Thailand - Part 2

Thailand – Part 2:

Chang Mai: It was a nice city to visit as the old city was contained within a moat inside the rest of the sprawl. I stayed in Bebeez Restautant and Guest House and was very happy with my choice as Beebee was extremely friendly and offered good food and clean rooms. My first day there was a “temple and market” day and exploring the town. My favorite temple there happened to be a random one located outside the moat on the South-west side and made entirely from silver. The rest of the temples were all gold and very much “same same”, as the locals would say. It was therefore interesting watching the local artisans sitting in workshops outside the temple shaping the silver into various shapes. Interesting also was the “No women allowed” sign outside the temple! The markets, especially the local Wororot Market, however stole the show with all the weird and wonderful things on offer. Strolling amidst the many stalls I could see strange and wonderful fruit and vegetables, barbecued frogs, live eels, fried insects, bamboo filled with sweet sticky rice and much more.   

At one point I was considering doing an eco tour and it was while chatting to one of the companies that I bumped into Amber – a California girl although I had to wonder about her Texan “hey yawl”. The eco tour never happened although I met up with her again after which we did a cooking class (Thai Farm Cooking School) together. It was fun and interesting learning how to prepare various Thai dishes like Tom Yum Soup, Pad Thai, Massaman curry and Banana Spring Rolls. We were shown how to crush curry paste with a mortar and pestle with ingredients such as galangal, ginger, lime, chilies, garlic, tamarind, etc. Our instructor, a very short Thai girl, was unfortunately very bitchy that day,especially aimed towards Amber, who I could see had a hard time biting her lip. I had a big grin on my face watching the discreet bitch fight. It was a fun experience although I wouldn't recommend using the same company to anyone wishing to do a cooking course.    

I’ve always been amazed at how many friends I've bump into on random occasions while travelling. I was pleasantly surprised when I bumped into 4 of my climbing friends from Ton Sai: Tim, Juanita, Mike and Sabina. We booked the taxi service at Chang Mai Rock Climbing and went climbing at the Crazy Horse Buttress for a few days - I liked to refer to it as “taming the horse”.  Climbing with these guys was an absolute pleasure made even more special when Tim took me on my first adrenaline rushed multi-pitch. I found that when doing a multi-pitch the ground is A LOT further away although that made the experience even more memorable! After climbing we spent the ¾ hour drive back to town engaging in friendly banter and drinking cold beers which was always a great way to end a hard day’s climbing.

I will remember Chang Mai for all its various markets like the Evening Market, Saturday or Sunday Markets, Wororot Market and the cheap evening Food Market we frequented. I will also remember the cute little cocktail tuk-tuk “truck” parked at night on Ratchapakhinai Road selling cheap drinks. It was nice to sit around the truck on small wooden chairs while chatting to randoms and sipping cocktails. During the day I use to love watching people walk past while sitting in The Funky Monkey biting into one of their delicious falafels. Most of all though, I will remember Chang Mai for the great times I had spent in the company of good friends. 

I found a company in Chang Mai called "aYa" which offers a service where you could drive a motorbike from Chang Mai to Pai while they transported your luggage free of charge! Being a motorbike junky I of course couldn’t resist and booked a 125cc scooter. I decided on a slight detour as Amber wanted to join me to see Doi Suthep (The Temple on the Hill). It was a nice ride snaking up the mountain while taking in the scenery along the way. Doi Suthep offered a nice view over Chang Mai although I found it very touristy so I didn't stick around for too long – it was time to go to Pai! The 1095 road to Pai is very famous due to the 762 turns through the mountains and driving that with my 125cc scooter was an hair raising experience to say the least. Minivan taxis, trucks, pick-ups and cars were either cutting corners or overtaking while on turns, although that seemed to be the norm. I passed a few taxis seeing people hanging out the windows while throwing up being car sick. Also amusing was seeing a road sign advertising a "puke stop" showing a kneeling man throwing up into a toilet. I was glad I opted for the scooter even though I had to constantly dodge the crazy traffic!     

