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So from Khao Lak, I decided to see Phuket (pronounced Pooh ket, not fuck it 😂), but after getting there, it seemed like it should be named fuck it! Crazy does not describe it…insane is a good word for it. Pictures below are of my room, which was nice, and a tour I took on a large speed boat to see the surrounding island and to snorkel a bit more. Very crowded and not enough time to really enjoy the sites.
The one video I took shows how many people go on these tours. The stop was to see Maya Bay, and when I saw all the tourists line up on the stairs, that’s when I said, “nope”!
The water around the islands is so beautiful, but I wouldn’t recommend any tours out of Patong. As a taxi driver told me today, go to an island like Ko Lanta or Krabi. Not so many people and beautiful!

Phuket Video Pt 1:

https://nomadicnorine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/att.A8f2veDc7nsW2lA3PhnDfmXOlWpiVkh6DQEeRBzdWBA.mp4

Phuket Video Pt 2:

https://nomadicnorine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/att.7n-tPQX2UgpAo0KZT0l2BOFroj6HGWJ9pPjJOTICpSc.mp4

Took a market tour and cooking class. 😊 I took a bunch of short videos of the market tour. Our guide is Oly! She changed her name because the one her mother gave her means fat and so she changed it. If you listen to her, her speech is very interesting. Oly went to university in Australia and all her roommates were Auggies, so she picked up some Australian inflections😂. Oly is actually Chinese and Thai. After the market tour, we went to cooking class and I made some delicious fried prawns and pad Thai. Oh my gosh, so delicious!!!! The prawns are wrapped in egg noodles.

Market Tour Video Pt 1:

https://nomadicnorine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/att.s5arc6PYsgU1IfUoZbJ9cIPQevMYUGikSkpTUaDF4m4.mp4

Market Tour Video Pt 2:

https://nomadicnorine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/att.w4gLYYDDRrLxeyrxMUUHi7xMQWZ2dJTd526U89vook8.mp4

Market Tour Video Pt 3:

https://nomadicnorine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/att.2mki5bfhbgKNsPHctj4nBBu2AjEgydeEeY8LGP4Fhx8.mp4

Market Tour Video Pt 4:

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Market Tour Video Pt 5:

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Market Tour Video Pt 6:

https://nomadicnorine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/att.ZUGwXHm8pptcZ54OpeGe7TnnDMQPHWfsXzMn0WVvEIw.mp4

Market Tour Video Pt 7:

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Market Tour Video Pt 8:

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Market Tour Video Pt 9:

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Market Tour Video Pt 10:

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Market Tour Video Pt 11:

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Market Tour Video Pt 12:

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Market Tour Video Pt 13:

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Market Tour Video Pt 14:

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Market Tour Video Pt 15:

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Market Tour Video Pt 16:

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Market Tour Video Pt 17:

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Market Tour Video Pt 18:

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Market Tour Video Pt 19:

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Market Tour Video Pt 20:

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Market Tour Video Pt 21:

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Market Tour Video Pt 22:

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Market Tour Video Pt 23:

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I’m now in Khao Lak, snorkeling at Surin Islands. What a fantastic day! Took a large speed boat to Surin Islands! A bumpy 1.5 hour ride, but totally worth it! The water out at sea must have been around 80 degrees. I saw so much beautiful reef and fish. 😊 We stopped at one of the bays for lunch, and then a village of what the Thai people call, “sea gypsies.” In the photos, you can see the boats they live on and the homes on wooden poles during the monsoon season. Thailand has built a school for them and has taught them how to craft souvenirs, so that they can earn cash for food, besides the fish they catch. They are also teaching them about the danger of plastic containers and recycling.

Snorkeling Lunch Break Video:
https://nomadicnorine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/att.T-Rm0WCB0J4zkhV8Iq4dn7qe9qDq432Ph8gU1tdFvxk.mp4

Went on tour of Cheow Lake, a manmade Lake in Khao Sok Forest. Khao Sok forest has never been logged and is the oldest forest on earth; 168 million years old!
When the lake was created, the King gave each relocated individual a 7 acre rubber tree farm and 1000 baht lifelong monthly stipend to support their farming income.

Boat Tour Video:

https://nomadicnorine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20241122T025449868.att_.C7DAC4A2-3367-481C-A52D-C22683BF68AC_0.mp4

We saw snakes, scorpions, a Dee Dee (foot long deer), and a tarantula!

Checked in Khao Sok Hotel and spa. Grounds and room amazing for $60 per night! Then walked to Monkey Temple 💕

Monkey Temple Video Pt. 1:

https://nomadicnorine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20241122T024843231.att_.1260FB56-0055-4051-B4D2-5902276024FE_0.mp4

Monkey Temple Video Pt. 2:

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One of the best days of my life! These elephants all all rescued from circuses, logging camps and zoo (that allow the elephants to be ridden on). Elephants, unlike horses and camels, do not have the spinal structure for riding. Lana, the 5 year old elephant I’m feeding, cost 50,000 to be rescued. I can’t tell you how overwhelming this day was for me; I’ll never forget it

Video Pt 1:

https://nomadicnorine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/467524591_9049578178432364_5114626297223983487_n.mp4

Video Pt 2:

https://nomadicnorine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/467540024_27623758340573080_3806867980537850367_n.mp4

Today I took a private tour of DOI ITHANON

The park is named in honor of the king Inthawichayanon, one of the last kings of Chiang Mai, who was concerned about the forests in the north of Thailand and wanted to preserve it. After his death his remains were placed in the park as he ordered and the forest was renamed to Doi Inthanon, which mean, gold mountain. My guide, Gong, was incredible and informed me about Thailand’s history and culture. Well with the cost of taking a private tour! There are twin temples; one for the king and one for the queen. Stunningly beautiful!

Hello Friends!
Yesterday I did some temple touring in old town Chiang Mai. There’s over 300 temples in Chiang Mai. I decided to visit 2 Temples, Wat Saen Muang Ma Luang
And Wat Phra Singh.

The word wat is a Thai word that comes from “vata” a word in Sanskrit, which means “enclosure”. A Wat is the place of worship for Buddhists, the followers of Buddhism.
Enjoy the pics!

Well, after over 24 hours of travel time, I finally arrived at a hostel, for one night. I booked the hostel so that I could walk a short distance to the big Loi Krathong celebration that night. Little did I know I would be sleeping in the top bunk. For a 70 year old?😂. Guess I should have told them how old I was when I booked it. Here’s some pics 😂

Hostel Room Tour Video:
https://nomadicnorine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FD0C6670-C6DE-4151-A374-89A05D2B976F.mov

The next day I checked into Chiang Mai Old Town Hotel and Spa…HEAVEN! Much better suited for a 70 year old😂

Hotel Room Tour Video:

https://nomadicnorine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/7362CD14-5C65-4F79-BBC0-7CF58C137A4F.mov