I could feel and hear the plane give that hot weather rumble. It is a sound that comes from the thermal waves pushing upwards toward the plane. Even though we took the early morning flight out of Singapore, the heat was extraordinary – a swelter I had never experienced before.

With our carry-on bags in hand (yes, almost three weeks with just a carry-on bag), we worked our way through customs and outside to wait for the van to take us to our rental car. The Avis location was a small building set off an ally way, with chickens and feral cats wandering about.

After twenty-four hours of in-air flying time, with stops in Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Singapore, we were in Thailand. I’ll get back to the other locations in other posts, but for now, I’m going to work my way backward and begin with Thailand. The gathering in Phuket was the main reason we were on this trip. We were here with the most interesting group of people to attend the wedding.

I had to hand it to my husband, who tackled driving on the left side of the road with ease. We zipped north from the airport, away from the more tourist-populated destinations of Phuket Island. The security at the Aleenta Hotel, our home for the next few days, was surprising, but we soon learned that all the hotels and resorts had the same level of protection. Walking up the stairs to the outdoor reception area, we were greeted with a breathtaking view. Palm trees, bougainvillea, and an infinity pool with the ocean beyond. Our villa just continued the vision. We had a private pool, and the sea was only steps away.

There was a welcome party on the beach the first evening. Never mind that I destroyed my outfit with a much too hot iron, a real problem when you are traveling with only the minimum. I freaked out for a minute, grabbed a longish linen top, wore it as a dress with some sandals, and had a fabulous evening.

The following morning, our party of seventy-five revelers boarded two yachts and headed toward a private island. When we arrived at the island, some brave partiers jumped from the second story of our boat and swam in. Others grabbed kayaks and paddled in, while the rest rode in dinghies to shore.

Our lunch on the beach was right out of the Anthony Bourdain playbook. A local family preparing our meal on the shore, with chickens clucking around their feet as they worked, two children sitting off to the side dusting off the plates and bowls. Freshly caught fish and shrimp smoked over hot coals while pots of rice and curries simmered on the fire. The food was incredibly delicious, and the green curry was divine. Somehow there was also a mechanical bull on the beach, which was a source of much hilarity, and then we all made our way back onto the boats to tour Ao Phang Nga National Park.

It is difficult to describe the ethereal beauty of the islands that make up Ao Phang Nga National Park. Conversations became hushed as we sailed up to the dramatic islands jutting out of the sea. There was a sacredness to this place and just enough haze to give the scene a mysterious and moody feel.

A post shared by Eva Marie (@epicurean_eva) on Mar 24, 2017 at 1:12am PDT

 

This was a trip we hesitated to take because of the distance and complexity. We asked ourselves if there was any reason that we couldn’t go. Neither of us could find a reason, so we started planning the next day. It turned out to be such a special trip in that we were completely out of our comfort and familiarity zone, yet the trip itself was easy once it was planned. We met so many fun people and had experiences we couldn’t have had anywhere else.

Next time you feel that hesitation about whether to leap or not, go for the adventure!

Click here for the Green Curry recipe.