Ko Samui, Thailand

Off to Ko Samui...just a public bus, ferry, minibus, train, big bus, ferry, cab ride, and golf cart ride away....

Getting to Ko Samui from Penang was quite the adventure. 

Step 1:  Take a 10 minute public bus from our hostel to the ferry.  No problem.

Step 2:  Take the ferry from Penanag Island to mainland Malaysia near the Butterworth train station.  No problem.

Butterworth Ferry

View of Georgetown from the ferry

Step 3:  Take a 10 hour train from Malaysia to Surat Thani, Thailand which is near the port where we could catch the ferry to Ko Samui.  Big problem #1.

When we arrived at Butterworth train station we learned that our train had been canceled due to major delays in Thailand.  Luckily, the guy at the ticket window spoke English and directed us to take a mini bus across the border into Thailand.  Unluckily, that minibus would drop us off at Hat Yai, Thailand, the city that had a terrorist bombing a few weeks before. Big problem #2. For the record, I was reluctant to go to Hat Yai...I'm neurotic about my safety.  T on the other hand vetoed my refusal to go to Hat Yai, claiming it was the safest time to go since the attack already happened.  Well, we're still alive so you were right Luke, you were riiight.

Step 4:  Take a 3 hour mini bus with 7 other people (T was the only whitey) across the border to Hat Yai.  No problem.  Crossing the border by foot was actually kind of neat.  T suspected that the women sitting next to him was Korean so he ask her first in English "Are you visiting from Korea?".  She stared at him blankly not understanding a word he said.  Then he busted out his Korean and asked her again.  She got a bit excited and started talking to him in Korean at which point T stared at her blankly not understanding a word she said.  It was pretty cute.

Step 5:  Take the train from Hat Yai to Surat Thani.  No major problems except waiting in scorching heat for a train that was 2 hours late.  Otherwise, the train was pretty fun.  It was my first time on a train where a waiter took your dinner order and then afterwards turned your seats into beds.  Pretty cool huh?

"Hat Yai is the BOMB" by Ted

Yayyyy.  2 buckets of sweat later, our train is finally here!!

Quenching our thirst with $1 cold beers! Beat that America.

Our cheap but pretty tasty train food.

Our dinner table turned into T's bed

My bed folded down from the ceiling.  So fun right?

 Step 6:  By the time we got to Surat Thani it was close to midnight and too late to take a ferry across to Samui so we booked a room for $8 dollars at a place called the Queen Hotel.  Big problem #3.  Its the only hotel near the station and it was AWFUL.  I wish a took a picture of the bathroom.  The sink had a drain, but it drained onto the floor.  You turn on the water to wash your hands...the water goes into the sink and down a drain that empties on the bathroom floor directly under the sink near your feet!!!  You spit your toothpaste into the sink, it ends up on the floor splashing onto your feet!!!!  I know, I know, you get the picture, but I just can't get over it.

Step 7:  We got up as early as we could mostly because I felt like I was getting dirtier by the minute just by standing inside the Queen hotel and set out to find a bus that would take us to the ferry.  Big problem #4.  The bus which was supposed to leave at 7am left at 10.  So there we sat on a NON air con bus for 3 hours before it started moving. And what was supposed to be a 1 hour ride to the ferry was more like 2 because our driver picked himself up lunch along the side of the road, picked up his son from school along the side of the road, and then had to stop at a gas station because 2 passengers had to pee really bad. 

Step 8:  We finally got on our ferry which was about 2 hours and grabbed some much deserved beers.

View from the ferry.  Finally getting closer....

We decided to name our first born Leo Chang Provins.  haha.

Step 9:  Take a  cab to our hotel!  We made it!!! Our hotel was at the top of a steep hill so after we checked in at reception we got into a little resort golf cart to our room.

Our hotel balcony...finally some rest

Hanging at the hotel pool

Our spot on the beach

Exactly where you would find us everyday promptly at 4

The journey to Ko Samui was probably the most interesting and blog worthy event during our time there since we spent most of our week just hanging by the pool and drinking at the beach.  We also spent a significant amount of time looking for a tanktop for T.  Yes, you read that correctly, a tanktop for Ted.  He had developed an unbelievable farmer's tan.  There was nothing he could do about his legs unless he was willing to rock a speedo, but he decided to save his arms by sporting a euro tank top look.  We didn't find one though...there just wasn't one out there that didn't make T look...just wrong.  I suggested cutting the sleeves off his Captain America tshirt, but I think that would just devastate our friend Tom and Jen who just love to see T is that tshirt :)

See what I mean?  I don't normally condone man tanks but drastic times call for drastic measures

Oh and I did a half day tour by myself while T stayed back and did our taxes all day...though I'm sure he managed in some Starcraft time with Brian...the highlight of Ted's time in Ko Samui.  I'll end this post with some pics from my tour.  Enjoy!

The temples and Buddhas I visited...

This guy isn't a Buddha obviously but its a cool statue made entirely of car parts.

 

 

 

 

 

The tour I signed up for also took us to a place called the grandma and grandpa rocks.  I would just like to make it clear that I went only because it was included in the tour and not by choice.

This is grandpa rock

This is grandma rock

And this is their son which they obviously call grandson rock

I also visited the most famous monk in Ko Samui who died 20 or something years ago.  I was told his body did not decompose so they decided to position him in a meditating position to show the world the benefits of healthy meditation.  I had so many questions about this...how did they figure out his body doesn't decompose...did his family keep his body after he died and wait to see if it would decompose?  I mean...how is this possible?  They claim they don't treat the body with any chemicals and all his organs are still in tact!  It doesn't make sense right?  Oh, he sports a pair of classic Ray Bans too.  Maybe its the Ray Bans that have the magical power.

And last but not least, I did an hour hike to a waterfall with the tour group.  Ted would have LOVED it.