The Best and Worst of Thailand (in our humble opinions)





Our 30 day tourist visas for Thailand were expiring on January 24th and we needed to leave on time to avoid paying a penalty.  Maybe it's because we knew we had to go, or maybe it was the rash of tummy troubles sweeping through the family, but it seemed like we were all feeling ready to move on to Cambodia.

Sitting in our hotel room for one (last) night in Bangkok, we came up with our personal lists of the best and worst of our time in Thailand:

Lucas:
Best
1.  Rock Climbing in Railay
2.  Amazing Thai food (pad Thai, sweet and sour chicken, fried vegetables, etc)
3.  Chillin on the beaches

Worst (all the same suckiness)
1. Being sick in Koh Lanta (stomach bug)
2.  Airports - so busy, so stressful
3.  Mini buses - too crowded, soooo many people

Maya:
Best
1. Zip lining in Chiang Mai
2.  Fruit smoothies everywhere
3.  Rock Climbing in Railay

Worst
1.  Fried Grasshoppers in Bangkok
2.  Scooter Ride in Mae Salong
3. All of the bad smells and garbage everywhere

Kim:
Best
1.  The night markets and walking streets, almost every city and town had them, we experienced the best food, music, and atmosphere in these bustling places.
2.  The amazing variety - gorgeous lush mountains, white sand beaches, ornate temples, simple bamboo shacks, ceremonies and festivals, this country is rich in natural beauty, culture, and tradition.
3.  Seeing how quickly the kids have adapted to and embraced this new lifestyle.

 Worst
1.  The garbage everywhere - its already impacting the beauty of places, and there is no sign of a plan for it.
2.   A couple of pretty sleepless nights in accommodations that felt, once we tucked in, like they might just have bedbugs... or something else equally creepy....thankfully, as far as I know, none of them did.
3.  Fighting to embrace the unknown - life at home has been very comfortable and predictable for a lot of years - life on this road is anything but!  Things are often uncomfortable, and there are many unknowns - I have to remind myself continually to "take it in", appreciate it for what it is, as I will likely never be here again. 

Chris:
Best...
1) The day touring the National Park on the Island of Koh Lanta  We rented scooters, and spent the better part of the day hiking, swimming, wildlife viewing and exploring pocket beaches along the way
2) Night markets of Chiang Rai for their huge variety of tasty foods and unique atmosphere
3) Day tour of the White Temple and Doi Chang

 Worst...
1) Feeling like I'll never want to eat again after eating or drinking something that didn't sit right with me in Krabi.  It took a couple of days but the feeling finally passed. Those cockroaches, tarantulas, chicken heads and pig feet look appetizing again.
2) The unpredictable smells of garbage, sewage, vehicle exhaust, and  unappetizing food that hit you without any warning.
3) Having to drink freeze-dried coffee most of the time.

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