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May - June 2017
A 27-day adventure by Zoe Read more
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  • Zoe BennforsThailand
    Day 1

    Love Strawberry Pai

    May 19, 2017 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    After the previous day's travels and spending almost 12 hours in a bus and mini van, we were delighted after waking up after a 10 hour sleep in the comfiest beds I've had since I've been travelling. I think many would underestimate how tiring sitting on a bus is for the duration of a day.

    For breakfast I had a smoothie from our now favourite man who makes the best pinapple, mango and passion fruit smoothie. In the heat of the day it couldn't be more needed.

    Having heard about the strawberry farm being a nice place to chill and visit we headed to Love Strawberry Pai, a place that's everything strawberry. They have everything from jam and smoothies to T-shirts, earrings and hats.

    We wondered round the garden / farm, all with the views over the Pai scenery as a backdrop. After spending just under 2 hours there we had had our fill of strawberries and went back to our hostel for some chill time before collecting our washing and going to explore the night market.

    There was SO much choice of food and clothes and jewellery, therefore being a place of my dreams. It was definitely one of the best night markets I've been to, and even better it's on every night. For dinner I had a yummy sweet potato covered in onions, sour cream, melted cheese and other heavenly food. To treat myself I ended the night with the most delicious Nutella and banana waffle. One Of the best night markers experienced.

    Full to the brim and not wanting to spend any more money we decided to call it a night and headed back to the hostel for a reasonable night as needed to be up in good time for our tour the next day.    Read more

  • Zoe BennforsThailand
    Day 2

    Exploring Pai

    May 20, 2017 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    Today was a heavy sight seeing day visiting all the main spots around Pai. The first place we visited was the Viewpoint which allowed us to see all of Pai and beyond, being able to see for miles. Since it was slightly cloudy however, we couldn't see quite as far as there was potential to see but oh well.

    Our next stop was Lod Cave. We spent an hour being guided around the cave by a local Thai lady only by lantern light which made the experience eery and mysterious. Travelling around the cave there were a lot of stairs and by the time I finished I knew the next morning my legs would feel it. To finish in the cave we got a bamboo raft all through the cave. I even got pooed on by a bat, what a treat. Can't say I was too impressed but hoping bat poo brings me luck like bird poo does when it lands on you. Finishing at the cave we sat down for lunch which was fried rice and fresh fruit, which was very much needed after the energy exhausted from walking through the cave.

    Next up was the hot spring and what a shock it was a spring with hot water. Being so hot outside I think I would have preferred it to be a few degrees cooler but it was still very enjoyable and nice to be in water after sweating out most of the fluid inside of me. After drying off we made our way to the waterfall, which was enjoyable but nothing on the one we had seen in Luang Prabang, that one will be almost impossible to beat. Nevertheless it had a lovely view at the top and was nice to see.

    Finally, the last stop was the Pai Canyon. The views were absolutely stunning, as long as you didn't look at the sheer drop down. Not being quite as grand as the Grand Canyon, it was still very impressive and was a beautiful backdrop for when the sun set.

    To finish the day, we indulged in a yummy meal at night market which I believe was thoroughly deserved after our full on day. Getting myself accustomed to the local cuisine I decided to try coconut pancakes which were an acquired taste but all the same I thoroughly enjoyed them. After spending another hour strolling the night market we decided to call it a day and get some sleep after a very good day.    Read more

  • Zoe BennforsThailand
    Day 3

    Conserve Natural Forests

    May 21, 2017 in Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 34 °C

    In the morning we had a slow start and enjoyed a lovely breakfast of eggs and avocado on toast before heading off to the elephant sanctuary we had booked for the day.

    The organisation that runs this sanctuary is called Conserve Natural Forests, its environmental conservational site is just north of Pai and is the location of their tree nursery, organic farm, additional to being the home of critically endangered tortoises, birds, and Asian elephants. Conserve Natural Forests is dedicated to reproducing endemic plant and animal species in Thailand, and aim to restore the damages caused by centuries of deforestation and harm by humans.

    When we first arrived we met the team and got told a bit of background about the organisation and what they do. I could tell the team were extremely passionate about the beliefs of the organisation which made it an even more special occasion.

