Kate Travels: Scrapbook
Heyyyyyy everybody. So, it has taken me a little while to get myself sorted in my new accommodation in Thailand. I HAVE MOVED. YAYAYAYA. And I’ve been so, so, soo busy since I got back but I’m excited to show you pictures from my month away. Although, unfortunately I broke my Iphone on my travels (it was old and on the way out anyway so I am not too heartbroken) and a lot of my pictures were on that…
Well, our itinerary pretty much followed the one I posted before I left. I’m not usually one for planning but it worked out very well indeed.
Above – This is Chiang Mai’ Sunday night market – my first port of call after arriving here. It is SO big and you could literally buy anything your heart desires. It helps that you have a beautiful view of the sun going down over the mountains to surround you. I had fun walking around on my own here. I think I bought a skirt and some postcards.
Below – Street art is a massive thing in Chiang Mai and all over you’ll find artists selling their work on the streets. Some of it is really amazing.
Above – I’d read a lot about Chiang Mai being Thailand’s ‘Culture Capital’ and I suppose it is. It’s more the hidden gems that I prefer – like this kind of secret photography exhibition, which I stumbled upon by Martin Reeves. He has been photographing all sorts of secret/hidden places in s-e Asia for the last few years and some of them are incredible, ancient temples where vines and trees have grown so tall that you can hardly see them.
Above – Chiang Mai Zoo. Normally I am not one for zoos, they make me sad. But this one was kinda cool. I saw a panda for the first time AND I fed a hippo. In Thailand, I’ve been to two zoos; one was on a school trip to Chonburi and then this one, in Chiang Mai. This one was definitely better, the animals seemed happier and better looked after. In Chonburi the zoo had loads of animals but they were in tiny enclosures and some of them seemed really distressed.
Above – Me, at a Temple in Chiang Mai, next to a rather large bell. You have to be careful what you wear to temples in Thailand, make sure you wear trousers and cover your shoulders to show respect.
Below – Me on a moped in Pai. This is quite an achievement for me seeing as I am yet to have a driving license. Didn’t fall off OR crash.
Above – This is the infamous ‘Bridge over the River Kwai’. Some of you may have seen the film or watched the movie, it was quite surreal being on the bridge, but in a way the story is much more fascinating than the bridge itself.
Below – BEACH, Koh Tao. My favourite place in the whole of Thailand. We arrived here on about the 10th of October, then had a whole week of fun in the sun. I love love love love love it here.
Above – Tanote Bay, Koh Tao. People were actually jumping off this rock. For real. In the words of my students: “SO, SO, SO, SO, SO CLAZY!”
Above – This is me, slightly sweaty, after climbing a huge hill on an island off the coast of Koh Tao called Yang Yuan. It’s really beautiful but I was on antibiotics by this point for a throat infection and I did not enjoy the exercise of the climb. Also, you have to climb over several gigantic bolders to get up there and it was quite difficult in flip-flops – I basically got dragged up by the boys in our group.
Above – Me, Levi and Lorna with the friends we made on Koh Tao.
Above – FULL MOON PARTY. It’s hard to describe how wild the Full Moon party actually is. It’s so crazy. Imaginge 15,000 people packed onto one beach, at night time, going mental. It’s quite an experience.
Above – this is me, pre-full moon.
Above – After full moon we went back to Koh Tao for 3 nights to recover. I love it here, I miss it…
Above – This is one of my favourite pictures of the whole trip. Me (right) and Steph, who is my favourite American, ‘You guyyyyssss.!!!’ We were sat out on the deck of the boat back to mainland Thailand for the entire journey and it was so lovely. The weather was perfect and it sounds soppy, but I remember thinking how happy I was. Even though I was sad my holiday was over, I’d had such a lovely time, met so many nice people and I was going back to a job that I really like doing. I have my brother and dad visiting in a month, which I am super looking forward to. Life is good .
