The Andaman Sea - Koh Phi Phi and Railay Bay

Such beauty and such peace here.  Islands shoot up in sharp cliffs topped with wet rain forest and the ocean is so blue.  The islands layer against each other in the distance reminding me of the beauty of Big Sur.  The ocean is clear and the fish are brightly colored and friendly.  The sky is so big against those jutting cliffs.  And the people...we stayed at this incredible bunch of little huts on a private beach on Koh Phi Phi Don and made many Thai friends.  We also befriended, Trey, a wonderful fellow traveler from DC who has been living in Australia and a lovely, very very tan, broken-hearted Italian man who took a liking to us and got Breen far too drunk.  They were good company at the isolated resort. We hiked through rain forest to a view point and found a small village with a pet monkey and a little goat and tons of chickens. We dodged many creepy crawlies including a hammer-head striped leach.  At the top of the mountain was one of the most beautiful views I have ever seen.

Breen somehow got hooked up with a Muay Thai lesson from the brother of the owner of the beach resort, Ken. Such a funny, sweet man.  I think was just an excuse for Ken to practice his boxing and relive his glory days as a professional fighter, but Breen gladly took the opportunity.  I took a ten minute video that they are going to put on their website to help Ken start his own fighting school at the resort.

Breen took a good beating, learned a spinning elbow maneuver and entertained the entire resort.  After that, we were in.  At the end we were "one of them" and they gave us shirts that they wear when working there and many hugs, telling us they'd see us next year.  It was very hard to leave.

Amazing beach, amazing people, best time ever. The pace of was life was that of molasses.  I could get used to this.

We thought nothing could beat the beauty but then we went to Railay Beach and stayed at a beautiful resort within view of some nutty cliffs.  We ate some incredible Italian food.  They know their noodles here.  We sat in a restaurant for hours that was right on the beach and watched the most amazing sunset, flanked by these sea mountains.

Aaand...now we are back on Phi Phi Don...we had such fun at the small isolated resort that we never did take the day trip to see Maya Bay (a.k.a. the beach from The Beach).  Had to see it, so here we are after a very tumultuous ferry ride.  We just had our fourth Thai massage and a few shots of Thai whiskey and we are putty.  Excited for all that is to come.  We really loved the south more than we had anticipated so we have been here and extra few days.  Tomorrow we will feed monkeys on a beach, see Maya Bay, and perhaps a few sharks if we are lucky.  Unfortunately I won't be swimming with the lomaa (dolphins) as it is not the season...but we plan to hang with elephants in Northern Thailand, in the city of Chiang Mai, which is our next destination.  We already have flights and reservations at a hostel that Trey told us is wonderful.

Not missing home, but loving all of you!
Devon and Breen