World Backpack

Ah, the wisdom of the Rasta guys is clearly rubbing off. We just spent the last two weeks on Koh Phayam, a very small island on the border of Thailand and Burma. It was certainly relaxing.

Stephie with a typical Phayam sunset

We spent one Saturday night at a Rasta bar down the beach from our bungalow, and, as I mentioned, thier wisdom rubbed off on us. Phrases like “Enjoy with yourself!” or “Just let’s it be” pretty much sum up the atmosphere on Koh Phayam. It’s relaxed, a little odd, and definitely a good spot for someone looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of  this country. There are no cars, electricity is only available for a handful or hours a day (wind/solar powered), and it’s only about 4 square kilometres!

    
Good friends at Phayam
   
We stayed at Bamboo Bungalows, the same place that we stayed last time we were there, and it had only changed slightly – and for the better. The island itself has hardly changed, but we heard rumors that a lot of the property has been bought up on the cheap, and will be developed as soon as the economy gets better – so for all we know, that may very well be the last time we see Koh Phayam look the way it does now.

Our room by the beach 

Stef deciding on dinner

Shells from Krabi

Most of our days there were spent doing the following activities: sleeping, eating, sitting on the beach, walking on the beach, swimming, body boarding, sea kayaking, sleeping, eating, reading, and occasionally renting a motorbike to go explore.

Chris and James ready to hit the surf

Insane waves for kayaking

The spiders there were so huge – bigger than my hand, and there webs were seemingly indestructable (trust me, Chris checked hahaha). Also, we stayed in a nicer room than usual, so there weren’t too many creatures, but of course we had the “experience” bathroom – it’s outside.

 
One of the smaller spiders

Chris relaxing on a swing

The first week was fantastic, the second week not so much. I ended up getting really sick; it started with a really bad headache, and as that got worse, a fever came along, as well as the feeling that several alligators (or similarly unpleasant creatures) were unleashed on the majority of my internal organs. This had  me slightly worried, as the nearest hospital was a motorbike ride across the island, a 2 hour boat ride to Ranong, and 20 minute taxi away. In 35 degree heat. We made it to the hospital though, and I was seen by a doctor, had my blood tested, and then seen by a doctor again, all within an hour. It turned out to be an infection in my stomach (not raging alligators as first assumed), and I brought antibiotics with me from Canada so I started them right away and now I feel almost totally better. Oh, and the whole hospital visit cost 90 Baht. Three bucks.

A couple last thoughts…

1. Be grateful for the dryness at home. I know it’s annoying, but extreme moisture is more annoying. The book I just finished is full of mould. Clothes NEVER dry. 2. Enjoy your mosquito bites. Sure, they’re itchy and give unsightly red bumps, but they aren’t going to give you malaria, dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, or any other disease. 3. Hold onto your hats, as in addition to my regular driving style (that of an 80 year old, overly cautious woman), I will be introducing a few standard Thai methods: a) Using the horn liberally (when approaching a vehicle/person, when turning a corner, or approaching a hill); b) Driving on whatever side of the road I feel is appropriate; c) Driving at whatever speed I feel is appropriate.

There isn’t too much else to say at the moment, as I said, aside from my being sick, our last couple weeks have not consisted of much more than hanging out in the water, eating, and reading. But seeing as Chris’ cousin, Brendan, arrives tomorrow I am thinking we’ll have many more adventures to share in the near future. Until then, enjoy our pictures! We hope everyone is fantastic and we miss you and love you so much! xo!

- Stephie