Pai: I heard many positive things from various travellers about the quaint laid-back hippie town and was keen to pay it a visit. Finding a place to stay was difficult at the time as it was a holiday weekend for the Thais which I didn't know about. I also didn't know that Pai was such a popular holiday destination for Thais due to a romantic movie (Pai in Love) which was filmed there. It was amusing watching all the loved-up Thai girls posing at various places while having their pictures taken and it was not just them but also me who fell in love with Pai. The walking street at night was the place to be to see all the art, food, clothing and tea stalls. Hill tribes came down to sell their wares while local musicians played on instruments unknown to me. The “tea dudes”, as I liked to refer to them, sold various flavors of herbal tea in bamboo cups, which were delicious while the pumpkin spring rolls and northern style curry were just as good. The whole place simply had a great/happy vibe and I knew I was most definitely going to spend some time there. At night the bars filled up with people having fun especially Bamboo or Don’t Cry Bar which had bonfires going until the early hours of the morning.

Just like in Ton Sai I quickly found myself in a group of friends mixed with a few familiar faces: Amber, Sheerene, Wut, Brian, Jeff, Alex and Nadin. We found that the best way to explore Pai and surroundings was by hiring a scooter. We visited hot water springs, waterfalls, a lookout points, canyon, WW2 Bridge and elephant camp. At one of the waterfalls it was possible to slide down the slippery rock surface which was great fun! While driving up to the waterfall I noticed a few women running out from their homes and showing me the “V-sign” which I at first couldn't figure out the meaning of. It only later dawned upon me that they were trying to sell me something to smoke. That “something” I later found out to be opium while chatting to another group of travelers who bought some. Our group decided to rather hang out while playing guitar and harmonica for entertainment.

Pai was also a great place to do nothing at all. A good place for that was at a spa with swimming pool and sun loungers overlooking a small river and countryside. On a visit there I nodded off in the sun with a fruit shake while Amber had an open air massage. Another nice place to hang out at was a swimming pool called Fusion which had more of a party vibe. It is funny how party music makes you want to consume alcohol – which we did of course! Saraawut our talented Bangkok Thai artist, showed us his skills by drawing tattoos: for me, a big Chinese Dragon on my back and chest while Brian got a skeleton on his forehead. That night we continued our party at the Bamboo Bar after visiting the pool and paid for it dearly the next day - all in all good times! 

On a few occasions we lit lanterns as per the Thai tradition. I don’t know why but there is something magical about doing so and seeing it float off while getting smaller and smaller, leaving behind awed faces. We set a few off while at the Pai Arts Festival, which in itself was a very interesting experience. The local hippies and artists played live music, sold food and performed fire shows while for the main event they had a funny looking brightly coloured bamboo structure on show.  The artists participating in the art show were dressed in boiler suits while walking around muttering words and spraying water. It was a very bizarre show which didn’t make any sense whatsoever. Maybe that was meant to be part of the art? Who knows? Luckily for us the music started again and with that the party.

My last view days in Pai I stayed in a hostel called Spicy Pai which was famous with fellow backpackers due to having a large communal area for either chilling out or laying in hammocks while overlooking the surrounding rice fields. They also offered barbecues on some evenings or day tours which made it an even more inviting place to stay. Needless to say I had a great time in Pai and would class it as my 2^nd favorite place in Thailand, after Ton Sai. Having good friends around made all the difference! Even so it was time for me to leave as I really wanted to see the remote northern parts of Thailand. To do so I decided to hire a big motorbike although, unfortunately at the time, none of the rental companies had any. That left me with yet another 125cc scooter and soon to follow, very numb bum. It was time to say good and travel north.

Chang Rai: Ever since seeing a picture of the White Temple I was determined to go. Yet again I had to brave the 762 crazy turns between Pai and Chang Mai and swung a left up the 107 road towards Chiang Dao. At Ping Khong I turned right on the 1150 which was a good detour as the scenery lived up to expectations. Going up the mountain I was amazed at just how green everything seemed to be - sometimes it almost seemed surreal! Even though getting struck by a few juicy bugs in my face, I just loved leaning into the corners while feeling the wind in my face. On the top of the mountain I was stopped by the police checkpoint. Not sure what to expect I felt slightly nervous although there was no need to be. They were very friendly and insisted on having their photo taken with me. They also told me that I was the 1^st South African there in five years! 

