We moved to the Andaman coast of Thailand, by overnight sleeper boat from Ko Tao to Sura-Thani, minibus and bus to Krabi, pickup truck to Ao Nang and finally by longboat to Ton Sai, Railey's little cousin where the living is easy and life revolves around the rock climbing. Bordered by the sea and cliffs, accessible only by boat, and thus "off the grid", this is reputed to be the most beautiful beach in Thailand. We have to agree.

Over 700 routes have been set up the dozens of vertical cliffs (karsts) covered in lush tropical vegetation that seem to pop out of nowhere straight up for a hundred meters. Everywhere you look, people are climbing the rock faces, overhangs and stalagtites of limestone. If you're lucky, you are humbled by a large family of monkeys scaling the rocks as effortlessly as we'd walk on flat ground.

Our friends Mike and Malani "showed us the ropes" today, and we both successfully scaled our first vertical faces dozens of meters up. Exhausted after 5 hours of on and off climbing, the bathwater-hot sea beckoned us for a soak and float, looking up at the cliffs and westward towards the setting sun.

We'll be in the area for Christmas and Joanne's birthday, mixing between rock climbing, exploring the mangrove forests by kayak, and maybe even hiring an elephant for a jungle trek...

Happy Holidays to you all!