#49: Behind Swedish curtains

04.03.2020

Finally back to the beach! This time we are going to Karon Beach on the Andaman Sea. After breakfast and packing up, we make our way to the bus.

Today, we are taking a blue public bus, which is actually not a bus but rather a truck with benches on the open cargo bed. The bus follows a fixed route but does not have fixed stops. It stops when waved down or when the stop button is pressed inside. When we arrive at the bus station, the blue bus is already waiting. We are the first ones to board and have to wait for about 15 minutes for departure while a few more passengers join.

The ride is quite leisurely. There is enough time to look around and enjoy the scenery. The bus struggles especially on the uphill sections, making you feel like getting off and pushing.

After about 50 minutes of travel, we arrive at Karon Beach. We take a short detour to the sea and then head to the hostel, which is only about 300 meters away. The hostel is painted in blue and yellow, the national colors of our Swedish landlords. The landlord is quite straightforward but also very friendly. The hostel is almost spotlessly clean and tidy, and our room is probably almost the size of our apartment.

After settling in, we have a cheap and delicious meal at a roadside stand. Vanessa also has a huge mango shake for dessert. Then we take a long walk along the beach. The beach is about 3.3 kilometers long and very, very wide. The sand is super fine and soft, making it feel and sound almost like snow when walking. The water is warm and crystal clear. Only the amount of tourists is a bit annoying. We watch vendors of boat paragliding on the beach, where you are towed by a boat with a parachute. As an extra special, one of the staff members jumps onto the harnesses and flies unsecured, either standing on the harnesses, hanging head down, or sitting on top of them. They are crazy.

We watch the sunset over the sea and then end the day at the hostel. Tomorrow will be a day at the beach.