Day 22 .... Leaving Krabi and Exploring Bangkok!

Well we were up early from our cushy resort and they had a beautiful van waiting for us, along with a personal goodbye from the supervisor and breakfast to go packed for the 4 of us.  I suppose they assumed we were leaving to go home (international) and not just flying to Bangkok (domestic), because we were dropped at an airport entrance that looked to be the only airport, with only one line going through security, so we proceeded.  We had given ourselves a lot of time, thankfully, because after an hour going through security, we were led straight through to immigration/customs and had to give over our departure card.  We thought that was strange because we were not leaving Thailand, but there was no other option to head toward.  So, we get into the waiting room and its packed! Nowhere to sit, and nobody at their Kiosks (that's another thing about Thailand!  No help desks or staff until right before the flight! AND no signs at the gate saying the next departure, so we couldn't even investigate the departure destinations).....Thankfully and luckily, I was able to flag down someone, and showed them where we were going and asked if we were in the right spot?  They looked at our boarding pass and said we were to be at 'Terminal 2, Domestic"  Ack!  So, we race back to the scary customs guys, who are still processing people, and I wave my paper around and yell to nobody in particular "We are Domestic!!! How do we get to Domestic?!"  One guy, (and I remember this), slooooowly swivels his chair around to face us......and grudgingly motions for us to come over.  lol ... he re-processes our papers, takes pictures of all our passports and re-initials our departure cards and escorts us back to security....he speaks sternly to the staff (3 sets of staff had looked at our boarding cards, and not one flagged that we were still flying domestic) ..... so, they kick us out of security, and way across the terminal, I see a sign with thai writing and the number 2...that's it!  No "Terminal 2 for Domestic this way' sign ..... but I did recognize the 2 from what the woman said in the waiting area....So, thankfully, there is nobody really in security and we were able to go straight through ... we have chalked it up to it being 'This is just Thailand being on Thai time".....

The one hour flight back up to Bangkok was brutal for this guy .... almost IMMEDIATLY the guy in front of him tilts his chair ALL the way back and the picture doesn't really do justice to how little room we all have!  But Chris literally has NO room to even move or breathe ....

So, we arrive in Bangkok, walk out to try and find a taxi.  We get accosted right away by a tour company who will get us a ride for 900baht ... we knew it should only cost around 300 baht, so we kept walking....no signs, super confusing, but we finally found their taxi system.  Which is a back of the airport room (follow the paper arrows on the walls), you take a number (we were like 75 people back from who was currently being served), and then sit down til they call you and get you a cab.  We tried to find an uber (but how would they find us?), so we fell in line and it actually went pretty quick.  By this point, Chris is so far from being OK ... he is tired and hungry and just done with this chaotic place.....so just like how it was when my sister and I were young, if she was losing her mind, I had to step up and not lose mine (it currently wasn't my turn lol).  SO ... we got the cab, and it dropped us off at the Bangkok Christian Guest House.  Well, don't let the name fool you like it fooled us.  It reminded me of an abandoned insane asylum.  From the linoleum floors to the long scary hallways ..... ew.  But they gave us a double room with an adjoining door (so we wouldn't have to listen to Isaacs snoring), and it was clean.  So we dropped our bags, shook our heads, and left to explore the city.  The kids kept asking when we could go back to the hotel (they love being in beds on their screens, which makes them both super easy to travel with and super annoying to travel with lol ...double edged swords). Our responses were "we are NOT going back to the asylum until we have to sleep).  I found a noodle soup stand with Elliot while Chris sought out Starbucks.

We then walked up the road and bought ourselves a day pass for the rail station.  Chris is such a good GPS!!  We ended up at a mall (Bangkok loves their malls!) .... here is Elliot peering into a rehearsal of pokemon characters....we were laughing pretty hard at this random scene.

Dinner time ... here is Isaac eating calamari (that appeared to still have a face if you can look closely)

Wandering around ....

Selfies galore outside the mall at the Christmas scene ... EVERYONE takes selfies .... it is super weird ...

This is often how they look in their selfie poses....

Walking up the walkway as to not have to deal with the cars down below!

Watching the crazy traffic .... organized chaos....

Scooter parking ....

Another selfie at the mall where we decided to see Jumanji 2 .... SUCH an entertaining movie!!!

So we walked around outside and enjoyed some true Bangkok artwork (??)

While the kids played in the fountains ... I just love how they are so at home and looking for fun everywhere they go....



Getting to know the Bangkok rail station .....

Once we were back at the asylum, our favorite Banana Roti lady had moved closer to the busier part of the street .... so Isaac and I got another Roti (we had gotten one upon arrival too)

Day 21 - Ao Nang, massages and manicures ....

We decided to not rent a private long tail boat to take us to some of the local island and enstead opted to explore by scooter again.  Here is Chris and Isaac checking out rubber that is being collected by these trees. 

