Sawatdee! (Thai for "Hello")

Ah, Thailand. It is as stunning as the marketing pictures! We had a fantastic trip…I’ll hit the highlights over the next few posts and try to not bore you will all of the details!

We had a wonderful direct flight from Hong Kong to Phuket, Thailand. Because air travel in the coach section is usually an uncomfortable, patience-trying experience, I have to mention that our trip on Thai Airlines was fantastic. The seats were roomy, we each had our own self-controlled TV monitor, and they served us a real meal on real china. It was actually kind of disappointing that it was only a 3-hour flight!

Immediately upon arrival, it was clear that Phuket would have a very different look and feel than Hong Kong. Everything was softer and quieter, lacking the hard-edges and bustle that is everyday life in HK. The architecture was less modern and more traditional – actually, Spanish-style in look (Portuguese people were some of the earliest settlers in Thailand). We noticed that even the written language had rounded edges.

We stayed at the Marriott resort in Mai Khao.

The people who worked there were very warm and welcoming. Thailand is known as the “Land of Smiles” and that certainly was the case. And, they were big, beautiful smiles with gleaming white, straight teeth – imagine being surrounded by people who have grins like Tiger Woods!

The grounds and accommodations were beautiful – both at day and at night (actually, with all the torches ablaze at night it felt like we might be on the set for a Survivor episode).

We spent our first day exploring the resort and spending time at the pool. We visited the nearby beach, but were disappointed to discover that during monsoon season (now) the waves at that beach were too strong and current was too dangerous to be in the water.

But, that was okay because the next day we were scheduled for a day of “island hopping” to beaches that have been on lists of “top ten beaches in the world.” More on that next time!