As I said, on the 28th of December I had decided to move on from Krabi. I spent that day and the next morning dealing with Thomas Cook and the police but still managed to move on on the morning of the 29th. I had at first wanted to spend New Years on Ko Lanta but since this seems to be the most expensive time of the year in Thailand it was virtually impossible to find anything in my price range. A room I had shared with Melissa and Mandy at the Lanta Paradise for 300 baht had now gone up to 1800 baht. My budget was at 200 baht a night for a room so that put Lanta out of the question. I found a shitty, ugly little place with a shared bathroom on Pee Pee for 350 baht. I was about to give up actually and just stay in Krabi when the Chan-Cha-Ladies told me that the sister of one of them owned and ran a resort on the island of Ko Jum and that I could have a nice little bungalow with my own bathroom for 200 baht a night. Well that was exactly what I was looking for. At 10:30 am on the 29th I was on my way. The island is one I've passed by many time before. It's the same passenger (no car) ferry that you take down to Lanta, only about half way there the boat stops and long tail boats that come out from the island pull along side and those going to Ko Pu and Ko Jum off load before the big boat moves on again. Well the resort, The New Bungalow, was a little rustic but it was exactly what I was looking for. There were even a couple of tree houses that could be rented. The restaurant and common area was big and nice. The ladies, although the english was none too good, were very nice and lots of fun. The food was pretty good and there was one dish in particular called a hot plate that they only really do on the islands in the open air restaurants. The food is brought out steaming and bubbling on a cast iron skillet. Tons of smoke and a sight to see. It seems everyone that comes to the island has to try it at least once. Anyway, my bungalow was near the back so it was nice and peaceful. The first thing I did was set up my hammock and break out what little weed I had left. My first day was peaceful and very relaxing. The power at the resort and on the island comes from generators and so was only on from 6pm until about 11-12pm. I did nothing at all on my first day, just sat around, smoked and read my book in my hammock. Well I passed out from the weed and you know how sometimes you fall asleep in a weird place and you wake up and it takes a minute to realize where you are. Well this happened to me and it’s one of those times when I really realized where I was and what kind of an adventure I was on. I love that feeling. I had decided to leave my Laptop in Krabi at the Chan-Cha-Lay for fear that it could get stolen or knowing me get sand all in it. I slept in, of course, my first morning there and wandered down to the restaurant around 10am. That day the morning boat came in around 11:30am. This became somewhat of a ritual, watching the incoming boats to see who was coming in on the morning boat and then again in the afternoon. On the afternoon of the day I had arrived, a guy named Eric had also come in. He was from the US and turned out to be a pretty cool guy. We hit it off and were soon joined by a guy named Chris from Germany. Chris had been there for some time already. The three of us hung out and basically did fuck all. Eric bought a bag of weed the day he came in and since we all smoked that’s what we did. Eric had gotten one of the tree houses when he arrived but on his first night he found out that there were rats up there with him. They had gotten into and eaten about half of his pot. Not a small amount as it turned out. Must have been some pretty stoned rats that night and as a matter of fact they must have liked the stone because Erics second night the rats got into more of his things. They even chewing on something that was up near his head which he didn’t even hear. The ladies at the New Bungalow decided to give Eric a bigger bungalow with a bathroom for the same price he was paying for the tree house. On the 30th during the afternoon, the three of us all went next door to the Joy had a couple of beers and bought a bag of weed each from the bartender. Probably the easiest deal we could have done. A 500 baht bag each for us and a 300 baht bag for one of the Thai guys who worked at our resort. As New Years eve was rapidly approaching, Eric and I were trying to figure out what to do. Chris had to go into Krabi to see his girlfriend for a couple of nights before she headed home so it was just the two of us. The resort next to us was bigger and their common area/restaurant had a bar so we had tentatively agreed to party there. Since the day I had arrived, the lady who ran the New Bungalow kept asking me if I was going to do New Years there, pushing their dinner and party on