Before I left for Thailand, I had a few friends who studied abroad give me some advice on weekend travel. They told me that weekends were valuable, and they could either be used to spend time getting to know your city or traveling around to new ones. So far, I have had a healthy mix of both.
Chiang Mai is a lot to take in and I have found myself wanting breaks from the city. That’s why I booked a last-minute flight to Phuket, and spent the weekend there.
It was a much-needed break, and it is always fantastic to get back to the ocean where I can trick my brain into thinking that I am back at Lake Michigan. But, I am finding the more time I spend away from Chiang Mai, the more I appreciate it. When I was in Vietnam, I learned that Chiang Mai isn’t as busy and crowded as I thought. Phuket gave me an entirely different perspective.
Many tourists flock to Phuket for vacations. We learned that Phuket is to Russians as the Bahamas is to Americans. Phuket was filled with tourists, and I began to appreciate the rich Thai culture that permeates Chiang Mai. Also, because of the tourism, prices for meals were sky high and I found myself missing my 30 Baht meals (about $1).
Phuket was gorgeous! Not only was the sand so fine it felt like silk, but the water was warm and clear. Mountains that rose up on land fell into the beach, and there were islands offshore that were nice to look at. I am thankful for the opportunity to visit Phuket, but the experience there made me even more thankful for my life here in Chiang Mai.
