Thailand: a bit cliche, a lot of play

dec 12-jan 3

i wrote some notes on Thailand earlier on in the trip and then closer to the end i had a bit of a shift in perspective in the peace play pash scheme of things, so i’m posting this one in 2 parts!PART ONE:feelin’ very basic in Thailand after Africa. like my peace leg was just so far beyond my expectations and here i am feeling a bit.. uninspired. a bit cliche. also not to be a debbie but Zanzibar turned me into a total beach snob, like the sand here could be whiter and the water could be bluer. just sayin.MOVING ON. had a lil stopover in Dubai (a mix of fancy vs. beige buildings, world’s talkest building Burj Khalifa, 7-star resort Butj Al Arab) and kicked off the play leg in FULL FORCE. flew into Phuket, met up with Matt (thanks to Martha for the referral!!) and headed straight for Koh Phi Phi for lots of afternoon vodka, body paint, fire limbo/skipping, Israelis, and beach dance parties.

my previous shark/gorilla encounters did not prepare me for the terror that was a fish pedicure at Dr Fish, during which Matt tries to namaste me by reminding me “PLAY.” play is the new yolo.

a snorkel tour took us to the world’s most crowded snorkelling sites, the beautiful Bamboo Beach featuring posing Asians, the viscious Monkey Beach, Maya Beach sans Leo (sadface), and then to “wait and watch the sun set” for 1 hour during which we were trapped under a longtail boat’s canopy. finished off with a night snorkel and waving our hands to see some flecks of light which were supposedly plankton.that was enough play at Phi Phi. i headed to Railay Beach, a much tamer and quieter version of Thailand. met Manel and his Portugese med school friends, rock climbed up the limestone cliffs and into a lagoon. thought i might die but successfully lived through it. cannot say the same for my formerly white shoes and socks. hit rock bottom when i woke up to a cockroach crawling across my lips. like that was a new low. the only time i’ve really been homesick this whole trip. needless to say i checked out very quickly that day.

8 hr boat van boat ferry ride from hell (literally thought i was going to die the entire ride. vommed the whole night) to arrive in the cutest Koh Tao. known for diving, but complete with cute streets, shops, scooters, beach bars. met Kirsty from Scotland for pub crawl - the most hilar wingwoman <3 together with Ryan from England we are not NOT the coolest peeps at Goodtime Hostel. i defs recommend staying here except not above Leo Bar, which pounds music till 3am. every. night.Koh Tao is like a magical little tropical paradise where you literally walk on the same street, eat at the same restaurant, go to the same 3 bars (Fishbowl, BND, Leo) every single day but it NEVER GETS OLD. i could live there. i went for 3 days and stayed 12 (due to various circumstances), left for Koh Phangan and just about booked a ferry right back because i missed it already. Koh Tao is magic.

activity log:- paradise zone infinity pool - met some lovely french ladies here!! celia and sandra. spent a rainy afternoon in the pool there and then sipping cappuccinos by a little espresso bar on the beach- black garlic - this is legit the best restaurant in koh tao. i dont even have to try all the restaurants to say that with 100% confidence. i got the pulled pork quesadillas which came with mango salsa - deeelish. chef is from vancouver, used to work at l’abbatoir. kirsty ryan sarah and i had our christmas dinner here- pub crawl obv. 450 baht, free tank, bucket, 2 shots. unlimited 20 year old drunken boys. Thailand, amiright.- Drake acoustic mashups and South Africa. unbeatable combo.- fire shows every night. does your mother know you are limboing under a bar of flames.- banana shakes all day err dayPART TWOi stayed at Goodtime Hostel for 12 days. in that time i was seasick from the ferry, then actual sick, then deaf because my ears were blocked from diving for 6 days. everything was muffled. pro: built-in, natural earplugs for Leo Bar’s music downstairs. con: very difficult to socialize on account of i could not hear. there was also a monsoon where it downpoured for 5 days nonstop.this is called part two because for the most part, although i was having fun in Thailand, i was mostly feeling kinda meh. uninspired, health issues, rain. like after the epicness of Africa i was now just another Thailand cliche. the places i went were PACKED with tourists and i was missing the authenticity and local culture that i felt in Rwanda and Cape Town.around the time where i could hear again and the monsoon stopped, i had a change of heart where i realized i was having a BLAST. i was dancing to my favourite songs all night every night, the Goodtime Hostel crew basically adopted me as a member of their family, i made amazing girlfriends that were so so much fun and met some boys that weren’t that bad either. i wasn’t trekking with gorillas or hiking Table Mountain or visiting rural African villages, but i was having a different kind of fun. and isn’t that the point of the play leg?!?