me. Even though I have no obligation to do so it always feel a little traitorous going somewhere else to eat or drink. We eventually decided that we would stay at our resort to have dinner and drinks and then head next door for the turning of the hour. As the night started, there were tables and chairs set out on the beach, and a buffet style dinner with great food, free (alcoholic) punch and fresh fruit to eat. We could have as much as we wanted for 200 baht. There was also beer and booze to buy of course. Music was playing, a bonfire was lit and we all ate and drank as we pleased. We were having such a great time that we didn't even go next door. As it turned out it sounded like we had the best New Years party we heard about. For one thing we were the only resort of the island where every guest was given a traditional hot air balloon and a little gift. At midnight a huge string of firecrackers, 2000 in all, was lit and a few big fireworks. Then we all lit these torch like sticks on the bottoms of our balloons and they all started to fill with hot air and sail into the sky. About 40 big balloons sailing out over the ocean into the dark stary night. It was very impressive. We had a great night drinking and talking. The bungalow beside ours, The Joy Bungalow, had a lot of people but they all just kind of sat around in little groups doing their own thing. Since our resort was smaller it was a little closer knit and people did more talking. People stayed up until well after midnight and then slowly drifted off to bed. Eventually it was just Eric and I and about 4 Thai guys left on the beach sitting around the fire, finishing our beers and smoking one last joint. The Thai guys headed off somewhere and it was just Eric and I left. Out of nowhere came a Japanese girl we had met the day before at the Joy while we were having a beer and grabbing out pot. She joined us and after about 15 minutes Eric decided it was time to leave us be and head for bed. The girls name was Midori and we hit it off really well, we stayed up most of the night talking. For the next few days we hung out and had lots of fun but unfortunately she had to leave for Rangoon, Myanmar and was gone before we really got a chance to get to know each other. Our little group had grown a bit and it was now Eric(29), Chris(39), Anna(29), her very active but much loved, 7 year old daughter Ninty, Sam(30) and his girlfriend Tanya(23) and I. There was also an older lady there, Angela(50?), who would also sit with us for dinner. She used a wheelchair and walking sticks to get around though so was mostly just there for dinner and sitting on the beach. She was a very nice lady. Besides Eric and I the rest of the group was German. For the first time I think the both of us felt like minorities. Lots of German spoken and lots of blank looks from Eric and I but we all got along great and if there was anything important it would be translated for us. It was really only Anna and Ninty who had some trouble with English anyway. Basically we all did nothing but hang out and smoke and swim from day to day. The only thing we all had on our agendas was volleyball everyday at 5pm. There were lots of people who played with us... Nick, Jon, Remy, the cool Thai guy Kim who drove the longtail boat and anyone else who came and went from our resort. It was funny because if any of us ever had anything else to do besides volleyball we would joke that our agendas were getting too full and it was time to slow down. It was just a great place to relax and do nothing. Chris had ended up in the big tree house when he got back from Krabi and that was where the group of us would end up after volleyball to watch the sunset and smoke a joint. In the way of food I had taken to carrying some instant Mama noodles with me to help save some money. Usually I can get free water where ever I am but at the New Bungalow they were charging me 30 baht for hot water. I was a little pissed since it was only 40 baht to buy soup off the menu. Anyway I decided to make my instant noodles anyway since I liked them. What I didn’t realize was that all the cooks in the kitchen were Muslim and the only flavor noodles I had were pork which Muslim people don’t touch. After about my 4th time making noodles they finally asked me if I could bring another flavor which I didn’t have. What it came down to was me sitting at my bungalow eating dry noodles to try and save money. Time would sometimes go slow on the island and sometimes fast. Unfortunately on the 7th of January, Eric had to leave to meet his girlfriend in Bangkok but be vowed to bring her back to the Island if he could. The group of us all boarded the longtail to see Eric off to the ferry and that became sort of a tradition. I told Chris I was going to tell you guys this story. On the way out to the ferry Chris climbed up