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Thailand Island Hopping

December 2021 - January 2022
A 22-day adventure by Heather Read more
  • 23footprints
  • 2countries
  • 22days
  • 187photos
  • 8videos
  • 5.9kkilometers
  • 4.4kkilometers
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  • TravelerThailand Island Hopping
    Day 1

    Leaving Boston

    December 17, 2021 in South Korea ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    I was happy to have passed the Thai Pass inspection and my actual flight to Thailand was likely. I went to the Air France Lounge and the young woman who checked me in was surprised I was on the same flight as the ostensibly Korean students who appeared to be heading home for the holidays. It was about a 21 hour flight. I can say one thing. I was very well fed, for free. The Air France lounge, I have the Priority Pass, which I received from my AMEX Platinum. Nice benefit! Not sure it’s worth it to get the card just for this. It is great when there is a layover.
    When I checked in the clerk said I had a middle seat on the first flight, but a window on the Seoul to Bangkok leg. She said the clerk at Korean Air could put me on a list to get a different seat if someone doesn’t show up.
    I checked in with the clerk there, who said I did actually already have a window seat and the boarding pass was incorrect. Good thing I found out about this before boarding the flight!
    Shortly after takeoff, we had dinner, Bibimbap. Came with a separate bowl of rice and desert. We were offered red or white wine. I think you could have unlimited alcohol but it was never actually offered. After about six hours a snack was offered. I chose the pizza pocket and it was just that. I wished I’d chosen the banana.
    Later on we had another nice meal. I chose the beef stew (chicken stew the other choice) and it was a very nice meal as well. No offer of wine but had some soft drink.
    After we landed (five movies later) I went to the Matins lounge using Priority Pass, and they had a very nice spread. As full as I already was I couldn’t help but try a delicious stir fry from the buffet. They also had a nice beer on tap. I noticed later there were lockers near the wash room which would have been useful.
    Next flight was only six hours. Ginger beef was my choice, could have had the chicken stew. I imagine the chicken stew was like the beef stew except with chicken. Ginger beef was my least favorite, though I liked it and the side dishes were nice. We also were served ice cream cups, raspberry cheesecake. It was a nice thought.
    Finally!! Bangkok!
    We were given chairs to sit on whole another inspection of Thai Pass, some other papers out of my little stack. Then I went to a passport line.
    After getting my bags I found the Marriott person and in no time I was in a private van going through Bangkok.
    We stopped at a hospital and I had a drive through Covid test. The Doctor or Nurse was very pleasant. Then to my hotel room which was very nice. I took a bath in the large bath tub. Since I like baths! I figure very few people use it. Just a little awkward to get in and out of it.
    I woke up early the next morning. I made some of the Copper Cow pour over coffee I brought. I decided to call the lobby to find the results of my Covid test. I wasn’t worried. I’ve had so many Covid tests lately. It was negative. I can leave my room!    Read more

  • TravelerThailand Island Hopping
    Day 3

    First Day Bangkok

    December 19, 2021 in Thailand ⋅ 🌧 27 °C

    Found out my test was negative! Breakfast at the Marriott. Kind of chaotic there but lot of choices. The concierge who was lovely suggested I go to the weekend market by taxi. It was quite an experience!Read more

  • TravelerThailand Island Hopping
    Day 3

    Arrival in Phuket

    December 19, 2021 in Thailand ⋅ 🌧 27 °C

    Arrived after taking Thai Smile airlines. Was tired after a long day. Nice place! Air B&B. Walked up the hill, found a restaurant called “Rock?” There was a group sitting at a long table, and some young men playing pool. I was shown a seat near the pool table which was on an open air deck. There we’re only two items on the menu, the Pork and the beef? Chose the beef & was a lovely mussaman curry served with French fries. Wonderful! The waiter/owner even serenaded us later accompanied by a young man on the “drums” to songs including John Denver’s “Take Me Home Country Roads”Read more

  • TravelerThailand Island Hopping
    Day 6

    Phuket! Tigers, Elephants and Monkeys

    December 22, 2021 in Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    Visited Elephants (took an Elephant Ride) visited Monkey performance and tossed a ball back & forth with a monkey. Visited another Tiger park, they had a one month old tiger available!

  • TravelerThailand Island Hopping
    Day 7

    On to Ko Phi Phi!

