Wonderful Thailand

Describing the emotions this trip left me with is impossible... Already on the plane the air of the Orient pervades everything, the stewardesses with their chignons smile at you and bring their hands together in greeting. Bangkok is a safe city; we got around without any problems at any hour. We stayed 3 nights at the Montien Hotel in the Pat Pong area, the knock-off market, in short. If you want a tip, take tuk-tuks only in the evening or you risk being stuck in the traffic and smog during the day. We did the excursions to the floating market, a bit touristy perhaps, but the trip is worth it just to taste their fruit.

Ah, and the Thai massage wasn't missing either, one to try...it leaves you a bit "wrecked" but afterwards you feel like a flower! In Phuket we rented a scooter for 24 euros for a week and toured all the beaches, and every evening we had dinner by the sea in little restaurants run by locals who cooked fresh fish. The excursions we did were to Ko Pangan (where they filmed 007, so it's also called James Bond Island); we had lunch in a stilt fishing village and crossed the mangroves. The other very beautiful excursion was to the Similan Islands, which the tsunami didn't reach; what a wonder, enough to be blinded by the light, the sand dazzlingly white, and you could swim with turtles and do plenty of snorkelling.

Seeing the tsunami evacuation zones leaves you speechless, and the images seen on the 2004 news resurface; you find yourself in the places where many people died and you think that nature is stronger than everything. The last days we relaxed at Phi Phi Island Village, fantastic. A holiday born by chance and one that left me with beautiful memories; I think I'll go back to visit the North.