Island Hops

Location: Singapore and Southern Thailand
Date: April 17, 2010

Justin and I in Singapore

Listening to the waves crash from my little hammock on the beach. Finally, all I have is time- this is what I had been craving- time and space just to think and process my adventures. I am literally stranded on the beach right now- with no way to leave this tiny inlet other than if a boat happens to pass by. This place is called The Sanctuary, and every aspect of this tiny village is true to its name. I came here because I was completely exhausted by the endless scamming, pushing, and general unfriendliness of the towns near Phuket. So I took a ferry to Ko Phanghan and then a taxi boat to The Sanctuary, and now I have just what I was seeking. The Sanctuary is a resort/jungle village set on the island of Ko Phanghan, but its setting makes it completely isolated from the rest of the island. Although there is an all vegetarian restaurant here (most amazing food I’ve had in Thailand), this resort is also famous for its “cleansing” sessions….which involve 7 day fasts, shakes that clean out your intestines, yoga and colonics (basically daily colon cleansing)…and at first I was suspect until I talked to the people who had gone through these fasts, and said that they had never felt better. What happens is that the fast clears out all the toxins in your body and your body just basically rejuvenates itself. I’m a huge eater and I love food as much as anyone, but after some reading and consideration, I decided to try a mini fast- maybe 3 days or so- to get rid of all of the toxins that have been harboring in my body for quite some time (just the fasting part for me- no colonics, thank you very much!). We’ll see how it goes- I’m on Day 2 and I’m hungry, but this is a great challenge for my body and self-control and it’ll make that first bite of food even better. I totally understand those of you who think that this is some kind of pitstop on its way to anorexia, but I assure you it’s not- go to the website for The Sanctuary, Ko Phangan, and read the info on cleansing. So I’m getting cleaner by the second!!!!

Royal Palace in Bangkok

In addition to releasing my toxins, I have explored quite a bit since I left Cambodia. Much to my surprise, my older brother Ethan wrote and let me know he was coming for a visit (we haven’t really gotten the chance to spend much time together since high school, so this was a real treat)! So from Cambodia, I flew to Bangkok via Singapore to meet Ethan. Though I only had a few days in Singapore, I got to spend a little time with my Chilean friend Martin, and my Singaporean friend, Justin, who showed me the sights of the city. My expectations for Singapore weren’t high, as I just thought it would be a gigantic metropolis, but the city is gorgeous, laden with tropical flowers and surrounded by water. The apartment buildings are like Club Meds, complete with multiple pools, gymnasiums, and tennis courts that are open at night so you can see the city line while you play. It was quite a change from Cambodia, where electricity and water were errant- in Singapore, everything is automatic- everything- from the sliding glass doors to automatic soap and water in bathrooms- I know I’m a bit behind the times a bit since I’ve been out and about, but I was shocked to see this kind of efficiency. I didn’t have to worry about being cheated or harmed, and a person I met even told me, “Ah- nothing’s going to happen, it’s Singapore,” after forgetting to lock his front door.

Ethan and I in front of the Royal Palace- notice the sweater?

On the train ride to Ayutthaya, we met the sweet family. They didn't speak any English, but we were able to communicate with them anyway.

After my stint in Singapore, I headed back to Bangkok to meet my brother, and we had a blast exploring the Wats, perusing the markets for yummy street food, and wearing sweaters in the 100 degree heat while exploring the Royal Palace (you aren’t allowed to be sleeveless and a sweater was all I had to cover my illicit shoulders!). Over the course of the week, we headed north, then south, and then east to the islands.

Here’s a quick peek at our itinerary:

1. Ayutthaya: An Ankhor Wat- like temple site, with lots of beautiful statues and ruins. The 100+ heat wrecked us and we fled the little town quickly.

2. Phuket: YOWSER. If you go to Thailand, stay away from this part. The beaches are beautiful, but the tourism is abundant, and the service is not always the most friendly. Luckily, we found a quieter beach so we had a bit of time to relax.
We even got to take a day trip to Phan Gan (not the same one where I am now), which is national marine park, full of over 400 mangrove islands. We went to visit a Muslim fishing village and some beautiful Thai islands.
Leaving Phuket was a bit tiresome. When Ethan and I took a bus from Phuket to the ferry, the bus pulled over and stopped for 30 minutes and we had no idea why. When the driver got back on, we realized he had stopped to pick up his take out food!!! We missed our ferry, and had to wait an extra 1.5 hours to leave…

Ethan and I, in front of James Bond Island, where they filmed one of the JB movies

3. Ko Samui: Took a ferry to this island and got away from the crowds, just in time to celebrate the Thai New Year (which is a water festival). The night we arrived, I ran into my friend Cera by chance, who I met in India, and the three of us enjoyed delicious market food as we were intermittently sprayed with water guns.

After Ethan’s departure, Cera and I headed here, and I will leave tomorrow.
All in all, Thailand is a bit disappointing- and confusing for me. There is so much sex tourism, so everywhere you go there are men (old and young) with Thai women who are technically “rented” for a specific amount of time. You see them everywhere, and I can’t quite get over this culture. There is also what is called a third sex known as Ladyboy, which, as I understand it, is a person who was born male but wants to be female. As far as I know, many ladyboys do opt to get surgery to make them feel more feminine. Fascinating, no?
Within the next few days, I will be heading north to Laos, and later on to Vietnam. Believe it or not, I am at month 7- how could that be?
I love this life and all the interesting things it brings, but I have to admit, being on the road definitely makes you appreciate home.