So about 1 month ago, I found myself with a few days on my hands. Surprised by an unexpected Thai holiday, of which I did not know the significance, I had a long weekend in which to begin to begin to explore the beaches and islands of Thailand.
So Carol and I set off – for a girl’s weekend. A weekend of sun, beach, cocktails and dancing and seeing what kind of fun and interesting people we could meet along the way. And yes, the beaches were beautiful. And yes, the water was crystal clear and like a warm bath. I will show you photos….but what I really want to tell you about is the people.
In Thailand you meet so many people… How is this different than the diverse communities of say New York or London you ask? It seems that this is because the people who come here arrive prepared to fully embrace new experiences. (and no I do not mean the sex trade – those of you who thought this, shame on you ☺). What I mean is people are genuinely warm and open - they want to know your story, your beginnings, your experiences, your home culture and they also share theirs. And it is through discovering others in this way, that I believe we can also discover ourselves in new ways. So let me tell you about the people I encountered and don’t worry, you’ll get to see some beach photos too!
We arrived in Phuket on a Saturday morning and checked into our hotel on the beach. As you know Phuket was hit by the tsunami and they are still rebuilding. There are newly erected signs warning against big waves and evacuation routes. But yet, somehow it seems to have recovered in spirit – optimistic and as positive as ever. Within an hour we were on the beach,
snacking on fresh mango and sunning ourselves.
It was on arrival that we noticed a group of men – all dressed alike in the same shirts, same caps – team uniforms of some sort. These guys were having an incredible afternoon of male bonding – parasailing on the beach, having a few beers, playing Frisbee, laughing and joking with the occasional good-natured shoulder punch for good measure. Throughout the rest of our day and evening we kept running into this group until finally in a pub we had the occasion to meet them. As it turns out, they were an Aussie Rules Football team on holiday. A group of 15 having a guys weekend. So after discussing the obvious differences between their guys weekend and our girls weekend (ha ha – you can imagine the agendas are a bit different, especially in Thailand – here you are allowed to think sex trade!), we joined forces with them and began to explore the bars and clubs of Phuket. At some pont in the evening we also picked up a bachelorette party along the way who joined us in the festivities!! The evening went until morning - we saw the sunrise on the beach and then went our separate ways. Us on our journey to an island and them to do whatever it is packs of men do when there are no respectable women around.
So what did I learn you ask? Besides learning about Aussie football and discovering I can pass for age 27 (yay!!!), I think I gleaned some important
insights. Aaah to be 20 again….some of the guys were quite young, but from them I remembered that how easy and fun it can be to meet new people and to embrace the day and evening, however it unfolds. There is a psychological term for this – called FLOW. Flow is the mental state in which a person is fully immersed in what they are doing, characterized by a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process. And we could all use more flow in our lives, don’t you think?On to Koh Phi Phi….Whereas Phuket was full of bars and chain restaurants, Koh Phi Phi felt just the opposite. Not commercial, not overly swarmed with tacky tourists. Just a simple, incredibly charming island where beach bars had no chairs - only mats on the sand - and where on these mats you could sit and experience one of the most beautiful islands Thailand has to offer. And was it ever gorgeous – see the photos of the scenery and such – quite easily the most extraordinary place that I have had the good fortune to lay eyes on.
Here we met all sorts of people….in 2 days it was like an international sampler of backpacking Europeans, honeymooning Australians, South Americans passionately drinking in the island and some really extraordinary locals who spoke to us about all sorts of island stories and lore.
The most interesting person we met was Eddie. Eddie is a Thai Rastafarian who ran the beach bar that we frequented….he has made a living of working in the islands for the last 29 years and whenever the spirit moves him he goes to another place. He’s loved on 11 islands in Thailand and Malaysia. Eddie sat down with every table, chatted for a bit…talked about his life and inquired about others. By the end of the evening I did not feel like a customer in a bar, but rather a guest in Eddie’s home. And he introduced us to other guests…an English guy who had been backpacking for 1 year and was finishing his trip in Phi Phi, a New York based Argentinian on vacation, an Australian couple on their honeymoon, a Danish guy who runs boat tours of the island….each person on their own journey but embracing the experience of meeting different people from different cultures and feeding curious minds with answers to questions long wondered – how was it living in NY on Sept 11, was what it like to be in Argentinian during the economic crisis and most importantly why is European beer so much better than American beer?
Sometimes I wish I had known this whole other world existed when I was younger. What would it have been like to be the English guy and to backpack around the world for 1 year – going from the Andes mountains to Thai beaches. Would I be different or the same as I am today? But in the end we are all the unique tapestry that our experiences weave, so while it is fun to dream, I also recognize I wouldn’t be right here, right now embracing this experience without the life I have led behind me. And at this moment, I really would not want to be any other place.
To come…Beaches Part Deux - BALI debrief. Bali is truly the most spectacular island I have ever seen. I struggle to imagine how to bring it to life for you in a way that will represent it properly.
Merry Christmas,
Joanna
