He says: If anyone was wondering what paradise is called, it's Koh Lanta, Thailand. Shauna and I are lounging poolside at the Layana Resort drinking sangrias (please refer to photo) and iced pineapple. Getting here was an adventure. We took an hour long flight from Bangkok to Krabi province and then a taxi for an hour and a half, and made two ferry crossings before reaching our destination. The food is great and the scenery is out of this world. We went for a walk along the beach this morning and met a really friendly mutt we called Jonathan who loved staring at the ocean, but didn't like the water. There is an animal shelter in town where Shauna and I are going to help walk stray dogs later this week. In addition to plenty of r & r we're also planning on going elephant trekking too. Life is good.
-Matt
She says: And just like that, we are on holidays. The romance here is ridiculous. If you're into that sort of thing.
Our adventure and exploring time has been stimulating, fascinating and thrilling, but we are now in relaxation mode. We are at the Layana resort on Koh Lanta Yai, a small southern Thailand island accessible only by two ferries from the mainland.
It gets dark really early here and by the time we were on the first ferry at 7:30 pm, it was pitch black. Matt said we were already in the most remote place he'd ever been. Compared to a lot of places I travelled in Lesotho, this is cosmopolitan!
Matt just flicked a spider right off of himself onto me. I'm a lucky girl.
This resort is unbelievable, it is located in the most gorgeous surroundings and the staff are so smiley and kind. One particular staff member had taken us under her wing and is teaching us Thai at each meal. Every time we make the smallest effort with the language, we are met with huge, genuine grins of surprise. Our Thai is really bad though!
We had gotten used to waking up in one place and going to bed somewhere totally different, but it's still funny to think that at this time yesterday, we were zipping through Bangkok on a tuk tuk.
We had just finished a dirt cheap third session of human eating fish for me and a foot massage with a twist (literally, the thing ended with another spine cracking contortion), and were met by a would be scam artist. He fed us the classic lines of all sites being closed tomorrow for a religious festival and told us we should go to a particular tailor. We were heading off to get some tourist info anyway and so we hopped into the proffered tuk tuk. Matt wisely offered the driver a little extra to skip the shopping and we had the most cautious, friendly tuk tuk driver in the city. He reminded us both of Robin Williams. We got some info for our day back in Bangkok after Lanta and got back to the hotel in time to get a drive from a taxi driver who reminded us both of Grandpa, complete with amazing cottage painting style pants.
From him, we learned about the Thai people's love for their king who is elderly and lives in hospital. He is pretty much universally respected and he will be in the palace this week as another member of the royal family died a few days ago. The king is so well regarded that his picture is displayed all over town, his birthday us a national holiday and people stand up and sing the national anthem when his picture is displayed preceding movies in the theatre.
It was a tough adjustment to be back in coach on the flight, but we're coping.
It is the green, or rainy season in Thailand and tourism is at it's low point. The beach we are on looks like it must be jammed in the tourist season, as there are at least six backpackers lodges complete with outdoor showers and ramshackle beach bars within a five minute walk down the beach. It is all eerily abandoned now and due to the strong waves that accompany the tremendous storms that happen apst daily, the idyllic beach is strewn with all sorts of trash. It is quite shocking how many lost soles there are (that is my hilarious shoe joke. You're welcome.)
As we walked down the beach, our only companions were friendly stray dogs. Our favorite, Jonathan, remained with us for most of the time. We want to bring him home, he is the kindest little guy.
Photos of this beach from the on season are extraordinary and we hope that the waves settle at some point this week and we can enjoy the warm emerald waters without being beat down with dozens of shoes, bottles, branches and other miscellania drawn up to shore by the waves.
Although the waves make it impossible to swim or snorkel right now, you can't beat the sound of breaking surf for relaxation.
Back to my white sangria. Like Matt said, life is good.
-Shauna