Krabi

I first heard about this place from Tomas and Jessica, who raved about the islands, the beaches, and the climbing. At first I thought the name sounded kind of funny, like "My 4th grade teacher was kind of crabby." Now that I've spent a few days here, I realize that Krabi must be the Thai word for paradise.

We just got back from a few days at Railay Beach, which is just around the corner from Krabi town. A longboat took us out there, and as we pulled into the bay, we could see people moving up and down the beach at a snail's pace, which seems to be the pace around here. Very chilled. We stayed in a cool thatched roof bungalow for 200 baht a night, which works out to $5 U.S. Not too shabby.

I don't think I could ever really describe the beauty of this place. Imagine the most beautiful island postcard you've ever seen, and it was probably taken here. Warm turquoise water, white powder beaches, and huge karsts shooting up out of the water, making it a world-class destination for rock climbing. We tried to do a little of everything, but had a hard time pulling ourselves away from Phranang Beach, a cozy little spot with a cave at one end, beautiful islands in the distance, and people offering you food, drinks, and even massages, right there on the beach. Caroline couldn't resist the massage, and indulged in a half hour foot massage while a family of macaques in a nearby tree looked on. I didn't want anybody touching my feet, so I went for the food instead- delicious pad thai cooked on the spot, and delivered with a smile for about a buck.

I got a chance to do some rock climbing on the last day, which made me feel better about the brand-new, never-used climbing shoes I've been hauling around. I was paired up with a Thai instructor named Aneth who probably could have climbed a concrete wall with ease. He didn't even tie his shoes the whole day! He was really cool, and epitomized the Thai spirit- friendly and laid-back with an easy laugh and contagious smile. We had a great time, and although I'm now sporting painful blisters on my hands, it was definitely worth it.

I was sad to leave Railay, but other beautiful islands await us. The next stop is Kho Phi Phi, which many people know as the setting for the movie The Beach.