spotted with signs reminding us of the past tsunami that had devastated parts of the island; and pointing you along an evacuation route but in some places informing drivers that you have entered a point of no return (if one were to hit). But who has time to worry about stuff like that during an adventure (kidding mom/mum).

Chilln with the fishes

We had to walk the bike down the steep beat up road to our secret snorkel spot and as soon as we touched the sand the gear was on and we hit the water. We spent the next hour or so skimming the surface, spotting many of Nemo’s buddies, who weren’t always so happy to see us, as we were them.

Snack time!

It was such a peaceful area that we decided to have some lunch at the snack shack set up on the beach. We had spent the rest of that day lounging on beautiful white sand beaches, wadding in the warm Thai waters. As daylight drifted we soaked the last rays up on the tourist popular Patong Beach for what turned out to be our unanimous favorite sunset; having lots of fun snapping photos and playing in the water.

Sunset at Patong!

Headstands at Sunset

The sad reality of sex tourism reared its ugly head as we walked up and down the infamous Thanon Bangla road. Old white men rubbing their much younger hired Thai dates in often inappropriate places. An unfortunate circumstance of rampant poverty, cultural differences and a soaring exchange rate. Besides the urge to vomit we enjoyed the area, ducking into the dirt cheap markets with knock off goods and yummy eats.

Infamous

The lady boys were just starting to emerge on the scene when it started pouring down rain…i mean monsoon!! Crazy heavy thick rain! We ran into some tin-roof covered markets and tried to wait it out while browsing. Luckily i had saved a poncho i picked up for free at GurtenFest in Switzerland, and now it was FINALLY coming in handy! The rain just didn’t let up, and we figured it was now or never to make the 30-minute drive home. Really though…if not now, there might be some flooding with all the crazy hills. So on the scooter we hopped and Brad got us home safe and wet! :)

Pumpkins and Ponchos

On our next day we decided to hit the more rural areas of the island and take a trip to see big Buddha. He is currently being built at the highest point of the island and so anticipating we would get hungry on our trip, we picked a coconut from one of Val’s trees and stored it in our motorbike basket.

The road up to see Buddha is a windy and scenic ride and well worth it once you get to the top. The views were spectacular and although neither of us is a Buddhist, Buddha was so enlightening and we think of him as a model human we should strive to imitate. And we certainly appreciate the dedication of the monks who dwell there.

Big Buddha

Inside the area is gong that you can hit or rub the back of with your bare hands to create this deep vibrating sound.  Both Chelsea, me and several other tourists failed to create a sound. But when a young boy, maybe 6 or 7 years old got behind it he slipped into a meditative state and it began to sound (All the tourists, including us…were mesmerized!!).

super powers

On our ride down we were getting a bit thirsty and remember our coconut. Spotting an elderly man on the side of the road selling fruit we pulled over and signaled to our coconut. Immediate he walked across the road to his “workshop”, grabbed his hatchet and cut open our coconut. Of course, you can buy ones that are perfectly shaved, chilled and served with a straw; but we preferred a still green, hand-picked, cut open by a rural farmer and drank from the opening. A strange but sweet taste! The best part being the connection we made with the man, who was amused by our excitement.

Yum

We rode through to a Si Ray, a small little island off the coast to grab some lunch. It was a place off the beaten tourist track. And the locals were quite surprised to see phalong (white people) when we rocked up. By far the cheapest and best food we had on Phuket, full of such flavor.

On our way back we fed some monkeys and hit up Phuket Town. In search of a tourist agency to get pricing on a ferry to Phi Phi, we ran into an agent flying solo who overheard us asking locals. He said he could offer us the cheapest prices because he worked independently. At first we didn’t believe him but he seemed harmless and we ended up booking anyway.  As it turns out, was a super nice guy! He arranged to pick us up the next morning and walked us all the way to the ferry boat to ensure our send off. We waved goodbye to him and Phuket as we sailed off to the magic that awaited us in Phi Phi!

