En route from Surat Thani airport to the ferry [bus ride] |
View from the top deck of the ferry |
It was
an exhausting journey to get there, that’s for sure. A combination of taxis,
boats, plane, and a full 14 hours finally landed us in Haad Rinn,
Koh Phang-an island. We stepped off the ferry (which I did NOT yack on, thank
goodness) and immediately were surrounded by 90 Thai locals shoving hotel
flyers and taxi offerings in our face. We found one headed for Haad Rin beach
and hopped in the back of a pick-up truck. 8 other tourists crammed in, they
shoved our packs on the roof. Then we took a 20 minute death ride through
streets that make San Francisco look like mild molehills. Minions, They. Were.
INTENSE. I dreaded the moment that my precious red and white backpack would go
tumbling down the vertical feat we were racing up. And the down part? Literally
felt like a roller coaster. All of us clutched to the bars of the cab with
white knuckles and a half-laugh/half-horrified expression.
I was positive this would be the last time I saw my backpack. |
Finally,
it ended. No one’s backpack had been lost to Mount Everst (be warned, there are
many “Mt. Everests” on this trip). But
we were kicked out of the taxi in the middle of town, our hotel not for miles.
Finding a hidden hotel up a mountain IN THE DARK was no easy task, especially
for two girls who are not so fond of the dark. We nervously laughed our way
through the trek, discussing FRIENDS, and the day-long excursion it took to get
to this point. We were rewarded with a working fan and a room that would become
our home for the next week.
Starved,
exhausted, and bathed in my own sweat, we threw on the first pair of fresh clothes we
could find and headed in for town (dinner! Dinner! DINNER! My stomach
screamed). Without a 30 pound pack weighing me down, it was much easier to appreciate
the fine, white sand and the lulling noise of gentle waves lapping the beach.
The shore was littered with tables lit by candle light and soft reggae music serenading
in the background. I was in heaven.
We got to town and found our pick of restaurants. All I
wanted was Pad Thai (not hard to find in THAILAND) so we plopped down at the
first restaurant we saw that was showing the Olympics. Double win. Dinner was
$3.00. And I didn’t even finish it. Ok, maybe I did, but I was STUFFED after.
First dinner in Thailand! Curry for Emma |
Legit Pad Thai. |
Day 2: CHECK!
Landed ourselves in Paradise. Nice call, Emma Jackson.
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