Last week we went to Thailand for 5 days, with a group of about 14 other exchange students from our university here in Singapore. Yes, we had to skip a few days of school to do this, but it was worth it. We left Singapore Monday night, and returned very late Saturday night.
We flew from Singapore to Bangkok, Monday evening, and spent the evening at our really nice little hotel. The next morning we were catching an 8:45am flight to Ko Sumui, where we would then take a ferry to Ko Panyang. At least we thought we were. Turns out our flight was actually at 8:15am, and since it was a domestic flight, that half-hour makes a huge difference (we only showed up at the airport an hour before). So we missed our flight. Not a great start to the day, but what are you gonna do. Luckily, there was room for us on the next flight (very luckily, actually), but the only seats available were first class. So, we paid the difference for the first class ticket (which was only about $60 CDN, since it was just a short flight), and as a result enjoyed the many perks of flying business class such as the lounge where internet access, snacks and coffee/tea are offered......for FREE. Also, even though the flight was only an hour, we were served a full meal on the plane. Now if only we managed to get bumped to first class for our trip back to Canada, without the price tag....I think I'd be able to handle that.
Our first of two nights in Ko Panyang was the original reason we went on this trip: the full moon party. This is an all-night party on the beach that happens every month, with the full moon. Thousands of people come every month from all over the world, and it's one pretty crazy, but fun, night. It was basically like having 6 or 7 different night clubs but on the beach, in the sand, all with different types of music. We had a pretty large group, so we all felt pretty safe, adhering to the multiple-buddy system. Lots of fun. We got back to where we were staying around 6:30am, and watched the sunrise from some hammocks on the beach before we made our way to bed.
After two nights in Ko Panyang, we took a 1.5 hour catamaran ferry to Ko Tao, where we spent the final two nights of our trip. The first, we all stayed together staying on the main beach close to town, where we went out for some drinks and local food. By the way: street vendor Pad Thai is AMAZING......so are street vendor peanut butter and banana pancakes. Definitely a good night.
The second night, most of the group we were with had to leave the island to head back to Singapore, as they had booked an overnight bus back to Bangkok rather than the connecting flight that we had booked. Janene and I decided to branch out to see a bit more of the island, and to get away from all the touristy-stuff, so we did some research, and found a fantastic little 'hotel' on Freedom Beach, where we stayed in a cute little bungalow just steps away from the beach. We got there around noon, and it was absolutely inCREDible. There were probably only about 4 other people on that beach, which was a nice change from the busy beach we had just come from. We laid in hammocks and read our books, we swam, we floated, we ate lunch (twice in 2 hours, actually......which did not go un-noticed by the serving staff.......who were also not too shy to laugh about it pretty much right in front of us......) and it was exactly the afternoon that we were looking for. The water was crystal clear, and beautiful turquoise, there was not a single cloud in the sky, and the water was like bath water. I was so relaxed that I almost fell asleep while floating on my back in the water....the ocean water is so salty that it makes it ridiculously easy to stay afloat. Unbelievable. That night we went out for dinner in the little village nearby, at a restaurant on a boardwalk that jutted right out onto the ocean.
The next day, it was time to head back to Singapore, and the trip was at an end. It was a great couple of days, with the perfect amount of relaxing beach time. I am absolutely, positively, head over heels for Thailand. I love it. If you haven't gone, you need to, because I'm pretty sure it's the definition of paradise. Out of all the places I've been on this exchange, Thailand has been the most beautiful, and Sean and I will definitely be going there together one day, hopefully in the near-ish future.
Coming home from Thailand was a bit of a sad return to reality......"what reality?" you may be asking yourself. Yes, you're right, I've had it pretty darn easy here these past few months, but now it's crunch time. For the next five weeks, we will be staying in Singapore (gasp!), to do schoolwork (GASP!!) and study for exams (crap). After exams, we have a week before we head back to Canada, which we will be spending in beautiful Bali, and then it's good-bye Singapore, hello regular life. I think I'm down to only about 41 more big sleeps before that day comes.
A few weeks ago the thought of leaving here broke my heart, and may have caused some palpitations as well, but now I feel like I'm ready to go home. I feel like I've done everything I've wanted to do here (save for Bali), and seen everything I've wanted to see. Perhaps this readiness to go home is a direct result of the fact that I'm going to be up to my eye-balls in boring, stinky school work for the next five weeks, and therefore have little to look forward to, or maybe I'm just ready to return to my normal life. I have a lot of great things to look forward to this summer, and I'm definitely missing my family and my insanely supportive husband.
I'm glad that I've reached this readiness on my own because I feel that, although it will be sad to say good-bye to Singapore and my temporary life here, it will be less heart-wrenching because I'll be looking forward to going home.
I register for my summer courses next week, and if I get the schedule that I'm aiming for, my class schedule is going to be pretty great. I have to take summer courses this year, because of the way my program is set up. UVic Business wants all their students to end on an academic semester, all together. I'm looking forward to this, because I haven't seen most of my school friends for 8 months or more, because of people being on co-op or exchange. It'll be nice to all be together again for our final four months. Come August, I'll be graduating, and then reality is really going to hit. I'm still trying to figure out what I want to be 'when I grow up', so August can take it's sweet, sweet time in getting here. Ya hear that, August?
I feel like I'm all of a sudden going to have to start making adult decisions in an adult world, which I'm excited for, but terrified of at the same time. I'll have to make a career move, and Sean and I are going to be purchasing our first home shortly after that career move is made. Life all happens so fast sometimes, too fast.
