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Published: October 2nd 2008
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waiting for the boat
...ashley, wearing my Thai boy hat So, there I am in Ton Sai having the time of my life when this strange sensation hits me like nothing I have ever experienced before. It only occurred to me after leaving Ton Sai for a night, when Ashley and Keith invited me to come with them to Ao Nang to celebrate one last night with John.
I should explain. John is part of the American pack that included Ashley, Keith and Tamara all of whom I mentioned in my last blog. I saw him for the first time on my fourth day in Ton Sai, the night of the Kasbah party. He is one fabulous fella. One who makes my sides split with laughter. He is also from New York so you can bet your bottom dollar that I'll be spending most of my time with him enjoying the sights of the city with the homeboys.
So, anyway off we go to Ao Nang where John decided to retire to for the comfort of concrete, tall buildings and automobiles. Ton Sai I am grateful to say is beautifully void of all three.
So, there we were in Ao Nang which is just a 20 minute boat
ride from Ton Sai and we're hanging out in the boys' bungalow (ashley and I) and having the time of our lives. We chill, we talk, we catch up (John wants to hear the latest from all of us as it had been two days since he left Ton Sai) and we laugh and laugh and laugh. We also pop on over to the shooting range where Ashley and I share the use of a 22 calibre pistol. I am of course an awful shot, failing to hit the target once even though I had successfully fired a machine gun in Cambodia. Whereas Ashley who has never held a gun in her life shot like a pro!
We spend a day in town and we discover the delights of the fried chicken lady. As John put it, the Kentucky Colnel got recipe B whereas this lady had without a doubt Recipe A, the best damn chicken I have ever tasted. I tried my best in Thai/English lingo to persuade her to move her cart to Ton Sai. I am sad to say that she refused. If ever any of you are in Ao Nang, find yourself the fried chicken
lady. Turn right out of the jetty and keep on walking. Follow the road around the corner and there she will be on the same side of the road.
So anyway, it was in Ao Nang that I began to feel this strange sensation I was talking of earlier. I couldn't quite figure it out. I was happy. Hell, I should have been. But there was something missing. Like a cold empty feeling in my heart, chest and stomach. The following morning I came to the realisation that I was missing home. Not England. Ton Sai.
The day was long and while the boys decided to retire for the night Ashley and I took it upon ourselves to find a bar. We had one bar in mind and its name escapes me but try as we might we couldn't find it. We were making a beeline for that bar in particular because earlier that night while the four of us were eating laughing loudly high from the day, these Thai Rasta boys (three on a bike) pull up and make a beeline for our table. For me. They recognised me from the Kasbah in Ton Sai (not the
in the boys
john, ashley, keith (l-r) same boys that I am familiar with) and want to know if I have Kelly's number (the hula girl). I wasn't able to help because I did not know her that well but unbeknown to me that was all to change. They were performing that night and were handing out leaflets and that was the reason we were looking for that bar.
The next day was a very sad day. John left. The rest of the day passed as if in a daze. We were all three of us very lazy and not particularly keen to do much except have more fried chicken. Ashley and I left Keith in Ao Nang for a night and we returned home.
The sight of Ton Sai Beach brought so much gladness to my heart and to Ashley's aswell. We jumped off the boat and were singing loudly at the top of our lungs glad to be home.
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Liz
non-member comment
beautiful writing, beautiful pictures
Hello, I stumbled upon your blog looking for places to stay in Ton Sai. My husband and I are going there in about a month to climb and take in the culture. Your stories about your travels are wonderful and inspiring. I am even more excited to go to Thailand after reading your writing. Thanks for the inspiration.