Beach Huts, Hammocks, White Sand, Snorkelling and Killer Pool

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Leaving my family in Malaysia was very odd. I had felt so comfortable and stress free, over the two and a half weeks I had stayed there. It seemed that I was starting a completely new journey. Places to stay, travel arrangements to make and what to do had to be sorted. It all hit me on the plane to Krabi: I was on my own again.

When landing in Krabi, my bag arrived open. I discovered that immigration had searched through my medical kit. I would have been more than happy that they had a rummage but all they had to do was close the bag. After being dropped in Krabi Town, the plan was to stay the night. The lady at the tourist office said there was no point and might as well head straight of the Ko Lanta. She was not wrong. I did not see Krabi Town, so I could not make a jugdement, but the first sunset, which greeted me in Ko Lanta was truly memerising. The sun turned a magenta shade, while whispy clouds drifted passed. This occured after I had already seen my bamboo and wooden hut, accompanied with hammock. Paradise? Something very close! Aswell as the beautiful scenery and accomodation, I arrived to low season. This meant the whole island was sleepy and it felt I almost had the entire place to myself.

I got into my routine fast. I woke early to catch the cool beach sun. There were only a handful of people on the whole beach, which was the longest beach on the whole island. I could here a father and daughter playing at least three hundred metres away. The sea was calm, and as the sun rose higher I could see the distant Ko Phi-Phi on the horizon. I had a dip in the sparkling blue waters where I could look to the edge of the Earth. Nothing but water for as far as the eye could see. Following my beach excursion, I headed to my hammock where I read and eventually fell asleep. This pattern was repeated on the few days after. Not a bad cycle to be stuck in.

My neighbour, in next hut, was an Irish chap called Pauric. I spent a good few evenings with Pauric and along the way was introduced to two ladies called Noreen and Rose, who were Irish and Dutch respectively. We frequented the local bar called Shooters, which featured many interesting characters. There were the locals: men, women and ladyboys plus there were the foreigners: backpackers, many Swedish Holiday makers and seedy old English, Irish and Swedish men. An eclectic mix of people from around the world that at first glance should not work. Pauric and I especially had a great time playing Killer Pool, drinking the local Chang Beer and thoroughly enjoying the company. On the first night, I did not get much sleep at all. With the hut walls as thick as paper, I heard all of Pauric's goings on in the next cabin, with the local waitress. I also met "the One" (again). She really was this time. Stunningly beautiful, intelligent, humorous and did I mention drop dead gorgeous?! She also had an almost equally striking younger sister, who Pauric fancied. We jested how we could potentially be brothers-in-law. Then the bombshell was dropped. She said she was thirty-five and had a child with an ex-husband. I said nothing but "REALLY?!" for the rest of the night. She could have easily passed for early twenties. That has to be close to the top of all shocks in my whole life.

Having not ventured anywhere on the island, bar a two hundred metre radius from my hut, I felt I had to get out. I booked the "Four Island Tour", which passed through some of the nearby Trang Islands. It had been recommended to me by my fellow Sanctuary (the resort name) dwellers. The night did not get off to the best start because I only had two hours sleep. My fault but still. As well as this, I dropped my ticket on the way to the pier, the bus was an hour late and the boat was overbooked. Everything appeared to be all sorted when we all hopped on the longtail boat until my camera flashed at me with low battery. This usually meant I had about ten photos left. An almost certain nightmare but somehow I managed to take fifty photos and still had enough fuel in the tank. Someone up there was looking out for me on this day!

After a quite torturous (because I felt like chucking up) first hour of the trip, we arrived at our first snorkelling spot. The water was a crystal blue and the coral could be seen at the bottom. We were the only boat in the vicinity so the fish were aplenty. The most impressive thing was the array of colours. Many of the fish glinted everchanging shades as they drifted by. The amount of life was astounding and the fish did not mind getting close. It was brilliant until more boats began to arrive and variety began to disappear into the coral.

