Photo Credit: Tannis Price

Our Thai adventure has begun! Life Before Work 6 week May tour is a milestone in my life. Leaving my family and touring halfway around the world goes hand in hand with my 2012 resolution; Love more, See more, Learn more. We all nervously/excitedly greeted each other in the airport to begin what we were certain would be the trip of a lifetime; and if the first couple days are any indication of what’s to come, that will absolutely be true. Everything kicked off with an extremely long day and a half of traveling complete with downing a last Tim Hortons tea in Vancouver, “get to know you” chats on a 13 hour flight, onion cookies that made my stomach turn, confusion in the Shanghai airport, naps, ipods, and lots of water. We stepped off the plane, all eager to get out of an airport and breathe in some fresh air. Opening the doors of Bangkok airport to meet our guide Rong did allow us to get some fresh air, and it was hot. The wall of humidity that hit us made my LuLuLemon pants feel like they were made out of woll. That night followed with a group meeting, some ice breaking conversations over our first meal of real Thai food, and visiting until the sun came up. Mine and my roommate Natalie’s first night in Bangkok was particularly toasty because our room had no air conditioning. After some re-arranging we got an air conditioned room and enjoyed our next couple days in Bangkok. We shopped at the local markets, found a lady who sold the best watermelon I ever ate for 15 Baht, went to Wat Pho temple, rode in the back of a tuk tuk, attended a Bangkok boat party that (after eating a quail egg earlier in the day) made me extremely sick, went for morning runs alongside the monks and drank banana milkshakes. After leaving Bangkok we arrived in Kanchanaburi and I think we all felt like we found the paradise we were looking for. The rooms are huge with wooden furniture, a crazy comfy bed, a pool, and a bird that whistles at you when you walk by. Days in Kanchan so far have been spent listening to music, swimming in the pool, petting tigers and swimming in waterfalls. The tiger temple was thrilling, getting to see such huge animals only a couple feet from you. Yesterday was the waterfalls. We hiked 7 of them and jumped off/slid down a few. The view from the top was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Today is the elephant riding! I am about to go have some fruit and yogurt before we leave but so far this has been the time of my life in Thailand and I can’t wait for the next 5 weeks..

Picture Credit: Katherine Dromparis

Bangkok is pure insanity! Not only is it smotheringly hot, but the night life, shopping, and people are unbelievable. The food here is very unique, definitely not Canada food haha. Our hotel is sweet too, and the best discovery I’ve ever made was the air conditioning dial! Our first night out was rediculous.. We went straight from the plane (we got in at 1 am) had a quick meeting, and majority of the group headed out to experience Bangkok at its finest! We partied until about 9am, and it was the best night ever! Coolest thing I have ever done though was the fish spa.. Yes I let over 100 fish eat away at my feet and hands! Sounds gross but it was actually so cool. Tonight is a boat party, first time ever for the tour! Off to Kanchaburi in the morning to pet some tigers, ride elephants, and see amazing waterfalls. Epic photos to come!

Today we did the Elephant trek through the jungle. It was Un-real. We passed a tribal village, went through the jungle then crossed the River Kwai and then gave the elephants a head massage using shampoo and a brush. It was fantastic!

After this we travelled by minibus to Bangkok and found that 10 streets around where we were staying had been closed for the Thai New years water festival called Songkan where people throw water over each other for good luck. There were lots of music stands and street parties galore. Estimates said there were around 200,000 people in the city for this and it was amazing to see this amazing festival. I got my last few presents and gifts for the family, ate a good meal with everyone else on the trip and had a few drinks. Was up for 7am next morning to travel to the airport and flew from Bangkok via Amsterdam then on to Manchester.

AMAZING!  Had the time of my life. Would thoroughly recommend everyone to take this trip you will not regret one second of it! Life Before Work is a great company!!

