Halloween in Koh Tao, Thailand was quite the experience. The beach was bustling with babes, ballers, brats, lady boy’s and brits dressed as lady boys. Buckets of your favorite poisonous potions were poured for people, en mass. The old saying “when stuff gets weird, the weird get weirder” rings true. The dance floor was a “weird mix” to say the least.

The volume of tourists here is dropping, fast. Everyone is migrating to the “Full Moon Party” on another island that happens tomorrow night.

The islands are a good time for a vacation but kinda like fly sticky tape for a world traveler, easy to get stuck here. I mention fly’s as my unattended shake is now home to about a dozen flys.

Woke up early, feeling amazing and rejuvenated, had my shake and eggs and “got the day going”. Daytime is what it is all about here, seriously.

Rented a bike(200 baht), shortly after bailed on the bike, DO NOT over accelerate around corners, especially with lots of loose sand, fear not as I am unscathed, same for the bike actually, I’ll just start talking about something different when I return it, hopefully he will not pay too close attention. Toured the whole island, got some sick pictures, this place is truly heaven and sooooo glad I got up early to enjoy the day, as my last post said “it’s all about enjoying the day”.

After the bike, met up with some boys and got some eats, there I ran into Jodi from South Africa again, great lady. We went on my sketchy scooter ride to a thai massage joint. These ladies worked me over and brought me back to life. Man I’m sore, not from the massage but all the hijinx of late. I have video’s I’ll upload jumping through fire rings, misty flip style on to my side. I have a big dark black welt above my hip and burns from the skipping, no regrets.

After that I booked deep sea fishing with some friends from Denmark and Finland and Canada. If you read the comments in the previous bloggery, you’ll know that in “hank the tank’s prime” he was dancing on a bar with some ladies when suddenly, he lost his footing.

Hank only realized he was falling and 100% horizontal about 5 feet from certain facial reconstructive surgery. Luckily for him, a burly man from Denmark saw this and caught him, 3 feet from the ground. This guy is jacked and Hank owes him. Either way, he’s coming fishing with us, this should be awesome. It’s only 1600 baht or ~$50. That is cheap for deep sea, I’ve been off the coast of England and Panama, both at least 3x in price.

We’re going for Barracuda, which are big mean predators from the sea. Similar to musky really, only bigger and for the purpose of this update, meaner. The next day, we’re going on an around the island snorkeling adventure. It’s only 550 baht, when a “taxi around the island” will cost you the same. This is a full day, in 5 stops.

This island is amazing, renting a bike was a great call, above is a picture from shark bay, supposedly, if you get lucky you see sharks snorkeling, let’s hope so.

Feeling amazing after hitting it hard last night (the bed that is) and enjoying what the island has to offer. In 1 hour I’m meeting a group of 8 and we’re going to eat fresh sea food, I am going for some squid or monster prawns.

This island is truly spectacular and I’ll be sad to leave when I go to the Full Moon party. Full Moon parties are parties held on this island, on the beach, every time there is a full moon. Typically 25,000-30,000 people show up, to party, for one night. I’m kinda not feeling it but to be this close and not go would simply be, boring and I wont’ stand for that.

Listen you, stop buying designer clothes to cover your insecurities, quit wasting all your free time watching some fake lives of actors or other BS like that. Figure out a way to get paid without working, set something up that works for you so you don’t have to. If you aren’t comp savvy, think basic like a laundry mat or something.

Rumor has it, my bartender may be joining me as he is recently “gainfully unemployed”.  I’ve lived with this guy off and on and he’s a fun gregarious fellow, one of the few I’d actually enjoy traveling with. As you know, traveling in packs, makes you stick with the pack, flying solo, you can go from pack to pack or even start your own.

Good day,

This photo is from my Ko Tao, Thailand hotel, which is really just a small bungalow on the ocean. It’s got rocks and what not and is not easily accessible or seen from most of the island, as a result, I get to enjoy the place to myself, beaches are cool but they attract crowds and crowds have eyes.

Last you heard, it was ~5am and there were vagabonds donning burlap and bird’s nests sleeping on a ferry terminal floor in Thailand. The ferry eventually came and you take photo’s like it’s the most beautiful trip you’ve ever taken, because it is. Then you get to Ko Tao, the place is truly and utterly spectacular.

Didn’t sleep a wink on the ferry, or during the day, or until 3:39am last night, when I last checked my phone. Everyone here is super friendly, for the most part. Traveling alone is awesome, it’s like frosh week, nobody knows anyone so you team up with likeminded individuals.It’s funny to get ocean view room when your hotel is 1/4 or less your bar tab. There was lots of fire shows going on, later in the evening they started doing fire skip rope and “jump through the fire hoop” game on the beach. In the spirit of “When in Rome” did em both a few times before finally eating it on the skip rope. Still have this big black mark on my shin from fuel, I’m assuming… Truth be told, I kinda “eat it before I “got it” on all of them, burns to prove it, no regrets, good times.

Long story short, I’m taking this day to simply sit on this couch from which this picture was taken keeping tabs on “what’s happening” in the habor in between naps and swims. Considering the course of the evening, I’m feeling frighteningly fresh. Having an oceanfront patio is great because you’re in the sun, but you’re in the shade, you’re in the heat, but you’re in the breeze, you’re outside but you’re inside etc… My first room had a sliver of ocean view for 400 baht a night, this one, I’m in now, it’s 300 baht and the picture speaks for itself. I’ve visited many places looking to see where I wanted to settle, I was speechless when she showed me this one at the price. where did our last $9 go. Considering price, people and location, I’ll be staying here and doing several things the island has to offer before moving on. Besides the full moon party on the 2nd, my agenda is wide open. Wait, I have no agenda.

