Escape to Phuket

Not that we needed another break, but about 4 days after coming back from Vietnam, Ez and I jet-setted off again to Phuket, Thailand to see our beloved high school friends Julia and Kiyomi. Talk about a weekend in heaven... Phuket is beautiful, but I have to say, the highlight of the trip was getting to see my girls after many months of missing them, and enjoying time together just relaxing, eating amazing Thai food, and of course being silly. I think our Thai cultural experience will be more authentic when Ez and I go back there in June and spend a whole week, so this trip was mainly for some beach time and friend time. That being said, it was probably the most cultural tourist trap I've ever been to thanks to Kiyomi- her Thai is pretty amazing and everywhere we went she struck up on conversation, so I felt pretty special just being near her.

On Phi Phi Island

Anyways, we only had 4 days there (including travel days, so really only 2) so we tried to pack in the fun. Our first full day, we bought some sweet breads and fresh fruit and headed down to Kata beach for breakfast. Despite the throngs of rosy tourists lining the shore, we were in heaven, and stayed that way until dinnertime, marveling at the warm turquoise water and unnaturally tan Europeans in our midst (how do they even get that color?).

Julia and Me

After visiting a smaller beach and having chicken and green papaya salad for lunch, we went swimming in the pool at our incredible guesthouse and pretended we were middle schoolers again, splashing and causing a raucous as onlookers wondered how old we were. Ezra sat that one out, preferring to listen to his ipod pool-side.

Kiyomi orders our green papaya salad

The next day, Kiyomi organized a boat tour for us to a few of the islands off the coast of Phuket. Along with about 40 other tourists, we were whisked away first to Maya Bay, where they filmed the movie "The Beach," and then to Phi Phi Island, unfortunately most well known for its destruction during the 2004 tsunami. Along the way we saw monkeys (not as fun for Kiyomi and Juj who were directly under the scared little monkeys being fed bananas...) and were able to snorkel and sunbathe on various beaches. We were pretty exhausted and sunburnt that night, so we rested up, ate another delicious Thai meal, and went to bed.

Kiyomi at Maya Bay

Ez coming back from snorkeling

Saying goodbye to them on Saturday and going back to Malaysia was hard for me. After basically having a two-week break from teaching, I couldn't imagine going back to my responsibilities and the various administrative issues I was having when I left. But, now that I'm back, I actually do feel a little bit like I've come home, so that was a surprising and welcomed feeling. Of course teaching in another country is trying, more so the relating to the teachers and administration than to the students, but I have settled here and it is a blessing to feel comfortable in such a different place. Ez and I will be doing less traveling now in order to save some money for our big trip to China in May, so for about the next 2 months we will be in Malaysia completely immersed in our jobs. I will try to post just as frequently, but please email me because I miss everyone and want to hear how you are!

Phuket pictures have been posted!

Love,

Sarah