Thailand – aimlessly ali

Seeding Good Luck

I still have two days in Bangkok at the end of my trip that I want to write about. They were incredible, and a very different experience from my first days in Bangkok at the beginning, before the tour. I remember so many different snippets of stories that I had begun drafting in my mind while we were there, and I was excited to share the contrasts with what I had written a month previously when I was first experiencing the city. So why haven’t I written that?

As has been my pattern already, if I get behind in blogging I end up procrastinating. When I let too many days pass from the emotions and thoughts, what I actually felt in the moments I write about, my posts just end up seeming stale and forced, a list of what I had seen and done. Dull. So I avoid it, and my blog. Self-perpetuating non-motion. To shake that now I think I’ll just chatter about what I am feeling currently, and hopefully as I go on I can find a way to loop it back to the topic at hand: travel and the Thai capital.

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This week I’ve been feeling a little untethered. My 5 month leave of absence from work is almost over, so this era of being a full-time traveller is wrapping up (for now??…). At the same time nearly all of my other external identity markers have also disappeared or changed, and it’s a bit hard to handle all that all at once. I spent years defining myself by my job: I was a flight attendant, not only that, but a Corporate Flight Attendant. When I return to work next week I have a significant career change that I’ll need to wrap my head around. I used to be a Wife; I’m not anymore, and tied to that I used to be a Homeowner until we sold our house in the suburbs last month…. Writing this paragraph has sparked a memory for me, and I had to pause to dig through my notes for a quote that was given to me by a friend a few months ago. It fits here for me now.

Each misfortune you encounter will carry in it the seed of tomorrow’s good luck. – Og Mandino

I know those little good luck seeds are already germinating in my life, and I’m looking forward to seeing what great things spring up in the near future. And in the meantime the best way I know how to keep myself sane and happy is to dream about travel. It really is the best medicine for me! The picture I used for this quote is from a courtyard at Wat Pho, the Reclining Buddha temple in Bangkok, and it reminds me again of my time there. My first few days were all about touring temples and streets full of food and vendors and massage spas and backpackers. (you can read about Better than expected Bangkok) And my final days in Bangkok: restaurants bursting with personality and shopping and expats.

We were able to meet up with a friend who has lived there for the past four years, and she was a perfect host and guide! It’s aways fun to laugh with an old friend so we would have enjoyed ourselves regardless, but Corrie knew so many great spots we were almost run off our feet trying to cram it all in.

Here we are stopping for a quick selfie at the MBK Centre. This place is a massive, seven storey mall used by locals and tourists alike. I don’t even feel like I’m exaggerating when I say it has everything! I definitely made good on my plan to wait and make the bulk of my purchases on my last day before going home! Souvenirs such as curry mixes, tea, exotic fruit candies, clothing, jewelry and watches…. my list goes on. Tricia and I had to get reallllllly creative in packing to get everything in our luggage for the flights home! And when we weren’t shopping, we were eating. Which I love!

At “Karmakamet” aromatic shop and diner

Craft Thai Beer

Aromatics for sale

Look at that – I did circle back and steer this post to Bangkok! I know it’s a little light on details and funny stories this time, but considering the mood I was in when I began writing this post and how much better I feel now, I’m calling this a personal win anyway. Thanks for reading along with me.

Stunning Koh Samui

If I ever run away from home (ok, if I ever run away from home again) and you need to find me for some reason keep this spot in mind as the first place to look for me. And pack a swimsuit because chances are when you find me, you’ll forget about why you were so keen on dragging me back. I’ll save a spot on the sand for you.

Koh Samui, a small island in the Gulf of Thailand, is one of those places that’s probably on millions of screen savers as the perfect beach paradise bored workers daydream about. And it’s even better in real life.

Here’s a quick disclaimer about this post, though: I spent a lot of time in a bikini and I’ll be including pictures. If that’s going to be a problem you should probably skip this post, and return to my blog next week when I’ve returned to my modesty….

I already mentioned in my last post that I spent a lot of time on the beach here; you may remember that I ruined my iPhone this way. Tricia and I had 6 glorious days where the cumulative extent of our experience could be summed as such: brunch overlooking the water, beach, pool, beach, dinner overlooking the water, fall asleep to the sound of the air conditioner. (I wanted to say waves but I promised I’d be fully truthful in this blog!) Oh. If anyone is trying to plan a honeymoon, apparently this is what you should do. Someone should get to experience this as romantic!!

