All i knew was that i had a plane ticket out of Ho Chi Min to Bangkok (thank god) and that i needed a break i just wanted to chill out for a week, recharge and do nothing before heading south. That's also the beauty about travelling and the mindset one develops, to live in the NOW, go with the flow and just see what happens ;-).
So, i am on a plane, thinking, ok, l land at 7pm in Bangkok, l don't want to stay the night there, what to do? As i was pondering this thought l heard a conversation going on in English from the seats behind me. After a short while, when there was a pause i turned and spoke to them. It turns out that the chap talking to the American couple was a Thai tour guide! So i started chatting with them. It turns out that in Spring, which is when i was here, i should head to the East coast and not the West, due to the clarity of the water. Cool i thought, very good to know and what about the different islands l asked. He told me about them and l narrowed my choice down to two, Koh Tao and Koh Phangan. Kho Tao being a divers mecca, Koh Phangan being aside from the Full Moon party in the south but he said it is extremely chilled in the North. Well, i didn't think about it, I just took his word for it and decided on Koh Phangan. When l landed l found there was a bus to the central train station in Bangkok which i took with a hope of finding a spot on a sleeper train to head south. Well of course when i got there it was full (days in advance it seems), but using the power of 'intentional thought' and being persistent but polite, well it worked and i managed to get a seat on the sleeper train. Not my best nights sleep but early the next morning i was on a boat heading to Koh Phangan. By Lunch time i was settled into a bungalow on a very quiet and beautiful palm fringed beach with turquoise blue. How cool is that!
Mae Haad Rin, Koh Phangan
I didn't take the first place i found but the second, a simple wooden bungalow by the white sandy beach. The house coral reef was one of the best i have seen on my trip so far, hardly damaged at all so i managed to get some decent snorkeling in and even did a refresher scuba dive since doing my PADI last August in Honduras. Fantastic.
After having chilled for a few days just sun bathing and having massages i did do a little exploring of the island on a motorbike which was a lot of fun as always, the freedom of the road and then the night of the Full Moon Party came. Well i said to myself, if i go, it will be early just to have a look (i had been 3 years before). Well the group of people i was with were still drinking until 2am and then wanted to go in convoy, eight motorbikes, heading 45mins south to the party. Well at this point i decided No, it was too risky, accidents, police, no helmets etc so i stayed. I know, you are all in shock, how funny. Trust me, at the time it was the right decision.
During my time here i did make some very good friends here, sometimes hanging out at the local Rolling Stoned Bar. I also met a very special person called Claudia from Germany. We spent time together talking and getting to know each other, we visited a local Thai music festival and tested the local Singh beer. One morning we woke up very early and watched a beautiful sunrise together on the beach. The sun just rising over the back of the mountains in the distance. It was so peaceful and romantic. A very special moment for me and for us.(The photo below is the view from Claudia's/our bungalow onto the beach and sea. Simply gorgeous).
It was really hard to leave everyone but i guess it was just time. Claudia and the gang were going back home so i decided I would head on south into Malaysia. I was sad to leave...
Its funny how a conversation with a stranger on a plane can lead one to certain places or circumstances. Some people call it fate...(Claudia and I below)
I loved my break from travelling in Thailand, it did me the world of good to switch off after the intensity of Vietnam and now i feel a lot better about continuing my travels, feeling fully recharged again. Happy Chappy.
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