From Thailand to Africa: Embracing New Adventures

We’re definitely not used to the cold anymore! It was so good to come back to Thailand and be warm again. Thailand does feel like home, it is comfortable, familiar and we love it here. So, why are you moving, I hear you ask… When we decided to leave everything behind it was for an adventure, for variety, for a different way of life. Staying in one place is not what we want and Africa beckons. We had 3 places we were considering: Mozambique, Senegal and Turkey. There were jobs for both of us in all those countries but Mozambique came first. Now for the paperwork! And so it starts. We have spent the last 2.5 months getting phase one sorted and what a headache it has been – there is more to come but we will get there.

A man sitting on a beach chair under tall trees with colorful umbrellas in the background, enjoying a relaxed moment by the sea. — Bang Tao beach

A tranquil beach scene with soft sand, gentle waves, and a backdrop of tall trees and mountains. People are enjoying the beach, some walking along the shore and others swimming in the water.

A sandy beach in Thailand with people enjoying the water, surrounded by lush green hills and a clear blue sky.

A beach scene in Thailand featuring colorful umbrellas and loungers on the sand with a view of the ocean and boats in the background.

Misty doggo! Sadly, she has cancer and not much longer in this world.

Silhouette of people walking along a beach during sunset with a scenic horizon and clouds.

A picturesque sunset over the tranquil beach, with a gradient of orange and pink hues in the sky, reflecting on the calm ocean waters.

A large, geometric pink bear sculpture standing in the street with buildings in the background. — Something big in Phuket Town!

A metallic door with signs warning about dormant snakes and instructions regarding store equipment usage and cupboard locking, intended for safety and organization. — Not your average school warning…

2023 saw the year of the Rabbit – Chinese Lunar Year with 15 day long celebrations. There are quite a few Chinese temples in Phuket so this is a popular celebration here and all over Thailand. We went into Phuket Town to see the sights and enjoy the party atmosphere.

Colorful lanterns hanging above a street in Thailand, creating a festive atmosphere.

Colorful paper lanterns hanging above a lively night market scene in Thailand.

No idea who she is but she is now on my blog!

A street performer covered in colorful paint sitting on a stool and painting on a canvas, surrounded by onlookers in a bustling street.

A street artist with colorful body paint sits on a stool, creating artwork on an easel. The artist's back is visible, showcasing a blend of vibrant hues, while a crowd observes in the background.

Colorful decorations and flags adorn a Chinese temple in Phuket, Thailand, showcasing a festive atmosphere. — At one of the temples

Wooden poles are decorated with gold leaf

Colorful decorative ribbons hanging overhead in a vibrant display.

An ornate incense burner with dragon sculptures on either side, filled with incense sticks, inside a Chinese temple adorned with traditional decorations.

As it is out last year in Thailand, we had to decide which places we wanted to visit for the last time; we settled on Koh Phayam. One of our favourite places ever. It is such a beautiful, chilled island, no cars and not much there. There is one ATM on the island and it doesn’t always work so good to take some cash with you. No 711s, no high rise buildings, only small local shops, simple bars and restaurants. One of few places where you can still get a simple bungalow on the beach! It’s the sort of place where you could get stuck for months…

Our cabin at La Ong Lay on Long Beach, beautiful, quiet spot.

Resident baby monitor lizard. Great camouflage.

Job To Do is well known all over Thailand! His music has made a massive impact on Thai country and folk music with his unique blend of reggae. He has had a huge influence on the popularity of reggae music in Thailand and he plays all over. He has played many times in Phuket and somehow I never managed to see him. As luck would have it, there he was on Koh Phayam right next to our hotel! Great music, they played for over 3 hours and what a great atmosphere, sand between our toes and a very chilled crowd. You can read more about him on here: https://phanganist.com/koh-phangan-party-musician-article/story-job2do-thailands-most-successful-reggae-act.

Musician performing on stage with an electric guitar, wearing sunglasses and a hat, under colorful stage lights. — The man himself

How to play guitar with dreadlocks

A serene sunset view over a tranquil beach, with silhouettes of distant hills and gentle waves reflecting warm orange and pink hues in the sky.

A serene beach scene at sunset with silhouettes of people walking along the shoreline, surrounded by trees and distant hills. — Sunrise

A hornbill bird foraging near a feeding bowl on a pathway, surrounded by greenery and debris. — Many hornbills on the island, especially around the Hippy Bar

The Hippy Bar! Built completely out of driftwood, it is a fantastic construction , with up to 3 stories and many, many different spaces and chambers to sit down and enjoy the view and the sunset. Where the Thai hippies hang out 🙂

An old wooden ship docked on a beach at night, adorned with colorful lights and surrounded by trees, with a serene sea in the background.

I’m a sucker for hand painted signs, so here a few from the island.

A hand-painted sign reading 'JAM ROCK' on the front of a colorful building, surrounded by green plants and decorative items.

Hand-painted sign for 'Freedom Bar' at a tropical bar surrounded by greenery.

If you are ever in Koh Phayam, go there! Such lovely people and lovingly made food.

A little jungle view from a mountain top cafe

What it looks like from the back of a bike!

The road to our beach home always made me a little nervous but Geoff wasn’t bothered!

I think we managed to explore most of the island on this second visit but there was a beach we had missed last time. It turned out to be one of our faves in the end. It had a road sign “beautiful rock by the sea” which was intriguing. As it turned out, there were many rocks by the sea and it was rather beautiful. I think the beach is called Khaokwai beach, not entirely sure as the signs point to the rocks and I saw no beach name.