stories

Working hard

After just a little bit more than a year being back in Amsterdam, I am on the road again and find myself on Koa San Road in Bangkok. Nothing has changed here, the backpackers all still look the same, the city smells the same and it feels like I have never stopped travelling. I was back in the right mode almost directly and still knew all the inner codes and feelings. "Where are you from?" "How long have you been here?" "Where will you go next?"

After the obligatory 'one night in Bangkok' we decided to move to an island. Since all beaches here are of the same tropical beauty, we went for the closest one, which is Ko Samet. A clear blue sea gently rubbing a pearly, squeky white beach, a bungalow by the sea and my lover by my side... what more can a girl ask for? Those of you who have travelled South East Asia will no doubt now be shouting BUCKETS!! For those of you who have no idea, a bucket is a small plastic thing you normally see children playing with on the beach. Here, however, they fill the bucket with one bottle of Thai Rum (the infamous Sang Som Whiskey), one small bottle of secret medicine (a.k.a. Red Bull), some ice to freshen it up and, if there is room left, some Coca Cola. This bucket drinking is a social festivity: you insert many straws and share with your newly made backpacking friends (who all strangely seem to get weird code names like Spanish Lover Deluxe or South-African Saint/teacher). Bucket drinking also means sharing in your sorrows: the next day you can barely move and can do little more than chill in the ocean. What a life.

We have spent five days on the beach - Monday through Friday, just like a working week. This was just a small introduction to get re-acquainted with the backpacking ways. Tonight we are off with the night train to Udon Ratchatani (which should be pronounced like 1-2-3-4 chachacha) and then we will cross into Laos tomorrow. Sabadiiiii!!