Waking Up
Today was my last day in the Baan Sukreet. They had no availability beyond my reservation, so I found another room in town. The room in town was considerably less expensive at $22 (Baan Sukreet was almost $50). Checkout was at 11am, but I figured I'd just leave my bags with the front desk after breakfast and head out. I confirmed with the manager, Fred, that leaving the bags would be okay and that I could extend the scooter rental. Breakfast was fantastic, just as it was the day before.
Cruising
Today I wanted to cruise around the island. There were a number of places to checkout, including a couple of hikes. I had a general idea of what I wanted to do with the day, but figured I would piece it together as I rode along the road.
Waterfall Hunting
Na Muang falls was located near an amusement area inward of the island. I figured this would be a great place to check out. Upon arrival I encountered elephants! The elephants weren't wild though, I believe they are actually domesticated. In any case they were carting people around. There were other animal oriented shows in the area, too. I pulled over to take some pics of the elephants. When I got back on the bike I kicked up some sand and wiped out. OUCH. A few guys in front of me stopped and asked if I was okay. I was shaken up, but I could get up and didn't think anything was broken. I did notice I skinned up my leg pretty good. I told them I was fine and would stop at the information booth for bandages. We chatted a bit, they were from Poland. Really nice guys.
I pulled the bike into the nearby parking lot and got help at the information booth. They took me to a gift shop and applied basic first aid. They didn't have bandages, but did have iodine antiseptic and cleaned me up. They wouldn't take money or a tip. I had the sales girl take my photo as the man applied the antiseptic because it REALLY stung and burned.
Afterwards, I decided to hike to the waterfall as I originally planned. The hike wasn't very exhausting and was mostly a walk down a paved road. The waterfall was huge. It did have a decent amount of water to it, especially considering it wasn't wet season. Some people were climbing up the waterfall, but the guides that followed some of the groups advised against it. They cringed as they watched solo travels trek the wet rocks.
Admission was a little over a dollar and included a free bottle of water. After the trek to the falls, I swung by the bar to collect the water. Out of nowhere a medic came and pointed to my wound and began to clean it. I tried to tell him someone else did, but he ignored me and continued to clean me up. Unfortunately for me, no one there had a bandage. Walking around in a trouble climate with an open wound didn't sound like a good idea, so after this stop I'd need to visit a pharmacy for gauze.
After the hike I got back on the bike and explored the island. I was a bit nervous on the bike, but not scared. The scenery was pretty gorgeous and I pulled over a few times to snap for pictures. I really wasn't in a rush and was enjoying the journey, so I stopped for lunch long the way. I found a stellar hotel restaurant near the beach that was part of a small hotel. I ordered a pork thai dish and tiger shrimp. The food was excellent.
I walked up and down the street a couple of times deciding I should try a Thai massage. There are a number of non-sketchy looking places surrounding the hotel, so I stopped by. For 250 baht, or a little under $8, I could get a head and shoulder massage. A fully body Thai massage was actually less at 200. I figured the head and shoulders massage was fine, I didn't want anyone near my injuries. The massage was fantastic, I even fell asleep for a portion of it.
Next up was dinner. I stopped by a restaurant with a roasting pig in front of it that looked good. After confirming it wasn't a tourist trap (using TripAdvisor), I decided to give it a try. The service was a little slow, but the food was surprisingly good. After a few rounds of eating, I decided I had enough.
After dinner I cut through one of the hotels and went to the beach. I pulled up one of the reclining chairs that had been put away and relaxed for a while. I also took some pictures.
Nightlife
The part of the island I'm staying at is called Chaweng. There are a few different areas within the town with dozens of bars within each area. Two different areas alone probably have 50 bars between them. There's a very active nightlife in this town. That's also excluding the main street the hotel is off, which itself is surrounded by even more bars, shops and restaurants. I didn't stay out too late and got to bed relatively early.
Today was my last day in the Baan Sukreet. They had no availability beyond my reservation, so I found another room in town. The room in town was considerably less expensive at $22 (Baan Sukreet was almost $50). Checkout was at 11am, but I figured I'd just leave my bags with the front desk after breakfast and head out. I confirmed with the manager, Fred, that leaving the bags would be okay and that I could extend the scooter rental. Breakfast was fantastic, just as it was the day before.
Cruising
Today I wanted to cruise around the island. There were a number of places to checkout, including a couple of hikes. I had a general idea of what I wanted to do with the day, but figured I would piece it together as I rode along the road.
