Thai Adventure

Here is the card that I sneak-peaked yesterday.  What do you think?!?  I got my new MFT feather die and was inspired to use this side of my Studio Calico Atlantic paper.  From there is just fell together and I decided to submit it into the Moxie Fab World Trendy Triangle Challenge.  When I couldn't find a triangle stamps I just made one by cutting a small foam block diagonally into two triangles (I had saved it for just such and occasion).  The ribbon was salvaged from some box of holiday treats or something from the previous year and went perfectly, so I used it.   I am also submitted this to the MFT Sketch Challenge #137. This is one of the easier times I've had designing a card.  I love it when it feels that way!

Today's Question of the Day is related to travel.  I hope I haven't asked this already...  What is one of the most memorable trips you've taken and what about it did you love?  It doesn't have to be vacation, it can be for whatever reason, work, family, etc.  If you care to read part of one of my long winded travel stories about a trip to Thailand, feel free to read on.  If not, thanks for stopping and I'd still love to hear your story so feel free to comment! :)



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My Thai Adventure 

How about I tell you about the time I went to Thailand for 10 weeks...by myself...  It was pretty awesome actually, I traveled all around the country and made awesome new friends.  I did several eco-adventures like a jungle trek and rafting, kayaking and snorkeling... all sorts of stuff.  What a wonderland that place is, an the food...mmmm!  I love eating true Thai food, all of it!  Especially the thai omlettes, essentially eggs cooked in a wok, served over rice with Pik-nam-pla  (fish sauce with chilis in it).  It might sound gross but it was delicious!  All the food was!  I have so many fond memories of that trip, I can't even begin to tell you all of them.  Maybe this will be part one of my Thai adventure story and I'll give you part two later.  For part one I promise to highlight something other than just the food! :)  I'll start with the end of the trip since it was a huge highlight for me.  Why not tell it backwards right?!?!

For the last half of the trip I spent a majority of the trip on a little island called Koh-Lanta Noi  (Noi meaning small as opposed to Koh-Lanta Yai meaning big island).  The island is about 5 miles across and I was at the very end of the island at Ban Loi Noi (see map) at a the Last Beach Resort, which were in truth, single room huts.  Literally, it was the last place to be found on the beach.  The remaining stretch of island was national park.

Let me tell you about how I got there...Transportation to the island consisted of taking a "minibus"...aka vanagon style mini van... from Krabi to a tiny little village and then across on a car ferry.  I can tell you that in the minivan, which typically seats maximum of 8 people, was filled with about 12 Thai people and myself.  I was in the back with two adults and two children for several hours bouncing around in 80+ degree weather 70% or more humidity.  Truly, these people didn't know what to think of me, such an oddity sitting in the back with my huge backpack sweating buckets!  The kids and I eventually traded gum for "candy"...aka flavored Mentholatum drops... aka vics...so it was all good.  :) Then onto a car ferry across the water, which I believe that held a maximum of 20 cars.  From the car ferry I got into the proper taxi...aka the back of a pick up truck... with 1/2 a dozen or more others as we bounced for over an hour to travel the distance of 5 miles.  The beginning of the road was paved but quickly turned to rutted dirt tracks.  The bumpy adventure was worth it, what a gorgeous site to behold.  A few huts with a jungle back drop, and the rest was sea and sky forever.


I spent about 5 weeks there in total.  Initially I hung with other tourists but they can and went and I became more like one of the locals.  I learned Thai massage, practicing it for a week in a little hut like this (see right...in fact this may be the exact one!).  I became fondly know as Yai (pronounced differently than Koh Lanta Yai) meaning grandmother, because at a mere 23 years of I looked much older to them.  The reverse stereotype was that they all looked much younger than they were.  It was all meant well and good spirited. :) In fact, that part of Thailand is partially Buddhist and partially Muslim, and consequently I had some Muslim suitors wanting me to be their second wife.  Yai indeed! :) Boy would they have been in for a surprise, I am one headstrong woman! :)

There is so much more to tell but I don't think you want to sit here for a week.  Meanwhile I hope you enjoyed this little (but long winded) tale of part of my adventure.  Let me know if you are interested in hearing more and I'll give you a part two!

PS- be forewarned that if you look up Last Beach Resort most of the pics found there are of some fancy place probably in a different part of the country or another country all together.  Though it may have changed since I have been there, it really was just modest and humble, which was all part of the charm!