Thailand Trip Index:
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Final day in Thailand. So sad. I wasn’t ready for things to end.
We started the day off nice and early with a 6AM appointment to meet a cab which would take us ziplining up in the jungle, 2 hours outside of Bangkok. Flight of the Gibbon was the ziplinning company. A gibbon is a Thai monkey so we were swinging through the treetops of the jungle like the monkies. There was one other woman, Mary, who was also traveled with us and we became quite good friends!
We arrived around 8AM and had a few minutes to wait so we went to a nearby area and grabbed breakfast. Mary was brave and bought a fish. We were cautious and bought some small rice-krispy type things, oreos, and bananas. Quality breakfast! I asked for two bananas but the employee gave me two huge bunches – probably 20 in all. They cost less than a $1 so I didn’t argue. Turns out they came in handy later to feed some giraffes and elephants.
After our breakfast adventure, the driver took us further up the mountain to a stall where we were suited up. The gear makes one feel a little self-conscious, if I can say so. We had a short 10 minute hike up to the summit. It was stunning! The chaos of Bangkok felt so far away.
This course had 24 runs, the longest of which was 300 meters. I loved that it was so long. The first few runs allowed me to relax and get the hang of landing. By the end we were getting more adventurous and really having fun. The only parts that made me a little nervous were two spots where we had to rappel straight down. The guides playfully dropped us 5ish feet to give us a thrill. So nice of them!
The scenery was spectacular! A beautiful carpet of green foliage below and blue, clear skies above.
Our package included lunch and a trip around an Open Zoo. Their zoo rules were much more relaxed than what we’re used to. It allowed us to have close interaction and we had loads of laughs.
We arrived back to Bangkok around 3. We cleaned up and grabbed dinner at a close by restaurant. This was our final meal in Thailand and it did not disappoint! I ordered everything I loved – panang, massaman, cashew chicken, pineapple drinks, and mango and sticky rice. I think I ate every last bite, too, with Ben’s help, of course. It was a really fantastic meal and a very happy moment in time!
That evening we had a night bike tour of the city with Follow Me Bike Tours. Following in the pattern of the rest of our trip, we were the only ones booked for that time slot so we had a private tour 🙂 During the 6 hour, 25K tour we cycled through the quiet neighborhoods, vibrant Chinatown, beautiful flower market, and around several temples. The streets were pretty chaotic, but we mostly used narrow alleys and back roads. Our guide, Chris, directed us with hand signals. We were constantly ducking under awnings and dodging cars and pedestrians. Somehow we got through unscathed! We stopped several times and our guide bought us snacks, drinks and dinner.
It started to pour while we were waiting for dinner in Chinatown. Chris was great and had ponchos for us to wear but we still ended up quite soaked. I grew up hearing my mom’s mission stories of the deluges they endured and trying to ride their bikes through them to get to members’ homes. However, the floods were so high that they were literally pedaling underwater! I thought of her in amazement as I rode the bike along the dark, mysterious roads in the rain.
We ate our amazing dinner and fresh fruit shakes and watched the rain come down. After dinner we visited the fresh flower market. We cycled right up to the middle of the manic market and walked around admiring the creativity and beauty at each booth.
Afterwards we crossed the river by ferry and visited Thonburi, the previous capital of Thailand. The temples were so beautiful all lit up at night. The roads were quiet by this point and the rain had stopped. It was peaceful and beautiful.
I loved touring the city this way! We were able to see so much in such a short time and so many unique, over-looked areas in a fun, interactive way.
We arrived back to the clubhouse late, around 11. I was exhausted! It had been a long, exciting day! Our final day. We were sad things were ending but so, so thankful we were able to have this getaway. There were many wonderful memories made. Moments of happiness that I will never forget!
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