Travel broadens our perspectives. Suddenly, the palette with which we paint the story of our lives has more colors. –Rick Steves
Well it’s official, we are on Thailand soil for the first time in our lives! And what a beauty it is! As we rode for 2 hours from the airport to the hotel last night, it was one of those moments where when I enter foreign land, I ride in awe and try to take it all in to this little head of mine running a million miles a minute with thoughts that I feel as if they come out of the deepest parts of myself in moments like these. This is nothing new. It happens in all of the countries that I have travelled to thus far, and I always remind myself to prepare my head and heart for the preparation of what I am about to see. It’s a somber feeling majority of the time driving through such poverty stricken areas, but it’s also a fresh breath of air to see what simplicity and joy these people live in despite their material wants and needs. As I sit here on the porch writing at 4 am Thai time, the monsoon rains start falling out of the sky, and chills run down my body. It’s one of my favorite sounds in the world and one of my best thinking places. It’s also one of those dreamy moments that I have wanted to sit through my entire life. There is something special about rain to me, especially when I can sit and take it all in from this very moment in Thailand.
Phuket:
Yesterday was indescribable. Our day started with our first traditional Thailand breakfast which included squid and lots of fun local dishes. My stomach turned to the whole squid lying in the warming dish and I debated on adding that to the plate, but hey, why not! Mom and I decided to walk the city of Paton down to the Oceanside before we headed to our day at Sri Pawn Phuket. There are beaches all around the world, and with each one I’ve been to, there is an added sense of fulfillment. Digging my toes into the sand of Thai waters made me grin ear to ear.
Our next stop, Cool Spa and Baba Nest. This was an experience never to be forgotten! It was about an hour drive from the hotel that we stayed at on the southern tip of the opposite side of the island. As we got closer and closer to our destination, the roads got more quiet and the waters gained more of an aqua color. What a sight to the eyes. We rounded the bend at the bottom of the mountain, and as the guard let us through, I knew this was going to be a great adventure. This is a resort called Sri Pawn Phuket. It’s nestled on a mountain of it’s own surrounded by the crystal blue waters. The further up you go, the more beautiful the views gets. We reach the Cool Spa and were greeted with Thai tea and mint infused cloths to cleanse our hands. The rest of the day was filled with one of the most incredible spa experiences of my life. We started out in a marble steam room where the breaths of air went down smoother than I’ve ever felt. I want one of those babies at my home! We then transitioned into an outdoor shower with frogs surrounding us- watching and wondering what we may be doing in their outdoor spaces. All I could wonder in that very moment was what were they thinking as they stared at me. We took a dip in the stone laid pool surrounded by birds of paradise and some of the greenest trees I’ve ever seen and sat on the lookout and took it all in. When I say that I sat there in awe, it is a complete understatement at the moment that lay before us. As the mangos and papayas hang high in the trees, and the waterfalls crash to a magical music to my ears, all I could do was look up and thank him with a full heart. The massages were a whole other story. Starting with a foot bath with infused salts, and ending with a sack of hot spices pounded into our bodies, the middle was unlike any other. Everyone always says there is a huge difference between a Thai massage and an American and let me tell you, there is! She had me wrapped up like a pretzel, releasing pressure points that felt free as soon as she touched them. She stretched me in ways that I haven’t been stretched before. I felt as if I had a new body when I walked out of that place. I was more relaxed in that moment than I have been in a long time. When life seems so crazy and chaotic I become more tense than I’d like to admit or that I am aware of. This was a moment that I needed to release the life that I had been holding too tightly to. The flash of reality that made me realize what it felt like to slow down again and be still in the moment instead of looking ahead to what’s next.
Next up, Baba Nest. This is one of the only planned things that we had other than the Cool Spa, and I was beyond excited about it! It’s classified as one of the Top 10 Rooftop bars in the world. It’s one famous for sunset watching like no other which we all know sets my heart on fire. Unfortunately, we had the famous Thailand rain this time of year, but it was nothing less than glorious. We had a break of hot pink hiding behind the clouds with a golden glow of timeless ambiance. I felt as if we were on top of the world, looking out over God’s creation. And oh, what a sight. We sipped on specialty drinks and had a Mexican type fare to eat. It was nothing less than a fairy-tale experience. If I could describe this moment, I would, but it is found to be impossible. Believe me, I’ve tried. But words don’t have the capability nor do pictures. A moment and feeling to be kept close to our hearts forever. Needless to say, our first full day was unforgettable as I envision the rest being as well with all new experiences. Be still my heart, and take it all in for what it’s worth in the moment. In the very moment, let nothing pass.
