Hello everyone!

As I write this, I am on Koh Lanta, an island on the west side of Thailand. Over the past 9 days, I have been island hopping! 

First, I went to Koh Phangan, on the east side of Thailand, where the famous Full Moon Party takes place. It is an all-night party that takes place once a month. Currently, it is low season, so there weren't that many people there (probably 5,000), but in high season sometimes 30,000 people attend. While exploring the island, I found that the party seems to be the only reason people come to this island, as there was not much else going on there. With that being said, I did stay in a nice place just steps from the beach, and I met many Europeans. Mainly Dutch and British people, along with some Germans. I wasn't a huge fan of the party, but most people enjoyed it. 

After Koh Phangan, I took a ferry north to Koh Tao. This is a smaller island, but it is regarded by some as a "backpackers paradise." It is the cheapest place in the world to get a diving license, so many people come here for that, and there are many places to go snorkeling. The beaches there are pretty nice, but again, it's low season, so it felt pretty slow to me. There is another very small island just a 5-minute boat ride away, so I spent an afternoon there. It is a private island where plastic bottles are not allowed, so it was nice to not see any litter. Some beaches unfortunately have a lot of garbage on them. But others have an entrance fee, which pays for the cleaning. In general, it was nice to just hang out at quiet beaches while on Koh Tao. 

Currently, I am on Koh Lanta, and I have spent the last two days exploring the island via motorbike. It was my first time riding one here, and everyone who I spoke to recommended I learn here. The roads are well paved, wide, and it's quieter the farther south you go. Riding a motorbike has been so much fun, and it is the best way to get around on the islands. Most people live and stay in the north of the island, so it is about a 40-minute ride with no stops to get to the National Park, on the southern tip of the island. There are really nice beaches here, much nicer than in Koh Phangan or Koh Tao. However, I am still chasing a white sand beach with palm trees, and that is yet to be found... 

Last night I joined a new friend from Belgium and we played soccer at the local soccer field (the best sport in the world!). It was really fun because some local kids joined us, and they were quite good! I look forward to the days when Southeast Asian countries become a force at the World Cup. Next to the field was a local mosque, so when the sun went down we heard the Call to Prayer. Living in Portland, I haven't had the opportunity to hear that often, but it is quite cool to listen to. 

More adventures coming soon,

Zach