Off to the South

I completely discard my plans and no longer stay in the North. It is incredibly beautiful and definitely worth a longer and extensive visit, but time is pressing now. That's why I want to save precious days and take the plane again, even though I wanted to do without it. But instead of needing two days, I can cover the distance in just three hours. By choosing this means of transport, I have a whole day in Chiang Mai. I visit China Town and am amazed by the diverse offerings. Unfortunately, I also see them selling turtles of different species and sizes. The animals float in tanks that are much too small and are actually being sold for consumption. China Town extends over several streets and building complexes that strongly resemble a parking garage. Inside, I promptly get lost and completely lose my sense of direction. The only thing left to do is to take the westernmost exit and find a new orientation. This part of Chiang Mai is definitely worth a visit.

So I arrive in the south of Thailand, 'Krabi', and late in the evening, I share a shared taxi with other tourists. Despite the late hour, it is already noticeably warmer than in Bangkok. However, the air conditioning in my tiny hostel room is turned up too high, so I have to sleep with a sweater, long pants, and two blankets...how paradoxical, tomorrow I will definitely die of heat stroke when I leave the room.

The next day, I am still alive, but the promised 35 degrees don't take long to arrive. It's too hot for a stroll through Krabi Town. So I just visit the travel agency and book an afternoon tour to the mangroves.

I am picked up at 2 p.m. and we are a mixed group of seven adventurous people. We have a guide who luckily has a lot of experience with tourists, so I can do without the life jacket while kayaking...after all, it's already warm enough. Since I am traveling alone, our guide joins my boat and I get a very special and exclusive tour. He tells me a lot about nature, animals, and the local conditions. We can also wonderfully philosophize about typical tourist features of the country. In his ten-year professional career, he has had similar experiences to mine in the destinations I visited before. In the afternoon, there are not so many groups in the mangroves, which creates an incredible silence and we can even observe monkeys. I even see a bright blue kingfisher. The water is at its highest during a full moon period, but we are far from that, so with a little luck, we can find a way through the mangroves without having to take the same path back. The water is mirror smooth and you can drift without much effort. After 2.5 hours and a fruit break, we are taken back.

With a Frenchwoman from my hostel and a Dane, we spend the evening at a night market and enjoy delicious local food. No matter what I have ordered here so far, it always tastes excellent. I have slowly gotten used to the spiciness (for tourists) and now only occasionally break out in a sweat while eating.

The next day, I continue to Ko Lanta, an island further south. With the minivan, you can reach this South Sea dream after three hours and a ferry. I have read about it and it attracts me to a very specific beach, Klong Thong. A small hippie paradise, not unlike the style of the Fusion Festival. Many crazy, makeshift, and beautifully decorated beach bars with countless hammocks. In the evening, large and small lights sparkle in the trees, inviting you to linger and hang out. There is also something for every music taste. Today I decide on relaxed reggae music.

Oh, and a word about the incredibly clear water. It's very warm and there is no cooling off in sight. However, it's better than roasting in the sun, at least you don't sweat in the water ^^