We headed to Ao Nang Beach to do a little souvenir shopping - we never shop when we are on holidays, but when will we be back in Thailand?  We didn't stay too long as we all started feeling tired and hot. 

We dropped the kids off at the resort after lunch and Chris and I headed back out on our own.  I was going to go by myself, but Chris gets worried, so he came along with me.  My first stop was wanting to try out 'Thai Tea' .... ok, I had it, loved the cup, but meh .... can't believe how much I miss my own drinks from home! 

Afterwards, it was a search for massages for Chris and a manicure for me .... after stumbling around and some charades with some very eager women, we settled in at a little hole in the wall where this girl kneeled and pushed and prodded on Chris and the other girl gave me a gel manicure in the dark corner of her store ... and it looked like she put it on in the dark corner of her store ;-)  lol...glad I chose to get just clear polish!!!

Dinner at our favorite beach restaurant.....such sweet server girls ... they know our drink order as we sit down .... and love our boys ... how 'tall' they both are ... we have eaten SO well at this place all week, whether it was lunches or dinners when we are nearby, but every meal has been awesome.  Tonight, my final supper was green curry which was not too spicy and so tasty, while Chris and Elliot had fish and chips ....and Isaac had a mango pineapple smoothie with me and some cheesy fries since he had eaten earlier .... such a nice little place, I even went and gave them a raving review on Trip Advisor .....

Now it is time to pack ... early shuttle to the airport tomorrow back to Bangkok!!! SAD to leave this heat!!!

Day 20 - Exploring on the Scooter

We had a big day of exploring to make up for our chill day yesterday .... we drove to this national park that had beautiful boardwalks made of concrete with NO railings .... lots of mangroves and Chris and Isaac even saw monkeys!

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I liked this sign because the Thai written language looks so beautiful but I have NO idea what any of it means ....


Look at the root systems on these mangroves....

Caught a moment of stillness with all these boys ... I love chris just rubbing elliots back as they look into the water ... he is such a good dad.

The water was beautiful ... the water was a mixture of salt and fresh meeting in these mangroves....

Sleeping Buddha as we drove home .... just popped up ... it's amazing what you see on the roads ....

We kept exploring after leaving the park .. and came across a part of Krabi where tour companies were bringing the tourists for kayak trips ... we didn't stay long as Chris and I were both starting to get headaches .... and we were all pretty hungry ... but this area was not touristy (even though tour buses were bringing tourists to this little stop).  Nobody seemed to speak English and all the road side stands looked super sketchy ....

We drove to a few different stops ... the one above had a dead kitten on the way to the edge of the pier ... we were able to steer Elliot away from seeing it ... Isaac was concerned that he would see it, it was sweet ...we all know how much Elliot loves cats ... and this kitten had kindof roasted in the sun so its tail was all gone down to bone, but it still looked very much like a sleeping kitten.

So we finally found a fruit stand and bought a coconut smoothie and a kilogram of mini oranges.  I didn't realize how far gone I was because as I am trying to eat, I am feeling like either throwing up or fainting .... 


We pretty much demolished the whole kilogram bag of oranges..... so, refreshed, back on the bikes ....

we saw the elephants and monkeys on the way back to the resort.  Funny how these amazing moments from a few days ago, seem so 'normal' to see now .... we didn't even stop to take pictures this time.  We stopped for dinner on the way home at this cute little place ..... the boys didn't love their spoons ....

Once home, time to swim because housekeeping was making up the beds and washing the floor....the boys were VERY put out that they had to stay outside to swim when they really just wanted to be inside ... I, on the other hand, was very excited for housekeeping!!



Especially when they surprise us with beautiful swans on the bed!!!  It has been such an amazing resort to stay at ......what is nice about staying in one place for the whole week is getting to know the various shop owners around the neighborhood ....

Evening drinks on the beach with sweetie.

Another beautiful day in paradise. 

Day 19 - day of going nowhere !!!

After while, after being on the move a lot, all you want to do it stay.  So, today we stayed.  There was a lot of sleeping, swimming, reading and more sleeping going on today.

This kid left a huge drool patch when he woke up ....

Pretty sure this was just before dinner when the tide was still out and we could walk directly out to that island that is in front of us ....

Isaac ....



It really has been the best trip of our lives ... they are the best traveling companions ... though they drink too much pop and would prefer to stay in the hotel rooms to play on their screens, they quickly will put them down to join in on whatever we are doing ... so I guess that is all I can ask right?  When there is nothing going on, I like to lay there and watch screens too ....




Totally unscripted ... glad chris caught the shot of Elliot coming up and giving Isaac and I some love ....


I told Isaac I didn't like this picture of myself because I am looking old and pale ... but maybe that is what I am started to be?  I definatly look much cuter in my head lol