more pix here.

Friday
- Flight to Hat Yai
- Picked up and driven to Krabi by Anan, the best dude in the world
- Check into Rainforest lodging at Aonang
- Urban Challenge:

The husband and I picked up the wrong clue, thought we'd be ambitious and climbed up 1,273 steps at Aonang's Tiger Caves. We were given 20 minutes to search for a 1000 year old tree, but we took 20 minutes to get to the summit, a minute speaking to a monk and then another 15 to 20 minutes descending in the dark. By the time we'd gotten back to base camp, all the other teams were waiting. Needless to say we - and the only other team who followed us up - were the only ones who arrived back at base camp without having found the tree.

During the challenge, we were all told to memorize certain phrases in Thai, and by the end of it we all knew how to count to ten in the language. Another task was to go through the Krabi market in search for peculiar food items with 10 baht. Hubba and I bought this coconut dessert thing which looked unusual but thankfully, tasted like heaven.. The last little stretch was to make it to Bernie's, where dinner was served and prizes were presented. So ended our first challenge in Aonang... And we all gained our passports to enter Krabi heaven.

Saturday
- Breakfast: I cried over Love Actually.. again.
- Longtail boat to Railey beach
- Orienteering and navigation clinic
- Climbing at 1, 2, 3 wall
- Lunch @ Ya Ya restaurant
- Offroad hike around Railay
- Finally check in and chill out @ Railay Princess Resort
- Dinner and race briefing
- Short trek to The Last Bar
- Fire show
- Sleep

Sunday
- Breakfast
- Adventure Challenge:

This consisted of trail running, rock scrambling, caving, abseiling, swimming and a short sesh in a kayak. I was told the total distance was around 15km or so and I thought my knee was going to have a bit of a tough time but surprisingly it held up all the way. Each and every section in this race was pretty technical and I concentrated on making sure my foot fall was careful and deliberate so the knee wouldn't act up. Definitely had a blast! The husband and I were on top of the world when we crossed the finish line together and decided that we can make a great team, as long as the race is short and sweet. Got our clammy kit off and proceeded back to the waterfront to cheer the other teams as they streamed in. Go go go!

- Shower and clean up
- Lunch at Railay Princess
- Poolside/balcony nap
- Half hour Thai massage
- Sunset and Chang beer on Railay West
- Dinner and prize giving @ The Last Bar
- Fire show
- Cocktails and screening @ Cliff Bar
- Drinks with Goz and Mark

Monday
- Lie in
- Longtail boat to Aonang
- A great Thai lunch
- One hour Thai massage
- Half hour foot reflexology
- Drive to Hat Yai with Anan
- Dinner, ice-cream and tea @ airport
- Lots of reading
- Flight home

This was such a great trip and the husband and I have decided that we love Railay very much. We want to go back and climb up the 1,273 steps and have more time to take in the view. We want to go back with our loved ones and take them through the caves and trails (although I see much eye-rolling at this one, no?). We want to sip more cocktails and watch more sunsets. We want to climb more and gobble down more Thai food. We want to catch the Muay Thai show when they're not away for Ramadan. We want to soak up every single bit of Railay and its laid back culture before it changes with time...

Ahh well. A big fat thank you to Hai-Yen, Women Make a Difference and the Tourism Authority of Thailand for inviting us to be apart of this event and trip. There's no way we won't be at the next one, that's for sure! Definitely makes me want to sign up for another adventure race pronto, except I know we've just experienced paradise and it doesn't always feel that way! Sigh, oh well!


click to watch

kaching for the children!

There was so much oil in the sea yesterday that the husband had to scrub me down with degreaser this afternoon. No kidding, it wasn't too pleasant. But other than the unpleasant condition of the seawater this morning, the charity swim this morning went pretty well!

Unlike the other challenges I've taken on this year, I wasn't aiming for anything specific - just to finish. In fact, I thought I'd try to enjoy it instead. And I guess I sort of did.... well, aside from swimming into a plank and getting hit in the head, and getting kicked in the left eye. Oof.

But I am pleased to say that the challenge to raise funds for children's cancer is completed. The fantastic monetary result ended up being a grand total of $3,750, which is just excellent guys. Thank you all, very very much. You have no idea how much this must mean to parents out there who have to face crazy dollar signs to care for their kids. Merci...

Here are some other pictures from the day... Cheers all.

Saturday was my last real ride on Shadowfax. My second mountain bike. My steel steed. A very hard hardtail. And a very heavy friend.. Next week, I get a new steed and it's been ordered for so long that I kinda forgot that I'd have to say goodbye to the friend that I've got now. And heavy as he might be - especially when he crashes back down on me - I have to say he's served me well. I just pray his new owner rides him like the wind as he should be...