The Most Perfect Day

Alex, Jon and I rented motorbikes this morning so that we could get to Erawan Falls, a national park about an hour outside of Kanchanaburi. Riding on the back of Jon's bike, we passed jagged hills covered in green as we followed the River Kwai. We arrived at Erawan Falls and hiked up a series of 7 different falls, all of which you could swim in. The "fierce monkeys" swung above our heads and the tiny fish nipped our feet in the clear water below, but as we swam through the cave, all I could think of was how I could possibly put this amazing experience into words. We continued our hike to the top and all we could hear were thousands of beetles sounding like a collective group of deafening chainsaws and the ominous sound of thunder in the distance. Throughout it all though beauty surrounded us-- huge twisting vines coiled up on the ground and swinging from the massive trees, hidden waterfalls around every corner and butterflies in bright yellows and oranges fluttering silently throughout the jungle.

Heading back down our stomachs growled, but the threat of rain hung in the air so we quickened our pace and made out way back to the motorbikes.

On our ride back to Kanchanaburi, the rain hit. We had been planning on checking out the Bridge at the River Kwai at sunset but given the weather, it looked that that was not going to happen. Like millions of tiny pin pricks pelting every inch of exposed skin, I clutched on to Jon's waist in the hopes that we would not skid out and get a "Thai tattoo." Somehow though, despite the misery of being wet and freezing, flying through the Thai countryside in the rain was amazing. Sure, I could barely see through my sunglasses that were covered in water and most likely a dead bug or two, but the air smelled like a mix of grilled meat, fruit trees and firewood, and I felt alive... It wasn't until Alex rode up next to us though and shouted "Fuck the Bridge!" that I realized how tense I had been since the rain had started. She was stating the obvious and sitting at the stoplight, we laughed, almost deliriously, at the insanity of the last 45 minutes. We eventually made it back and rewarded ourselves with the spiciest bowl of noodle soup and a few more laughs at our own expense.

Quitting my job and going to Thailand= The BEST decision I've ever made.