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The place we’re at: I’m time-traveling again to lastly recap 2020, together with this Wander Girls Retreat in Koh Tao in March. This put up is Half III of III. Discover Part I here and Part II here.
We’re re-launching this retreat in 2023 as a Be taught To Dive Retreat! Whereas initially scheduled for 2022, the omicron outbreak pressured us to postpone till subsequent yr — and we all know it will likely be definitely worth the wait! We additionally, due to your suggestions, have added the choice for divers who’re already licensed however have to refresh their abilities to do the PADI ReActivate course instead of their PADI Open Water. Join us!
All good issues come to an finish. It’s a cliché saying for some, a meditation on non-attachment for others.
It was, undeniably, the ultimate stretch of our retreat. Our final day of diving, our final full day of adventures, our final day interval. They actually begin to fly on the finish there. And on this case, with the coronavirus outbreak nipping at our heels, it was the tip of not only a magical journey however a lifestyle and an ease of connection most of us by no means even knew we took as a right.
Which makes trying again on these reminiscences further nostalgic for me.
Our closing day of diving on this retreat is all the time a present stopper. Whereas mom nature all the time has the ultimate say, our traditional sport plan is to go to Sail Rock, extensively thought of the most famous dive site within the Gulf of Thailand, after which Shark Island, my personal favorite dive site from my years of calling Koh Tao my residence.
And on this explicit yr, we had been blessed with the sweetest goodbye — a curious, lovely turtle who joined us for a swim.
It was one among my greatest turtle encounters ever. And whereas once more, the visibility was unseasonably low, as you possibly can see from the grins on these faces, the vibes had been tremendous excessive.
Top-of-the-line elements about heading to those barely extra out-of-the-way dive websites? Loads of time to have fun again on-board!
We all the time carry a cooler full of our favourite drinks (and ya know, um, lunch) for the boat trip residence on the final day of diving. In spite of everything, it’s a celebration! Heat sunshine, chilly drinks, the sound of an amazing playlist on the audio system and water lapping on the boat and plenty of giggles and nice conversations in each path — moments like these are mainly why I began Wander Women Retreats.
The occasion didn’t cease there. We headed to one among Shannon and I’s longtime haunts, Maya Seashore Membership, for one more class by our woman Ariel — this time, with SUP Tao! This time, the climate was smiling down upon us — we had glassy waters, and the softest pink sundown a bunch of gals may dream of.
Lots of I’m a longtime SUP Yoga fan, and it nonetheless tickles me to see others get to expertise it for the primary time! It truly is a cool sensation to carry this new ingredient of stability problem into your follow, and jogs my memory that for me, yoga is as a lot about connecting myself again to the pure world as it’s about discovering myself.
Little did I do know that not lengthy after, my yoga follow would occur behind a display, for fairly a while.
With the solar waving its closing goodbye, it was time for one among our closing nights on Koh Tao.
We introduced everybody for dinner at Whitening, one among my eternally island favorites. Whereas the placement has modified, rumor has it it’s one among longest-standing eating places on the island. I do know it was there on my first journey in 2009! With nice cocktails, a trendy — you guessed it — white inside, it’s a uncommon discover alongside the beachfront, the place views are nice however meals is commonly mediocre.
After which bam — it was day seven. Non-divers could not know that there’s a beneficial 24-hour interval between your final dive and getting on a aircraft. So, we name this our decompression day — and we make an island tour out of it!
We began our journey within the south of the island, on the charming garden-like Big Tree Cafe in Chalok Ban Kao.
Fueled up, we made our solution to the bottom of John Suwan Viewpoint, my favourite on the island, and began our short ascent.
The juice is definitely worth the squeeze! After scrambling up the highest rocks, we took turns taking future profile photographs for one another and marveling on the magical view. Plus a sweaty household photograph, after all.
How cute is my Proper Hand Wander Lady, Shannon?!
As sharp because the brief ascent is, the best way down is price it — you possibly can stroll your self on to Freedom Seashore, a candy little stretch of sand lined with Casuarina timber, uncommon to Thailand.
