| The last week in Thailand I'm writing this in one of the many internet places here in backpacking Bangkok. The last night here and I can't get the song 'one night in Bangkok' out of my head. I just returned from Ko Samed where I spent four great days with Marja and Marnix (friends from home) and their friends Christoph and Elsje. Getting to Ko Samed was a bit of an adventure. I went to pick up my train ticket in Haad Rin (Ko Phangan) the day before I was supposed to leave, and they told me they didn't have it yet. I could come back later, or go on the back of the motorcycle of one of the people working at the travel agency and pick up the ticket with him. I chose to ride the motorcycle. Well, that was a bit more scary than I had thought. I almost shit my pants (excuse the language) when we were racing up and down the steep hills. I don't even think we were going that fast, but because I wasn't in control it seemed extremely fast. I suddenly remembered all these people I had seen with burns on their legs from the exhaust pipe and skid marks on their arms and legs from hitting the asphalt....... But of course we reached the ticket office completely in one piece. The trip to bangkok from Ko Pha-ngan was not bad at all. The boat trip took 4 hours (instead of the 2.5 hrs on the way there) but was allright. I suddenly saw a familiar face on the ferry. It was Thomas, I had met trekking around annapurna in Nepal. We chatted a bit. He's the second person from Nepal I have met here. The first day I met Henry, who was trekking to everest base camp the same time as we were. Much faster though. On the train to bangkok, I met two english people on their way home. We had a blast joking with the boys who were trying to sell us beer with the strangest excuses and reasons. Anything to get us to buy it.We were also making fun of the guard who wouldn't step aside if someone wanted to pass. It was like he was a wax doll, no response whatsoever. I didn't sleep very well on the train though. It was too hot and the train was shaking soo much it felt like we were going on a dirt road instead of railroad tracks. When I arrived in bangkok I had to wait a while in the airport for Marja an Marnix to arrive. When they did (it was great to see Marja again, this time in a tropical country) we headed straight for Ko Samed. An Island about 3 hours from bangkok. The last leg of the journey was by speedboat, really something different than those turtle speed ferries. And then we arrived on another beautiful island. Ko samed is used more by rich thai and expats living in Bangkok than the other places I have been too and the atmosphere was less backpacker like. Everybody really kept to him or herself. No problem if you are with a group, but I wouldn't have liked it on my own. The hut/bungalow looked a lot more rustic (= old) than all the other places I have been in and I was a bit afraid of all the 'wildlife' I would encounter at night. But strangely, it was the place I have slept the best in (maybe because of the alcohol) and the place where I have seen the least amount of animals inside (none). So you see, first judgement is not always right. We had some great days there. There was nothing more to do than sit on the beach and read, drink and eat, so that's what we did. The first night we got really drunk and with the help of a friendly swedish (I think) couple I could find my way home. Actually, they pointed me in the wrong direction, but somehow it did feel like they helped me. They were really nice. Next day a big huge hangover. It was fun to stay here with Chris and Elsje. they really knew the place and could advise us on all the best food on the menu (and it was very very good even though there was no pizza). Chris works for the Netherlands Embassy in Bangkok and they come to Ko Samed often. On one day (because we felt like we had to be somewhat active) we went on one of those bananas (inflatable things that look like a banana and you sit on) behind a speed boat. The sea was a bit rough and I was sitting in the front. I was holding on for dear life and was afraight afraight!! Marja kept asking: do you still like it? And I kept responding: NO, which made here laugh (and she calls herself a friend?). It was a bit of a hysterical laugh though because she was scared as well . I think it was just too big a change for me from doing absolutely nothing for two weeks, to bouncing up and down behind a speed boat. My body just couldn't cope with the adrenalin. Anyway after the second time I thought my famous 'thailand trip slogan' : I don't HAVE to do anything and decided to climb into the boat instead. Good choice. It was lots of fun to see the others on the banana making strange faces. Marja joined me in the boat soon, after which it was play time for Marnix and Chris. And then today, we went back to Bangkok. It's strange to be on Kao San road now.Everything looks much more familiar and I feel lots more relaxed. All in all the trip was great. I've seen three really different places (although they were all beaches), met all kinds of fun people, had absolutely great food, conquered part of my fear for strange bugs, did some amazing climbs, have absolutely no regrets about not seeing any more places in Thailand (i'm sure I'll be back), and am ready to go back to Amsterdam now and continue vacationing there for another two weeks. And after that.......on to the next adventure (also hot, but not as tropical I think). |
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| Back on Kao San Road |