Phi Phi:
The next morning is when we took the ferry boat to Phi Phi (pronounced PeePee) which was our next location. The morning started out rainy but eventually let into bright blue skies with even brighter blue and green seas. Arriving on the island, my sickness, which I had tried to ignore gracefully finally got the best of me. A girl who never gets sick was battling a spiking fever, body aches that made my eyes well up with tears, and just plain misery. With sand all over my body, I found a nice spot right on the shores and slept for hours. You know I don’t feel well when I can sleep covered in sand! The next day mom and I woke up early to head to the pharmacy to grab some good drugs before our day started. I refused to let that sickness take any of my experience from this trip. The town of Phi Phi is adorable. It’s set up along the shores of the Andaman Sea with it’s fare share of restaurants and tourist shops with kitty cats running everywhere. We weren’t supposed to play with them but guess who did of course? Yep, that would be these two animal loving ladies over here.
We took our first long boat excursion off of the islands of Phi Phi and started at Monkey Island first. We were so excited about this stop and didn’t know what to expect! As we anchored on the sandy shores, we began to see monkeys everywhere! I immediately grabbed my camera and ran to get a closer look. At first I didn’t know how to take them. They are aggressive little things when it comes to humans bringing them food. Funny story for the day, I was sitting with a monkey photographing and one monkey came running towards me or so I thought and I took off running backwards, to only realize I was stuck between two rocks. The next step we can all guess is running slap into the rock behind me. There was blood everywhere and I still couldn’t stop laughing, and it still didn’t stop me. A week later I still have a swollen ankle, and cuts all down my leg and I wouldn’t trade it for the world! After Monkey Beach, we road the waters throughout all of the islands and rock mountains. We snorkeled quite a few times at different locations, and I must say. I have snorkeled in waters all over this world, and absolutely nothing compares to the reefs in the Andaman Sea. We saw colors that mesmerized the eye and fish that I didn’t even know existed. It was absolutely incredible! I never wanted to come up! This day entailed views and memories that will forever be embedded in our heads and in our hearts. I felt as if mom and I were two kids at Christmas. The sheer excitement on our faces is absolutely priceless to time.
Krabi:
Krabi was our last destination, and quite possibly our favorite. We stayed in a resort hotel called the Cha Da which was fantastic, other than the beds that felt as if they were made out of sheets of plywood. That’s a Thailand thing. We ate fantastic as I started regaining my appetite, we rode tuk tuk’s, and we took another long boat outing to some of the most beautiful beaches that I’ve ever laid my eyes on. We got to see our first temple, and we were blessed enough to see a sunset every single night. Krabi Town did not disappoint.
We travel because we need to, because distance and difference are the secret tonic to creativity. When we get home, home is still the same, but something in our minds has changed, and that changes everything. I feel as if I couldn’t write for days on the details of this trip. I could go on and on and one will still not fully comprehend that magnitude of fascination that this trip allowed for. We met people from around the world. We ate things that we’ve never eaten. We walked more than we probably ever have in the span of 2 weeks, and we took in each and every moment for what it was worth. This was the first country that I have ever been to where the language was completely different than what I spoke or could understand in the least little bit, and we still managed to figure it all out. Getting a way from my all too chaotic world made me realize that there is no time to be bored in a world as beautiful as this. I can honestly say I’m a changed person seeing the sun rise on one side of the world and set on the other. Travel expands our mindsets so much it hurts sometimes. It leaves me longing for more. For more growth and understanding, for a better comprehension of that vastness that has yet to be seen. It pulls you out of your comfort zone and pushes you to explore things that you may not have otherwise. The best part of this trip was sharing it with the one person who lights my world on fire. She is the one who instilled such a wanderlust heart inside of me. As we all know, I’m an observer and a thinker. And I fell in love with watching her indulge in all that came new to her. She makes me so happy. Forever and for always, these are memories and a feeling that we got to embrace together that will carry us until the day that we die. And for that, I am forever grateful.
Faith For Miracles 