Day 34- Thailand: banana pancake anyone?

Thailand. Love it. (Yes this is a familiar phrase but it is true)! Actually I think Thailand is an ideal destination, maybe the one I would recommend most. It has a rich culture, people are kind, weather is good, dollar goes far, great food, beautiful beaches, jungles, etc. There is so much more I would like to explore but mostly my focus this time has been on the beach. Unfortunately it is monsoon season so the weather is not fabulous but still ok. I was worried about travelling during monsoon season in Asia but from what I have seen it really just means that we get a good rain shower each day and it is kind of overcast much of the time.

Phi Phi Island sunset
Dinner along the beach in Ao Nang. We had fresh caught fish and squid. It was delicious!
This was part of our snorkeling trip. The driver of our boat didn't give us much instruction other than "Maya Beach. Camera only (and gestured to the dry bag)" and then urged us off the boat. We swam to the net over rocks and then had a treacherous climb up as we were pounded with waves. It turned out we had a short walk across the island and came onto a beautiful beach that was loaded with tourists. It was overcast and kind of cool. We had no food or towel or dry clothes and apparently a 3 hour wait. It was an adventure for sure!Ferry between the mainland and Phi Phi Island. (That is the Thai flag). It worked out so perfectly that Megan and I were here at the same time. (I met her one of my last days in India). I don't mind being alone, but I do get bored of myself rather quickly and it is much more fun to talk to a real person rather than just me all of the time. ;)
Viewpoint on Phi Phi Island. We were lucky the sun came out for our photos! We took a 2 hour ferry to this island and stayed the night. It was very beautiful but overrun by tourists. Thailand is a big party destination for college age kids. Some people that we were sharing a dorm room with came in when we were getting up!
We met a woman from Holland that was in Thailand during the Tsunami in 2004. She was on a different island but literally had to run uphill to escape the waves. Her and her friend made it safely to dry ground but the town was wiped out. The tsunami killed over 8,000 in Thailand and over 200,000 around the Indian Ocean. It gave me chills to hear her tell about her experiences. Apparently nearly every building on this little strip of land on Phi Phi was destroyed!
I have learned that Thailand is a land of indulgence for the tourists and I jumped on the bandwagon. Though it seems pricey after coming from India/Nepal prices are quite reasonable compared to home. It seems that every other shop has a Thai spa of sorts. First day here I had my legs waxed (very needed!) and today we had massages (1 hr - $10). It was awesome! As the lady was massaging my legs/feet I heard her say something to her friend in Thai. Considering I was laying there only in my underclothes I began to feel quite self conscious thinking about all the things they might be saying about me. However my confidence was greatly boosted when she said to me, "Sport body. You play sport?" :)
Megan and I snorkeling. The coral was not fantastic but there were some beautifully colored fish.
Our favorite mango shakes on Phi Phi Island (and yes we did visit it a few times)
Life is good!
Pancake /fruit shake cart. I must admit that I have visited one of these at least 2x (maybe 3) every day that I have been in Thailand. My pattern is wake up and eat, walk a little/swim/shop etc., eat again, repeat and repeat and repeat until it is time for bed.
Banana pancake. It is similar to a crepe and they cook it in oil with the banana inside. For an extra bonus I always get chocolate and sugar on top.
A fun lady we met on the way up to the viewpoint. She could only speak a handful of English words but we had fun talking with her.
Am I really supposed to want to come home!?!

Tomorrow morning I get on a bus and head to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is a 16 hour trip! I am really excited to see my friend, learn about about a new country, eat some good food, and especially to wash my clothes in a real machine! For now back to the pancake lady...