So, 8am bright and early we got packed up, fired up the scooter to blast to 7-11 for yogurt and waited for our guide. It’s always interesting when the taxis pick you up because it’s usually a truck full of other foreigners and rarely does anyone talk to each other. I’m always car sick, so that’s my excuse. You’re about to spend all day with these people though, you’d think you’d say hello.
Oh, before I go on, I need to mention that as we were leaving, my hammock got caught on B’s arm and tore it about 6 inches.
Anyhow, we met up with the other taxis, had some fruit for breakfast and then we were off. It was a speed boat through the ocean where slowly these rock islands started appearing. Honestly, I took two gravol so I was fighting sleep at this point but I do remember a rock formation resembling a skull closely and another resembling a monkey.
Our first stop was to go snorkelling for about an hour. I happen to get quite panicked when snorkelling – my body is highly confused when presented with breathing under water and it would rather not. But since B always holds my hand and guides me through the water like a 6 year old, it is do-able. We saw a ton of fish, though mostly just schools of the same type. B saw a jelly fish as well, which was when I decided my time frolicking in the deep sea was over and I booked it back to the boat.
Another short ride and we arrived on an island that has a lagoon which was featured in the movie The Beach with Leonardo Dicaprio. It was a brutal climb up incredibly steep steps but worth it by far. It’s a damn shame we couldn’t swim in it but it was getting destroyed by the chemicals in our sunscreen so they had to close off swimming permanently. Oh well, at least we got to look at it!
Next stop was lunch and then kayaking. B and I have developed quite a taste for massaman curry which is a red curry with potato and chicken usually, which we get over rice. It is SO good. They served this at lunch as well as some fried veggies and noodles.
I’ve never been kayaking but since my hard on for rafting started, I figure anything with a paddle will suffice. Man, it was rough. We were given zero instruction other than, “Go to that island, half way around and back.” No guide, just us and the open sea! It was QUITE windy today, by the way.
When B gets nervous or awkward, she laughs uncontrollably. So when I was getting pissed off, not knowing how to control our water craft and she is in the back in a giggle fit, I believe i said something like, “I realize you are laughing but I am currently scared for my life.” And it’s true, I was pretty sure we were going to tip. On the way back we had to constantly row and row hard because the waves were so strong and directing us into the nearest rock island. We made it though, just in time to watch everyone else fail miserably trying to get back.
There was a guy on the tour with us who was maybe 30 years old and had clearly taken a diving course recently. He showed up wearing water shoes, shorts to his knees, a skin tight diving shirt that was long sleeve, some sporty streamline shades and a bucket hat. His shins, hands, and face were the only skin exposed. Maybe he has that same disease that Powder has.
The way back on the boat was the roughest I’ve ever experience. We were getting pummelled by the waves and I had to sit in the back holding my towel over my face as the water assaulted us. We got back to the hostel with so much salt on us that we could literally brush it off of our skin.
Then off to the food market where we saw this, clearly the best part of my night:
When we got home from the market, we had our traditional evening hammock rest while looking out at the night sky. Mine ended abruptly with a ripping sound and my ass flat on the floor. Just another day in paradise.
S.
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