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Published: December 24th 2007
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Krabi
View from my room After arriving late at night in Krabi - my base to transfer the next day to Railay Beach - I checked in at Krabipura, a lovely squeaky clean guest house with really helpful and nice owners. It was however a quite short night. First, the Italian restaurant 2 blocks away had live Rock music on which kept me awake until 1.30 AM and then the really surreal thing happened: Woken up by loud HOUSE music at 5.30 AM I was about to shout at the inconsiderate youth on their motorbikes to keep it down when I realised that the parking space under my window had been transformed into the local gym and there were 25 ladies exercising their bodies to house music at this ungodly hour!
Anyway, my luggage arrived as well eventually 15 hours after me and I was ready to leave Krabi. Truly.
Had I known what paradise was awaiting me in Ton Sai Beach I would have not stayed in Krabi at all.
And now the explanation of the title of this entry: The beauty is Ton Sai Beach, the rock climber's heaven and the biest is the adjoining Railay Beach, package-tourist heaven. Ton Sai equals
Paradise Beach
This is the first glimpse you catch when arriving at Ton Sai fit, relaxed, friendly back packing young and young at heart that stay in basic but good bungalows, relaxed beach bars, enjoy cheap food, no cars or motorbikes as it is only reached by boat and generally a welcoming vibe.
Railay equals construction site, horrible resorts, fat white westerners streched out on a good enough beach for swimming however it's terrorised by vendors on land and masses of loud longtail boats in the water (equally only reached by boat).
Luckily for both beaches there are big rocks in between which manage to keep the crowds nicely apart. The rocks can be conquered however either at low tide or over the rocks at high tide. The fat resort tourists only venture very sporadically over there (must have a minimum amount of fitness)and the fit climbers go to Railey because there's an ATM and good climbing walls!
Originally intended to be a stopover to check out the beach and then head on to Ko Lanta it turned out quite the opposite - you guess it - I never made it to Ko Lanta.... Why should I move? Just look at these sunsets!
The days blurr into one long day
Off to the climbing wall
Solei the climbing guide any my climbing friend Cecilia from Sweden crossing Railey beach to go to the Diamond Cave wall on the beach, at the Freedom Bar, interrupted by my first climbing outdoors, an island-and-beach-hopping tour, an evening at Thai Boxing and an Elephant Trek.
Needless to say that it was the welcoming people in Ton Sai that made my stay truly memorable. My love goes out to Clare; Willis; Cecilia, Robert and Melker; Ralf; Jeremy and Debbie.
Thai Boxing was a disturbing experience at first - quite touristy with a hardcore, loud voiced Thai specatorship on the ranks closest to the ring. Disturbing because the first 2 fights of the 10 fights are actually boys of ca. 7 years of age who's boxing gloves seemed bigger than their heads. Nevertheless they punch and kick each other in the ribs, face, basically everywhere and that at a frantic speed.
After 2 Tiger Beers however and with the contestants becoming older and less fragile looking Willis and I started to bet on the boxers. Well, my many visits to the horse races might have had an influence in suggesting this rather macabre betting but it made the event good fun! Willis had a very lucky hand and won all of the bets bar the last one where we increased
Looong way up
... spot the climber! the stake to a substantial 20 baht (30 pence/50 cents) and bloddy hell (quite litteraly) MY boxer sent his opponent K.O. in the 2nd round! I was as proud as if I was the boxer's manager :o)) Needless to say we had to continue this fantastic evening - at a rock bar in Ao Nang until they kicked us out. Managed to find the only longtail boat on the whole long beach and the guy was decent enough to a) take us to Ton Sai (which is 15 min by longtail boat) and b) not charging any extra. And hell were we lucky, the Viking Bar was still open and welcoming us - so we had no choice but to follow this friendly invitation and continue to party until 5.30 AM :o))
Climbing - my first attempts looked quite pathetic compared to the most amazing performances of Jeremy and Co - just look at these fantastic pictures. Oh and of course one had to lay on the beach, studying of course the routes, not checking out the fit guys and girls :o))))
Last day - crammed in as well an Elephant trekking tour. Nice to do once and
My first 5+ wall
Looking a bit frightened! because I love Elephants but not sure the animals are too happy...
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