Celebrating Thanksgiving outside of the US always brings a unique approach to the traditional American holiday. The first Thanksgiving I spent out of the country was in 2011. I was in Cape Verde, Africa visiting a dear friend who was serving in the Peace Corps. We spent the day relaxing and cooking, then enjoyed a delicious meal slightly altered than traditional foods, which we shared with old and new friends.
This Thanksgiving abroad was just as special. We started the day on Koh Lanta, paddleboarding around the cove. The weather was a little gloomy, but the water was beautiful, and there’s no better way to start a holiday than paddleboarding around the Andaman Sea.
Next stop was the island of Koh Phi Phi. We had been enjoying a relaxing couple days on Lanta, so Phi Phi is the natural destination to spice it up a bit due to its party hardy reputation with mixed reviews. After finally finding a guesthouse, which was located above a pirate themed restaurant and ended up being nicer than expected, we spent the afternoon roaming around the island… shopping, eating and drinking per usual.
That night we had our Thanksgiving feast at a German or Austrian or something restaurant. Unable to find a turkey on the island we improvised with comfort foods such as sausage, mashed potatoes and other close substitutes. After stuffing ourselves, we hit the town, which meant beach bar after beach bar. In the middle of an intense round of flaming limbo (literally on fire), who do we see… the Brazilians, again! Our friends who we met in Vietnam and also ran into in Cambodia were now dancing the night away at the same exact beach bar on this tiny Thai island!
I was resistant to go to Phi Phi. At first it sounded crowded, dirty and not what I was in the mood for at the time. It was crowded and not exactly the cleanest place, but it turned out to be my favorite night of the trip, dancing with old friends and getting to know new ones. I haven’t been with my family for Thanksgiving in 5 years, but whether out of the country or serving up the big meal in my little apartment for 10 friends, it will always remain one of my favorite holidays.
Next stop was the island of Koh Phi Phi. We had been enjoying a relaxing couple days on Lanta, so Phi Phi is the natural destination to spice it up a bit due to its party hardy reputation with mixed reviews. After finally finding a guesthouse, which was located above a pirate themed restaurant and ended up being nicer than expected, we spent the afternoon roaming around the island… shopping, eating and drinking per usual.
That night we had our Thanksgiving feast at a German or Austrian or something restaurant. Unable to find a turkey on the island we improvised with comfort foods such as sausage, mashed potatoes and other close substitutes. After stuffing ourselves, we hit the town, which meant beach bar after beach bar. In the middle of an intense round of flaming limbo (literally on fire), who do we see… the Brazilians, again! Our friends who we met in Vietnam and also ran into in Cambodia were now dancing the night away at the same exact beach bar on this tiny Thai island!
I was resistant to go to Phi Phi. At first it sounded crowded, dirty and not what I was in the mood for at the time. It was crowded and not exactly the cleanest place, but it turned out to be my favorite night of the trip, dancing with old friends and getting to know new ones. I haven’t been with my family for Thanksgiving in 5 years, but whether out of the country or serving up the big meal in my little apartment for 10 friends, it will always remain one of my favorite holidays.
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