Dec. 29 - Arriving to Phi Phi
Jenny's dad arranged to have a car pick us up from his house and drive us to the ferries on the
other side of the island. We were sad to leave the wonderful hospitality and comfort of the house,
but were excited to see Phi Phi. After getting to the dock we hopped on a ferry and began the
trek to Phi Phi. Besides the scenery the best part of the ferry ride was when we realized the abundance of Asian couples wearing matching outfits. I am talking young seemingly hip
couples wearing the same outfits! It wasn't just wearing the same color outfits, but actually wearing the same outfits! Of course the females outfits were fitted to them as were the males, but we just couldn't figure out why they would do this.
After arriving to Koh Phi Phi we made the trek through the small walking streets to our hostel. Our first impressions of Phi Phi were that it was small, there were no vehicles, and there were white people everywhere! It felt strange to not be a distinct minority. Our bungalow was called Golden Hills - The Scenery and let's just say the name is far more classy than the appearance. We did have a flushing toilet unlike friends staying in other bungalows though, so it wasn't all bad.
On our walk up to our Bungalow we were given flyers about a private beach party happening
that afternoon and decided we should go and kick off our stay in Koh Phi Phi. Nathan, Reuven, Emily, Katie and I picked up a beer and water, put on our swim suits, applied sunscreen and were set for the party. Turned out it was the most disorganized function I have ever
experienced, and it wasn't even run by Thai people! There were a few issues that were out of the coordinator's control, such as the boat driver just disappearing after we paid him and were all sitting in the boat, the driver coming back and the boat battery being dead, and then having too many people to fit in one boat. Finally, about 3 hours after we were supposed to get to the beach, we got there! We all had a ton of fun playing games, meeting new people, and getting a tan. Later that night we met up with a few other CIEE teachers and went to the Ibiza Bar where we would end up spending many nights. The bar was
right on the beach and a beacon for twenty-something year old tourists. There were fire shows each night and then they would bring out a fire jump rope and fire limbo for visitors to try. I was never brave enough to try! I decided I cherish my hair too much and didn't want it to get singed by fire, but many of the others did!
Dec. 30- The Jungle Walk to Long Beach
Today we went on a 'walk,' more like hike, to the other side of the island to Long Beach. The name sums it up fairly well because it really is a long beach. We thought we were in for a leisurely walk there, but it turns out there wasn't much of a path as most people take a boat taxi there. By the time we got there we were all sweating like mad and ready for a swim! The water was perfect, but there was coral everywhere. We did a little snorkeling and a lot of tanning. At this point I was getting ready to be out of the sun. Your skin can only handle so much! We ate at a great restaurant on the beach where we had chicken sandwiches and hamburgers, we were all way too excited about this. When it was time to head back to our side of the island I opted to take a boat taxi with a few girls. I didn't find it necessary to do any strenuous exercise after such a relaxing day : ) Later, we had a great dinner with a salad bar and Thai food, two very good things. That evening our friend Leora found out her grandmother was very sick and she needed to leave Thailand to care for her younger siblings. We were all very sad that she had to leave and hated saying goodbye to her in Koh Phi Phi. We will miss you lots Leora!
Dec. 31 - Spending the Last Day of '09 on a Snorkeling Tour
While my family and friends were freezing in Minnesota I was lucky enough to spend the last day of 2009 on a boat with friends, snorkeling in the Andaman Sea, and seeing the multiple islands that dot the water. We each paid 500 baht, $15, for a full day tour to several different islands, snorkels, and fried rice for lunch. The high point of the tour was our stop on Koh Phi Phi Ley where we went to Maya Beach where the movie The Beach with Leonardo DiCaprio was filmed. It was picture perfect, but no picture could ever capture the true beauty and tranquility of the beach. The only bad part of the day was when we decided to swim to shore from the boat and had to ford through all the coral! I had tons of scrapes on my legs from the coral by the time I went home from Phi Phi.
After the trip it was time to celebrate New Year's Eve! We all showered and got ready to bring in the year. There were countless bars giving away free food and drinks so we scoped out the best deal and found a place where we could get free dinner and drinks. The night was a lot of fun and we brought in the New Year with fireworks over the beach. Pretty nice, eh?
Jan. 1 - Back to Maya Bay
The first was our last day in Phi Phi and we decided to take a long tail boat back to Maya Bay. It was a relaxing day spent with about eleven friends. We just tanned, waded in the clear water, and chatted. That evening we ate at a wonderful restaurant named Cosmic. We had Italian pizzas, bruschetta, and fries...really healthy.
We left for home on the second and I can honestly say I was ready to have my own room again and take a shower in my bathroom. I never thought I would be looking forward to the shower I have in my room. Vacation was a blast! I think I'm getting spoiled with all these adventures, I'm not sure a New Years Eve in Minnesota will ever be able to live up to one in Phi Phi.
I am impressed you walked to Long Beach- we for sure didn't!!!
ReplyDeleteSo much fun to hear about your time in Koh Phi Phi! Did you see monkeys at all?
Seeing the beach from the movie is pretty fun :)