Thailand (Day 52-71)

Day 52 Journey to Krabi

In the morning, we first went to 7/11 to get breakfast, which was unfortunately more expensive than on the mainland. We then had breakfast at our accommodation, as they also had delicious instant coffee. However, we were attacked by mosquitoes since there was a huge water basin right in front of our accommodation. After checking out, we had to walk about 800 m to the port again. By the time we arrived, we were both completely sweaty. But we went directly onto the ferry, which fortunately had good air conditioning. After about 2 hours, we arrived in Krabi and were taken to our accommodation in a minivan. Since we couldn't check in until 2:00 PM, we went for lunch again. By the way, it was the first time we stayed in a hostel on our trip. We slept in a dormitory with 10 beds, eight of which were occupied, and Jan was the only man in the room. After a short break, we went briefly to the pool. Afterwards, we set out for the night market. Fortunately, the food here was very cheap again, and there was more variety. We got some food and sat by the riverside to watch the sunset. Then we returned to the hostel, where we were invited to a pub quiz. However, when we later went to the bar, there were only two other guys there. So we only had one drink and played Uno and Connect Four.

Day 53 Krabi

The day started with breakfast at our hostel. We also survived our first night in the dorm well since thankfully no one snored loudly. Today it was once again laundry day. Fortunately, there was a laundromat right next to our hostel. Washing this time took over 2 hours. After the laundry, we went into town for some food. There we ended up in a shopping mall where we didn’t find anything. Then we went to a small market for lunch. Later, we treated ourselves to coffee at a café. We spent the rest of the day at the hostel. In the evening, we went to a restaurant about 20 minutes away from Krabi. Here, we really had a beautiful view of the valley and were able to experience a spectacular sunset.

Day 54 Krabi

After breakfast at the hostel, we set off on a scooter to the Emerald Pool. However, after a short ride, we were stopped by the police. Of course, we weren't exactly thrilled since we expected to pay 500 Baht again. The police officer asked for the driver's license, and Jan pulled out his international driver's license. The officer took a quick look and then handed it to another officer. This one then asked us where we were from and started talking about soccer and Frankfurt. After that, he smiled at us, and we were allowed to continue. I didn’t understand why since we didn’t have a motorcycle license. But I didn’t care anymore. Maybe the Thai police officer was just a fan of Eintracht Frankfurt. Luckily, Jan hadn’t mentioned he was a Bayern fan. So we just continued to the Emerald Pool. Since the water basin was located in a nature reserve, we had to pay 400 Baht admission each. We walked over a wooden path through the forest, past small streams and ponds. After about 1 km, we arrived at the Emerald Pool, which is a kind of natural pool with crystal-clear water where you can swim. However, it was all overcrowded with tourists, and we decided not to go in the water. Instead, we continued to the Blue Pool, which was 800 m further away. This one looked somehow magical and had bright blue water. However, you were not allowed to go into this basin, which is why there were fewer tourists there. Afterwards, we walked back and went for lunch. After that, we made our way back since it looked very much like rain. But we were lucky and arrived at the hostel dry. Actually, we wanted to go to a temple, but had to postpone this due to the weather. In the evening, we drove to Ao Nang, 35 minutes away, for a night market. After we had eaten and Jan finally bought a soccer jersey from Ronaldo, we actually wanted to go home. When we started, we quickly noticed that our rear tire was completely flat. So we first asked a local where the nearest workshop was. But he couldn’t help us properly. A little later, three Thai men coincidentally appeared who could help us. They told us that no workshop would be open this late. Therefore, I called our scooter rental, who named a workshop for us to go to. One of the men flagged down an acquaintance. Together they drove away to get tools for the repair. At some point, one of the others called our scooter rental, who offered to pick up the scooter. In the meantime, the other two men returned and managed to remove a screw from the tire. One of them then drove away with our scooter. Shortly after, our scooter renter arrived, who found the whole situation quite amusing. When the man returned with the scooter, our renter gave him 100 Baht for fixing the tire. After that, the scooter was loaded, and we were taken back to Krabi. In Krabi, we then simply received another scooter. Here you can once again see how hospitable and helpful everyone was.

