Ko Phangan (Nov. 9, 2014)

Well, I arrived safely in Ko Phangan. It was an adventure, but totally cool and worth every crazy minute of it.

I had booked a taxi yesterday, to come and pick me up, as I told you. At 4:30 am, I called the guy I had booked, who picked up the phone, all sleepsies. I asked if he was coming to the hostel to get me and he said, “I don thin so.’ I figured as much, that’s why I asked him to come earlier than I needed, in case he fell through. So, I grabbed my already packed bag, and left the hostel to flag down a taxi on the main street. It was really easy, and the first one I flagged, said yes to being on the meter, and asked if I wanted to go via the highway. I knew why he was asking, because there is a toll to use the highway that I would have to pay if we took that route. I agreed, and in total for the 35 minutes trip including the toll, it was less than the guy I had booked who couldn’t wake up. I suppose ‘You snooze, you lose” really does hold up at times……lol. Once at the airport, nice and early, I found a coffee bar and stopped to have a tea. The coffee here, even when they boast cappuccino, is really awful, but the regular tea, with some milk and sugar is great. Then I made my way to check in for my flight. It is the Don Meaung Airport that I left from.

Sculpture at airport

View outside of Starbucks in airport

I got onto the flight without issue, and landed safely in Surat Thani airport. I went to the Air Asia counter and asked if there was an earlier bus to take me to the pier, which there was. Lucky me, it was leaving in 10 minutes. The bus ride was about 1.5 - 2 hours to the pier. There was also a boat just leaving for Ko Phangan so I hopped onto it. Two lucky timings in one day. Yahoo. There was a guy in the line up to check in for the flight, that I noticed and we nodded to each other, as he was from Europe or somewhere else too, and obviously traveling. I saw him again on the bus, and then when we went from the bus to get our ferry tickets to one of the islands, I saw him lining up for the same ferry I was, to Ko Phangan. I introduced myself because we kept laughing every time we saw one another in the same line up. His name is Marc, and he is from Germany, about my age or a little younger. He is an avid traveler too, so we sat together and chatted on the 3 hour ferry ride over to Ko Phangan. He was really nice and is staying on this island for a month or two, doing a yoga retreat.

On the way over by ferry, the rain came, and the rain went. Then it came with a vengence, then went. By the time we got off the ferry, the rain had stopped and it was really hot. I said goodbye to Marc as his friend was picking Marc up. The friend had been here for some time and was on his way back to Germany. He had rented a beach house and Marc was taking it over when the friend leaves. Marc knew by this time that I was going to Ko Tao for the scuba course, but said maybe we could connect again. I said that would be great so we exchanged emails. Then I left him to go and find a taxi to take me to the hostel. 

View of Ko Phangan from ferry

View #2

Ferry port at Ko Phangan

View of port #2

View #3

Wow, interesting venture this taxi was. As I secured the taxi at a decent price, away from the boat and pier area, it started to just pour. Apparently there was a hurricane in Japan or somewhere and we are now getting some of the aftermath. When I say downpour, you cannot believe it. I was in the taxi (which is an open air truck with a little roof cover over the back and bench seats) with a guy from California. When it started to pour, I got out my heavy garbage bag that mom had sent with me from Italy (thanks mom!) and put all my stuff into it. I took off my runners and socks, put them into the bag, and put on my plastic flip flops. It did the trick.

So off we went to our respective hostels. Well, not too far into the journey, the taxi driver rounded a corner in water that was half way up the tires, and the motor quit. Right there in the middle of the street, on a curve that many vehicles were turning from and to. Trucks, cars, etc. were honking and going around the taxi, quite fast. Then the driver got out, said something in Thai to us, and left. She got into another taxi and was gone. The guy from California and I looked at each other and started laughing. Did she leave us? Was she getting help? What? So, we got out and waded to the curb to wait and perhaps flag one of the other taxi type vehicles that were going by. It was the weirdest thing. 

View of taxi spot breakdown and water.
Taxi is that truck you see.

Picture of water #2

So after a few minutes, along came our taxi driver with another taxi driver who told us to get into that taxi, and took us to our hostels. It was still pouring, but it didn’t really matter as my stuff was dry in the heavy garbage bag, and the temperature still very hot. One of the owners of the hostel met me, took me to my room and things were great.

The hostel is called the Orchard House and is in the British style. Two young guys own it now, not the husband and wife. In fact, they are just in the process of changing over owners. The new owners are a British guy and his Austrian partner. Both are fairly young, tattooed and very nice. Since it is still raining, I am sitting in the open air bar area, writing my blog to you, and having a pear cider. It is lovely and the pace on this island much more laid back and easy than in Bangkok. I don’t know if I will have decent weather tomorrow or not, but it really doesn’t matter because it is absolutely lovely and beautiful even if I can’t go to the beach. Apparently right across the road from this hostel for less than two dollars, you can go to a sauna, spa and beach that the guys say people love. A sauna I’m not so sure about because this whole country is a sauna, but at least it’s a possibility. I will venture out later and seek out a seafood dinner as this will definitely be the place. Here’s the hostel and my lovely room that so far, I have to myself. The Full Moon Parties are over, so it is very quiet. Yeah, again, my luck! 

Hostel room view #2

Hostel room view 

Outside my hostel room door

Welcoming committee at hostel

Open air bar where I use the Wifi

Me at the beach at sunset

Me at the beach

Beach shot

Another beach shot

My room is through those trees ahead

After chilling for a while and having a cider, I decided to go to the beach to see what it looked like. Absolutely gorgeous. I stayed down there until the sun set, and then came back up to go for some dinner. My feet in the water, a lonely flowering plant in the sand, and the sunset. So lovely!

 

I went just down the road, which is literally a dirt road, until I came to the fried chicken vendor and fruit stand. Just in behind these, is a proper restaurant. I had a delicious meal of ginger and squid on rice. It was fantastic and just under $2. I love Thailand! Now I'm just texting with my dear friend Michael, and will turn in early as I was up at 4 am this morning. We'll see what happens tomorrow. Hopefully it won't rain all day, but if it does, I'm sure I can go for a massage or something......lol. Have a great day all. Shots below are of the restaurant, food, and area just outside the restaurant, down the street from the hostel.