Our “vacation from our vacation” in Koh Lanta was much needed and was a way of recharging our batteries before we would head back to the hustle and bustle of Bangkok for the last few days of our trip and we were enjoying the quiet pace and relaxed atmosphere of the island.

Scott was able to get a dive in on Sunday. Since I do not dive I was on my own for the day. After breakfast and a leisurely walk on the beach, I strolled down to the beach shop that was part of our villa’s complex and bought myself an inflatable inner tube and a 6 pack of Chiang beer and spent the majority of the day perched atop a watermelon floatie, drink in hand, getting merrily bobbed along with the gentle waves of the bay. A nap back in the air conditioning was in order, and when I awoke, to relieve the stress of such a demanding day, I popped over for a massage and was treated to a similar experience as our first Thai massage except this time this massage therapist kept her feet on the ground the whole time and never climbed me like a jungle gym. She did however, still inflict the same levels of pain, and I winced and writhed as she assaulted my muscles and contorted my body into pretzel like configurations.

When Scott got back from his dive he gave me a full rundown of his trip:

“My expedition to Hin Daeng and Hin Muang, Thailand’s famed “Red Rock” and “Purple Rock,” was a lesson in expectations. Opting for a speedboat with Lanta Diver was a wise decision; they run a tight ship, and it condensed the 75-mile round trip into a swift, sub-six-hour day. The real challenge, however, came before I even hit the water. Despite my extensive experience—over 170 dives and certified since age 12—securing a guide was surprisingly difficult due to my lack of an Advanced Open Water certification. The site’s reputation for powerful, potentially dangerous currents makes operators cautious. Our guide, Non, was experienced and capable. Ironically, after all the fuss about the currents, they were incredibly mild on the day of our dives. While this made for a relaxed dive, it meant the main attraction—the large sea creatures drawn by the strong flow—were absent. The vibrant coral walls were still a sight to behold, but the legendary manta rays and whale sharks remained elusive, a reminder that nature always has the final say.”

For dinner this evening we decided to wander down the beach a bit and settled on a beach front pizza place. It was a similar get up as our hotel’s beachside restaurant and we ate pizza while sitting at a table on the sand and enjoyed the sight of the water with the night lights of the small beach town casting their glow upon its smooth surface.

Monday was a close repeat of the day before, minus Scott diving. We strolled, floated, swam, napped, and I got a massage. This time I opted for a place that was actually on the beach- it was a simple open-air structure that consisted of a wooden platform under a thatched roof and I lay half naked on the cot just a few meters away from the water (and several strangers) while my muscles were tormented into submission. We had dinner again at our hotel’s beach restaurant and caught the sunset while eating.

Scott again was our logistics whiz and had figured out the best (of the rather limited options) for us to get back to the Krabi airport for our flight to Bangkok on Tuesday. The early morning van ride was a similar reenactment of the trip from Ao Nang to Koh Lanta and involved the ferry again, except this driver was thankfully less psychotic so it was much more civilized and blessedly, no one got carsick. At the Krabi airport we had to pull out every layer we had packed because it was so cold in the terminal. Our flight was uneventful and we landed in Bangkok just after lunchtime.

Scott, ever one to want to experience every adventure that the universe has to offer, had decided that for funsies we should take public transportation to get from the Bangkok airport to The House of Papa, the hotel that would be home for our final few days in Thailand. How fun! What an adventure this would be! We would be making the journey via the Bangkok Transportation Authority bus system. I pouted for a bit because this seemed like an annoying thing to do when Grabs or Bolts were so inexpensive and Scott responded by telling me that I was welcome to do that but that he would be taking a bus.

The bus adventure required a transfer. At the designated stop, we hopped off and waited the 20 minutes for the next bus to arrive. While we were waiting, Scott found a piece of fruit at a street vendor while I hangrily pouted still- I wasn’t feeling adventurous enough for any of the street food vendor’s offerings at this particular alley. The adventure ended with us taking a Grab after all, when the designated bus flew right by us leaving us both confused and choking on its exhaust as we watched its tail lights disappear. Apparently you have to flag a bus down to tell them to stop. This is accomplished by flinging your body in front of the oncoming bus and this is how they know to stop. Worth it to know that for the next time.

We eventually found the House of Papa and I was thrilled to discover that we would indeed be getting the specific room that I had booked… the room whose gimmick was the soaking tub on its fourth story balcony. I wasted no time running a bath and hopped in, only giving a cursory thought to how effective the wooden screens and large potted plant would be at hiding the view. From the tub I could hear the sounds of our busy Bangkok neighborhood below and I steeled myself for the next few days in the big city.