Vagabonding is an attitude–a friendly interest in people, places, and things that makes a person an explorer in the truest, most vivid sense of the word. – Rolf Potts
Monday, December 23, 2013 (DAYS 658 & 659)
It seems as though I’ve been on the move quite a bit, and today is no difference with another long haul, even with having the luxury of a short flight versus the long bus ride south to Surat Thani. While my flight is not scheduled to takeoff until 6:45pm, I’ve decided to head to the airport early since there have been ongoing demonstrations in the capital that have caused some havoc in the city with roadblocks from demonstrators and has even brought a fair amount of violence between protestors and the police. After receiving a much-needed full night’s sleep in a proper bed, I say my farewell to Bart and board the minibus bound for DMK just after 12pm. The typical fare for the minibuses to the airport, regardless of which one is 120THB ($3.65), and after several stops picking up more passengers until every seat is taken, we arrive at Don Muang Airport. Unfortunately, check-in for domestic flights is restricted to two-hours prior to the departure, and I was hoping to post up at a coffee shop or restaurant and do some writing, but electrical outlets are unavailable and I find myself with more than three-hours to kill. It’s the game of hurry-up-to-wait, which coming from my days in sports broadcasting I’ve learned this fine art. Once I’m able to check in for my flight that cost 816THB ($24.82) I’m surprised with the new that if I want to check my bag it will be an additional 900THB (27.37). Awesome. Unknowingly at the time, this is the first of two ways that Air Asia gives it to me, the second was them trifling through my checked backpack and stealing my Leatherman and REI crumple sack.
It seems as though I’ve been on the move quite a bit, and today is no difference with another long haul, even with having the luxury of a short flight versus the long bus ride south to Surat Thani. While my flight is not scheduled to takeoff until 6:45pm, I’ve decided to head to the airport early since there have been ongoing demonstrations in the capital that have caused some havoc in the city with roadblocks from demonstrators and has even brought a fair amount of violence between protestors and the police. After receiving a much-needed full night’s sleep in a proper bed, I say my farewell to Bart and board the minibus bound for DMK just after 12pm. The typical fare for the minibuses to the airport, regardless of which one is 120THB ($3.65), and after several stops picking up more passengers until every seat is taken, we arrive at Don Muang Airport. Unfortunately, check-in for domestic flights is restricted to two-hours prior to the departure, and I was hoping to post up at a coffee shop or restaurant and do some writing, but electrical outlets are unavailable and I find myself with more than three-hours to kill. It’s the game of hurry-up-to-wait, which coming from my days in sports broadcasting I’ve learned this fine art. Once I’m able to check in for my flight that cost 816THB ($24.82) I’m surprised with the new that if I want to check my bag it will be an additional 900THB (27.37). Awesome. Unknowingly at the time, this is the first of two ways that Air Asia gives it to me, the second was them trifling through my checked backpack and stealing my Leatherman and REI crumple sack.
Our flight arrives in Surat Thani 10-minutes before 8pm and I meet up with some other backpackers where we board a large coach bus bound for the city center and the dock for boats headed to Koh Tao, Koh Samui, and Koh Pha-Ngan. The cost is 100THB ($3.04) for the 40-minute ride that is 30km from the DMK. Having done a bit of research, I knew that there was an overnight boat to Koh Tao that departed at 11pm, but I had no idea what to expect as this was my first overnight boat. The ticket price is 550THB ($16.73), and whenever I’m utilizing overnight transportation I tend to deduct the fact that this also includes my night’s accommodation. Climbing into the boat, the first thing that you notice is how low the ceiling is. Even for myself at 5’8”, I cannot stand upright without the top of my head touching the beams above me. On each side of the boat there are rows of short narrow beds and three more in the center of the boat. Can someone say, “massive slumber party?” I look over my ticket and find my assigned bed, #64, where I drop my bag and wonder what type of neighbors I’ll have on each side of me. Since I have a bit of time before departing and unsure when I may get my next meal, I grab some dinner at one of the street carts and contemplate if our boat will be full.
Shortly after leaving the port of Surat Thani, the lights inside the cabin flicker on and off for about 15-minutes before until eventually staying off. I notice that on the far end of the boat there is a set of narrow stairs that says TOILET, but after seeing the mortified looks on people’s faces and hearing them talk about how absolutely disgusting it is, my goal for the night is to avoid using it. Sleep tends to elude me in the cramped quarters, and you can’t help but to find yourself practically nose-to-nose with your neighbor if you rollover on your side, and there are bouts of bumpy waves that almost lift you off of your foam bed before slamming you back down. I think I muster twenty-minute naps here and there before arriving in Koh Tao about 7:15am (about eight-hours later). There is an alternative to the slow overnight boat, which only takes three-hours, but I’ve heard this can be a puke-boat depending upon patron’s seaworthiness and I feel that slowly making it across the Gulf of Thailand was a great option, especially since it coincided well with my flight from Bangkok.
After disembarking, there is the usual group of taxi drivers aggressively trying to gain your business and I stick to my usual timeout–pausing and waiting–before committing to an overbearing fast-talking sales pitch. When I’m ready, I inquire about how far Koh Tao Backpackers hostel is from our present location and am told that it is 4km away on Sairee beach. As I’m doing this a German backpacker, that unfortunately I can’t remember his name, is seeking to head there as well. The two of us climb in the back of the pickup truck and the next thing I can feel is the breeze on my skin, which feels great from the cramped and hot quarters I’d just spent eight-hours in, and the smell of salt water in the air coming from sea. Awe, the return to paradise and island life is certainly grand, especially after traveling close to 1,000 miles in 72-hours.
Glad to have made a reservation, unfortunately my new German friend did not and the hostel was full and he was forced to seek out another accommodation. Since it was shortly after 7:30am when I arrived at Koh Tao Backpackers, I was unable to check-in, but was able to leave my backpack and seek out somewhere to grab some brekkie. In my normal fashion, I checked in on Facebook, which I’ve found is the easiest way to let family and friends know, not only where I am for safety reasons, but also to see what other friends I’ve met traveling might be in the area. Within minutes I receive a message that my German friends Niklas, Kevin, and Philip that I met in Bangkok over a month ago are on the island as well and we agree to meet up for a nice Christmas Eve dinner at Hippos Restaurant since they are out at one of the other beaches for the day. In desperate need of a shower and change of clothes, I head back to the hostel to check-in just after 10:30am and then make my way for a stroll along the beach to take in some sun and give thanks for arriving amidst the chaos of the holiday travel season. Awe, how I love spending yet another Christmas in board shorts while being barefoot and shirtless.
Meeting up with the guys for our Christmas Eve dinner we are also joined by two girls from England, Sarah and Laura, and it’s anything but a traditional meal. I’ve chosen chicken pasta with garlic bread, and while I attempt to use my mental X-men powers by changing this with each bite into turkey with mashed potatoes and the ever-delicious Stove Top in my mouth, it doesn’t work, but I suppose I can’t complain. Since it was Christmas Eve, our group decided to have a German traditional Jager and then wandered down to Cancun, ironically, on the beach where we were treated to a fire show and fireworks lighting up the night sky all along the beach. Unfortunately, Sarah has our group photo on the beach and she’s yet to post it on Facebook, even after telling her that’s all I want from her for Christmas. I guess I’ll just have to give her five-fingers to the face (slap-tastic) until this British bird surrenders just like it were 1776.
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