Arriving to my island, I am greeted by a myriad of ‘taxi’ services at the pier. The taxis vary from mad motorbike men who insist they can carry me, my 23 kg back backpack, my 12kg front backpack and my other handheld bag on a one seater motorcycle, to bushbashing Songthaews… (such a pretty name for a truck!). You have to throw yourself into a Songthaew, scrambling with your bags and hang on for dear life as it traverses around sharp bends, at the same time clutching your luggage to spare it from flying off the sides of roads, and if you’re lucky, a cliff or two. They are all insisting I go with them. I pound past them all with my 36 kgs of weight somewhat attached, somewhat hanging off my body.
I walk to the main street and I am greeted by a woman taxi driver.
She tells me in her broken english, ‘Normally one person to Haad Yao 1500 Baht’.
I step back with a disgusted face. ‘No way! That is ridiculous. I have been here before.’
‘No, no, listen, because quiet, one person 400 Baht.’
‘No way.’ My disgust is clear. ‘200 Baht.’
‘You say 200 Baht. I say 400 Baht. We make it 300 Baht.’
‘No way. 250Baht. That’s it. I’ve been here many times before.’
‘No, it long way. I am by myself woman. I try to make business. If you go back in there (motioning to the ferry ‘taxi’ services) they will make problems for me. I only do 300 Baht and not pick anyone up on way. Just you. Straight to your bungalow.’
I am a sucker for a woman trying to make her way in a man’s world. ‘Ok then.’
‘300 Baht’ she said eagerly.
‘Yes, ok.’ I climb in the back half stumbling over my bags and half pushing them in.
Arriving to my bungalow…
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| My bungalow |
Belleza (her english-ified name, she was given by a western woman many years before that has stuck ever since due to her big, bubbling, beautiful, warm, hospitable self) greeted me with a big gushy, strong, warm hug. Two of them in fact. I thought she wouldn’t let me go. She did briefly so I could pay my taxi woman who hadn’t stopped talking thai since we pulled up.
Belleza exclaimed, ‘So happy you come back! How long you stay this time? Me think you lost weight. Not so fat. Must be the vegetables.’
I smiled, trying to appreciate the compliment in the way it was intended. I have actually put on weight.
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| Inside my bungalow |
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| My hammock & balcony |
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| View from my balcony & bed! |
Going to my office…
The following day after a delectable ocean swim, beach walk and good food, I start the walk to my favourite ‘office’ of all time. A stunning tree surrounded cafe with high bamboo ceilings, low tables, beautiful art and books, and most importantly, great wifi. Its a few blood pumping hills walk away from my bungalow. As I commenced my first walk, a motorcycle pulled up.
‘Sunni, so great to see you again!’ Grabbing my hand, she couldn’t seem to stop her tight grip throughout the whole conversation.
‘How are you? How long you stay?’ She looked intently in my eyes… ‘I have been not so good. I had a major motor bike accident. Look.’ She pointed to the scaring that slurred her eyes and mouth. The substantial scaring over her left arm and leg looked horiffic.
‘So happy you are back. I love your laugh. Good to see you.’ And waving her arms about with emphasis, ‘Welcome to Koh Phangan!’
‘So happy you are back. I love your laugh. Good to see you.’ And waving her arms about with emphasis, ‘Welcome to Koh Phangan!’
As I climbed on the back of the motorbike, she glanced back in fear. She bravely dropped me at my cafe.
Meeting Benny again…
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| My office |
Arriving at my cafe, my office, Benny was behind the counter looking at his phone.
‘Sa wa dee kaaa’
‘Sa wa dee krap’ he didn’t look up. As I moved towards a table and he looked up.
‘Oh my god!! You come back!!!’
He excitedly rushed from behind the counter, to give me big hug. He is a gentle, lovely, short, open faced young man who fled his country to send money back to his family at home, who live in poverty and poor health. There are many Burmese on this Thai island doing the same.
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| My office |
He exclaimed: ‘I’m so happy to see you. This is the best day, because I see you again!’, and a bit later, ’The sun came out today because of you!’ Benny, you are too kind.
We catch up on the state of his family, he was sad because his sister recently married so young at 18. And this has also meant the money that he was saving to help his parents with their very poor falling down shack of a home had to be spent on his sister. ‘But not to worry, I save again now, in two more years I can make their home a bit better’.
He asked, ‘How long are you here for?’
‘I am here for a long time.’
‘Years’ he eagerly replied.
Laughing, ‘No, months, but that’s a long time!’.
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| My office |
It certainly is good to be back!
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