Thailand is like a true paradise on Earth.  The natural beauty of the country pretty much blew my mind; from the jungles of Chiang Mai to the beaches of the southern islands to the depths of the sublime waters of the Gulf of Thailand.  The place is like magic.  The people are just as beautiful and friendly as their magnificent land. The cuisine is powerful and sometimes frightening, but always an adventure to eat.  The destination is truly unforgettable.

I was on a three week solo tour of the country and wanted to do a bit of partying as well as finding a nice quite spot where I could get my thoughts together.  Before I knew it two and a half weeks got behind me and it all was one big party.  Everywhere I went; Bangkok, Ko Saumi, Ko Panang, Ko Phi Phi, everybody was down to party, and it was great.  I met people from all over the world and everyone wanted to have a good time.  Thailand is a perfect place for that, but as I sat back in my hammock on the island of Phi Phi, I realized that I needed to take a few days away from the party and get my thoughts together before heading back home.

I decided to head to a small island between Phi Phi and Karibi, called Ko Jam.  From what I read in my guide book, there wasn''t much happening on Ko Jam and there were some bungalows on the far side of the island that would suit me fine.    Getting there would prove to be the biggest obstacle since none of the regular tourist ferries stopped there.

So I packed my bag, check out of my beachside bungalow and headed down to the port to see if I could pick up a fishing boat.  I found a young fisherman, who didn''t speak any English, but was able to indicate he lived on Ko Jam and he would give me a ride for about $30 US, which is a lot for Thailand, but it seemed like a win-win, so I agreed. 

I loaded my bag into the fisherman''s Long tail boat and was a little surprised when his family also got into the boat.  There was his Thai wife, holding an infant, two daughters, and the grandmother who was probably about 60.  So we all made the journey together, which ended up being somewhat treacherous after hitting some large swells and taking in some water. Good thing the kids were there to scoop out the water...

After arriving at a remote beach on Ko Jam I could see there really wasn''t much going on.  In fact, the place seemed almost deserted.  The fisherman indicated that I should sit tight and he would be back.  So I waited around and played soccer with a few Thai kids on the beach.  After awhile the fisherman shows up with a small motorcycle and tells me to grab my bag and get on. 

So off we go, tearing ass down this dirt path through this lush jungle.  I assumed he was going to take me to the bungalows on the far side of the island, but since he didn''t really speak English I didn''t know for sure.  Regardless, I was game, and after about 15 min on the bike, we arrived at a clearing in the jungle and there was a large, open air lean-to, a bunch of chicken and a few people hanging around not doing much of anything.

The fisherman indicated that this was where he grew up and the people were his relatives.  I met his father and a couple brothers...maybe a sister.  It was interesting, because they didn''t have any running water or electricity and they seemed genuinely happy.  They were very generous and fed me an array of exotic fruit – most of which I have never seen or tasted before.  It was actually a very nice experience and after 20 minutes or so we continued on to the far side of the island where we found some bungalows and a few other Westerners. 

I stayed at a place called Koh Jum Lodge.  The bungalows were clean and nice – it was actually quite beautiful and rustic.  There wasn''t much going on there and was a perfect place to drop out for a few days. 

I went for a walk down the beach one night and saw the first time the glowing plankton in the water.  If you have never seen this, it''s this special plankton that glows florescent green when the water is agitated (of course you can only see it a night).  I jumped into the ocean and my body erupted into this florescent green blob in the water.  I was quite amazing and felt lucky to experience it.  I felt a little bit like a glowing piece of bait so after awhile I got out.

Anyhow, if you''re going to Thailand, chances are you will do quite a bit of partying.  So if you''re looking for a place to get away from it all, Ko Jam is an excellent, off the beaten path destination. 

Friendly people, stunning scenery, unforgettable walks and delicious cuisine are just a few reasons to visit the Cinque Terre.   The region has recently been listed as a World Heritage Site and if you ever have been here you know why.   The buildings are built into the cliffs overhanging the Mediterranean Sea in a feat that almost seems to defy gravity.

The Cinque Terre is a series of five fishing villages built into mountains covered by terraced vineyards and olive groves.  There is a peaceful calm to the area and a slow pace of life there. Each of the towns has its own train station and the easiest way to travel between the villages is by rail, although if you like to walk, there''s a walking trail etched into the mountains between the villages that offers stunning views, and is well worth the time and effort.

I went there with my girlfriend and it''s a wonderful place to go with you significant other.  The villages are romantic in themselves, and there are wonderful little restaurants where you can have quite meals with spectacular views and delicious vino.  We stayed in the town of Vernazza in a room overlooking a lush courtyard with clothes hanging from clotheslines (just like you would imagine). Cobblestone streets and steps run through the village and there are pleanty of cafés and restaurants. Everyone is so nice.  There wasn''t much for nightlife, I believe there was one pub in Vernazza, but you don''t really go to the Cinque Terre for nightlife.  I can recommend an excellent little restaurant in Vernazza called ‘il Pirate del 5 Terre''.  It''s run by two Sicilian brothers, Massimo and Lucca – good guys and excellent chefs.

We were only in the Cinque Terre for a few nights, but we were able to experience some incredible dinners, wine, swimming and waking.  It'' a great place to explore and I recommend walking the path between the villages.  It''s also fun to rent a boat and paddle between villages.  

The Cinque Terre is becoming increasingly popular in the summer so I recommend visiting in the off season -early spring or fall- to really enjoy the charm of the villages.  We went in May and the weather was beautiful. Although there were plenty of tourists, it wasn''t overrun, and it felt very real.  We were also able to get off peak season prices on hotels.