Tag Archives: inspiration

Lipa Lodge~ The Perfect Spot to Stay on the Quiet Side of Koh Samui

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I turned the corner and immediately knew I was in heaven. This was it. This was the reason I love the tropics so much. Well, at least one of them!

Fresh fruit juice

We wandered to the breakfast buffet to find the most stunning display of freshly squeezed juice. Their colors were a reflection of the stunning scene awaiting us on the deck. The bright yellow sunlight glistened on the turquoise water in the bay. Soft green palm trees swayed in the breeze above the white sand beach. The orange shades promises of the sunset to come.

Orange. Pineapple. Guava. Mango. Which juice would accompany breakfast this morning?

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The Quiet Side of Koh Samui

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The birds rustled in the trees as the water lapped quietly along the shore. Life was good on the quiet side of Koh Samui.

Lipa Noi Koh Samui

Our last trip to the island found us staying on the very busy and chaotic Chewang Beach, absolutely the party side of the island.

With our return to Thailand, we were researching islands, and we originally looked in another direction. Koh Chang. Koh Lanta. Koh Lipe. So.Many.Options.

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The Magic & Color of Chiang Mai Street Life in Photos

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Chiang Mai is undoubtedly one of our favorite spots in the country, in part because of the vibrancy and color of her markets and day-to-day life lived in the streets.

Thai street vendor

Here are some of our favorite scenes discovered on our latest trip to whet your appetite for a Thai adventure of your own.

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What We Ate in Chiang Mai

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The line was long, but the tantalizing aroma of slow roasting beef broth wafted in our direction, giving us the endurance to forge ahead. Blue Noodle Beef & Pork Bowls were destined to be!

Beef noodle bowl

Eating almost anywhere in Thailand is a guaranteed success. As one of the world’s most popular cuisines, from high-end restaurants to street vendors and everything in between, a meal in Thailand is amazing.

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Elephant Nature Park ~ Chiang Mai

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I admit it, the first few times in Thailand, we did it wrong. With better knowledge over the years, highlighted by a visit to the Elephant Nature Park, we no longer ride elephants while visiting SE Asia, but instead spend our money contributing to organizations that advocate for them.

Elephant Nature Park

Seeing these majestic creatures living in harmony with their handlers and volunteers is so much better than contributing to possible abuse.

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Awana House ~ Chiang Mai

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Awww, Chiang Mai’s Awana House Guest House. What a find. When we were plotting and planning our Thailand trip, we considered heading back to Lai Thai House, where we have stayed several times in the past. Although Lai Thai is a lovely option, this time around we wanted a fresh stay within the old city walls for our time in Chiang Mai.

Awana House

We wanted something in a great location, with comfortable guest rooms and places to lounge, with a lot of local Thai charm. We found it in spades at Awana House.

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Finding a Heavenly Stop in Ayutthaya

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We knew from past experience that touring the ruins at the Ayutthaya Historical Park was a hot experience, and we’d need to find a heavenly stop to decompress at the end of the day. Luckily, during some random scrolling online, I came across the Baan Thai House, which looked appealing and became our choice of lodging for the night.

Thai villa
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Did You Enjoy Your Story?

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Some years ask questions, while other years answer them~ My question to you: Did you enjoy your story?

You may be thinking, “But my story isn’t over yet”. We get it, neither is ours, and yet in our pursuit of a life less ordinary, we spend hours each year discussing where we want this road to take us. And those answers help direct us along the right path.

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Searching for History in Ayutthaya

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We were so excited to go searching for history in Ayutthaya. We had only visited this former capital on our first trip to Thailand way back in 2001, so with Dave & Anne in tow, we made a point to head a couple of hours outside of Bangkok.

Ayutthaya ruins

Although only 81 km from our stay at New Siam II, as with all things involving Bangkok traffic, the 1-hour trip took closer to 2 hours +. Once we got out of the traffic jam of the big city, it was an enjoyable ride heading out into the plains north of town.

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