A Week Long Christmas

In Thailand, Christmas is celebrated on more than just December 25th. Being odd to begin with since the majority of Thais are Buddhist, a week long celebration was had. The director of English at my school recieved gifts every day of the week after Christmas... jealous! However, I did receive a few presents from my school as well as the company that hired me, OLC. But backing up to Xmas Eve Day, Wes and I ventured to Hat Yai Municipal Park to check out the numerous displays set up for the annual lantern festival starting in January. There were a crazy amount of extremely elaborate lanterns that I'm sure will look awesome when they're lit up at night.

We then hiked up the long path to the very top of the hill to see the shockingly big buddha, which was definitely worth it.

The view of downtown from up there was absolutely amazing! I knew that it's the third biggest city in Thailand, but I never imagined that it was actually this vast!

After devouring too much delicious food at the bbq buffet on Christmas Eve, we went to my by-far favourite bar, Co-Art. Immediately upon entering, we felt the Christmas spirit when some Thais gave us free beers! The great live music made the night even better and we ended up running into many foreigners I'd met before. After a late night there, we got up semi-early to head to Songkhla for a visit with Owen & Kag (the couple I spent my first weekend in Hat Yai with). They took us out to a stunning restaurant right on the water where we devoured the freshest seafood we'll ever eat in our entire lives, guaranteed.

There was a tank that we got to choose our own fish from, which was killed right in front of us then thrown into the fryer. Suprisingly delicious! Other dishes we had were spicy mango salad, yellow curry, sweet 'n sour vegetables and grilled catfish, all quite opposite from the traditional western Christmas dinner! Even though everything was very tasty, Wes and I both missed juicy turkey... although he did get the full-on meal before he left for Thailand (jealous again). Anyway, we stopped at a coffee shop after lunch and enjoyed homemade banana bread and fruit cake over some tea. Owen then drove us all the way back to Hat Yai, proving to be extremely hospitable once again. For dinner, Wes and I treated ourselves to another succulent meal just across the street, thinking we should spoil eachother since the only present we exchanged was simply being together after 2 months apart. Throughout the week we visited various locations that were displaying Christmas decor, including the markets and shopping malls.

These were the only things that made it feel like Christmas! It's harder than you think when the weather is a whopping thirty degrees... definitely a Xmas to remember! So, Merry Ho Ho to you all and I hope this holiday brought you as much happiness and as many memories as it did to me!

We'll be on Ko Samui for the next four days and Ko Phangan for New Years Eve, so look forward to a very interesting post next week!

Teaching 101

Teaching has been going really well, and most days it doesn't even seem like work. My students are always incredibly friendly and make every exchange very entertaining. Most are super eager to improve their English, knowing that it's their ticket to getting a better job. This is very helpful when it comes to my lessons because if they don't understand something they aren't afraid to ask questions. Some even come to my office during breaks to have conversations about random things they want to know more about, for example prom. There are many things that they don't have in Thailand, prom being one of them, but also many Christmas traditions. However, they have incorporated numerous international practices into their celebration of the holiday, caroling being one of them. The school band played a few popular carols during our Christmas assembly and suprisingly, many students knew all of the words! I hear them singing popular songs in English extremely often, even though they most likely don't have a clue what they're saying haha. Listening to their erroneous pronunciation always brightens up my day haha, we all know that it's the effort that counts. One of my favourite lessons is filling in the blanks to song lyrics, the students love it. Sometimes the tune has to be repeated many times until they've clearly heard every blanked out word, but afterwards we all sing together. One girl in particular has an amazing voice, often performing in front of 1000+ spectators at our school. There are more joys than I would have ever imagined being a teacher, discovering new ones every single day. I can't believe that this semester is already half over... I only have 2 more months of teaching in Thailand. Time flies when you're having fun!

It's honestly not a coincidence that my smallest class is my favourite class!

P.S. Wes arrives in three hours! My last two months here couldn't get any better!