Thank you for the memories! \O/

We left Railay to travel to Kanchanaburi. We took a longtail boat followed by a night train and then a minibus to arrive at our hotel in Kanchanaburi. Today is Thailands New Year (Songkran) and the tradition is to soak as many people as possible in water that are passing by. So travelling to restaurants and shops has been eventful and wet! We visited the tiger temple which is preserving tigers and many other wild animals. We got to walk a full size female bengal tiger on a lead and got to take lots of fantastic pictures with us stroking tiger cubs. There were also deer, wilderbeast, a black bear and many other different types of animal that you could approach and take pictures with in the temple.  Tonight we are shopping at the street markets and looking for bargains! My favourite day of the trip so far!

We left Koh Phangan around 5.30am, travelled by minibus to the pier and took a catamaran then another bus to the pier that leaves for Railay. We took a longtail boat and travelled over to the third island of our trip. Once we arrived we took a walk round to the beach and were surprised that monkeys dropped down from the tree tops to greet us! Railay has the best scenery and beaches of this trip it is so gorgeous. Our time here has been action packed we have cliff jumped, rock climbed, kayaked through the mangrove swamps, climbed through caves, barbecued on a deserted island and also swam in the pitch black at night with the ilumious plankton. We have done a lot and Railay is my favourite part of the trip so far, its beautiful. Sky blue sea and high mountains surrounding the island with so much to do.

Today we left the small island of Koh Tao to travel over to Koh Phan-gan, where the monthly full moon party is held. We took a truck taxi through the island and sat on the back of a flatbed truck to the pier. That was followed by a 2 hour ferry ride and another taxi truck to our accommodation. Our beach cabins are right on haad rin beach, which is were the full moon party is in 4 days! Its less than 2 minutes walk. Was out for the “before parties” last night, there was around a thousand on the beach and lots of parties and music. Tonight is a pool party, tomorrow is a foam party then the night before will be a chill out night because the full moon is an all nighter with up to 30,000 on the beach. Love Koh Phan-gan its a real party island and the scenery, sunsets and views are breathtaking !

Woke up in sunny Koh Tao and decided to tour around the island a bit on my own. It really is paradise, its so beautiful. Palm trees,sky blue sea, beach and sunsets !! Its a small island with more bars, pool parties and chilled out people than ive ever met. It is so good !!

Spent the afternoon sat outside a tattoo shop chilling with about 8 island Hippies introducing them to house and trance music and watching people getting tattooed while drinking rum. Rounded up the evening by going to a beach party at till around 5am with swedish girls and guys from Amsterdam. Crazy storm hit at night as well thunder, lightning and heavy rain thought there would be flash floods. .  Back up at 12 for Thai food and the sky is sea blue again. Perfect beach weather !! Perfect !

Today I was up early and went for a head massage on the street in Bangkok then looked at tribal jewellery and art. Ate Thai sweet and sour for lunch, then the tour went and saw a burmese python and visited the biggest buddhist monastery in Thailand. We had a tour guide that explained and taught me about the history of buddhism, religion and karma. The tour then took an overnight train from Bangkok through the jungle over 12 hours and transferred to a coach which transferred us to a pier leaving for the islands. Sailed for 2 hours to Khao Tao Island.

We arrived and dropped our bags off at our accommodation. We are staying in a hut on stilts which overlooks the sea, which is only a minute away from the balcony! Listened to what scuba diving in the reefs and shipwrecks would cover by an expert diver then had a pool party for the rest of the afternoon. Out for the night time included a house music beach bar with around 100 people dancing and watching fire spinners. Heaven!

After haggling in the markets, sampling Thai food and having a head massage on the street i met my tour guides, Asia and Rong and throughout the day the other backpackers arrived and we had a few drinks and got to know each other, where we all were from and what we expected to gain from this trip. There is a really good bunch of people and im really looking forward to getting to know them all more. Our tour has 17 people on it, a couple of Brits, an American and mostly Canadians and they can all drink and party hard and everyone is really excited about what the next few weeks has to offer and the life experience they will all gain. Awesome first day !!!