Beware of falling Coconuts!!!

Argitaratu: 09.02.2019

*As it turns out, chopsticks are ideal for feeding children.*

Ants crawl across the screen, geckos cling to the bungalow ceiling and teach Antonia new words, and instead of homemade millet, we drink sugarcane schnapps. In addition, various signs warn of falling coconuts. We are in Thailand.

We are enjoying our first weeks in Thailand on the Andaman coast in the southwest. The rugged limestone formations at Ton Sai Beach are over a hundred meters high and make it easier for us to transition from the Himalayas to sea level. They create a spectacular backdrop. Climbers and base jumpers also like it, who jump down on us (fortunately only the base jumpers). We stay on the ground and let ourselves be brought into a flip-flop mood in beach bars made of driftwood with interesting people from all over the world.

Pink Leaf Monkeys (Trachypithecus obscurus) in front of the limestone cliffs of Ton Sai Beach. — *Pink Leaf Monkeys* (Trachypithecus obscurus) *in front of the limestone cliffs of Ton Sai Beach.*

*The forests of the national park are very diverse.*

We realize just in time that Christmas is approaching. We may not feel the Christmas spirit, but we still enjoy peaceful days on the beach of Ko Phra Thong. Fourteen years ago, Matthias was already here at this time of year and a small hill on the otherwise flat island saved his life. Now, standing on the same hill, being bitten by distant descendants of the mosquitoes from back then, with our daughter on and the wife in our arms meant a lot to all of us. Even though Antonia found the emerging sentimentality a bit boring and preferred to collect seashells on the beach.

We also spend New Year's Eve on Ko Phra Thong. We say goodbye to the past year with a cozy fish and seafood barbecue and dance by the campfire into the coming year. We spend a total of two weeks on this island. Living day by day, the tranquility and getting to know the other travelers slows down time.

Food donations are presented to participating monks at the memorial service for the tsunami victims. — *Food donations are presented to monks at the memorial service for the 2004 tsunami victims.*

Part of the event is the release of some green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) raised in captivity. — *Some green sea turtles* (Chelonia mydas) *raised in captivity are released at the event.*

*We are treated to a fireworks display on New Year's Eve before midnight.*

When we got bored, we found a meaningful activity. On Ko Phra Thong, there is an organization dedicated to protecting sea turtles around the island. We were able to support the Field Leader and the volunteer in their tasks: these include daily patrols on various beaches in search of turtle nests, observing typical feeding areas from a hilltop, and informing hotel guests about the situation of turtles locally and worldwide. The data for Ko Phra Thong is dramatic: while there were regularly more than 15 nests on the island 30 years ago, nowadays people are happy if one nest is found per year, if at all. We didn't discover a nest either, but we were lucky enough to observe a turtle feeding from the shore.

Despite the fact that there are rarely any people on the beach, each tide brings more trash. The entire 10 km length looks like this. — *We still leave footprints! Each tide brings more trash to the beach. Even though there are rarely any people on the beach, the entire 10 km length looks like this.*

*In this case, the only solution is to grab a few trash bags and get started.*

*Even though there are no turtle nests to be found during the morning patrols, there's still plenty to discover ...*

*A mangrove-covered canal leads into the interior of the island.*

*There are also many animals to admire on land, like this female Calotes Versicolor lizard.*

*We spend several nights in a tent on Ko Phra Thong. We don't need sleeping bags.*

*Back on the mainland, we explore the night market in Ranong. A tranquil city on the border with Burma.*

*Not a prison block, but our guesthouse.*

*Fortunately, we went to the hairdresser, not the dentist.*

After the stunningly framed beaches on the southwest coast and the beaches on the west coast shaped by the ebb and flow, we are now on peacefully rippling beaches on Ko Kood and Ko Mak in the border waters with Cambodia. Here, we end our time in Thailand - together with Swenja's parents, who accompany us for a few weeks on our journey.

The question remains: Are hotel employees insured against falling coconuts on their way to work along the beach?