White powder sand beaches. Crystal clear turquoise water. Lush forest and dramatic bolders. Teeny bikinis. Yes.

Is it more artsy (acceptable) to post without colour?

I shouldn’t say it, but sometimes I wonder why Tricia or I ever bother to wear clothes… (sorry, I did warn you that my modesty was on hiatus…)

There was one day we experienced more than just the beaches. Good thing, because I’m sure there’s so much more to the island that one could see, if one were to drag themselves away from the perfect coastline. For example, the Big Buddha. Living up to its apt moniker, this beautiful gold statue is a sight to see. It’s not my religion, but I love visiting these temples and monuments. I’m continually fascinated by other cultures; and learning about the way that religion, history, and geography has shaped the lives of the people around me never fails to amaze.

Smaller Buddhas surrounded the base of Big Buddha

After spending the afternoon with Big Buddha we were ready to get back to the water, and fortunately found a great restaurant right on the water. The views bathed in late golden sunlight were equally as delicious as the meals – my kind of place for sure!

What if it falls apart?

Rushing. Panicking about being late and wishing I could rewind to NOT waste those 5 minutes on Instagram earlier because I really need that time back now. I hate this feeling.

The day started off with an early morning knock on the door, 40 minutes prior to the time we were expecting to be picked up, and the hotel clerk politely informing us our driver was outside. The scramble and sudden adrenaline had us scooting around the room stuffing everything into any bag we could find, and when we got downstairs 3 minutes later quite pleased with our ability to dress and pack so quickly we were told that the van had left without us. All my nervous energy evaporated along with our ride, and I could feel worry seeping in as I considered our next steps. It’s moments like these when I realize I build my travel plans like a Jenga tower – it all looks creative and great until one piece is bumped and the whole thing topples. Missing our shuttle from the hotel means missing our bus that takes us to the ferry, and if we can’t get on the ferry then we can’t get to the island where our next hotel is already booked and paid for. The hotel clerk was quite unsympathetic when he assumed we stupidly slept in, but after I showed him our tickets with “7:30am pickup” written clearly on the front his demeanour changed. I may have also subtly played up the damsel in distress side a little too… Whatever the reason, he was our knight in shining armour as he made several phone calls before triumphantly announcing the driver was returning for us. He then dropped his voice to let us in on a secret: the operator we booked the tickets through wasn’t as good – if he had arranged our transfer we never would have been given the wrong time.

With this in my mind, memories of other warnings I had read about tourist scams blazed behind my eyes. I recall reading that people have been ripped off when booking a combination bus and ferry ticket to the Thai island of Koh Samui…. exactly where we’re headed to. So even though the van returned to pick us up, all through the drive I was alert for the moment when we would be informed we needed to pay more to continue our journey. And there were several moments appearing to be exactly that – when the van driver rushed us to get on the waiting bus but wouldn’t take the time to return our ticket which was our only proof of payment for the whole trip. Or at the next transfer point where we were told a new bus would take us to the port, still had no ticket in my hand but was assured it wouldn’t matter. Amazingly enough, all the way to on the ferry and including the van transfer on the next island to our hotel, everything ran just tickety-boo and we were never once asked for more money or proof that we actually paid our fare the previous day. ————————————-

So. I made it to my island paradise, but for me there was a little downside to being surrounded by tempting beaches. I of course brought my phone with me to the beach – all the better for taking photos and jotting down my thoughts while simultaneously sunbathing – but my phone had an unfortunate encounter with salt water. If you were wondering why there was suddenly radio silence on my end, it’s because I allowed my phone to drown. My lifeline! I didn’t know how reliant on (addicted to) my phone I had become until I needed to finish my travels without my phone. Thankfully I had already written the above portion of this post, and it was saved in my drafts online, but I didn’t have access to it at all.

I will say, though, that it truly was a serene paradise. If you find yourself headed to Koh Samui, I can highly recommend the resort we stayed in. It was difficult to leave, despite hoping I could save my phone once we made it back to Bangkok. Check out the Crystal Bay Beach Resort and see for yourself why it may be topping my mental list of favourite locals lately.

Crystal Bay pool and restaurant over the best beach on the island

Morning coffee in paradise

Food so good I wished I could double!

You know what I realized as I was finishing up this post? As I worried about the worst happening (getting scammed, ruining my electronics) I have somehow come through it all without any real problems arising from my worries. I feel so incredibly lucky to have gone this far, travelled so much, and really not had any major mishaps ruin my days. …yet… So from me to you: safe travels, friends. May your luck hold even better than mine!