The Food Scene

This weekend I discovered my new favourite restaurant in Hat Yai, an all-you-can-eat buffet that you barbeque yourself! For a mear three dollars you gain unlimited access to an astonishing variety of food items that you can cook to your liking... what a steal! In the center of the smorgasbord are big tubs full of marinating meat and seafood, vegetables, pre-made side dishes and lastly, desserts. Although none of the many meats are labelled, there wasn't one thing that I didn't fully enjoy. Everybody was joking that we could've been eating dog and had no clue... but luckily it's not a popular Thai dish so we were safe. However, there were some crazy-looking Thai delicacies, which were avoided for now but maybe one day I'll feel more daring. The combinations some patrons were putting together looked un-barbeque-able haha but who knows. The mini barbeque-type set-ups in the middle of each table are kept at the perfect temperature, and the moat surrounding the grill is filled with a delicious broth to boil anything you desire. There are also ingredients such as rice and noodles to create your own soup with the broth, as well as different spices to choose from.

We spent hours at this gold mine, with some going back for seconds, thirds and even fourths! There was a live band playing which made for a great atmosphere, and it was even one customer's birthday. During the birthday song, oddly sung in English (which I've noticed is very common) sparklers and confetti were exhibited. After stuffing ourselves to the brim, we struggled off our chairs and set out on a walk to digest our amazing meals. Ending up at our favourite bar, Post Laser Disc, we lit up the pool table for the rest of the night while listening to the best band in town perform.

Some of my crew

Paradise - Part 3/3

After a short 1.5 hours on the ferry, I arrived on the beautiful Ko Lanta. Much less of a tourist hotspot than Ko Phi Phi, the accommodation was half as pricey and twice as luxurious. I quickly settled into my private bungalow at Green Garden Resort, then headed straight to the beach palapas. A satisfying lunch and some tropical drinks got me back on track for enjoying the beach life. As I meandered the seemingly endless stretch of seashore, the hot sun eventually began to set. Staring in absolute awe, the vivid hues were constantly rearranging themselves in the sky, creating some of the most spectacular patterns I've ever seen.

The night got even better from then on, firstly visiting with a British girl I'd met on the ferry who was coincidentally staying at the same resort. Ko Lanta was her last stop before heading home after traveling for four years! As you can imagine, she had lots of stories. Secondly, our English speaking attracted a nice American who dragged us out to a beach bar with a live band. Some rowdy Swedes were getting up on stage and belting out the lyrics to absolutely every song they recognized... excellent entertainment haha. On our wobbly walk back, we spotted crawling creatures all over the beach and of course, had to get up close and personal.

Having stopped off at another bar to play countless rounds of pool, we weren't desiring to get up to much the next morning except for laze by the pool (don't worry... it was right beside the ocean). After almost perfecting my tan, I decided to cross a few things off my Ko Lanta list. First up, paying a visit to the Lanta Animal Welfare Center to volunteer to walk their dogs. Notifying the others from the night before, they were gung-ho to join me! We took half a dozen to the closest beach, Phra Ae, which killed two birds with one stone by crossing another item off my list. It was so rewarding to see the pups happily out of their enclosures free in the splendor of the island.

That night was supposed to be a full moon, but it delightfully turned out to be an eclipse! Lanta celebrated it the same anyway, hosting a great DJ at a nearby beach bar and putting on the best fire show I saw my whole trip. Setting it out from among the rest was the flaming skipping rope... terrifying. The crowd was hestitant to jump, but eventually a few daring souls threw themselves into the whirling blaze. It was hilarious to see them escape very soon after, frightened but very invigorated.

The next morning was as idle as the one before... I can just imagine what it must have been like on Ko Phangan! I'll find out on New Years! Anyway, a much needed massage was had and then I finally dragged myself to the animal shelter again. I took the sweetheart of the bunch for a long beach walk, then enjoyed the rest of my day frolicking in the warm ocean. As I packed up my bags that evening preparing for an early morning departure, I wrapped my head around the past ten days in paradise. Concluding that my total costs were almost exactly $300, I'd say that's insanely incredible! A little incentive for you to plan your next vacation to The Land of Smiles eh?