Day 55 Krabi

After breakfast, we set out for the Tiger Cave, a temple on a mountain. To reach the temple and the golden Buddha, you had to climb 1260 steps up the mountain. That was quite exhausting, and we arrived at the top, sweaty, after 45 minutes. However, the view was really beautiful, and you could see really far. On the way down, we encountered a few monkeys. A baby monkey jumped right next to me and was very close to my head. The mother monkey didn’t find it amusing and snarled at us. So we quickly moved on. At the bottom, we saw a few baby monkeys again. From there, we returned to the hostel to shower and change. Around noon, we went to a pizzeria and treated ourselves to something more expensive, as we were celebrating our 2nd anniversary. Afterwards, we went to a café, drank coffee, and ate cookies. Then we returned to the hostel and rested a bit so that we could go to the night market again in the evening. Jan also took our scooter back, and we were lucky enough not to have to pay for the flat tire.

Day 56 Journey to Koh Tao

After having breakfast at the hostel and getting some snacks for the journey, we waited downstairs in the lobby until we were picked up. The police even came by and took pictures with the hostel staff. Then they asked if we could take a picture together. I agreed, although I had no idea what the picture was for. At 11:00 AM, we were picked up by a minivan and driven to the bus station. We then took the bus for 3 hours to the port. After that, we had to ride the ferry for another 3 hours to Koh Tao. However, our ferry also made stops at Koh Samui and Ko Phangan. Since Ida and Leo were coming to Koh Tao a day later and were still on Ko Phangan, we were lucky to see them briefly from the ferry. Upon arriving in Koh Tao, we immediately rented a scooter and drove to our bungalows. Later, we also went to a street stall to eat Pad Thai.

Day 57 Koh Tao Arrival of Ida and Leo

In the morning, Jan and I first went to 7/11 for breakfast. Afterwards, we rested a bit. Around 1:30 PM, it was finally time, and Ida and Leo arrived in Koh Tao. It was really nice to see someone from home again, and afterwards, I became even more aware of how much I actually missed home. Ida and Leo also rented a scooter and then we all went to our accommodation. After a break and a lot of talking, we set off to get some lunch. Afterwards, we wandered around a bit and checked out different shops and the beach. In the evening, we went to eat Thai food at the street stall again. We still grabbed some snacks and drinks and ended the first evening on our terrace.

Day 58 Koh Tao

First thing in the morning, we had no electricity and no water from 9 AM as some work was going on on the island. Therefore, we first went to a fancy restaurant where Jan and I once again had a real breakfast. I finally got a delicious acai bowl. Afterwards, we set out on our scooters to Mango Bay. Upon arrival, we had to pay an entrance fee and then climb what felt like 1000 steps to the beach. However, after the steps, we also had to scramble over some rocks. We were almost alone on the beach and of course, we dove straight into the water. The water was perfect for snorkeling, and we could see many different fish. Nearby the rocks, there was even a small coral reef. While Ida and I were sunbathing, a dog visited us several times. It sat between us, and we had to pet it. After a few hours, we made our way back. This meant climbing the whole strenuous path back. Afterwards, we grabbed some lunch and returned to the accommodation. We spent the rest of the evening again on our terrace.

Day 59 Koh Tao Beach Day

After breakfast, we headed to Au Leuk Beach. Ida and I immediately jumped into the water and saw a baby shark right away. We spent a few hours there and saw many small sharks and different fish. Afterwards, we went to a restaurant for lunch and spent the rest of the afternoon at our accommodation. In the evening, we went out to eat again.

