So leaving Tao I opt for the 10am ferry with bus transfer that arrives in Bangkok at about 830p depending on traffic. Since my flight wasnt until 2am i thought it plenty of time. Come to find out that the people of Thailand really love their king. Perhaps more than any other king in the world according to the only English channel in Beijing, CCTV-9. Many international dignitaries came to Bangkok to celebrate his 60th year of rule, the bank made a 60 Baht note, and everyone in the country wore yellow shirts.
The boat ride wasnt bad except for the fact that i had just left Jo and was now on my own and that there was one of the worst Martin Short movies ever on - National Security. Luckily i have traveled before and seen this monstrosity so i didnt need a repeat but got pulled in nonetheless. It was easy to pull away in the middle though seeing as how i hadnt gotten as far into Crime and Punishment as I had wanted and the fact that you couldnt hear anything at all. Well we made it to land and boarded what was probably the nicest bus i have ever been on and I took up downstairs for a good sleep since last night was a pretty late one. Slept/read/listened to music for a solid 3 hours and we had our first stop where i purchased some sort of curry with what i thought was chicken and was just a part of the bird i had never seen before with several hollow bones sticking out of each side. Was ok and i got a wheat flavored green tea which was horrid but also some sesame cookie things that Court had introduced me to long ago. Made the bus ride pleasant and repeated the process for another 3 or so hours to the next stop where i had some sweet corn bread cooked in palm leaves and some sour mango. Seems like when on a bus all you do is sleep and eat. Hmm.
After some time there was only one person left on the bottom level of the bus, Jen, and myself. We talked all the way into Bangkok and was in a fairly good mood considering when we hit a wall of traffic. At first just thought that there was a wreck or rush hour but it was Saturday so that was quickly ruled out. I became familiar with where we were from my previous walk from the bus station when i met the elephant on the sidewalk and thought we were almost to Ko San Rd where the bus was to drop us off. After sitting for another 20 minutes and being almost 930 the bus driver turns around and drops us on the sidewalk. I say no prob since I have made this walk before and turn down a cab ride with my new friend and start off. Heading toward the bridge there are more and more people and they are all wearing the same thing. The traffic looks to be stopped and i am sweating like a crazy american wearing pants and a backpack. Make it to the bridge to encounter gridlock of people standing on idle cars and buses. Thinking there is a caved in bridge, sinking boat, alien landing or somethign of the sort i find a police man and ask who tells me i can go ahead and cross. I try again and become frustrated and turn back to find a water taxi or regular one. Asking the cop again he says there is nothing on the river for 2 hours. I stop a cab and he and 2 others say they arent/can't go to the airport. Getting some nerve and being hot/mad/frustrated/confused i go for it and head up to the bridge again and start pushing the Thai people aside to make my way across. I talk to one who finally tells me there is to be a firework show later and thats what everyone is waiting on. I get in a line going across (or to better position) and start pushing with them. Miniscule Thai people go flying this way and that at my hand. Having no regard for age or gender I make it across in a little less than an hour and see that at this time it is about 1030.
I know where to head for a cheap bus to the airport and go straight there forgoing the beer Chang, No Money, No Honey, and Same Same shirts that i so desperately wanted. They tell me the mini bus leaves at 11 and i sign up for not so cheap a price. 11 comes and goes and a few Japanese girls show up to ride with me. The proprietor of the travel agency finally after becoming frustrated with my asking about the bus tells us to follow her to find the bus. We wander for another 30 minutes and reach the cab which is stuck in post firework traffic. Get in and make it to the airport around 1. Check in and the flight is delayed until 230 so everything is fine and i have a dip cone at KFC to celebrate. Deciding not to check my bag since i was hoping to get an earlier flight out of Shanghai i put it through the xray and forget my knife is in there and they find it (although it had made it through in the US and Korea). I try to send it home but it is too expensive and i had no Baht left.
Writing this i suppose it doesnt sound bad and it really wasnt since i made my flight and got to see one of the largest street celebrations i have ever seen but on the way i thought there was no way i would make it and if i did then i would have a fake ticket. Everything always works out and this is why we travel. The experience makes you laugh in the end.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Monday, June 19, 2006
What was that place called?
