Escaping the rain in Krabi

After I decided to leave Krabi early because it was only raining, I traveled to Koh Pha-ngan with Jasmijn, a girl I had already met in Bangkok. At 11 am we were picked up from the hostel by the mini van. We waited until everyone had found a place and then drove off. First we drove to another hostel and picked up two more backpackers there.

As soon as all seats were occupied, the three-hour journey to Donsak Pier began. At first I thought that the mini van would only take us to the bus stop. However, the mini van took us straight to Donsak Pier. It rained the entire trip. Three hours later we arrived at the pier. We were lucky and our ferry left next. So we were able to get on the ferry straight away. It was the same port I had arrived at three days earlier when I returned from Koh Samui. Sometimes it’s funny how quickly plans can change. Three days before, I didn’t think I would return to this place so quickly.

The ferry ride to Koh Pha-ngan took quite a while. During the journey I occasionally got up and went outside. It was still raining and in the distance it didn’t look that much better. 2.5 hours later we finally arrived on Koh Pha-ngan. Of course we were greeted by the rain there too.

Welcome to the rain in Koh Pha-ngan

After we got off the ferry on Koh Pha-ngan, we were immediately intercepted by the taxi drivers. Together with other backpackers we then took a seat in the tuk tuk and all had to pay 150 Bath for the journey. A short time later we arrived at the hostel, where Jasmijn and I got out of the taxi with three boys. We checked in immediately and booked the remaining nights as a lot of people come to the island during the fullmoon party and the hostels are booked up quicker.

It was almost 6 pm. Unfortunately we couldn’t go to the beach to watch the sunset as we had hoped because it was raining. We then went to 7/11 and bought a snack there. Later that evening Jasmijn and I went out to have dinner. First we wandered around the streets of Koh Pha-ngan a bit and looked to see if we could find a good restaurant somewhere, but we didn’t. Ultimately we decided on a restaurant right next to the hostel. There I ordered a Pad Thai again. I have to admit, this Pad Thai was one of the best I’ve eaten so far.

The next morning I immediately checked to see whether the weather had improved. The amount of water that was already flowing under the crack in the door didn’t bode well for me. Of course it was raining heavily and the sky was gray. I then went back to bed; we couldn’t do much anyway. It wasn’t that bad for me since I had already seen Koh Pha-ngan, but it was just annoying that I was wasting my time.

The next morning I immediately checked to see whether the weather had improved. The amount of water that was already flowing under the crack in the door didn’t bode well for me. Of course it was raining heavily and the sky was gray. I then went back to bed; we couldn’t do much anyway. It wasn’t that bad for me since I had already seen Koh Pha-ngan, but it was just annoying that I was wasting my time.

German Breakfast

When Jasmijn was finally awake and we had gotten ready, we went out to have breakfast during a break in the rain. I had previously found a German bakery nearby on Google Maps, which we definitely wanted to go to. When I got there I was almost speechless. The bakery we saw in Bangkok was already good, but this bakery also served grain bread like I knew from Germany.

We both chose something there and then had breakfast at the bakery. After breakfast we slowly walked back. Since it still wasn’t raining, we decided to go to the beach for now. Unfortunately, because it was gray and cloudy, the water wasn’t quite as nice. We found two swings on the beach, which we sat on and enjoyed the view of the sea. When it finally started to rain again, we made our way back to the hostel.

It just rained the rest of the afternoon. Fortunately, with two people you can use up the time more quickly than alone. We played a few rounds of pool and beer pong (without drinking, although that almost became an option). After a while we went into the room and spent the afternoon there. Since it was getting a little boring and we weren’t doing anything, we were getting pretty tired. During a rain break in the afternoon, I went to 7/11 to buy some snacks.

Beach Party at Oxa Beach

Later in the evening, as it slowly got dark, we took a shower and got ready for the Oxa party that was to take place on Koh Pha-ngan that evening. Since we hadn’t done anything all day, the party in the evening was a good option so that we didn’t completely waste the day. As soon as we were ready for the party, we went to 7/11 and bought a bottle of vodka. Before we drank, we had dinner at the restaurant next to the hostel. Afterwards we went back to the hostel and drank and played beer pong with all the people from the hostel.

