Koh Tao, Thailand - Day 3

 

31 March 2022

My morning started at 03h30 when I awoke without much excuse to be awoken.  The ferry was quiet, everyone sleeping, only the constant lullaby from the drone of the engines, lulling it's passengers into a deep sleep.  It would be 07h30 in Sydney now...  

I try to take pictures in the dark and a video to remind me of the lullaby.  I really need the loo, but I am petrified of what I will find for ablutions.  I can wait, I will wait...

Struggling to fall back asleep...  Then, arriving at Koh Tao, I am out on the deck and there is no railing.  The captain took such a sudden sharp turn that I nearly joined a couple of seaguls in their hunt for breakfast.  We are greeted by a myriad of sea creatures swimming alongside the boat.  What looks like two little sea serpents swimming ahead of the boat...  then hippos everywhere and finally what looks like two little T-rexes wading out of the water, smiling and happy.  Everyone is happy, we arrived at the magical island of Koh Tao.  I proceed to pack my suitcase, my food processor parts strewn everywhere...

I awake, we are on the ferry.  Tony is up, and looking at me.  It is 05h30 and we can start making out the lights on the island of Koh Tao.

My bladder demands some serious attention and has no more qualms about cleanliness and hygiene.  I dance my way through all the sleeping people, down to the ladies room.  Tony had used the men's the previous night and he said that it was basic and cleanish, and that the floor wasn't wet.  That last part gave me much comfort as I nervously make my way down the stairs.  I open the door, and the floor is wet, and I don't have shoes on (they are still somewhere by the front of the door to our sleeping quarters).  But need overcomes all else.  

We are happy to find all our belongings, shoes included as we disembark and put foot on Koh Tao.  

We start walking up a narrow street.  Street vendors already frying up chicken and pancakes for weary travellers, offering a multitude of fruit shakes.  

We walk and Tony finds a coffee shop, Zest coffee shop - https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=181217991928953 .  We ordered a very familiar breakfast, which came with coffee and freshly squeezed orange juice, Thai style, or is it Zest style, as there is lots of orange zest. ;)

A local captain Jack Sparrow with two stray dogs, tells us where to find a good scooter deal and good accommodation.  Tony goes off to get the scooter from Oli's Motorbike Rentals (http://www.bikerentalkohtao.com/), who has a no no-scratch policy, where as other scooter companies will charge for any scratches, or you pay more for scratch insurance.  I write.  He comes back and tetrisses the backpacks into place.  We have no idea where we are going, but we are going...  

We drive up a very narrow cement road, big enough for two scooters, if you are lucky.  Koh Tao is a bustling little hive of activity.  So much accommodation and restaurants.  But in this busyness, it exudes a certain kind of charm.  It is really cute and pretty and welcoming.  Tropical plants everywhere you look.  Just like a real tropical island with palm trees and blue waters.  I didn't imagine it to be so busy and built up.

We are still dirty and grimy, still in our clothes from the day before.  Nowhere to shower or to get changed.  We ride up and down looking for nice accommodation.  It's our top priority now.  A restaurant's setting and outlook distracts us from our quest and we stop to have a quick look, possibly book a room.  At SeaShell Resort and Restaurant we are welcomed with a stunning view and rest our weary bottoms.  We christen our visit with a traditional cocktail.  

https://www.kohtaoseashellresort.com/

There are cute little cottages overlooking the beautiful pool, and when I search for accommodation at Shell Beach on booking.com, the offers look pretty affordable.  Then, on closer inspection and in search for the ladies room, I realised that the price advertised on booking.com is for cottages on the other side of the street, far away from the beach, with a less glamorous pool.  It almost seems that each hotel has a good side and a bad side.  They advertise the good side and keep it pristine and then push people into the not so good side.  Like the good lounge vs the family room.

We leave there disappointed and set our sites on another great looking place, with great looking prices!  On booking.com, we like the look of a place called Sairee Hut.  Absolutely stunning pool right on the beach and the rooms look great, and Faw vely cheap plice.  

We ask to see the room and get shown an ugly looking concrete apartment block, with the view of beautiful, bright, green roof.  The room itself is nice, but location, location, location.  I am a basic girl, and I don't ask for much, but just the fact that they kind of advertised it, as something which it was not, put me off.  I can imagine countless of people booking there on the internet and who must be sorely disappointed when they arrive there.  This should not be allowed.  We noticed that most places do that...  They are free with the photos of their nicer accommodations which is usually double, tripple the price of their cheaper accommodation and the photos they show of the cheaper more affordable options is usually just of the inside of the room.  And you think it must be in this beautiful resort, which it is, but kind of squashed into the lesser domains.

We appease the nice gentlemen of Sairee Hut by having some refreshment at their restaurant and discuss among ourselves if we would like to stay there or not.  We decide on not. And our search continues.  Tony was ready to stay.  We were both tired and weary and very much wanted a place to call our own.  But I am disappointed in the protocol and I'm sure it's not the nice gentleman's fault.  

We finally find a place that offers a sea view, and that looks idylic on the pictures.  It doesn't look as fancy as Sairee hut, but we would rather have basic with a beautiful view, than fancy with a not-so-beautiful view.  We go to have a look and come upon what looks like a pretty deserted resort.  Not a soul in sight, the huts look in good condition.  After searching for reception for a couple of minutes, we walk through what looks like a kitchen and meet Fon.  Our lovely receptionist.  She is cheerful and happy and helpful and shows us some different room options.  We take the seaview room with palm leaf roof.  It's more than Sairee Hut, but we don't mind paying the extra for the sea lapping at our feet.  We had a shower, a bed and we had a home...  Here is the link http://www.palmleafkohtao.com/

The biggest part of our day, was spent scooting up and down the island looking for nice accommodation.  It gave us a good deal of exploring the island and after giving our backpacks a home at Palm Leaf Resort, we just wanted to chill for a bit.  

We decide to go for a swim in front of our newly aquired hut.  The water is like bathwater.  The sand, warm underfoot.  How incredibly blessed are we?  This is beyond our wildest (or calmest??) dreams. 

After having a well deserved and well needed shower, we head of to a neighbouring restaurant.  For future reference, this looks like a really nice place to stay - https://www.kohtaocabana.com/home We play Spite the Mallice.  I win again :)  Hats off to Tony for being such a good sport about it...  

    

For supper, we go back to SeaShell Resort and we savour the taste of  Pineapple Fried Rice with Shrimp and Tom Yum soup.  

  

As we are having our food, we see some commotion going on at a restaurant a couple of metres down the beach.  We go to invest and find fire spinners in full swing.  We watch a while until a rainstorm sends everyone undercover.  We play a game of pool and the firespinners now become my personal cheerleaders, willing me to win an unbeatable Tony.  But it doesn't happen...  I should stick to Spite the Malice...

We drag our weary selves back to our hut...  Is it only 9pm???  We are spent, but we are living!  Fully! Abundantly!!