The White Temple was located about 16km's outside of Chang Rai and I made it there with only a few minutes to spare. The temple closed at 5pm and I had to rush through franticly snapping away with a guard behind egging us on. The random art was bizarre with heads hanging from trees, hundreds of outstretched hands (as if in agony), warped sculls and a Predator statue left me scratching my head! That night I stayed in a Rasta themed hostel (only because it was cheap) and went to listen to live bands playing in one of the pubs. After they played the 5^th consecutive whining Bob Marley song I had enough and left. While in Ton Sai they played Bob Marley 24 hrs, 24/7 and I've reached my Reggae threshold long ago. At least the lit up clock tower in the centre of Chang Rai was a pretty sight while I was having dinner.

 I left early the next morning clothed in all everything I had and still shaking like a dog sh*tting razorblades. It was freezing cold and I was happy to reach a very deserted Black Temple. I never knew the temple only opened at 9am and I found myself walking alone photographing all the eerie buildings and art on display. As it was early the sun was casting long rays through the fog giving the place a creepy atmosphere, especially with all the skulls and bones around. There was a very funny energy about the place and I was slightly relieved to leave after taking many pictures. Travelling north after that I saw a sign for a Karen Village aka "Long Necks"and as I've always wanted to take a few pictures of them decided to go. Previously I declined visiting a similar village near Chang Mai as to me it felt almost like visiting a “human zoo”.   

While walking around I could see that the whole village was set up for tourism with the women weaving and selling various souvenirs. I took the photos I wanted but also supported them as best I could by buying a scarf and various other souvenirs. There is something just not right about having to pay a cover charge to enter a village but then again, none of them are not forced to be there. Most tourists would probably not pay anything while visiting a “normal” village and still take photos. Debating whether it was right or wrong I I took off again towards Mae Chan and turned left on the 1089. I passed Fang and swung right on the 1249 just after Mae Sun and as it was 14:00 decided to stop for lunch in an unknown village. There was another foreigner having lunch with his Thai girlfriend who warned me NOT to continue. A friend of his warned saying that the 1340 road skirting Burma was dangerous due to high-jackings. While chewing my food and also what he told me I decided to continue anyway as stories have a tenancy to grow over time.   

The 1340 was one of the most scenic roads I ever rode on and my poor little 125cc scooter was moving at a snails pace while struggled up the steep mountain slopes. Reaching the top I rode along a ridge flanked on either side by deep valleys. Lush green forest covered the mountain slopes and I found myself smiling the whole journey! It was a beautiful journey and I was having a good time! My original plan to travel anti-clockwise around the 1178 and down a dirt road back to Pai was aborted when I discovered the condition of the dirt road. I had no choice but to cut my losses, turn back and ride down the 107. For the 3rd time I had to yet again do the crazy 762 turns along the 1195 back to Pai. Due to the small wheels on the scooter I could feel every bump on the road and suffered from a very sore ass. I had to stop every 50kms or so for a “bum break” before heading off again! Something I noticed while driving along was how many Thais wanted to race me. It was usually the same scenario: I'd overtake a vehicle only to find them then suddenly speeding up and tailing me. On the straights and down-hills I left them behind but as soon as I hit uphill my litter scooter would slow right down. It was on those occasions I was wishing for a bigger bike!

I managed to cover over 700km’s in two days driving on my small scooter and even though I was left with a numb bum I found it a great experience. It just showed, you don’t always need a big bike to travel the north of Thailand especially as the scooter cost way cheaper. While back in Pai I had two options: either head to Laos or back down to Ton Sai to meet up with my friends. I made a last minute decision and chose the latter which meant doing the 762 crazy turns yet again for the 4th time! Reaching Chang Mai’s Immigration Office I managed to get another month on my visa after which I returned my trusty scooter back at aYa. From there it took two buses, three taxis, a long tail boat and many hours before I finally reached Ton Sai. Welcoming me were many surprised but smiling faces which made my strenuous journey all worthwhile - it felt like being back home! 