    First up, we searched out the elephants to go over to feed them and just be in the company of these amazing creatures. Shortly after they had demolished all the food, it was time for a bath. This has got to be one of my most memorable experiences. Elephants are such majestic creatures and the way the organisation cares for them is only by voice, no harmful whips or apparatus and how they respond is amazing. The rest of the afternoon was just spent in the company of these elephants, continually feeding them and splashing water over them. The elephants are mother and daughter and were both rescued from horrible treatment in captivity. They are both pregnant, the daughter 27 months pregnant and was HUGE which isn't a surprise really.

    The day was such a treat and really special. It made it all the better that the small group we were with were great people and had great humour just to top off the day. The main reason I loved this organisation was because it wasn't commercialised at all and it felt so natural and untouristy. The people there being there because their love for the environment and the animals there.

    At the end of the day, to put something back into the environment, everyone plants a tree and I thought that was such a lovely touch to finish such a spectacular day with fascinating creatures and great people.

    When it was time to go I almost felt saddened leaving the elephants as despite only spending an afternoon with them you do grow attached.

    Getting back to the hostel after another visit to the nightmarket and a yummy meal it was time to get ready and celebrate Corrie's birthday turning 23. We dressed up in matching outfits we had all bought together and went straight out to explore the nightlife that Pai had to offer. Safe to say it did not disappoint.    Read more

  • Zoe BennforsThailand
    Day 4

    Chiang Mai

    May 22, 2017 in Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 33 °C

    Having arrived exhausted from Pai after our long bus ride and late night of birthday celebrations we took it easy and decided to head out for food asap in order to get a decent nights sleep.

    Being a Sunday however, it was the weekly massive market. Now I've seen markets before but this one was overwhelmingly big I didn't know where to look, I felt as though it never ended. Grabbing food and enjoying my first Thai green curry we browsed the market for a while longer but due to being so tired it was hard to appreciate what was there. We decided it would probably be best to head back and rest up for the next day.

    Waking up in reasonable time we headed to the hostels pool to catch some rays and have some relaxation time after our busy few days. Next up, having to pay a deposit for our cooking course on Wednesday we headed to their office and chose our menu for the day which is very exciting (hopefully I don't poison myself). Watch out Mum and Dad there will be a new chef in the house.

    Taking a detour back to the hostel we stopped off at a spa / message place recommended to me by Simona. Its not just a regular one it was one that's run by ex convicts and is to help support the lives of newly released inmates in society. The business is an effort in to bridging the gap between a non accepting public, and the problems released inmates encounter adapting to a new community. Prior to their release, the inmates go through an extensive training program which allows them to make a living and contribute to society. I believe this is a very good cause and felt happy my money was contributing to this business, and the massage was great too!

    After feeling extremely relaxed and oiled up we ate at a yummy place called the Salad Concept which did the best make your own wraps and smoothies.

    Back to the hostel we got ready and joined others in the bar for a drink, heading out later to a bar called Zoe in Yellow and wow did it exceed expectations. Definitely was great name for a great place, just a shame I wasn't wearing yellow.    Read more

  • Zoe BennforsThailand
    Day 5

    Grand Canyon Waterpark

    May 23, 2017 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 33 °C

    Got up and had a yummy breakfast to fuel myself for the day ahead. At midday we headed out to the water park for the day. It's called the Grand Canyon and wow is it grand.

    The water park assault course is situated in the base of a canyon and is no short of anyone's water dream. Expecting it to be heaving when we got there we arrived and the whole park was practically empty. Excited we payed our £6 for the day and got started.

    We spent the whole afternoon here and with so much to do I still left feeling like I hadn't completed it all. The assault course was hilarious and I felt as though I was on total wipeout slip and sliding everywhere. There was everything from rock climbing inflatable objects, slides into the water, jumping off trampolines into the water and even cliff jumping. Being surrounded by the canyon made the whole experience even better and it's definitely the coolest water park I've ever been to. I certainly know who would of loved it, my two brothers would have been in absolute heaven.

    As the sun started to set we decided to call it a day and head back to the hostel. After an exhausting day we collapsed on our beds for an early night.    Read more

  • Zoe BennforsThailand
    Day 6

    Thai Farm Cooking

    May 24, 2017 in Thailand ⋅ 🌧 24 °C

    Today was a full on day of cooking and learning. It was an early rise at 7.30am and needless to say it was a struggle getting up as I haven't seen that time on my clock in a while.

