Wonder.Food.Travel

I have to be honest- this is one hill that i was fearful to hike or climb but always wanted to, seeing it from the Middle Ring Road 2 every time i pass by. Being rather infamous for the many accidents, recent or not, it took a while before one courageous day, i decided to ring my cousin and set a date to, well, face the fear and conquer that hill i always wanted to. It didn't rain the night before, which was good, because i read that the rocks at the top could be very slippery when wet- one less thing to caution. I picked my cousin up, and then parked my car alongside the road at the foothill of Bukit Tabur, near the gate of the Klang Gates Dam. The road was narrow but we didn't want to walk from my cousin's place because it meant that we had to walk back after the strenuous hike- a lesson my cousin and two other friends learned. There were a few other cars and enthusiastic climbers when we were there. As i left my car, i tightened my shoelaces, pulled my knee sleeves up ...

The long-tail boat left Railay and as i saw it diminished from a distance, i saw buildings and more mangroves, indicating that i am closer to the town. The boat dropped the family off at the resort's pier, leaving me alone with the coxswain. Not long after, i arrived at Chao Fa Pier. I paid him and started walking, with my map in hand, searching for Chaofa Road. It is less than a 5-minute walk. Pak-Up Hostel I checked in and showered- oh, the feeling of being clean again after the rock climbing done earlier. This hostel is strategically located at the center of town. It is clean and neat. However, the mattress was rather hard and there was no free water. I purchased my water bottles at the nearby 7-Eleven (and there are plenty of 7-Elevens around). There is a rooftop bar but it was closed on my visit, and a Playground Bar at the back where travelers hang out for a drink and games. I had a free Free Black Cock cocktail (yes, i still find it weirdly catchy, but weirdly wrong whe...

This Journey is the most impromptu travel decision i have ever made. Granted the days off, i surfed the Air Asia website for cheap deals for a quick fix of getaway. Krabi was on the list and i immediately grew excited. My knowledge of Krabi was limited- i only knew it is in Thailand and it is popular for water activities, but not how it is mapped and what water activities. I did further research and rock climbing popped up. I knew i wanted to do it- and set it as one of my main goals. I asked my mom if she wanted to come along on this trip but when i mentioned some activities i would be doing, she declined. So, this gave birth to my solo backpacking- i booked the flight ticket and accommodation, dusted my backpack, prepared my budget, and devised my itinerary: Ao Nang - Railay - Krabi Town Sawadeekap. I arrived at Krabi Airport on a cloudy Wednesday afternoon. It is the low and wet season in July, but it wasn't all quiet. After exiting the arrival hall, many tourists f...