New Years in Ko Phi Phi

When it comes to the transportation aspect of traveling, no news is often good news- especially in Southeast Asia.  Alas, I had a rather draining experience schlepping from Chiang Mai to Ko Phi Phi for New Years.  While the traveling Thaiventure seemed to fit the plot of a Twilight Zone episode, my New Year’s weekend in Ko Phi Phi was unforgettably awesome.

Ko Phi Phi

The story begins at a travel agency in Chiang Mai.  Two experienced travelers (with awareness of various infamous Eastern scams) book two cheap overnight bus tickets from Chiang Mai to Bangkok.  The travelers think to themselves that the inexpensiveness should not be a cause for concern because the tickets are sold at an established travel agency with a permanent address, thus providing traceable contact information.  Furthermore, it should be noted that the same travel agency was successfully used to book the travelers’ minibus tickets from Chiang Mai to Pai and back, only a few days prior to the Bangkok trip.  Despite the knowledge that such logic often does not hold up in Southeast Asia, the travelers go forth.  First, they feel suspicious when dropped off at a random gas station, the supposed departing location, 20 minutes out of town by the travel agency’s taxi.  Two hours pass waiting for the bus.  Suspicion turns into frustration.  The Chiang Mai “tourist police” are at the scene and inform the travelers that the bus company is notorious for stealing from sleeping passengers.  The travelers wonder how such tourists could be so oblivious, until they hear a rumor that the bus driver is known to spray a sleeping gas into the ventilation system in order to facilitate the middle of the night thievery.  The police subsequently take out a man’s license and say if the bus shows up, they will promptly arrest the driver.  Frustration turns into confusions because the police should simply be able to investigate the travel agency after previous complaints so that the fiasco ceases to perpetuate.  Are the police in on the scam as well?  The two travelers feel slightly ashamed for getting themselves into this mess, but remain calm and collected.  The bus ultimately shows up, the police take photos of the license plates, the two travelers take sleeping shifts throughout the ten hour overnight ride and end up safely in Bangkok early the following morning… with all their belongings.

With that absurd ordeal behind us, Josh and I passed out in a Bangkok hostel.  All of the decent accommodations were booked because of New Year’s weekend, so we made due in a room with holes in the walls, cats coming out of the hallway windows and apparent shit stains on the sheets.  Mai pen rai.  Josh and I cleared our minds and escaped the cacophonous city by playing frisbee on a green in front of the Grand Palace.  Buddhist monks were watching from nearby benches, perhaps meditating on how to incorporate such a chill activity into their Zen practice.  Jill met us that afternoon and the three of us hopped on a plane the next morning to Ko Phi Phi.

Maya Beach

After the hour plane ride and ferry from the mainland, we met up with a handful of other friends from our teach abroad program and finally arrived on the world class island of Ko Phi Phi!  I had been drooling over Google images for the past year and was ecstatic to finally see the stunning Ko Phi Phi beaches in person.  We approached the Phi Phi pier and stood speechless as we gazed at the aqua water and jutting mountains.  Yeaaaaaaaaaah!  Tired from the travels but excited to celebrate New Year’s on the world class island, we hiked up to our hostel.  On the way we picked up the ingredients to make the popular Thai “bucket,” which includes a flask of whiskey, a bottle of Red Bull, a can of Coke, a bottle of seltzer and a bucket to mix the delicious poison.  We found our hostel and handed the British owner our reservation email… and the unexpected ending of our Thaiventure Twilight Zone episode unfolded.  The hostel manager had CANCELLED our reservation for the night and sold our room to other visitors who had arrived on an earlier ferry.  WHAT THE FUCK?!  It was New Year’s Eve and every place on the island was going to be booked!  It was the only time I remember losing my temper in two months in Thailand and it’s not a coincidence the conflict pertained to foreigners rather than Thais.  After arguing with the stubborn British owner and getting only more perplexed and frustrated over his cryptic cancellation policy, Jill and I somehow figured out alternate plans for the night at another hotel.  These things have a way of working out in Thailand.

The New Year’s Eve beach party and following few days of snorkeling, cliff jumping and exploring were incredible.  Maya Beach, the crown jewel beach of Ko Phi Phi and paradise location in the movie, “The Beach,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio, was particularly epic.  We were repeatedly awed by the lagoons and overall splendor of the island.  Ko Phi Phi was a great way to start the new year and a top highlight of my Thaiventure.

The trip back to Thawangpha was smoother than getting to Ko Phi Phi; nonetheless, it still included a ride on a ferry, taxi, airplane, tuk-tuk (rickshaw), bus and motorbike.  Josh and I arrived back in Thawangpha at 4:30 in the morning with school three hours later.  “Good morning, students!”