Waking up to chanting monks. Sending a floating lantern into the night sky off a Ko Lanta beach. Falling off of an elephant. Getting stung by a jellyfish. Cuddling a street monkey. Making new friends from all over the world. Snorkeling and nearly drowning in rough waves. Swimming blind through a pitch black cave. Being handed a Thai baby (and left holding her for an hour). Floating in turquoise waters. Becoming “regulars” at a coffee shop in Chiang Mai. Near death experiences on tuk tuks, longtail boats, in cabs and one terrifying hour in a van. Lots of plane rides, ferry rides, and cramped songthaew rides. Being applauded for learning some of the language. Giving my bracelet to a 5 year old who wanted our DSLR. Riding our motor bike through rolling hills. Eating life-changing street food and falling in love with meat on a stick and rice in a bag. A day spent with expats. Finding treasures in night markets. Watching fire dancers and fireworks on the beach with sand between our toes. Getting lost at night and finding hidden gems. The adventure of getting Josh his Sak Yant (tattoo). Experiencing the Chinese New Year festival and Flower Festival. Going to many beautiful islands (fav.: Phra Nang). Watching the SuperBowl at 3 a.m. in a random bar in Chiang Mai (Go Hawks!). Getting dizzy on the rooftop bar Vertigo in Bankok. Fresh seafood bbq on the beach. Seeing Muay Thai and teaching the announcer new words in English. The food. Did we mention the food? Railay (a favorite spot) and a pretty day at Phi Phi. Pad Thai for $1 served from a huge wok outside of a temple. Speaking with friendly Thai people eager to practice their English and share their culture. Massages for $5. Pictures taken with sweet, complimentary strangers astounded by Ali’s transparent skin. Coconuts…a bamboo mat, and the shallow beaches in a wide range of blue. Visiting ornate golden temples. Random 80′s cover bands. Rasta bars. Feeling entirely out of our element and entirely happy. Conversations with fellow travelers, sandwiched together in sweaty songthaews. No shoes allowed…anywhere, really. The (alarming/nice) “no problem” laid-back Thai attitude. Etc.etc.etc.
We had a lot of amazing experiences in 2014 and many moments of pride in the growth our business, but our month in Thailand was truly the best part of our year. Bankok, Chiang Mai, Krabi, Railay, Phra Nang Beach, Ko Lanta, Lanta Old Town, Phi Phi, Trang Province, Ko Muk…Thanks for reliving it with us! Here’s to more adventures in 2015! //Josh+Ali
All for the super-low rate of $500. And yes, there are some pretty awesome discounts and hook-ups if you bring your friends, so why not make it a girls day?
