Carefree- play, laugh, grow (Koh Samui)

Hidden gems

Love exploring beyond the common to find the hidden gems.  Be adventurous and don't be afraid of the unknown.

searching for Silver Beach

Stillness does not come to you. You have to find it.

Bikram Yoga Koh Samui

all the essentials for a good night

Words we lived the night by:
- Why Not
- Same, Same but different
- I woke up motivated today
- I agree

Simple gestures with powerful meaning

I get joy and fulfillment in life when I feel that my presence has made a difference or some kind of positive impact in someone's life.  Relationships are a powerful thing.  A simple meet and greet can lead to a strong trusting bond, as close as family, in just a very short while.  Below are some traditional Thai desserts from my friend Quan, as he takes me to the airport and sends me on my way with best wishes for my continued travel.  I now consider him my Thai uncle:)

Koh Phi Phi- more than meets the eye

When the hustle and bustle of all the boats and tourists disappear, you will capture the beauty that lies within the stillness and experience the life of.....

Patong, Phuket

Someone told me that Patong is like Mexico, Hawaii and Vegas all combined in ONE!
I have mixed feelings about this part of the island.  You will have to go to this area of Phuket to experience it all and judge for yourself.  Overall, it is an experience to see the sights and sounds.

Some of my Fav memories:

Bangla Boxing Stadium

James Bond ADVENTURE tour with the best guide ever- Yoon and James Dean!
Adventure includes the following:
- Canoeing at James bond
- ATV
- Elephant Trekking
- Fish Spa
- Oxtail cart ride
- Elephant show
- Monkey show
- Fruit Market

Meeting my new friend Joe at Fundee Boutique for more tips and hookups and needless to say, the beaches and hundreds of selections of food and markets open all day and all night just tops it all off!

Take a Walk

One of the things I love doing is walking.  It has taken me many places, beyond my imagination.  Many people reading this has probably told me once or twice that I walk so fast.  How am I going to see everything if I slow down? lol.

As beautiful as the Serenity Resort is, it is located outside the main tourist areas in an area called Rawaii and the Rawaii beach is not a beach where you can swim or play in.  Take a look:

Regardless of the appearance, don't be afraid to go for a walk to discover all the beauty that awaits.  Let yourself be surprised in what you discover.  

Off the beach strip, I wandered into this local street.  Here, I stumbled across friendly faces, houses, grocery store and food stands:

The walk ended with smiling faces and a Rainbow, pot of gold at the end to celebrate St. Pattys!

A Smile goes a long way

I can't even begin to explain the exceptionally amazing hospitality that I have experienced with the Thai people.

A smile goes a long way.... from opening up a conversation and gaining the inside scoop and tips to getting free treatment at the doctor's office.  I have gained and learned so much from speaking to others, the best way I can literally.  But the interactions with the people, initiated by a smile, are simply priceless.

If you are exposed to someone who seems standoff-ish or unpleasant, chances are, they have been having a bad day.  So give a smile and help to brighten up their day=)  It comes back ten-folds.

The Weekend Market

When it comes to night markets, fairs, etc I'm all about the food.  Everyone knows my Eyes are bigger than my Stomach so of course, I had to try everything and left with some take-away!  With prices like 20 baht (approx 70 cents)... how could you not.

Let's take a stroll, shall we.....

I have way more food photos.  Oh and yes of course, there are rows and rows of products and merchandise to buy... anything you can imagine from designer handbags, tiffany jewelry, watches, sunglasses, cell phone cases, shoes, clothes, beauty products, PETs.... and everything else!  The Thai need to get their fix to stay on brand with fashion=)

One more thing... on my way home, I saw a baby elephant in the back of an old skool mini Mazda pick-up truck.... amazing... pretty sure it smiled at me. lol.

OUCH!!!

Beware.  If planning to wash clothes in Thailand or in Asia or Mexico, bring your own laundry detergent from home.  An allergic reaction to their soap powder can cause the following......

Did I mention that it's all over my body..... FML right now.

YOU are the most important person in the world

There's no time like the present to pursue your desires.
If you want it, you can have it.

Don't be afraid of what others think or say.
Honestly, You are the most important person in the world.
Love yourself, first and foremost.

Throughout my life, I have taken many risks, much without consideration or thought.  I have always been someone who likes things to happen fast.  Can't say that it's always the best way.  In my decisions, I have doubted myself many times with the thought of what others may think or say.  Through all the experiences, trusting my intuition has led to positive outcomes.  I've learned that you have to make decisions for Yourself.  No one can tell you what's right for you.  Trust your gut and follow your heart.  The people in your life are those that matter and love you.  They will support you no matter what.  So just listen to your inner voice, take a breath and...... JUMP!

xoxo

Sisters

we fight.
we cry.
we laugh.
we love.

A chat with my sister is all the love and support i need.  Thanks for everything<3

A Day to Remember

This post is really for me to remember what an amazing day I had.  The best of Phuket and more all in one day..... Thanks to my amazing personal tour guide Quan.  Here we go.... It's gonna be a long one:)

Welcome to Khao Rang Hill, where you will see a great view of Phuket Town, the southern part of the island.

The beginning of the tin boom during the 19th Century led to the construction of many fine old mansions and shops which still remain.  These are a few of the antique buildings on Thalang Road in Phuket town.

Stopped in for some traditional thai food- vermicelli noodles with curry of your choice (Kanom Jeen), and tried all the thai vegetables to go with it.

The owner of the restaurant visited Niagara Falls in 1986.

Phuket Thaihua Museum was established to present the story of the overseas Chinese who emigrated to this island.

Note the entrance fees:
Thai ppl- 50 baht
Foreigners- 200 baht

Cashew Nut factory, where I picked up some tom yum and bbq flavoured crispy cashew nuts!

Chalong Temple.

You could walk inside up to the top, where the floor is marble and the hot stone was burning my feet.  At the top, I met a really nice thai family that befriended me and wanted to take pictures with me.

Inside is filled with beautiful gold statues and paintings along the tops of the walls.

The Big Buddha statue is located on top of the hill near Chalong.  It is still under construction.  A visit to the Big Buddha could be a day trip on its own.  You can ATV or scooter up the 5km hill.  Along the hill, you can stop at different points for spectacular views of both sides of the islands.  Along the way, you can do elephant trekking, watch a monkey show, eat at the restaurants and more......

view from the top

monkeys are freely running around

feed the elephants bananas for 100 baht

A quick glance at Kata Beach.  A full day trip is added to my itinerary:)

This is Karon View Point.  From this point, you can see 3 bays.  The nearest is Kata Noi, next Kata bay and next Karon bay.  It's shaped like 3 crescent moons.  From this point, you can also see Koh Poo Island.
Karon-View-Point-Map.html

A fun time at the supermarket to pick up some necessities and fun treats like "peiking duck and sauce" flavoured Lays.

Chalong Bay at Sunset

A day is not complete without a satisfying meal.  Fresh seafood at PhongPhang Seafood Restaurant at Chalong Bay.  

I originally only picked 3 places that I wanted to check out for the day.  As we drove around the island, Quan suggested all these other places on the way that we could stop at, and taught me about the Thai people and culture. 

I have to say that the best part of the day was just meeting and interacting with all the local people... I'm about to fall in love with Thailand.