Maureen and I left Bangkok last Friday, March 18th in the late morning. We were headed to Koh Phangan for some relaxing living, and though we thought we were just a short 1-hour flight away, the experience turned into a 12-hour trip, which we are quickly learning is often the way when going anywhere in Thailand. This is changing our missions and ambitions in terms of travel and exploration in Thailand, realizing that after such long stints of travel, we will be covering less than we had hoped and planned. This is actually quite good news, as it keeps us staying in each place longer, and thus getting to see and experience more of each place, as well as moving at a slower pace overall.
We took a 1-hour taxi ride from Bangkok to the airport, then an hour later took our 1-hour flight. Upon arrival in Surathani, we shared a 1-hour taxi with two British girls who work on a cruise ship in Florida. Next, we got on a 3 hour boat ride, and enjoyed getting splashed sitting at the front of the boat in the gorgeous night air. Upon our landing in Koh Phangan, we were picked up by some sort of truck-taxi that takes gangs of tourists to various hotels and lodging, and once we got as far as we could get, they told us that the waters were too rough to take a taxi-boat to our lodgings, and that instead we needed to rent a 4-wheel-drive truck driver to take us the rest of the way unless we wanted to spend the night where we were. It was a seriously touristy and loud and partying atmosphere, and we decided to drop the $25 bucks each to take the truck to get to our much-longed-for 'Sanctuary' hotel that promised peace, quiet, meditation, yoga, fasting if you so desired.
We got taken for a SERIOUS jungle ride that night at about 10 or 11pm- a good half an hour in what turned out to be a VERY necessary truck-rental. The hills we climbed and descended were CRAZY and STEEP and we were seated just us two in the back of the open air truck, holding on for dear life and laughing at each rise and fall. We began wondering what types of animals lived in these jungle parts, and also enjoyed the view that the nearly-full-moon was providing. When we finally arrived at The Sanctuary, we hoped that there was indeed a room available. (they don't take reservations so you just have to cross your fingers).
They indeed had a dorm room, and while checking us in, they informed us that an all-night party was about to begin- 11pm until lunchtime the next day. It was like being at Burning Man, with unbelievably loud techno/trance music playing all night and all morning long, except for the fact that we were on a tropical island in the middle of nowhere, thinking we were coming to a meditative resort. We both lost our minds a little bit that night and the next morning, but quickly found ourselves adapting to our otherwise-paradise atmosphere, (especially once the music stopped around 2pm the next day).
We wound up staying there for the next 5 days together, and we got our own sweet bungalow after our first night in the dorms for $9 each. The food at the Sanctuary was great, and there were 3 daily yoga classes (of which I attended one the whole time, believe it or not!). I got busy relaxing, sunbathing on the beach, eating and drinking smoothies all day, and we quickly discovered a massage-hut called 'Ping' just a 5-minute walk down the beach that we visited each day of our stay. There were 5 or 6 Thai ladies working there, some of their nicknames being 'Mama, Big Mama, and Pepsi', as well as Dang, and Wee (not sure of the correct spelling).
We fell in love with these ladies, and I think it was a reciprocal love. Wee, the lady who worked on me each day, even went out to pick some Aloe for me and apply it to all of my sunburned skin. There were also some great local restaurants locally run - 'Beam', and 'Spice'. Beam was a more traditional and family run restaurant, and Spice was a new-age fusion type restaurant run by a local young Thai guy who looked like an American Hipster. The food was great everywhere.
I was sad to leave Maureen, our dear Thai Massage ladies, and the relaxing atmosphere of the Sanctuary yesterday, but I am determined to do some diving while in the South, and left yesterday to make my way to Koh Tao. Hoping to reconnect with Maureen in one of these island parts soon, though she was talking about a longer-term stay at the Sanctuary by the time I was on my way. . . :)
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