A little unsteady at first I got on the bike and went about five feet. What was I doing? I'm in thailand on a little island driving a bike with practically no road rules. Fortunately I quickly got the hang of it and we set off.
Our goal was to make it to the back side of the island to a stop that connects to another small island. To get there you go passed Baan tai where I was staying. When I found this out I almost stopped dead in my tracks because I was familiar with the road. The road has claimed many victims with its steep terrain and sharp curves. Koh Phangan backpackers are no stranger to the sight of seeing many people hobbling around town with their arms, legs, face, and any other part bandaged up by a motorbike accident (or rope burn but ill get to that later).
As we approached the start of the crazy hill I told myself that I would be safe if I just took it slow. Day one on a motorbike and I'm twisting and turning up and down these steep hills and I love every second of it. Scared? Yes! Thrilled? Double yes!
Once we flatten out it is a lovely open stretch through Baan tai to Thong Sala. It was a nice area because the traffic is not heavy. The sights and surrounding transported me back to my time in Nepal. The little shops that served also as the owners house, the construction of random rock piles that lined the streets, and the smells were all so familiar. Although I am half way across the world it almost felt like home because I could relate it to my time in Nepal.
The day was perfect. We stopped to each some odd orange pad thai before making the last stretch to the beach we wanted to visit. Following our fearless leader we turn off the main road to a road that consists of cracked rock and mud going down a hill. This can not be the right way! A local guy stood laughing on his porch as he watched 9 of us slowly try to make our way down the mess of a road.
Now I do a lot of risky things sometimes but this early on I was not about to be a percentage of those so leave the island in bandages. Luckily for me one of the guys was kind enough to walk back up and drive my bike down!
The beach we arrived at was lovely. *** Since I'm so late writing this I would like to note the beaches in Koh Phangan don't even stand a chance in comparison to the rest of what thailand has to offer. However at the time if this happening to actually was a nice beach. We snagged some people and hung out in the water for awhile.
Taking in the beautiful surroundings I was swept with that feeling of overwhelming emotions that I was in thailand, on my own, having a blast, and making new friends. I am living a dream life and following my dreams!!!! Ouch!!!! A that moment I was snapped back to reality as I step on a shark piece of coral. The bottom on my foot begins to bleed as I see that it pierced straight into the middle of the bottom of my foot!
For the rest of the day we jump from beach to beach just exploring the island. We passed very few people and it almost seemed like we had the island to ourselves. Minus cutting my foot is was a perfect day.
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