Day 60 Koh Tao Snorkeling Tour

After breakfast, we made our way to the hostel where we had booked a snorkeling tour the day before. From there, we were taken by taxi to the boat. Our first stop was an island next to Koh Tao. Here, we first walked to a viewpoint and then went snorkeling. On the boat, there was lunch, and we continued to the next snorkeling stop. We circled around the island and made several snorkeling stops along the way. The boat also had a slide, which we used a few times. At the last stop, we could also see a turtle. Since we were stung constantly while underwater, we asked a crew member what it was. He explained that it was basically sea lice or plankton. After the tour, we returned to the accommodation. Here, we had to realize that the electricity and water still didn’t work. Actually, it was supposed to be turned off only from 9 AM to 5 PM. So we decided to go eat something first. The town felt very strange since only a few shops were lit, and everything else was pitch dark. We went to a pizzeria, but unfortunately, we couldn’t eat pizza due to the power outage. We could only eat Thai dishes. However, it felt a bit romantic since there were candles on every table. Shortly after 8 PM, the electricity finally came back. When we returned to the accommodation, I was shocked to discover that our bungalow was completely flooded. I had not turned off the shower completely, and when the electricity came back on, the water started flowing again. However, since the drain was clogged, our whole room got flooded. All our clothes were wet, and unfortunately, also Jan’s laptop. We took all the clothes outside and swept the water out of the room with a broom.

Day 61 Koh Tao

In the morning, Ida and I immediately went to the laundromat. While the laundry was washing, we got a coffee from 7/11. After we put the laundry in the dryer, we picked up Leo and Jan. Then we went for breakfast and later picked up the dried laundry. Afterwards, we all drove into town to do some shopping. After we found some stuff, we went for lunch and later returned to the accommodation. From there, we drove to a viewpoint to watch the sunset. The woman at the entrance of the viewpoint sprayed us completely with mosquito spray. Later, we went back to the pizzeria where we were the day before and could finally eat pizza this time. There was pizza with curry on top, which tasted really delicious. We spent the rest of the evening together on the terrace.

Day 62 Koh Tao Ladyboy Show

In Koh Tao, we once again had no electricity and water from 9 AM. However, we still didn’t know when we would get electricity back. We first went for breakfast, and I was looking forward to a delicious smoothie bowl. However, I couldn’t eat one because the restaurant had no power. After breakfast, we headed to Tanote Beach. However, here, the water was very shallow due to low tide. We could see many fish, but we had to be very careful since the ground was full of sharp corals. After sunbathing for a bit, we went to the beach bar. Here, Jan's and Leo's dream was fulfilled - a beer tower. For Ida and me, there was a smoothie and a coconut. On the way to the next stop, Ida and I were allowed to ride the scooter since the two gentlemen had already had a little to drink. We went to a restaurant for lunch, where Jan and Leo later played billiards. Ida and I went shopping a bit meanwhile. Afterwards, we made our way to the Secret Bar to enjoy the sunset. There, you really had a great view of the sea.

Day 63 Farewell

In the morning, Ida and I went to the beach shortly after 5 AM to see the sunrise together one last time. We were almost alone on the beach. The sunrise wasn’t as spectacular as expected, but the atmosphere was lovely nonetheless. I also took some shots with the drone. After a while, a shepherd dog laid down next to us and let us pet it. When we made our way back to the scooters, the dog followed us for a while until it eventually turned back. Afterwards, we went one last time to enjoy a delicious breakfast together. Fortunately, today I could finally eat a smoothie bowl. After that, we returned to the accommodation and packed the remaining items into our backpacks. My backpack was now lighter, but still quite full. I had given Ida many things, while she had also brought me quite a bit. Before we made our way to the ferry, we first had to return the scooters and then check in for the ferry. We assumed that we would have the same ferry together, but unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. This meant we had to say goodbye immediately. After a brief hug, Jan and I boarded the ferry. There, I had to fight back tears, as the farewell was harder than I thought. After about an hour’s ride, we arrived in Koh Phangan. Upon disembarking, I noticed that Ida and Leo's ferry also made a stop there. So I could talk to her for a moment again. After that, a woman drove us with a scooter and sidecar to the scooter rental. Then we went straight to the hostel, where we were lucky enough to be allowed to check in directly to our room. After a short break, we went on a little exploration tour. After eating, we returned to the hostel. In the evening, we went to a bar from where we had a wonderful view of the sea and the sunset.

