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Published: January 2nd 2009
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From Koh Lanta we embarked on a 24 hour journey across Southern Thailand to Koh Tao. This involved two minisbusses, one maxibus, two ferries, one truck and one boat. The boat was the best bit. From Surat Thani on the mainland we rode on this boat for eight hours overnight. There were no seats but just tiny dodgy mattresses on the floor. We took sleeping tablets and awoke just in time to dock at Koh Tao.
Koh Tao was the touch of paradise we’d been waiting for. We were lucky enough to stay in an amazing hotel right on Sairee Beach - the main beachfront of the whole island. Our room overlooked the ocean and came with all the things we didn’t know we’d missed: hot water, a fridge, TV, air conditioning , and a bed-bugless mattress.
We bought two cheap snorkelling sets and snorkelled right out the front of our hotel. In the evenings we ventured down the ‘yellow brick road’ (the carless path behind the hotels and shops on the beachfront) and ate dinner overlooking the ocean.
We decided to let the budget fly a bit while on Koh Tao. We had massages by the beach
and went against to see Thai boxing. We also hired bicycles and rode from Sairee to Freedom Beach. This was only about 6 kms, but the hills were killers! As with the 1227-step journey in Krabi, our efforts this time were greatly rewarded with incredible views.
On Christmas Eve we kicked off the night with a ladyboy cabaret. This was a highly entertaining show to launch us into the Christmas spirit. We then wandered down the beach and stopped off at a few bars which were having parties on the beach. At midnight fireworks went off right across the island. We were feeling a bit festive and decided to go for a night swim in the ocean.
It was not long after that everything went very wrong. I (Eva) had an allergic reaction to something I’d eaten and my throat began to close over. Nella took me up to the yellow brick road and tried to find someone to help. She asked two Austrian women wearing halos on headbands who were sitting nearby. It turned out that one of them lived on Koh Tao and knew where the hospital was. And so it was that at 3am on
Christmas morning Ornella and I were hurtling down the dusty roads of Koh Tao on a motorbike behind an angel.
At the hospital I was put on a drip and promptly knocked out by whatever drugs they pumped me with. Ornella spent the night on the couch next to my bed. By about midday on Christmas day I was almost fully recovered so we checked out and headed down the street for the big Christmas lunch we’d promised ourselves. After fish, calamari and prawns, all bad feelings of the drama earlier had gone. The weather was awful so we spent the rest of the day in our hotel room watching movies.
On Boxing Day we decided to change our New Year celebration plans. We were having such a fantastic time on Koh Tao that we didn’t want to head back to Bangkok as originally planned. So we booked ourselves some seriously overpriced accommodation on Koh Phanang - an island about 60km from Koh Tao. On full moons and New Years, Koh Phangan throws a massive party on the beach that attracts up to 30,000 people per party. Accommodation is usually all booked out long before the party so
we were lucky to get a room at all.
That afternoon we hired a kayak and paddled out from Koh Tao to Nang Yuan Island. This island isn’t far from Koh Tao but there was a strong current running between the two which proved to be a bit of a challenge. To take our mind off the pain of paddling hard enough to remain on course, we sang. As dumb as this may seem, it was an effective distraction. We arrived on the island after about 45 minutes to be greeted by a man requiring us to pay 100 baht ($5) each or leave within 5 minutes. Our pleas of utter exhaustion were to no avail. As it was, the sun was going down and the wind was picking up so we decided it would be best if we just headed back to Koh Tao as soon as possible anyway. So, after a few quick snaps of the little island, we hopped back in our kayak and attempted to cross the windy straight again. Luckily, it was easier to get back as the wind was pushing us towards Koh Tao.
That night I had a crazy fever and
the next day we ventured back to the clinic to get checked out. The doctor didn’t know what was wrong and didn’t have the facilities on the island to do any tests so we stayed overnight again in the hospital and then were sent to Koh Samui (a much bigger island) the next day. Luckily insurance had us covered because this journey and the events that followed became extremely costly. When we arrived off the boat at Koh Samui, we were met by an ambulance team on the pier. They even had a wheelchair for me. This seemed a bit excessive so I put my backpack in the wheelchair and walked myself. On the shore, I was fastened onto an ambulance bed and had all my vital stats checked while on the way to hospital. Once there, I had another drip put in and about 10 litres of blood taken for testing (ok, so many a little less, but it seems significant as they had to prick me about a thousand times to get blood). I was then wheeled on a bed to have an x-ray and then into a bedroom which was to become mine and Nella’s house for
the next 5 days. The room and quality of service was fantastic…. Aussie hospitals have nothing on good Thai hospitals.
Not long after arriving, we were told I had dengue fever and probably also typhoid. At the time I have to admit I was a little excited and the prospect of all this good care and such great accommodation over however long it would take me to recover. However, speaking now on the 5th day and looking back, I can assure you I cannot wait to get out of here! No matter how nice the room, it becomes a cell sooner or later.
I spent 5 days hooked up to a drip and hated every minute of it. The first few days I had a lot of pain and a crazy fever. Then those symptoms subsided and my body broke out in a really strange rash. The whole time I was (and still am) nauseous. I can definitely say that my trip to hospital was not as fun as I’d hoped and we didn’t get to party on Koh Phangan for New Year’s as planned. Instead I spent the night hunkered down in my bed with earplugs to
minimise the noise of the fireworks which seemed to be going off right outside my window for most of the night. Ornella bought herself a single Cruiser, consumed it, and was asleep by 8pm.
Ornella was perfect. She slept on the couch in my room and helped me with everything. She was my angel.
The doctor has said I can probably leave tomorrow and I am very excited indeed! Nella isn’t, though… she’s been loving it. The great room, the great food (she ate all my meals as I completely lost my appetite), and the cable TV. After Koh Samui we intend to head to Bangkok and then move on to Cambodia.
Bye for now……
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