After starting the trip to Thailand with a boat tour around Ko Phi Phi, we spent the rest of our days exploring Phuket.  We were spoiled after watching the sunset on the “Miracle Lawn” of a mountainside villa with our new bestie, the baby elephant Yaya, and enjoying the fairytale sunset wedding at another villa higher up.

Alongside all the romance we caught some muay thai fights, rode elephants in the jungle, visited the Big Buddha, walked through the Chiang Mai Sunday Night Street Market, and relaxed by the pool.  We also saw a “ping-pong show” on Bangla Road in Patong, but lets not talk about that…

Totoro begged to travel with me, so I had to let him.

Later we learned that the Hyatt Regency Phuket is sort of out of the way, but regardless we thoroughly enjoyed our stay.  Along with the resorts infinity pool, our room also came with a personal pool on the balcony which overlooked the ocean.  The staff were all so sweet; I would recommend the Hyatt if you’re unsure of where to stay.

Baby Yaya was the sweetest elephant I met during the whole trip~

The sunset as viewed from “Miracle Lawn.”

They tried to tell us that all of our elephants were named Lady Gaga or Beyonce, until we finally convinced our guides to tell us their real names.  I wonder what names they give tourists who aren’t American?

If you make a donation to the temple, you can buy a bell to write your wish upon.  The breeze rings the bell and makes the wish.

It was so humid at the Big Buddha that I caved and bought some homemade coconut ice cream… which was served in a hot dog bun topped with pistachios.  Interesting combination, but actually not bad at all.

A wedding so well done and more beautiful than I could have imagined…

Shout out to my lovely wedding dates, Whitney & Emily ❤

Left: For Love & Lemons // Right: BCBG

Congratulations, Candis- We love you!

They set up a private Floating Lantern Festival for after the ceremony, so we could let our wishes fly into the sky.

…and then the happy couple wanted us all to go swimming, so naturally we did.

There was a little “band” with flutes and cymbals on the bleachers behind the ring, is this traditional for muay thai or random for the arena?

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*My iPhone broke midway through the Thailand trip, and my camera wouldn’t fit in all my clutches, so some of these photos belong to the rest of the group and not to me… thank you to everyone for sharing them!

xxLK