Phi Phi Fever

The last few days have been crazy, so this post is long overdue.

In the last 4 days, we became PADI certified open water divers, experienced our first Thailand beach parties, had authentic Thai massages, explored the island, ate at local Thai restaurants, lounged on the beach, and got eaten alive by mosquitoes.

The 4 dives were at Viking Point, Pileh Bay, and Bida Nok, all beautiful sites on secluded islands a short boat ride from Phi Phi. We saw a diverse array of marine life including sea turtles, clown fish, a moray eel, and a reef shark. On one of the dives before we descended, our instructor pointed out a jellyfish that was near KG just as her hand reached out and grabbed it. She suffered severe second degree stings. We proceeded to save her life by urinating all over her leg. Just kidding (about the urinating part). Now that we're certified, we are very excited to experience the world of diving.

Phi Phi doesn't sleep. Bars and clubs in the town and along the beach are packed with locals and tourists with buckets in hand. We went to a reggae bar and watched Muay Thai boxing. Around midnight, everyone migrates to the beach where one of the bars, Slinky's, blasts house music until the wee hours of the morning. There is a random wooden pole at least 5 meters tall that drunk people would climb and dance on the top. It's amazing that we didnt see anyone fall off. There's also a skipping rope on fire that people take turns jumping through, often times burning their feet if they lose their balance. Parties in Canada have nothing on this.

Side note: partying outside equals millions of mosquito bites. KE counted approximately 200 per leg. She looks like she's suffering from some exotic skin disease. (but dont worry, we are doctors. We've got it under control).

Yesterday we took a long tail boat to different islands, including Maya Bay, where the movie "The Beach" was filmed. Lucky for us, we ran into Leo (DiCaprio, for those who haven't seen the movie). Getting there involved swimming through shallow water, climbing over rocks while trying to avoid crabs, and hanging onto rope for dear life to prevent the waves from pulling us into the current. We eventually made it though, and were rewarded with a breathtaking view. If we were to describe paradise, this would be it. PS. We we're joking about Leo.

We ate at many restaurants in Phi Phi, but our two favorites were the Orange House and the Thai market. They were filled with locals and the most authentic cuisine we could find. Pad Thai, Pad Ka Barau Gai, Tom Gam Yung, duck, panang curry, Massaman curry, Laab, fried fish, and Thai pancakes. We had it all! Through CF's Asian roots, she introduced us to jack fruit and dragon fruit. Delicious!


Today, KE decided she needed an exfoliation. What better way than paying a visit to Doctor Fish. By that, we mean submerging her feet in a aquarium of gravva, fish from hot springs that nibble away at skin. It was quite the experience, and KE came out of it with smooth silky feet.

Got a flight to catch. We'll post again from Chiang Mai!