Category: Beaches, Phuket, Thailand  Tags: , ,  Leave a Comment
FULL MOON PARTY!!
Monday, June 06th, 2011 /
Exploring a world wonder is a high that no one wants to come down from.  Lucky for us we didn’t have to, since our next stop was one of the world’s most infamous parties.  The Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan!

We booked the overnight charter bus that ended up being pretty sweet, with reclining chairs as seats and movie service which helped when it came time to pass out. At around 5am the entire bus was woken up by the shouting driver instructing us to get off the bus.  We couldn’t see a ferry or water, so everyone was a little unsure.  Slowly we all got off the bus, and were told not to grab our packs that were piled in a giant heap outside of the bus.  We were in a rural area, hoping we were still in Thailand, at some roadside restaurant, but no one had any idea where exactly that was or how far from the ferry port we were.  Also, the organizers where reluctant to answer any of our questions directly.

Chaos and backpacks - typical Thailand!

After an hour of waiting and watching people get called one by one, we finally boarded a large bus that was packed in with backpackers gearing up for the night ahead!  Chelsea and I were the last to board so we had to settle for seats next to the driver on the gear box.  Eventually, after a 45 minute ride, we made it to the ferry and not to our surprise, this was overcrowded as well.  But, we had the fortunate luck of hanging out with some giggling Thai women and a lady boy for the ride over.

The ferry ride in!

As we were pulling in to the dock you could feel the excitement which transpired into some laud chanting and a sing song by the passengers and party seekers.
We eventually found our way to the spot we were staying.  It was right on the water and a beautiful setting with a swim up pool bar and luxurious villas.  We were led from the reception to our room which unfortunately was not in a villa, but in the staff compound building behind the villas.  Our room.. well, lets just say motel six would have been a serious upgrade.  No windows, one noisy fan and black spatters of who knows what on the off white walls. Luckily we were able to get some clean sheets for the bed that took up the entire room haha!

Expecting a big night ahead of us, Brad and I decided to catch some Z’s. We somehow managed to forget the nasty room we were in… Anyway we woke up refreshed, grabbed some delicious Thai grub from a little stand set up outside the room (who turned out to be super sweet and our go-to guy for the next 4 days!), AND found ourselves a bottle of Vodka to start the night off right! Eventually it was time to head to the party and we started walking along the street anticipating that taxi after taxi would try to pick us up for the party! After a few failed negotiation attempts, we finally found one with the right price, and before we knew it, Brad was on the roof of the truck (that vodka must have been starting to hit us!). We were too excited!

On the rooftop!

When we arrived, it wasn’t hard to find the infamous “buckets” we had heard so much about. They were on every corner competing for the best price, and we each got our own Vodka and Red Bull bucket for 250 baht. Next mission….find body paint! The paint vendors were charging wayyy too much for us (looking back it was probably less than $10 haha!) but somehow fate brought us together with these 2 Canadian girls who had talked their way into using someone’s paint for free! They were obviously feeling the effects of their buckets at this point and were ecstatic to paint us…also for free! Therefore…we were ecstatic!

Freshly and freely painted!

Now painted and armed, we hit the beach and began to see just how crazy the night was. We arrived at the perfect time, just as it was getting dark, and just as the FIRE was coming out to play! This is probably one of the sole reasons i am so in love with Thailand… the way they play with fire! First was the fire jumprope which for any Mario Party players from N64… it was a game brought to life! Drunken fools daring to run in and jump, only to run out yelping with burning bums! It was hilarious!! I kept trying to pressure Brad into doing it, but he didn’t…and it was probably better off being that we were onto our 2nd bucket at this point!

BUCKETS!!

The dancing was in full swing and we happened to be in just the right place as they lit the Hadrin Beach sign on fire. Everyone started piling up on the platform, including us! Everyone was our friend J and everyone was having the time of their lives. With a little height, we could see just how many thousands of people were partying on the beach!

Fire Dancers!