Ton Sai: I found that very little changed in Ton Sai while I was gone. Bob Marley was still being played at all the bars 24/7 by the tattooed, dread-locked Rasta wanna-be locals. With Christmas nearing there were loads more people and it was difficult finding a place to stay. I was lucky to have met a guy called Sander in a bar who told me he had a spare bed in his cabin. Very soon I fell back into my old Ton Sai routine: eating muesli for breakfast at Chicken Mamas, sipping Chai tea at the Backyard Bar, chilling at Sunset Bar and climbing one of the many routes on offer. The monkeys (red eyed gibbons I was later told) still “wooped” during the days while the grey monkey got cheeky and started stealing food from Chicken Mama. It was very funny watching her shoot the monkeys with a catapult when they tried their luck. If only her aim was as good as her food there would have been much less monkey theft taking place...Randomly I noticed that the cat and monkey population rocketed since I was there last, as well as the numbers of flip flops along the “flip flop graveyard” (Monkey Trail between Ton Sai and Railey). It was a fairly steep path that claimed the lives of many people's shoes.

Climbing and socializing was still a constant while in Ton Sai and soon we were hanging out in a big group of friends. It was for that exact reason why I loved Ton Sai so much! You could either climb or chill out during the day while socializing in the evening. That was usually done with a cold beer in hand while watching the sun set over the ocean and I was glad I chose Ton Sai to spend my Christmas and New Years! I realised just what a small world it was when I randomly bumped into an ex girlfriend of mine just before Christmas! The New Years party was great fun with most having a great time either dancing on the beach or in one of the many bars. The next day we experienced a heavy torrential downpour which continued to hammer down for a long time causing the whole middle section of my bungalow to get wet due to a leaky roof. I found a small “river” running underneath my cabin and when the rain finally stopped I discovered that large chunks of the beach were washed away. Ton Sai looked a whole lot different from the day before! Luckily nobody drowned although climbing was treacherous due to the wet rock which caused one guy to slip and crack his head on a rock! Even so climbing continued with everyday life falling back into the normal rhythm soon enough.

Other than the rock climbing and socializing I will remember Ton Sai for many other things. First of all I'm forever grateful to Steve who introduced me to rock climbing and for Aimee playing photographer. I will also remember Lek for grinding coffee beans with a mortar and pestle while I was hanging out in the Chillout Coffee Bar. Not to be forgotten were the many pot smoking, dread-locked, tattooed locals playing Bob Marley 24/7. There was Dum-Dum the dog chilling on the beach every day while Pon the guide practised playing guitar (Bob Marley songs of course). Also, Amber with her huge smile and Texas “hey yawl!” and Will who supplied constant, random and highly amusing entertainment. I will most definitely not forget my adrenaline rushed multi-pitch when Dave took me up the famous “Huminality” or Deanna having her daily Oreo shake! Not to be forgotten also was Helen for her great sense of humor and deep love for children (sarcasm). I will most certainly not forget Tim for climbing the Groove Tube 26 times on his 26th birthday or little Juanita with her not so little smile.

There were many passionate climbers although I will remember Oso, the Leonidas (Movie “300”) lookalike for his passion for climbing and Silas being super laid back and always missing his girlfriend – aww. I also won’t forget Maria with her friendly smile enthusiastically calling customers to the Small World Bar. There was also Toffee from the Sunset Bar for saying "are you sure" every time I ordered a drink while my stomach will most certainly remember Chicken Mama's food! Also, Sheerene for been a beautiful person both inside an out and last but certainly not least, Charlotte. Not only did she become my trusted climbing buddy, she also became a much loved friend. I will remember her for being one of the nicest people I've ever met in my entire life. There were too many other friends to write about although I will have many lasting and fond memories. I trusted these friends with my life while climbing and inevitably strong bonds were formed. I have a feeling that Ton Sai will see me again in future…

Thailand - Part 1

Thailand – Part 1:

Bangkok: ­I arrived in Bangkok not sure what to expect due to the flood warning at the time. The local news broadcasted that the river could burst its banks at any time and flood the whole city while travelers were advised to either stay away or evacuate. The flood warning became reality when I woke up the next morning after my red-eye from Vancouver to discover the street in front of my previous dry hotel ankle deep in water! I had no choice other than to wade through the filthy water to reach the touristy area of Khao San Road, which was at least dry. Carrying a large SLR camera around my neck was almost like displaying a large flashing luminous sign stating “Tourist! Get his money!” It wasn’t long before I got bombarded with a plethora of voices (amusing at first, but soon annoying): What your name? Where you from? How old are you? What your job? How much you make? Taxi, tuk-tuk, suit, bus ticket, pad thai, tattoo, etc, etc. Even so, I couldn’t help but being swept away with the high energy of the city while taking in the smells wafting from the food stalls and buying clothing from the cheap street stalls where bartering was always required!