Day 64 Koh Phangan

After a rather restless night where the people in our room were loud and the beds uncomfortable, we went for breakfast. I had toast with jam again. After that, we headed to our first stop, Salad Beach. On the way there, we had to drive through a huge puddle. I thought for a moment that we would get stuck and fall over, but thankfully only our feet and the scooter got wet. We were only at the beach for a short time since it was low tide, making the water quite shallow. Afterwards, we continued to Paradise Waterfall, which, although relatively small, had a great spot for swimming under and in front of the waterfall. The next stop was Malibu Beach. The sand here was almost white and looked beautiful. The only problem again was the shallow water. There is low tide during the day and high tide at night on Koh Phangan and Koh Samui. After sunbathing a bit here, we continued to the Bottle Beach viewpoint. Along the way, we stopped for something to eat. The view from the viewpoint was truly amazing, and for a little while, we were entirely alone there, as others were afraid to walk forward. Then we made our way back. After a short break, we went to Zen Beach to watch the sunset. On the way, we passed a bar that was clearly alternative. Everyone was dancing, drinking, and it smelled like weed. So we sat in the bar next door and got a smoothie. Suddenly, I heard a young woman calling for help in the water. It took a moment before two men and a woman ran to her and carried her out of the water. I then brought her a chair. It turned out that the woman had stepped on a coral and was now bleeding from her foot. Luckily, I still had a small bandage with me that I could give her. Afterwards, we drove to a night market.

Day 65 Journey to Koh Samui

After breakfast, we set off on our scooter to the ferry. The ferry ride took about 1 hour. At the pier, we were immediately approached by some taxi drivers asking if they should drive us. But we decided once again on a scooter. A nice man brought us to the scooter rental. After that, we had to drive about 30 minutes with our fully packed scooter to our accommodation. Fortunately, we made a little pause to eat, as the backpack became quite heavy on my shoulders. At the accommodation, we had to pay another 100 Baht to get a hut with a sea view. The hut was quite small, and two mattresses just fit on the floor, but the view was lovely nonetheless. After a short break by the sea, we decided to go to the hairdresser. I just walked into the first place and asked if he could cut my hair. Overall, it was a bit imperfect, but I was satisfied. It only cost 13,- €. Later, we went to a night market. However, it started to rain heavily, and we got soaked.

Day 66 Koh Samui

In the morning, we had breakfast at our accommodation. After that, we set off for Overlep Stone, a viewpoint. However, the way there was so steep that I even had to get off. In one of the last curves, it happened! We tipped over with the scooter. Luckily, Jan and I were able to jump off. When we tried to lift the scooter back up, we hit the throttle, and the scooter rolled down the hill a bit. Now one side of the scooter was completely scratched, and we were already afraid of returning it as it could have gotten quite expensive.

After that, we still visited the viewpoint. We also took some photos at the famous hand, a viewpoint shaped like a hand. Then we drove to a waterfall. At the entrance to the waterfall, you could see caged elephants and tourists riding them. I would have loved to ask each of the tourists if they found this animal cruelty so wonderful and why they supported such crap. The elephants were crammed into small cages and rocked their heads back and forth incessantly. At the waterfall itself, you could swim again. However, there were many people. A few local kids jumped off a rock into the water. Jan and I went for a swim too. The water here quickly became very deep and murky. Nevertheless, a group of Indian men, who could not swim well, decided to go into the water. One of the men almost drowned the first time if his friend hadn’t pulled him out. The same man then decided a short while later to go back into the water and was almost drowning again on the way back. Here, another tourist helped him, as his friends were not nearby. I still wonder why people underestimate their own abilities and put themselves in danger multiple times! After that, we made our way back and stopped for lunch. We spent the rest of the day at the beach. In the evening, we, of course, returned to the night market.

