It’s not about the destination; it’s about the journey 

There comes a time in every length trip, when you start to think, “Is this a good idea?”  For me, the point that made me think it would be a heck of a lot more more comfortable and safer on my couch came as we were en route to Krabi, Thailand.  

Departing Khao Sok lake was even less straightforward and more of an adventure than our trip there.  We shared a tuk tuk with Nico, Chris and Aom, which dropped us on the side of a road, where we were instructed to wait for the local bus, which would take us closer to our destination of Krabi.  As we were waiting, a Thai guy came to stand with our group.  He informed us that the local bus would not come by for another hour.

It was hot and we couldn’t leave the side of the road, so it seemed like the ideal time to crack open a cold beer.  However, the nearby 7/11 didn’t sell alcohol from 1-5pm, so the Thai man showed us a small liquor store that would sell us beer.

Eventually a large tourist bus came by, and we flagged it down, confirmed it went to Krabi, tipped he old man, and hopped on.  Once aboard, we found out it was going the very very roundabout way to Krabi, so we jumped off at the next stop, figuring we could get on a different bus.  Wrong.  A local woman told us our only chance was to hitchhike.  

It was incredibly fortunate that our Thai speaking friends were able to convince her to call a friend to drive us.  So, the six of us piled into the back of a low-riding pickup truck and were driven an hour to a large intersection an hour from Krabi.

As we were speeding along in the bed of the truck, images of smashed cars in my mind, I had to wonder if this was a prudent idea.  But, it was exciting and ridiculous.  At this point, we must’ve paid our dues, because we reached the street as the bus to Krabi pulled up, and we thankfully hopped on board.

After a night in Krabi, we headed to Railay, an area known for rock climbing.  Railay is a little town on the ocean.  It’s not technically an island, but it is one in essence, as limestone mountains make roads impassable.  The town can only be reached by boat, even though it is on the mainland.  Thus, we arrived there in a longboat.  

We heard that there was blue lagoon nestled in the middle of a mountain, completely surrounded by towering limestone walls.  We set out mid morning to avoid the brutal midday sun.  Instead of the leisurely hike we imagined, we encountered muddy, vertical walls, with ropes attached.  It was essential that we found good hand and footholds with each step. This was more along the lines of free climbing than trekking.  We had a blast scaling the walls, as did the monkeys who tried to urinate on us.  Unfortunately, the lagoon is tidal, and since we arrived at low tide, we came upon a foot of water covering a muddy pool.  It would’ve been so much more rewarding if we could’ve swam in the lagoon after the hike.  But, getting there really was half the fun.