Khao Sok National Park

Hi guys!! Hope everyone is doing well :) I've had a very exciting past few days so let me fill you in. 

Saturday morning I packed a bag for a two day, one night excursion in Khao Sok National Park. The tour began with a 45 minute longtail boat ride towards our accommodations for the evening. The beauty of this ride was absolutely incredible. Majestic limestone mountains towered high in the air against the bright blue sky. The pictures below can give you an idea of the stunning scenery.

We stayed in small secluded bungalows that floated on the water. 

The adorable room that housed me and several friendly frogs.

After the group dropped off their stuff we went on an hour and a half jungle trek to Nam Talu Cave. This was definitely one of the coolest caves I've ever visited. It was very extensive... We took about 30 minutes to get through the entire thing. Besides all of the fascinating natural features of the cave, we also witnessed hundreds of adorable bats and even some giant spiders. The Nam Talu Cave is not intended for people with claustrophobia, as at times we had to slide into narrow crevices with water reaching chest level. I, of course, thought that was completely awesome. I would've taken more pictures inside of the cave but I didn't have a death wish for my phone.

Entrance to the Nam Talu Cave

In between activities we would have time go swimming or kayaking in the water in front of our bungalows. We would often have competitions trying to see who could balance the longest on slippery logs floating on the lake.

View from my bungalow

After taking a longboat ride to catch views of the sunset (and several groups of playful monkeys), we ended the night with some dinner, card games, and stargazing.

We had an early longtail ride the next morning to witness the park waking up. Algae collected on the surface of the water and soft mist coated the mountains.

We later had another lovely hike in the jungle to visit new cave. Along the way we came across the largest collection of butterflies I've ever encountered. They gathered together on the ground, grouping themselves in colors.

This covers only a fraction of the butterflies in the area.

Our last activity of the trip was some heart pounding cliff jumping at the Green Water Gateway. We had to climb a sharp, jagged limestone mountain to reach our launching point. This was one of the scariest cliff jumping experiences I've had but it was so exhilarating!

Green Water Gateway. We climbed to the  top of the rock seen on the very left. To give some perspective, the stick coming out of the water on the right side of the rock is only slightly shorter than me.

I am now on my way to Ko Phi Phi, the gorgeous island that is known for being featured in the Leonardo Dicaprio move The Beach. I hope to have many gorgeous pictures to come. 

Sending my love,

Laura

Ko Phangan

How's it hanging guys? I've departed from the beautiful island of Ko Phangan, just arriving at Khao Sok National Park. I'll be taking a short break from the beach so I can trek one of the oldest rainforests on the globe.

During my first night at Ko Phangan, I made an appearance at the wild Half Moon party. Everyone begins their night at a local bar, sipping on drinks and covering their skin with glow in the dark paint. Once people are satisfied with their body art, they get scooped up by one of the many taxis heading inland towards the jungle. After paying an entry fee, we entered into a wonderland filled with bright glowing art pieces. A DJ plays under a neon flowering canopy while enthusiastic guests drink (literal) buckets of vodka red bull and dance until the sun comes up. Definitely a unique experience.

View from my resort on Ko Phangan

The following day I rented a motorbike with two friends I made in Ko Tao and drove all over the island. This was easily the best (and most fun) way to experience Ko Phangan. The landscape was gorgeous, similar to Hawaii except for the occasional sighting of a temple or elephant (eeeeee so cute!!). We visited 5 different beaches that day, each of them having their own personality. 

Serene Hat Salad

A sandbar connected Hat Thong Lang and the small island Ko Ma. 

Watching the sunset on Hat Rin Nai (cleverly named Sunset Beach)

The night ended with a delicious dinner along the water. I got to try my first authentic Thai curry- ammmazing. I'm delighted by how cheap everything is here. A similar meal in the states would have costed 4 times as much.

On Thursday I signed up for an excursion to Ang Thong National Park. This spot consists of over 40 jungle islands with sheer limestone cliffs, hidden lagoons, and dreamy beaches. We stopped at several different islands for activities including snorkeling, kayaking, and trekking. 

Many of the islands had gaps between the the ocean and the rock where you could kayak into small caves

Monkey Island

One of the parks popular viewpoints 

A large lake in the middle of Ko Mae Ko called Emerald Sea. This lagoon is off limits to the unclean human body.

Than Bua Bok, a cavern reachable after a strenuous hike on the largest island of Ko Wua Talap.

South to Ko Tao

Hi there!

I'm swinging in a hammock right now enjoying the beautiful views that Ko Phangan has to offer. I've just transferred from Ko Tao over to the island known for it's jovial nature. This place seems to always have a reason to celebrate, whether it be the epic Full Moon Party, which occurs once a month, or many of the other events they've created over the years (Half Moon parties, Black Moon parties, Jungle parties, and Waterfall parties). It just so happens to be a half moon tonight... I suppose I'll have to make an appearance at the festivities. 