on the bow of the boat to enjoy the ride. He had his knees pulled up and unknown to him his whole package was showing and we all knew it but him. No one wanted to say anything so we all kinda looked the other way and laughed about it. Eric and I were like… " You tell him." "No you tell him." Anyway, no one told him until later that night when we were stoned and having some drinks and laughing our asses off about it. He became knows as "Two Balls" for a couple of days and when we climbed the ladder up to the tree house we would make him stand back from the trap door just in case. On the 8th, Sam and Tanya left and then on the 9th it was Anna, Ninty and Angela. Ninty had made friends with a little German girl, Sarah, down the beach and with everyone at the New Bungalow and so she was very sad to be leaving. Since we were going to go to the ferry with them to see them off Chris and I decided to surprise her by getting on the ferry with them and seeing them into Krabi. Chris had to do email and I had to check email and grab some more money so it was all for the good. Ninty was such a sweet girl. She was sad and crying but then very happy and surprised when Chris and I followed them onto the ferry. We helped Angela onto and off of the ferry and then the five of us made our way to the Chan-Cha-Lay. There we had lunch and the ladies waited to catch their respective busses while Chris and I did email. After some final little girl tears Anna and Ninty left us. Ninty just quickly and very easily makes fast friends with everyone so it was hard on her. Our whole resort basically looked after her. One of her few English phrases was a pleading "Frisbee please!!" Well they were gone and at 1:30pm we left Angela at the Chan-Cha-Lay to catch the last ferry to the island. Finally it was just Chris and I left. We just lazed around and did not much of anything. We went next door to drink one night, since they had an actual bar, and we met a couple of Californians Ivan and Sage. They turned out to be pretty cool and also, as it seems everyone does nowadays, they also smoked a little ganja. We didn't do much for the next couple of days but relaxed, played our scheduled volleyball and that was about it. On the day I got to the island I had paid in advance up until the 12th of January. By now I had fallen in love with this place but all along I told myself I was going to leave on the 13th so I stuck to my plan. On the night of the 11th there was a band called "Job to Do" playing next door at the Joy bar so Chris, Jon and I decided to join Ivan and Sage and party for one last night. The music was pretty good and everyone was dancing and Chris and I shared three bottles of Sang Som whisky. We got pretty drunk and at some point Chris wandered off to bed. Jon and I stayed up until 3am smoking week and then we were off to bed as well. The next day, happily without a hangover, I got up, late had some breakfast and then went back to my bungalow to pack my bags. Surprisingly when I finally wandered back down to the restaurant on the afternoon of the 12th Eric had shown back up on the island with his girlfriend Jen. Pretty girl as he said and very nice. Well with the two of them showing back up it was even harder to leave. That afternoon we all just hung out and by 5pm got together and played one last game of volleyball. It was really good actually. We usually play best of three and the last game of the day ended with our win at 16 - 14. Afterwards we sat on the beach, watched the sunset and then went to get ready for dinner. Eric, Jen, Chris, Jon, Nick and myself all had a nice dinner and then most of us shared one last bottle of whisky. Eric and Jen had an early night since they were up traveling since 8am, Nick usually goes to bed early so he was off and then Chris, Jon and myself rolled up one last fat one and headed for the beach. We smoked under the many beautiful stars, talked for a bit and then we headed off for bed ourselves. At first I was going to leave on the 8am boat on the 13th but with the return of Eric and after the whisky and pot I changed my mind and decided on the 2pm boat. We all had breakfast around 10am and then just sat around chatting and waiting for the boat to come. The time came and after many goodbyes and following tradition, Chris and Eric boarded the longtail to see me off to the ferry. As we always did, people come out to wave and see me off. About half a dozen were on shore waving and Chris and Eric in the boat. Very nice. After 16 days I had become, besides Chris, the senior tenant in our group at the resort. I left them with a vow that I would try to get my Buddy Viz and his brother Ty too follow me back to the island on the 24th. I know Chris will still be there and maybe Eric and Jen too. I watched the island fade away and one more chapter in the adventure was over.