At around 11:30 pm we were picked up by the taxi and taken to Oxa Beach. Jasmijn and I met a lot of strange people that evening. At around three o’clock we decided to go back because the techno music wasn’t our taste at all.

At the entrance to the party we were then offered taxis for 150 Bath per person. We paid and got in. It took a while before we finally set off because two girls tried to explain to the taxi driver that they had already given the money to the woman standing next to him. But she didn’t want to know anything about it. Since the whole taxi was full of backpackers, we stuck together and finally gave the driver the choice: either he drives now and accepts another 100 baths from the girls or we all get out and demand the money back. He finally agreed and we finally set off.

Since we first went back to 7/11 for some snacks as soon as we got to the hostel, we ended up not being in bed until half past four.

With a hangover by the beach

At ten o’clock the next morning I was awake again. Of course the hangover was noticeable, but at least the weather was finally nice. So I got ready and also waited for Jasmijn to wake up. Since we urgently needed something to eat after the long night, we went straight to the German Backery and bought our breakfast there. We went to the beach with the rolls and had breakfast there. Since we were still pretty tired, we stayed on the beach for a while and enjoyed the view of the turquoise blue water. After breakfast we felt much better and felt fit enough to rent a scooter.

We did this at the hostel and left our passport as a deposit. When we finally set off it was almost half past two in the afternoon. This is also the reason why I don’t often go to parties when I travel. Staying up all night drinking alcohol will ruin most of the next day. My time is simply too valuable for that.

We filled up the scooters and then headed to Bottle Beach. This was on the other side of the island. The road that led across the island of Koh Pha-ngan looked incredibly beautiful with its many palm trees. I would have liked to enjoy the ride more, but somehow my scooter was giving me problems. I can’t describe exactly what the problem was, but it felt incredibly strange to drive. This also made me feel unsafe. The road was also quite bumpy and steep, which made me feel even more unsafe on the scooter.

Jasmijn and I finally stopped and since she has been riding scooters for several years and is more familiar with them, we swapped scooters. She also noticed the difference, but it was no problem for her to continue driving.

Slippery roads to Bottle Beach

After getting lost once, we arrived at Bottle Beach. Google Maps took us the last part along a 2 kilometer long sandy and stony road. We couldn’t move forward quickly because it was quite slippery. After 500 meters we saw many scooters parked under the trees, so we parked our scooters there and decided to walk the last part.

We couldn’t have driven any further because it was far too steep. That’s why we only got down the hill very slowly and I slipped once. But behind the first hill it continued in a similar way. Since we still had 1.5 kilometers to go and were only making progress at a snail’s pace, we decided to turn around again. It was already half past three in the afternoon and we would never have been back before sunset.

So we turned around and drove back along the sandy road. Then we looked where we could go instead. We then found Thong Nai Pan Beach, which was very close by. So we went there. We were also able to park there directly on the beach. I’ve seen nicer beaches in my life, but it was nice that there wasn’t so much going on there. We walked barefoot on the beach and finally found a corner between the rocks where we sat down and enjoyed the view.

Sunset views at the Amsterdam Bar

After a while we decided to go back because the sun would soon set. The return trip with the other scooter was much more pleasant for me. On the way we stopped at 7/11 to buy some snacks. We then drove directly to the Amsterdam Bar. This is a well-known bar on Koh Pha-ngan, where many people come in the evening to watch the sunset over the sea.

When we arrived at the Amsterdam Bar we could already hear the loud music in the distance and the locals guided us into the parking lot. We had to hurry as the sun would soon set. The bar was extremely full, so we had to spend a while looking for a place to sit on the mats. Eventually we found a place at the front. We ordered a smoothie at the bar and they told us to bring it to our seat.

So we returned to our mats and watched the sun slowly disappear over the horizon. It was a bit annoying that the railing on the balcony where we were sitting blocked the view of the sunrise. As we sat there and it got darker and darker, we waited for our smoothies. Jasmijn eventually went to the bar because we had been waiting for a long time. Finally she came back with the two smoothies that had been standing at the bar for a while.