At first I was not sure what to expect in terms of safety but I was pleasantly surprised that it didn’t take me long to let my guard down, compared to South America where I always found myself looking over my shoulder. I found the Thai people extremely friendly and I quickly fell in love with their country. My very short time in Bangkok was spent sightseeing, visiting temples or sipping a cold Chang while eating street food and watching the orange robed monks or pink taxis go by. Bangkok was indeed a cacophony of organized chaos blending with exotic smells. In my hotel room I found that I could bounce a coin on my rock hard bed, while also discovering that the random hose (aka bum gun) next to my toilet was meant for spray blasting your nether regions after using the toilet. This proved to sometimes be a little painful depending on water pressure.  Intriguing also was seeing all the song birds throughout the city in wooden cages. Apparently they sometimes get used for betting purposes. Thai locals would whistle to the birds egging them on to sing. The bird singing the loudest and prettiest would be the winner.

Walking through the streets I saw many men with eyeglasses inspecting what looked like gems. I never discovered what they were or how they were traded. It was just another of the many weird and wonderful things I experienced while taking in the scenery. Seeing all the golden temples I found myself wondering who would win a “bling” competition if ever held between a Catholic Church or a Thai temple. Very apparent in Thailand also was how much the people loved their king. It didn’t matter how remote I was while in Thailand, there was always a poster of the king on display!  Just as popular were the praying shrines found in caves, mountain passes, hiking trails and many other random places.  

My decision to leave Bangkok came when I went on a boat cruise down the flooded canals and seeing firsthand how the raging water strained against the sand bags. It was my second day in the city and the water in front of my hotel rose from ankle to knee deep! With the large presence of a nervous army I realized that things were looking bleak and time to move on. I joined the mass exodus of tourists fleeing the city by booking a bus that same evening leaving for dry weather on the islands to the south.

Koh Tao: I was herded into a very cramped night bus leaving from Khao San Road going south. I neither had much legroom nor sleep as the obese girl next to me snored and farted in her sleep. In Chumphon I waited for another 4 hours before finally boarding a ferry to Koh Tao. My first impression of the island was good: white sand with palm trees; hot sun; and turquoise waters on which bobbed either fishing  or iconic long boats decorated with colorful “flags” tied around the stern. It felt like I was entering paradise! I found a cheap room at a hotel called “Mr J”, a monk who fancied himself as a bit of a comedian. Only, he was the only person understanding his jokes posted on the walls or displayed on cards throughout his shop. Again, my bed was rock hard and I discovered that I also had a cold shower and a bucket flush toilet. 

Koh Tao is all about scuba diving, which was apparent due to all the dive shops throughout the island. As I’ve done my open water 1 and am more of a free diver I spent my time cruising the island on a scooter. The roads on the east side were fairly bad in certain sections. I was cursing and swearing having to push my scooter for 4km’s to have a tire fixed. I did realize that it could have been much worse while sitting at the mechanic shop eating a piece of roast chicken and watching a girl being lifted on a scooter, her leg all cut and bloody from a fall.   

One day, while sampling a snake fruit for the first time, I was told about the “High Bar” which I felt compelled to visit. It was called that for various reasons and could be a recipe for disasters. First of all, it was high up a very steep hill and had a large supply of various mind altering substances. I could only guess how many scooters and riders got wrecked after indulging in various chemicals at the bar and then attempting the steep ride back. I decided to stick to a few beers while sweating through a curry made extra spicy upon my request. Note to self: be careful to ask a Thai chef for extra spicy (pet maak) food! The next day I booked a boat cruise around the island which stopped at various spots for snorkelling.

 It didn’t take me long to turn the color of a boiled lobster after swimming with no sunscreen trying to get a base tan for the future. The snorkeling was fun and it was nice to see all the colorful tropical fish darting about. Unfortunately, the sea that day was rough and the large swell turned a few faces green. It was requested by a few that we go to the Nang Yuan Island where footing was more stable. While chilling out with a cold beer I befriended a honeymoon couple who was on the same boat as I. We decided to meet up for sunset beers after. Sunset on the Southern Thai islands were one of my favorite past times as it was the time when one could lie on a comfy pillow on the beach while sipping a cold beer and take photos of the beautiful sunset – life was good.

