Navid and I were so beat from the party we were praising God for the three hours of sleep we were able to get before we had to be on the move. And, we'd still have enough time to leisurely make our way to the boat. Our flights out of Bangkok were leaving the next afternoon, but we'd planned everything so we'd have plenty time. All we had to do was make sure we were on the night bus back to Bangkok that day. We got back to the room, I set 5 alarms on my cell phone, and face planted on the mattress, out before my head was down.
I awoke what seemed like seconds later, feeling surprisingly well rested for what was basically a long nap. And my alarm hadn't even gone off yet, so I could still get a little more sleep. I happily put my head back down and got comfy. But, something didn't feel right. I propped my head up, furrowed my brow thinking through the fog of sleep, and tried to put my finger on it. It came to me slowly. I was feeling really well rested. The angle of the sun seemed odd for this hour of the day. No. It couldn't be. I set five alarms. I reached for my phone and flipped open the screen. Ok. So its X:45 now... So that means our boat leaves in... 15 minutes.
15 minutes?
What?
No.
I check again.
Yup. 15 minutes.
The last boat we could catch that day...
Panic.
"Navid."
"Navid wake up."
He must have sensed the urgency in my voice, because Navid shot up, hands planted on the bed, eyes wide open (but not quite aware.)
"Dude it's X:45."
He blinked his eyes, trying to process the information through the grogginess.
"Out boat leaves in 15 minutes."
He thought for a moment. We looked at each other.
We shot off our beds like freaking rockets and started throwing crap into bags. No griping. No despairing. There wasn't enough time to waste. Immediately, we started talking, assembling our plan. We needed a taxi to the boat. We needed to check out. We needed our passports, money, and our return tickets (the holy trinity of traveling.) Ok. Call a taxi. I'll pack. Then I'll check out. Meet at the front desk in 5 minutes. Ok. Go. No discussion, no questions. Just go. Before we'd even agreed to meet at the front desk, Navid was out the door.
My mind is running a million miles an hour but my body is moving even faster. In the bathroom, grabbing soap and toothpaste and so on by the handful and shoving it in my bag. Back in the room. Clothes in the bag. Camera in the bag. Passport. Money. Ticket. Check. Check. Check.
Out the door and running to the front desk. The front desk clerk looks freaked out as I charge straight for her. I need to check out. Here's my card. We gotta go. Sign here ok let's go.
As I'm waiting for the charge to go through, tapping my foot and drumming my fingers. The taxi pulls up. Are we ready to go? Navid. Where's Navid?
I turn and see him running down the hall, clothes hanging out of his bag, with a bewildered yet determined look on his face.
Ok let's go! We hop in the cab. No need for bags in the trunk. We gotta go to the dock. We've got 4 minutes and it takes 5 minutes to get there. JUST GO!
We pull up onto the dock and go to pick up our tickets. As we come out of the car the woman at the ticket counter is yelling, "I thought you weren't coming! Hurry! Hurry!"
"Where's the boat?" we ask and she points. Over our heads. About a hundred yards down the beach on another pier we see a hunk-a-junk old boat still tied up. Grab the tickets and back in the cab.
Someone gives the cabbie his cash as we're jumping out the door and land smack dab at the end of the line for the boat. That's right. We were the absolute last two souls to get on that full boat. Good God. Good God we had made it. We were dead last but dead last still gets on the boat.
We flopped down on some seats on the boat and crashed from the adrenaline. We were too tired to even laugh much. I was so grateful to just sit there and not have to do anything. Now that that had been done, we had nothing to do for the rest of the day except sit back and take it easy. The boat ride was a piece of cake and after that we were just herded to busses and bussed around. Met some cool people and talked to pass the time.
The next day we woke up in Khao San Road and had the morning to see some temples. It was a much needed day of moving slow and spiritual cleansing. Saw what we wanted see, cabbed it to the airport, said our goodbyes, parted ways.
And that was the end of the (first) Thailand trip.