Yeah, Id have to say that my writing has been more than absent. Nearly non-existent, not that anyone really cares but the thing is i do because this page is mine and for me. So take that. Well once upon a time I was on an island called Koh Phangan and then left that for one call Koh Tao. This writing is to be on the latter which i will fish around in my memory to see if it has not completely left. However, I fear that it may have after a fairly intense and busy week in Beijing. Yes, i have been here for over a week and not written.
Once upon a time I was on an island in the Gulf of Thailand which was (and is) part of the Samui chain. Something like that. I was traveling with a beautiful British girl called Jo and all was good. Yeah, we made it over after another ferry ride bought from the lady with the gun. After she showed us she was packing we decided to do anything she said and take all recommendations. Well, i guess we did try to underpay her for the taxi ride into the city but that's beside the point since it was a very confused situation and she later showed up on the pier to collect. Quite a ride over and upon arrival it was as Jo said with dive shops everywhere and more importantly those trying to hawk their services. They scream at you to get you just to look at them and turn them down. Feeling bad telling them you don't dive and wouldn't think of diving you give in and listen to one which only invites competition and before long you are surrounded once again. With Jo's experience in the business we made our way through and were thinking of doing our advanced divers course with master divers where whom she had dived (dove, doven?) with before. We talked to them and thought we could get cheap accom but to no avail since they would accept no less than 350. On 2nd thought we went and talked to the guy sitting at the bar who ended up being American and a fine bloke. although a little too into diving for his own good, especially being from Mississippi which as far as i can tell is not known for its diving. At any rate he tells us he is staying at a place in the other direction for 150 and offers not only to show it to us but to give us the advanced course at a really good rate since he is a new dive master himself. We walk down and negotiate the room for 200 which is good because the only reason he got 150 was bc he paid for a month; we paid for a single night. The place was alright but nothing amazing and we set off to find one of Jo's old haunts. Pass some pretty dope clubs/bars and finally come to it, our beacon in the night: Sairee Cottage. This place is good food cheap. In American terms its a place called Joe's. Whatever that means. We end up eating there more times than i care to admit but they treated us right, the food was good, and the views (especially sunset) were divine.
Next day going to breakfast came upon Beau (American dive guy) and he came with us to explain his idea for teaching us at a discount. Seeing as how i am thrifty (not cheap of course) i was completely open to the idea. In the end it didn't work out bc all the regular dive instructors were pissed off at him for taking clients but it was a good try. Ended up talking to him a little too much and he became clingy wanting to go w/ Jo back to the full moon party and staying with her after i left etc. To this day i receive USA World Cup propaganda from him, way too enthusiastic about something he knows nothing about. Not to say that i do. Well, we sign up to do a couple of dives at the shop for the next day and head off to Shark Bay. Sounds ominous eh? Yeah after a helluva walk to get there we find a nice quiet beach and hang out in the sun listening to music, reading, sleeping, and Jo giving me what came out to be a quite professional haircut as she would tell you. Looks good, but a little dorky in my opinion. Better than paying $4 huh (not cheap, thrifty). Went home and come to find out later that the snorkeling off of that beach is some of the best on the island and you can ALWAYS see sharks, thus the name.
Went for some dives the next day and made friends with the dive guys on the boat and hung out with them later on and kept seeing them around. Good lads. The dives were fun but not amazing. Chumphon was first and having not dived for a year i didn't really remember how things worked. Finally got it all hooked up right and jumped into a choppy if not big sea. Jo followed and her weights immediately fell off which i guess was my fault since she was my buddy and i was supposed to check things like that. After all was sorted we started the descent and it was slow because of nasty currents, clogged ears, lack of skill, and on and on. Made it down to about 20m and swam around a bit not seeing much bc of crap visibility and high currents. No big fish but maybe some blue ringed angels and whatever else. Got back up and immediately took advantage of the free coffee and biscuits (good jelly filled ones i might add). Next dive was much better and reminded us why we dive in the first place. Cliche no? Well we saw all kinds of stuff: rays, eels, triggers, butterflys, parrots, good corals, huge schools, and i don't know what else. Stayed down for over 50 minutes which was a nice long dive. I'm always the first to run out so i feel like a loser but oh well its just the way it is. Get back up and the boat doesn't start for an hour so we hang out and are the last ones back in port. Luckily, its ok since we don't have big plans.