Day 67 Koh Samui

After breakfast at the accommodation, we set off for the Big Buddha, a huge golden Buddha statue. Afterwards, we wandered through a few small shops. We then went to a mall. Here we strolled for a bit until we got hungry and made our way back. After lunch, we returned to the beach again. Later, I finally went to the gym after a long time. In the evening, we drove to the Fisherman Village Nightmarket. However, we couldn’t find it and spontaneously drove to another market. Later, we found out that the market was closed on Tuesdays.

Day 68 Koh Samui Boat Tour

We were picked up after breakfast by a minivan. This took us to the speedboat. We sat right at the front of the boat. The first 2 hours, we just rode around looking for dolphins. Unfortunately, we had no luck and didn’t see any. The next stop was Pig Island. Here pigs were running all around, which you could also feed. However, I was happiest that many dogs were also running around. I sat at the end with two dogs in the water and petted them. After an hour, we drove to the next stop to snorkel. After that, we quickly returned to the harbor. Here we were served a buffet and were later taken back to our accommodation. After the tour, I was so exhausted that I had to lie down for a bit. In the evening, we actually went to the Fisherman Nightmarket.

Day 69 Journey to Khao Sok

After breakfast, we packed our things and checked out. We drove to a workshop to ask how much the damage to the scooter would cost. However, the man at the workshop sent us to another workshop. So we drove half an hour to another workshop with all our luggage. Here we were told that it would cost around 80,- €. Right after that, we made our way directly to the scooter rental. Of course, we were very anxious that it would turn out to be more expensive. Upon arrival, we were warmly welcomed, and the scooter was taken. We got our passports back, and the man said goodbye to us. We could hardly believe that they didn’t want anything from us and that we were once again incredibly lucky. Afterwards, we made our way directly to our ferry. After about 2 hours, we arrived at the harbor, from where it went directly further by travel bus. After another 2 hours, we had to transfer to a minivan and drive for another 2 hours. After a total of over 6 hours of travel, we finally arrived at our accommodation. After we brought our things to the room, we went out to eat.

Day 70 Khao Sok

The alarm clock rang already shortly after 7:00 AM since breakfast was from 7:30 to 8:30 AM. There was delicious toast with jam again and a few fruits. Shortly after 9 AM, we were all picked up by minivans and taken to the lake. After almost 2 hours, we arrived at the lake. From there, we continued by boat to our water bungalows. However, it started to rain during the ride, and we were completely soaked by the end. When we arrived at the bungalows, we first had lunch. We changed since we were all still completely drenched. We had actually planned to go swimming and kayaking, but it rained all the time. At 4 PM, we set out with boats to visit a special rock formation. Afterwards, we also visited a limestone cave and received our dinner.

Day 71 Khao Sok National Park

The alarm clock rang very early again since the safari started at 6:30 AM. During the safari, we just sat in the boat watching the animals from there. Unfortunately, we weren’t lucky and only saw one monkey and a big monitor lizard. Moreover, it started to rain during the safari, but luckily we didn’t get completely soaked. Afterwards, we had breakfast in the bungalows and then had to check out. Next, we went on a hike. However, it started to pour like crazy during the hike. The hike went about 2 km up to a waterfall. Afterward, we were completely soaked, but it was definitely worth it. After the hike, we returned to the bungalows and had lunch. We then had 1.5 hours of time on site, and I went swimming again. Next, we were taken back to the entrance of the park by boat and picked up by the minivans there. We were really lucky because it started to rain as soon as we were in the cars. I had to put on my sleeping shirt because otherwise everything I had would have been wet. After just over an hour, we arrived in Khao Sok town. Here, we had a little break until we were driven further to Phuket shortly after 4 PM. The journey lasted another 3 hours. In Phuket, we had chosen a hotel right by the airport since we would fly to Bangkok the next day. Upon arriving at the hotel, we had to wash everything since we had no clean clothes left. The whole process took quite a while, and Jan folded the laundry at night. I was so exhausted that I fell asleep beforehand.