...If only in my dreams---- Similan Islands Trip

I won't be home this Christmas except in my dreams. It will be my first Christmas away from home. It's going to be tough. I don't plan to spend Christmas day alone though. I'm going to go out with friends. There are lots of places that have special Christmas dinners for ex-pats. I'll write some about my Similan Islands trip and then go. I'm going to meet with a director from the Youth With a Mission organization. They do missionary work in Thailand. I'm interested in it. I've met several missionaries who had great experiences with them. I let you know what I learn.

On my next post I'll write about my trip to Sukothai and Mae Sot. They are in the Northeastern part of Thailand. Mae Sot is right by the border with Myanmar (Burma).

Similan Islands trip

I knew this trip was going to be different because we (teachers from Baylor and Australia) were traveling with the Thai teachers. The Thais made all the arrangements. We booked a train to get to the Similans. There were 41 people that went from our school. We took up an entire train car. As soon as we started going the Thais started taking group pictures. The differences between how we take photos is funny. I normally don't like group photos. But the Thais take almost nothing else. I flipped through their albums and I saw maybe two or three pictures of scenery without people in them. On some of my trips I don't take pictures of people at all- just landscapes.

We ate fish, rice, and pineapple for every meal. Sometimes we had other things too like oysters and crabs. We got sick of the food. I also got badly burned. Otherwise I had no complaints. I was in paradise.

My friend Cyndi said, "I've always seen pictures of wonderful places on people's computers. I can now say I've been to those places." It's true. The water was so clear. You could see down about 20 meters. The beaches have sand that is as white as you can imagine.

My friend Zach said, "I'll never be able to go back to Galveston. There is just no comparison."
It is so true.


The Similans are the best islands I have seen. They are a national park. You have to have connections to stay where we stayed. Our school pulled some strings and we stayed on an island that only the elite go to. Our guesthouse was right next to one reserved for the Royal family.

We rode out to the islands on a boat. As I looked out on the water I saw flying fish. They hung in the air for over a minute sometimes. It was incredible! Zach saw a manta ray from the boat.

We went snorkeling and diving. On our diving trips we saw sting rays and lots of fish that I had never seen before. Some of my friends saw eels. We have some underwater pictures. I will try to load them, but they are very large pictures. I'm really not telling you enough about the trip, but I don't much time to write now.

I saw the Incredibles. It was very good!
There was a special Christmas service. It was so early because so many people at church don't stay in town on Christmas Day.

Take care. I'm going to try to write again before I go to Khao Yai National Park on Thursday. I am going with the school. It is an English Camp.

Other people I'm thinking about...

My whole family will be missed this Christmas. I'd like y'all to send me pictures if you can. I don't have enough family photos.

I'm really happy for my friends Brian and Missy. They had a baby girl last month.

Nick and Melody had a baby girl last month too. I pray for their missionary work.

Also I am so happy for my friends Andrew and Dana. I heard they just got engaged.

Chad is workin' in Africa too. I pray for him all the time too.

I can't write everyone's name, but I miss y'all.

So many things are changing back in America with my friends and family. All these things are so cool, but I don't get to see them. I wish I could. Okay later.