Thailand Part II: Beach Bar, Bonfires, Buckets and Bonding

Bonding can come in many forms.  It can occur whilst enduring discomforts or stresses together.  Or,  through simply enjoying good times.

I left off with a kinked neck and folded legs on a long bus ride from Bangkok.  My co-volunteers and I were finally deposited at the port at 4:30 am and were told the ferry would depart within the hour.  It left at 7:30. We were officially on Thai time.  I journaled while on the boat – I tend to do this – while the boat tossed about.  I did get to see some pretty shoreline and small islands, with the occasional traditional fisherman in a small Thai long tail boat.

Introduction to the Andaman Sea, Thailand

I went up to the top deck and joined the girlies, where we leaned over the side and enjoyed the bracing spray, as well as the occasional blast of a wave, and giggled and screamed as we got thoroughly – though not unhappily – doused by the waters of the Gulf of Thailand.  I was on the “front lines” and had not a dry spot on my bow side! The wind was warm and it was all fine… Soon, the faint outlines of our island became visible in the distance, and we could discern mountains, palm jungle, and sandy beaches….sigh…

We pulled into port with its colorful buildings and bobbing boats. We were loaded, literally, into the back of a pickup truck, complete with our pile of luggage.  We made the 10 minute, mostly off-road, trip into Sairee beach town, then continued up into the hills to our guesthouse, Sairee View.  With meandering little garden/jungle paths, and a lovely communal ocean view deck, we agree this will do just fine, regardless of the lack of warm water plumbing.  Patty and I share a bungalow, which is a generous term for our little windowless hut ; )

Milling millipede in our accommodations

It is certainly “charming”, but we can’t expect to keep it free of millipedes – happily cruising the wooden floor – geckos, who apparently poop in everyone’s belongings, and large, hairy spiders resembling slimmed down versions of tarantulas… you jealous yet?  The bungalows have no heat or air conditioning – and at times, one or the other would be welcome, especially after we emerge from the freezing cold showers. The food is delicious though!  I begin a ritual of meusli, yogurt, honey and tropical fruits piled into a bowl, for my breakfast each morning.

We gather at the long, low table and get a bit of a briefing about what to expect for our volunteer tour of duty, and, well, we still feel fairly clueless.  We had some free time, so we strolled the beach, checked out the town, and got to know the girls, all of whom we like and admire.

It's a swing thing

Those of you who know me; please don’t get heart palpitations at what I describe next: Patty (my co-volunteer) and I wake up early the next day…yes, ME, early. You heard right.  We walked into town by 6:30, had a coffee and breakfast at a cafe, and walked along the beach, picking up trash and bottles.   Later we would visit the school and be introduced to the children, but for now, we were taking in our new home and “workplace” for the next two weeks. We played on a swing and fell in love with some beach dogs, who returned the affection.

Fire swirling, beach bonfire, Ko Tao

Our volunteer clan gathered for a nice enough dinner at a beach restaurant and we revisited the happy beach swing.  I was hot and had not yet gone in the water, so I went for a night time dip!  A little scary – ’cause you step on large rocks sometimes, and your imagination conjures up rock fish and any number of exotic, deadly possibilities of sea floor dwellers  – but sooo nice and refreshing.

After dinner, we all strolled down the beach..drawn to the glow of a large bonfire and good music.  We joined some revelers at a lively beach bar and we soon got buckets!..the popular and infamous drink that is a mixture of Thai whiskey, Thai Red Bull (it has small amounts of meth!! in it there) coke or other soda, and lots of ice and straws, served up in a plastic kiddie pail.  Our volunteer coordinators actually warned us about this potent concoction in that one might experience side effects, such as fun, dancing, laughter and girly bonding.

"Bucket Girls"

Too late.  I still refer fondly to this gaggle of girls on my Facebook as the “Bucket Girls”.

All photos by G. Stark, unless I’m in them.

For more Thailand travels, see Bangkok: Orient-ation for My Volunteer Stint or: Temples, Trannies, Tigers and Toilet Paper