Koh Phangan: My boat from Koh Tao was accompanied with a chorus of retching people who wasn’t particularly partial to the large swell of the sea. Terra firma was a great relief from the sour aura in the cabin and I soon found myself booked into a seaside bungalow in a remote place called Silvery Sands. My stay there didn’t last long due to suspicious circumstances. I was invited to dinner with three Thai people: one an overly camp gay guy, his friend, and a single girl. Dinner was great although I started getting suspicious when the flirting started (from all three parties) fueled by a constant supply of vodka slammers. Using tiredness as an excuse I made my escape the next morning with my newly hired scooter to Coral Bungalows, home of the infamous pool parties.  

That evening I was contacted by the ‘honeymoon couple’ from Koh Tao for drinks. They were staying in a very posh and remote area of the island, but were very bored with their surroundings. I was happy enough to show them the drinking establishments around Haad Rin in which we participated with gusto. An alcohol induced hunger resulted in me lifting the two of them on the back of my scooter to a restaurant where eating and drinking resumed. As it was getting late in the evening taxi’s were getting scarce and, as their place was very remote, getting back could have been a problem. At the time I had a large room with single and double bed which I kindly offered for sharing in the case of no taxis. Unfortunately for me, as this would have made a great story, the honeymoon couple managed to find a taxi - I never got to gatecrash a honeymoon.

A girl I met at the Half Moon Party couldn’t have said it better: “This place is out of control!” Yes, it is true. Koh Phanang is a party island known for the full, half, black, quarter, new and no or any moon parties which attract sober (not for long) people from all over the world. These people then over indulge in alcohol and/or weed and/or mushroom shakes – many then obtaining either tattoos or injuries from falling off scooters or burns from the fire rope jump. I escaped the injuries and tattoos although not the buckets of alcohol which had me partying just like the rest. My intention of only staying for a few days turned into two weeks after meeting up with a nice group of friends. There are actually quite a few things to do while on the island if it is possible to tear yourself away from the sun lounger. While experiencing a few rare bursts of energy we took scooters up to the north side of the island for snorkeling and rope swinging at the Lake Hut. Other than that, most of the time we simply just lazed in the sun next to the swimming pool.

I stayed long enough on the island to experience both the half and full moon parties which, even though commercial, were lots of fun. These usually start with a few drinks before the time while listening to music and getting decorated with a multitude of neon graffiti. Then off to the beach armed with buckets of strong liquor to find a stage to dance on. It didn’t take me long to lose all of my friends, although that didn’t matter as so did everyone else. I find drunken people very entertaining and couldn’t help but laugh at the antics of many. People passed out on the sand while couples having sex in the sea were a common occurrence although I was stunned when a girl lifted her dress and peed, just like a man, in the urinal next to me - anything goes at the moon parties!

I will remember Koh Phangang for my almost daily luminous pink fruit shake made from pineapple, mango and purple dragon fruit. Also the revolving fly swatters used by the street vendors to keep the flies away and the crazy fire shows on the beach at night. Unfortunately, I also learnt that there was a darker side to Koh Phangang. During the moon parties the locals would break into cabins and steal wallets, passports and other valuable items. Bungalows at the same place where I was staying got broken into and I was lucky not to have had anything stolen. Then there was also the “scratch scam” which happened to a few people. The motorbike rental places would rent you a scooter and upon returning demand money for a “new scratch” even though it was an existing one. As they have your passport they can be very persistent and bully you for money. Some companies are even more proactive and will search for one of their scooters and damage it themselves. Yet again I was lucky and didn’t have a bad experience, although I was glad to finally leave the island to detox and rock climb in Ton Sai.     

Ton Sai: I met an Australian couple Steve and Amiee while taking the boat from Ao Nang to Ton Sai. Steve reminded me of a cartoon character with his jaw dropping all the way to the ground as he stared at the rock formations while entering Ton Sai bay. Being an extremely passionate rock climber he had an expression somewhere between having an orgasm and euphoria and I couldn’t help but laugh at him. We found cheap accommodation for 150 Baht at the Jungle Huts which had a double bed with mosquito net and your own toilet, with cold shower, bucket flush toilet and bum gun. I found it amusing that the climbers in Ton Sai were referred to as “white monkeys” as they shared the island with 3 other types. Even though rustic and sometimes downright dirty I quickly fell in love with Ton Sai. The climbing community was very laid back and quick to smile due to all the feel good endorphins built up from excessive rock climbing during the day. I also noted that people in Ton Sai wore very little clothing with board shorts only being the norm for guys. If I was a movie director looking for extras in a mid-evil war movie requiring guys with ripped muscles then Ton Sai would be my first place to look. Most climbers have abs that you can crack a coconut on!

