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Published: April 2nd 2013
I've finally managed to sort the 3 month visa for Thailand and am ready to travel up from Penang in Malaysia to Koh Phangan the island off Thailand famous for the full moon party – which will be my stopping point for at least the next month and a half.
My minivan driver takes a shine to me – so after an obligatory photo, no doubt so he can show me off as his falang girlfriend, I get to sit up front. A blessing as some poor sod behind me spends the next 8 hours rammed into the minivan with The Bastard (my backpack) wedged between his knees and the seat in front. We get to Surathani and gradually everyone on the bus is dropped off, except me of course as I need to be taken to the port.
Slowly he runs his hands through his hair and says:
“eeeh sorreeeee – no Koh Phangan, you stay here tonight?”
“er say what?!”
“Sorreeee no Koh Phangan, stay in Surathani”
From what I can make out – we've missed the boat to Koh Phangan and he wants me to just haul on out and fork out
for some accommodation over night in Surathani instead. As I've already paid the full way this is not an option. I've learnt a thing or two about persistence from my Aussie friends so I just say:
“No! Koh Phangan Koh Phangan...”
and stick to my guns.
Eventually he wearily allows me to beat him down, we stop at a ticket booth and then he drives me to the port. There is a rusty old boat in the harbour and men are loading crates of fruit and veg on board.
God – is this the vessel i'm going in? He buys me a ticket then carries my bag on for me. Lined up on the ferry are thin mattresses rammed next to each other...are we sleeping here?
“ummm how long exactly is the ferry from from here to Koh Phangan?” I ask – having expected it to be a short half hour hop away. No research done beforehand...obviously...
“6 hours! “
Shit.
“What time does it leave?”
“11 tonight. This night boat.”
Its currently 6pm in the evening. We've obviously missed the last
Lovesick driver
He didn't get me to the boat on time though did he!?day ferry whch is why he was trying to get me to stay in Surathani. No matter – he treats me to a coffee with condensed milk at a market stall by the port and then leaves me to my own devices.
At the stand next to me they've rigged up a TV and a match is playing. I move my stuff over and settle down, ordering a cup of tea. Its Thailand v Singapore. When the best laid plans (or the worst laid plans in my case normally ) fail – its comforting to know us Brits revert to type. How better to kill time than a nice cup of tea and the footie.
I get back on the boat around 9pm and am glad I've got there so early. Its full with the exception of my measly mattress and the one next to it which happens to be on the end of a row – it means I get to spread out a little without curving myself into the fat American thighs of the man next to me. I pop a Barbie pink sleeping tablet and knock myself out. Me and boats
don't get on at the best of times – but 6 hours, overnight.... and I can already hear the grey waves beginning to slap the windows. I can hear revellers downstairs. Well I am on my way to Koh Phangan – famous for its full moon parties – I pray to god i'm not kept up by them and luckily they are only a little drunk and not at all disorderly. We arrive at 5am the next day – the cool breeze skimming the sea silver – and finally get int a tuk tuk to my accommodation for the next month which is based on the far side of the island, as far away from the whisky buckets and the 18 year olds that I can get. I find the key they've left me at reception and crawl into bed to let the remains of the sleeping tablet send me off again until a more respectable hour like 11am
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