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Published: March 23rd 2007
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So my time in Koh Chang has come and gone, but I saved the best for last. On my final day I decided to circumnavigate the island as best I could, and it went a little something like this....
Sunglasses? Check
No helmet? Check
No shirt? Check
Flip-flops? Check
Aqua-marine 125 cc Yamaha scooter with a basket on the front? Check
Street cred? Ummm....not so much.
Live to ride, ride to live. Peter Fonda, eat your heart out.
I started off on the west side of the island, Hat Kai Bae, which like most of the western beaches is being rapidly developed with all kinds of resorts, guesthouses and internet cafes. As you make your way north along the coastal road, the beaches become ever more developed and commerical, with Irish pubs and even an odd Indian restaurant thrown in. I am continually amazed at the desire of westerners to 'get away from it all' and then plonk thier fat, sunburned asses down at the local pub and order some fish and chips, or for out German friends, some schnitzels. T o each their own I guess.
But back to the road. The road is actually
pretty steep and winding in parts, not altogether different from the L'Alp de Huez climb in the Tour de France, only in the Tour you dont have to contend with Toyota mini-vans filled with wealthy Thais, runaway circa-1963 dumptrucks, and locals travelling at obscene speeds on scooters with their wives and 2 year old children (all with no helmets) careening around blind corners at breakneck speeds. It makes for a fun ride though.
Once you have made your way to the ferry terminals (did you stop and offer thanks at one of the roadside alters?), the coastal road levels out and the ride becomes much more pleasent. The north and east sides of the island are much less developed and the lack of development allows you to glimpse a more traditional side of island life. The ramshackle development of the west side is re[placed by shrimp farms, rubber tree plantations and eventually a small fishing village at the extreme terminus of the coastal road. For those of you who have been to fishing villages, I am sure you are aware of the 'aroma' that hangs in the air. Now add near 40 degree Celcius heat. Mmmmmm, savour the flavour.
Still the locals are used to it and didnt even seem to mind the fact that I think I may have thrown up a bit in my mouth at the smell. They were all smiles and waves, one kid even ran out to get a high five as I scootered past. All in all, the west side of the island was a pleasent contradiction to the west side, and for any of you who are thinking of making the trip to Koh Chang, I would whole heartedly reccomend the Treehouse bungalows on Long Beach at the extreme eastern end of the island. Though the road to get to them might make you poop your pants, the rewards if you are seeking peace and quiet will more than make up for your soiled underwear.
And now to the conclusiopn of my trip. I feel it best to start it off with that earliest of creative writing class introductions...
It was a dark and stormy night. The skies had opened up around 8 o'clock, just as I was finishing my dinner at Porn's place. The wind had picked up and the rain was falling pretty hard. During one of the
brief respites in the downpour, I legged it back to my bungalow where I packed my things, had a shower and slipped into my rock, I mean bed. The bungalow I was in had a nice corrugated tin roof, so the sound of the rain actually made for quite a nice pitter-patter of raindrops, and I must have fallen asleep pretty quickly, and not even the odd clap of thunder or brilliant flash of sheet lightening managed to shift me from my sleep. But did I sleep through the night? Most certainly not, for at some point a gust of wind must have dislodged a coconut from the tree that shaded my bungalow, and let me tell you, the sound of coconut falling from a height 30 or so feet onto a tin roof will definitely wake up all but the soundest sleepers. But does my story end there? Of course not, for almost immediately I feel something shimmy across my leg. With a jump reflex that would shame a cat I spring out of bed and hit the lights, and low and behold what do I see? My new bedmate is a 4 inch Gecko! I had noticed them
several times on the roof, moving across the roof thanks to the fine hairs on their feet that allow them to adhere themselves contrary to laws of gravity. Anyways, I the coconut reckoning knocked the poor sucker from th roof and he fell onto my rock, I mean bed. And no, he wasnt hurt and managed to slip between one of the cracks in the bamboo wall and into the night.
And with that, I bid Koh Chang a fond farewell.
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Thea
non-member comment
Threw up in your mouth a little eh? Soooo hot. Save some of that charm for us Canadian girls, golden boy.