After we finished our smoothies and it was dark, we made our way back to the hostel in the dark. On the way we stopped at the night market and took a walk around and looked at the many stalls.

After returning to the hostel and taking a short break, we went to the restaurant next to our hostel for dinner. Afterwards we went to bed early as we were pretty tired from the night before.

My last day of traveling

The next morning I woke up early because it was my last day after 1.5 years of traveling. Of course I didn’t want to miss out on this, but rather make the most of it. I got ready and since Jasmijn wasn’t awake yet, I went to the market and bought some fruit there. When I returned to the hostel, Jasmijn was awake and ready to go for breakfast. We went to the German bakery again and bought our bread there. Afterwards we went to the beach and had breakfast there.

Since our scooters were in the hostel, we had to go back there first. Jasmijn wanted to do her laundry first, but since I didn’t want to wait an hour, I decided to drive to Secret Beach and wait for her there. I took the longer route across the island because I wanted to make the most of the scooter driving as possible. The feeling of sitting on the scooter while feeling the sun on your skin and the wind in your hair is simply indescribable.

I had already been to Secret Beach when I was on Koh Pha-ngan a year earlier. Since I found it really beautiful, I thought it would be a nice place to spend the day. When I finally got to the beach, it was noticeably more crowded than the year before. Since I was so warm from the drive to Secret Beach, I jumped straight into the water. The water was also quite warm but still bearable. I also spent the time waiting for Jasmijn there in the water. It didn’t take long until she finally came.

We lay down in the water and talked for a while. After an hour we decided to leave the water. In the meantime a few clouds had gathered. We then went for a walk on the beach and over to the famous Koh Raham Bar. Finally we went back to Secret Beach, where we sat down in the Beach Bar while Jasmijn drank a smoothie.

My last sunset at the beach

Afterwards we drove back to the hostel, where we washed all the sand off our bodies. Since it was now just after five o’clock and we wanted to drive to Zen Beach for sunset, which was further away from the hostel, we set off. We arrived at Zen Beach just before six. The parking lot was full of scooters, which meant we came to a really nice place. And that’s what we did. It was crowded on the beach, but it wasn’t as bad on the beach as it was in the Amsterdam bar the night before. There was also a nice bar right on the beach where most people sat.

We ordered a smoothie at the bar and then sat on the sand and watched the sun slowly go down. It was a little sad knowing that this would be my last sunset over the sea for a while. But I was able to make the most of the day and enjoy every moment.

At half past six Jasmijn and I made our way to the Night Market. I hadn’t tried Mango Sticky Rice before. However, I definitely didn’t want to leave Thailand without trying this. So we both bought mango sticky rice from a stand where the mangoes were freshly prepared. We were surprised at how big the portion we got was. Because Mango Sticky Rice is actually a dessert.

We sat down and tried it. I really enjoyed the Mango Sticky Rice, but the portion was far too big and far too sweet, so at some point I couldn’t get the rice and mangoes down. Jasmijn felt the same way.

Getting ready for the famous Fullmoon Party

Fully eaten, we made our way back to the hostel. There we got ready for my last night and the full moon party. It was really a big coincidence that the fullmoon party was exactly on my last evening before I went home. So I was able to celebrate this evening in a big way.

The Fullmoon Party on Koh Pha-ngan is one of the largest beach parties in the world and always takes place on Koh Pha-ngan during full moon. Numerous tourists come to the island at this time to experience the party. That’s why hostels, hotels and the like are becoming more and more expensive these days.

From nine o’clock all the people from the hostel gathered at the bar, where we drank, played beer pong and painted ourselves with the colorful fluorescent paint. We also met two boys who were wearing a self-designed shirt with a Tic Tac To game on the back. There they had written down various tasks for the night and whoever got a bingo first won. Jasmijn and me joined the game and helped the boys to get a bingo. Later in the party we actually managed to check off most of the tasks and have a bingo.

The famous fullmoon Party on Koh Pha-ngan

At just before twelve the taxi was in front of the hostel and took us to the famous Haad Rin beach, where the party was taking place. It was extremely crowded, so we ended up getting out of the taxi early and walking the last part. There were stalls everywhere and you could also get painted with fluorescent paint. We paid the entrance fee of 200 bath and then went to the beach. There were many different stages and different music was played at each bar, so there was something for everyone.

