Bangkok
A few days after seeing Becca off, I linked up with a different group of friends (all from the States) in Bangkok for a few weeks through Thailand. Several had never been to Bangkok before, so they had the usual touristy days while I busied myself with some errands and much-needed clothes shopping. (My personal recommendations are Platinum Fashion Mall and MBK Center.) Nightlife included another beautiful trip to Moon Bar and another meh trip to Khao San Road (though without the stomach illness this time).
One of my favorite memories from this time around in Bangkok was an evening bike (as in bicycle) ride with Ayu led by Grasshopper Adventures, a tour company that I can't recommend highly enough. The multi-hour tour took us through several neighborhoods and included after-dark stops at Wat Arun (bathed in ever-changing colors), Wat Pho, the flower market, and even a Christian church decked out in gaudy neon lights.
Spectacular religious structures aside, the best part of the tour was simply enjoying the atmosphere of Bangkok. We alternated between busy roads full of cars and tuk-tuks and dark, quiet alleys that felt completely removed from the city. The side streets were sparsely populated with lounging dogs giving zero fucks, twitchy cats darting across the road, and locals walking home or eating dinner at small outdoor tables. The bike tour was an incredible way to feel the energy of the city and is absolutely the best tourist activity I've done in Bangkok.
After several days in Bangkok, we started to move our way south: a flight from Don Mueang to Surat Thani, a night in town, a bus the next morning to Don Sak, and finally a multi-hour ferry to Koh Phangan. The otherwise boring night in Surat Thani was highlighted by a trip to the night market, which had seen the beautiful addition - since the last time I was there - of a makeshift outdoor canopy composed of colorful suspended umbrellas. (Thanks Scott for the beautiful photo!)
Koh Phangan
It had been about 16 months since I was last on Koh Phangan (see these three posts) and the island felt very similar, with a few new touches of development here and there. We stayed in the north-east part of the island, far away from Haad Rin, in a quiet ocean-side resort next to a quiet village. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't very cooperative and it stayed overcast and rainy for most of our time there, preventing us from committing to any excursions for fear of being washed out.
As a result, we all had an incredibly lazy and mellow week, indulging in the usual island business of eating, drinking, sleeping, getting massages, playing Jenga, and occasionally taking over DJ duties by hijacking the communal laptop at our favorite local spot, Sand Bar. Most of the group had recently quit their jobs and were starting sabbaticals of their own, so I think a week to relax and catch up on sleep was appreciated and necessary.
The highlight of the week - as it was for me the last time on the island - was renting motorbikes and cruising around. The main roads on Koh Phangan are paved, well-maintained, and thankfully sparse of traffic, so riding all the jungle roads is very fun, even for inexperienced riders. We spent hours taking the winding roads through the lush jungle, cautiously drinking in the views of misty mountains, quiet ravines, and beaches with calm waves.
Koh Tao
After a week on Koh Phangan, we hopped on a high-speed ferry to nearby Koh Tao. Our arrival wasn't the most ideal, consisting of a slightly nauseating trip on the ferry and then a scramble in the rain to find rooms for everyone. After a couple hours, everything was settled and we could explore Sairee Beach, the most popular beach on the island and our home for the next few days. The beach is very developed and a bit overwhelming at times, but somehow the crowds are never that big and anything you could possibly want is a short walk away.
The weather was definitely better, allowing for some actual beach time, but it still felt very underwhelming for this time of year in Thailand. The skies cleared up a lot on my last full day there, which coincided perfectly with a snorkeling trip that took me and Ayu to a variety of spots around the island and also Koh Nang Yuan, a tiny island just off the north-west part of Koh Tao. The fish and corals were beautiful and it felt great to have nice weather again that was conducive to outdoor activities.
Koh Tao being a Thai island, there were the requisite Thai boys playing with fire poi on most nights; one evening, our friend Scott joined too.
We spent New Year's bouncing around beach parties, watching the fireworks at midnight, and releasing khom loi on the beach with all the other partygoers.
The beginning of January marked the time for everyone to scatter: two people to (different places in) India, one to the Philippines, one staying in Thailand, one back to America, and me to Chiang Mai. I really enjoyed my time with everyone and was very happy to make some new friends. Some of them are staying in Asia for a little while, so hopefully I'll see them again soon.
And with that, I am finally caught up with my blogging after being behind by more than two months. I wish I could say that this won't happen again, but then I'd just be lying to myself. I'm back in Chiang Mai now for the rest of January so I can be productive and stay in one place for a while, both of which I desperately need. Also, I love it here during this time of year: the weather is cool and dry and I can wear jeans and a hoodie just about any time of day.
I anticipate I'll be very busy this month as I need to catch up on multiple writing and photography backlogs, do a lot of travel research, deal with a couple visa issues, handle some logistics for my next country, update Bebee's cookbook with some new material, take advantage of a few Chiang Mai educational opportunities, work out, undertake some professional (software development) hobbies so I don't get rusty, and clear my plate of other random tasks.
Here's hoping I have the time and energy to post again before the month is out!
Full photo albums: Bangkok Night Bike Ride, Fire Poi (Koh Tao)