    December 23, 2021 in Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    Left Phuket! Took 2 hour fairy to Ko Phi Phi.
    I immediately liked Phi Phi. The woman who sold me a ticket on the Speedboat to Ko Lipe helped me bring my bags to my hotel JJ Residence which is very close to the port. It was difficult finding a good place to stay on Ko Phi Phi! JJ Residence is closer to town than the beach. I did really like it and the proprietor. I was taking some selfies the first day and three cats came into my balcony and kept me company!Read more

  • TravelerThailand Island Hopping
    Day 10

    Cats of Thailand

    December 26, 2021 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    My first night in Phuket there was a little grey cat waiting for me. I let it spend the night with me and it fell asleep on a pile of my clothing. The next day it let out a tremendous yowl and I let it out. I could not figure out what the cat wanted and I eventually came to realize the cats are well fed. There are feeding programs for the cats. What they lack is affection. Someone to notice them.
    My next adventure with cats was Ko Phi Phi. I notice some of the cats had short tails and I guessed the tails were injured at some point. Then I realized they all have short tails! So it must be genetic! Same with cats on Ko Lipe. Ko Lipe seems to have mainly cats owned by someone. Although they are outdoor, Thai life on the islands is primarily outdoors.    Read more

  • TravelerThailand Island Hopping
    Day 10

    On to Ko Lipe!

    December 26, 2021 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Leaving for Ko Lipe! Before going to the ferry dock took a few final photos of Ko Phi Phi!
    One of the drawbacks of “Island Hopping” is that I feel like I loose a day on every transition! Packing in the morning (I wake up early so it makes no sense to pack the night before) then go to the ATM to make sure I have ample funds just in case. Lugging my bags around to some degree. Traveling, even if it’s a short trip is tiring.
    Going from Ko Phi Phi to Ko Lipe took about four hours. I waited at the dock in the hot Sun. A couple and there bags had all the shade underneath the awning of the 711. I was one of the last in because I had to carry my bags along this green surface that bags don’t roll well over.
    It is tricky getting into the speedboat! It is slippery though there is help. Two of my bags are waterproof I kept thinking!
    This man I was next to I had the feeling didn’t’t like me. He’s not the first I’ve met from a country where people are rude. Not sure which country it is! So Americans are not so bad! Americans are a little more friendly, a little more open and polite. Shocking, I know!
    People were starting to get off. “Should you be getting off?” He said. I was confused since we were all getting off there. I got up but it didn’t make a difference since it was awhile before I was going to get out since I was in the back.
    At least they just threw the bags into the next boat so I didn’t have to carry them! What a relief!
    Next time I’m getting a larger wheeled bag!!!
    On the next leg there was a woman next to me trying her best to sit as far away from me as possible. Am I paranoid? Another impossibly thin white housewife with kids.
    Finally out of what seemed an impossibly long trip, just went on and on. I was told by my host I could pick up a motorcycle taxi. As I carried my bags to shore (which looked lovely by the way) I saw people being picked up by motorcycle taxi. I saw one then another man stepped in front of me! I am not imagining things! I know he saw me. The cab driver said he’d take both of us. So there! He was even rude when he got out, at a not fantastic hotel attached to a coffee shop (I guessed) not so great as the Lipe Beach Resort! Ha!
    He said “you’ll need to move for me to get out” not “pardon me” or “excuse me” just wondering which is the rude country? Australia?
    Not that it ruined my day. What I find is there are many tourists from other countries. So most people do not speak English.
    When I arrived at Ko Lipe check in was smooth. Love my room! Surprised to find no microwave. Not a big deal just that I had purchased food at a 7/11 that I had thought I could eat while I was there since I hadn’t got around to eating it. So I brought it with me to Ko Samui.
    Had dinner at the resort and a reviewer had said “bad food” but my Larb was very tasty & hit the spot. Right on the beach!
    Travel seems to take most of the day unless it’s a really short trip. And it is tiring!    Read more

  • TravelerThailand Island Hopping
    Day 11

    Ko Lipe

    December 27, 2021 in Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    Arrived at Lipe Beach Resort. Had a nice Pork Larb at a table on the beach. What a journey! Took on Speedboat to Ko Lanta then a second one to Ko Lipe that seemed endless. It is like being a sardine. The one drawback to Island Hopping is spending a day in transit.Read more

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