Courtney. July 20, 2010 @ 7:42 PM

It's been about a week now since we left the islands of Phi Phi and I am just now able to write about it without having an emotional breakdown.I have never loved a human or animal as much as I love those little tiny islands.I had heard wonderful things about them, but I've heard a lot of good things about a lot of good places so I didn't expect to find the mortal version of heaven when I arrived at Koh Phi Phi (known to some as 'Go Pee Pee ')The minute we set foot on the ferry we knew it was going to be our spot.But even when we disembarked and saw the endless array of beautiful people and white beaches, we were still convinced that three days would be sufficient to get our fix of talent, party, beach, snorkeling and fun.We were wrong.Dead wrong.10 or so days later, after 2 hotel changes (both in effort to leave the island), we finally decided that if we didn't get out now we would die on Koh Phi Phi. Sounded dangerous at the time but not so bad in retrospect.

In the meantime, however… we partied like it was 1999!The first night was amazing.We all remember the amazingness - it's a word in Phi Phi Land.But when the morning came, we were a bit confused.An Aussie named Eric came barging in our room at 7AM telling us - "come on, we're going snorkeling in Maya Bay!"Kaberly and I (roommates at that hotel) sat up, quit disoriented and not knowing who he was.But we heard 'snorkeling' and 'Maya Bay'(that's where The Beach was filmed) so we threw our suits on and told this mystery man to get the other two girls, who were down our 10 very steep stairs, 15 feet left, and up their 12 even more steep stairs.Apparently he prompted them in the same manner, to which Jacqui responded, "OK.But who the hell are you?"

He was our best friend the night before and we made him PROMISE to wake us up early so we could go snorkel Maya Bay with their group of 10 Aussies and, although we didn't remember it we were so glad we did it because they were the funnest (don't care if it's a word or not) people ever and it was an even funner (I know and I don't care) day.Crystal clear water, fish that can shake hands and high five and, of course, Bacardi Breezers.So all those pictures you see of us on the long boat, having the time of our lives and swimming in translucent water next to inverted limestone - that's Maya Bay and the boys are our Aussies.And if you see a picture of that same beach and you think you see Leonardo DiCaprio - it's not him.Its Danielle's Danish lover Tejs (pronounced 'ties,' like hair ties).And they are very seriously in love.Or at least she is with him. He is 4 years her junior - just as she prefers these days.He looks like Leonardo DiCaprio and I wrote his details in my first Bangkok entry because he was with us back then.Somehow we met back up with him on our second stop in Bangkok so that they could rekindle their love and make plans to move to Demark when she is 30 and he is 26.He is beautiful inside and, more importantly - out.He can say whatever he wants in that Danish accent and it's all poetry.We tried to find snake blood so we could get a video of the Leo look-alike drinking it in Khao San Road (The real Leo does it in Khao San in the movie) but apparently they don't really do that here because its disgusting and very poisonous.Anyway, he was one of the nicest people I've ever met and he even bought all the girls glow-stick bracelets so he could keep track of us throughout the night.When I noticed it in the morning I assumed it was from a bar to show that we paid an entry fee (like we ever pay those) but Danielle told me later that he bought them in place of leashes, which we could all use.

My favorite part about Thailand (or maybe southeast Asia in general) is that all the men stay in groups of their own nationality.So for 2 nights we can be with Italians.Two days following we're with our Aussie boys (that day we went to Maya Bay).For the next few days we found some Israelis (one is my fiancé at the moment - wedding date will come as soon as the glass breaking ordeal is resolved), and Kaberly is still trying to make an honest man of hers, but the stalking at The View Point (yes, that's him in the 50 photos on a rock) may have been a minor setback.

After the Israelis were the Brits and they were HILARIOUS.Toby - I miss you so much it hurts sometimes.But most of all, I miss our language barrier.Yes, we both speak the same language, but when an American says they could "murder a Chinese right now" it means they are racist and would like to murder a Chinese person.For you Americans reading this - Toby was telling us that he could eat an entire Chinese meal.No racism or murdering of humans involved.My other favorites were when Danielle heard him say that "the hookers in Peru are really expensive" ("this trip has proved expensive"), and when Kaberly heard him say he wanted to go home and organize his pillows.What he really said is inconclusive at the moment but I don't think he was ready to leave the beach party and organize his pillows. And I wish I could have been there when Toby and his non-lover man friend, Antony woke up cuddling and immediately switched to a hostel that had 2 twin beds, rather than 1 full. Kaberly and I experienced the same thing more than a few times but weren't as frightened by the incident and continued to share a bed.

Even with all the heavenly aspects of these tiny islands that I could easily make my whole world, there were a few saddening things that we saw.One was the kids.Of course, we see very young children selling crap and hustling the streets until the sun comes up everywhere in Thailand.Also, as you might know, Phuket and Koh Phi Phi are 2 of the most affected places by the 2004 tsunami.They've made an amazing comeback and Thailand has bounced back structurally and emotionally from that tragedy more than Americans could ever dream of doing, and it was inspiring to walk by people who lived through the apocalyptic wave 6 years ago smile and wave like nothing had ever happened.The Hilton on Phuket is where I think I saw the most YouTube videos of the tsunami and we stayed there, as well.On a lighter but related note, there is a bar in the middle of Koh Phi Phi called Relax Bar and it's the only place that you can 'legally' smoke pot, because its run by the mafia.Kind if interesting to see the mafia overrun a government so openly.Even more 'interesting; to see Kaberly's beer belly turn into a six pack overnight from the exercise we like to call laughter.

After the 10 (or whatever days) it seemed that everyone we had become so close to (e.g.: moving in with, sharing every personal detail that you usually keep private, planning to marry or maybe even meet back up with in the next city) was moving on.So we decided it was now or never.With tears in our eyes and our tailbones between our legs, Jacqui, Danielle and I dragged our feet to the ferry station with Kaberly in a wheelbarrow, and said goodbye. Not only to the men we loved but the island that will never be replaced by any person, place or thing.That's right - no noun can replace Ko Phi Phi.