A few hours of dancing and wondering later… we stumbled upon a slide..and for some reason, i was super excited about it!! Just as i was climbing up a rope ladder that reminded me of my childhood, a big flame burst behind me, and the slide was now on fire!!!! SO COOL! I was so excited that i went down the slide twice. Mistake. On the second ride down, my skirt came up, bikini bottom turned into a wedgie, and my bare ass experienced the worse case of slide burn I’ve ever felt. I slid off the slide and ran my ass right into the ocean and squatted to relieve the pain…just like you see in a cartoon! OH it was funny but i was feeling the pain for the next week!

Fire Slide!

We didn’t quite make it to sunrise like we had hoped, but we were close! We again, negotiated a cab ride home and were didn’t wake up until late the next afternoon!
I think we did nothing the next day as we recovered in the lovely villa NEXT to the craphole we were staying in! The pool was awesome, one of those infinity ones that overlooked the ocean! Next to the pool was the villa cafe with hammocks and American movies playing on a projector! We did manage to make our way to reception to book ourselves a motorbike for the next day though… only 150 baht for 24 hours ($5 US)!

Pretty Pool!

So the next day turned into quite an adventure as we scooted across to the nicer beaches on the Northeast side of the island! Nobody told us that the nicely paved roads actually ended and turned into dirt roads with MASSIVE trenches and MASSIVE hills. When we approached the first one, we stopped, contemplated turning around, then decided to go for it, but not without me first getting off the bike and walking down the hill as Brad braved it down! It turned out to be fine, luckily since Brad took it nice and slow… but we had heard about the crazy “Koh Phangan Tattoo” people got here. And now we could see why. Even Lonely Planet warns you about it!
We made a pit-stop at Than Sadet waterfall along the way to the North side of the island. It was pretty dried up but ended up being really cool, because we were able to actually climb up the waterfall, rather than walk the trail. Many know…one of my FAVORITE things to do! Climbing mildly challenging rocks :) At the top was a puny little waterfall and pool that we took a dip in. We tried to check our Paradise Falls…the name sounded so enticing! BUT unfortunately there was no way our bike was making it through the treacherous path, so a quick turn-around for us it was.

Feeling adventurous

The beaches we made it to were Ao Thong Nai Pan Noi (and Yai) and Ao Chaloklum. Debatable if worth it after a 2 hour ride across the island, but no doubt were prettier and more deserted beaches. The landscape in Thailand is just so rare… crystal clear blue water, white sand, and green jungle hills all around! Really a sight to remember. We relaxed for a bit, and played around in the water, but realized if we wanted to make it to the west side of the island for sunset, we were going to have to leave now to allow time for the crazy ride back. Thankfully Going UP the trenched hills was not nearly as scary as going down!

Playing in the beautiful water

Sunset at Wok Tum Bay was super cool. With hammocks and benched stocked with pillows mixed in with palm trees, it truly seemed like paradise as the sky turned bright pink at sunset. All the Thai people were playing in the abnormally shallow water with their kids! It seems most of them prefer to go out when the sun goes down over going out in the middle of the day like most westerners prefer!

Incredible sunset!

Before we left Koh Phangan, we decided to take one more look at Hadrin beach, without the Full Moon Party… and it was like a different world. A little hutted bar playing Bob Marley with a few chilled-out patrons lying around on mats. No fire, no chaos.
We spent the rest of the night back at the villa, lounging in beach chairs staring out at the moonlit water; our  conversation interrupted only by a long stroll up the beach to check out some of the night life.  As we walked, we heard different types of music, each bar setting its own mood.  We may have stopped outside one or two to boogie a bit.  But this night was mostly for chilling out and taking it all in.  We sat on the beach and watched a lightning storm out at sea, listening to the quiet crashing of gentle waves, appreciating Mother Natures beauty.

Loved this lonesome tree

We were off early the next morning, happy to have made the trip and excited for our next one.
Category: Beaches, Festivals, Full Moon Party, Guesthouses, Koh Phangan, Thailand  Tags: , , , ,  One Comment
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