Day 7 - insane

Cyhoeddwyd: 08.05.2019

Tanysgrifio i'r Cylchlythyr

My suspicion that we would arrive at our layover earlier than expected was confirmed at 02:00 (we were told 04:00 at the travel agency). The bus leaves the highway, drives into Chumphon, first through wide streets and then through narrow alleys, and finally ends up in a large square with a boat dock. Only a few dim lamps bathe the area in an orange light. We grab our backpacks and join about 10 other people who have also gotten off the bus, heading to an improvised shelter at the ticket booth.

The bus leaves the square again and suddenly it's completely quiet. I had constant noise from the engines, music in my ears, and people talking, which I now realize in retrospect. It's naturally warm and the first street dogs greet us. Some look very miserable (barely any fur, only three legs), while others don't show any signs of living on the street. For example, a little puppy who, without any fear, playfully invites us to interact with him - unbelievably cute.

The fellow travelers take the seats at the shelter - including discarded bus and train seats as well as wooden furniture. No one says anything, the first ones make themselves comfortable and try to sleep. Jonna falls asleep as well, and I decide to stay awake for the last five hours until 07:00, playing on my phone and taking photos.

The water here at the ferry dock is heavily polluted with plastic, yet some locals sit on the pier and fish for something, I believe it's crabs. They wade barefoot through the dirty water wearing headlamps - a totally bizarre sight, like something from a post-apocalyptic movie. I sit down, edit some photos, and watch a little lizard hunt ants on my table.

I walk around again and see a masked owl (I researched!!!) glide past me just one meter away. The owner of the port shop arrives, opens the store, turns on music, and lights incense sticks under the shelter. Slowly, it's getting bright. At 06:00, a newly arrived tour guide shouts 'KO TAO!!!' and wakes up all the still sleeping tourists. We hand in our tickets, get ANOTHER sticker in return, and receive a few tips for the island. Then we board the boat and decide to stay on the upper deck, as the interior is so heavily air-conditioned that I feel like I'll get sick if I stay there for more than 5 minutes.

The ship chugs along and I manage to sleep on the deck for an hour. The ship arrives after only 3 instead of 5 hours, and we delight in the paradise-like view that presents itself. We leave the ship and are promptly approached by dozens of locals asking if we need a taxi. We decide to go shopping first and head to the taxi 'terminal'. There we realize that a ride to our destination (Tanote Bay - east coast) costs 500 Baht, or 15€, for about 7 minutes and 3.5 kilometers. You can't negotiate, and out of stubbornness, we decide to walk - 3.5 km, that shouldn't be a problem...... in theory.

In short, with 15 kilos on our backs, 200 meters of elevation difference, and 35° in the shade, we completely overestimated ourselves - completely insane. We struggle up the mountains and are approached by a few locals on the way, asking if everything is okay. We lie and keep going. A woman on a scooter asks if she can give us a ride for a bit. We gesture to both of us and our large backpacks - very friendly but 'I don't think that's possible'. People with trucks, on which we could have easily hitched a ride, ask us where we're going, we answer Tanote Bay, then say we're on the right path, and they drive off without us - seriously?

Just before heat stroke and very exhausted, we start going downhill again and arrive at the beach after about 1.5 hours (with several breaks). Soaked in sweat, we settle into our bungalow, drop our backpacks on the floor, and collapse onto the bed. The view is breathtaking. We're about 20 meters from the beach, have our own terrace, and despite the somewhat stuffy air in the cabin, we're very satisfied with our accommodation.

We walk along the beach to meet acquaintances who are the reason for our trip, as they happen to be on Koh Tao at the same time. After exchanging experiences so far, we enjoy the day at the beach together. I'm quite exhausted from the hike and sleepless night, so I go back to our bungalow a bit earlier. In the evening, the rest of the group picks me up again and we go together to a restaurant that is completely built out of wood - almost like a treehouse. You sit on very comfortable mats on the floor. There we eat the most delicious spring rolls of our lives (3.60€ - everything is a bit more expensive on the island, but the portions at this restaurant are very generous) and spend a beautiful and funny evening together.