Paradise - Part 2/3

A two-hour ferry over the emerald green sea to Ko Phi Phi was a great start to my next adventure. Spotting numerous remote getaways along the way, we passed Chicken and Bamboo Islands, popular day trip locations from Phi Phi. Docking in Ton Sai Bay, an entrance fee of 65 cents was required as a means of keeping the island clean. It definitely pays off when you realize how wild the beach parties get night after night. But starting on a healthy note, I found myself a cheap room then pumped it up hundreds of steps to the very rewarding viewpoint. 

With the clear blue waters of Loh Dalum Bay on the right, the royal blue waters of Ton Sai Bay on the left, downtown Phi Phi Don in between and Phi Phi Ley in the distance, it was utterly breathtaking. Literally crawling through the jungle down the other side of the mountain, I gained access to the remote side of the island. Beach hopping for the remaining sunlight of the day, I visited Toh Ko, Rantee and Phak Nam beaches. Each spot was spectacular and unique in its own way, with only the more venturesome visitors discovering the sanctuaries. I was in and out of the Andaman Sea probably half a dozen times snorkeling around some great reefs wishing I had scuba gear. Another hour-long hike through the jungle back up the mountain and down the other side, I was exhausted after an early and long day so I hit the hay early. The next day I joined the lazy bums on Loh Dalum beach for a day of rest and relaxation, finally.

Dragging myself up off the fine white sand only to cool down in the not-cool-enough ocean, I worked on catching up my tan to the other bronzed backpackers. A fire show that night was the main highlight of my day, but extremely entertaining to say the least. At one point there were five performers on one stage, whipping their flaming batons and orbs ridiculously close to each other. They even stacked on top of one another to form a pyramid while impressively continuing to fire poi. After recovering the next morning with a fresh fruit smoothie and Thai banana pancake, I cruised for just under an hour over to Long Beach. Passing remote bamboo bungalows on 20-foot high stilts made for an interesting journey, reminding me of the terrible tsunami that hit here not too many years ago. They’ve rebuilt most of the island pretty well, but the devastation is still somewhat evident. After another afternoon of bronzing on smooth golden sands of the lengthy ravishing beach, I never wanted to leave Phi Phi.

However, I’d already booked my ferry over to Koh Lanta for the next morning so I had no choice. I will have to go back one day and visit Maya Bay on Ko Phi Phi Ley, where Leonardo DiCaprio starred in the movie ‘The Beach’. For good reason, that paradise is always packed unless you arrive earlier than I was ever able to wake up. It's true when they say "you never leave Phi Phi… you escape."

Paradise - Part 1/3

A four-hour minibus ride flew by thanks to the chatty Dutch and German boys sitting beside me. Arriving in Krabi town mid-afternoon on Saturday, I hopped on a public bus for a half hour to my first beach, Ao Nang. After wandering the little village and cooling off in the ocean, I grabbed a longtail boat for fifteen minutes to Tonsai Beach where I’d be staying for the next 3 days. After settling into my private bungalow, I admired the stunning scenery while walking the beach. 

As the sun fell it had just cooled down, so the dozens of rock climbers were attempting to scale the surrounding limestone cliffs in the bay. Famous for its numerous challenging routes, climbers flock here from all over the world. I met one in particular who had flown from Israel and was staying for three months… just to rock climb. After enjoying a delicious dinner at his recommended restaurant, I ran into a girl that goes to UVic… what a small world! We eventually migrated over to the atmospheric Reggae Bar to watch the ongoing fire show, poi. The performers were absolutely insane, swinging fireballs inches from their faces. I was right to have been squirming the whole time because one guy actually burned his chest but still continued his routine! Mingling with randoms from all different countries continued late into the night and made for a lazy morning, but a continental breakfast got me going. I hiked over to the neighbouring beach, Railay West, where most of the tourists stay when they visit Krabi. With more expensive accommodation and an equally nice beach, I was glad I’d made the decision to stay on Tonsai.

