Four flights, one boat ride, one missed flights, and forty some hours late I finally have arrived in Thailand! Immediately I could not believe what I was seeing. All around me there are backpackers in their twenties or early thirties gathering around talking. At first I was slightly nervous, did all these people come in groups with friends?
No, so many of them are solo travelers. Within minutes I was talking to a German couple, a Canadian who was on his six trip to thailand, and an English guy. Together we boarded the boat from Koh Samoi to Koh Phangan. The line to get on the boart was unbelievably long with swarms of backpackers heading to Koh Phangan for the famous Full Moon Party that would take place on Haad Rin beach in a few days.
Exiting the boat I panic slightly again, oh I I have to leave the friend is made on the boat to head to my hostel! What if I don't meet more people? Never fear I watched as hoards of people head down the street randomly talking. I hear a loud group of English guys and a girls laughing and talking. I got the courage walked up and started talking to them about the festivities that were about to take place. We all decided to stop at the first restaurant we saw and grab some food and wifi.
For the next couple hours we sat and talked! Two of the guys were professional rugby players and the girl had been traveling for awhile, her name was Tasha. As the sun went down we realized it was time to probably all find out hostel. Ahhh once again I have to leave the new friends I've made.
The taxi ride to my hostel was a whirlwind of twists, turns, hills, bumps, and screams! I had chosen a place in Baan Tai which was about 15 minutes from the main section. On the way I realize how dead the towns are outside of the area I just left. Did I make the wrong choice staying at Hard Road Cafe? I had chosen the place because it had a wonderful reputation and I thought it would be easiest to meet people there. My nerves grew as we get further and further away and the streets get quieter. Panic sets in again until I start to hear so,e distant music. As the music grows louder and louder I hope that I'm staying at the place where it is coming from. Sure enough up on the right side of the road is my hostel, or should I say backpacker resort. Outside our forth motorbikes parked, a pool, makeshift gym, lounge area with big screen, movie screen area, volleyball court, and plenty of people.
I tentatively get out of the taxi and go to reception. My nerves are high again as I think about how I have to go up to strangers and make friends. I'm tired so maybe I should just go in the room and sleep. As I'm led to my room I quietly kept my head down and enter the room. Only one girl sits there getting ready. I tip toe to my bed shyly and set my stuff down.
Not even fifteen seconds goes by before she greets me and we begin talking about where we are friends, going, how long we have travelled, and all sorts of stuff. We decode to go get one food and by the time we actually leave the place we are a group of six! The one girl is named Joanna and we immediately hit it off. She is a solo traveller who has been at it for awhile and her stories of places and things make me so excited for the journey.
Back at the hostel everyone is out and about playing games and watching tv. More and more my confidence gains about how I am going to make friends. Joanna tells me about a crazy night club called Eden. You get there by taking a taxi to Haad Rin beach and then a little boat around to another secluded beach where you climb some rocks and finally reach a super chilled club. The boat was was a bit terrifying as we were being swayed back and forth in the waves but we could not stop laughing at the fun. The hike up to the club wasn't bad at all because I still could not get over the fact that I was in thailand!!! By the end of the night we all sat on the rocks and watched the sunrise over the water. At this moment I knew this place was going to be a blast and maybe just a little bit too good to be true!
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