Went to a private beach the next day at an amazing resort and we had to pay to get on the beach but it was completely secluded and they had bamboo rafts in the sea and good snorkeling, good clean sand, good bar and food. What more could you want? Don't remember the name but we hung out on the bamboo a good part of the day. On getting in the water the fish surround you and nip on your legs and its quite crazy. Out on the rafts we start feeding them seaweed and they go crazy for it. After many games and jumping into the fish and back and forth to the beach Jo makes a new friend called cleaner. This fish loved her and didn't leave her until she was completely out of the water. She couldn't stop talking about it for the next 2 days; really attached id say.
Rented another scooter since we thought our skills pretty good and headed for Ao Leuk Bay which is another great beach w/ good snorkeling and another nice day and later in the afternoon headed to Shark Bay to see the sharks since they were guaranteed. After barely making it alive over gnarley roads we head out over shallow coral into the deep. Dive boats whizzing by to park and big waves and deep water didn't deter us but apparently did deter the sharks. After being in the water over 2 hours and still seeing nothing we call it. Actually saw big barracuda, angels, and huge schools (I'm talking millions of tiny fish). Head home to celebrate our last night together. I had already extended my stay by a day thanks to a little research into ferry/bus to Bangkok. Had a killer buffet of thai/pizza/lasagna/mexican/wings/salad the day before and tonight went for sushi. At the buffet there was an absolute downpour and we ended up staying for about 4 hours playing backgammon and watching MI3. Totally rad. Passed a free food place to celebrate the first night of world cup but didn't give in immediately. Found the sushi and it was good but mainly rice. You'd think that being on an island there would be fish around but apparently its scarce. Good food and went back to the free bbq to fill up. After went to the mad pancake maker for one last roti. This guy is all business and knows how to make em. Chilled at Dry bar and Pure after. Laying on beanbags looking at the ocean for hours, what a life.
Headed out the next day after one last brekky at Cafe Del Sol for the divers breakfast. MMMMM. Little did i know that the next 24 hours would be some of the most amazing/strange/interesting of any of my travels. Sadly leaving Jo, who was going back to Phangan for the big party I headed out into the deep blue.
Once upon a time I was on an island in the Gulf of Thailand which was (and is) part of the Samui chain. Something like that. I was traveling with a beautiful British girl called Jo and all was good. Yeah, we made it over after another ferry ride bought from the lady with the gun. After she showed us she was packing we decided to do anything she said and take all recommendations. Well, i guess we did try to underpay her for the taxi ride into the city but that's beside the point since it was a very confused situation and she later showed up on the pier to collect. Quite a ride over and upon arrival it was as Jo said with dive shops everywhere and more importantly those trying to hawk their services. They scream at you to get you just to look at them and turn them down. Feeling bad telling them you don't dive and wouldn't think of diving you give in and listen to one which only invites competition and before long you are surrounded once again. With Jo's experience in the business we made our way through and were thinking of doing our advanced divers course with master divers where whom she had dived (dove, doven?) with before. We talked to them and thought we could get cheap accom but to no avail since they would accept no less than 350. On 2nd thought we went and talked to the guy sitting at the bar who ended up being American and a fine bloke. although a little too into diving for his own good, especially being from Mississippi which as far as i can tell is not known for its diving. At any rate he tells us he is staying at a place in the other direction for 150 and offers not only to show it to us but to give us the advanced course at a really good rate since he is a new dive master himself. We walk down and negotiate the room for 200 which is good because the only reason he got 150 was bc he paid for a month; we paid for a single night. The place was alright but nothing amazing and we set off to find one of Jo's old haunts. Pass some pretty dope clubs/bars and finally come to it, our beacon in the night: Sairee Cottage. This place is good food cheap. In American terms its a place called Joe's. Whatever that means. We end up eating there more times than i care to admit but they treated us right, the food was good, and the views (especially sunset) were divine.