That evening was entertaining once again, listening to the live music and socializing with other backpackers. On another hike the next morning, I met a Calgarian on the same path. We were headed to the same location so spent the day chatting about strictly Canadian things haha. It took one hour to walk over to Railay East Beach, but only a short path brought us to Phra Nang Beach. It was absolutely gorgeous with limestone formations, soft white sand and crystal clear water. After taking a dip and tanning on the beach, we strolled over to the ‘Viewpoint’ sign and looked straight up. Not expecting to have to climb, we both had unsuitable footwear for a steep ascent. Watching the sweaty muddy people slowly make their way down, we knew sandals couldn’t stop us and conquered the trek no problem. The incredible view made it definitely worth it, overlooking Railay West, East and Tonsai Beaches.

I was sad to leave this paradise the next morning, but at the same time I was excited to get to Ko Phi Phi!

Xmas Spirit Has Officially Arrived

As you may already know, about 95% of Thais are Buddhist and the remaining are Muslim, neither of which celebrate Christmas. This is somewhat distressing, not only for having to work on December 25th but also for spending my first Christmas away from family. On the positive side, New Year's is absolutely huge in Thailand with celebrations continuing for the two weeks before and after January 1st.  However, this does not explain the Christmas lights strung copiously nor the tropical Christmas trees lining the streets...

Anyway, as I was completing some shopping for my upcoming beach getaway, I discovered a cute little path running beside a river that goes right through town. I realized that Hat Yai is becoming more and more hospitable the more I explore the vast city. Also congenial are the Hash House Harriers (H3), a non-competitive social drinking club that organizes a Hash Run every Sunday evening. This has been international for 75 years, but if unfamiliar the 'hares' set out ten minutes before the 'hounds' who follow a paper trail the hares have left for five to ten kilometres. Trails may pass through any sort of terrain and hashers may run through back alleyways, residential areas, city streets, forests, swamps, or shopping malls and may climb fences, ford streams, explore storm drains or scale cliffs in their pursuit of the hare. The trail often includes false trails, short cuts, dead ends, and splits. These features are designed to keep the pack together regardless of fitness level or running speed, as front-runners are forced to slow down to find the "true" trail, allowing stragglers to catch up. Members often describe their group as "a drinking club with a running problem," indicating that the social element of an event is as important, if not more so, than any athleticism involved. Members are typically given a "hash name," usually in deference to a particularly notorious escapade, a personality trait, or their physical appearance. I have yet to learn my hash name as I have yet to attend a hash run, but this will require me to find an old pair of running shoes (not my expensive Reebok ZigTechs) because hashers who wear new shoes to an event are commonly required to drink beer from that shoe. Maybe I'll stumble upon a pair in Krabi, Ko Phi Phi or Koh Lanta next week... somebody must have ditched their sneakers when they got to the beach right?
Not sure if I'll have internet on any of the islands, but if I do then expect some spectacular photos of my next ten days! 

One Month Down, Three To Go

Been ultra consumed with planning my island-hopping trip next week, so I apologize for the delayed post. After lapping up street-vendor dinner delicacies on Friday night, we blasted some tunes and crushed some 75 cent coolers in one of the girls' rooms. Then another great evening was spent visiting at Mr. Ting's over a bottle of blended whiskey... never thought I'd learn to enjoy it, but I surprise myself every once in a while. Hitched yet another free ride, but in the back of a pickup truck this time, downtown to Post Laser Disc, the main 'farang' (foreigner) hangout.  

Packed with loads of randoms to mingle with, the hours and drinks wasted away. The music enticed us onto the dance floor eventually, ridding us of the little energy we had left after another week of teaching.

I've also been prepping to test my students for the first time since I've been their instructor, quite a daunting task. Not completely sure if they're absorbing everything I tell them, their results reflect directly upon me... scary! But to my relief, the first day of testing went very well with some students receiving almost perfect scores... phew! When the writing component is completed by each of my twelve classes, next up is the speaking component. I definitely have more confidence in this module, so hopefully their grades prove me true. Wish me luck! (and I'll be wishing my students luck in the meantime haha)

Penang Visa Run

A 4-hour minibus ride was all it took to get down to Penang, the food capital of Malaysia, this past weekend. Arriving late afternoon, I escaped before dark to explore the quaint nooks and crannies of Georgetown, the capital city, spotting numerous photo-worthy attractions. Little India was very authentic and had many intricate temples, including the one below, Mahamariamman. 

