Travel

Mattopia Jones and the Righteous Chi
12 December 2022 – 8 January 2023
Miles Walked: 107.86

Chapters:   Interview  •  Itinerary  •  Snorkeling  •  Parasailing  •  Koh Chang

"It’s incredible to think the year before I would panic when I splashed around in the water and couldn’t feel the ground beneath my feet. This year was a totally different story."
Mattopia Jones
(comment made to the Times while enjoying some lime sherbet beachside at the KC Grande Resort & Spa in Koh Chang)

Snorkeling: The Real Way of Water

Matty got hooked on snorkeling during Mattopia Jones and the Pandemic Thaiphoon. This time, he came prepared and it only got better. He bought his own gear and practiced swimming with the gear at the gym before heading out to Thailand.

The gear:

• iPhone 14 Pro Max
• ProShot Dive case with red filters
• Tidal Sports snorkeling mask
• Tidal Sports dry snorkel
• Sand Cloud beach towel

The results from snorkeling expeditions around Phuket, Pattaya and Koh Chang were incredible. Watching the videos, he’m surprised by all the otherwordly sounds; he says he was oblivious to all that while in the moment.

The Fish Whisperer

“I wonder what that fish is trying to tell me,” Matty wondered out loud. “Since Aquaman wasn’t around to interpret, I’ve considered some possibilities.”

• “Whoa! You’re not a work of fiction after all — Mattopia Jones is the real deal!”
• “Yo! Can’t you see I’m eatin’ here?!”
• “'sup, homie?”
• “Dude, look out for those spikey black thingies on the coral. They’re a [expletives redacted] pain!”
• “You’re gettin’ on my last nerve, dude.”

New Year’s Day 2023

For the second year in a row, New Year’s Day involved a day-long outing, riding boats, visiting beautiful Thai islands and snorkeling.

Maya Beach

After taking an ecological break from tourism, Maya Bay reopened in early 2022. The gorgeous location, featured in the movie The Beach, directed by Danny Boyle and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, has been restored to a pristine condition. It is exquisite. Walking on the beach is like walking on a memory foam mattress; it’s so soft and cushiony around the feet.

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