Thai Boyfriends and Tandem Bike Rides

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After an awesome swim at Ao Leuk I decided to head home and see what I could spot on the way home such as ... rambutan... mmmm.

However I was stopped by a local Thai guy in his ute asking if I needed a taxi ride back to my place. I thanked him (Ko pen ka in Thai) for his offer of taxi services but said I actually wanted to walk.

"Its hot... too far to Chalock" he replied.

I told him that it was no problem and that I had become pretty lazy and fat on the island. He insisted and pleaded and said he would take me for free. Now this is a rare occasion if a taxi on Ko Tao offers you a ride for free, particularly when a 5km ride sets each person back at least 100 baht or just over 3 AUD on Ko Tao. I decided to oblige and allow the guy to have the pleasure of my company just this once.

His name was Bo and he was 26 and had grown up on Ko Tao. He'd once had a German girlfriend on the island that lasted 2 weeks. He was looking for another.

I said thanks for the offer and should I choose to stay and marry someone in Thailand he would be the first guy I would look up. He was pretty pleased with that.

After my ride with my potential future Thai husband I was back at my bungalow.

On the way up this guy approaches me and asks me if I could wish his friends a congratulations as they had recently married. His name is Bjorn, he's from Belgian and he has been traveling for the past 2 years.

There are a few friends with him and one of them Sebastiaan asks me if I like to cycle.

Sure I do.

Would I like to join him, Bjorn on a cycling trip?

Sure why not?

Where are you going next?

Bangkok.

Would you like to sit on the back of his tandem bicycle and cycle with him to Bangkok?

Sure why not?

I tell Bjorn that I do have to be in Bangkok by May 23 for my onwards flight, but other than that I'm flexible and am happy to spend the time cycling to Bangkok rather then site seeing the city.

Also I have a really big back pack with my tent and sleeping bag for potential hiking in Russia. But if this suits Bjorn then I will join

He says it does. And that's how I sign up to join Bjorn to cycle from Ko Tao to Bangkok on the back of his tandem bicycle.

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