Living true to its name, I enjoyed a fantastic Indian meal at one of the top five restaurants in all of Penang, Jaya, for ridiculously cheap. It lured me back a few times throughout the weekend, the staff actually getting to know me. I decided to venture out the next day to the other side of the island, to the National Park to hit up the best-kept-secret beach, Pantai Kerachut. It took my breath away, literally, after hiking for an hour through the Malaysian jungle. The water was incredibly warm, the sand was to die for, and not one cloud hid the sun. With all of the perfect conditions, I stayed the entire day and was the last one to leave. I could have stayed there for the rest of my life!

A trek back through the National Park brought me to the Butterfly Farm, the first of its kind on our planet. With hundreds of different species inhabiting this live museum, I have never had the chance to get as close as I did to these stunning insects. There were other creatures as well, including frogs, turtles, lizards, beetles, snakes, spiders and weird bugs. I'd typically flee after spotting most of these, but since they were enclosed I had the opportunity to get up close and personal.

The next day, I made my way to Penang Botanic Gardens to view its wide array of flora and fauna. Covering around 30-hectares of land, I wandered through various different collections of species including the Japanese Garden.

I was surprised to encounter a very aggressive monkey along the way, because the group at the entrance were very friendly. This one charged me for no reason and I had to yell and swing my bag to keep it from full-on attacking me. Luckily a man nearby threw a rock at the rascal and it finally backed off, but I decided to get out of there anyway. I had previously planned to hike from the Botanic Gardens to the top of Penang Hill, so after what seemed like a million steps I had made it to the water station. After prepping for the next lag of the journey, I ran into another group of monkeys. Hesitant to walk any further, a kind man on a motorbike came with perfect-timing to my rescue and chauffered me the rest of the way. Finally reaching the top, I took in the astonishing views of Penang Island and Butterworth in the distance.

Tramming back down, I randomly came across Bats' Cave Temple and was startled when I discovered the name was actually accurate. Then I meandered to the beautiful Kek Lok Si, the largest Buddhist Temple in all of Southeast Asia. As you can imagine, scouring the grounds took until sunset, but every corner I turned there was something even more captivating. Finally arriving at the most ornate room, I was right on time to see the monks performing a daily ritual. After observing for an extensive period, I gained a new appreciation for their practices. It really is the Temple of Supreme Bliss.

With only a few hours to tour the next day before heading home, I went to the famous Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion. Fascinated by its 38 elaborate rooms, 5 granite-paved courtyards, 7 staircases and 220 windows, I realized why Oscar-winning movies have been filmed there and its been featured in many TV programs. Lastly, I took a stroll along the Esplanade to Fort Cornwallis, housing a gunpowder bunker, a chapel and a lighthouse. With canons surrounding the fortress, it was intended as a defence against the pirates being the first thing built when the British arrived. The history, tradition and nature of Penang all blend into a rich cultural tapestry, and I now see why it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Mr. Ting's

Last night brought my best experience with Thai people thus far, at Mr. Ting's. This little hole-in-the-wall shop around the corner from my friends' apartment sells really cheap, well everything. After hitting up a street vendor for some delicious som tam, spicy papaya salad, we were eager to really begin our weekend.

