Travel Stories

January 21, 6pm, Ko Chang island, Thailand, by Xerxes Marduk

I just did something totally awesome and completely out of character. On the boat to this island I decided I didn't want to be like every other tourist on board and take one of the waiting taxis to the big tourist beach called White Sand Beach. So instead of getting in a taxi I set off on my own from the boat, with no clear idea of where I was going. At first I walked across a pebbly beach that hid thousands of crabs that all scuttled under rocks as I approached. After 30 minutes of walking I came to a hut with two Thai guys inside. I tried to get across that I wanted to get a lift to White Sand Beach, by this point some of my ardor for independence had faded as I thought more and more about where I was going to sleep tonight. They smiled and pointed in the direction I had come, not much help. Then I reasoned, this is an island, and historically I have had good luck hitchhiking around islands. So I walked up to the road and stuck out my thumb. The first person to pass was a middle aged Thai lady. I pointed in the direction I wanted to go and smiled. She motioned for me to hop on her motorbike behind her. With my backpack balanced precariously over the end of the bike she drove me five minutes down the road to a lonely taxi stand. I thanked her and offered to pay, but she refused.

The taxi drivers were a surly bunch, and could give me no definite price to White Sand Beach, nor an estimated time of departure. So I walked a little ways away and once again stuck out my thumb. This time two German tourists on rented motorbikes stopped and offered me a lift. "We might not make it up the hill." One says as I get on, my big backpack between us on the seat. Sure enough, one minute down the road a steep hill emerged and the motorbike comes to a standstill on a steep incline. "Sorry." He says. I thank him and get off. He quickly speeds up the hill.

At the bottom of the hill a few army trucks with their compliment of army guys have been watching this and laughing, and probably taking bets to see if the bike would get me up the hill. As I walked past them I smiled and said hi. They offered me a lift on one of their army trucks. After a few minutes of rearranging soldiers they made room for me at the back of one of the trucks and gave me a hand in. There were seven of them in the bed of the camo painted truck, and two up front. They were all dressed in full camo, had army issue hard helmets, and each one held a unloaded M16 assault rifle. I exchanged the usual pleasantries with the one seated across from me; where I was from, and our names. They all got a kick that I was from California. "Hotel California." They all sang at once. I agreed that California was a great place. As we climbed the steep hill we got a lot of funny looks from passing vehicles. What was an army truck full of soldiers doing with a Farang tourist in it? I tried to think of something to give them in way of thanks. I decided on my hacky sack, something which I have never used on this trip. I handed it to the guy who I was the best acquainted with and demonstrated in the cramped confines of the truck how the game was played. They drove me 15 minutes to the top of the hill, then indicated this is where I get off. We shook hands and I jumped down. As the truck turned around and rumbled off, belching black smoke, they waved at me and smiled and I waved back.

Thinking how much fun I was having I started walking down the hill. In no time I met a lady riding a bicycle up the hill who told me it was only one more kilometer to White Sand Beach. Striding down the hill, with the setting sun reflecting off the ocean to my right, a pickup full of locals stopped so I hopped in the bed of the truck and made myself comfortable for the last few minutes to the beach, where I am now. And the misquotes are coming out, so its time to move inside. By getting here by my various means I saved a $5 taxi ride and got to take an unusual route to the beach. I like this friendly start to the island, now I have to find a place to stay tonight.

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