Tomorrow night I will find my world the way it was one week ago—a humble life on our own island. The two geeks will again hole themselves in a tiny room, faces glowing and shoulders hunched. But instead of being pale and pasty, they will be red and asking for more aloe applications.
Today we went snorkeling on four different islands, which accounts for the red shoulders, backs, and legs. These were “deserted island” kind of islands. One or two palm trees, nothing else. We paid ~20 USD a person for the all day outing including transport to and from the pier, five hours on a boat, lunch, a barbecue snack, endless fresh pineapple and watermelon, snorkeling equipment, and bottled water.
The tour guides allowed us around 45 minutes at each location. As the boat approached, cannonball splashes sounded as everyone on board eagerly dove to comb the coral reefs. One boat worker, who we nicknamed the “frogman”, anchored the boat to a nearby rock with the help of swimming fins and rope. We only set foot on one island where a pristine sandy beach awaited us. The other three islands were all rocky coral wonderlands.
We swam with tropical fish who dared to brush against our legs. Neon colored schools swam inches from our snorkeling masks. Corals blanketed the sea floor. We entered another world, one which we had only experienced through cheesy postcards and Discovery channel specials.
Maeli missed out on this poetic water experience as snorkeling is too advanced for a three-year-old. But she did accompany us at each island stop with a death grip around our necks as we bobbed in the ocean. We are looking forward to her first swimming class in Hong Kong next week.
Yesterday was just as awe-inspiring as today, but with more shade. We trekked through the jungle on an Asian elephant named Aui Eye. She was 25 years old and a mother of two. Our tour guide was by far the coolest person we’ve met on our trip. He let me sit on Aui Eye’s neck for the last 15 minutes of the hour long ride.
I don’t know how I will feel when I get back to Hong Kong. I wouldn’t mind staying on Koh Chang for a month or two. Everything is so simple here. We are sleeping in huts and bathing with cold water and buckets. Maeli is running around barefoot in sun dresses. I can’t escape the sound of tropical birds and waves. For the most part, this environment is like slipping on an old familiar glove. I spent one and a half years in Washington State living in primitive huts while enjoying the simplicity of no running water or electricity. Being on this island is like a whisper calling me back to the lifestyle that I pine for in Hong Kong. Tomorrow will be like saying goodbye to an old friend.
More pictures coming soon!
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