No Elbows or Knees, Just Kicking and Punching!
Phi Phi Island, Thailand
Greatest Moment: To experience the "scene" on Phi Phi island, we decided to enter into a beer pong match. This, we believe, along with Jamie's insistence at being a corner girl, gave Kathy the courage and the sporadic decision to enter into a Muay Thai fight. We passed Reggae Club, where its open bar was the size of an auditorium and in the center sat a ring. They host fights and they take volunteers. It all happened very fast, and being in Thailand it just felt right! The only road bump Kathy could think of, was that she was not wearing a bra. The first girl she asked for one gladly unclasped her lacy black bra with red bow, and handed it over. Not quite the sports bra, but it'll do! The opponent turned out to be a very nice person, but unfortunately much larger and currently a boxer (unlike Kathy, who hasn’t touched a bag in a year). It was so fun, and the three rounds were very intense. Kathy had the technique while the other girl had the muscle, and it ended up being a fun fight to watch. People recognized Kathy even the next day, and she got several responses:
“Are you the girl who fought last night?”
“We saw the other girl, and we were scared for you!”
TOO funny.
Worst Moment: Realizing that we need to cut out activities due to the tiresome, loathsome budget. We are sadly no longer making a trip to Sumatra, seeing its orangutans, or swimming in Danu Toba. SUCH a heartache, but we just can’t afford our lifestyle sometimes. This will lead us to more quality time doing the inexpensive activities of writing, reading, surfing, snorkeling, and hiking. Not too bad, but Sumatra is on our list for next time!
Lesson Learned: Experience things, no matter how many people try to deter you with their own biases and personal opinions. Your experience will ALWAYS be your own.
Cultural Insight: Long tail boats are what make the backdrop of Phi Phi and most Thai islands unique and beautiful. These wooden boats have colorful chipped paint on their edges, and external engine, and from their front bow dangles floral garlands and scarves of red, white, and blue (the Thai flag). These are offerings to the gods and to the water, for safe travel and good fortune. These boats used to be ~83 USD to build, but now that there is a ban on cutting down trees, it costs an unreasonable amount to ship it from elsewhere. Most people are buying speed boats as they are cheaper and easier to accommodate larger groups of people.
Most people avoid Phi Phi because it is a party town and very noisy. However, we slept peacefully and were not burdened by the drunkards. We came here because the snorkeling was good and it is claimed to have the most beautiful beaches in Southeast Asia. And they really were. In all directions you looked, the island’s wild and uneven mountains gave it such a unique beauty. Maya beach is where they filmed “The Beach” with the wonderful Leonardo DiCaprio. In the heart of the very touristy town, which occupies a small part of the island, there are stores and bars practically on top of each other. You can have the experience you want on Phi Phi, and we are so happy we were not deterred from visiting it.
P.S. We didn't carry around the camera too much with us on this island, so these pictures do it no justice.
P.S.S We have awesome videos of our trip thus far. Jamie has tried countless times putting them together on GoPro Studio and everytime it crashes. So videos will come when we get home and she can work on her Mac. We're frustrated we can't upload as we go, but good things comes to those who wait... hopefully!
