Good-Bye Thailand..Good-bye Asia!

Well, I'm sad to say that today is my last day in Bangkok, Thailand. I just got back to Bangkok from a ten day wonderful trip to Phuket, and Krabi. In spite of the rain, my trip was fantastic. I had beautiful weather the last few days of my trip, which was great for getting a nice tan.

I went to see Railay beach by l ong-tail boat, and laid on Ao-Nang beach all day my second last day. On the beach I met a Thai man who was selling drinks. We ended up talking all day, and he took me for a ride around Krabi on his motorbike. It was the best way to see the area. I got to see a 700thousand year old fossil on the water, and went to see Long beach that has a pier out onto the water.

I will really miss Thailand, and miss Asia in general. This past fourteen months have been the best, and most exciting time in my life so far. I've grown so much in the last year, and will come back to Asia someday either to visit or work. I met so many great people both tourists and locals. I hope to keep in touch with most of them.

I am happy to be going back to Canada to visit family and friends. It'll be nice to eat my mom's homecooked food, and to hang out with my friends and family.

For those who are reading this blog. I will be back with more adventures in the near future. I will talk about reverse culture shock and how I will be able to adjust back in the western world.

Till then, this has been another day in Jo's Thai adventures...Bon Voyage my friends! XoXo

Phuket Paradise!

I've been here for five days. For the most part, the weather has been windy and very rainy. I have managed to do some great things even if it was raining. When I arrived it wasn't raining. I got a taxi to the Bangtao Lagoon Bungalows. The rain started as we made it to Bangtao. The rain came down in the heaviest rain I have ever seen. The taxi driver couldn't find the place where I was staying. Bangtao is in the middle of nowhere, and we stopped four times in the pouring rain to ask for directions. We finally found it and I was happy to see that the bungalows were really nice, and my bungalow was about 1000 feet from the ocean.

That night I went to the bungalow restaurant, which was right on the beach. There were two couples playing cards and having a great time. I started talking to them and found out that they were the Swedish owners of the resort. I ended up partying with them and their coworkers since it was one of the owners birthday. I had a few beers and just had a great time listening to music by the beach. It was a nice introduction back to Phuket.

The next day was rainy and very windy. The rain was off and on all day. I decided to take a walk on the beach. The beach is 8km long. I walked about half the length and found some interesting things along the way. I met a family from Australia and talked with them while walking. It's really amazing how friendly the people are that I met so far. That night I booked a Gold ticket to see the Fantasea Show. The show was really amazing. It has pyrotechnics, and you really see a lot about the Thais culture. The performance had about 15 elephants on the stage doing tricks. It had acrobats in the air, and the costumes and dancing was fabulous. I really enjoyed myself.

The next day I was booked to go white water rafting in Phang-Na, but we had a wicked storm that morning. I ended up cancelling and my sweet travel agent rebooked me for the next day. I ended up being friends with my travel agent and was shown around the area. I ended up going partying with her and others that I had met on my last night in Bangtao beach. We had a great time, but Bangtao was way to quiet for me after awhile. I decided to head to Kata beach on Thursday.

The whitewater rafting adventure was spectacular. I was in the nicest area called Phang-Na. Last December I had went sea kayaking in Phang-Na bay. They made a dvd of our trip and I ended up buying the dvd. I met some nice people on the trip, mainly Australians, and a few English people. It was a rush to go down the rapids. Even though it was only 5 kms, it was still exciting.

In Bangtao I met a girl also travelling solo. She is teaching English in Korea currently and we had lots to talk about. She was going to the airport the day I was going to Kata. It ended up that she had the wrong day and she was leaving on the wrong day as I informed her. She decided to head to Kata with me for a day. Yesterday (thur) was the nicest day here so far. It was great to get unpacked and head to the beach. I sat on the beach from 2pm to 8pm. We went for dinner on the beach and then last night went out partying. There was a live band who was excellent. We drank alot and met some guys. She was buying me drinks cause she said she was leaving the next day and it was her treat. Well, no arguing here, I thought. I was drinking Thailand rhum and coke all night. I never usually drink hard liquor, but the rum here is really good.

Well, I had a sore head this morning, but it was a great time. This evening Cory left back to Korea, and tomorrow I'm heading to Karon beach. I stayed at Karon last December and made friends with the people at the guesthouse I stayed at. I'm going to visit them and stay a night there.

Sunday morning I'm getting picked up and taking a bus to Krabi. I can't wait to see Krabi. I hope the weather keeps up. I want to see Railay beach and do some touring. I'll fly back to Bangkok from Krabi airport which just opened this past year. I'll be going back on Wednesday morning (13th), then I'm stay in Bangkok till Friday when I fly back to Canada. Wow!!

This has been another day in Jo's Thai Adventures...

Sitting in the new Suvarnahumbi Airport in Bangkok

The time is finally here to board the plane to Phuket. I am so overly excited to be going to PHuket again. I never thought I would be able to get back so soon. Let's just hope the weather cooperates.

Being in this brand new airport that just opened a few days ago is fascinating. The architectural design of this airport sure is unique. It reminds me a long row of wings of an airplane. People can't stop taking pictures of the view of the bizarre shaped airport. You really don't see an airport designed like this anywhere.

I took a few photos and will post them when I can download my pictures. The internet cafe is very modern and the LCD hp 15 inch screens are nice. The price is a bit steep, but what can I expect being at an airport. It is 100baht for 20minutes. I feel like I'm in some sort of Sci-Fi movie inside this airport. It looks like silver chrome tubes and bars, with so many intricacies. When I look upwards, I see sky windows. Speaking of the sky, the weather here in Bangkok before I head down south is beautiful. It is warm and sunny today. Who knows what the weather will be like in Phuket. At this point, I'm just thinking positive thoughts.

Yesterday was a fabulous day. Not having to worry about the CELTA for the first time in a month, I met up with a guy I met on the course, and we just hung out. We went on the roue de Paris ferris wheel. The views during the day were amazing. I will have to post some pics on here really soon. After the ferris wheel we went on a swan paddle boat in Lumphini Park. We had so much fun and laughs, that it was one of my best days in Bangkok.

He decided to be a bad ass and knock our swan boat into another boat. It was really funny, as he just knicked it, and I couldn't stop laughing. The people in the other swan were sleeping and we woke them up. Then he started rocking the boat and I thought we would fall in. I especially didn't want to because I had my camera. The views as the sunset on the man made lake with the ferris wheel in the background were amazing. Hassan and I really clicked during the course. I'll really miss him, as he is off to teach in China. I hope to get there in the future.

It was a huge stress relief to just laugh about the course and talk about the whole month. It was a well deserved day. But, my plane is going to leave soon, so I better get out there. I'll post pics when I can.

Till then, this has been another day in Jo's Thai Adventures...