    Picked up at 8.30am by our cooking instructor for the day, her name Garnet, we set on our way collecting others from the group along the way. Our first stop was at a local food market which Garnet toured us around explaining about various foods such as rice (the difference between sticky rice and normal rice) as well as the variety of coconut products such as the cream, milk and shavings and their different purposes. Garnet was so enthusiastic this whole time, so excited by the food and from then on I knew it would be a good day. Before leaving the market we were allowed 10 minutes to wonder around for ourselves and pick up any food or drink we wanted then headed on our way to the Thai Farm Cooking School.

    The cooking school was a good half hour drive from the main centre of Chiang Mai but was in a beautiful rural location, their farm surrounding the buildings.

    First up was preparing our curry paste from scratch. I had chosen yellow curry and using a pestle and mortar crushed all the ingredients to make an amazing smelling paste which would later go in my curry. Our first dish was coconut soup, being slightly apprehensive about how good mine would taste I was pleasantly surprised and it was absolutely delicious.

    Next up was the spring rolls, and I have to admit I thought I did a pretty great job of them. As well as looking good they tasted amazing. It was accompanied as well by home made chilli sauce which too was incredible.

    Already feeling stuffed, we still had two other dishes to make, the curry and stir fry. For the stir fry I used to learn the wok and felt pretty proud of myself when I managed not to spill everything everywhere or burn any of my ingredients. Both the curry and stir fry took no time at all and soon it was time to eat them. Being so tasty, it was still a struggle to eat them both having already been so full. Nevertheless I powered on through and managed to eat most of what I made.

    Then, last up was the mango sticky rice and my oh my was it delicious. Having never tried this dish it was so yummy. We even got to turn our rice blue, which I thought was pretty funky.

    With bellies bursting at the seams, it was time to head back to the hostel after a great day. With happy food baby's we settled in for an early night.    Read more

  • Zoe BennforsThailand
    Day 8

    Chiang Mai to Bangkok

    May 26, 2017 in Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    For the last two days in Chiang Mai we took it very easy and enjoyed some needed RnR.

    After enjoying a yummy breakfast we headed to a shopping centre we had been recommended and decided to treat ourselves. However, compared to the markets the shopping was far more expensive to what I was used to experiencing so therefore there weren't as many purchases as usual. On the way back to the hostel we stopped off at a lovely cafe called the Free Bird which was actually vegan and vegetarian friendly (been inspired by Simona). I had the best banana smoothie there as well as some yummy potato fry up.

    For the evening and our last night in Chiang Mai we decided to make a return to Zoe in Yellow having been so good the first time, ending the night with a quesadilla from a Mexican stool outside of the bar.
    For our last full day in Chiang Mai we enjoyed a nice sleep in and then headed out for breakfast and on to getting our nails done. After only deciding I wanted a pedicure, when the price of a manicure was only another £4 I couldn't resist, totalling my spend of £8 (bargain? I think so).

    With not much time to spare and feeling very relaxed it was back to the hostel to collect our things and endure our first experience on the night train! My seat was opposite the sweetest Thai lady who couldn't stop smiling and even shared her bag of crisps with me. Despite being a small king gesture I felt very touched by it. The beds on the train were surprisingly comfy, however the noise of the train meant my sleep wasn't as good as usual, but oh well it's all part of the experience.

    Arriving at 6am to the hustle and bustle in Bangkok we headed to our hostel for some much needed rest.    Read more

  • Zoe BennforsThailand
    Day 11

    Bangkok

    May 29, 2017 in Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C

    Arriving at 6am, the day ahead was a relatively relaxed one and seeing as it was pouring with rain it we decided it as a perfect time to have a movie day. The hostel having a 'chill' room with beanbags and cushions was our saviour, as well as having a selection of movies to watch. It was definitely a remedy for our tired selves.

    Having stayed inside the whole day we decided to hit up the famous and well known Koh San Road. On first impressions it was a lot to take in. The whole street was packed with people in the street and bars, the whole road full of bright lights, loud music and promotion from bars left right and centre, all in competition to get you the cheapest deal. Eventually we found a bar and enjoy our buckets (only £2!) and bar hopped ending the night when all the bars shut at 12am.

    The next day we got up and found a cafe for breakfast, which was a much needed fry up of bacon, eggs and sausages. Being in Bangkok on weekend means one thing, the weekend market which is meant to be the biggest market that goes on in Thailand. With our purses loaded with cash we headed to the market.