Waterfall Hunting
Na Muang falls was located near an amusement area inward of the island. I figured this would be a great place to check out. Upon arrival I encountered elephants! The elephants weren't wild though, I believe they are actually domesticated. In any case they were carting people around. There were other animal oriented shows in the area, too. I pulled over to take some pics of the elephants. When I got back on the bike I kicked up some sand and wiped out. OUCH. A few guys in front of me stopped and asked if I was okay. I was shaken up, but I could get up and didn't think anything was broken. I did notice I skinned up my leg pretty good. I told them I was fine and would stop at the information booth for bandages. We chatted a bit, they were from Poland. Really nice guys.
I pulled the bike into the nearby parking lot and got help at the information booth. They took me to a gift shop and applied basic first aid. They didn't have bandages, but did have iodine antiseptic and cleaned me up. They wouldn't take money or a tip. I had the sales girl take my photo as the man applied the antiseptic because it REALLY stung and burned.
Afterwards, I decided to hike to the waterfall as I originally planned. The hike wasn't very exhausting and was mostly a walk down a paved road. The waterfall was huge. It did have a decent amount of water to it, especially considering it wasn't wet season. Some people were climbing up the waterfall, but the guides that followed some of the groups advised against it. They cringed as they watched solo travels trek the wet rocks.
Admission was a little over a dollar and included a free bottle of water. After the trek to the falls, I swung by the bar to collect the water. Out of nowhere a medic came and pointed to my wound and began to clean it. I tried to tell him someone else did, but he ignored me and continued to clean me up. Unfortunately for me, no one there had a bandage. Walking around in a trouble climate with an open wound didn't sound like a good idea, so after this stop I'd need to visit a pharmacy for gauze.
Elephant Trekking
Can you say ouch
Picture of me screaming in pain as antiseptic is applied
(seriously, I was screaming)
Na Muang Falls
After the hike I got back on the bike and explored the island. I was a bit nervous on the bike, but not scared. The scenery was pretty gorgeous and I pulled over a few times to snap for pictures. I really wasn't in a rush and was enjoying the journey, so I stopped for lunch long the way. I found a stellar hotel restaurant near the beach that was part of a small hotel. I ordered a pork thai dish and tiger shrimp. The food was excellent.
View
Lunch and my bike helmet (safety first)
Further along the way I stopped at a couple of temples. To date, the most morbid religious site would go to the Orthodox.
Wat Khunaram
I kid you not, I stopped by this temple without knowing anything about it. This temple has got to be the craziest thing I've seen to date. I figured the mummies of the Pechersk Lavra would go down as the strangest religious site I'd see. That was in the Kiev, capital of the Ukraine. What makes the Lavra unique is that parts of the mummies are visible to visitors (mostly just the fingers). Some of them mummies are hundreds of years old, too. Although I didn't see it, the head of the fourth pope is down there. The rest of his body was moved elsewhere....kind of morbid if you think about it. Anyhow, in the center of the temple is a mummified monk in plexiglass. He's the centerpiece of what people pray to when they visit.
Temple and mummified monk
Checking In
After getting back into town I swung by the hotel to pickup my checked bags. With my larger bag on my back, the smaller bag fit by my feet on the scooter. What a way to travel! Without much effort I found the new hotel. It was located in the busy town and cross the street from the beach. The beach wasn't visible, you have to pass through a hotel to get to it (similar to the beaches in Waikiki). Shocking what $22 can get you in this part of the world.
After checking in I cleaned up and head off to a pharmacy. One of the folks I bumped into at the waterfall suggested that a pharmacy might wrap up my wound. Within a short walk of the hotel were several. The woman working at the pharmacy was very helpful and, when I asked, cleaned up the wound and applied the gauze and antiseptic I purchased. She wouldn't take a tip! What a country.
Massage and Dinner
I walked up and down the street a couple of times deciding I should try a Thai massage. There are a number of non-sketchy looking places surrounding the hotel, so I stopped by. For 250 baht, or a little under $8, I could get a head and shoulder massage. A fully body Thai massage was actually less at 200. I figured the head and shoulders massage was fine, I didn't want anyone near my injuries. The massage was fantastic, I even fell asleep for a portion of it.
Next up was dinner. I stopped by a restaurant with a roasting pig in front of it that looked good. After confirming it wasn't a tourist trap (using TripAdvisor), I decided to give it a try. The service was a little slow, but the food was surprisingly good. After a few rounds of eating, I decided I had enough.
After dinner I cut through one of the hotels and went to the beach. I pulled up one of the reclining chairs that had been put away and relaxed for a while. I also took some pictures.
Nightlife
The part of the island I'm staying at is called Chaweng. There are a few different areas within the town with dozens of bars within each area. Two different areas alone probably have 50 bars between them. There's a very active nightlife in this town. That's also excluding the main street the hotel is off, which itself is surrounded by even more bars, shops and restaurants. I didn't stay out too late and got to bed relatively early.
Nightlife
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