The escape from Bangkok took place early on the morning of May 6th… Up at about 5 am, away from the cool air conditioned room and into the humidity. With my efficiently packed backpack, I lugged it the 10 minute walk to the Khao San road where my bus would soon depart. I arrived early, as usual. Not trying to blast my own horn here but I’m early for EVERYTHING, I have this deep seeded fear that I thinks dates back to an old boss reaming me out for being 2 minutes late for work, to be late for anything so I have made it a point to be early for everything.
As I was waiting sitting on some steps of the bus check-in counter eating some yogurt, and having some lychee juice from the local 7- eleven, others started to arrive. A family, some old couple, and I noticed a rather dark haired handsome European fellow. We both acknowledged each other but didn’t exchange any sort of pleasantries. After checking in we were all kind of just waiting around for the bus to come. When it did finally arrive we greeted it by a phone booth. It wasn’t a typical bus but more like one of those ones you see that are those camper vans that are really tall, it was two stories. Of course I made sure I got shotty in a sweet window seat on the top close to the front. My excitement of going to my first island destination excluded me from thinking about the temperature on the bus. Seeing as it was hot as hell and humid to boot I thought was dressed for the occasion in a light sundress, only to be surprised that this bus actually had air conditioning! I started to kick myself for not remembering a sweater, but justified it from reading in my Lonely planet guide that to take hints from the locals, it said that when you see the locals sitting on one side of the bus take note, they know the sun will be on the other side of the bus when it’s going a certain direction. Delightful at first, but proved to be chilling about 2 hours in. As it would turn out, handsome European was seated a few seats back on the other side of the bus. I tried to read, but concentration didn’t serve me so I found one of my favorite homes, that familiar place that I would often encounter on my travels that involved my ipod and philosophizing out the window and the life outside and in, on these long journeys to a new destination.
I tried to sleep but to no avail, half way between a doze and awareness, with the possibility of my mouth hanging wide open, I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was handsome European. With a calm, gentle German accent he asked, “Would you like to borrow my sweater?” A little surprised and wiping the drool from my chin I said, “oh, thank you” and graciously took the black North Face hoody. I dozed for a few more hours and then realizing that soon we would be arriving in Chumphon to the boat that would take us to Koh Tao, I wandered to the seat behind handsome German. Peering through the crack in between the seats I noticed He was reading a book about as thick as Sho Gun and it was written in German. I reached up over the seat to thank him and return his sweater. We got chatting and he told me he is going to Koh Tao to meet some friends and go diving for a holiday. His name was Dominik. Soon enough we arrived at the dock.
After getting our luggage stickered, we wandered down a rickety dock that took us to the boat that would transport us to Koh Tao. (Koh Tao is a tiny island north of Koh Phagnan in the Gulf of Thailand). The dock was sketchy and looked like it might break and we’d all be in the water and eaten by sharks if anyone made the wrong move, or if another person was to stand on it. Tossing my backpack to the front of the boat I made my to the top deck to have a seat in the sun. So it would turn out, handsome Dominik had the same idea……. The 1 1/2 journey on the boat was pleasant, we basked in the sun, smoked cigarettes (well Dominik did) and chatted about our lives, what we do back home and life in general. He had such an easy going disposition, not in a lazy hippy kind of way, but a charming Mr. Big or Filipe kind of way…. we chatted the whole way there, learning new things. He told me about how he likes diving, and that he often came here on holidays and he would be doing his dive master certificate on this one. He was going to meet 3 of his buddies from home for a guys holiday. As we approached the shore of what was appearing on the horizon as an island I would most definitely enjoy getting stranded on, we both pulled out our cameras. For me this was the first time I had truely seen a tropical island paradise. I was in awe. Sure I’d been to Hawaii and Florida with the family but really nothing compared to what was in front of my very eyes. The colour of the water was a hypnotic visual delight the whole ride but to see a palm tree lined beach, with little boats and cool huts lined it, really put me in disbelief. A sandbar reaching from one part of the island to another, caught my attention and I had to snap a shot; 
Yes, that is also the back of handsome German’s head. As we gathered our bags and wandered to line up to get off the boat, he asked me what I’m up to that day. I told him I was just going to try to find my hostel and then probably grab a bite to eat. Upon hearing this he extended an offer to join him to meet his friends and all have lunch together…. Did I say yes? To be continued….
yogadancetraveleat 