    And woweee was the market big. There were so many stalls outside and inside, the area like a complete maze and extremely easy to get lost. However, I had success and bought some knock off Adidas trainers which cost me £8, usually being £70 in the UK. The only issue I now have is fitting in my backpack that's currently bursting at the seams. After a couple of hours the heat got too much and we thought it was time to make our way back. However, we did make one last stop at one of Bangkok's biggest shopping centres and treated ourselves to a big pizza which was delightful and rightfully deserved after being on our feet all day.

    Full up and having literally shopped until we dropped we went back to the hostel and had a nap before getting ready to head back out to Koh San Road for night 2 in Bangkok.

    Exhausted from the previous day and night, the last day in Bangkok was another chill day before leaving to the islands that evening and on to our next part of Thailand.    Read more

  • Zoe BennforsThailand
    Day 13

    Koh Tao Diving

    May 31, 2017 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Arriving to Koh tao after a sleepless night bus and ferry I immediately signed myself up to do the PADI Open Water Diving course which I had been recommended by so many people. Koh Tao is the cheapest place in the world to go this, the island itself having over 100 diving schools. I went with Ban's diving school, the biggest one in the world for diving. The first day consisted of theory and in the afternoon training to use all our equipment in the pool. Despite being quite tricky to get the hang of and taking on a lot of information at one time, it made me extremely excited for the next day when we would do it or at sea. The next morning was our first two dives. I was extremely nervous for the first dive, having only had 4 hours in a pool the day before and now doing it for real. These two dives we only went to depths of around 8 metres and was a way of easing us into things. The coral at the second site, called the Japanese Gardens were stunning and the tome really flies when you're under the water, being so absorbed in what you see. It really is a completely different world, beautiful nevertheless. The third day consisted of two more dives, the last ones before we got our certification. Both of these were amazing, seeing an array of colourful fish as well as coral.
    By midday we all had our certifications and I can certainly see why people get stuck on Koh Tao diving and never want to leave, it truly is an incredible experience.

    After the exhaustion of the 3 days of diving, the afternoon was spent by the diving resort infinity pool and soaking up the last sun of the day. The pool overlooked the jungle like landscape of Koh Tao and was a lovely backdrop. In the evening, the whole diving group, including our instructor enjoyed a dinner together and then went out for a fun evening of drinking, having not been able to do so during the diving process.

    Having loved it so much 2 days later me and two Irish girls from my diving group did a night dive. Our instructor claims it was his first night dive that convinced him he wanted to be an instructor, therefore I thought it was something I had to do. We all headed out at sunset and it was a surreal experience. Being quite daunting not being able to see further than your torch, I still got to witness a sting ray, sleeping turtle and squids. For a period of time we all turned off our torches and then were able to see all the luminous plankton around us, it looked as though we were swimming in glitter, truly magical.

    I feel very lucky I was able to do such an amazing experience and I loved my group, spending a lot of my time outside of diving with them as well, all being very good company. Needless to say it was sad to say goodbye to them as well as my instructor Atip who couldn't have been a better teacher.    Read more

  • Zoe BennforsThailand
    Day 19

    Koh Tao

    June 6, 2017 in Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    Having had my few days being on my own again, Luisa and Corrie came over to join me in Koh Tao after our break of each other whilst they went to go visit Koh Phi Phi.

    The first two day's were absolutely beautiful, the sky was blue and the beaches looked stunning. After my intense couple of days it was finally nice to enjoy some time relaxing on the beach and topping up the tan.

    However, unfortunately the next few days weren't so great with rain and overcast weather which sadly ruined our plans to go to a famous viewpoint over Koh Tao. We also wanted to visit another beach on the island called Shark Bay to go snorkelling, as apparently the sea life there is amazing. But, despite this we still had a fun time and enjoyed the night life the island had to offer, finishing the evening with a mandatory ham and cheese toastie.

    Through our lack of activities, we resorted to food as per. We discovered THE best burger restaurant called Hungry Hippo and after that meal I was certainly put in to a food coma. It was one of the biggest burgers I have ever eaten, unable to finish it was something for me, seeing as I am usually someone who can demolish anything put in front of her.
    On our last day, Luisa even took the plunge and got herself the tattoo she had wanted which turned out great and looked very good on her. Me and Corrie however only spectated, having heard the sound of the needle I was certain I would never be able to get a tattoo myself.

    So despite not having the best weather, we still occupied ourselves with food, tattoos and shopping. I even treated myself to a new bikini. 8 days later I was finally leaving Koh Tao, an island I had become very fond of and was very sad to leave. However I was extremely excited for Koh Phanghan where the full moon party was awaiting us.    Read more

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