Few insights from the island include if you rent a motor bike, get the moto-cross, others bottom out and run out of juice on hills. You can get reasonable snorkeling, look for “see sharks” for 550 baht, ~4-5 spots and all day, others want more, there is wireless, if you leave your flip flops near a beach party, consider them gone. There is fishing, it’s for Barracuda and Mackerel amongst other things, it’s ~1650baht but I haven’t investigated. Cheapest place that is in “good-better” condition is 200 baht, talk to the guy in the general store type place on right hand side of street right where the ferry drops you off. Double bed, your own room, fan (I think) and window, it’s just shared toilet / shower which is quite common. If you’re going to full moon party, keep your place here, ferry over at night, party all night, ferry back next day.

Good day,

UPDATE: Shortly after writing this, I strolled through town to internet, stopped in at “In-Touch” my “main stomping grounds” and ran into some crew, had an omelet, shake then 2 shakes with tequila and rum, breakfast cost me more than my hotel, ha.

This place is amazing, forget the Caribbean … Come here. Oh and if you do, make sure you stop in and have a laugh with “Mr. 9″ at “In-Touch” coolest atmosphere I’ve found and the guy is just fall on your face hilarious.

hahaha I’m drinking a Chang and the “Lady Boy” bus just drove by trying to get people to come to there show, haha. I have a video, but youtube isn’t working.

Spent the day doing exactly what I said, getting thai massages(highly recommended) and eating thai food from a variety of street vendors, delicious. My massages was only $8US, I don’t think I could ever get one back home again, it was that good, not to mention cheap.

It’s now 4:30am local time, I’m waiting at the pier with a group of travelers for the 7am ferry to Ko Tao, supposedly it’s a few hours and if you get sea sick, good luck. Very rocky I have heard.

The bus was alright, they played a movie, sat next to this obnoxious girl from Ireland, let’s call her “Debbie the Downer”. Very argumentative and was insulting Canada, at which point I decided to effectively “tune her out”. Not everyone you meet can be cool, unfortunately.

To give you an idea of how long this trip is, we boarded the bus at 6PM. At ~11PM we stopped at a tourist trap for dinner. I didn’t eat dinner before I left, was waiting for a friend and then ran out of time. When you go to a street vendor, ONLY buy food they are cooking immediately, their idea of “fresh” is different than ours, and you don’t want issues when “on the road”.

Everyone is passed out on the floor waiting, I’m here on a lightening fast wireless. I asked the guy if he had the code, came back 5 minutes later with a piece of paper and said “50 baht, unlimited”, sweet.

I’m exhausted but after the whole bed bug bites fiasco, I’m hesitant to sleep on the floor, I’ve seen all sorts of bugs since being here, fleas included.

That’s it for now, supposedly Ko Tao is not a party place and “boring” according to “Debbie the Downer”, but what does she know? She’s off to India after this to volunteer at an HIV rehabilitation center, hopefully she’ll be more cheery as I’m sure the people in the center don’t need another reason to be depressed.

That said, I’m looking forward to a “laid back and relaxing” island experience, rest up, do some snorkeling, fishing and just laze around by the beach. Having been in Vegas, then Bangkok, I’m ready for a rest.

Stay tuned,

Update: Another bus just showed up, next time I’ll look at the itinerary.

Ladies and gentlemen, good day to you all.

I’m feeling fantastic, only wish  I could be home to celebrate the birthday of someone special to me. That aside, last night I booked a night bus to Ko Tao.

I’ve got an 8 hour bus ride to Chumpan, or Chumpong, something like that and then a ferry to the island of Ko Tao. I’m totally just “winging this trip”, buddy said “I’m here and this is how you get here”, to which I replied “Cool, trip is now booked”. The entire trip is 500 baht, yes that’s right, ~ $15-16US. I didn’t even know it was an island until I started googling images. You see, I’m not a “details guy”, I’m a “big picture guy”. I know what I want to do and let the small things sort themselves out.

FYI, lots of people tout the “Round the World Ticket”. To that I say, forget it. If I had one of those, I’d be so constricted and restricted, similar to a married man attending his buddies bachelor party.

I digress.

Supposedly, this  place is a mecca for diving, snorkeling and I’m assuming fishing. I’ve decided not to bother diving, mainly as I am recovering from a 1 month chest infection, as a result, I will snorkel. If they have deep sea fishing, I will most likely go out. I love fishing for big game, anytime.

Bought an additional 16gigs of memory for my camera at Tesco Lotus, yesterday. If you need anything, I suggest you go there. It’s similar to Wal-Mart in North America. Also, I found what I was looking for – PLAIN WHITE T-SHIRTS that are very thin. I bought 9 of them for 435 baht. Much better than anything else I found and now I”m not a walking billboard for someone I’ve never met, will most likely never meet. I don’t understand why people buy brand name undershirts? Can someone enlighten me? Or is it just another way for you to discard your coin as fast, if not faster than you accumulate it?

I don’t know much about this place but am checking it out now and will keep you updated. All I know is that I have a ticket, and the name of the place my friend is staying at.

I have to get out of my guest house by noon, I will lobby for an extension, then spend the rest of the day getting thai massages for ~200 baht / hour. I think 2-3 hours should suffice, may even get a mop chop, it’s humid as all h3ll here. I have no clue how those hippies go around with massive dreads aka dirty bird nests on their melons.

Good day,