Things I never knew existed before coming to Thailand

1. Sea lice: you are sitting in the balmy ocean water, basking in the sun, and you feel this acute little sting somewhere on your body. You leap up and swat at it, sure there is some sea creature stuck to your body. But there isn't anything you can see, and there is no welt or anything that forms. So... sea lice aren't so bad.

2. A seawater lagoon surrounded by towering limestone cliffs, where I could actually float (first time in my life!). As I lay on my back in the water, all I could see was a small circle of sky overhead letting in streams of sunlight to illuminate the green water and the brilliant, glistening trees growing up the sides of the cliffs.

3. The hike to get to the lagoon. It was basically freeclimbing over a mountain, up and down (and then up and down again to get back) extremely steep paths with jagged rock jutting out, slimy with mud and water, and red sticky clayish mud that completely coated your body and stuck like greasepaint. It was amazing.

4. Pad thai. This is just basic noodles, fried Thai-style. It's delicious. But it doesn't even stand out compared to Thai curries, chicken with cashew, Thai pancakes, and all sorts of other yummy delights that are mostly mysteries to me.

5. Railay. This is a peninsula that feels like an island because it is only accessible by boat, and has no cars around. There is amazing rock climbing (which I get to try soon!), moi thai (spelling?) fights by locals that attend the local school, very friendly people who aren't trying to constantly sell you things, some incredible hikes (see previous), gorgeous beaches, warm ocean water, and jungle jungle jungle everywhere. And they make good coffee.

6. Random sudden (and short) tropical wind and rain storms. These are fun when you are sitting in a restaurant eating (because all of the restaurants have no walls and the tablecloths start flying around and flinging bits of spilled food into the air, your hair, your drink, etc). These are not so fun when you have just done laundry and hung it on your balcony (because the wind snatches your clothing and carries it far far away to where the monkeys steal it and you never see it again no matter how hard you search).