LIFE LESSON, PEOPLE: don’t let yourself get the traveller blues if things aren’t epic 24/7. maybe your body needs a few days to recoop, maybe you need a few chill days to really appreciate and soak in your experience. maybe it’s just a different kind of fun.i also realized how much i freaking LOVE travelling alone omg. i can do whatever i want, stay for however many days i want, go wherever i please. i have not spent a day fully by myself. i have met SO MANY awesome friends. i am only travelling solo from now on!!!!things that happened after i wrote part one:- dancing every single freaking night at Fishbowl/BND/Leo Bar. dancing partners include Michu (Argentina), Diana and Caroline (Brazil), Julian (Argentina), Christian (UK), Matt and Phil (Toronto) and of course the Goodtimes crew - Logan, Ian, Flash- eggs benny x2 at Black Garlic- fresh smoothies, beach views and breakfast at Cafe Culture- days on days of lounging, reading, napping in the heavenly bean bag chairs at Savage Hostel rooftop pool

- celebrated getting my hearing back with a treat myself day - shopping at Flip Flop and Treacle (BEST store) and getting daydrunk off pina coladas. joined by Tom (Belgium) and Julian- finished my diving course - i am offish Open Water Certified!!! shout out to Vicky at Goodtime for being awesome through the world’s longest certification due to health/weather issues

- jungle trek in my flip flops with Julian and friends to Ao Tanote, where they went cliff jumping and i made friends with Johanna (Vienna) in the waves- thai massage and mani. still treating myself.- the world’s biggest most delish burg at Baia Burger Concept- crashing the pub crawl live music for the sweatest, most fun dance party ever- reuny with Matt (a real sicko) and Phil who is lookin for a roofie colada. lots of #play- acoustic MJ, the way you make me feel - i’m done.- then to Koh Phanghan for New Years. Full Moon party was probably the biggest NYE party on planet earth?? a bit much for me. lots of pushing/losing friends/kids on drugs. but was an experience!! and we got to wear body paint!!

- stayed at Phanganist Hostel, really nice & clean, pretty paradise beach just down the path.- thai food/pregame with Phil who shares my exact Koh Tao obsession. we live there now. Jungle Party ft muy thai fight which was very stressful for me and fun for Phil. more dancing to the DJ, he didn’t play Drake or Macklemore though- a day of having to rebook 2 flights and ferries with no refunds, another near death experience longtail boating through the treacherous waves en route to Koh Samui. the open air airport and free food made it almost worth it. almost. but dear Air Asia and Lompraya Ferries, you suck give me my money back.- Bangkok layover - quick drive by Khao San Road and straight to sleep for a 6am wakeup. not much to report.wrote this para on New Years Eve and thought it would sum things up nicely, 2 months into peace play pash: just feeling so lucky and pumped. i usually make a collage at the end of each year and this one is ft. the places i’ve been in 2017 - San Diego, LA, New Yorkx2, Scottsdale, Seattle, Portland, Rwanda, Uganda, Zanzibar, Cape Town, Dubai for a hot min, Thailand. this is what life’s about - enjoying the world and the people in it !!!!!!