after leaving ko tao, C. and i headed directly for chaweng beach on ko samui. we settled into a almost-beachfront bungalow at seascape beach resort, and spent our time relaxing on the beach and enjoying excellent thai food and mai tais. (and of course, hooking up my iPod to the tv so we could watch the Lost season finale together!)
then it was off to the bangkok banyan tree (simulatenously breaking almost all of their no-backpacker rules during check-in), where we spent a few afternoons sunning ourselves at the pool on the 17th floor when we weren't exploring bangkok. if you're slacking off on a weekday, there is nothing like doing it from a pool with a great view of office buildings... that memory will probably sting me next year when i'm back in the working world once more. we tried not to get stuck inside the hotel too much, such as our adventure navigating the wilds of chatuchak market (avoiding the pickpockets!), negotated with various street vendors, looking at thai tailoring, and generally taking full advantage of C.'s thai language skills.
but all good things must come to at end, especially such luxuries being driven around bangkok by C.'s friend's driver and her jaguar, and my gilrfriend is heading back home on an early-morning flight, and i'm checking out of here a few hours after that. (i'm realizing that it's actually quite difficult to remain in paradise forever) we have one more romantic dinner together in bangkok, and then i'm back to the budget solo backpackers life (for now)!
then it was off to the bangkok banyan tree (simulatenously breaking almost all of their no-backpacker rules during check-in), where we spent a few afternoons sunning ourselves at the pool on the 17th floor when we weren't exploring bangkok. if you're slacking off on a weekday, there is nothing like doing it from a pool with a great view of office buildings... that memory will probably sting me next year when i'm back in the working world once more. we tried not to get stuck inside the hotel too much, such as our adventure navigating the wilds of chatuchak market (avoiding the pickpockets!), negotated with various street vendors, looking at thai tailoring, and generally taking full advantage of C.'s thai language skills.
but all good things must come to at end, especially such luxuries being driven around bangkok by C.'s friend's driver and her jaguar, and my gilrfriend is heading back home on an early-morning flight, and i'm checking out of here a few hours after that. (i'm realizing that it's actually quite difficult to remain in paradise forever) we have one more romantic dinner together in bangkok, and then i'm back to the budget solo backpackers life (for now)!
