My time here in Thailand has been anything but routine monotony and yet I was pleased by the arrival of Miles, my old time friend and past flatmate from New Zealand. He bought with him welcome relief from the isolation that has been wrapped around me, here in Thailand. It was late evening by the time he made it to Ban Song minibus terminal and I had no way to collect him. Enlisting the help of my supportive and motherly friend Miss Ajarn Peemonpit I transported the weary traveler back to my place. We shared our travel stories and dined on local fried rice from my vendor of choice, not far down the street. We slept with the knowledge of a busy day ahead.
Saturday dawned and we were up early and seeking a bus to Krabi. It didn’t take long to locate the necessary transport and soon we were gliding along in air conditioned comfort toward the beautiful destination of Krabi. The trip was uneventful and finally we found ourselves transferring to a local taxi for the short ride out to Ao Nang beach. I’d been here once before, making the journey the second time was a lot simpler and having the physical support of a second person was useful in the bargaining business.
We wound through the familiar scenery, towering mounds of rock, covered in lush jungle. The beach appeared, soft white sand running down from the shop fronts to the calm ocean. We checked into the guest house I had used last time but sharing a room we were able to maximise our comforts at little extra cost. Having found our footing we made the mad dash down the hot street and plunged into the ocean. The water felt thick and warm, barely refreshing out hot and eager bodies. As darkness descended we hit the beers and beach bars, soaking in the warm evening air, our lack of concern for anything other than the moment and our conversation.
The post tsunami beach was strangely quiet and eager businesses were desperate for custom. Competition was fierce and provided a good purchasing environment for consumers such as ourselves. After dark we purchased cheap beers from the convenience store and sat on the wide, shallow steps that led to the sand. Munching potato chips and swigging beer we discussed the values of life, the balance required to be happy and healthy and general mishmash that accompanies drunken speech. Before us, the ocean washed slowly in contented rhythm. Seeking further excitement, we launched ourselves on two unsuspecting Belgium girls who were polite but rather unimpressed. Feeling that our efforts would be best spent elsewhere, Miles and I wandered up the beach a way, ditched our clothes and dashed into the sea. Even at this late hour the water was over warm and we floated for ages, watching the sky slide above.
The next day we decided to make the most of things and hired a twin kayak for a mission round the rocky headland to Rai Lay beach. The water was calm and paddling easy. We made our way past the huge pillars of ancient rock that protruded from the ocean and passed the point to the calmer waters beyond.
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