Weekend Update from Koh Phangan

It's official: I've arrived on Thailand's east coast as of Friday, 7pm local time. I nearly resorted to aggressive force to kick myself out of the paradise island of Phi Phi, but fortunately I was able to sneak out before I was sucked in any longer.

In recent days, I have found myself flying through my small bottle of Neosporin thanks to numerous cuts and scratches from the higher-than-normal amounts of rock climbing that I have been doing....

First, on Tuesday, I spent the day climbing some 150 or 175 feet up a limestone rock face with a local Thai guide. The rope courses here are some of the best in the world, I've been told, and the view from the top of the climbs make all one's work worth the while. You literally peer down and see the island in its entirety. Incredible.

Then, after leaving Phi Phi on Wednesday, I spent two evenings on Railey Beach, a isolated spot on the mainland of Thailand's west coast reachable only by boat. Big sis and I did a day trip there during her visit, but I was destined to get back for a little more adventure as the climbing is said to be even better than Phi Phi's. Again I spent a day with a local guide and managed several different courses. I'm still at the amateur level, but I'm really starting to enjoy these climbs!! John Cutler, if you're reading this, can't wait to hit the ropes with you!

I said goodbye to the west coast yesterday (Friday) morning and made the 10-hour commute to the island of Koh Phangan, home of the infamous Full Moon Party. Some 10,000 travelers are said to gather for the little "get together" each month, so I'm looking forward to running into old friends that I have met earlier in my travels. I've been here less than 24 hours, and it's already happened. Carleen, I found our Canadian friends on the beach today and have their email address for you!

And finally, the biggest news thus far on my trip and maybe the news least anticipated by my mother...... I have extended my trip an extra month! It's an idea I've been tossing around for several weeks now, but today, I pulled the trigger, paid the $200 change fee, and booked my flight home on November 22nd. I'm extremely fortunate to have seen all the places I have already seen, but I realized that it may be some time before I make it back this way. So, knowing that, I want to pack in some more! Once I leave Thailand around the 20th or so of October, I plan to head south to Malaysia for a couple weeks, and then I hope to make it into Indonesia to see Bali, among others.

Above all, though, I should say that I'm so much looking forward to getting home to see all my family and friends. And I will be home for Thanksgiving....so Mom, have a place setting saved for me!

I don't have too many new photos, but hopefully in the days to come I'll manage to sneak in some shots and get them on the blog. In the meantime, take care everyone and we'll talk soon.

P.S. Anyone have any suggestions on how to do a write-in vote for this little election we're having soon?