Koh Phangan, Sailing On A Boat

Where was I? I’ve just got off the boat yeah? I’m on Koh Phangnan (i’m not going to lie, its spelt 6 different ways by the locals so I have no idea of the correct spelling).. we eventually get off the boat, amongst much scrambling and confusion, and walking a gangway that moves a metre forward and back with every wave. We’re immediately greeted with a hundred Thai men and women in their jog pants, with their hardknock-life feet all out to play, and crudely hand written signs.. “taxi lady? boat? taxi boat? where you going?”
We dig out our accommodation details and hop in an open back truck. Our driver, a short thai female john candy lookalike in crocs, hoists our rucksacks up on top of the cab without breaking a sweat, as we sit pondering where exactly the seatbelts are, soaked from the 35degree heat (I am near death at 20, you know me..)
We speed off from the dock at Thongsala Pier (where there’s a navy boat, just chilling out..) through typical tourist trap villages, spattered neon in souvenir t-shirts, sarongs, hats, wacky pants and glow sticks, every 20ft a roadside barbeque.
I think I’ve mentioned the roads previously, but I’m not sure I mentioned the lack of a pavement.. everyone, EVERYONE is on the road, walking, most on scooters and motorbikes, some crawling. Families travel on a scooter. I’m talking one adult driving, a baby between her legs and 2 kids sat side saddle behind her. It’s insane, the Brit in me can think of a million road safety regulations these people have NO regard for! but hey ho, everyone’s happy 🙂
After some small confusion, a bit of back tracking and some hanging on for dear life to a bar on the roof of the taxi, home to a hammock for those long shifts I guess, we ascend and descend and wind and meander almost vertical roads and arrive at our resort, Liberty Bungalows. Oooooohhh.
Now, in my head ‘on the beach’ means ‘you can see the beach from your window.. if you’re lucky enough to have a window’.. but jeesy creesy, we are literally ON THE BEACH. we have a bathroom hosting a family of small geckos, two hideous pink flowery single beds, a terrace with a table, a bench and a washing line and ALL THE SEA AND SAND WE COULD WISH FOR. amazing. This place is like a fiver a night, surrounded by coconut trees, a kite surfing centre, a 7/11 and school just round the corner (kids on motorbikes) There IS the small matter of a cow just hanging out on the walk up to the street.. I could have nearly cried…Kat has to walk ahead and nearest to it 🙂
We have some dinner on the beach, a few gins and watch some guys play beach volley ball. Too tired to do anything else, we turn in, sleeping to the whistles of a bird that’s perfectly mastered the ‘car alarm’ squawk, and the wheezing of me, a 27 year old smoker in 35 degree heat.
Love and lime in the coconut
Xxx