Beach Life

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Day 47 - Friday 16 November

Took the early morning ferry over to Ko Chang. Dennis had recommended 2 places I should check out. Treehouse 1 situated at lonely beach (which apparently isn't that lonely), and Treehouse 2 at Long Beach which he described as quiet.

As there was a free pickup going to Treehouse 2 I opted for that one. When Dennis had said it was quiet he wasn't kidding. The place was in the middle of nowhere, no shops, bars or resturants , just a few beach huts and the guesthouse bar/resturant and that was it. You could't even use the phone or the internet.

After renting one of the beach huts I have to admit that the advantage of being so secluded was the beach was deserted and peaceful. You could have been at a private 5 star resort. The setup was also fairly impressive and instantly reminded me of the book/film The Beach. It was almost as if the owner (a German hippy) had tried to recreate it. The only downside was that all the other guests were German couples (no wonder dennis felt at home), and I felt like the new guy invading their paradise.

I wasn't that bothered though and spent the day sunbathing on the beach and swimming in the sea which was so warm, it was like being in a jacuzzi.

Being so isolated there wasn't much else to do. After having an early snooze so I wouldn't have to join the German hippies for a singsong on the beach at sunset, I went to check out the nightlife at the bar. Unfortunately it was non existent so I gave up and read a book instead. Tomorrow i'll go somewhere a little busier. This place would be great if your on a two week holiday and want to get away from everything, but i've been out for 6 weeks now. I'm already relaxed and not looking to escape from the world.

Day 48 - Saturday 17 November

Had to be up just after 7am (you'd be forgiven for thinking im on holiday), so I could get the only taxi of the day to another part of the island. Otherwise ill have to stay here another night.

Even though it was only 10 o'clock when I arrived at Lonely Beach, most of the cheap guesthouses were already full. I was about to give up and go back to the ferry when the last place on the strip had a vacancy at a reasonable rate. (Now im on my own my accommodation costs have doubled).

When I asked the owner about the price I think there was a bit of a mistranslation on her part because she replied "You sleep with my friend 400 Baht, no friend 300 Baht". Now 100 B is about the price of a beer over here. Surely there is no way a woman would be that cheap even in Thailand. If she was she certainly wouldn't be a good looker. "300 Baht I replied".

Once I had dropped of my bags it was time to spend the rest of the day on the beach. Thinking about the earlier proposition I think what she had meant was that if I was sharing the room it's 400B, if im on my own its 300B. But who knows, I shall try to find out.

There had been about 150 people on the beach today, so I was assuming that being a saturday, it would be reasonably busy tonight. How wrong I was, the bars were all empty, wherever the party was I hadn't been invited.

Day 49 - Sunday 18 November

Another day spent on the beach and an evening spent in a deserted bar. Although when I went to collect my laundry that evening the launderette had been replaced by a brothel full of ladyboys. After a brief bit of flirting, I managed to get my washing back and hot footed it out of there. Tomorrow I'll go to Pattaya. I've heard so many stories about the place. It should certainly be interesting.

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