Krabi was not even on my travel radar. But I finally wanted to see the beach and thanks to Seth, who is one of the amazing travelers I met in Chiang Mai, I decided to fly down to the south and check out this little coastal town. It is known for its many offshore islands, which you reach through water taxis or ferries.
Once I arrived there I noticed the super touristy, very different atmosphere than the North. It is pricier and a lot more adjusted to the needs of the two-week vacationers. Yet here I was, and all I wanted was the beach and good weather anyways. And both were given. Carpe diem, right?
After reuniting with Claudine, who did a quick detour through Siem Reap (Cambodia), we did a sunset kayaking tour on Krabi's Ao Thalane. We were ecstatic about this adventure, not anticipating though how exhausting kayaking can be. Desperately trying to catch up, we constantly played tag with the rest of our tour group. It started also to rain and not just drop by drop. A full-on storm engulfed in front of us right as we were in the middle of the sea. Being first enchanted by the unique situation, the excitement turned quickly in fear when we saw the first bolts of lightning hitting the sea. Finally realizing the danger our tour guide lead us to a closed-off split in the cliffs close by and we sought shelter for a while. Half an hour passed and it started getting dark. So our guide made a judgment call and decided to return to our kayaks and paddle as fast as we can back to the pier. After using up our arm strength to the max, we finally were able to say: Land ahoy!
In the next couple of days, the rest of the NapPark crew drizzled into Krabi. Together we checked out the adjacent beaches like Railey and Prah Nang. They were a perfect getaway and incredibly beautiful. Especially Prah Nang beach, where you look at a huge rock formation in the sea.
I previously mentioned Seth. A beautiful human being I already met in Bangkok, but really got to know in Chiang Mai. Now, Seth is one of these rare genuine people, who is wise, brutally honest, funny, and just all-in-all a kind guy. Here in Krabi I really got to know him. Our conversations ranged from deep and deeper topics to light-hearted, do-not-take-this-so-serious chit chats. For him, this coastal town is a special place. And we were lucky to share this experience with him.
Coming from a seven-year stint in the US, (Un)Thanksgiving was always a welcoming excuse to gather round friends and family and be thankful. I insisted that we needed to organize a Friendsgiving here in Krabi. Not really able to resist my “charm” (aka stubbornness), we came together and went to the supermarket, where we shopped a nice spread and headed straight to the beach. We even invited a new friend, who we just met - traditional yet not conventional. Never would I have imagined a more perfect (Un)Thanksgiving far away from home. Thank you to each one who made it so special!
When we didn't prepare a feast ourselves, we went to Cafe 8.98 for delicious breakfasts and coffees and for dinners to “Kai Tuan” aka to Mama’s: A little hole in the wall, an inconspicuous unit covered by tin, in-between massage parlors, and 7 Elevens, where Mama cooks the best Pad Thai, Tom Kha soup and spring rolls in town. Mama is like a strict grandmother: firm yet heartfelt, rarely smiles, but still radiates love through her actions and by the way she prepares the best food for you. Do yourself a favor and just go and see for yourself!
One night we spontaneously decided “hey, let’s go to the Tiger Cave Temple tomorrow for sunrise!”, which meant getting up at 4:30 am being picked up at 5 am, driving to the temple ground, and climbing 1237 steps to reach the temple. I admit I was the one who booked the whole darn thing in the first place, so I cannot really blame anyone for this but myself. And oh boy, did I hate myself the second I had to get up, or the second I had to take the first step, or the 100th, the 300th, the 700th...We were a crew of four: Francisco, Yaron, Danny and me. From Yaron and Danny, I didn’t see much once we started climbing up. Hiking at their own pace, whooom, they were gone with the wind. So it was just me and mi hermano colombiano, Francisco. Thinking that he was so nice waiting for me, I was eager to thank him quickly. And because he is an honest one, he was like “As much as I would like to take credit for being nice, I am dying myself right now and need to stop.” Haha touche, my friend! The whole ordeal was so worth it though once we arrived at the top. Surrounded by a magical mist, the experience of making it felt like a piece of enlightenment. Unfortunately, the sun didn’t really come through the clouds, but that didn’t matter at this point anymore. We did it!
After the sun rose (more or less) dozens of monkeys appeared out of nowhere. One of them actually tried to steal my Wool & Oak bag. Thanks to my quick reaction though he only bagged my water bottle. Not so easy, my friend! The monkeys were otherwise a sight to see and experience.
The most beautiful part of my stay in Krabi was, I found, that I spent several days there. I had a routine, with people I adored. We got to spend an intense time together. I had wonderful conversations, night outs, massages, rain dances (or ‘darnses', as my British friends would say). We all stayed at Pop-In Hostel in Krabi Ao Nang. At their common area right in front, I had countless exchanges, especially with Francisco, who is another beautiful human being I call my friend now. We bonded over our Colombian connection: him being one and me having a Colombian family connection thanks to my brother-in-law. Being also an individual, who recognized that he can do more, we had endless chats about life, the future, and what this trip means to us. Muchas gracias, amigo!
Here in Krabi we also celebrated Seth’s birthday. Since we wanted to do something special, we headed to the island Kho Phi Phi. Well, nature had other plans for us and it was raining all day. What a bust! Yet we said “Oh well!” one more time and returned quickly to Krabi to gather again at night and give Seth a bash he deserved. Thank you to Teen Kao Bar and their band for throwing us an unforgettable party! A big gin-and-tonic infused cheers to life!
Up next: Kho everything.