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Tina, what you like? Tina, you like seafood? Tina, you like hot spring? Tina, you like waterfall? Lavished and pompous likened to that of a royalty describe my experience with my host family in Thailand.
From the Don Mueang Airport, I headed directly to the Southern Bus Terminal in Bangkok where I needed to catch the overnight bus to the town of Ranong. As a first time lone traveller, I used my charm to ask people around on how to get from one place to another. When I got off from the city bus, a woman who just got off from the same bus waited for me and asked me in a friendliest manner , “Ranong?”. When I said yes, she held my hand as if we knew each other for a long time. She pointed to her self and said, “Ranong”. We bought the ticket together and I decided to take the same bus with her.
We spent over dinner, while exchanging information about ourselves, the few hours before the bus would depart. Her nickname is Rat - the kindest, the sweetest and the nicest stranger I have ever met. It was paradoxical that the language barrier between
us brought us to a deep conversation that later made us quite familiar with each other. She works for Ranong's Provincial Primary Education Office and she has two children. We became Facebook friends immediately! She then contacted her friend who owns bungalows in Koh Phayam, the island I wanted to explore the next day.
When we arrived at Ranong at 4:30 in the morning, an elderly woman, named Au, the owner of the bungalow, got out of the car and greeted us. As Au thought it was too early for me head to the pier for my 8:00am short voyage to the island, she insisted of me taking a respite in her place while suggesting that her son would send me to the pier later that morning.
Overjoyed with disbelief. My heart was filled with celebration as these complete strangers welcomed me by sharing their place and a piece of what makes up their family. Sitting on the car, Au gave me a glimpse of her lovely family. She is a retired English teacher and married to Virat, a retired jail warden. Their son is a Math teacher of the middle school in town. Lying on the bed
in the room where I was offered to take a short rest, the smell and the sound of the cricket from the window reminded me of my grandmothers place.
8:00 am. A very nice and shy guy, drove me to the pier and helped me buy the speedboat ticket to the island. When I arrived in the island, Au's elder son and daughter-in-law greeted me with enthusiam. They showed me their beautiful bungalows, where I could have stayed if only there were other guests. Au's son was so kind to drove me on his motorcycle to the other bungalow where I chose to stay.
Seafood. Rat never failed to send me messages on Facebook that on my last day of stay at the paradise-like Koh Payam island, she invited me for seafood lunch. I definitely said yes! Again, I added more details of the movie I had in Thailand – I met Os, Rat’s husband. Joking about the stories he has with the Filipinos he met in Thailand was rather easy for him as he has a law degree, although he decided to be a businessman. He owns a rubber tree farm.
Fast Forward. The heavy rain
that afternoon wasn’t a hindrance for a town tour. They took me to a very popular seafood restaurant in town. I ordered a lot and I ATE a lot. It was so delectable that I could no longer feel the shame of them paying for the food.
Lunch was over. Finally, I could stop stuffing myself. We headed to Ngao National Waterfall Park. The rain participated in the festivity when it stopped and allowed us to take a few photos. When we arrived at their house, I could not help but bask in the grandeur of Rat’s paradise-like garden. I almost could not believe it was all still real knowing that I also met her mom and their neighbor. The smile of Rat’s mother, the sweet hello of the neighbor created a great impression in me of the kindness these people afforded me. Os’ insistence of me bringing home some flowers, our visit at Rahsawarin Hot Spring, our visitation to stores where I could buy the best delicacies in town, all of this made my first time of travelling alone intrepid yet memorable.
Stranger's home. Rat felt my desire to see Au before I’d leave. I was surprised
when they all took me to Au. It felt like home, being with my family, visiting relatives in the evening . We chatted on the balcony of Au' and Virat's place. It was entertaining to see and hear Rat and Os, explaining to the other couple how my journey of meeting them started. It was a rather funny moment and I wonder if it is Thais’ culture to offer their guest their bathroom for a bath. To my worry that I might offend them if I refuse, well, I did take a bath twice in Aus’ place for the very two short times that I stayed. The last one, it was an awkward experience as everyone was right there waiting for me to get out of the bathroom.(only my family and friends know how slow and how many hours I usually needed to take a shower and get dressed).
Goodbye. Au showed me the books she uses for her private English classes at home. We talked a bit about the likes and differences of teaching English in China and in Thailand and even home, the Philippines.We then took a group photo. I smiled. We posed. We smiled.
My life was impregnated with celebration, joy and gratitude. We paused. We bade goodbye.
The last treat. Rat and Os sent me to the bus station. To my surprise, they again took care of everything despite my vehement ( in a very courteous way) insistence of me paying back for my own ticket that Os bought earlier. They successfully paid for my ticket. It was not just an ordinary bus. It was an experience every traveller wants to endure: a VIP bus with massage chairs and personalized TV.The most comfortable bus ride i ever had.
The couple waited until the bus left. As i saw them disappearing from my sight, Their words of kindness left me wondering when I asked them how could i ever repay my debt of gratitude to them; and their words echoed: “Tina, come back Ranong. Take you Phuket, Krabi, Kho Phi Phi”.....
-The FancyTraveller-
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