Our last few days in Koh Phi Phi were spent soaking up the sun and exploring the island.
We read books we were able to download on our phones and frequently jumped in and out of the water to escape the heat. It gets hot in Phi Phi (like muggy- hot). The air is heavy and you have to constantly keep a water bottle with you.
Doug and I enjoyed walking the random maze of paths connecting all the shops and make-shift street markets. We bought random gifts for friends and family back home and enjoyed haggling with the locals. It's become a game between the two of us. We try to see who can getter the better deal on the exact same item. I think I do a better job than Doug does, but he will most likely say otherwise. You have to be careful not to start to low with a price. Doug found that out in Koh Samui really fast when he totally offended a girl (ask to hear the story if you really care-- was pretty funny).
It ended with her saying (kind of yelling actually) "I've never met anyone like you!" We still cannot stop laughing about that encounter.
Walking around the "streets" of Phi Phi proved to be beneficial. We found a cheap sandwich shop with a fiesty, fun-loving owner who we would later visit a few times. We also found a nice little shop that sold fresh fruit for a great price.
We tried new fruits, some absolutely delectable and some that quite frankly tasted like feet. My favorite fruit was by far the mangos. They are probably the best that I have ever tasted.
We snacked on fruit during the day and drank tons of water even though I'm pretty sure we were still dehydrated.
Later that day we got lavender oil massages (amazing). I absolutely loved it. Doug did too (sort of).
He had eaten food that didn't agree with him and let's just say a massage may not have been the best idea. (Again, ask to hear the real story if you care!)
After our massages we were so relaxed that we walked up the steps to a bungalow that wasn't even ours! Doug put the key in and everything before I looked through the door and realized that those were not our clothes inside! Mind you, Doug had been basically shaking the door to get it open! We ran away really fast hoping people weren't watching us! Luckily the people weren't actually in their room or that could have been REALLY awkward!
March 3rd:
The next morning we woke up and had some breakfast by the beach. We lounged in the bungalow and by the pool, listening to music and reading books. We got some nice R&R time in and had great conversation ranging anywhere from food to insurance to politics to airplanes.
I think after spending three months together we can pretty much carry on a conversation about anything with one another. You would think we would be completely sick of one another but surprisingly that hasn't happened yet...(knock-on-wood)!
Once the weather cooled down a bit, Doug and I decided we would adventure out and attempt to find the Koh Phi Phi viewpoint.
We thought it was going to be just a short walk away but it ended up being much further from our bungalow than we had anticipated (of course)! Somehow Doug always manages to find a hike that will "only take us ten minutes" but really it takes us an hour! I've learned to go with it and when he says ten minutes that usually means about sixty. By now--I know how he works!
We definitely went out of our way a couple times but I didn't mind--- except for when we had to bypass the Phi Phi "sewer system."
I'll admit that one was my fault though. I told Doug his directions were wrong and look where it got me---next to a huge pile of poop (dang it)! That was not an enjoyable moment. :)
Later on however, we managed to stumble upon a bunch of wild monkeys and stopped for a while to watch them.
Seeing a monkey in its natural habitat is way different than seeing one in a zoo, and I can honestly say it is 100x better.
It was funny because we saw just one and then the closer we looked, we realized they were completely surrounding us (a very cool moment).
We kept our distance but enjoyed the short break from the up-hill hiking. We had throughly drenched our clothes in sweat but going to the viewpoint was completely worth it: (1) Because we saw monkeys (duh) and (2) Because the view was incredible.
Once we got to the viewpoint we were surprised to find that we had to pay to accomplish the last 30 feet to the actual viewpoint. After we paid our 20 baht we climbed up a very rickety and shaky staircase to reach our final destination.
From the Koh Phi Phi viewpoint we were able to see the small stretch of land that connects the larger portions of the island.
We got a nice view of both bays and made it in the nick of time to witness the sunset.
To our surprise, many others had the same agenda we did and we reached the top only to be joined with at least 50 other travelers, mainly backpackers like ourselves. It truly was a beautiful view and everyone was actually super quiet, giving the beauty of the sunset the due respect it deserved.
Doug and I have watched the sun rise and set in several locations throughout the last three months and honestly it never gets old. It's kind of calming and comforting in a way to know that no matter where we go and in all the crazy locations we have been, it's always the same sun. God is good.
Though we didn't mind being joined by all the other travelers we couldn't help but wonder where they had all come from. They certainly hadn't gone up the same path we did because we sporadically only saw about six other people on our way up. Turns out there was a much easier path (go figure), although it was without monkeys.
We took the newly discovered path on the way back down because the one we came up in the first place was not well lit and my phone battery was dying (probably not a good combination).
We were glad we did the walk but it was super muggy. It looked like we had jumped in a pool of water.
We ate dinner, cleaned up and headed in for the night. This was our last night in Koh Phi Phi. Ending an island or location with a good sunrise or sunset has sort of become a tradition for the two of us.
We couldn't have asked for a better time in Phi Phi. God was on his game when he created that place, because the combination of the views, the water color, and not to mention the sea life was just absolutely stunning.
Koh Phi Phi looks like a page straight out of one of those island calendars you put on your fridge to remind you of warmer weather. We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful location.
March 4th:
The next morning we ate a quick breakfast (rice and fruit mainly) and packed our bags to catch the morning ferry. Our ferry ride back to Krabi was much more pleasant than our ride to Phi Phi had been and for some reason it was about an hour shorter.
When we got off the boat, it was complete chaos. People were rushing everywhere to try and find their bags. There was no organization to the system whatsoever. I attempted to find our packs but they were nowhere to be seen. They definitely were not where we had left them with the others stacked on the rear of the boat. I got off the boat while Doug kept searching. I thought it was a lost cause and that the bags had vanished into the blue abyss of the ocean. However, Doug managed to find both our packs.... in a lower cabin of the ferry....behind a door...near the engine room (to be exact). How they managed to get there--we will never know. I was just happy that he found them and apparently so was he. He came off the boat with both hands in the air like he has just won a world championship or something! I hate to admit, it was pretty funny!
After we figured out the bag situation we got on a janky bus (which lacked an air conditioner) that took us to Ao Nang Beach. The bus shook a lot and we could barely squeeze our knees behind the seats in front of us, but it worked and that's all we needed.
By the time we got to Ao Nang our sweaty bodies were glued to the seats and we basically had to peel a layer of skin off to get unstuck but we made it! The bus dumped us off along the beach, but we still had to walk a couple miles to reach our guesthouse.
I think Ao Nang somehow managed to be hotter than Phi Phi. Doug and I kind of just laugh at how hot it is now and make fun of how much sweat drips from each other's faces. Even if we feel miserable, I think we've become living proof that laughter truly is the best medicine. And in that case if laughter is a drug- consider us overdosed! The past three months have been some of the most inspiring and wonderful times, laughter and all.
We are currently still at Ao Nang Beach and will be hanging around here for the most part until our time runs out and we have to head home.
Thanks so much for reading! We truly appreciate all the kind words, thoughts, and positive vibes everyone has been sending our way! It won't be long before we are home and able to tell our stories in person (dramatic facial expressions and amazing hand gestures included)!
We hope this post finds you happy and healthy. Enjoy your life today!
(Credit for the beautiful flower photo of course goes to Doug Bontrager).
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