is that a cracked rib or are you just happy to see me?

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the latest injury report from the road: bruised back
and ass, cuts and scrapes on hands and back. out 1-2
weeks. further rockclimbing probable. i have a score
to settle with some rocks.

after making my great escape from koh tao, i was
desperately seeking mellower vibes and fewer
backpackers. i found this and more on tonsai beach on
the andaman coast of thailand. imagine beautiful
secluded white beaches protected by sheer limestone
cliffs rising 1000 feet straight out of the ocean on
one side and clear emerald seas on the other. i've
spent the last few days here learning how to
rockclimb, and i think i'm in love. and love hurts
sometimes.

after finishing my three-day course in climbing, a
couple of friends and i set off to do some more
challenging routes at cobra wall - accessible during
high tide only by wading through thigh-deep water and
scaling a huge boulder just to get to the base of the
wall. apparently, my sopping wet stolen hotel
bathroom slippers were not up to the task of scaling
this boulder, and i had a rather hairy 2m fall onto
some jagged rocks at the bottom. now i'm forced to
spend the next few days recovering with nothing to do
but sit on the beach eating papaya salad and playing
chess. the humanity. chess and climbing are actually
quite similar in that one is better off as one is able
to plan one's actions multiple moves ahead. the thing
is, i've realized that i'm pretty shitty at both.

the locals here are some of the mellowest and
friendliest folk i've ever met. their two constant
refrains are 'mai pan lay' ('no worries' in thai) and
'take it easy, man'. i've become friends with a few
of them, and we while away the days off and evenings
at the climbing shop/bar playing chess, listening to
tosh and marley, and exchanging good-natured ribs
(they call me shaolin man, although i'm neither
chinese nor proficient in kung fu - should've packed
my 'no soy chino' shirt). their english can be spotty
and my thai nonexistent, but you don't need many words
to convey that you are happy, feeling mellow, and are
content in each others' company.

the travelers here are also a different breed than
those in the gulf - generally older, more focused on
climbing than partying, and with many more interesting
stories to tell. it seems, though, that most of our
conversations begin and end about how wonderful it is
here. although this area was lucky to be relatively
unscathed by the tsunami, its economic aftershocks are
still being felt. travelers have stayed away in large
numbers, and local businesses are struggling to stay
afloat. as one local said, 'to grieve is ok. but to
stay away is to continue the disaster.' so, if i may
humbly make a recommendation, plan your next vacation
or honeymoon or quit-your-job-and-travel here. you'll
be blown away by the beauty and the hospitality. and
for all i know, i may still be here.

love,

csp

the photos don't do justice to the splendor of this
place, but i've taken some and posted them anyway.
check them out when you can:
photos.yahoo.com/chansoobak under 'tonsai.'

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Photos

krabi
view from the longtail on the way in