Farewell Thailand: Seven Years of Unforgettable Memories

The countdown has begun, the sense that we don’t have much time and many things we are doing for the last time here. Will we be back? There is a whole world out there but Thailand will always be special to us.

We have had an amazing 7 years here. We learnt to dive, our kids finished school and went off to uni, I finished my counselling masters, set up a business, visited many islands. Went to Cambodia, Laos, Hong Kong… We were in lockdown during Covid and had Phuket to ourselves. We’ve made good friends and so many memories! Sad to be leaving but excited for a new adventure.

Some final photos from around Bang Tao, our home for the last 5 years and a place of many sunsets.

A large, abandoned head sculpture with blond hair in a dilapidated building, surrounded by debris and remnants of construction. — The old beach club. Went to ruin with Covid, never to return.

Close-up of an elephant interacting with its environment, showcasing its textured skin and distinct features. — Elephants near us, an ethical sanctuary with a great restaurant.

A caretaker interacts with an elephant in a lush green area surrounded by trees.

A street scene in Thailand at sunset, featuring a motorcycle and a car on a quiet road lined with power lines and structures. — Sunrise on the way to work. One of the perks from leaving home at a ridiculous time!

A vibrant nighttime scene featuring a traditional Thai temple illuminated by colorful lights, surrounded by festive decorations and banners. — Local fair

A brightly lit traditional Thai temple at night, decorated with colorful lights, showcasing intricate architecture and a statue in front. Two individuals are seen near the entrance.

A vibrant night scene at a carnival featuring a tall, multicolored tower ride with lights. In the foreground, a person wearing sunglasses is seated in a harness, preparing for the ride. — So, throw a ball at the heart and if you don’t miss, the woman falls into a tub of water.

Nighttime scene at a carnival with three women sitting on platforms behind a netting, set up for a throwing game. Colorful decorations adorn the background and spectators are visible, enjoying the atmosphere.

A vibrant amusement ride at night featuring colorful decorations and images of people enjoying music, with riders seated and attendants nearby.

A serene sunset view over the beach, with golden reflections on the water and a silhouette of a beach bar with bottles lined up in the foreground. — We’ll miss the sunsets…

A serene sunset over the ocean, with two silhouettes of people or animals in the foreground, creating a peaceful atmosphere.

Close-up of the front bumper of an Isuzu truck, featuring intricate blue paint designs and a visible license plate reading 'THAILAND 66 70-1297' with surrounding greenery.

Our regular visitors. Love these big lizards, this one is a baby!

One of my favourite places in Thailand is Khao Sok national park. Not far from Phuket and the most incredible scenery, jungle and lake. I was so lucky to have been able to go again with a school trip. It is covered by the oldest evergreen rainforest in the world, huge limestone mountains shooting straight up in the air, deep valleys, breathtaking lakes, exciting caves, wild animals – we heard elephants but didn’t see any! Lots of hornbills and monkeys though. It is an incredibly beautiful place, if you come to Thailand, make sure you visit the jungle and the lake. Amazing hikes, good to take a guide as they somehow spot stuff nobody else can see.

We hiked through the jungle and got to a lake inland. So beautiful!

It was such a hot walk but it was worth it!

Cooking in bamboo on the fire. Delicious.

We did a night safari where we saw all sorts of creepy crawlies.

Phuket is not only beaches and luxury resorts and we found some beautiful walks. So hot to walk though and we are not good at going early!

A very hot dog, she doesn’t like water but couldn’t resist.

Kamala hill loop walk. It turned out to be quite hilly!

Yay, Marianne came to visit! We spend some time in Railay beach and in Koh Phanghan. This was our last holiday here so we had to pick carefully. So many places to revisit but having been to Koh Phayam recently, Koh Phanghan was the next best choice. We went to a rave, just like the ones in the 80’s and enjoying chilling.

For more than a century, Thai southerners have raised and trained monkeys to climb high trees and collect ripe coconuts for them. This is seen as a cruel practice, outside of Thailand at least and it was sad to come across these chained monkeys, forced to work in this trade.

A serene beach scene with a sandy shoreline, gently lapping waves, and palm trees swaying in the breeze under a clear sky.

