The week of the 15th-19th at work had a 'woah' moment that I didnt realize how monumental it was until the meeting for it was nearly half over. As mentioned prior, I have transferred to the Research and Foresight unit (the one I am still doing a literature review for...), and at the moment, UNESCO is going through the motions for what to do after the Millennium Goal deadline (2015) has passed. My task initially started with searching for various countries in the Asia Pacific's educational strategies Post 2015. I had a moment of reflection thinking it is a strange and interesting life at UNESCO where you find yourself on the North Korean website (found here), looking for what they had planned for their educational future (nothing unsurprisingly). After looking for all these strategies and goals, we had a meeting on now that we had found some, what we were going to do for these for the upcoming 'Post 2015 Educational Goals'. As we progressed through the meeting, and I was told that I and the team would create a table of goals desired from the various countries and come up with a list that UNESCO will advocate as the new goals for the era. Then I realized, shit, I am in some small measure helping to form the new educational goals for the next decade. Goals that will be published and documented by UNESCO, UNICEF, and other such NGO and international organizations, then hopefully adopted by countries and disseminated to their population. Although I have done much here , this was the first time I was doing something that would matter and be felt globally. It was a nice feeling.
My work week ended with a flight. My reason for being away from the internet for some 9 days. A flight to Phuket (only there for 12 hours mind you), then another 8 wonderful days 'island hopping' with Christina Velasco (who was herself on her first tour of Asia). Although we had 'planned' our trip, which is definitely not in the adventurer-spirit, it would have taken us twice as long to get anywhere (in low season, everything runs only a third of the time). Our first stop was Koh Phi Phi, which had a strange mix of 'bros' (and gals), families and romantic couples, and us. Of course, we had to do , we had to, yes, it is very popular and over run with people, but how could we not see 'The Beach', Maya Beach. And to tell you the truth, meh. I mean , of course, it is in the top 5 bays I have ever seen, but I guess when it has been so hyped, it was bound to fall short a little. Our private long boat for the day however, did not disappoint. Swimming by ourselves in big bays, snorkeling around, stopping to have tea in the fanciest resort on the island, I think it was nearly heaven. 
Our next stop, Koh Lanta, was decisively more relaxed. Heck, we even had a day of Thai monsoon that made us stay put and read books in hammocks near the beach. We found a place that was called 'Relax Bay', and followed it to a tea, excluding one long day of long boating (the only way to get around) and snorkeling around the islands (a favorite hobby of ours), I quite literally put my feet up for at least 24 hours. AND READ A BOOK. FOR.FUN. I know, right?
Our last venue, I almost dont want to name, it was so perfect, I dont want to let anyone know of it. The first rule of .... is that no one talks about .... . Hiking, rock climbing, kayaking, large chunks of earth jutting up into the sky, it quite possibly was the nicest beach destination I have ever been, and I live in Hawaii. After a few days of meeting up with UNESCO friends, relaxing, getting some adventure (finding our own private beaches), listening to monkeys outside our bungalow, listening to nothing at all (a rarity in Thailand), getting the Thai stomach bug, (again) , it was time to go back home.
Im not sure that I will have another chance to travel in Thailand again before I leave, but if not, this was quite nearly a perfect trip.
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