I awoke what seemed like seconds later, feeling surprisingly well rested for what was basically a long nap. And my alarm hadn't even gone off yet, so I could still get a little more sleep. I happily put my head back down and got comfy. But, something didn't feel right. I propped my head up, furrowed my brow thinking through the fog of sleep, and tried to put my finger on it. It came to me slowly. I was feeling really well rested. The angle of the sun seemed odd for this hour of the day. No. It couldn't be. I set five alarms. I reached for my phone and flipped open the screen. Ok. So its X:45 now... So that means our boat leaves in... 15 minutes.
15 minutes?
What?
No.
I check again.
Yup. 15 minutes.
The last boat we could catch that day...
Panic.
"Navid."
"Navid wake up."
He must have sensed the urgency in my voice, because Navid shot up, hands planted on the bed, eyes wide open (but not quite aware.)
"Dude it's X:45."
He blinked his eyes, trying to process the information through the grogginess.
"Out boat leaves in 15 minutes."
He thought for a moment. We looked at each other.
We shot off our beds like freaking rockets and started throwing crap into bags. No griping. No despairing. There wasn't enough time to waste. Immediately, we started talking, assembling our plan. We needed a taxi to the boat. We needed to check out. We needed our passports, money, and our return tickets (the holy trinity of traveling.) Ok. Call a taxi. I'll pack. Then I'll check out. Meet at the front desk in 5 minutes. Ok. Go. No discussion, no questions. Just go. Before we'd even agreed to meet at the front desk, Navid was out the door.
My mind is running a million miles an hour but my body is moving even faster. In the bathroom, grabbing soap and toothpaste and so on by the handful and shoving it in my bag. Back in the room. Clothes in the bag. Camera in the bag. Passport. Money. Ticket. Check. Check. Check.
Out the door and running to the front desk. The front desk clerk looks freaked out as I charge straight for her. I need to check out. Here's my card. We gotta go. Sign here ok let's go.
As I'm waiting for the charge to go through, tapping my foot and drumming my fingers. The taxi pulls up. Are we ready to go? Navid. Where's Navid?
I turn and see him running down the hall, clothes hanging out of his bag, with a bewildered yet determined look on his face.
Ok let's go! We hop in the cab. No need for bags in the trunk. We gotta go to the dock. We've got 4 minutes and it takes 5 minutes to get there. JUST GO!
We pull up onto the dock and go to pick up our tickets. As we come out of the car the woman at the ticket counter is yelling, "I thought you weren't coming! Hurry! Hurry!"
"Where's the boat?" we ask and she points. Over our heads. About a hundred yards down the beach on another pier we see a hunk-a-junk old boat still tied up. Grab the tickets and back in the cab.
Someone gives the cabbie his cash as we're jumping out the door and land smack dab at the end of the line for the boat. That's right. We were the absolute last two souls to get on that full boat. Good God. Good God we had made it. We were dead last but dead last still gets on the boat.
 | |
| I think everyone on this boat had also come from the Full Moon Party. The boat was covered with bodies strewn about like this. |
 |
| It wasn't a classically "beautiful day", but something about the day was so peaceful and calm |
 |
| Navid and all the other party people |
We flopped down on some seats on the boat and crashed from the adrenaline. We were too tired to even laugh much. I was so grateful to just sit there and not have to do anything. Now that that had been done, we had nothing to do for the rest of the day except sit back and take it easy. The boat ride was a piece of cake and after that we were just herded to busses and bussed around. Met some cool people and talked to pass the time.
 |
| The most colorful bus I've ever been on |
 |
| I love this picture |
The next day we woke up in Khao San Road and had the morning to see some temples. It was a much needed day of moving slow and spiritual cleansing. Saw what we wanted see, cabbed it to the airport, said our goodbyes, parted ways.
 |
| Khao San Road |
 |
| Wish I could've taken pictures inside this temple. The interior was even more intricate and colorful. Truly amazing. But, then again, maybe it's best just as a memory... |
 |
| Buddha knows what life's all about. |
And that was the end of the (first) Thailand trip.
 |
| Beijing International Airport at 2 a.m. |
Great entry, my friend. Glad you finished up the series! I'm also glad you caught that boat. You just barely got by!
ReplyDeleteNow quick, capitalize on your momentum and start writing about your last journey!