Steve came to me the next day with an offer: I wanted to climb and he needed money. He would teach me how to climb for less than half of what the climbing companies charged, which was an offer I couldn't decline! I managed to buy a pair of climbing shoes from one of the old timers, Bob, and soon was standing next to Steve learning all about the various knots, safety, gear, climbing techniques and terminologies. I couldn't have asked for a better teacher as Steve was very knowledgeable, patient and most of all very passionate about what he did - it was a pleasure climbing with him! It’s not always easy to exercise while travelling and I was very unfit while grunting and sweating my way up the slippery rock. As a beginner climber I used my arms too much and by the end I was shaking with fatigue, although loving every minute and even managed to climb a 6A+ on my very first day! I was hooked. Steve, thanks for all your help and support! Maybe he was a deity, as he looked just like Jesus with his long hair and having the biggest appetite I've ever seen! Back in the day he would have eaten the two fish and five loafs of bread all by himself.

It was easy to make friends in Ton Sai. I bombarded the experienced ones with questions regarding rock climbing which they were happy to answer. In general I found the climbing community very friendly, down to earth and extremely helpful, and one I wanted to be a part of. During the evenings and our days off we could either relax at one of the bars or eat at one of the many restaurants. My favorite was Chicken Mamas who served curries like Massaman, Red, Green, Coconut and Paneng or other Thai favorites like Pad Thai or fried rice. Also very tasty were the fruit shakes and coffee from “Lek” at the Chillout Coffee Bar who crushed his coffee beans in a mortar and pestle! Some days I spent doing absolutely nothing at all while swaying in a hammock or reading a book, every now and then looking up to admire the beautiful lime scale rock formations towering above me.

All too soon terms like take, on-belay, off-belay, secure, take tight, slack, pinchers, crimps, cracks, finger pockets, jugs, stemming, under-cling, side pulls, multi-pitch, rope drag, quick draws, slings, ATC etc. became familiar as I sweated my way up mountains not meant for humans. One day I also joined a group of friends Deep Water Soloing. This involved free climbing up a vertical rock face jutting out from the sea and simply falling in the water if we made a mistake. It was great fun and also a very long way down to jump when reaching the top! There was also time to snorkel and then watch the sunset and large fox bats flying over the island. All and all a great day out! There were also a few random things in Ton Sai like a pet goat, a pet monkey and a small stall with large wooden penises selling booze. Entering shops or bars you had to kick off your shoes while joints or mushroom shakes could be bought over the bar counter. I loved Ton Sai! It was super laid back with good food, cold beer, hot weather and most of all, friendly people. No wonder I picked Ton Sai as my number 1 favorite place in Thailand. I had a feeling that I might just go back at some point.

Kho Phi Phi: I knew Phi Phi was going to be fairly touristy so decided to stay for only one night. The boat ride from Ton Sai to Phi Phi was nice while lying on the deck sunbathing and watching the small islands go by. After staying in Ton Sai for such a long time I found it strange seeing people actually wearing shirts, as in Ton Sai pretty much all the guys wear board shorts only. Phi Phi was indeed a beautiful island, although it just had too many people and shops selling junk. I hiked up to the viewpoint to watch the sunset and from there walked the main beach to watch one of the many fire shows. The next day I took off again for Phukhet.  

Phukhet: I only stayed in Phukhet because of a flight to Chang Mai and absolutely hated the place. Every 10 meters I was physically stopped by women screeching “maaasssaaagggeee!” even though politely declining. Then came the prostitutes and street vendors, many very aggressive in trying to sell you stuff (or services) and not taking “no thank you” for an answer. Walking down the main beach and seeing the foreign “clientele” made me realize why Patong was such a dump. It is demand. No thanks, not for me – I couldn’t wait to leave...