16-18 Feb
16 Feb: The day begins with getting dropped off at the pier 2 hrs before a 30 minute ferry ride to Ko Pha Ngan. Why did the ferry transportation company pick us up so early we think to ourselves. Perhaps it was to spend money at the overpriced deli/restuarant, which we did out of boredom. Given we were going to miss the Full Moon Party at Hat Rin, we decided to check out Hat Yao on the west coast. Hat Yao has a long, gently curved, fine-sand beach that we understand is becoming busier and more popular. On the trip to Hat Yao we met Vancouver B.C. residents, Jacob and Anthea - who had fled in December to escape the madness of the Olympics. Later that night we ran into them at the convenience score and decided to light off some fireworks at the beach. Fireworks that most certainly would not have been legal where we all live.
17 Feb: Today started off with sunbathing and exploring the beautiful beach that is Hat Yao, which we decided was our favorite of the entire trip. It felt secluded but not too isolated. Lively but not too lively. It seemed to fit our demographic perfectly, which is somewhere between the backpacker party scene of Hat Rin and the stuffy, older vibe of the more upscale resorts. Later that afternoon we met another fine Vancouver couple, Darcy and Nina (and daughter Vanessa), and enjoyed a gorgeous sunset from the loungers at Hat Yao Bay View Resort where we both were staying. Turned out they were both acquiantances of Jacob and Anthea, as all work in real estate and had crossed paths professionally. Dinner and drinks on the beach again ended our relaxing day.
18 Feb: Linda had the great idea of going on an elephant trek. In a matter of minutes, we made the decision, booked a 60 minute trek, and were in the back of pickup headed up to mountainside jungle where we would meet our four-legged guide. We were immediately impressed by the size, strength, and inquisitiveness of the animal. Initially, the experience was a tad tenative, as it seemed our ride did not seem especially motivated with showing us around her backyard. Finally, after some repeated encouragement from our human guide, she picked up the pace and we had a blast seeing the backwoods from this unique perspective. We returned for some sunbathing and swimming before being rounded up by our Canadian friends at which point we headed down the beach for dinner. Dinner turned into drinks and more fireworks on the beach. This led to more drinks still and spirited conversation on the beach until around 2AM. Despite encouragement from our pals to stay in Pha Ngan, we decided to get to bed before continuing our journey to Ko Tao.
