We left India on December 23th and arrived in Koh Samui, Thailand on December 24th (Christmas Eve!).
We traded a Christmas at home with presents, traditions and family for being able to jump into our pool from the hotel room, massages on the beach, and body surfing! For me, nothing can really beat being with family, but this was a close second!
It was different to be sure, and we really missed family, but we were able make the most of it and have a fun Christmas together as a family.
We spent the next week at the beach, getting hour massages for $7, swimming, playing in the waves, sightseeing, and just relaxing.
In the evenings, we enjoyed going to the night markets, checking out the handmade goods and trying out the local foods!


And our most favorite treat…rolled ice cream!

One of the most interesting and exciting nights was when we went to a Muay Thai Boxing Tournament. All week long we had been seeing the signs, the displays, and trucks rolling along the city streets with microphones and loud music advertising the event. I was nervous at first, concerned that it would be too violent for me (I’m a lover, not a fighter), but it was actually really fun and interesting. Muay Thai is known as “the art of eight limbs” because of it’s combined use of fists, elbows, knees, and shins. Violent for sure, but while watching them as they warmed up honoring their opponents and all those who have fought before them, I couldn’t help but be moved by the hundreds of years of tradition and honor being exhibited during the fighting. We saw some pretty good fights and a few knockouts! I felt a little bad for the few falangs (foreigners) who came to fight as the refereeing was clearly biased, even I could clearly tell!
By New Year’s Eve we had moved over to Lamai Beach and had a fun time celebrating the holiday at our new locale. After a dinner at McDonalds (kid’s choice!) and banana Nutella pancakes from the best place in town, we headed down to the beach and went from one party to another. There was tons of live music, good food, fire dancers, and even water jetpack performers wearing lighted suits. At midnight everyone celebrated with fireworks along the beach and about 2 minutes later the rain began! We ran back to the hotel and finished celebrating the New Year together in our dry hotel room.
Not a bad start to 2017! We spent the next day resting and making New Year’s Resolutions as it poured rain outside. We are looking forward to a year filled with more adventures as we complete our trip around the world, as well as looking forward to returning home to familiar food, our home, friends, and family.
My goodness. Each entry is such a thrill to read. So impressed with how you all throw yourselves into each new place and experience. Loved the write-up on the boxing. Keep up the good work on the blog. We love it.
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Thanks Abe! We hope to capture just a little bit of the amazing that this journey has been for our family. – Jeromy
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Hello Dixsons!
Good to hear from you. Sister Reich and I are visiting Leland and his family in Fairbanks Alaska this month before he deploys again to the middle east. Maybe he will be close to you – relatively speaking of course. We went to a local hockey game last night where the local team won. Natchos were the food of the night – nothing exotic like crickets – like you say, it’s the thought – ICKY! Bugs bug me LOL. I was a bit surprised to see you eating McD’s in one of your photos. Did they serve crickets too?
Next week we are driving down to Anchorage to do a temple session. The week after that we are going ice fishing. It’s -33 degree F outside right now. I sure hope it warms up to above zero before then. BRRRRRR! Nothing like your short sleeve trip.
Be safe and have fun.
Bro. Reich
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Sounds like you are keeping busy! Glad to hear all is well. Stay warm! And you aren’t missing anything with the bugs, we are all jealous you got Nachos!
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Thanks Alan! No crickets at McD’s! I hope Anchorage was fun!
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