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The Best of Thailand

Hi fellow travelers! Today I have another guest blogger. Meet Emma and her boyfriend, Liam!
Aren't they cute?
Jon and I met Emma and Liam while traveling in New Zealand. They were involved in many of the shenanigans in my NZ blog! They're originally from England and had just finished a year of working abroad in Australia. They put off the best vibes: care-free, friendly, happy, and fun! They are so in love and lovey-dovey, I actually questioned my love with Jon when we were around them.
SPOILER ALERT: Jon and I made it, are happily married, and I have no doubts whatsoever.

I’ve always been inspired by how they left their lives behind in the UK and headed out for a wild adventure. My kind of people! On the way to Australia, they stopped in Thailand! Emma will share a bit more about this wonderful country! They hit so many epic and classic Thai things! It’s a great plan to follow! She has the cutest accent, so I wish she could tell you this story in person, but writing will do for now 😊
Map of their main stops in Thailand: Source
Emma's story: ________________________________________________________________________

 Where do I start… I met my travel partner and boyfriend Liam in a nightclub in Bristol, England- as you do. Our eyes met, we chatted at the bar for an hour, and talked about how we wanted to travel. Liam’s mum till this day still tells the story of how 4 years ago, he said he had met someone he would travel with. She didn't believe it at first, and now here I am writing a travel blog of our adventures!

When I told all my friends about my upcoming travels, they thought that I was going off to ‘find myself’, almost as if I were to return a guitar playing hippy with dreadlocks! No… I just wanted adventure and to see the world! I always had that fear of missing out on all the many magical places to visit and knew that I that needed to go now.

So off we went. Thailand was the first pit stop. The first night we indulged in everything Bangkok: spicy food, eating strange bugs, a massage, tuk tuk’s, people, music, and colour. Our evenings consisted of playing connect 4, drinking, eating and meeting other travelers. We covered every corner of Bangkok. What a wonderful city! 
Thai beach
Our next stop was Koh Phangan, a little island that is not only party central but also captivating. We decided to stay on three different parts of the island to experience it all: the quiet and tranquil, party central, and the beautiful beaches.

We celebrated Christmas on the island, which for us Brits was really strange as it was warm! England is pretty cold in the winter so this was a real novelty for us eating Pad Thai on a beach in the sunshine; the only thing that was familiar was the hangover!

The incredible thing about traveling is the people you meet. We were lucky enough to meet a Swedish couple in Bangkok… we got on like a house on fire and decided to keep in contact. Later, they decided that they would come and join us to celebrate Christmas!
We celebrated New Years Eve in typical Thailand style: by attending The Full Moon Party! Over 100,000 people rang in the new year on a small beach near Haad Rin. More alcohol and people I have ever seen in one place! Plus music, fireworks, lanterns. It was a mad experience; definitely something I won’t forget for a long time. We also made sure that whilst on the island for 3 weeks that we explored as much as possible: island hopping, snorkeling, and hiking.
We then headed off to Bangkok by boat from Koh Phangan, which was really choppy and should we say made for rather interesting journey. We then caught the train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, an 18-hour overnight train journey. We arrived early the next morning, dropped our bags off, and immediately went off to explore. Chiang Mai is such a colourful place, and the people are really welcoming and happy to show you around.

One day we were exploring and walked past a School when an English man (a teacher at a school) asked us if we would go in and teach the children something in English. The children were so keen to learn! They were fascinated by our accents and giggled and played! Such bright happy children! It was a lovely experience for us to take bring home with us. We found a cute little market in the square where I managed to pick up some little gifts for friends and family.
We went on several tours, which I would definitely recommend. The first was zip wiring through the jungle north of Chiang Mai. It was an amazing way to see the landscape’s, colours, and wildlife whilst going fast and having fun. The second was an elephant rescue reserve called Ran Tong. The elephants could wonder and take their time eating, sleeping, and bathing. A truly magical experience! 
I could go into a massive amount of detail on this captivating country, but I would be glued to the laptop for a lifetime! Its food, drink, weather. The trips and hotels are affordable, and the people are so friendly and welcoming. I can’t wait to visit again…… until next time Thailand.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Thank you so much for sharing your story, Emma! I have a special place in my heart for Thailand, and this is truly a great way to see so much of it in one trip. I'd recommend this itinerary to everyone! I can't wait to see what else you and Liam accomplish and achieve together! See you somewhere around the world soon!
💚 Friends, feel free to show Emma some love 
And as always, feel free to leave a question or comment 💚
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