Mr. Ting welcomed us with a "What ya drinkin' tonight?" and his wife with a big smile on her face. Some Thais you meet aren't so fond of foreigners, but those attempting to make a profit couldn't be nicer. As soon as we sat down, Mr. Ting's friends pulled up their seats and immediately started to chat with us. Half of the time you have no idea what Thais are saying, but they think you do because they're speaking English. With strongly accented pronunciation and emphasis being put on all the wrong sounds, a full conversation is a struggle. However, as soon as you connect on the simplest level, even if it's just one word, it's magic to them. It's hilarious to see their faces light up as you finally understand and respond to what they're saying, so they gain a real confidence. After hours of processing their broken English over drinks (a slight variation of what we do all day with our students), they took a liking to us. One of Mr. Ting's friends, Mr. Tang (lol), offered to drive us to our next destination, Nectar. I've only paid for transportation maybe twice out of around a dozen times, so this wasn't new to me, but was to the others. Thais are just so friendly that they'd rather have you converse with them in English than have you go off and pay for a taxi. Mr. Tang even changed the radio station to an English channel for us, which is a rare but very nice touch. Arriving at the club, no cover, no lines and $8 litres of hards, the place was insanely packed and a tireless band was performing on stage. Working our way through the crowds while groovin' to the tunes brought back bittersweet memories of my weekends with the ladies in Victoria. Miss you girls!

Wknd 2

With my Tourist Visa expiring soon, I had to start getting my documents ready for an Immigrant-B Visa. After obtaining doctors notes, passport photos and my TEFL certificate, the only thing left was my Bachelor's Degree. Having UVic mail my Certificate of Degree Completion over a month ago to the wrong address (damn Thai street names), I had to scout it out and make my way. Meeting the assistant manager of another english teaching company, I finally had everything gathered. After a few beers and hours of chatting, she invited me out to a bar for some live music. Not wanting to be rude since she had just offered me a job for next semester, I agreed. I was actually already planning on going to Co-Art to meet the girls for one of their birthdays lol, there's only so many good spots for cheap drinks and great tunes. The awesome set-list, impressive performance and tons of foreigners kept me there until 3:30am, practically ruining my Saturday (but no regrets).

Yet another elephant taking a midnight cruise

Sunday was then the day for crossing a few things off my list, exploring Hat Yai Nai and Gim Yong markets, as well as checking out the third largest reclining Buddha in the entire world. After scanning basically every stall in both of the markets, I made it to the incredible Wat Hat Yai Nai.

Laying 35 metres long, 15 metres tall and 10 metres wide, my jaw literally dropped as I have never seen anything like it. Able to go inside of the Buddha, there is a shrine and mausoleum with hundreds of lockers in the walls interred with the remains of dead people.

A little creeped out and absolutely starving, I went over to where everybody else was eating (the only way to be safe in Thailand). After enjoying whatever they brought me since there was no menu, I attempted to pay but they wouldn't take a baht. To my surprise, I realized this is common in temples as monks are permanent residents. Feeling like I'd stolen, I didn't mind spending $1 to get a motorbike ride back to town as my walk there had left me drenched in sweat. Strolling through a couple more blocks of the market, I came across my version of fruit heaven. Purchasing enough to feed an entire family for a week but only a few days at the rate I go through it, I am ready to begin another week of teaching.

Loy Gratong

Thursday night was the popular festival of Loy Gratong (floating lanterns), the most romantic and picturesque event of the year. It always takes place on the night of the full moon of the twelfth lunar month. Most Thais create their gratongs out of banana leaves and flowers, with added incense, candles and/or money as offerings. Some add fingernail clippings and/or hair as symbols of shedding the bad parts of themselves, grudges, angers and defilements so that they can start life afresh on a better foot. Many Thais believe that floating a raft will bring good luck as a result of honouring the Goddess of the Water, Phra Mae Khongkha. Meanwhile, hundreds of lanterns drift into the night sky, in the hopes that misfortune flies away with them. 

The full moon & floating lanterns

Any body of water is suitable to set your gratong afloat, so myself and a group of English girls I've become friends with headed to Hat Yai Municipality Park. There were hundreds of people crowding the walking paths clutching their gratongs among other purchases from the many vendors. Stages were set-up everywhere with various performers displaying their talents, which were quite entertaining to say the least. We witnessed couple after couple setting gratongs off together, holding hands and making wishes. It's believed that those who do this will remain in love forever. 