I didn't do very much in Krabi. Ivan and Sage ended up leaving the island the same day as me and a fellow Remy, from my resort, left the day before. I had spread the word to the three about the 89 restaurant and we all met up there on the night of the 13th for dinner. We watched a movie, had some drinks, chatted and then went our separate way. Remy was heading to Malaysia and Ivan and Sage were heading to Bangkok. I stayed in Krabi long enough to do some laundry, rent a moped for a day in Ao Nang and then bought my ticket to leave for Bangkok the night of the 15th at 4pm. As it turned out Ivan and Sage were on the same bus as I was so we sat together and chatted and at night we broke out the laptop and watched a DVD. After the movie we all popped a sleeping pill each and were off to bed arriving at Bangkoks Khao San road at 5:30 am. I headed for the My House guest house and of course they were full so I dropped my bad and waited around until about 8am when they had a double room open up. I went to my room and had a nap until 10am. My first order of business was to head into the heart of Bangkok and pick up my travelers cheque refund. It was no problem and I had them by around 1pm. Then it was off to Pantip Plaza where I bought my laptop to see if there were any little accessories to buy for it. I was feeling a little cheap that day so didn't buy anything. As I mentioned earlier I was looking to buy a new Sony Digital camera. Well I had a price in mind that I had seen near Khoa San. The Sony DSC-P10 was selling for 18500 baht near Khoa San but here I couldn't find it for less than 19990 baht or in the color I wanted. After looking around and asking if they could lower the price at three different places I had given up. No one would go lower than 19600 baht. I did a little more wandering around and decided to check one last place that had Sony cameras. As it turned out I lucked out and this place was selling if for only 17,900 baht. I tried to use my MasterCard and here is where I found out that I couldn't use it anymore. Well I was pissed off because I wanted the camera. I tried to use my new traveler’s cheques but they would only take cash or credit. I left Pantip Plaza and tried to find a place to cash the cheques but every place I found was closed. I had almost given up when I decided to just use my bank card and take out almost the last of my money, 20,000 baht. I went back to the store and finally I bought my camera. Not only did I get the camera I wanted at a price cheaper than I could have thought to find if for but I also got it in the color I wanted. 17,900 baht is about $595 Canadian. If I bought this camera back home it would be $650 plus taxes, about $740, so I saved myself almost $150 buying here. I've still not managed to get any actual pictures with it though except that of just screwing around. I’ve been in Bangkok here many times so I have all these pictures already. Oh well, not only does this camera take great pictures but it also can take continuous video, up to about 90 minutes on a 128mb card and also has a lot of manual settings. My laptop has a Sony Memorystick slot on the front of it so I can easily just take the card out of my camera and slide it into the little slot to upload my pictures and videos. Ok, well I've been sitting here in the common area though for a good three hours typing this blog out. Actually I think I'm done now so that’s about it. I've asked my boss, through email, if I could come back to work for the beginning of March and he replied saying that he has put me back on the schedule for March 7th with plenty of hours to replenish my bank account. My buddy Viz is already in Hong Kong and will be in Bangkok on the night of the 19th. Two days from now and I'm very very excited. My big goal now is just to make him forget work and money and his &*%# (c-word) ex girlfriend and just enjoy himself. I'll let you know how it turns out. He leaves for home on the 30th of January so around then will probably be my next blog. I'll send along some pics from Ko Jum when I can. I have to apologize for this blog. It seems to be jumbled and hard to read. It’s hard to put everything that’s happened and all I’ve experienced into a short blog. Things constantly pop into my mind that I’ve either got to fit in somehow or leave out. Like a big drama with a Canadian couple from Victoria at our resort. Not sure if it’s worth putting in the blog or if I should leave it out which I have. Or about the Thai guy Pie (Pi?) from our resort who we were always giving pot to instead of the other way around. Or even about a cool 11 year old kid Liam who on New Years Eve said he thought I was real cool and asked if I could come back to England with him and his mom to be his new dad. Right in front of his mom, and then asked her to confirm that his dad is a real Wanker anyway, which she did. Or even how the lady who ran the resort was calling me "Josh Boot" which none of us could understand until finally we realized she was calling me George Bush. Go figure that one. Anyway, I wish I could convey everything that has happened in a clearer and more concise way but this will have to do. Thanks for reading anyway and I’ll try to do my best to keep it interesting. Sorry about not having many good pictures but to keep Ninty busy I let her play with my camera and she ran the batteries down. Ok, Goodbye for now.
New Bungalow
The Treehouse
Me, Ninty and Anna
Ninty with Sam and Tanya
Bringing in the New Year
And Lighting the Balloons
Me with Kim the longboat driver
Vollyeball on the beach with Jon, Chris and Anna
Anna and Chris on opposite side
And finally the Sunset ritual
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