Authour: Kristen Aschenbrenner

After leaving Koh Phangan, we headed over to Koh Samui for a much needed break from the crazy party scene. The atmosphere was much more relaxed and I think that everyone was ready for it. We spent the first day relaxing at the beautiful pool at our hotel, as well as seeking out some of our favorite comfort foods from back home. A solid group of us made our way to Mcdonalds as soon as we checked in. That night we lit candles on the beach and listened to music while celebrating Ryan’s birthday. It was a beautiful night.
The next day we went ziplining in the jungle and climbed up a gorgeous waterfall. It was worth the trek, even in that heat. We even saw some elephants! I was so excited. We made it to our taxis just in time, as a rainstorm hit us almost immediately. Half of the group, myself included, were in the back of a truck and might as well have walked back to the resort. We were soaked. It was quite the experience. Thanks to the storm, we had a power outage at the resort that lasted several hours. Luckily, it came back just in time for supper. While some of the group stayed in to relax, a few others headed to the movie theatre.
I spent the next day soaking up the sun by the pool, as some of the others went bungee jumping! I was a little scared to do it, but also figured if it was something I was ever going to do I wanted it to be bigger. They sounded like they had a blast though! I went to watch a couple people try their luck at jet lev (basically a jet pack thats propelled by water), but unfortunately the weather did not permit it. I couldn’t stomach the cab ride back again (thanks motion sickness), so I hopped on the back of Brady’s motorbike and got to experience my first real bike ride, as well as my first bike ride in the rain. We even saw an elephant in the back of someone’s truck. Only in Thailand. That night we had drinks at our hotel, played some games and pretty much took it easy as we prepared to head to paradise. Come on Railay!

The trip to Railay was not as bad as I was anticipating, even after two bus rides, a ferry, and a longtail boat ride; I probably didn’t need to take that gravol. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Pictures cannot possibly do Railay any justice, as the limestone cliffs and the greenery simply take your breath away. I felt like I was stepping into Jurassic Park. It really is paradise.
I am absolutely in love here. I don’t think I’ve ever done so much in one place, and the people here are extraordinary. They can do everything! They dj, fire dance, teach rock climbing, bar tend… everything! It’s so impressive.

I’ve completely lost track of time here, and I never want to go back to reality. We went kayakking through mangrove swamps and ended up on a secluded beach, where we then realized several members of our group were missing! We had to head back when, again, it started to pour. The trip back was exhilarating as we fought through the wind, waves and rain to make it back. Luckily, the missing group made it back and thought it would be funny to hide in a bathroom to make us worry. Pranksters!

I went cliff jumping with a couple of our group members, and even though the cliff wasn’t very high I am extremely proud of myself for overcoming that fear. We’ve also gone rock climbing and caving. Both amazing experiences that I will replay in my memories. The views were unexplainable. Breathtaking. After an amazing and adventurous day, everyone was scrambling to get their ABC party (Anything But Clothes) outfits ready. I felt too sick (probably dehydrated) to participate, but I went down to check the costumes out. They were priceless. From bottle skirts (on a boy!!!) to diaper bikinis… I would say that party was a success.

Yesterday we spent the day on a longtail boat stopping at different islands to do deep water soloing, snorkeling, and then a bbq on a secluded beack with our own private fire show. As we headed back to shore, we stopped to swim in bioluminescence. Best moment of my life. As we moved around the water, the little plankton started to glow. I heard about it before, but nothing compares to when you see it with your own eyes. They even clung on after we got out of the water, so when you rubbed your skin it would light up. When does anything like this happen at home? I soaked in every moment and will never forget that day. I feel truly blessed to be here right now, enjoying this amazing country with some of the best people I’ve ever met. Bring on the next 3 weeks! I can’t wait for more memories.