Don't be alarmed if we come home with a Thai child

By the time we left Ton Sai, the sun was just starting to make a reappearance. One of my favorite locals pointed to the weak spot of light to explain there was no need to move on, the sun was coming back out. Nonetheless, we had spent 9 days there, and we were a bit edgy to do something active. (Actually, I probably could have hung out there for the next for months, sharpening my pool skills. But there are other places to explore). We ended up spending the night in Krabi, a small city with not much in it. We ate at a night market, which was even more remarkably cheap than anything we've had. Bryce, the only one of us without a sweet tooth, somehow discovered one in the deepfried pancakes they were selling there. We played out our American stereotype and ordered the most gluttonous one: banana, chocolate and coconut. Bryce has continued to eat two a day since then. We planned on staying in Krabi for a little while, but aside from eating, there wasn't much to do. We took a bus to Phang Nga (no H pronounced), a city much like Krabi but without the tourism; I think we've seen two other white people here. the town is also surrounded by mountains on all sides, it's hard not to want to run immediately into them. The place we are staying is a little hole in the wall, in fact, if it wasn't for the sign, we would've missed in completely. The sheets on the bed are the dirtiest I've seen, and the toilet doesn't flush, but there's a lovely roof view of the mountains, and we kind of love it. The three of us ended up walking down the entire length of the town, passing shops that sell every possible item for sale ever: banana chips next to plastic guns next to underwear. We also passed a few schools, a market where we stopped to buy some doughnuts (again, Bryce's sweet tooth talking here), and a monastery that had some creepy statues acting out torture scenes. We ended up at our destination: the public park. A lot of people were hanging out there, feeding the monkeys and sitting by the caves that covered the park. I proceeded to kick an entire flipflop full of mud on the back of my pants, and we went home soon after. Needless to say, the shower I took was the best one I've ever had. Beforehand, we signed up for a tour that promised to take us to a Muslim village on stilts for an overnight, along with a day tour of some islands in the area. We were pretty unsure what we were in for, as the person we signed up with spoke little English. We only knew that we were going to be picked up at 8:30 in the morning. The next morning we waited downstairs, and sure enough our ride came. We were deposited at a small dock where another man had a boat waiting for us. We climbed in without so much as a hello and then were boated around for about two hours. We sat pretty much in silence observing the mangrove forests, and seemingly endless islands and mountains that dotted the horizen. Except for one or two fishing boats, we were the only people in the water. Finally, we stopped at a tiny deserted beach. Our driver gave us our lunch and flashlights and instructed us to walk through a cave. With B in the lead, we crept through the dark cave until we reached a paradise at the end: an enclosed area with towering trees, and a pool of water running through with schools of fish swimming around. Leslie and I couldn't stop looking at each other with our mouths open: what the hell was this place, and why weren't we living here? Eventually, we went back to the beach, at our fried rice, and took split-second naps that resulted in two groggy travelers climbing back on the boat when we were not ready to leave (B didn't nap). We had no idea where we were going next, but it turned out to be the Phrang Nha national park. It could not have been more opposite from the deserted beach: flocks of scantily clad travelers posing as if they were holding up the islands in the middle of the water covered the park. Ten minutes after we arrived, we were ready to go. Unfortunately, our boat driver was not. He was asleep on a bench. B attempted some climbing while Leslie and I sat and waited for our supposed tour guide to wake up. Evenutally he did, and took us to our final destination: the Muslim village on stilts. At this point, Leslie said she wouldn't be surprised if he dropped us off and left, which is exactly what happened. A different person at the village showed us where we were staying, and not knowing what to do next, we wandered around. The village was all built above the water, complete with a school, a mosque, and everyone's home. Unlike Ton Sai, where everyone was so friendly, the people here barely made eye contact. Not quite sure what to do next, we ended up sitting outside our room at a picnic table until dinner time, and sat some more after dinner until bedtime. It was a very strange day, we were given no instruction and did not know what was expected of us. As we played endless rounds of twenty questions, we could hear a booming voice from the mosque, apparently conducting a service over a PA system. There was something so fitting about the voice, as if to say "Here you are! In Thailand! In a completely different setting than you've ever been before!" and after being in such a secluded, easy place as Ton Sai, it was a truly welcomed experience to feel a little bit uncomfortable, a little out of place. The next morning (this morning) we were picked up by a different boat filled with people, and transported back to Phang Nga, and eventually home. Today is cleaning day: we had to drop our filthy clothes off, which won't be ready til tomorrow afternoon, and we need showers and maybe a self pedicure. We are meeting Ashley/Noel in less than a week, which we are all stoked about. Leslie and I have been looking at the Cambodia guide books, and not been able to contain our excitement. We can't wait for all that is ahead and can't believe how time is speeding by.