March 25, 2009: Thailand

We woke up too late for breakfast, so we checked out and went to our favorite little restaurant to eat. Brandon grabbed another "hot" deal from a salesperson who seemed desperate to provide lodging for people, but this time we would have to take a 5 minute boat ride to get to a place called Long Beach. Cost per night: $15. After being spoiled with air-conditioning the night before, I was leaning toward spending a little extra for an air conditioner and I wasn’t so sure about committing to two nights at this place. I was thinking “Uh oh, not another bug-infested bed to sleep in!” Once we arrived at the Hillside Bungalows, we had a mountain of stairs to climb… I’m not exaggerating on that, either. However, immediately a burden was lifted of our shoulders...literally. The bungalow office has an innovative luggage service. In other words: a makeshift elevator for your belongings. So, once we climbed Mt. Thai-Everest, we collected our bags at the top and hopped on the back of a scooter, which was kindly provided by the front desk complete with scooter driver, for a ride to our cabin.

Our place was far in the back of the compound. Because the cabins are situated at the top of cliffs, we had a perfect panoramic view of the ocean below. We had, far and away, the best view of all. Inside, the cabin may not have been all that beautiful, like our view, but Brandon says it was a step up from his college dorm. The solid wood cabin had two beds, a fan (no mosquito net was necessary because screens covered the windows, thank goodness!), a shower/bathroom and most importantly, electricity! They even put out little soaps and shampoos in the bathroom (It’s those little touches that show you a business is trying!)

Not long after we settled in, we went downstairs to have fresh, mouth-watering watermelon shakes. Think of the sweetest, flavorful, juiciest watermelon you’ve ever had. Multiply that by 10 and add some crushed ice. Thirsty yet? By far, those were my favorite indulgences and they were only $1. It sure beats a Sonic drink and it takes a lot for me to say something like that. Afterward, we got some snorkeling gear and explored the nearby reef. We saw a number of colorful fish: blue, purple, zebra/leopard-print, yet all were harmless. We were out there for a couple hours and didn’t spot a single shark, eel or jelly fish. Fine by me! We returned our rented gear and went back to the bungalow to clean up.

We found a nice, open-air restaurant for dinner. I started out with another juicy and fruity drink. Then, we both opted for the local cuisine. I didn’t realize that sweet and sour chicken is Thai, since they tend to label that as Chinese food in the states. It was always on the menu, so I got that a few times.

During part of our dinner, we enjoyed fire baton-twirling from a distance. We also spotted a swing with the perfect view. Before long, we headed back up to the bungalow to sleep. I wasn’t taking any chances; I wore bug repellent to bed. It was actually the OFF! Brand we are so used to back home, but unlike what we grew up with, it actually had a pleasant smell. This made wearing bug-spray to sleep a tolerable exercise.

-Sarah