Island Escape

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Thailand has many many beautiful islands, and with such a short amount of time to explore them, we picked one that was recommended by a couple we met in NZ.

To get there, we booked an over night bus (our first of what would be many over the next couple weeks) and a ferry. The bus we rode in looked like something a Mariachi band would use on tour. The curtains were a cheesy satin and lace, the interior was gaudy maroon and silver, and the best part is our seats were actually a wrap around sofa that we shared with 2 other people.

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The 16 hour journey was completely worth what we arrived to see. Someone from our hotel met us at the ferry with a sign that said "Ms. Tyler" and whisked us away to the nicest place we have stayed at yet! Fresh squeezed mandarin juice on arrival, and a golfcart ride up a huge hill to our 2 room suite with a view of the ocean (in the distance).

The beach was incredibly relaxing but also full of excitement- vendors selling all sorts of goods- anything from drugs in the disguise under some pashminas, corn on the cob, sunglasses, etc... We settled on a couple of cocktails served to us by a boy no older than 10 and just watched the waves rolling in.

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Other highlights include an incredible thai seafood dinner on the beach, thai massages also on the beach and the discovery of the cutest puppy we ever saw!! We named him Samui (after the island) after realizing the creature jumping out at Tylers ankles wasnt a rat. It was SO tiny we didnt know what it was at first, but then we fell in love and went over the pros and cons of taking him with us. Ultimately we decided the waiter at the nearby restaurant who claimed to own him, might be upset if he disappeared.

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2 short days later we boarded another ferry and bus to bring us back to Bangkok to continue heading north.