Feel like I am back at home here in Chaloklum on Ko Phangan. I went on a beautiful hike today in search of a waterfall. I saw where it would be if there was more rain and got some great shots. Plus, a little dog, who I coined the name Rontu, gave me the full tour. I needed a good sweat!

Later, I went back to Mad Hai to snorkel and read. Ahhh....so relaxed!

Tomorrow I dive at Sail Rock, hopefully I'll get to go into the famous chimney coral reef structure.

The end is fast approaching, but everything is all sorted out. I take another ferry on Thursday to Ko Samui where I will spend a few days there before my flight to Bangkok. Believe it or not, I've already booked my hotels in both places! I usually prefer showing up somewhere and hand picking the place I will stay. But after my experience on Ko Tao, I don't want to be turned down because they are already full.

Stay tuned. More to come.

Cafe Del Mar

Ko Tao

Ko Tao

Made it to the next island Ko Tao. Although I was worried that I'd survive the rough sea and perpetual rain. While waiting to board the ferry I got drenched, literally. When I finally go on the "fast boat" I squeezed my hair and it was like I just got out of the shower. I found a seat luckily and said a prayer. Right after we left the dock the crew passed out barf bags because the sea was so rough. It was a puke fest, people all around me were barfing into little plastic bags for the entire hour and a half treacherous ride. It was so bad that even a big, strong guy in the seat in front of me squealed each time the boat almost (or at least felt like almost) tipped over. Whew! That's all I can say and thank God.

The place that I was going to go to was fully booked so I opted for a familiar Sensi Paradise Resort. Keva and I stayed here a couple of years ago and it is stunning, but also ridiculously expensive. I check out at 10 am and plan to try Ko Tao Resort again, if there is no room available I will return to Ko Phangan, weather permitting.

Everything everyone said is true, it's way too commercial here and expensive. Plus, it seems that everyone else had my same idea of coming to Ko Tao...the place is packed. Pray for sun:)

Lazy Daze

So I have one more night here on Ko Phangan so I must savor it. It has been utterly relaxing here, and I have developed a nice little routine. Wake up around 10 am (late by my San Diego standards) and go to the terrace and have breakfast. Return to my cozy AC room, skype some friends and gather my beach stuff. Take the motorbike on a 20 minute ride through the lush jungle to Mad Hao, a serene beach with fabulous coral. Next I snorkel for about an hour then lay on the beach reading. Later, I return to my hotel to refresh myself by diving into the chilly pool. Then it's time to shower and meet some of my local friends at the Lost Dog for a cocktail. Finally it is dinner time! So many delicious foods here, but I am particularly fond of the pad thai. And then I retire for the night and wake up to do it all over again.

Tomorrow I take the ferry to Ko Tao, the diving mecca of the world. Hopefully I retain my luck of meeting some good people to share my lazy days with there as well.

My New Favorite Toy

Ahhhh...I forgot how relaxing Thai massage is...Some people aren't fond of all of the pushing and pulling, but I find it works amazingly well on my squeaky old joints. I especially enjoy the odd pretzel-like contortions I am bent in while the little lady pushes with her legs to stretch me even further than I ever thought I could. For a mere 300 Baht (less than $10), I am left with utter contentment.

It was especially nice today after the stress of driving a scooter all over the island over mostly paved roads with steep vertical inclines. Going up the mountains are fine, it's the downhill part that makes me grip even harder on the handle bars with my sweaty palms. All the while, I am praying that there isn't a car coming around the bend at the bottom.

Initially, I was not going to rent one. Partly because Kaiser doesn't offer services over here. But I have found that in order to check out all of the nooks and crannies of the island it is imperative. Like today I found a stunning little beach 10 minutes west of where I am staying while cruising around. Check out the birds I saw there with banana beaks.

Probably stay here for a few more days before heading off to Ko Tao, the dive island. I am not bored yet, and there is still waterfalls to see and snorkeling to do.

Ko Phangan

Just arrived in Ko Phangan via 45 minute ferry boat. After much haggling at the dock, I was able to get a ride to the northern part of the island on the beach Ao Chalok Lam. Check out my digs! Now it's time to shower, eat, explore and get a massage.

Seriously!

After 23 hours of flights and layovers, a few hours of sleep, and a short hop from Bangkok to Ko Samui, I made it to paradise. I decided to stay in Samui for a couple of nights in Big Buddha Beach. My bungalow is right on the turquoise water. Not doing much of anything today, besides relaxing at the beach and napping. Here is a view from my porch.

Flip Flops

Packing for tomorrow's flight...how many pairs of flip-flops does one need? It's going to be a l...o...n...g day, well actually, it is a full day of flying and layovers until I reach Bangkok. Then from there, at midnight (a day ahead of us) I plan to stay at a nearby hotel for easy access to the airport. The next morning I leave for Ko Samui. I am still deciding which island to hang out on first. More than likely, I will ferry it on over to Ko Tao.

Thailand

This summer, I opted for lazy beach days. And the southwestern gulf coast of Thailand being the best beaches I have ever been on, makes it the perfect serene setting. I envision reading in a hammock on the front porch of a bungalow parked right at the edge of the sand. Maybe I'll get a few dives in, maybe not. The key for me is no itinerary. Can I do it?