It has
definitely been nice to be in one place for 8 days especially considering our
health. Thankfully, Hannah got over cholera in a couple of days, and we were
able to begin taking boat tours around to the different islands. Unfortunately
for me, once Hannah got better, I seemed to get something else. The only
symptoms I can describe are a persisting feeling of slight nausea especially in
the morning. Since I know I’m not pregnant, I’m going to say it’s not morning
sickness and more likely something different in the food that I’ve been eating.
Sometimes your mind says yes but your body just says no.
We did 3
main tours while in Krabi. First, was the elephant trekking through the
“jungle” (which ended up being a few trees on the outskirts of the actual jungle).
We picked the worst time to go. It was the only 2 hours of the day that it was
raining, but on the bright side, you don’t really have to worry about
mosquitoes when in a downpour. It was pretty cool sitting on an elephant and
feeling its hairier-than-expected skin, but overall, I was not that impressed.
Our next
tour was of the Phi Phi Islands. The natural beauty on these islands was really
quite astounding. Everywhere you looked, there were giant cliffs jutting out of
the ocean, and where there were no cliffs, there were beautiful beaches with
jungle surrounding the rest of the islands. This was the day that my symptoms
really hit me hard. If I had one piece of advice to give, it would be to not
take a speed boat ride while feeling nauseous. They don’t mix well. Thankfully
though, I was able to keep all of my proverbial cookies inside of me for the
duration of the trip, and once I jumped in the water, I felt much better. It
had been a long while since I tasted salt water, and I’m not eager to go jumping
in the ocean again. I’m surprised that Hannah and I were both able to snorkel.
In the past, snorkeling and I got along about as well as tourists and the local
food. It’s fine when you’re in the light stuff, but once you get into deep
waters you scramble for the nearest exit. Maybe it’s because the water felt so
good after the boat ride, but I actually enjoyed snorkeling. I was able to
suppress the feeling that a shark was lurking just out of the range of my
vision, and thankfully I didn’t end up seeing anything too scary. The coral
wasn’t very colorful, but there were lots of fish swimming around. I tried my
best to get pictures with my underwater phone pouch, but they didn’t turn out
so great.
Our
third and final trip was by far the best. We went kayaking through a mangrove
forest and into/through some caves. All along the river, there were solitary
mountains with sheer 180 degree cliffs going straight down into the water. I
believe the water was brackish (half salt half fresh) because it was affected by
the tide, but was still far enough away from the ocean to have all sort of
trees and vegetation growing. Our guide was fantastic. As Hannah and I were
getting into the kayak, she warned us, “Don’t go too far from me. You don’t
wanna get swallowed by an alligator. Hahaha!” At which point, I had no idea if
she was joking or serious. Either way, I made a mental note to stick close. At
one point in the journey, she pointed out an alligator and told everyone to
stay away. However, we found out later from another German couple that she was
actually joking and had only pointed out a caterpillar. It worked on me though
as I was staying as far away as I could. I still have no idea if alligators are
in that area, but it wouldn’t surprise me too much as the conditions seem
perfect for them. The only thing they lack are a major food source, but I’m
sure that tourist with a side of kayak goes down easy. The best part of the
trip was when we went through a cave into a lagoon. All sides of the lagoon
were surrounded by cliffs covered in trees. The palm trees (or some other tree
with frondish leaves) were so huge! It felt like we were in a Jurassic Park
movie or something. And the cave to get into the area was very narrow. There
was more than one time that Hannah and I had to lay flat in the boat in order
to avoid the ceiling and stalactites hanging from it. Later on in the day, we
got off the kayaks and went to an elephant sanctuary where they also had some
tropical birds and buffalo. From there we set out for some rock pools where I
took a dip in the fresh (hopefully clean) water.
On the
other days we had here, we mostly just wandered around the area looking at the
beaches and different shops/restaurants. On our last day, we found a trail next
to a cliff, and we decided to follow it. It ended up skirting the edge of the
cliff to reveal a beautiful beach on the other side. This beach was exactly
like what you would imagine if someone said the words “tropical beach” or
“paradise.” Other than a resort, there were nothing but palm trees, sand, and
cliffs.
The food
was amazing in Krabi! (Although, I have no idea if that’s what’s causing my
current symptoms.) It probably wasn’t worth it, but my mood is dictated by the
present. If I were eating now, I might have a different opinion. Overall, it
was an amazing place with lots to see and do. I would definitely recommend it
to anyone who enjoys hot weather and beautiful scenery. Just make sure that you
boil your own water, don’t eat street food, and don’t trust that smoothies are
made with clean ice.
I’m
writing this as we’re waiting for our plane. One thing unique about the Krabi
airport is the birds. I can’t say that I’ve ever seen birds flying around in an
airport, but it is more entertaining than watching paint peel. Our next stop is
Singapore where we will be for 2 days. After that, we’ll go to Beijing for
another 2 days and then off to Rome!
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