This stop wasn’t originally part of the plan. Our flight to Krabi was cancelled, and we were rerouted to Phuket instead. We found a little apartment on the west side of the island near Bang Tao Beach and settled in for five days.
The start of our stay was a bit slower than expected. I was fighting off a cold and took the opportunity to hole up in the apartment and recover. Even so, we managed to get out and explore a little while also catching up on homeschooling after taking a break in Dubai.
We got our first taste of Thailand’s famous 7-Eleven snacks and drinks and traded Dubai’s oppressive heat for the still steamy weather of southern Thailand. Thankfully, our apartment was in a great location. There was a playground on-site, a lakeside walking path and hedge maze just across the street, and the beach was only a ten-minute walk away. We quickly learned that the best time to be outside was early in the morning or near sunset, when the temperatures were a bit more forgiving. Our first stop was for pedicures, mango smoothies, and a big Thai beer at the beach.
The highlight of our stay was a beach fire show. To our surprise, they even let Emmy give it a try afterwards. I honestly didn’t expect her to volunteer, but she’s definitely getting braver as this trip goes on. Watching her step outside her comfort zone has been one of the most rewarding parts of travelling together.
While Phuket wasn’t in the original itinerary, it ended up being a great place to slow down, recover, and ease into our time in Thailand. Now we’re excited to continue the adventure and are especially looking forward to slowing down even more and settling into our next stop.
Before we knew it, it was time to pack everything up again and begin the journey to Koh Lanta. The trip took about half a day and involved two ferries. The first was surprisingly comfortable: a large, air-conditioned ferry with Wi-Fi, complimentary drinks, and even free cookies.
Things became a bit more chaotic when we reached the transfer dock. We had to gather our bags, wait under the blazing midday sun, and then rush from one boat to the next. Unfortunately, the second ferry was a very different experience. It was much smaller, with only a few slow-moving fans providing relief from the heat, and it bounced around noticeably more in the waves.
In the end, Emmy and I spent most of the crossing sitting out on the deck to catch whatever breeze we could find. For the last twenty minutes of the trip, she fell asleep on me while we watched the islands drift by. After a hectic transfer and a long day of travel, it was a pretty nice way to finish the journey.
