Like a lot of pleasant 'firsts', my first international trip will always hold a very special place in my heart. I was lucky enough to visit Thailand with the people I love the most and experience its crystal clear beaches, warm hospitality and breathtaking natural beauty, a couple of months back. Out of all the places in Thailand, I had always heard people raving about Phi Phi islands the most. I've finally understood what the fuss was all about.

A post shared by Mahima | Sequins and Sangria (@whimsytales) on Apr 12, 2018 at 8:34pm PDT

My cruise ride from Phuket to Phi Phi was a lot of things. You can truly experience the vastness of the sea only once you're in the middle of it and all you see is the blue of the water colliding with the blue of the sky. But all its beauty aside, the sea has this cruel power to make you feel really timid, if you let it. Speaking of natural forces, I'd also like to take a moment to talk about the crazy pressure of the wind on the boat. I almost lost my sunglasses {and all my hair} while casually admiring my view from the sun deck. The phenomena can be best described as the wind trying to bitch-slap you just because it can. I think this mix of emotions towards nature was my greatest takeaway from our beautiful two-hour boat ride to Phi Phi. This, and the massage chairs. And the unlimited supply of orange juice. 

We got down at the dock of Phi Phi really excited and really sun-burnt. A couple of direction inquiries and coconut icecreams later, we found ourselves on the magical sands of this gorgeous painting-like island, strewn with happy faces and outrageously colourful speedos. There are plenty of cafes and street food options, shopping boutiques and hotels around the shore and I realised soon enough that one day is really not enough to experience all of Phi Phi. So I simply shut my FOMO off and lied down on my back, half submersed in water for as long as I could. I don't think I've experienced that kind of internal peace ever in my life. For the first time, the fish didn't scare me and neither did the possibility of ending up with sand in my crack.

The best part about the Phi Phi beach was that even the non-swimmers like me could go far off into the water because the water level is really low. We had a great time in our turquoise playground and once the sun started getting annoying, we proceeded for lunch and then back to the boat--but not before I'd had one last coconut ice-cream. Priorities.

On our way back, I chose to just be with myself, replay the amazing day in my head, and drift off to a happy slumber while letting my seat's massage cushion do its thing.