Crazy old bonkers Thailand - such a stunning country, and so utterly utterly insane. As I landed in Bangkok, it really was the strangest sensation - the beginning of the end I suppose, but before I was to find myself back at Bangers airport and heading home I was to experience five of the best, most intense weeks ever.
The first thing that hit me, as I stepped out of the airport and into Bangkok at midnight, was the unbelievable humidity - even at that time, and having spent the previous six months in places like Australia, Fiji and Brazil it was completely breathtaking. The heat in Thailand is like that...not searing, as it might be in Australia, but like a curry house hot towel...instant and enveloping.
I spent four days in Bangkok, reacquainting myself with the noise, Tuk Tuks, buckets and general madness of the Koh San Road - it was from here that I organised my entire Thai trip, having reliably been informed that this was by far the cheapest way of doing it...well that turned out to be a load of old Pad Thai, but it was (putting as positive a spin as I can on it) another lesson learnt.
From Bangkok I took the 15 hour overnight train down south to Surattahni, and from there the ferry to the beautiful island of Koh Phi Phi.
A few things - firstly the overnight train. I've done it a few times now and it is, to say the very least, an experience. A train that is seemingly never ending, housing a hotch potch mix of world weary Thai's and western party people. Whereas the chance of sleeping on a Bolivian bus is literally non-existant, and the misery is truely exquisite, the seats on the ghost train fold out into bunk beds. And so it was, with the curtain pulled across, a little food, a decent book (Keith Moon; Dear Boy) and 'Them Crooked Vultures' for company that I made my way down to my favourite Thai Island...Phi Phi.
Koh Phi Phi came to worldwide prominence after being used as the location for the film 'The Beach'...and is also, sadly, known for the devastation it suffered during the Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004, where all of the islands infrastucture was destroyed and around 4,000 people - many of them travellers - died. The island is so tiny that this was a significant percentage of the population. Phi Phi is largely rebuilt now, but it is still scarred, in many ways, and it certainly carries the sense of tragedy...but, it is a lovely place, with beautiful beaches, laid back lifestyle and (I don't say this lightly) wild nightlife.
From Phi Phi I bussed, and then ferried across to Koh Samui, where I spent Christmas. Surreal to say the least - December the 25th it was, Christmas Day it was not...spending the day itself on the beach, eating, drinking and dancing into the night. Good fun, but I must admit to hankering for Oxford and all of them lovely lot back there.
From Samui to Koh Phangyang, and the infamous full moon party - an all night beach shindig that takes place in the body paint capital of the world, Haadrin. The first full moon party was first improvised in 1985 by about 20 travellers, and quickly spread by word of mouth so that the party now attracts around 20 - 30,000 people. However, this new years party was a special one - with the full moon falling on new years for the first time in years - and Haadrin saw over 70,000 people descend on the beach. It was, essentially, a gathering for all of the travellers across Asia. Special indeed.
From Phangyang I travelled for 40 hours, up north and to the beautiful town of Chiang Mai. Seven hundred km north of Bangkok, and amongst the countries highest mountains, Chiang Mai is the largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand. A town of temples, markets and religious politics it is also home to elephant and tiger sanctuarys. I spent a day with the elephants - you get to know them a little, feed and ride them - now, you know I'm not a massive regular Zoo type person - but, for me at least, its not every day that one bonds with an elephant. Exciting stuff. I also got to ride for an hour or so down the Chao Prya river on a bamboo raft through stunning countryside. But the highlight of Chiang Mai, for me, was the day at the Tiger Kingdom - a sanctuary for rescued and bred tigers and lions. I spent an hour in an enclosure with 4 grown, wild tigers - I hugged one - brilliant it was.
And then it was over. Back to Bangkok, and I found myself boarding the plane to London.
Again, at that point I was experiencing the strangest sensations...I've spent all of my money, and other peoples too (thank you!!) and because of that I was preparing myself to come home...but when you have wandered around and fallen in love with Buenos Aires, ridden on speedboats through the amazing Iguazu Falls, sunbathed on Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, fished for piranhas from a kayak in the very heart of the amazon, hiked the Inca trail and seen Machu Picchu through the mist, sailed across Lake Titicaca to the Sacred Islands, cycled the worlds most dangerous road, experienced the tragedy of the mines in Potosi, run naked across the amazing salt planes of Uyini, cycled around the vinyards of northern Argentina, surfed on Bondi Beach, torn around the worlds largest sand island, partied at the biggest ever Full Moon party on New Years Eve, and played with tigers and elephants in northern Thailand...well, you don't ever want that to stop. It has been - without doubt - the most amazing time of my life. The best thing I have ever done.
And what have I taken from it? I think that the whole experience has made me want to live more truthfully - to focus on the things that are absolute and constant. That if you're not governed by fear - because travelling affords you the privilege of spontaneity - you can live in a more truthful way - and from that you may live a fullfilling, beautiful life. But if you are fearful you will live a kind of prohibited, prescribed existance. The ramblings of a madman...? Maybe, but I want to live without fear, and do things that challenge me.
Happy days.
