…Beginning At The Beginning.

Well; I’m sitting here staring at the thumbnail images of some 420 photos and at least a dozen aerial videos, wondering how I can put everything into some logical order.

I can’t. So, I won’t.

I’m not sure how many articles the whole trip story is going to take, but for sure it’s going to end with a mish-mash of photos that don’t seem to fit anywhere.

At least I can start with the place I always started each of my forays into the island’s wilderness, the Ciao Bella Restaurant. Yes, that’s the same place that used to be here in Khanom, but has upped sticks and flown across the country and the Andaman Sea, and landed at Pasai Beach. Same-same but different, as they say around here.

While I was there, the early mornings tended to be gloomy, but somehow there’s a calm serenity to the sea views…

..and how could I start the day without a banana pancake and sea view [rhetorical].

So, what is this island? Small, diverse, quaint, primitive – except for the five-star hotels – and when it comes to getting around – challenging.

I think it was my third trip to somewhere on the island when I actually managed to select fourth gear. I cheered. A good number of roads is unpaved, hilly and twisty and first gear is often selected. Bert worked hard.

My second day on the island was the first day after the fasting month of Ramadan, so a veritable swarm of local diners was expected. Barbecuing at Ciao Bella began before 6am.