Of course there was the big Fullmoon Party fire table, the skipping rope made of fire and a big full moon right on the beach. We stayed at the party until half past four in the morning. Then we took a taxi back to the hostel. By the time we finally got to bed it was 5:30 am. For me it was a really nice last day, the party was really fun and I couldn’t have imagined a better ending.

One last Scooter Problem in South East Asia

The next morning I had to set an alarm because my ferry left at 1 pm. and I still had to pack and go shopping first. After four hours of sleep, I got up and luckily felt fitter than after the party two days ago. Like many others in the room, I began to pack and get ready. Finally I set off again on the scooter and bought food for the day’s journey as well as breakfast. Back at the hostel we returned our scooters.

When Jasmijn returned her scooter, the owner noticed a crack in the seat. Jasmijn was immediately panicked that the man was trying to scam her. But we had previously made a video of the scooter, which we watched directly. In fact, we discovered that there had been no crack in the leather before and it was our fault. Since we had swapped scooters in the meantime, we didn’t know who was to blame between us. The crack probably came in the seat when we parked the scooter and it wasn’t even our fault.

Initially the owner told us that the cost would be 2000 Bath. Luckily he only asked for 1000 Bath, so each of us paid 500 Bath. It was “only” 12 euros, but it was still annoying and a waste of money.

After resolving the issue and getting our passports back, we checked out of the hostel and waited for the taxi. We were dropped off at the pier along with a few other people from the hostel. There I had to say goodbye to Jasmijn as she continued on to Koh Tao while I made my way back to Bangkok.

Starting the 36 hour Journey back to Germany

My ferry arrived at 1 am. First the ferry drove to Koh Tao and dropped off some people there. While we were standing there on the pier, the air conditioning on the ferry failed and it got pretty hot in there. Fortunately, this problem was quickly resolved. Because we stopped on Koh Tao, I was able to see the beautiful turquoise blue water again. Finally we went back to the mainland.

I arrived in Chumphon at 4.30 pm. I picked up my ticket at the ticket office and then had to wait until five o’clock. A total of four buses arrived at five o’clock heading to Bangkok. However, everything was very well organized so there was no chaos. Everyone got a sticker in blue, orange, purple or pink at the ticket office. These stickers were also attached to the buses so that everyone knew which bus to get on.

The drive to Bangkok took over eight hours and we didn’t arrive in Bangkok until 1:30 am. During the drive I had already cried because I just didn’t want to give up this life of traveling. I know I’ll do all of this again but for now I had to go back home. I had many goodbyes during my trip and they were all sad in their own way, but the hardest goodbye for me was actually the one from my life on the road.

Stoppover in Bangkok

When I arrived in Bangkok I was able to walk straight to the hostel as it was only 200 meters away from the bus stop. The reception was also open 24 hours, so I could check in without any problems. Once I was in the room, I just brushed my teeth and then went to bed because I had to get up again four hours later.

After two nights without much sleep, I was fit the next morning. I took a shower, had to completely repack my backpack for the flight and went to 7/11 again to buy my breakfast there. I checked out of the hostel at 8.30 am. and called a Grab taxi to take me to the airport.

Over and Out

At that point I hadn’t really realized that it was all over and that after 1.5 years I would be back home in just a few hours. Even when I arrived at the airport, I still didn’t realize it. However, I didn’t manage to smile anymore, I was far too unhappy about the thought that it would all be over soon.

I checked in my luggage to Frankfurt, got my boarding pass, went through security and passport control and then waited at the gate for my flight. As soon as I sat on the plane and saw on the screen that I would be landing in Germany in 12 hours, I slowly realized that it was all over. During the start I couldn’t hold back the tears anymore.

Even though I hadn’t slept much in the last few days, I barely managed to sleep during the flight. That’s why I got pretty bored at some point and the 12 hours seemed like eternities. We also flew back in time the whole time, so it didn’t get dark outside and I had the feeling all the time that time wasn’t passing.

12 hours later the time had finally come and the plane landed in Frankfurt. Once again I couldn’t hold back the tears, it was all over now.