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Published: April 30th 2010
I'm literally blogging from heaven right now. Really, I am. While drinking a coconut shake. We're on Koh Tao, an island in the Gulf of Thailand. As I'm sure you've all read, Bangkok is sadly experiencing some serious and dangerous political protests. I'll post another blog soon about our experiencing with what has happened. But we've left Bangkok for a safer place. And what we've found is quite possibly the coolest place I've been to in Thailand.
The island is so beautiful, it looks fake. Bob said, as we pulled up in the catamaran, that it looks like Disney created an island paradise. We've spent the past four days swimming, eating wonderful food, snorkeling, sitting on white sand, more swimming, so you get the picture. Koh Tao is Thailand's major dive destination so the sea life is incredible. We wade out into waist-deep water and there's the reef. Eventually we'll actually go on a snorkel boat but we've got time; I don't plan on heading back to Bangkok immediately. It's unsettling to have to check the news before you leave the house for fear of walking into a massive protest.
I'm also not leaving anytime soon because the trip
to get here is quite an adventure. We opted to take the night train where we learned our first major lesson; when taking a night train in Thailand either get an AC car or get a lower level bed. We somehow got an upper and a lower berth. The lower was wonderful. I slept so well. Around 8:30 pm the train crew comes around and folds out all the beds, puts linens on and sets up the curtains so you can curtain yourself off from the rest of the train. The bottom berth has the advantage of a window, getting a cool breeze the entire night. The upper berth, that Bob slept on, gets no air. And it's under fluorescent lights. So he got no sleep and ended up dehydrated in a puddle of sweat. The train was running on Thai time so we rolled into the station an hour late. Not a big deal because once off the train, we waited for an hour before the catamaran company bussed us down to the ferry dock. After that, it was supposed to be a quick and comfortable hour and a half boat ride to Koh Tao. That was far from
what we experienced. About five minutes into the ride we realized it was not going to be quick nor comfortable. We went up, up, up and then crashed back down into the lull between waves and back up, up, up and crashed down. For two and a half hours. Most of the people on the boat were throwing up a half hour into the ride. Lovely to sit in a cabin with all your neighbors throwing up. I made it about an hour before it got to me. However, I was able to survive by standing on the stern of the boat outside of the puke cabin. I don't get motion sick from anything, ever so I was shocked when I started to feel like everyone else. Bob was completely unfazed by the ride. I've already picked up some motion sickness pills from 7-11 for the ride back. Cost me a whole 30 cents.
I'll let the pictures describe how beautiful this place is.
And we have more travel news! On May 12, we'll be flying to Hong Kong! Yep, back to China!
Everyone can sleep soundly now knowing we're not in Bangkok anymore. More soon!
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Terry
non-member comment
it snowed here yesterday
Yes, it really did. Had I known you were going to heaven I would have given away all my earthly posessions and joined you. You are on my dream vacation. I can't think of any place better. Good for you! Why didn't I think of that? By the way, why in Heaven's name would you go back to Bangkok? Sorry about Bob's hell night and your hours in the pukatorium. Love, T