Thailand Catch-up, in pictures...

Spending a week back in the US didn’t actually end up providing me with all that free time I was expecting, but it did give an opportunity to see a lot of friends, who all seem to think that I’ve been slacking on my blog-updating duties of late… So, trying to catch up – the remainder of the time in Thailand: I’ll mostly let the pictures do the talking, but I spent three days down South in Phuket, having a very active vacation as I managed to rent a scooter, go bungy jumping, go wakeboarding (behind a static line – booo!), see a 45m Buddha statue at the top of a hill, paddle around a small island in a rented sea kayak, and, finally, on the last day, take a snorkeling cruise out on scenic Phi Phi islands (with a group of 15 divers divers/snorkelers, 10 of whom were Russian, not including me!).

After Phuket, it was up North, to Chiang Mai, where after rushing from the delayed flight at the airport to play a bit of ultimate, it was on to a little more cultural temple-viewing , then to the surrounding jungle/bamboo forest hills for three days of fairly mild trekking, involving elephant rides, native villages, bamboo rafts, and waterfall showers. This trip only shared the trekking name with the trip in Nepal, as this was much, much more of a walk in a park (a park that’s not at a high elevation) than the climb to Everest Base Camp could have ever been…


Beautiful, sunny Phuket island


Just not a sign that you need in most places


Scattered rocks and blue waters near the islands where we went diving


Amazing clear blue water


Chilling on the boat


Emerald Buddha at the Doi Suthep temple in Chiang Mai


View onto the Chiang Mai valley


Me and my light-blue colored scooter in Chiang Mai!


It’s a bit corny and touristy, but hey, we got to ride an elephant for an hour and a half!


Only one shower during the three days … and a cold one at that!


In Thailand, paddling down a river on a rickety bamboo raft – Safety Third!