After a quick stop off in Krabi it was time to soak up some rays on our last Thai island, Koh Phi Phi. It didn't really hit me until right as we were leaving that the Southern Thailand portion of my trip had come nearly to a close. Although it was a bit bittersweet by the end our our stay I think we were all ready for a change. In Koh Phi we were staying at a hostel called Ibiza House and at first we thought it would be the right move since we really wanted to go out with a bang and have a good time. This hostel was supposedly one of the best party hostels on the island so naturally we had to stay there. We had two nights on the island so we really wanted to make the best of it.
The only downer about partying on the islands is that everything is so darn expensive, however, we did find a super market that sold beer for actually cheaper than the mainland. We of course went to that store all the time so we could save money since everything else was so expensive. Another thing about Koh Phi Phi is that there is pizza literally everywhere and since we were getting a little sick of noodles we had to satisfy our cravings and get a few slices. Our first night out was actually such a blast and Esben had decided to come and meet us on the islands so we had some more time to all hangout together.
I really couldn't believe how crazy this tiny little island was, and to be honest I liked it more than the full moon party. It's literally just one strip and you can just walk back and forth down the "yellow brick road" and take your pick of a bar or food. There is also a ridiculous amount of tattoo shops, which of course are good to avoid when your judgement is impaired from drinking. They really do know product placement, because the only things to do on this island is drink and eat. There is one bar that we really wanted to go to called the Reggae Bar since they had muy Thai fighting and Esben was going to fight that night. We had to support a fellow travel buddy! We all somehow managed to get home safely without any tattoos or piercings. Success!
The next day was definitely a day of rest, which was completely fine for us since it rained all day long. We all decided that it was time to get one of those famous Thai massages and to just chill. This was the best decision ever and I had the most amazing massage in my life. They really do massage your entire body and stand on your back for only 3 dollars! We felt like noodles after and grabbed some food before heading back to the hostel.
That night we all agreed that it was good to just chill and we grabbed some beers and hung out on the beach, walked around, and just talked about life. It was the best way to end our stay in Koh Phi Phi because it gave us a chance to actually talk and retain everything that was being discussed. The conversations had a huge range, but when we were sitting on the pier it really hit me. Each and every one of us was a solo backpacker from a different country and we were sipping on beers like we've been best friends for our entire lives. We all got along so well and understood that sometimes you just need to sit down and take it all in. You can go anywhere and take a picture just to say you've done it, but what I thought was interesting is that someone can have such a different experience as someone who has visited the same place and done the same thing. I'm definitely a strong believer in life's what you make it, so even if something bad comes your way or doesn't go according to plan there's not point in having a negative response. If things always went according to plan we would never learn.
So as I was sitting there it was a perfect chance for me and everyone else to take a deep breath and realize where we are and what we've done. We were in one of the most beautiful places on Earth, where people dream of visiting and it almost didn't feel real. But it is real, and I think that its so important to stop for a minute and just take it all in. As Ferris Bueller more or less once said, "Life moves pretty fast, if you don't stop and wait for a minute, you just might miss it." And of course I have to make a reference to the movie "The Beach" since it was filmed on the Phi Phi islands and perfectly describes how I felt on my last night on the island. "And me? I still believe in paradise. But now at least I know it's not some place you can look for. Because it's not where you go. It's how you feel for a moment in your life when you're a part of something. And if you find that moment... It lasts forever."