Day 1 of our REI Adventure -

We started our adventure! We got up at 3 to fly back to Bangkok, then drove for about 4 hours to Kanchanburi. We spent the day learning about Thailand during WW2 and the role of the Allied prisoners of war, including building a railway system between Thailand and Burma. We visited a museum dedicated to the POWs and then walked across a bridge they built, where many lives were lost. We are now staying in an old POW camp by the side of the River Kwai, staying in canvas tents.

We are in the jungle. Throughout the night we heard the wild dogs and, starting precisely at 3am, the roosters. I just overheard one lady say she found a snake in her bathroom this morning. The rain is falling loudly on our canvas tent as I write this.

Christmas Day on Phi Phi island

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We chartered a boat and went to Phi Phi island where Leonardo DiCarprio's The Beach was filmed. It was absolutely gorgeous. We snorkeled all around Maya Bay. Waters were jade blue and no deeper than six feet with rich coral below. We then went to Monkey Beach and had fun watching the monkeys come out of the jungle looking for a handout. The best snorkeling, however, was an unplanned stop that our captain recommended – a private island called Racha. As we approached the dolphins greeted us. We jumped into 25’ of water that was so clear we could see the bottom. We had some dried mangoes that we shared with the fish and suddenly had lots of slippery friends. Mason had his GoPro and took some video.

Christmas Eve (according to the calendar)

On Christmas Eve...what else would you do than surf and play on the beach? We found a local surf club....

We ate dinner at a beach-side cafe. then bought a Thai lighted basket, a Loi Krathong, from a lady selling them on the beach.

Later that evening for 100 baht, about $3, Kenzie and Mason each put their feet in a tank of barracudas. The lady held Mason's legs down as he wasn't quite sure about the whole thing. For the rest of this standing in the street watching, it was by far the best $6 spent on the entire trip.

Phuket

We made it to Phuket! Temp is just starting to climb. No time for naps.

We are staying at a place called Mom Tris. It was originally owned by a member of the royal family but has been converted to a resort. They greeted us with gardenia leis and fresh cranberry juice. 

Our "room" with a private pool:

We swam and snorkeled in the water right off the shore of the resort. 

We quickly found the massages on the beach! Mason and I were side by side. Mason giggled when the elderly Thai woman pulled his pants down a bit to show his lower back. She laughed a huge smile at making him giggle. So she tickled him later in the armpits. He giggled some more. The lady next to him waited til he rolled over, his eyes were closed, and tweaked his nipple. Then the elderly lady gave him a washcloth to “protect him from her." I am not sure all kids would have enjoyed it as much as Mason did.

kenzie found a new friend

Soon our dear friends Rick and Thomas arrived and we had dinner at the resort. The kids didn't make it - they were all fast asleep by 6:00. We brought them some sacrificial pad thai in the hopes of being able to sleep in. It worked - they were at the restaurant by the time it opened. Kenzie texted to say the buffet offered was the best thing that had ever happened to her.

After four quick days it was time to get up at 3AM to head to the airport and head to Bangkok to start our adventure.