Current music: One night in Bangkok by The Robocop Kraus
Thailand Chapter 3
After our day of snorkeling and hiking on Phi Phi, it was time to head to Lanta. We got up early, packed all of our shit, and thankfully headed down the stairs for the last time. We hopped in a taxi boat and went to the harbor to catch our ferry to Lanta. All three of us slept on the ride over, which took about an hour and a half.
Once on Lanta, we headed to our hotel, which was a very nice resort about a block away from the beach. Part of our deposit went to a Christmas buffet dinner, which everyone staying in the hotel had to pay for. But that's later. We had a gorgeous room, and the hotel had a pool, which was awesome. For the first couple of hours, we all lazed around by the pool, and then Jane and I went exploring.
I have to say that I enjoyed Lanta so much more than Phi Phi. It provided a lot more of an authentic Thailand experience. With fewer tourists and beaches that were just as amazing as Phi Phi, Lanta was less crowded and seemed much more genuine. We first went for a walk around the beaches and went exploring around some of the town.
Current music: Sway by Heartless Bastards
There were resorts and restaurants lining the beach, just like on Phi Phi, but they were much quieter. We had dinner at one of the restaurants and had a really good sleep. We got up the next morning and were not sure how we were going to spend our day. After a few hours of lazing, we decided that in order to accomplish everything that we wanted to do on Lanta, we would have to go elephant trekking that afternoon. So, we ran back to the resore, hopped in a truck that was sent for us and drove for about 20 minutes into the jungle. We arrived at this little enclosure where animals were just wandering around. We immediately saw two elephants roaming around, along with cats and dogs and chickens. We climbed up into this little hut and waited for the elephants. They sidled up and parked next to the shack, for us to hop on. Jane got on the first one and Maureen and I got on the second one.
I had been the most excited about this part of the trip, because I love elephants so much and I was not disappointed. We sat in a little wooden seat on the elephant's back and the driver sat on her head. We rode around the jungle for about an hour. It started to pour rain about 20 minutes into the ride, but no one really cared and we all just got soaked. It was really an incredible experience and I am so happy that we got to go.
Current music: Mama Don't Like My Man by Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings
After we got back to the elephant place, we got to feed the elephants and play with them for a bit. Then the baby elephant did some tricks, like playing basketball and spinning a hula hoop around its trunk. It came up and put a hat on each of our heads. I was really happy that we got to play with the elephants, and next time I go to Thailand, I think I will go see the elephant refuges in the north.
After we got back to the resort, we hopped on a tuk-tuk into the city, and had dinner at a cool little restaurant that had seashells everywhere. I got pad thai and a really weak Tom Collins. After that we split up to try to find Christmas gifts for each other. Once we completed our shopping ordeal, we headed back to the hotel, and Jane and I took a beach walk. Jane had been looking for these banana pancakes that she and her mother had found on their last trip to Thailand, and she was over the moon when we found a little stand that sold them. They weren't over-hyped either, I have never had a better banana pancake.
Current music: Mono by Courtney Love
The next day was Christmas Eve and another day of snorkeling and island-hopping, this time by speed boat with a tour group. Less fun, but still an ok time nonetheless. It was filled with Swedish families with little blonde children. But I digress. We got up early and took a jeep to where we waited a few minutes for our boat. We got in and had to take a few more stops along the coast picking up people. We then took a ride to an island off the coast of Lanta where we got to go snorkeling for a long time. It was cool to see all of the different kings of fish and coral reefs.
We then got taken to an uninhabited little island for lunch. There were giant lizards that were about the size of golden retrievers running around. In order to get anywhere close to them, you had to slowly inch up, because they had a habit of lunging at people that approached them too quickly. We got to tan and go swimming for about an hour. We then hopped back into the boat for one more round of snorkeling, and then went back to the hotel.
Current music: My Boy Builds Coffins by Florence and the Machine
The hotel had arranged a Christmas dinner buffet for their guests. We were slightly angered that drinks were not included in the deal, so we found a bar next door that had happy hour going on, and drank a few pitchers before heading to dinner. Dinner was actually pretty decent, it was probably the only time I will ever have Christmas turkey and spring rolls on the same plate. They had dancers from local schools doing traditional Thai dancing throughout the meal, along with some fire dancers. We stayed for a long time, and eventually ended up hanging out on the beach with some hotel staff that we had met earlier. We had a fire and guitar party, and we got to light one of those fire lanterns that fly up like balloons. All in all, it was probably the best Christmas Eve ever.
The next day was Christmas morning and my last day on Lanta. We exchanged Christmas presents after breakfast. Jane got me a new purse, and a Rolling Stones shirt and Maureen got me a really pretty notebook with an elephant on it, as well as a coral stone ankle bracelet. I was a happy camper. I had a few hours to kill before I had to go to the harbor, so I got to laze about by the pool for a little while before hopping in a van that the hotel had arranged. I had to take two more ferries before eventually making it back to Phuket. I stayed in a hostel right in the middle of Phuket town, and although I was very tired, I met two Irish travellers and ended up staying up drinking and loudly singing Christmas songs. Good times.
Current music: Tomorrow Never Knows by Our Lady Peace
The next day I got up early and took a 45 minute tuk-tuk ride across the island to the airport, and had an uneventful couple of flights back to Taipei. I then had to take a 4 hour freezing bus ride back to Tainan and ended up getting home at 4am. And had work the next day. That part was not fun.
All in all it was the best vacation, worth every dollar spent, and if you ever get the opportunity to go to Thailand, go. Go a lot.
I've been on Chinese New Year vacation for the past week. I've been in Taichung for the past few days and I finally got to see the art museum that I had been wanting to since I got here. There is also a Canadian restaurant that serves poutine. I was a happy camper indeed.
Thing I miss of the day: Poutine from La Maison in Ottawa. Best poutine in the entire world.
More details on my vacation to follow. No more typing. I have a cold and I need to defeat it with sleeping. Night night.
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