06 April 2007
I'm a stranger here myself
Yesterday I arrived safe and sound back in Khao Lak. We had a small mishap on the plane over to Seoul: I guess with gas prices these day the airlines try to keep the fuel in the plane, not shooting onto the tarmack (side note: joking to the Korean pilot that you have duct tape in your luggage does not translate well). Anyways, after about 24 hours travelling I got into Phuket, popped two Nyquils, two Cipros and a large Chang and passed out.
The next morning I hopped the local bus up to KL (literally hopped, they don't come to a full stop). On the ride I realized that it wasn't really the big things about Thailand I missed, it was the simple wonder of the busses that stop on the side of the road for Buddhist blessings but still need three employes to operate it (one to collect fares, one to yell at the window and one to honk the horn and occasionally drive).
Arriving in Khao Lak was somewhat bittersweet (as I knew it would be). It was great to be back in the area but it has changed remarkably. The main road that was under construction when I left is now a four lane highway with a median, theres about 10x as many dive shops open 3x as many of everything else. Where there used to just be pool foundations and the remains of hotels there are now full fledged resorts and spas. The TVC has moved from the front of town back into the mountains and Happy Lagoon has actually completed its happy lagoon. The volunteers have been replaced by fat Germans tourists and Swedish families. Most painfully the Marlin Bar has closed, which is like the Cherry Cricket, Cogee Bay Hotel or both Hunan #1 and the Waterfront shutting their doors. Apparently, it has been a while since I've been here.
On the plus side Bum, Ning, Marcus and some of the other Thai's I knew from last time are still here doing construction. I met up with them and in about 18 minutes was driivng the bobcat and working to clear out a hill. Today we poured the second story floors on a three story building and they are trying to get me to build another bbq (we'll see). Anyways, Jeremy gets in tomorrow, hopefully there is a trip out to the island in the future and then diving on Tuesday.
Enjoy the snow DC
The next morning I hopped the local bus up to KL (literally hopped, they don't come to a full stop). On the ride I realized that it wasn't really the big things about Thailand I missed, it was the simple wonder of the busses that stop on the side of the road for Buddhist blessings but still need three employes to operate it (one to collect fares, one to yell at the window and one to honk the horn and occasionally drive).
Arriving in Khao Lak was somewhat bittersweet (as I knew it would be). It was great to be back in the area but it has changed remarkably. The main road that was under construction when I left is now a four lane highway with a median, theres about 10x as many dive shops open 3x as many of everything else. Where there used to just be pool foundations and the remains of hotels there are now full fledged resorts and spas. The TVC has moved from the front of town back into the mountains and Happy Lagoon has actually completed its happy lagoon. The volunteers have been replaced by fat Germans tourists and Swedish families. Most painfully the Marlin Bar has closed, which is like the Cherry Cricket, Cogee Bay Hotel or both Hunan #1 and the Waterfront shutting their doors. Apparently, it has been a while since I've been here.
On the plus side Bum, Ning, Marcus and some of the other Thai's I knew from last time are still here doing construction. I met up with them and in about 18 minutes was driivng the bobcat and working to clear out a hill. Today we poured the second story floors on a three story building and they are trying to get me to build another bbq (we'll see). Anyways, Jeremy gets in tomorrow, hopefully there is a trip out to the island in the future and then diving on Tuesday.
Enjoy the snow DC
