happy birthday to meeeee

The celebrations started last night as our hotel, Coral Bungalows, is the pool party venue of the island, the first of the pool parties leading up to the full moon was happening. Thankfully we made friends with some Canadian girls during the day and so there was a group of us going into the party. It took a while to get going but thanks to the Coral Bungalows happy hour and the humidity that forced everyone to go swimming very quickly, the party was soon very lively. At midnight as I turned 19 we jumped in and even ran and also swam in the sea! After convincing nearly everyone to go in the pool, Juliet and I decided to call it a night and headed to bed… As a 19 year old!
(the photos by the pool party sign actually caused a lot of havoc as I fell trying to pose by it and hurt my chin and my toe! So so clumsy…) but we finally got the photo, while in the water!

birthday part 2!
This morning we stuck to birthday traditions from home and opened my cards on the bed as soon as we woke up! It was so lovely to read all the cards from people and while I’m not at home, the cards are so lovely to have. I also had a few presents to open: an amazing fluro yellow shirt, a gorgeous bracelet and a linked ring with the quote “the world is a book, those who don’t travel read only a page” engraved on it which I adore.

We then had a very needed English breakfast brunch and while I skyped and facetimed and did a lot of birthday messaging, Juliet caught up on her sunbathing… Safe to say her face didn’t get burnt!

After a relaxing day soaking up the sun, we headed into the town to explore and I FINALLY got a braid! (It’s now a birthday present braid from Julie hehe) we’d been looking everywhere to find someone who did braids and so our mission was accomplished in Haad Rin! We also got matching bracelets so we’re all set.. Who needs to get tattoos and piercings while travelling when you’ve got a braid and a friendship bracelet?!

This evening Juliet found a super cute Fisherman’s restaurant for us to go to, to carry on the celebrations! It was right on the beach over looking the sea, lanterns and fire dancers! aaaand even though it was a white table cloth restaurant, at the front there was a little Fisherman’s boat with cushions and a small table, and we were lucky enough to get it! So we climbed on board our dingy on the beach and ate our way through a menu of fresh Thai fish. Thanks to Juliet I even got a candle in the brownie at the end!

My first birthday away from home was made special by my travelling companion and it was also so lovely to have cards and video calls from everyone I love at home, that I can now keep with me for the rest of my travels. Besides, what better place to spend your last teen birthday than on the party island of Thailand… KOH PHANGAN!