Krabi people look like krab talk like people

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1147 ICT

13 February 2013

Taj Palace Restaurant, Ao Nang, Krabi province, Thailand



I have barely scratched the surface but I am in love with Krabi province. Aside from the predictable 2 hours to get off the plane and into Ao Nang, the beautiful drive in and (barely) cooler temperatures are welcome from Bangkok. I only felt a breeze once in Bangkok, on top of Golden Mount. Here a pleasant breeze moves in off the Andaman Sea perpetually.



The road from Krabi winds through beautiful jungle and dozens of vertical limestone cliffs. Once in Ao Nang... Holy crap. It's so beautiful. The water, the karsts, the long boats. Otherwise, off the water it's pretty much ocean city, Maryland. T shirt shops, scuba shops, restaurants. Starving from leaving the hotel at 0530, I dropped my hiking backpack (if you think identifying a black suitcase at the airport is hard, imagine getting your north face hiking backpack off the line in Thailand) with my room not ready, and sought out food. Rough guide, F it. Ditching the guide book and getting back to my aimless roots seemed like a great idea yesterday, so I am trying to do my best to do the same here. It's tough to go off the local knowledge as in Ohio, because most of the recommendations here are likely commission based and an attempt to scam the tourist. Though I will still have a few tourist things to do... Railay beach, and some sea kayaking will take up my major plans in Ao Nang. I walked away from the beach, following my principles that better food is away from better views. You can serve shit food on the beach and stay in business. Walk far away, your meals better be dope. The north side of the street appears to be new construction: McDonald's, Starbucks, etc. the south side looks older, as if it survived the tsunami and the older businesses survived while the north side was wiped out. Maybe I am wrong. I hung to the south side as I walked through Ao Nang.



After I was tired of walking and appeared to reach the edge of the downtown I stopped in an Indian restaurant. Only two people were in it, but whatever. I pulled out the iPad and started writing after ordering some Tikka and garlic naan and a Chang. I considered what I could get done by the time my room would be ready and OH MY GOD BEST INDIAN FOOD EVER HAD IN MY LIFE. Was I hallucinating? Starving from a lack of food and biased by endorphins? I doubt it. I will be back for dinner. And lunch and dinner tomorrow if I am here. These guys will know me. Speaking of the next few days, I have no idea what am doing.



I only booked a hotel last night, so my options were limited. I didn't like the 3 night hotels, so I reduced to 2 nights and found a great place only a few meters off the beach at Phra Nang Inn. It was the last room, so I have a family room tonight and have to move to a deluxe tomorrow. I got the rate for half off, but still more than i had planned to spend. But thems the breaks for booking last minute and not wanting to waste time on transport to activities, which I am quickly learning is unreliable and time consuming.



My flight to Kuala Lumpur is at 830 AM in 4 days. I likely will go to Krabi Town the night before to stay, even with little to no aesthetic value in that town. Rookie mistakes... booking 8 am flights in Asia. Luckily I had a badass cab driver this morning, getting me to BKK in half an hour and domestic flight screening was a breeze at 6AM. I still have no idea where I will be in 3 nights, with no hotel booked. I may hop to Ko Lanta or Ko Phi Phi.



Like a leaf on the wind.

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