Many of you have asked some good questions, so here are some basics.
WEATHER: Knowingly, we have arrived during the summer monsoon season. There was a lot of rain the first two days, and then it has been pretty nice the past couple of days. The temperature has been around 78-85 ºF with a little humidity since it’s been rainy. It’s been pretty pleasant – a good transition from Bellingham weather. Warm enough to spend all day in shorts and tank top, but not so hot that we’re melting.
BEACHES/WATER: We have explored a couple of our closest beaches. The closest one (Rawai) is about 1km from our house, and is a working beach where the fishermen moor their long-tail boats. There are dozens of food stands/restaurants all along this stretch. The next nearest beach (Nai Harn) is about 3-5km away, and is a beautiful sandy beach for swimming. Right now, during the summer monsoons, it is good for surfing and boogie boarding. In the winter, it will be better for snorkeling, windsurfing, and swimming. We played in the waves and did a little boogie boarding. The water temperature was comfortably warm, yet refreshing. We’re looking forward to doing some surfing and snorkeling within the week.
FOOD: I've heard, "the cheaper, the better" when it comes to Thai food. This has held true for us so far - the best meal we had cost us $3 for the two of us. The roads are lined with food stands and restaurants. You can pull over anywhere and grab a quick meal that is prepared from fresh ingredients right in front of you. This Thai version of “fast food” is healthy and delicious! (There haven’t been anymore “surprises” recently either!) We went to a wonderful market right by our house this afternoon that had tons of fresh produce, incredible food stands, etc. It was amazing!
TRANSPORTATION: The locals on their motorscooters are entertaining! They fit 3-5 people on a scooter often with toddlers and dogs as well. Unfortunately, most of them rarely have on helmets. Many scooters have these great utility-style sidecars for hauling equipment, people, etc. As for driving, there seem to be some general guidelines, but it is pretty much anything goes (especially for the motorbikes) with no speed limits. I find the driving to be a fun challenge! We are tempted to get a motorbike with sidecar…
HOUSING: I’ll get some pictures tomorrow, and give more details in my next entry.
The photos above are: 1. Rawai beach with long-tail boats 2. Food stand along Rawai Beach 3. Motorbikes on road in Rawai 4. Nai Harn Beach 4-5km away 5. Family on motorbike with sidecar
WEATHER: Knowingly, we have arrived during the summer monsoon season. There was a lot of rain the first two days, and then it has been pretty nice the past couple of days. The temperature has been around 78-85 ºF with a little humidity since it’s been rainy. It’s been pretty pleasant – a good transition from Bellingham weather. Warm enough to spend all day in shorts and tank top, but not so hot that we’re melting.
BEACHES/WATER: We have explored a couple of our closest beaches. The closest one (Rawai) is about 1km from our house, and is a working beach where the fishermen moor their long-tail boats. There are dozens of food stands/restaurants all along this stretch. The next nearest beach (Nai Harn) is about 3-5km away, and is a beautiful sandy beach for swimming. Right now, during the summer monsoons, it is good for surfing and boogie boarding. In the winter, it will be better for snorkeling, windsurfing, and swimming. We played in the waves and did a little boogie boarding. The water temperature was comfortably warm, yet refreshing. We’re looking forward to doing some surfing and snorkeling within the week.
FOOD: I've heard, "the cheaper, the better" when it comes to Thai food. This has held true for us so far - the best meal we had cost us $3 for the two of us. The roads are lined with food stands and restaurants. You can pull over anywhere and grab a quick meal that is prepared from fresh ingredients right in front of you. This Thai version of “fast food” is healthy and delicious! (There haven’t been anymore “surprises” recently either!) We went to a wonderful market right by our house this afternoon that had tons of fresh produce, incredible food stands, etc. It was amazing!
TRANSPORTATION: The locals on their motorscooters are entertaining! They fit 3-5 people on a scooter often with toddlers and dogs as well. Unfortunately, most of them rarely have on helmets. Many scooters have these great utility-style sidecars for hauling equipment, people, etc. As for driving, there seem to be some general guidelines, but it is pretty much anything goes (especially for the motorbikes) with no speed limits. I find the driving to be a fun challenge! We are tempted to get a motorbike with sidecar…
HOUSING: I’ll get some pictures tomorrow, and give more details in my next entry.
The photos above are: 1. Rawai beach with long-tail boats 2. Food stand along Rawai Beach 3. Motorbikes on road in Rawai 4. Nai Harn Beach 4-5km away 5. Family on motorbike with sidecar
