Koh Chang

I think I've finally recovered from the sad feeling of having to depart from Koh Chang. We spent a super relaxing, fun-filled four-day weekend there and I could have just stayed forever.

Our bungalows: super cute and very basic.

I've heard great things about Koh Chang from many people over the past few years, but still didn't have very high expectations because it's quite close to the mainland and that usually means the water isn't as nice. Perhaps that's why I was so pleasantly surprised to arrive and find beautifully clear water, a soft sand beach that wasn't jam packed with umbrellas/tourists. Of course the island was full of us tourists, but it wasn't as overwhelming as some of the more popular Thai islands and therefore was much more relaxing. 

Always stop to admire the flowers.

These photos are from the one morning that I woke up early before the others and took a stroll down our beach. The other mornings, I allowed myself to recover from nights spent indulging in fresh seafood, beer, sand buckets of booze and late night kebabs. This holiday was a happy mix of beachside lazy meals and playing in the water during the day and looking up at a sky which actually showed the stars while wandering to the next beach party. It was just so much fun!

Walking out from our bungalow area, right to the beach!

Meow.

The beach.

The water.

A fisherman and some rocks.

Beachside massage hut and chairs for rent.

The beachfront of our guesthouse.
Can you spy our dog in the sand?

This dog (above) slept on our bungalow porch every evening. It was so cute! All told, it was a fabulous long weekend away and definitely helped to recharge my batteries for another week of wiping baby butts (we're toilet training 8 2-year-olds) and explaining to them the dangers of standing on chairs and the importance of sharing with our friends (87 times each day).

Even my students are adorable, so I really have nothing to complain about. I'm feeling incredibly lucky and so thoroughly enjoying the life we've made for ourselves in Thailand.

Hope you're having a great week! Love to you all <3

Happy Lunar New Year!

Thought of the day: Sometimes I feel jaded living here. But not tonight. Tonight, I felt deeply aware of and exhilarated by my whereabouts. 

While on a motorbike taxi to yoga, I found myself delayed by a lion dance in my small side street (look up Chinese lion dance if you're not familiar - so vibrant + loud!). With people crowded in tightly within the intersection near our temple, I told the driver, mai bpen rai, "no worries," and planned to walk through. He shrugged this off and went on to expertly squeeze through the celebratory chaos and after taking 5 minutes to get through what normally takes 3 seconds, I exhaled deeply and said 'Wow,' mostly to myself. Unexpectedly, the driver replied with a swift and lively "Happy new year," over his shoulder and we continued on  through the city streets with the wind in our faces and a happy mood in my heart.

I live in Bangkok and I love it.

Happy New Year!

Hua Hin

For our second weekend getaway, I requested we make our way to a beach. Any beach. The easiest and most pleasant seemed to be Hua Hin, where the Royal Family of Thailand resides. While the water isn't anything special (I'm a beach snob, I'll readily admit it), I was just excited to smell the gulf air and listen to the waves while reading a physical book. That is exactly what we did all weekend, with a bit of fresh seafood, wine and beach beer mixed in. It was a perfectly relaxing weekend - and such an easy trip from Bangkok!

Settling in at a great place with cheap wine (rare in BKK)
and great live music on Friday night.

A lovely wedding party at the Hilton.
Thai people usually coordinate a color scheme for
all guests at the wedding, like this white/neutral one.

We definitely didn't sleep at the Hilton,
but got to enjoy some perks anyway!

Gorgeous view of the Gulf of Thailand in the east and
sunset glow from the west from the rooftop of the Hilton.

Nightmarket feast: We tried the jumbo prawns and seabass. SO DELICIOUS!

View from day 2.

Sunset day 2.

Kanchanaburi

With the new year, I've found a revitalized urge to explore. Even though Sam and Joe have to coach hockey on the weekends, I've also got a great friend, Beini, to wander around with who is equally eager to see new places. Our first weekend warrior trip was to Kanchanaburi, a province about 2 hours west from Bangkok. It is home to the Death Railway and the bridge over the River Kwai, as well as a blossoming backpacker haven with a wonderfully relaxed vibe and one of Thailand's most beautiful waterfalls nearby.

Our wonderfully cheap, relaxing guesthouse on the River Kwai.

A happy sight after long days out in the sun.

Beini and I were most excited to get out of the city and breathe some fresh air into our lungs, so we didn't make any ambitious plans. We left everything up to how we were feeling, tired (sit by the pool with a book), hot (grab a cold Leo beer), hungry (eat lots of surprisingly tasty pizza) and treated ourselves to some leisurely walking in an easily navigable small town - a nice change from Bangkok.

Coffee stop near the railroad.

I thought this sign was a typo, turns out it stands for Japan, England, America, Australia, Thailand and Holland, representing the nationalities of the prisoners of war (POW's) who were forced to work on the construction of the famous "Bridge On The River Kwai". We visited the Death Railway Museum with our parents back in November. I had never really known about this side of the war and it was an impressively curated museum which gave a chilling insight into the conditions of the workers in this place. I definitely recommend a visit to the museum for those going through town here.

Flowers make me smile.

Cuteness all around!

The roads in the tourist part of town are
all named after countries with
little representations of their flag to boot.

While being super lazy all weekend, we did manage to check a major tourist attraction off the list: Erawan Waterfalls. Supposedly one of the most beautiful in Thailand, Erawan boasts a 7-tiered waterfall which took us about 2 hours to get up and down.

We made it!

The first level, lots of Thais having a Sunday picnic.

The waterfall is not a place for shampoo or soap, FYI.

Huge fish in the pools were a bit too comfortable and wou

Hanging silk dresses at a spirit dwelling along the path.
Thai people believe their ancestors dwell in specific places and
will leave offerings of clothing, food, drinks for them. 

Almost to the last tier!

A sweaty duo: Beini and me on our way down the waterfall.