Blogs from Ko Pha-Ngan, South-West Thailand, Thailand, Asia - page 16

Ich setze einen Schritt vor dem Anderen Stück für Stück den steilen Pfad hinauf durch dichte Nadelbaumwälder, vorbei an vom Tau benetzten, grünen Bergwiesen immer Richtung Sonnenlicht. Angenehm kühle Morgenluft prickelt auf meinem Gesicht. Ich wische mir den Schweiß aus den Augen und Atme tief durch. Waldduft füllt meine Lungen. Der Weg ist schlammig und macht schmatzende Geräusche unter meinen Bergschuhen, als sich der Wald langsam öffnet und die wärmenden Sonnenstrahlen frei gibt, Stück für Stück, bei jedem Schritt ein Strahl mehr. Ich trete aus dem Wald in freies Gelände und bleibe einen Moment stehen um das gewaltige Felsmassiv vor mir zu betrachten. Aufsteigender Nebel lässt die Konturen verschwimmen und sanfter erscheinen doch in der Ferne erahne ich die scharfen Kanten der Gipfel am Horizont. Erst jetzt bemerke ich das stetige Dröhnen welches die Stille durchdringt ... read more

Our day started early ready for our boat trip to Koh Phangan, we had breakfast of tea and toast before we got picked up and dropped at Nathon pier. When we arrived we found a seat and took in the people around us. One thing that we had observed more and more were the amount of families that travelled, with young children. We don’t understand how a 5 year old can understand the beauty of Thailand and for a young child to have to go through the travelling is surely unfair. Once we got on the boat we headed downstairs and as we sat down noticed a group of boys, and amongst them was our friend from Bangkok, Lewis! The best thing about travelling is you will just bump into the same people again without even ... read more

Beste Mensen, De vorige keer heb ik beschreven dat we naar het eiland Langkawi gingen. Dit is het enige taxfree eiland in Maleisie, hierdoor was alles op Langkawi ietsjes goedkoper. Omdat we van het mooie Perhentian eiland kwamen, viel Langkawi in eerste instantie een beetje tegen. De stranden waren wel mooi maar niet wat we gewend waren! Nadat we het stadje waar we sliepen hadden verkend , hebben we de dag erna voor 2 dagen motorscooters gehuurd om het hele eiland te gaan verkennen. Er was in het Noordoosten van het eiland een Oriental village wat we wel wilden zien en er waren onderweg ook een paar mooie watervallen te bezichtigen. Na de dag met de motorscooter te hebben rondgetoerd zijn we naar de grote plaats op het eiland gegaan en hebben we onszelf getrakteerd op ... read more

I had a lovely last weekend in the village. On my last Sunday, I was asked to go into the church so that they could pray for me, which was very kind. Agnes was taking the sermon as Pastor John had to go and speak to another church, but she gave a very passionate sermon and they even got Teacher Samuel to translate it for me. Then there seemed to be some kind of grieving ceremony, where Agnes hugged all the women and everybody was crying and praying and chanting and drumming, and Mary was on the floor sobbing, it was pretty intense. When things seemed to calm down, Agnes said some very lovely things about me and I had to hug her too while they all prayed for me. So it’s nice to know that ... read more

As a traveller you might expect to come across the old adage about the impact of the “journey” rivalling the importance of the actual destination, and we have; as graffiti on walls and decorative touches in the occasional guesthouse... But how true is it? Am I to consider this phrase literally or figuratively? Looking back and considering some of the journeys we have taken over the past three weeks, I am unlikely to translate this idiom into the Thai language and have it tattooed across my torso any time soon (as is the social convention these days, isn’t it?), nevertheless the weird and wonderful voyages across both land and sea can make for interesting conversation with new friends over Pad Thai and a Chang. Our first of many (and doubtless we have many more to come) ... read more