As you possibly can see, we know one of the simplest ways to chill down from a hike — and to make new buddies!
Whereas we in all probability may have stayed all day, different seashores had been calling. In truth, the subsequent one was proper down the street — or somewhat, the mysterious over-water walkway.
After getting picked up from that seashore, it was time for lunch. The women on the Koh Tao Cooking Classes placed on a Thai cooking demo for us, displaying us the secrets and techniques to the scrumptious dishes we’d been going wild for all week — and sharing their recipes.
After which the great half — we ate!
Subsequent up is a fast cease however one I really like to incorporate. I’ve to admit I lived on Koh Tao for years earlier than I visited the Koh Tao Temple.
After I was lastly invited there by a pal who runs a tour firm, I liked it. Donning respectful scarves and dropping a donation for the monks, we benefit from this go to to share somewhat bit about Thailand’s powerful Buddhist traditions with our visitors.
Little did I do know simply weeks later I’d be right here with tons of of different stranded vacationers, making use of for an amnesty visa to remain in Thailand whereas COVID ravaged the globe.
You didn’t suppose we’d miss yoga, did ya? Time for Shannon and I’s signature class — boozy sip n stretch! I can let you know we’ve put many hours of analysis into all facets of this one, and boy have they paid off.
What can I say? Life’s a celebration, and this class is a celebration of all of it. Friendship, motion, and good occasions.
We mainly attempt to work this one into all of our retreats now. Are you able to blame us?
In a blink, we had been off to our closing dinner. Whereas we’d been escorted all week by Koh Tao’s most interesting shuttle fleet — often known as the mattress of the pickup vehicles — it was fairly a deal with to get picked up within the posh outsized golf cart of Barracuda at Darawan.
We love coming right here! Not solely does it really feel like a trip simply stepping out on this expansive deck, it’s additionally run by our pal Ed, who is among the island’s greatest employers.
Little did I do know that weeks later, I’d be voluntering at and donating to meals drives organized by Ed to assist the Burmese group devastated by the shortage of tourism from COVID. (Matched, touchingly, by an extremely beneficiant donation from one among our visitors).
I bought emotional taking our group photographs, and I’m getting emotional once more posting them. This was fairly merely the perfect dive group ever!
I could be fairly onerous on myself, however in moments like this I’ve to pause to be happy with what I’ve created — a retreat firm internet hosting journeys for feminine divers and creating employment alternatives for the perfect ladies within the enterprise, creating underwater ambassadors as we go.
I hope that is just the start.
And gosh, wow, simply the perfect visitors ever on this journey, too. Three had been repeat visitors, three have already booked to come back again, and one has since joined the group! So I’m not exaggerating after I say we actually are somewhat retreat household (and a few of these ladies ended the evening getting the matching tattoos to show it, of their pajamas no much less, ha ha.)
Little did I do know, little did I do know. I couldn’t, none of us may have, imagined all of the methods our lives had been going to vary in these days that generally felt like years in the midst of March 2020.
We confronted a whole lot of criticism, in these difficult and complicated days, for shifting ahead with our retreat. I believe that’s a part of what stopped me, for thus lengthy, from sharing it. However, as soon as my visitors had been within the air and on their solution to Thailand I knew my job was to provide them as protected, peaceable, and significant of an expertise as I may — as all the time. And regardless of challenges past my absolute wildest creativeness, Shannon and I did that, and I’m happy with us for doing so.
At the moment I do know nobody was in my precise state of affairs however me and I dealt with it with essentially the most grace and knowledge I may muster.
I imply actually, I’m happy with everyone. Only for getting by way of, nonetheless they needed to. Nonetheless they nonetheless do! And I can’t consider a greater place, or a greater group of individuals to be with, whereas our universe shifted. Which is why I stayed.
Extra on that subsequent.
Thailand, I can’t wait to be again. Thanks for all the time bringing me residence <3
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