Phuket Island

Finally arriving at Phuket airport, back in Thailand to explore the South part of the country and bask on beautiful beaches, I breathe in a lungful of ocean air. This is going to be good! Standing outside, late at night, waiting for the shared shuttle that will take us to our hotel I just keep breathing in and smiling. It’s also partly an effort at self-distraction to keep myself from being irritated that my backpack arrived on the luggage conveyer with zippers open. Again… Five flights on this journey, and every single time my bag has been rifled through or little things taken from pockets that I was unable to lock. Thankfully I never travel with anything of value in my checked luggage, but still, it’s maddening. Tricia suggested my bag has been targeted because it looks so girly, and girls usually have good stuff with them; I think she might be right.

But no matter. I’m in a place famous for some of the most beautiful beaches the world has to offer so nothing can ruin my joy! Patong Beach, where our hotel is located, is more of a party town than I’m currently in the mood for but at least I can still appreciate how fun it would be…. hopefully that means I’m not entirely old yet! While walking around the street stalls and markets next to the beach it’s impossible to avoid the sales pitches from vendors selling day trips, and by the end of our second day here we stopped and chatted with a woman about our options. After a bit of negotiating, lots of smiles and some friendly banter, she “remembered” that the trip we were most interested in had a promotion – tomorrow the last day! – and we could book it for 50% of the cost printed on the brochure. She was really sweet, despite my scepticism of her prices, and we were happy to book our excursion from her.

So bright and very early the next morning Tricia and I set off to explore some of the limestone islands around Phuket, along with a few hundred other likeminded adventurers. (The surprising thing, really, is that I can still be surprised by what a massive machine tourism has become. I’ve not only witnessed this over and over, I’m also a part of it – so why do I always hope I’ll be the only one out??)

Our full boat; and about 6 more just like it

Crowded, sure. I guess the takeaway for us travellers and tourists creating this demand is to do our best to choose companies that are careful in sustainable and ethical operations. Now with that soapbox spiel out of the way, without further ado, the best parts of a very great day!

We were offered coffee, tea and fruit on the boat during the hour it took to reach the first island we stopped at, and I think we were all happy to be out on the water. When we stopped it was to hop into small canoes with experienced guides who would take us into caves (bat caves!) and through lagoons deeper around the islands.

Perfect lighting for selfies – can’t pass that up!

We had some admirers taking photos – I’m trying to consider it sweet instead of creepy. This is one he shared

We were taken to a tiny remote beach and given free time to swim before returning to the big boat. A delicious lunch was served while we made our way towards the “James Bond Island” famous from a movie scene and countless photos on Pinterest.

While very toursty, the stop to view this jagged rocket of an island was a lot of fun. I can’t tell you have many photos I have of myself in various fake-sultry Bond girl poses… Seriously I can’t, it’s too embarrassing. So instead I’ll post some of the shots I got of Tricia, she pulls it off much better than I. In fact, if the right person sees this, she’ll probably be cast in the next remake!

We had one final surprise on the way back to the harbour before finishing the tour, and it was pretty impressive. Our guide had told us all day he could finally call the eagles to the boat, and it had taken him 24 years to learn how to do it. As our boat passed the right spot, he had us all begin to clap and shout “up up up”. I don’t generally consider myself a cynical person, but I was 100% sure there wouldn’t be an actual bird swooping down to join us. My guess was a rock formation in avian shape, or maybe a plane high in the sky above us. But I saw something entirely new to me; childlike awe and wonder erasing every trace of dubiosity. He wasn’t joking.

Better than expected Bangkok

When was the last time an experience was a pleasant surprise for you? I’m curious about that now as I sit and process my past two days in Bangkok, pleasantly surprised at just how much I’ve enjoyed it here. Don’t get me wrong, I expected to like it – by nature I tend to go through life with an “everything is awesome!” outlook, but I had also entered Thailand’s main city with the preconceived opinion that it was a busy smoggy city much like any other. Everyone always says to get out of the city as fast as you can, and tour around the countryside instead. At the moment I tend to disagree, because had I left immediately I would have missed out on being wowed by the kindness of its citizens.

Thailand is in official mourning after their King died. I’m not sure what it would be like here during a regular day, but what I witnessed over and over again was the unique camaraderie that comes from a united population. All along the crowded sidewalks people would be stationed to give out free bottled water, or meals, snacks, and photos of the king. Thousands of them. And often an extra effort would be made to let us know we were also welcome to take what was being offered. Beyond that, there were several times both days when someone passing by would stop to point us in the right direction, translate for us, or even lead us for 10 minutes down the winding roads to our destination.

