Thailand

the beautiful Spa Beach Resort. It's a health resort spa that offers fasting and cleansing programs. We didn't do that this time because we wanted to eat as much delicious food on our vacation as possible. It also offered yoga, awesome Thai massages and facials.

our favorite tuk-tuk in Bangkok

the bird of paradise drink--thats a whole banana on the rim of the glass, balanced by the long straw

James at the tailor. Pants too tight.

Thai food in Thailand

Buddhist monks eating at Dairy Queen in the Bangkok airport

James and the tuk-tuk driver in Bangkok

Buddhist monks being served food early in the morning by our hotel. The man squatting on the ground in the orange vest was massaging the legs of the monks.

Cory is always looking out for those in need. Cory met up with us in Bangkok our last 3 days in Thailand. He went to a job fair and scored a teaching job just a short plane ride away from us in Seoul, Korea for next year.

Leaving Koh Samui to get back to Bangkok was our only misadventure throughout the entire trip. This is our bus from the ferry dock to the airport for 90 minutes. He drove with the door open the whole time. We were minutes away from missing our plane take off because the owners of the travel company scammed us and about 250 other travelers. We made 3 stops before getting to the airport. This was after the terrible ferry ride (see below).

gray day on the seas heading from Koh Samui back to the mainland

This was a frightening boat ride. This is the top of the ferry, overflowing with people sitting on every part of the deck. The inside was overloaded, too. I had visions of headlines: FERRY FULL OF BACKPACKERS CAPSIZES IN GULF OF THAILAND. The boat was pitching so far to the side a few times that the captain had to turn off the engines to prevent us from capsizing.

orchids are everywhere in Thailand

among copious amounts of other street meat, full ducks for sale

the fruit was the best part of being in Thailand--cheap and plentiful

The ever present king. Every cabbie and bus driver has a picture of the king in their cars. Some even wear his picture on a pendant around their neck.

colorful fishing boats in Nathon on Koh Samui

on the docks in Nathon. We rented a moped this day and did the whole loop around the island, stopping for pictures, a swim and food as we pleased. Despite the gray skies, it was still warm and pleasant for swimming.

fireworks exploded all along the beach on Koh Samui for New Years. We watched them from a hillside at our Spa Village Resort with our new Kazak friend, Olga. All that sleep and relaxation made us tired--we were asleep by 12:15.

our jungle bungalow

cool plant

view of our porch and hammock from the bungalow

the restaurant view of the Spa Beach Resort--we spent a lot of time here

The food was delicious and cheap and healthy. This was my favorite order: fruit salad, chai tea and fresh Vietnamese spring rolls (all for around $3!)

the beach and fishing boats at Spa Beach Resort

the neighborhood water buffalo

James and the moped at Chaweng Beach on Koh Samui. Just a fun picture of everything going on in Thailand from fast food restaurants to English services to laundry. Everything is for sale in Thailand, everything.

even Ronald bows and says "sawadee ka"

Big Buddha on Koh Samui. He was really big.

everything in Thailand seemed so colorful and vibrant

getting my fortune read at the Big Buddha temple

Watching the Thai Christmas Carolers...they tried so hard, but they were basically just turning Christmas into a party...something felt really cheap about it. Maybe I am a christmas puritan.

watching the tuk-tuks roll by in Bangkok. After dark, this sidewalks in this area are packed with food vendors, make-shift bars and people selling pretty much everything from CDs to clothes to souvenirs