Pinch me.

It's tough to know where to begin. I find myself dropped into a land that is far too beautiful for my words to do it justice, so I will sum up my last week with one word:

Wow.

I write today from Ko Phi Phi, arguably one of the most beautiful stops on my trip. And the days leading up to today weren't all that bad either.

Big sis Carleen, her boyfriend RJ, and I met in Bangkok on Monday, preparing ourselves for what was hyped up to be a great 5 days together in the islands. I think we nailed it.

Tuesday we spent some time on Railey, a reach-by-boat-only destination just a 30-minute longtail boat ride from Ao Nang, where we stayed all week. We managed to log some quality beach time, coupled with some exploration on surrounding rock formations. I found a new love in rock climbing here--the jagged limestone formations that jut out from the water make for some adrenaline-pumping fun as you scale upwards. No ropes, no harnesses. Just you, the rock, and the safety net of the water below. All 3 of us managed to find ourselves with some nice cuts on our feet and hands as a result of our climbing adventures....

Wednesday we joined a tour with 12 or so others, visiting 4 islands in the surrounding waters. The scenery was breathtaking. I think there were times when I had to pick up my bottom jaw off the floor. White sands, blue/green waters, incredible snorkeling, and more limestone cliffs for me to climb--can I ask for much more?

Thursday we chartered our very own longtail boat, so exploring the waters and the surrounding islands was left all for the 3 of us and our accomodating driver. We managed to find one small island (Buddha Island) with a beach, surrounding cliffs, and not a single other soul. Talk about another of those infamous "pinch me" moments. They seem to be happening quite frequently down here in the islands....

Friday we again chartered a boat and set off on the 2-hour sea journey to Ko Phi Phi. For a guy who hasn't done a lot of snorkeling in his day, I think I have been spoiled on this trip. We spent a considerable portion of the day in the water, peering down through the clear waters some 40 or 50 feet down to the floor of the sea. Incredible! Plenty of colorful marine life, starfish, coral, and even a barracuda that big sis and I came across....

But all good things must come to an end, and Car and RJ set off back to the mainland on Friday afternoon. I, however, a castaway with a backpack, stayed on Ko Phi Phi island, and it is here where I've spent the last 48 hours.

And just like it has happened throughout the trip, I have bumped into familiar faces here in Phi Phi, those of friends that I had met earlier in my trip. It's a small world, this place.

So in a nutshell, that's the last week of my life. Time has definitely slowed down, I've noticed now. I am officially on "island time," never really knowing the time, the day, or the date. The sun has been out in full force, allowing my tan to continue to develop quite nicely. I think I'll manage a couple more days here, and then I will set off to the east coast and wind my trip down on the islands there.

Enjoy the photos, everyone. Sis/RJ, I had a great time with you guys!!

1) Fom rags to riches! Big sis's idea of accomodation is different than mine as a backpacker!
2) On Railey beach.
3) Monkey chowing down on Railey (the beach vendors give them the leftovers at day's end)
4,5) Island tour on Tuesday.
6) Buddha Island, our peaceful little place we discovered on Thursday. Not a soul around!
7) Sea urchin
8) Chicken Island....at low tide, this beach appears every day, connecting three islands.
9-10) My new love, climbing stuff!
11-12) Enjoying the view from our boat
13-15) The islands by night time...
16) These little guys are everywhere!
17) One of those "pinch me" moments
18) Another one of those moments...
19) View of Ko Phi Phi island from above