Brilliance

So many days spent in
The sun, in houses with no walls, in oceans with perfect brilliance, on small boats navigating multiple and opposing currents, on land glowing from the moon, in the jungle lit by fireflies, on the rock this whole island was built upon being washed away by the forever crashing waves.

Beautiful swells of amazing and enlightening humans enjoying every moment of each place their feet touch the ground–grounded yet flying, breathing and living fully, wishing not for anything more.

Yummies!!!

Okay so I have to take a moment to geek out about the food.
The food! Black rice pudding with fruit for breakfast, crazy shakes
of all concoction s the mocha coconut is a leading favorite–I
mean–coffe, chocolate, and fresh coconut? Really?! With an orchid
on the glass over looking the ocean–yes please!!? Soft sweet
mango, The schnitzel with lime is impressive the pad Thai has like
an entire omelet on top, lemon mint shake, fresh young coconut all
over the place, fresh toasted coconut oil at the local store,
pineapple fried rice prepared and cooked in half a pineapple to the
point where even the outside skin was so tasty it melted in your
mouth!!! Papaya with lime, spicy hot everything and even right now
I’m sitting an om open air resturaunt called Gunthers–no sign-
just a huge light up fish outside and some puppies at this tripped
out lit up open bungaloo hanging over the shore line of this peak
of the island playing banging minimal techno drinking my cheap
awesome and rich singha beer after I thoroughly enjoyed spaghetti
carbona –alfresco homemade pasta with fresh seafood caught by
Gunther himself earlier this week with Parmesan, mmm life is sweet.
Almost as sweet as that banana nutella crepe with coconut ice cream
on top or the pumpkin –holy taste buds Asian pumpkin is soooooo
good!!! Pumpkin curry, pumpkin salad, pumpkin custard, roasted
pumpkin seeds with hot sauce, green curry, red curry, panang curry,
shredded apple with spicy green Papaya, cucumber, chillis, eggs
Thai style –sunnyside up but crispy on the edges with sweet and
spicy sauce, sweet potatoes served with mayonnaise, vegetable
noodle soup, crazy snacks with raw fruit filling, real Thai tea,
nom nom nom nom …pictures of food upon my return xo

Lunar

So much amazing moon energy here. Bright golden beams
bounce off the waters collectives surface. Red yellow orange white
moonrise moonset faery rings lunarbows radiating from it’s secretly
watery surface charging this island full of crystal the resonates
with the animals and tide and the very moment of every night and
day.

paradise found

First. . . you have to travel half way around the world. Then you have to find your bearings. Next you get on a bus and take it 9 hours down the coast. . then you board a ferry. Skip the first island, get off on the second and then get in a taxi truck. . . next jump out at the top of the tallest hill and make your way down its dirt paths. YOu think . . .wow this is one the prettiest places I havever seen . .  Dont mind the foam flying out of the pool at the hotel over there, or the monkey on the leash, or the infinite 7-11’s–or the cute shitzus named “Thank You” and “Sorry “walk to the beach. . .and of course who is the first person you meet. . . the owner of the place you are headed to. Every other person who said hello and asked where you were headed and you didnt even flinch. . but for whatever reason. . . this time you answer.  He walks you to the beach and you hop in the orange and white taxi boats. The green blue water splashes around you as you board each and every wave around the coast. . . .and then you pull up onto this secluded beach built into the side of the mountain and everyone is so lovely and friendly and the places are so nice and you realize. . . wait. . . no this is the prettiest place I have seen yet. . . . and then you smile and throw yourself onto the beach and stay there all afternoon and into the night and watch the moonrise and reflect brilliant gold off the blue green water and let the wind swing you to sleep.

xoxo

Settling In

Today was the first sunny blue day here for me which was about 3x hotter than yesterday. After home made bread and jam was sought out this morning (and so necessary) a bumbling but successful trip to Wat Chana Songkhram occurred where Telah and I were blessed by a monk under the watchful eye of Big Budha.

As we twisted through the back of the temple gates we found sweet dogwood blossoms floating through the air and stumbled upon the cutest lil table of dates and tea and rice-happily perched on a picnic table between temple spires and the most resonating of gongs.

Pricing of goods is beginning to make sense and a greater awareness and understanding if I’m being taken advantage of VS getting a good deal is starting to become more clear. Luckily I’ve only had to pay stupidity tax a handful of times lololol.

I’m impressed by the amount of goods available all the time all around me here. Oooh and today we got to see the fishies that eat your dead flesh! They tickle lolol.

The food here is super yummy with an explosion of complex flavors-milky, spicy, sweet, and delicious! I even saw someone eat crickets and grub worms today–they skipped the scorpion though which I was hoping they d try. Maybe by the end of the trip I’ll give that a shot 😉 I am however VERY excited for my (morning swim and) milky rice and mango breakfast tomorrow!! Hooray!!

Tomorrow night we have an overnight ferry to Ko Pha Nga and will spend about a week in a nearby beach. I’m not sure what our Internet or electricity options will be there so I figured I’d get in a lil update now.

I hope you all are as thrilled as I am that I can upload photos straight from my phone!! Enjoy!

May every day be an adventure no matter where you are.

Xo

-=ali*

Khao San Rd

Walk on the left, use the stairs on the left, people drive on the left–my western brain is bring rewired with each step.

I found a clean and tasty looking street vendor and fashioned my worse “sawade ka” thus far and the lil Thai school girls behind me burst into giggles. I turned around quick –laughing with them cause I totally blundered. They helped me order and directed me to the least spicy of the condiments 🙂

A few things I observed today is that the rats are bigger, hairier, and blacker than NYC, the cockroaches are taller and longer then the flying ones in Texas, and there’s about as many cats here as there are at the Roman Coliseum.

However our roof top pool is pretty sweet, the people are friendly, and everything around you basks in the glow of the King. Canals, flowers, and temples–Buddhist Monks chanting in gold mountain echos all through the city streets while frankincense wafts through the air–even the crows are into the vibration and started mimicking their chant!!! Daily offerings of flower and fruits abound– all in one sunrise and one sunset.

Xo

-=ali*

Sunset inTokyo

It felt appropriate and helpful that the sun was setting boldly once the plane had landed. Perhaps seeing that moment will help me ease through jetlag. The flight itself was dark and quiet and full of many yummy snacks. I was thankful I was able to get some shut eye without any sleep aids. I awoke upon landing and was so thankful when I rolled up the window shade

The sunset was so amazing that even the Japanese folks returning home stopped to grab a photo.

Everyone in Japan was kind and friendly and I really enjoy all the signage–it’s bright with lil character s everywhere! So cute! And they have the kind of vending machines I could really get into –ice cream!!

Okay time to board the next leg of my trip.

Xo

-=ali*

Flying Out Today!!

on the plane and headed for a short stop in Tokyo on my way
Bangkok. Telah and I are meeting at baggage claim. My airplane is 2
stories tall! So fun. I have my inflateable fuzzy neck pillow all
blown up and am snuggled in for my 14 hour flight–here it goes!!!
Xo

Off to Thailand!!

Hello Lovelies~

I will be departing for Thailand come Monday and this is a blog where you can keep up with my travels* Enjoy ox -=ali*