01.27.20
After three weeks in Bangkok dealing with the smog and crowds, we finally found the other side of Thailand that people fall in love with. The beaches. The water. The islands. There were many options to choose from, including Phuket and Krabi which seem to be the top beach destinations for Southern Thailand. Instead we found a place that I had never heard about before: the Chumphon region.
It was an hour’s flight, about $100 round trip, and we found an amazing resort called the Tanisa. About a 40-minute drive from the airport through roads that totally cried ALOHA (Hawaii); if I didn’t know we were on a mainland I would have thought we were on an island. Palm trees, birds singing, and fluffy clouds greeted us at a very, very small airport and it was a great way to begin the rejuvenation and recovery from The City.
When you book a room you never know what you’re getting, but when we pulled up and saw that it looked very Hawaiiana- like home. Our room is large with concrete floors and a huge shower. The small pool is nice plus they have a café with a menu that could compare to Cheesecake Factory! (For those that don’t know, it’s big). To top it off, this room is just over $20 per night, a fraction of what you would pay for similar in the States or many other areas. We are not waterfront, but a scooter at $8 per day is perfect for getting us to the beach, a 20-minute ride.
I have never seen a tropical beach like this. Wide open spaces and palm trees resonated, but when you look out and see small islands and rocks protruding from the water, well, that is unique to me. I don’t know the water temp, but it’s like a slightly warm bath, not hot at all, and quite pleasant. We walked the beach which is made up of the finest grains of sand I have seen, and it was strewn with shells and the artistic diggings of sand crabs.
The “reality” of nomadic life is that it is full of uncertainty and unknown. It can be intimidating and scary while at the same time fresh and exciting.
As I reflected upon our decision to commit to 60 days in our Bangkok Ivory Tower, in hindsight I wish we had not done it. We were swayed by the cheap price and the beautiful facilities, but the energy of the town and the people wasn’t working. So now it appears our $13 per night room (the average) will be used to store our uncarried luggage while we make side trips, relatively untethered by excess clothing and such. Considering we’ve stayed at five “long term” rentals and up till now, loved them all, the Far East has been a true learning experience and we hope to impart those lessons on you. Visas are critical over here, which means that exits out of a country are as important as when and how you enter. Food is different, spoken English is a luxury and not to be expected, and pollution, both air and water, seems to be a reality in this part of the world. I have gotten feedback from many that say that they could not stay in parts of China due to brown air so that diminishes my motivation to go there.
When we started our Travel Younger journey almost a year ago we decided that we would do it “as long as it’s fun.” When it comes to visiting places that are questionable, for now I will take them off the table if they are not fun, and certainly if they are unhealthy.
Of the 241 countries in the world, per the United Nations, the majority I have no interest to visit. The US recognizes less than 200 of them and as I reviewed the world list, I have about 50 more on my radar. Last year we hit 18, so the rest may be attainable.