The next stop was a tiny island called Ko Muk. Having not looked at the itinerary, I had no clue what was coming. We pulled up by a cave and the organiser asked us to put on lifejackets and that there was no need for snorkels. He then proceeded to swim into the half submerged cave and asked us to follow. My hangover was completely gone now and all I felt was tremendous excitement. As we proceeded, I could here the waves crashing inside the cave. They sounded like a great dragons roar, which, if I were alone, would be absolutely terrifying. We gradually made our way into the pitch black part and the guide thankfully switched on his torch. The torch revealed elegant limestone crags and stalactites created by millions of years of erosion and deposition respectively. Slowly, the light began to creep in and I could literally see the light at the end of the tunnel. What was unveiled was the by far the most impressive sight I had seen so far, on my whole trip. We had swam into an isolated beach within a huge chimney cave. This place was so astounding and it was enhanced by my total surprise. I later found it was called the Emerald Cave. The light was shining down onto the small white sand beach at the cave mouth and all I could do was look up. Trees and other plants grew out of the cylindrical cliffs shielding some of the sunlight, giving a beautiful glint when at the right angles. Unfortunately, I could not bring my camera since it is not waterproof, but I think that's what makes the Emerald Cave so special. I definitely will remember this place forever. Big Wow!

As the day moved on, my fellow tourists and I were invited for a spot of lunch, by the boatmen. They probably chose argualbly the most idyllic spot in all of Thailand, Ko Ngai. A very exclusive beach, of perfect powdered sand, where the water was paradise blue and virtually still, due to coral reef one hundred metres from shore. Palm trees hung over the beach as my new friend, Su from Singapore (who the boatmen took a liking to), chowed down for some rice, fried chicken and vegetable curry. A couple of small islands could be seen in the distance to put the cherry on top of the view. It is hard to describe silence but the calmness I experienced here was something else.

With everyone slighlty sad to leave, we departed to out final destination. This became the ultimate snorkelling destination. Thousands, even millions of fish were here and the variety even greater than before. Great shoals of tropical fish swarmed around people when they jumped in. I had a large group of butterfly fish follow me as I moved aimlessly around the natural coral bay. Some took such a liking they bit me, which made me slightly soil myself. There were so many fish, a shark could have been sneakily hidden within them. This was only snorkelling but there really is a completley different world down there. Dazzlingly petrifying! Scuba diving looks so enticing yet there is something holding me back. Lastly, I did look for Nemo and could not find him.

Later that day, Su and I were to have dinner. She said she would pick me up on her rented scooter. She failed to mention that she had never ridden one before the day before. I would have rather been with the sharks when I saw her pull-up. When she hit the brakes the front of the bike fishtailed. She looked at me as if nothing happened. I was being governed by my stomach so I hastlily hopped on the back. The snaking did not stop and have never been so unconfident with someone in my life. Thankfully we made it through the night and I live to tell the story. I'm sure Su will not be pleased with this little anecdote, but what the hell, I felt you guys should know.

This was to conclude my Koh Lanta endeavors, or was it? On the final day I discovered that the main worker at my resort, Sanctuary, had been sacked for stealing. I was befuddled by this. He was such a nice young man. Well, nicer than his English Aunt anyway. She was the co-owner of the resort and looked at the end of her tether my whole stay. She had three children, with the Thai father, who ran her ragged. The two youngest, boy and girl, approximately ten and six respectively were fantastic to watch and listen to. The boy was of large proportions and definitely ate his sister's food she was stick thin. In fact, I witnessed this when he had finished his meal and just came over and started ploughing into his sister's dinner. The most activity he did during the day was pulling up his shorts every thirty seconds. One afternoon I was awoken by their mother screaming at the top of her voice: "Who's been pissing on the floor again?!". The little girl's cute reply: "It was not me but I know who it was." Ten minutes later I heard her brother being scolded. Family life at its best and I was gladly only an observer. I sadly checked out but was heading to Ko Phi-Phi. How exciting!

P.s. Sorry if there are too many sunset photos. It is incredibly hard to get bored of them.

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Photos

Yoga Sessions
This guy was the owner of the resort