Vacation from Vacation

Koh Phan-Ngan Island, neighboring to Koh Tao was our home for the last eight days and nights and I apologize to all the regular blog readers about the lack of posting, but unlike the chaos of India there wasn't a lot to write home about. Anyway, we arrived on the Island and taxied to our originally planned beach of residence but found out very quickly that from the town where the truck dropped us and the beach of destination the dirt "foot path" was only negotiable with one of us on the motorbike (just), let alone with large backpacks. I ended up walking in the hot sun with my bag for a while up the hills and through the dirt and we decided to ditch the big bags at the bike shop and find a better beach. A couple of hours of exploring later we found Aoh Mae Haad where we got a bungalow and bunkered down for what was to be a very very stressful and trying eight days. Not.

A week went by in a blink. We made time for some off shore snorkeling at the nearby reef where it was said to be the best snorkeling on the island - but after diving didn't really compare. Cool nonetheless. And we also spent some time scooting to town for cold beers and chocolate milk shooters from the 7-11 and one day ventured to the other side of the island to check out the scene of Haat Rin where all the cool kids hang out. Unfortunately that mission ended only with a traffic ticket, a rain storm, getting stuck on multiple steep hills our scooty couldn't make it up, a crappy lunch and me eating a jar of olives from the grocery store. We called it quits as it just wasn't meant to be and besides, our bungalow was calling us back to enjoy bloody Mary's on the balcony. Apart from soaking up some sun and floating around on the gentle waves with Nemu we gathered all our energy at ventured to the "Black Moon" party one evening, around 1:30am. Koh Phan-Ngan is famous for its Full Moon party which of course happens on the full moon but they also make any sort of moon excuse to play trance or drum and base beats, fill party goers with buckets of vodka and redbull, and then have another "after party" the following night. It was entertaining but not exactly my scene but the people watching was right up there with Koh San Road. We stayed until five and got slightly lost getting home on the bike which all of sudden turned to another dirt road adventure but ended back in bed before sunrise. Phew.

So really there isn't much else. We met some nice peeps also hanging out on the same beach as us (Brits abroad, cocky Canadian, and humble German) that we frequented with but other than all the relaxing and book reading not a lot was accomplished - just as we planned. But do not fear! Our lazy days on the beach are over, we back to the Kok and if that's not thriller writing enough for you we're a few sleeps away from Delhi!