Thai Tots: Phucket and Phi Phi!

After Bangkok, we headed to southern Thailand on an overnight bus to get some beach time in. The in-bus movie was Twilight...and was just as nauseating in Thai, to my disappointment.

Both Phuket and the Phi Phi Islands were hot tourist spots. It didn't take us long to spot a McDonalds in Phuket within about ten minutes of being there...we weren't feeling too brave about the Thai food just yet!

The beach was great! Though we all got pretty fried our first day. I learned the hard way that SPF 30 does absolutely nothing here!

After a couple days in Phuket, we took a little cruise boat down to the Phi Phi Islands (pronounced "Pee Pee." Yes I laugh every time I say it because I have the maturity level of a five year-old...Phi Phi Bakery anyone?) Despite the name, it was BEAUTIFUL! The rock-islands around the main island are huge and covered with bright green shrubs and trees and surrounded by clear, aqua-colored water.

Here is a street in Phi Phi, complete with abandoned laundry cart. Most of the town was lined with little shops and restaurants. There were also tons of massage places but, after a frightening Thai massage experience during the evening of our day in Bangkok, we steered clear of them!

We lived in a bungalow!! 9 bucks a night. It was pretty awesome, except for the actually living in it part. Let me just say, my mosquito net became my best friend.

Our first day, we saw a sign that said "Viewpoint" and saw a flight or two of stone steps going up the mountain. We thought we could handle it. However, those steps turned into a mountain-side of steps! We had no idea what we had gotten ourselves into, but the view was definitely worth the hike! Just look at that!

Some kiddos playing soccer.

A street in another part of Phi Phi.

Beautiful views from one of the beaches!

We spent half a day in a boat trip around the islands and rocks! We got to snorkel and kayak and see monkeys!

The tourist guide said they gather eggs from bird nests on this little island and make a soup that gives you powers. Now I know where to go to summon my eagle powers.

We swam up to that crevice, climbed the rope ladder, walked through a little village, and saw the most beautiful little beach, called Maya Beach. It was amazing! I didn't post a great picture because it's impossible to capture the view with my camera. It was like paradise though! The water was so warm and it was surrounded by rocks covered with green growth and you could see the sun through an opening between the rocks at the far end.