Hundreds of thousands paying their respects

Many of the usual tourist highlights in the city are closed or adjusted this week, but the ones we did see were stunning.

We started at Wat Pho, the temple complex of the Reclining Buddha.

At Wat Pho (shared photo credit with Tricia)

As per usual during my travels, much of the day was spent walking. I love seeing a city by foot and thankfully Tricia’s a good sport about that – we just need to make pit stops for food all the time and street vendors are the perfect solution!

Between all the eating and temple touring we found time to shop. Bangkok has everything you could possibly want, and more tourist-trap knickknacks than you can imagine so it’s easy to get lost in the markets. Figuratively and literally. The good thing about backpacking is how reluctant I am to buy things I don’t really need, since I know it just means I’ll have to huff it around for the next 20 days. I was feeling quite proud of my shopping self control, until I realized it’s really only the instant reward of lighter bags with the delayed gratification of knowing I can buy it all when I’m back here before my flight home. One for the win!

While wandering the shops along Khao San Road, happily hypnotized by all the sensory onslaught around us, we talked ourselves into trying a fish pedicure. Seemed like a fun way to cap off a day of new experiences. Aaaaand, we hated it. Yes, our feet were soft after the little fish ate away all the dead skin but I can achieve the same with a pumice stone and way less ick factor. I was suddenly reminded of my biggest childhood fear in the summers at the lake: “What if fish come and bite my toes?”

Barely keeping it together (Photos by Tricia)

Early morning of Day Three has us meeting up with our tour group and setting off to Cambodia. But before we go, here are a couple more shots from Bangkok.

En route

One of my favourite ways to pass the time is to people watch, especially when cultural differences are at play. Thankfully, 25 hours of travelling have given me ample opportunity to sit back and observe! My route took me from Calgary to Vancouver where I met up with Tricia (more on that later!) to Beijing, and finally to Bangkok. During the 10.5 hour flight across the Pacific I was reminded again that the North American concept of personal space is something I’ll need to say goodbye to for the next three weeks. I had a window seat and when I indicated to my two seat mates that I needed to get up, they both smiled at me, collected some of their items, and leaned back in their seats. It took me a moment to realize they expected me to climb over them, since I was expecting them to stand up and move to the aisle to let me pass. And so I did my best to delicately walk past/over these two strangers without stepping on their feet or touching their legs or having too much of my body in their faces. No easy feat in economy class. I was trying to decide which way is more appropriate – should I have faced away from them or toward them as I clambered across their laps??Apparently they were unfazed because when I returned to my seat we repeated the whole hoopla again in reverse.

My friend Tricia was with me, but we weren’t able to get seats together on the flight due to an error I made earlier. Too bad… I had anticipated using those hours to get her opinion on the various details of my messy life! Instead I watched a Chinese movie by reading the subtitles and noticed throughout the film that the characters showed affection by teasing each other. Maybe we’re not that different after all…

Are you wondering what error I would have made to keep us from sitting together? For a self-proclaimed “travel expert” I sure pulled a boneheaded move; one that almost cost her missing the flight!! Here’s the scenario that I’m super embarrassed to admit. If you remember a couple weeks ago, I had both of our passports after bringing them to Ottawa in order to get our entry visas for Vietnam. The plan was for me to make a trip up to visit her before our departure and I could bring her passport, but due to some recent chaos at home I ran out of time for that. So, I told her she could just use her drivers license to fly from Edmonton to Vancouver, where I meet her, then I’d hand her her passport for our international flights. Yeah… that was really bad advice. She was able to check in for the domestic flight using other ID, but was not allowed to be checked through the connecting flights, meaning her her luggage needed to be picked up at the baggage claim after landing in Vancouver then hurried over to check in for the next flights, all while still making making it past the security line ups and back to the gate in time for boarding. There was only an hour for all this to happen, and while she was running around dealing with it I spent the whole time worrying and kicking myself for not considering a potential negative outcome prior. Thankfully, Tricia was able to charm the right people into helping her, and she arrived at the gate with minutes to spare! But because she was the last person to check in for the flight we couldn’t get seats together. But as she said after we were both onboard “we made it! If this is the worst hiccup we face on the trip we’ll be in great shape!”

Next post from Bangkok Thailand!

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