Also prominent were little kids bursting with excitement, their expressions priceless. The preparations begin early in the day, if not the day before, and all sorts of attractions fill the city. It's so unusual for me to see elephants just casually cruising down the street, but another thing about Thai culture that's so cool.

Random Day Off

The 30 Year Anniversary of my school meant a day off for me! Almost. I was required to attend in the morning to play word games with the kids for an hour, but then I decided to wander around the festivities for a little while. One of the rooms contained a display of creative art made by the students, some of which was actually quite impressive! I presume it was girls who used recycled materials to produce figure-flattering gowns, and boys who built sculptures completely out of toothpicks. One table in particular held a large array of scrapbooks filled with intricately fascinating drawings. It wasn't until this event that I realized how talented many of our students are, in a wide variety of areas. To my surprise, a few of my male students were members of a dance group that, to my dismay, performed later in the day.

After the monks had completed their chants with the teachers sitting silently and the students colour-coded by uniform, I escaped down various streets I had yet to venture. Stumbling across some ruggedly enchanting properties, I became more comfortable with my neighbourhood. Botanical nurseries lined one block, eventually enticing me to enter for a whiff of their most beautiful inhabitants. 

 

Finally arriving at an air-conditioned haven, I spent too many hours shopping in the Diana Department Store. After perusing through the pricey designer labels on the top floors, I discovered that the market downstairs had prices at least ten times lower. I decided that this will be the prime location for teaching attire, as well as the voluminous night markets. As I have yet to attend, my purchases only remain at a few, but I have a feeling that will quickly change this weekend. The evening brought bar hopping with Owen, Kag, Kim and James who are quite entertaining after a few. A late night resulted in a drowsy morning, but it's always worth it isn't it?

Wknd 1

My first weekend alone in my entire life was a daunting thought. However, my second mom (Lori McGoldrick) is always looking out for me and knows a couple who lives just outside of Hat Yai. What a small world it is, John McGoldrick worked and skydived with Owen decades ago before he moved to Thailand. He's been living here for sixteen years because he met a Thai girl (isn't that always the story?) Kag who is a master chef. Lucky me to have contacts before I even moved to this new city, and they are wonderful people. After meeting briefly for lunch at a noodle shop on Saturday, we went to the airport to pick up Owen's neice, Kim, who he hasn't seen in twenty years. Kim and James got married last week and came to Thailand for their honeymoon, stopping in Hat Yai to visit Owen before heading up to Phuket. The whole bunch picked me up on Sunday morning to go to the nearby Tone Nga Chang Waterfall. There were blue skies and brilliant sunshine during our entire drive, but the minute we stepped out of the car it started to pour. With all of us being used to the rain, we hiked up to a few of the look-outs and snapped a few photos instead of going swimming as planned. 

Being damp but still warm, we stopped for lunch at a hole-in-the-wall on the side of the street, and I've never been so skeptical. Kag eventually assured us it was okay and we suprisingly enjoyed a delicious, much needed meal. Arriving at Owen and Kag's beautiful house a short while later, we were greeted by their cats and dogs. In heaven, I played with them until we ventured out again, but to Songkhla this time.

After meeting Kag's sisters at their separate but side-by-side restaurants (family conflict), Kag stayed to prepare our dinner while Owen took us to Monkey Hill. There were hundreds of little rascals just wandering or hanging around and eating the snacks that tourists buy from the strategically placed "monkey food" vendors.

 

We then took a tram up to the top of the hill, which overlooks all of Songkhla city. You can even see Hat Yai in the distance. The view was breathtaking to say the least and the monkeys enjoy it too, one in particular venturing all the way up to the top of the highest tower, King Kong style. 

Then a short drive led us to the pier where all of the fishing boats were heading out for their evening catch. Having worked up another appetite, Kag brought out dish by dish by dish, all mouthwatering and leaving us wanting more even though we were stuffed. It takes a lot to beat my all-time favourite, Pad Thai, but her massaman curry rotis took first place. It was likely I was drooling the whole cab-ride home, but I'll definitely be craving those for days haha.