Thailand Trip (Day 15)

Day 15:
After a great night sleep in the cool AC room, I woke up naturally and got ready for the short journey to Railay Beach. Mike and I took breakfast in the local eatery that we had discovered a week earlier and headed off to Ao Nang Beach in a songtaew. In Ao Nang we met with Morag, Shaun, and Kirsti who had left earlier on Friday. We headed down the the pier to purchase tickets and were soon whisked away in a minivan to the long tail boat station. Long tail boats are traditional Thai boats that look somewhat like a canoe. They comprise long front with colored cloth tied to it for good luck, a seating area for 10 people, and a back section where the captain guides the motor (which looks like a long weed whip). We boarded the boat and were soon cutting through the large waves with a roar on our way to Railay. Railay is a remarkable place. Though it's not an island, it's entirely cut off from the mainland by a huge barrier of jungle covered cliffs and mountains. Entering Railay by beach one can take in a breathtaking view of the cliffs, stunning blue skies, and pure powdery beaches. As we neared this paradise the engine cut off and we floated toward the shore. There are no docks on the beach, so we waded in to the beach in the warm tropical waters. Once on shore, we began our search for a cheap place amongst the posh resorts. Eventually, we found a nice complex of bungalows off the beach and nestled near the cliffs. We were able to land two bungalows for about 500 Baht each. Though they had running water they did not have a fan, but it was still quite a find in such a destination. After settling in, we headed to the beach. After a half an hour in the sun we were ready for a refreshing swim. The water was great and the view was even better. We all enjoyed the swim until various sea critters began to strike. My leg began to tingle all of the sudden and I was informed that I had been hit by a jelly fish. It was non lethal, but quite annoying and enough to end the swim. The pain soon went away and a local women even stopped to make us a remedy from some leaves to cool the jelly fish rashes a few of us had landed. Later we headed to lunch and then to a massage. It was remarkable and they used the local herbal cream "tiger balm," which feels a bit like Vick's Vapor rub. In the evening we watched a stunning sunset over the Railay cliffs and enjoyed a few drinks on the beach. Later we were fascinated by a Thai fire twirler show at a local bar.