To say that our vacation was ambitious is a bit of an understatement: Not only did we fly halfway across the world, but we also incorporated a seven-hour flight from Japan to Phuket. We booked on China Southern, connecting through Guang Zhou, to save a couple hundred bucks each. Oh, man! The flight was straight-up Chinese style, with packed seats, yelling people, and loud Mandarin pop music. It made me nostalgic about studying abroad. It made Erik nauseous and miserable. We were both relieved when we made it to our lovely hotel (Kantary Bay) in Phuket.
We spent the next day erasing our grumpiness by dipping into the crystal-blue ocean, basking in the golden sun, and lounging beneath palm trees. After a delicious lunch of satay, green papaya salad, and shrimp curry, we got Thai massages. It's like doing yoga without actually using your muscles. Ahhh. I felt relaxed and happy; so this was paradise! In the evening, we headed to the main city of Patpong. As soon as the bus dropped us off, I was so thankful that we didn't stay there. Erik said it reminded him of Tijuana. There were hordes of people, plenty of go-go bars, and loud music blasting everywhere. Eek.
The next morning, we woke to a torrential downpour. Uh-oh. Our only plans were a tour of Phi Phi and the surrounding islands. Fortunately, the skies opened up as our boat skipped across the ocean to our first snorkeling spot. The water felt silky smooth, and neon fish darted around the coral. For the rest of the day, we were ferried from one ridiculously gorgeous beach to the next. I mean...come on!
Hands down, the islands were the most gorgeous place I've ever been. Our boat drifted through craggy limestone mountains and past mysterious caves. We passed an azure-blue swimming hole from a James Bond movie and lounged on the actual white-sand beach from the movie The Beach. I couldn't stop saying, "I can't believe I'm here!" One stop was at a monkey-filled beach, although our guide kept repeating "rabies!" so I stayed a safe distance away.
After lunch and a few more beaches, everyone on our boat was considerably tanner or redder and sleepily blissed out. What an incredible, amazing, will-never-forget-it day. To top it all off, the sun began to sink as we headed towards shore, lighting up the sky in streaks of orange and pink.
It was one of the moments that made me feel grateful down to the very tips of my toes, and awed at the beauty in the world. Final thoughts? If you ever get the chance, dear reader, jump at the opportunity to go to Phuket. You won't ever regret it!
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