Next day going to breakfast came upon Beau (American dive guy) and he came with us to explain his idea for teaching us at a discount. Seeing as how i am thrifty (not cheap of course) i was completely open to the idea. In the end it didn't work out bc all the regular dive instructors were pissed off at him for taking clients but it was a good try. Ended up talking to him a little too much and he became clingy wanting to go w/ Jo back to the full moon party and staying with her after i left etc. To this day i receive USA World Cup propaganda from him, way too enthusiastic about something he knows nothing about. Not to say that i do. Well, we sign up to do a couple of dives at the shop for the next day and head off to Shark Bay. Sounds ominous eh? Yeah after a helluva walk to get there we find a nice quiet beach and hang out in the sun listening to music, reading, sleeping, and Jo giving me what came out to be a quite professional haircut as she would tell you. Looks good, but a little dorky in my opinion. Better than paying $4 huh (not cheap, thrifty). Went home and come to find out later that the snorkeling off of that beach is some of the best on the island and you can ALWAYS see sharks, thus the name.
Went for some dives the next day and made friends with the dive guys on the boat and hung out with them later on and kept seeing them around. Good lads. The dives were fun but not amazing. Chumphon was first and having not dived for a year i didn't really remember how things worked. Finally got it all hooked up right and jumped into a choppy if not big sea. Jo followed and her weights immediately fell off which i guess was my fault since she was my buddy and i was supposed to check things like that. After all was sorted we started the descent and it was slow because of nasty currents, clogged ears, lack of skill, and on and on. Made it down to about 20m and swam around a bit not seeing much bc of crap visibility and high currents. No big fish but maybe some blue ringed angels and whatever else. Got back up and immediately took advantage of the free coffee and biscuits (good jelly filled ones i might add). Next dive was much better and reminded us why we dive in the first place. Cliche no? Well we saw all kinds of stuff: rays, eels, triggers, butterflys, parrots, good corals, huge schools, and i don't know what else. Stayed down for over 50 minutes which was a nice long dive. I'm always the first to run out so i feel like a loser but oh well its just the way it is. Get back up and the boat doesn't start for an hour so we hang out and are the last ones back in port. Luckily, its ok since we don't have big plans.
Went to a private beach the next day at an amazing resort and we had to pay to get on the beach but it was completely secluded and they had bamboo rafts in the sea and good snorkeling, good clean sand, good bar and food. What more could you want? Don't remember the name but we hung out on the bamboo a good part of the day. On getting in the water the fish surround you and nip on your legs and its quite crazy. Out on the rafts we start feeding them seaweed and they go crazy for it. After many games and jumping into the fish and back and forth to the beach Jo makes a new friend called cleaner. This fish loved her and didn't leave her until she was completely out of the water. She couldn't stop talking about it for the next 2 days; really attached id say.
Rented another scooter since we thought our skills pretty good and headed for Ao Leuk Bay which is another great beach w/ good snorkeling and another nice day and later in the afternoon headed to Shark Bay to see the sharks since they were guaranteed. After barely making it alive over gnarley roads we head out over shallow coral into the deep. Dive boats whizzing by to park and big waves and deep water didn't deter us but apparently did deter the sharks. After being in the water over 2 hours and still seeing nothing we call it. Actually saw big barracuda, angels, and huge schools (I'm talking millions of tiny fish). Head home to celebrate our last night together. I had already extended my stay by a day thanks to a little research into ferry/bus to Bangkok. Had a killer buffet of thai/pizza/lasagna/mexican/wings/salad the day before and tonight went for sushi. At the buffet there was an absolute downpour and we ended up staying for about 4 hours playing backgammon and watching MI3. Totally rad. Passed a free food place to celebrate the first night of world cup but didn't give in immediately. Found the sushi and it was good but mainly rice. You'd think that being on an island there would be fish around but apparently its scarce. Good food and went back to the free bbq to fill up. After went to the mad pancake maker for one last roti. This guy is all business and knows how to make em. Chilled at Dry bar and Pure after. Laying on beanbags looking at the ocean for hours, what a life.
Headed out the next day after one last brekky at Cafe Del Sol for the divers breakfast. MMMMM. Little did i know that the next 24 hours would be some of the most amazing/strange/interesting of any of my travels. Sadly leaving Jo, who was going back to Phangan for the big party I headed out into the deep blue.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
