Happy 5 month anniversary, Southeast Asia!

Just some pretty things =)

Southeast Asia makes dreams come true...

Sometime last year, AJ McLean from the Backstreet Boys released his solo record - it was soooooo good that you cannot get it in the States. Obviously I am being sarcastic, I heard the first single of it and watched the video for "Teenage Wildlife" and it was one of the worst songs I have heard in my life. So CLEARLY I had to buy the record. If you don't know me, I love AJ McLean. He was basically my husband from age 12 - now???

Mmm, yes.

The guy behind me is not pleased with my choice.

Railay Beach, Thailand, x2, and I would do it again and again and again...

I loved Railay Beach so much, too much, very much in November, so I returned in March! So all these photos are just a big lovefest. I started writing songs about the limestone cliffs and everything. <3 I will be back!!

Railay East from a distance (on the longtail to this beautiful place)

Outside my hotel room. Niiiice.

It rained a bit every day, but it was still so freaking fantastic!

Yes, sunburnt. I was missing home so I bought New York Cheddar Kettle Chips.
Who knew they sold 'em in Thailand?

The night of the HUGE moon/closest it has been in 20 years, the low tide was crazy!

Still low tide from the Full moon.

So beautiful!

Oh yes, I tried rock climbing! With Tom - best instructor
"Put your left foot where your right hand is! Foot work! Foot work!"

My first climb! Beautiful views from atop!

Nice @$$.

Suited up, walking to the next cave and climb! This was when I already knew that I loved rock climbing!!

Such a beautiful view!

Life is so good.

After a 3 minute walk in the absolute cave darkness, we came out to this!

Abseiling

29 meters to the top? uhhhhhh OK!

I got stuck here for quite some time. Almost quit. But how rewarding it was to get to the top!
Rock climbing is such an amazing sport. Can't wait to do it again!

Tom!

How to get good, cheap food on Railay.

Monkeys, monkeys everywhere! A lot of them have infections though, very sad.

Limestone cliffs look so different once you've climbed them. They are close friends.

Best Swedish guys- Anders and Emil.

I'm serious, they are awesome!

Climbed up to another view point. This was more of a trek and rock scramble up.

Railay Beach.

Beautiful, beautiful place.

The Oldest and Biggest Banyan Tree in Thailand!

Yes, I am dedicating a whole post to a tree. What a wonderfully magical tree it is, though! The little park is called Sai-Ngarm, meaning either 'Sweeping Banyans" or "Beautiful Banyan". The Banyan Tree in this park covers an area of over 35,000 square feet and more than 350 years old. And yes, there are 3 videos BUT it's like a mystery that I needed to solve because it was very hard to figure out which was the original tree that 'gave birth' to all of these other treelike branches!...and I'd been traveling alone for almost a month, missing my friends, so I became really close with my camera on this day. (This one's for Lindsey, who showed me branches in a different light.)

Stop calling it "bunion" tree!!!



Mystery solved!!

What the island of Banyan looks like from the outside.

Yours Truly Madly Deeply