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Published: April 18th 2006
-- MALAYSIA TO THAILAND: KO PHA NGAN --
...The night air was thick and humid. But at least it was quiet. As my tired head held up no longer, it banged against the window pane on the bumpy ride to the border. I woke to a surreal scene of thick fog as we stopped for food. With a parched mouth following my 4am munch of a melted chocolate bar, I bought some veg filled pao and crawled back into the bus for sleep...
...the border crossing was smooth and painless and I couldn't help but smile at yet another new stamp in my quickly filling passport. Crossing into the southern provinces, although akin to northern Malaysian, I felt distinctly better. The peaceful yellow flags of Buddhism flying smoothly beside the national Thai ones, symbolising the serence flow of life that runs through this country. This really was, the "land of smiles"...
...arriving into the transport hub of Hadyai I bought a ticket for the five hour ride to Surat Thani, crammed into a rickety minibus like chickens in a cart. From there, another ticket bought me a ride to the ferry terminal and a boat across to
the island of Ko Pha Ngan. Waiting at the ferry terminal I felt more homesick than ever. Had a magic fairy appeared, LHR bound ticket in hand, I would've looked up at the skies and thanked the heavens. Alas, no such fairy turned up and, without a magical wand of my own I boarded the ferry. On the ferry ride across to the island, feeling exhausted and homesick, I wondered whether I should make a premature return to England...
...Ko Pha Ngan. Yes, infamous for it's full moon parties and drug taking party-goers. Alas, it was not for partying that I chose this island over all the others. Having discoverd Cookies bungalows, it is here on the quiet west coast that I will take refuge in the calm before moving to the storm that is Bangkok...
...A sparkling gem in the Gulf of Thailand, Ko Pha Ngan was exactly the repos I needed at the end of my arduous week in Malaysia. The LP was accurate in its description of the island as having swaying coconut trees, brooding mountains and surrounding ribbons of turquoise. At cookies, I rented my own small bungalow, with a balcony fully equipped with
hammock set over the sand on the beach. Settling in to the easy pace of life proved a little difficult at first but it has to be said, resistance to such surroundings didn't last long! I slept and arose each morning to the sound of the shore beneath the stilts upon which my bungalw rested. I spent the nights swinging in my hammock beneath the stars, and the days, out on the decks above the water. The mornings practicing yoga on the beach, and the evenings watching the sun set over my balcony whilst munching hot fresh banana fritters dipped in thick sweet milk. Any remaining time in this oh-so-busy schedule was spent hanging out with the chilled crowd of nomads that had gathered at Cookies for several months, having submitted to the sedative effect of the air, and now sat smoking and telling their travellers tales. Of course the picture I paint hardly warrants sympathy and indeed I expect none. However, my discontent remained. I was restless, tired and still homesick. From the number of people who had made border runs for visa extensions in Thailand, and from those who'd wound up staying months on this island alone I
could tell that the allure of Ko Pha Ngan was addictive. This addiction was easily fuelled by the wonderfully warm family running Cookies, by their consistently scrumptious home cooked food, their furry pet friends and their idyllic location on the tranquil west coast...
...Still, with an aversion to addiction of any kind I soon began to feel restless, itching for activity I was disinclined to let the lethargy prevail and made plans to leave the island. Took a taxi to Ban Tai and Haad Rin, where I visited Bambi and Rashi, and bought tickets upon their recommendations. From there, I long-tailed it to the east coast of Haad Thian, where I decided to go check out the Sanctuary for myself, having heard mixed reports. I lunched there from their extensive veggie and healthfood menu but quickly rushed back to shore in order to try get another longtail boat before the approaching storm arrived. I really could do without being stuck on the east coast for the night. Began to rain. Great. Fortunately the wait was eased as I met a yoga teacher with whom I conversed until there was a break in the clouds and the boatman agreed to
take us back. I managed to pick prime spot in the front of the boat where there was a huge hold in the sides through which seawater swept in with every move. What a great day to be clothed in white linen trousers. Anyhow, I was simply happy to be heading back...
...Knowing that this would be my final two days of relaxtion in a while, I decided to kick back and do nothing. Yeah right Ash, who're you trying to kid??!
-- BANGKOK --
Back in the city baby, yeah! If there was ever anything to quell a bout of homesickness it is the city; my love of the vibrancy, zest, ambiance and human concotions that compose a capital city, bangkok is no exception. Pushing every sensory button to its extreme, I have nonetheless both endured and enjoyed it all: the nauseating smells wafting through the sticky hot air, the torrents of human life flowing through cramped sidewalks, and the feeling of a week long polluted, overcrowded sauna. It is harmonised chaos at it's best. The dirty streets are splashed with the rainbow of multi coloured taxis, with roaming tuk-tuks and their chatty drivers,
with gleaming temple rooftops, with the soft flutter of monks' orange robes, with food stalls full of fresh food and, above all, with an innate tranquility that pervades this country and her people. I believe it is that, that places Thailand at the top of every aspiring nomad's list.
