A Bee-you-tee-ful Day at the National Park

Ko Samui Day 3


Our trek set up for today was to Angthong National Marine Park. It was still cloudy in the morning but on the ferry ride to the marine park, the sun finally humored us and decided to show up. Damn lazy bastard. The park is northwest of Ko Samui and we booked a full day tour out there. Sure, why not? Not like we had any other responsibilities like you folks at home reading my blog probably do. Zing!


The boat came up to a bunch of mountains posing as islands in the middle of nowhere. As we got closer, we saw that most had a tiny strip of beach at the bottom of the mountainous island. As we pulled up in our ferry, I couldn't get over the beautiful scene ahead of me. It was amazing - and we were about to go there. Better yet, kayak there. We stopped offshore and went below to get into a kayak to get to shore. Shannon and I got a 2 person kayak and followed a guide along the coast of Ko Mae Ko, or the mother island among the 50-60 islands that make up the marine park. We followed the leader under an "awning" of rock in the water, so that we were almost in a cave. If we looked up, we saw the rock directly above us and if we looked out, we saw more islands and clear bright blue water. We kayaked around the island and got off at one of the tiny beaches. We then hiked in a bathing suit and trekking sandals/sneakers (beautiful sight, lemme tell ya) for about an hour to see an interior lake-like pool encircled by plam trees and rock formations. At the top of the hike you could look out and see other islands. The bright emerald inlet looked like something painted on the world canvas, and you know what - come to think of it it might well have been since we didn't actually go down and stick our fingers into the water to test it out. It was that perfect.



We hiked down, still looking styling in our suits and sneakers and sweating a tad (read: dripping with sweat) to take a long-tail boat back to the ferry for a Thai food feast.


After inhaling rice, curried beef, sweet and sour veggies, some pineapple and orange juice -- actually it was 10% orange juice and 90% idunno -- we headed off to another island: Wua Talap, or "sleeping cow." They tried to explain why it is called that and I really did listen but I still can't tell ya. This was another white sand beach at the bottom of a larger rocky mountain covered in palm trees and lush vegetation. If someone told me that we were going to a more beautiful island than the one I had just been on, I would have said it was impossible. But it was. This island was indescribable. When I post pictures, you'll see what I mean. And that is really the only way to understand what this looked like. It was I imagine heaven to be, if I weren't a Jew.


We took a long-tail boat to the island and were given the option to hike or snorkel. I pushed Shannon to hike. They boasted an amazing view at the top of that large mountain and I wanted to see it. They told us it was a hard hike. THAT, my friends, was the understatement of the century. Shannon, if you are reading this, I am sorry again. Clad in our bikinis and hiking sandals again, we started on what would be almost a 2 hour climb up and down. It was extremely steep and the entire path had a rope to hold onto as you climbed up the mountain. We held on the entire way.


So Thailand is hot, right? Try climbing a 500 meter hike on an island in Thailand. I tried to grip the rope but my sweat and sunscreen (SPF 8000) made it difficult. I was sweating everything in my body out onto the rocks. I have never been so slippery, sweaty and slimey. Throughout the hike, I'd look back at Shannon and I'd get a "uufhhhggghhh" as she looked up at me sweating through her hiking shoes. I thought we'd never make it, but we did. At the top it was all burning hot rocks because there were no trees to shade them from the sun. So I carefully moved on the rocks and stood up to take in the panoramic view. It was the higest point at the national park; you could see all the islands and the water and the teeny tiny ferry that brought us out there at the bottom of the island I was standing on top of. I was drenched in sweat, exhausted, dehydrated and up there, I didn't care. Again, my pictures will have to do the talking. I'll just say that if I had a pocket, and wouldn't have ruined it with my obscene amount of perspiration, I would have brought my dad's picture up there.


I got down faster than I got up there but it was actually more difficult. I think I was just thinking about the bottle of water and cool blue ocean at the bottom calling my name. I came out of the vegetation, ran right by our guide saying "Oh! So you did the hike?" and directly into the ocean.



Ahhhhhhhh.


From the water, I looked up at the top of the mountain that I had just climbed and again, couldn't believe where I was. It was so beautiful. That word doesn't do that island justice.


Oh yea, and seven hours later, Shannon emerged from the hike and didn't talk to me ever again. Not really - but she did take a while longer and ran directly into the water too. I know the tour guide must have been laughing at the silly Americans. He was most likely wearing a wool sweater and not a bead of sweat was to be seen on his brow.


We swam around for a while and then got onto the ferry to head back to Ko Samui. I sat with my feet hanging off the boat, watching the islands go by and reading my book.


We got back to Samui and our pictures that they had snapped of us at 8am as we boarded the ferry were waiting for us, on plates. Yes, on plates. That is what they do here. They corner you as you climb onto ferries, board buses or basically look like shit at any point in the morning and then take the day to plaster it onto a plate in the hopes that you'll buy it and remember your trip every time you eat your macaroni. I always try to hide or look like I'm sleep-walking when they snap them. Shannon does a good job at it too. Come to think of it, most of the people look like they are sleepwalking or in a semiconscious state on those plates. I looked at mine and my eyes were closed, but of course. It was a tough decision but I decided to pass on the plate; I think I could remember that island without it.


The ride back was hard to stay awake for, but I tried. As I said, I love the rides through the sleepy towns that no one takes tours through or the time to see. I dozed off and woke up and realized that the sun has a funny habit of shedding its light on different places in the same manner all over the world. I was sleepy and when I looked at the light on the dirt road, I could have been on the New Jersey Turnpike or 101 on the coast of California. The sun shines down on the earth and if you squint your eyes it brings you back to wherever you've been or know well. However, I was on a dirt road with thatched stilted houses on each side. Children were throwing a ball at each other on one side and a woman was selling dried meat on the other. The sun spills on the world in the same manner and it almost feels like home when you see it at certain times of the day.


Today was one of the most beautiful places I've been. When I went to the Asian Civilizations Museum in Singapore there was an exhibit by a photographer there - Steve McCurry. You have seen his picture of the Afghan girl, I'm sure. There was also a contest that he set up where people sent in pictures from all over the world. They tried to capture everyday moments and people the way he does. As I looked at those pictures that were sent in by thousands of people around the world, I was overwhelmed by the beauty that is in every day life and that others are able to see. I also was overwhelmed by my desire to see it all. I stood looking at the pictures and cried. It was a good cry (and one that was hidden from the other people at the exhibit, clearly. When did I become semi-emotional?). It was an alive cry. There are so many beautiful things to try and see. Why do we need jobs again? Damn responsibilities. Those islands today are yet another time when I had the chance to experience how beauty can overwhelm (or underwhelm, as mine did at 8am as evidenced by my face on the plate). This time when I looked at the clear blue water or saw the sun from the top of a mountain on an island I didn't cry, though. Geez.

We got back to our bungalow and it was starting to get dark. I showered outside looking up at the greying sky and it started to rain. I showered in the rain and it was fantastic.