Thailand

I finally got through all 8,498 pictures I took while I was in Thailand with my bro and sis.  I've tried really hard to sift through them and only post the best of the best.  We'll see how this turns out!  So way back when my sister Jaime, announced she was going to Thailand for Thanksgiving, I was super jealous and pumped for her.  I had ALWAYS wanted to go there too.  Then my brother Dave jumped on board and declared he was going with.  Well damn...now I'm super jealous.  I'm a stay-at-home mom so we have no daycare or nanny- that is me.  24/7.  But long story short...my parents called me up and said my mom, Nana Sue, would fly out from Minnesota to watch the kids and hang out with Aaron so I could go on this trip of a lifetime with my sibs.  Aaron was also super supportive and said I should go.  So...I WENT.

Bangkok

This was the first city on our tour.  We stayed at the Sheraton Bangkok Sukhumvit.  It was awesome.  Which is basically what I'll be saying about every single hotel we stayed at, so get used to that.  Jaime had a work friend,Sandee, who was ending her round-the-world tour in Thailand at the same time we were going to be there, so we joined forces and she was like the 4th sibling we'd never had!  

We only had one full day in Bangkok, so we hit the ground running.  Got in the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, the markets, tuk tuk rides and hit up Khao San Road (and everything that comes with going there)!

at the Grand Palace

Sandee, Jaime, myself and Dave

our Tuk Tuk ride to Wat Pho

the leaning buddah at Wat Pho

Wat Pho

Walking around the markets shopping, eating and of course- drinking Chang

Dave hitting up some street meat...which cost about 50cents

 Chiang Mai

We jumped on a Nok Air flight and headed north!  We all decided that when/if we come back to Thailand, we want to come back to Chiang Mai and spend a week.  There were so many cute and cool little streets, neighborhoods, restaurants and coffee shops.  The day we landed we had booked a half day cooking class with Asia Scenic Cooking School.  Dave was basically forced to do this with us, but he ended up having a blast!  And the food we made...oh good lord...the food...was so insanely good.  I would give anything to go back and eat it all over again.  We were given a menu and got to choose one thing to make from each category.  We ate and drank consistently for hours.  And all this cost us was 800bht, which ends up being $24.  They also picked us up at our hotel, the Le Meridien Chiang Mai, and dropped us back off.  100% worth it.  

the menu to choose from

 We walked to a local market to see the ingredients and produce we were about to cook with. 

Our group.  We all bonded, like you do with fellow travelers, and had a blast.

 We wanted to see elephants...and almost booked an "excursion" with a company, but then was told about a great little place, off the beaten path and known more to the locals than the tourists.  We got in touch with a taxi driver who we hired to be our driver for the entire day.  I think we each paid 400bht?  Which is just insane, considering it took us an hour to get to the elephant sanctuary and he offered to take us a few other places to boot.  We arrived at Bobby's Elephant Home and changed into some local clothes to get ready to meet the elephants.  First we had a quick lesson on how to say some basic commands in Thai.

They wrote our names on our arms in Thai

 After a quick lesson on a baby elephant, we were introduced to our elephants for the afternoon.  They were the sweetest, most gentle and graceful animals ever.  This was definitely the highlight of the trip for me.

Jaime, myself and Dave

 At Bobby's Elephant Home, they rescue elephants that have been in situations where they were used for hard labor.  They come here to retire, roam free and eat a ton of bananas.  The guides told us they do not push the elephants along...if they want to stop and eat, we stop...if they want to go in the river, we go!  They also do not use baskets to sit in, which is hard on an elephants back and spin.  So you have to ride bareback.  Can't recommend this place enough.

 Towards the end we jumped into the river and bathed the elephants.  Do I even need to say how incredible it was, or can you just assume since I've said it a million times already?

Me and my guide...who asked me to marry him

 After this incredible day we lounged by the pool, had a thai massage (which, for the price, you should get at least one every single day) and a great dinner at a place called Dash!.  If you find yourself in Chiang Mai, eat there. 

LeMeridien pool

Next we jumped on an Air Asia flight from Chiang Mai to Phuket.  This is also when we said our good byes to our 4th sibling Sandee, who ventured on to another island.  We only stayed in Phuket one night as it was just a layover before we took the boat over to Phi Phi.  We stayed at the Westin Siray Bay Resort & Spa and if we had an unlimited amount of money, we would've stayed here longer.  The resort was INSANE...to say the least.  

 Ko Phi Phi Don

And now it was that point on our trip where we would lounge on beaches and drink 40oz Changs and Singhas like it was our job.  We opted to take the speed boat from Phuket to Phi Phi because it only took an hour versus two hours on the regular ferry.  In hindsight...take the slow two hour ferry.  Much more relaxing and peaceful.  Once we arrived we checked into the Viking Nature Resort where we splurged and reserved this insane treehouse bungalow.  Well worth every penny.  

the private beach at Viking Nature

open air reception area and restaurant

the steps leading up to our bungalow

our balcony complete with dining table and hammock

our bathroom

the main room with door to bathroom and dressing room on the left and Dave's little room on the right

 We signed up to take the long boat over to Maya Bay, I mean- you have to, right?!  Have you seen the movie The Beach?  And truly, the water and sand over there is like nothing you've ever seen.  

There she be

We stopped at this little beach and snorkeled around first

 So we drove around to the back side of Maya Bay and were told to jump in and swim over to this rope wall...climb up and hike over to the beach.  Umm, ok?

Jaime jumped in asap

And that tangled mess is what we had to climb up

 Totally worth it.

 We befriended some people on our excursion that were also staying at the resort and went out for dinner and drinks that night together.  It was a blast and lead to a very blurry evening!

To work off the hangover, the next day we hiked up to a scenic look out and watched a massive afternoon storm roll in.

Phuket

We boarded the two hour ferry back to Phuket and checked in to our next hotel called Burasari Resort.  It was located in Patong Beach about a block off the ocean.  It was perfect and even included a free mini bar in your room which was refilled daily, say whaaaat??! 

 I just had one night here and started my journey home the next afternoon.  So we hit up the main street where all the action is.

 And this is how I left these two...they had just ordered their first round of two-for-ones.  They had another week in Thailand and hit up Naka Island.  From the sounds of it, it was also pretty spectacular, which is par for the course in Thailand.