Hopefully this whole "homework and studying" business will go by fast as well.........something tells me not quite fast enough.
We flew from Singapore to Bangkok, Monday evening, and spent the evening at our really nice little hotel. The next morning we were catching an 8:45am flight to Ko Sumui, where we would then take a ferry to Ko Panyang. At least we thought we were. Turns out our flight was actually at 8:15am, and since it was a domestic flight, that half-hour makes a huge difference (we only showed up at the airport an hour before). So we missed our flight. Not a great start to the day, but what are you gonna do. Luckily, there was room for us on the next flight (very luckily, actually), but the only seats available were first class. So, we paid the difference for the first class ticket (which was only about $60 CDN, since it was just a short flight), and as a result enjoyed the many perks of flying business class such as the lounge where internet access, snacks and coffee/tea are offered......for FREE. Also, even though the flight was only an hour, we were served a full meal on the plane. Now if only we managed to get bumped to first class for our trip back to Canada, without the price tag....I think I'd be able to handle that.
Our first of two nights in Ko Panyang was the original reason we went on this trip: the full moon party. This is an all-night party on the beach that happens every month, with the full moon. Thousands of people come every month from all over the world, and it's one pretty crazy, but fun, night. It was basically like having 6 or 7 different night clubs but on the beach, in the sand, all with different types of music. We had a pretty large group, so we all felt pretty safe, adhering to the multiple-buddy system. Lots of fun. We got back to where we were staying around 6:30am, and watched the sunrise from some hammocks on the beach before we made our way to bed.
After two nights in Ko Panyang, we took a 1.5 hour catamaran ferry to Ko Tao, where we spent the final two nights of our trip. The first, we all stayed together staying on the main beach close to town, where we went out for some drinks and local food. By the way: street vendor Pad Thai is AMAZING......so are street vendor peanut butter and banana pancakes. Definitely a good night.
The second night, most of the group we were with had to leave the island to head back to Singapore, as they had booked an overnight bus back to Bangkok rather than the connecting flight that we had booked. Janene and I decided to branch out to see a bit more of the island, and to get away from all the touristy-stuff, so we did some research, and found a fantastic little 'hotel' on Freedom Beach, where we stayed in a cute little bungalow just steps away from the beach. We got there around noon, and it was absolutely inCREDible. There were probably only about 4 other people on that beach, which was a nice change from the busy beach we had just come from. We laid in hammocks and read our books, we swam, we floated, we ate lunch (twice in 2 hours, actually......which did not go un-noticed by the serving staff.......who were also not too shy to laugh about it pretty much right in front of us......) and it was exactly the afternoon that we were looking for. The water was crystal clear, and beautiful turquoise, there was not a single cloud in the sky, and the water was like bath water. I was so relaxed that I almost fell asleep while floating on my back in the water....the ocean water is so salty that it makes it ridiculously easy to stay afloat. Unbelievable. That night we went out for dinner in the little village nearby, at a restaurant on a boardwalk that jutted right out onto the ocean.
The next day, it was time to head back to Singapore, and the trip was at an end. It was a great couple of days, with the perfect amount of relaxing beach time. I am absolutely, positively, head over heels for Thailand. I love it. If you haven't gone, you need to, because I'm pretty sure it's the definition of paradise. Out of all the places I've been on this exchange, Thailand has been the most beautiful, and Sean and I will definitely be going there together one day, hopefully in the near-ish future.
Coming home from Thailand was a bit of a sad return to reality......"what reality?" you may be asking yourself. Yes, you're right, I've had it pretty darn easy here these past few months, but now it's crunch time. For the next five weeks, we will be staying in Singapore (gasp!), to do schoolwork (GASP!!) and study for exams (crap). After exams, we have a week before we head back to Canada, which we will be spending in beautiful Bali, and then it's good-bye Singapore, hello regular life. I think I'm down to only about 41 more big sleeps before that day comes.
A few weeks ago the thought of leaving here broke my heart, and may have caused some palpitations as well, but now I feel like I'm ready to go home. I feel like I've done everything I've wanted to do here (save for Bali), and seen everything I've wanted to see. Perhaps this readiness to go home is a direct result of the fact that I'm going to be up to my eye-balls in boring, stinky school work for the next five weeks, and therefore have little to look forward to, or maybe I'm just ready to return to my normal life. I have a lot of great things to look forward to this summer, and I'm definitely missing my family and my insanely supportive husband.
I'm glad that I've reached this readiness on my own because I feel that, although it will be sad to say good-bye to Singapore and my temporary life here, it will be less heart-wrenching because I'll be looking forward to going home.
I register for my summer courses next week, and if I get the schedule that I'm aiming for, my class schedule is going to be pretty great. I have to take summer courses this year, because of the way my program is set up. UVic Business wants all their students to end on an academic semester, all together. I'm looking forward to this, because I haven't seen most of my school friends for 8 months or more, because of people being on co-op or exchange. It'll be nice to all be together again for our final four months. Come August, I'll be graduating, and then reality is really going to hit. I'm still trying to figure out what I want to be 'when I grow up', so August can take it's sweet, sweet time in getting here. Ya hear that, August?
I feel like I'm all of a sudden going to have to start making adult decisions in an adult world, which I'm excited for, but terrified of at the same time. I'll have to make a career move, and Sean and I are going to be purchasing our first home shortly after that career move is made. Life all happens so fast sometimes, too fast.
Hopefully this whole "homework and studying" business will go by fast as well.........something tells me not quite fast enough.
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