Location: Koh Tao, Thailand

I did it! I finally did it! I rented a motor bike!

It feels like a right of passage in Thailand that I actually did it on my own. Wooo! I had a little refresher session before I took the thing out myself because it’s been a hot minute since I even rode on the back of one, let alone drove one. I had it down pat in no time but decided to take it easy still and stick to the main road of the island, which has very few turns and twists lazily rather than abruptly. The hills aren’t too steep and the traffic seemed manageable. (I think I might be trying to convince my Mom that this wasn’t a bad idea…)

I topped it up with some fuel and set off down the coast with my little backpack of supplies. I felt like a nerdy pale adventurer in my overalls with a goofy smile plastered on rather than some cool tan beach babe riding down the road bare foot in a bikini but what can you do. I drove all the way to the southern tip of the island, parked my bike (without falling over or otherwise doing anything embarrassing I might add!) and started my trek up a mountain to John Suwan viewpoint. Yes I hiked voluntarily don’t get used to it.

OK OK it wasn’t a mountain. It was a hill. But it was one that required climbing ropes to get up so it’s not like it was some flat little walk. I was using hands and knees for half of it! Part of why I don’t like hiking is I often get to the top and I’m like ‘Nice view. Ok that’s enough. Do we have any snacks left?’

it just never seems totally worth it. This viewpoint though? Different story. I climbed over the final boulder and looked down into two NEON BLUE bays. Like I actually said out loud “that doesn’t even look like a real colour.” I could see fishing boats and kayaks floating around, casting a shadow right down to the ocean floor below. That’s how clear the water was – I could see a boats shadow from the top of the lookout!!

I was sweating absolute buckets up there in the sun, so I made my way through the stones and climbing ropes all the way down to Freedom beach, dropped my stuff unceremoniously into the sand and jumped into the water. Literally I think I left a trail of stuff on my way to the water and if it had been deeper I would have just dove in face first.

Freedom beach is so beautiful and blue and inviting. A line of trees runs all along the beach casting bits of shade onto the sand where chairs were set up just waiting to be claimed. I found one of the last ones, dragged it into the sun and proceeded to sit there for hours, reapplying sunscreen every time I went to jump in the water or snorkel above the rainbow fish gathering in the bay.

I spent so much time in and out of the sun that I figured I should probably cool it, literally and figuratively, for the day, so I found a shady restaurant called Chu Chu and ordered up a plate of Panang red curry. I have a feeling I’m going to stuff my bag full of food ingredients near the end of this trip because I don’t know how I’m going to not eat like this.

I went back to Sairee Beach near my hostel for sunset, bought a little ice cream cup and watched the sky go orange. I was feeling so relaxed I thought it would be a good idea to add to it by getting a massage. There was an open air cabana nearby where I could still watch the sky and the waves and it seemed so perfect.

Well well well wouldn’t you know it I went to a health massage place instead of a relaxation massage place by accident. I didn’t want to get a foot massage today because I bruised my foot on the hike earlier, so I went for the head, shoulder and back massage and I’m pretty sure this lady wanted to rearrange my ribs from the outside. Sure why not also just touch my brain through my skull! I was wincing through the whole thing and realized about five minutes in there was a clock on the wall. I swear I checked that thing every thirty seconds just hoping it would be over!

My back does feel pretty good but I will not be making that same mistake again.

Now time to go ruin all the work that lady did on a crappy little hostel bed!

Sav