Given that I haven't written in my journal an entire week, I sat in a cafe eating banana porridge at a ridiculously early hour given my 2am bedtime; the attempt to stay awake every bit as arduous as the attempt to recollect all the happenings of the past week. And now, in favour of you, my loyal avid blog readers, I am in an internet cafe, my irritations being provoked by two rowdy Americans intent on annoying every other quiet web surfer in the store. Grrrrr. So, in a nutshell:
I survived the 20h journey from Ko Pha Ngan to Bangkok. In fact, it was truly painless, as the catamaran cruised through the clear waters of the Gulf, first to the island of Ko Tao, before docking at Chumpon, a sleepy sedate town where we were offloaded and put onto the connecting eight hour bus to Bangkok. I arrived,
awake, and unscathed. Unable to resist the buzz of Khao San Road, I even managed a late night dinner of hot rice soup and ice cream. The following day was something of a surprise. Umisha, en route home via Bangkok called me with the welcome news of her arrival. And so, from Sunday onwards, we have been in one anothers' company talking incessantly about our individual travel adventures over the past few months. Of course, conversation hasn't been our only accomplishment this week. No no, our fun has extended to the dangerous realms of... retail therapy. In a city such as Bangkok, even the most hardended consumers like myself, who, supposedly hate shopping, find bank notes seeping from their wallets like water out of a tap. Unregrettably though, I have myself some great new tops, scarves, earrings, shoes, oh, and a tailor made cashmere coat as well as a black two piece suit. Bien fait. Don't worry, we haven't simply lived the western paradise of the pound stretching a long way. We've also had our fair share of fun with tuk-tuk drivers, local amusement as to out indian origins, navigation through streets, roads and riverways. We've also enjoyed the feel
good strings of a local guitarist, the majesty of the grand palace, the striking works of street art, the chaos of khao san, the orderliness of sukhomivit II and the retail haven of siam square. We've experienced emotional highs and lows, a love/hate relationship with travel, nausea, food intolerance, and general traveller weariness. So, as you see, the package has bot been incomplete! And now, with my plans to go to Laos, Umisha has altered her flight arrangements (yes, again)! in favour of accompanying me and my newfound Canadian friend.
...Our final day in Bangkok was a memorable one. Whilst Umisha went out on a lost sleeping bag hunt, Rach and I melted in the morning sun, attempting to keep energy levels up by having coconut pudding and longhan fruit juices. By 3pm Umi had returned and re-joined. Now a trio again, we went for pre-journey preparation. Umi had her hair re-bonded whilst Rach and I slid into soft chairs for an hour of reflexology followed by a thai massage. I winced in pain with each delve into my muscles tissue. The up close n personal contact is something to get used to but, having someone sit on top
of you and stretch your body out until you har the bones creak is an experience to be had! We dined, listened to our favourite guitarist at Chiva's before departing. At the railway station, we joined the 100s of passengers sprawld out across the concrete floor engrossed in the polar bear documentary being screened. Boarding call for train to Ubon Ratachani. Time to go. So, the trio, equipped with munchies and Umisha's endless array of magic tricks, are bound for a ten hour train journey through the night to Ubon Ratachani from where we hope to get a bus to Chong Mek and then make the border crossing into the southern provinces of Laos. Since all the air-conditioned sleeper carriages were booked, we'll be travelling third class trying to sleep on hardwood benches. This will be... interesting. Keep you posted...
...Our journey to Laos began at 9pm Friday 28th, ending 11pm Sat 29th. It requires little dramatisation on my part to tell you that this has been on tough journey. Physically exhausting, emotionally destabalising and mentally taxing. So, you want to know about the train journey? Well, it was certainly interesting. The third class carriage was little more than
a tin on wheels. Six passengers (ourselves included) squeezed into one booth for twelve hours. I ought to be grateful that I had a seat. Moreover one by the window. Hot air blowing into my face was better than none at all. I was in any case less concerned about that than the physical condition of my body. Every limb of which was crying for comfort. I have to say though, we did pretty well to keep one another entertained. What with Umi's insistence on logic games, magic tricks and jokes, not to mention Rach's enthusiastically funny responses, we were hysterical. My own attempts to sleep were foiled by having water poured over me and the occasional bit of food thrown my way. Thanks Umi. For twelve hours I watched the rural areas of south-eastern Thailand pass by, the sun rise over the countryside and eventually illuminate the green fields, the grazing cattle, and the farmland being tended to by locals in large straw hats and colorful rags. I wasn't in the best of conditions when we arrived at Ubon. Sick with sleep deprivation, a painful back and swollen feet. Still, it was a treat to be in the overcast
refreshment of the countryside. A sawngthaew took us to the bus station. Another four hour wait and we headed to the Democratic Replublic of Laos. Fortunately we already had visas and the border crossings were smooth...
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