We knew we were leaving today but did not know where we wanted to go. After some research we decided we should head to Krabi and figure it out from there.We read the book and talked to a guy having breakfast next to us and we realized it wasn't the place to see. The guy recommended we go to Ao Nang Beach so we booked our ticket quickly as it was almost 12:00. The boat left at 1:30 and the bus ride to the harbor took 30 min so we were picked up right away.
We got to the pier and I knew the Swedish girls were still there because their boat was at the same time as ours. I spotted Ellen and Miriam having fruit shakes and sat with them until their boat came. Got a beer chilled with the boys by the pier and watched the people pile on and off the boats. The locals with their fliers and signs go to work on all of the tourists as they file off of the incoming boats. They grab bags and holler at everyone like a game to see who can get the most passengers. Its like a competition and they boast to eachother as people slowly choose options and climb into the truck style tuk tuks. They smile and yell in Thai to other awaiting workers and they pull away. Finally they started boarding our boat and as I was confirming our ticket I saw a sticker on another traveler saying Railay. I found out that this boat stops in Railay on its way to Aou Nang and we quickly decided we were now going to Railay.
The top of the boat had an AC compartment with nice seats and we all piled in and plugged in our ipods and snoozed off as the boat left harbor. I don't remember falling sleep but I woke up as we were arriving with the guys all laughing about by my posture and open mouth sleeping against the Thai sized seat. A long tail boat picked us up from the big boat and dropped us on Railay Beach.
We walked from the boat up the beach to check about accommodation. The first hotel was 7000 baht which is around $200. We had heard you could find cheaper rooms in Ton Sai the next beach over. We were told it was a short hike on a dirt path which turned out to be more then we expected. We had to hike through the jungle around the back of one of these massive rock cliffs jetting hundreds of feet in the sky. The ground was loose with a steep incline and with our big bags we were all sweating profusely when we got to the top of the hill. It was not as easy as we were told and took 35-40min to get over to Ton Sai beach. On the way down the hill toward the beach we saw tons of bungalows and hiker ropes hanging on porches so we knew this was a climbers island.
We looked around the beach for accommodation and after I had checked out all the places and prices we settled on a true bungalow hut at 500 baht a night. Its really jungle style made of all bamboo with mosquito nets, no toilet seat and electricity which is only on from 4:30 pm and turns off by 8am leaving you to roast if you sleep past 10.
Wael and Chris were tired from the jungle hike while Mofid and I were hungry so the two of us went to get food. We sat down and had fried chicken, sticky rice with a papaya salad that was spicy and delicious. Just as we sat down to eat enormous Mosquito's attacked us. They were nasty and bloody when you smacked them. They swarmed all in your face and as we panicked the locals busted into laughter. The locals lit a egg carton and let it smolder under the table to help but they were relentless and we could barely eat between smacking bugs. We ate and paid quickly and headed out of the jungle to the beach away from the mosquitos.. As we walked toward our bungalow we met up with Chris and Wael and all went together to the Viking Bar. We sat in lawn chairs along the beach out front for a while listening to Katcha Fire and other reggae.
Around 10pm we went to a Restaurant that had over 300 items on its menu. The English is never correct on menus in this country and it was pretty funny ordering. Mofid always tries to make his portion bigger or haggle the price. Chris and Mofid were tired and went to bed but Wael and I stayed out.
We met some girls and as they sat and talked with us I could not stop laughing when I looked at Waels face. I couldn't handle listening to these very happy and stoned yet dull girls talking about shopping and how wonderful life was any longer so Wael and I left them to chill on the beach. We sat and chilled with some very cool Thai guys who worked at the bar and played pool. It was getting late but Wael was hungry again so he asked bar tender if he had food. He replied that he had his own food that he would share so him and Wael went back behind the bar to eat in the owners back hut. I waited for a bit and was getting tired so I looked back to tell him I was leaving and saw that he had a plate of rice with full fish heads on top looking very unappetizing. I was very glad I turned down that meal.
It was very dark and the front path of the hotel is not lit up very well so I totally stacked cutting my right big toe on a protruding rock. I came in and woke up Chris by turning on the light. It was a minor cut but I had intended on rock climbing here and is a bummer to have cut my toe the first night. We had a double bed so I had to climb over Chris and use an airline blanket I had with me for warmth which only covered up to my belly button. They only gave you one blanket for the room and Chris was wrapped up in it like a Burrito
Throughout the night our bungalow was bombarded with monkeys jumping off trees and landing on the tin roof. It was not the quiet spot we had imagined. The monkeys run it out here and we are on their turf.
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