samui - boat tours and treacherous hikes, day 14

From vietnam / thailand trip

waking early again, but it's always for a good cause. i'm lucky no one is traveling with me, sometimes i think i have the sleeping patterns of grandparents, minus the fact i stay out all night. on to the boat tour up north in the national park. i set up with burmese peter. the aussies from dinner are in the van and i get the cherished front seat again (another motif on this trip). i promptly pass out and wake up on the dock where we are shepherded on the barge. a german girl named nele sits next to us and we get partnered to kayak together. she speaks 5 languages and is 19; wtf is up with our school system?? first off, sea kayaking for only an hour or so and our german guide tries her darnedest to sound as interested informing us about the history as someone answering the thirteenth 'why' asked by a persistent 4 year old. she deftly cruises at breakneck speeds that nele and i actually have to work to keep up and i feel bad for everyone else. we dart in and out of a cave and along the edge of the cliffs. we pull up to the shore and hike up the first steep stairway up to the green lagoon. pictures to follow.

From vietnam / thailand trip

we slowly descend after i fail to find a way down to the lagoon and are informed we can't swim in the lagoon because fish breed there. we have a quick dip to cool off, then it's back to the boat for the lunch. it is very meh, unfortunamente. then it's off to another island which apparently has a difficult hike to an amazing viewpoint of all the islands. the disapproving german guide strongly advises against hiking it in sandals but nele and i disregard her. she wasn't kidding either. the hike is supposed to take 45 min up and 45 down. thoroughly dripping in sweat and partially rock climbing as well as clinging to the guiding rope for dear life, we make it to the final shear craggy cliff below the lookout. somehow the rock has worn down to resemble blades of prehistoric axes. we make it to the top and relish the view, not wanting to imagine how the decent will be. there are tons and tons of Germans and nele gets back to her native tongue for a moment. i fantasize about having a kite and flying down. there is the minute possibly that could add to the danger seeing as i've never hanglided before.

From vietnam / thailand trip

 
the decent is a nightmare and despite my sandals slipping off so many times i lost count, i only fell once gashing my elbow with the pseudo axe face of the cliff. climbing backwards is painfully slow and there are many people in shoes almost running down the hill. the insect noise inspires me a bit, but it's probably an hour in total for the decent and our cooloff period is cut short as the boar is headed back. we head back and to cheweng beach to lounge for a bit before the mosquitoes bleed us dry. The attempt to meet up with the Aussie ladies almost doesn't happen due to a misunderstanding about betelnut's ( a restaurant ) name. but we find them eventually and have a nice dinner as do the skitos. it's goodbye to nele and off to bed for yours truly, tomorrow i will witness the madness brought on by the full moon and hopefully see no werewolves.

- written on my ipod so apologies for weird formatting. will edit on return.