My stay at Ko Tao was brief but very eventful. I arrived in the afternoon on Sunday and found accommodation at the Sunset Buri Resort. I immediately stripped down to a bikini and waded in the warm shallow waters of Sairee Beach. 

Long-tail boats line the coast, ready to take passengers at a moments notice. After a satisfying dip I took a seat at one of the many beachside restaurants and watched the beautiful sunset.

Once the sun was down, the beach came alive with an ample amount of fire dancers, disco balls, and pumping beats.

Above: Fire dancers working their magic

I got up bright and early in the morning for a snorkeling trip. We made our way around the entire island, stopping at 4 fantastic snorkeling spots. The coral was unlike anything I've seen before. Colorful features would sway in the water and pop into crevices if you brushed your hand too close to it. My favorite spotting in the water was a small octopus that was shuffling across the ocean floor about 3 feet away from me. I also saw a group of squid scooting along the ocean. 

Our final stop of the trip was to the beautiful Ko Nang Yuan. The viewpoint of the island was breathtaking:

Our cute pink vessel:

I spent my evening enjoying dinner and drinks with new friends I made during my excursion. We had a nightcap on a floating block on the ocean, watching fire dancers put on their daring shows along the beach. A fantastic full day at Ko Tao and one I'll never forget. 

Sawasdee Ka!

Hi guys! Guess what? I've made it to Thailand!!

This is my third full day here and I seriously feel like I've been here forever. Everyday so far has been such jam packed with exciting experiences. I'm getting charged by the minute here at this internet cafe so let me dive right in.

I arrived in Bangkok on Friday in the afternoon. Being totally jet-lagged and feeling like it was actually 3am, I went right over to my hotel. My taxi driver dropped me off several blocks away from where I was staying and there was a solid 20 minutes where I was lost, but I eventually made it over. I decided to stay up for a couple of beers on the rooftop of my hotel and take in the view of the city before heading to bed.

My first (and only) full day  in Bangkok I decided to see everything I possibly could. My first destination was the holiest of them all: Wat Phra Kaew (The Emerald Buddha Temple) and the Grand Palace. This place was incredible.

Inside the main building in the middle seen here is where the very sacred Emerald Buddha is located.

The big structure on the right is a model of Angkor Wat in Cambodia. The model itself was beautiful to see... I can't wait to see the real thing in 3 weeks!

Everything was so ornate and incredible that I could have stayed there all day, but I had much more to visit.

This is Wat Arun. I took a boat across the khlong (canal) to get to this temple.

The stairs on Wat Arun were the steepest I've ever experienced. A trip to the top is not advised for those who are afraid of heights!

Finally I made it to Wat Pho. This is home to the largest reclining Buddha in the world- very large!

The temples in Wat Pho were also very beautiful.

After visiting the holy trinity of temples in Bangkok, I was able to catch a kite flying competing in Sanam Luang (The Royal Field). I finished the night of grabbing a much needed meal and enjoying a couple beers before heading back to my hotel. I needed to get some rest because I had booked a 6am bus/catamaran to the island of Ko Tao (which is where I am right now!)

I'll update you on my adventures today at another time, right now I'm gonna grab some dinner with some new South African mates that I met today.Miss you all so much and wish you could be here!!!

Love, Laura

Below: Kites flying high over the Royal Field

Below: The feet of the Reclining Buddha in Wat Pho

Beautiful murals painted on the walls at Wat Phra Kaew

Final ponderings

Here I sit, newly freckled from the California sun, experiencing my final moments in the good ol' USA. The anticipation of this trip has been at times overwhelming, but I have finally reached a point of tranquility. I've got my bags packed, a general itinerary planned, and the rest... well... it'll fall into place. I've gotten some great advice over the past few weeks on everything Thailand from friends new and old. My Aussie neighbors at Coachella informed me, "You'll see heaps of very cute animals, just don't let them bite you." Noted.
Other than avoiding creature wounds, I've made some personal goals of my own: Take time to learn something new about Thai culture every day. Don't rush any experience; enjoy each moment. Step outside of your comfort zone. Breathe in the smells, take in the views, and soak up the sounds.

My trip begins with a 6 hour layover in what I hope is an exciting airport in Tokyo. I'll arrive at the capital city of Bangkok on 3:25pm this Friday (12 hrs ahead of CST). You'll have to stay tuned for what shenanigans I get into next, but I assure it won't disappoint and pretty pictures will most likely follow. Miss you guys already :)

Love,

Laura

Farewell

Hi loves! As you have probably heard by now, I'm off adventuring again to see more of what this beautiful planet has to offer. After making a stop in California, I'll be trekking throughout Thailand over the course of 5 weeks. Feel free to follow along on my journey. I hope to create some long lasting memories and intriguing stories for you to read :) Comments are much appreciated because you know I'll be missin y'all so much. <3, Laura