Another few days just relaxing on a beach. We changed locations from our splurge hotel and went back to reality, at bungalow accommodation right on the beach.
By the way, Mom, thanks for all of the 'sounds like that go bump in the night' tent checks we did in Girl Scouts. When we were growing up, every year, twice a year, we'd go camping with the Girl Scouts. And, ever year, twice a year, one of us (who we all know, but shall remain nameless), spooked at every night time sound. As such, every year, twice a year, my Mom would walk around the perma tent, doing her best to imitate squirrels, wind, falling acorns, etc. That's how I felt when I started to hear all of the unfamiliar Thai forest creatures! I'm guessing we just were hearing toads and geckos, but how would I know? It only kept me up a little bit.......
This beach had great snorkeling, but not nearly as good as it was in Indonesia. Indo spoiled us too soon in our journey! I only wish the actual beach at this place was better! Coral makes for great snorkeling but for painful beaches.
Our island timing is unfortunate! We don't feel like we've really experienced Thai beaches because, as its monsoon season, all of the islands on the Andaman sea are closed! We also are racing monsoon across all of Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, so we can't even just chill on a beach on the mainland. Plus, this island is suppose to be one of the cheapest places in the world to learn how to scuba dive, which we were seriously considering; however, Pallavi's cold made the decision for us to not learn how to dive... next time diving school... next time......
Hopefully we'll be able to do a bit more beach life in Cambodia.
We decided to leave Koh Tao and head over to Bangkok. It's a mostly straightforward journey. Ferry to the train station and then take an overnight train to Bangkok. Except when, in order to get to your platform, you have to cross through the train standing in front of you!
All of the foreigners waiting for our train had the same look of shock when the answer to our question, how do we get to platform 2, was a pointed arm at the open door of the train standing in front of us. I have never seen people move their luggage so quickly as we did through that train. I did too! Man, those 15 kg bags moved up the stairs and down the stairs almost by themselves! I did NOT want to be the one stuck in some bad movie montage with one bag down on platform 2 and another bag to go when the train we were crossing through started to move. (Pallavi apparently thought, eh, this train goes to Bangkok too, worse case). I may be dramatic, but I am not made for drama!
Overnight train done, bring it on Bangkok.
By the way, Mom, thanks for all of the 'sounds like that go bump in the night' tent checks we did in Girl Scouts. When we were growing up, every year, twice a year, we'd go camping with the Girl Scouts. And, ever year, twice a year, one of us (who we all know, but shall remain nameless), spooked at every night time sound. As such, every year, twice a year, my Mom would walk around the perma tent, doing her best to imitate squirrels, wind, falling acorns, etc. That's how I felt when I started to hear all of the unfamiliar Thai forest creatures! I'm guessing we just were hearing toads and geckos, but how would I know? It only kept me up a little bit.......
This beach had great snorkeling, but not nearly as good as it was in Indonesia. Indo spoiled us too soon in our journey! I only wish the actual beach at this place was better! Coral makes for great snorkeling but for painful beaches.
Our island timing is unfortunate! We don't feel like we've really experienced Thai beaches because, as its monsoon season, all of the islands on the Andaman sea are closed! We also are racing monsoon across all of Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, so we can't even just chill on a beach on the mainland. Plus, this island is suppose to be one of the cheapest places in the world to learn how to scuba dive, which we were seriously considering; however, Pallavi's cold made the decision for us to not learn how to dive... next time diving school... next time......
Hopefully we'll be able to do a bit more beach life in Cambodia.
We decided to leave Koh Tao and head over to Bangkok. It's a mostly straightforward journey. Ferry to the train station and then take an overnight train to Bangkok. Except when, in order to get to your platform, you have to cross through the train standing in front of you!
All of the foreigners waiting for our train had the same look of shock when the answer to our question, how do we get to platform 2, was a pointed arm at the open door of the train standing in front of us. I have never seen people move their luggage so quickly as we did through that train. I did too! Man, those 15 kg bags moved up the stairs and down the stairs almost by themselves! I did NOT want to be the one stuck in some bad movie montage with one bag down on platform 2 and another bag to go when the train we were crossing through started to move. (Pallavi apparently thought, eh, this train goes to Bangkok too, worse case). I may be dramatic, but I am not made for drama!
Overnight train done, bring it on Bangkok.
