Save Will

There’s a condition that afflicts many innocent, hard-working people around the world every day. Its victims suffer from light sensitivity, disorientation, lethargy, sleep deprivation, and depression. There is no cure, but some drugs temporarily alleviate its symptoms. Many people manage to live somewhat normal lives through proper treatment. I’m referring, of course, to waking up before 9 a.m., which I had to do all this week and expect to continue doing until my body gives out. Please donate to my relief fund.

Posts tagged ko samui

Jan 23

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Woke up still sick. Decided to skip the dive class so I wouldn’t miss the west coast. Packed my gear and bought a ticket for Phuket. Quickly reserved a bed at a hostel before I left the hostel. Walked to the ferry pier and bought some snacks at the 7-11 along the way. Arrived at the boat just in time, sweat pouring down my face.

Fortunately, the boat had air con. Read my guidebook about Ko Phuket, Ko Phi Phi, and the Krabi area, and listened to a podcast. The ferry stopped at Ko Samui, then continued on to Surat Thani. I got off there and transferred to a bus. It was only me and a girl my age named Dean on this huge bus. We chatted the whole time. The bus unexpectedly stopped in Surat Thani and we were told we would transfer to a minibus when six others arrived. We waited for over two hours. We bought ice cream, chips, and instant soup to eat for dinner while waiting. Fortunately, the minibus had air con too. I listened to podcasts and watched a thunderstorm brew on the horizon the whole way. The driver offered to drive us beyond Phuket Town for outrageous prices, but fortunately I was going to Phuket Town.

Got off the bus, said goodbye to the other backpackers, then took a motorbike taxi two blocks to my hostel. Checked in, unpacked, and found that my pack had been rifled through despite the lock I had on it. Fortunately, my laptop/precious was still there. They must not have been able to get it out through the zippers and the lock. I couldn’t figure out when they had had time to do it. Dismayed, I repacked it all neatly and went to bed as soon as possible, feeling exhausted.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Rode a minibus early in the morning to the Big Buddha pier on the north side of Ko Samui. Rode a ferry to the island Ko Phangan for about forty-five minutes. Rode a songthaew taxi truck for 100 baht to Baan Tai beach. There was some confusion about where to find my hostel, and I walked around in the searing heat for twenty minutes before slogging into the place to check in.

Ate lunch at the little restaurant beside the hostel and the road. Changed into my swim suit and headed to the beach. Walked down the beach quite a ways to find a patch of soft sand and water without floating weed bits. Baan Tai beach wasn’t as nice as Chaweng beach on Ko Samui. Felt a tinge of regret leaving it. Waded in, but didn’t submerge my head. Mostly read Treasure Island on the sand.

Returned to the beachside resort that was partnered with my hostel and swam a little in their pool and had a couple beers. Chatted with a German named Eric for a half hour. Walked to the night market with him and his friend David and another guy from my hostel later that evening for dinner. On the way back, we stopped at a bar and had a beer and played a few rounds of billiards. I taught them the game nine ball. Returned to the hostel and went to bed.

Jan 21

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Woke up at 7 a.m. Got ready for the Angthong Marine Park island tour. The bus was late picking me up, but I got to the dock in time to eat the tiny breakfast and hot chocolate they served me. We started a little late, but they made up for it later. About forty people plus five or so staff. Lots of cold Cokes to go around throughout the day to slake our thirst.

Snorkeled for an hour off one of the island karsts. Saw a few types of fish and got up close to some huge sea urchins. Swam above some divers and enjoyed the tickle of the bubbles. Went to an island with a beautiful emerald inland lake and a great lookout of the surrounding sea and islands. Ate a delicious lunch of green curry and vegetables, steamed rice, and sliced fruit on a beautiful sandy beach all to ourselves. Kayaked to a sandy spot on a nearby island and played in the water for an hour. Made a pit stop at another island. Returned to Ko Samui.

Showered. Ten of us staying at my hostel went out for dinner at the nearby Thai restaurant, then got beers at the Focus Minimart across the street from the hostel and watched movies in the common room. Arranged for transportation to Ko Phangan the next morning. Went to bed around midnight.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Beach day! Slept in until 9:30 a.m. Showered and got ready. The hostel bathrooms were disgusting, so it took me about an hour to finish. Called Tess. Got lunch.

Headed to the beach with a used copy of Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson that I had picked up the night before. Swam in the surf and baked in the sand and read about buried treasure all afternoon until the light fell and it felt time to leave.

Met a couple more people at the hostel. Listened to one girl, Xin, talk about a boat tour of the Angthong Marine Park islands that she had done that day. I decided to do it too and booked a ticket that night. I had to get up early for the island tour, so I got ready for bed around 11 p.m.

Monday, January 16, 2012

Arrived at the bus station in Surat Thani feeling greasy and exhausted. Found my pack and turned around to approach the ticket office, then, feeling somewhat dazed, tottered into the waiting area. Found a seat and set my packs down.

Saw the Vietnamese English guy board another bus soon afterward, and was sorry I hadn’t said goodbye to him. Wish I could remember his name.

Another bus took me to the ferry pier on the coast, and I dozed on the way. When we arrived, I got off, arranged a chair under a walkway overhang, and dozed a few more minutes. Woke up and walked with others down the dock to our boat and boarded the ferry. The ride was about 1.5 hours.

Arrived at the Na Thon pier. The directions about a local bus were all wrong, so I took a local songthaew taxi truck with some other ferry passengers to Chaweng beach. The hostel’s walking directions turned out to be useless, so after walking around in the blistering heat with all my gear for fifteen minutes, I gave up and walked into the nearest hotel, figuring they spoke some English and could sort it out. The wonderful front desk staff called my hostel and got directions for me.

Checked into my hostel. It was mid-afternoon and I needed to eat soon, so I ate at the McDonalds a few minutes’ walk back down the road, not wanting to take time to explore. Showered afterward. Felt much better.

Decided to go for a quick dip in the ocean at the nearby beautiful Chaweng beach. Laid on the sand for an hour or so and soaked up the last hour or so of sunshine.

Returned to the hostel and showered. Emma, another guest, took me to a nearby Thai restaurant and then showed me the bars and clubs along the beach. I bought a Chang beer at a 7-11 on the way back.