A woman with pink hair is sitting on a beach in a black bikini, smiling while holding a coconut drink. A man is seated beside her, both enjoying the beach scenery.

Jungle Experience party, Marianne getting into the spirit. Our first rave together!

When we fist came to Thailand seven years ago, we went to Railay beach in Krabi. Everyone raved about how beautiful it was and how it was a must. When we got there, it didn’t stop raining! It was still impressive but extremely wet. We decided to return for another go. It is a small peninsula only accessible by boat as there a huge limestone cliffs in the way. There are no cars, plenty of paths to explore, cafes and restaurants. It has an amazing chilled vibe and beautiful sunsets.

Not sure I would call this a trail, more like a death defying steep scramble!

I started taking photos of signs years ago in Belize. I am now hooked and love hand painted signs. Some from around Railay. Weed is now everywhere and this is reflected in many of the signs.

A colorful wooden signpost featuring names of countries including the U.S.A., Australia, Malaysia, and Iceland, adorned with decorative art pieces. The signpost is set against a backdrop of a café with blue flooring and plastic chairs.

Phra Nang Beach, photos don’t do it justice, it is one of the most beautiful beaches…

Not something you would expect to find on a beach! On the southern side of Phra Nang Beach, there is a small cove full of phalluses! These penis carvings are placed here by fishermen, other locals, and visitors as offerings to the princess of the cave who will bring them prosperity. It is not unusual for this to be used in Thailand but this cave has really gone for it.

The sign reads:
“Local people, fisherman and navigators believe and hold faith in the Princess of the Pranang Cave that she will preserve and protect their livelihood and fulfill one’s wishes. When their wishes are fulfilled, votive offerings would be made at the shrine. Common gifts are flowers and incense sticks, but usually the spirits of the Goddess are offered a special gift, the lingam, which is carved from wood. The belief of the lingam and holy womb shall create fertility and prosperity to the whole earth and mankind.”

Silhouette of longtail boats lined up on a beach at sunset, with cliffs in the background.

There are many dusky leaf monkeys about! Incredibly cute, they go round in large groups. Hard to get a clear photo as they don’t stop moving.

Trip to Bangkok, how about being a tourist? One great thing to do is to explore the canals, there are so many! The Chao Phraya River, or River of Kings runs through Bangkok and there are many smaller canals that link communities. In the 19th century, the canal and river network stretched hundreds of kilometres and was the lifeblood of the city. It connected houses, public spaces and temples, served as transport corridors for commercial goods and there were more floating than land-based markets. Many have now been paved to make way for roads. You can walk the canals or you can get a longtail. We opted for a boat this time and it was worth it.

A view of a weathered wooden house with a rusted metal roof, partially covered in reflective material, located along a canal in Bangkok, surrounded by modern buildings.

This giant Bhuddha just pops out above the houses… It is at Wat Pak Nam Temple and it is the largest Buddha statue in Bangkok at 64 meters.

From one large Bhudda to another! Wat Pho is one of Bangkok’s oldest and largest temples. The image of the reclining Buddha represents the entry of Buddha into Nirvana and the end of all reincarnations. The posture of the image is referred to as sihasaiyas, the posture of a sleeping or reclining lion. The figure is 15 m high and 46 m long, and it is one of the largest Buddha statues in Thailand.

A row of golden Buddha statues inside a temple, with intricate red and gold ceiling decor.

We came to Bangkok from Moshi in Tanzania. A very rural setting to a very urban one. The first weekend we went to Lumpini Park in search of some nature. In our last weekend we returned to say goodbye. We didn’t see a massive monitor but saw a baby one!

Interior view of a modern bookstore with tall bookshelves, a counter displaying books and merchandise, and people browsing. The space is bright and inviting, featuring photographs on the walls. — One of the most fabulous bookshops with cakes and views

A display of beautifully designed desserts, featuring a variety of cakes including chocolate and fruit tarts, arranged neatly in a pastry shop.

So, it is goodbye for now. The removals are packing as I type and there is sadness for endings and excitment for a new chapter. It is extra sad as we had to say goodbye to Misty a few days ago. She was an amazing dog! Often sick but courageous and full of joy and love. We will miss her dearly.