…Three Months Without Twitterings.
Yeah, I know. Not good. Slap on wrist. But sometimes the mundane things in life get in the way of the more interesting. Such has been the past few months.
I’ve probably mentioned, where I live now, on the small island of Ko Yao Noi, there is a very limited choice of things to do and places to go. No, I probably haven’t seen everything, but I’ve seen most – several times – and haven’t been able to muster the enthusiasm to winkle out the few things I’ve probably missed.
So, tootlings have been limited to the infrequent visits to the mainland, most of which have been done in non-tootling weather. This time of the year cloud and rain are the norm, especially when I decide to go somewhere.
Case in point; on a trip to the east coast, I first went north to the small town of Laem Sak. From the island, as you look up Phang Nga Bay, it’s pretty-much due north. And on days without the aforementioned cloud and rain, Wat Laem Sak is clearly visible. From the car ferry jetty in Krabi, it’s a fifty minute trip around the bay, and then down to the peninsular. An easy drive.
You probably don’t remember, but I’ve been before. Almost exactly three years ago. The story is here. So, why would I go again?
Well, the spectacular white wat was not finished. I decided I wanted to make a video of the completed spectacular white wat. So, I trudged around in the cloud and rain, not making an aerial video, only to discover that the spectacular white wat is still not finished! At the present rate of progress I won’t live long enough to see the finished spectacular white wat!
As I said three years ago “I had to negotiate my way through scaffolding, across floors with wet concrete, around piles of building rubble, squeezing past workers who were building, plastering, painting, you name it, they were doing it.” Well guess what. The description still works.
So, not only didn’t I make an aerial video, I didn’t take any photos either. The ones here are from three years ago. They’re still pretty accurate. But I want to make the video, so sunshine permitting, I will return.
I was actually heading over to Khanom on the east coast, where I lived before Ko Yao Noi. The reasons for that I’ll explain next time. While there, I just had to check out a new road.
Until recently, if you headed due south from Khanom adjacent to the beach, the road became ever narrower and rougher until eventually stopping at Ao Tong Yee – a place with one small resort and not much else. If you wanted to continue southwards to Khao Plai Dam there was a trail which could be negotiated on a suitable motorcycle, or you could walk for an hour or three. I never did either.
Now, after the expenditure of what must be gazillions of someone’s Thai Bhat (City? Province? Country? No idea) and after blasting a gazillion tonnes of rock, there is a road. It’s a seriously impressive feat of engineering. You see, that part of the coastline is … hmm, I was going to say “mountainous” … but that’s stretching things. Although “hilly” doesn’t do it justice. Hilly with mountainous tendencies. Steep rock faces stretching down into the sea. Not the kind of place you’d normally think of building a road.
And, if someone asked you to name east coast resorts, I doubt Khanom would be on your list. So, you also have to wonder about the rationale. Well, with the road now about 98% finished, it seems to prove the marketing phrase “If you build it, they will come.” It’s popular. Last week I drove down it at 9am, and there were tourists at all of the roadside viewpoints. Restaurants and food stalls are popping up to cater for them. Thai persons won’t go anywhere unless the destination involves food.
And there should be tourists. Lots of them. The road is stunning. The views are stunninger. I shall return to both the road and the story of the road.
Also in the last three months I have been again to Kota Bharu in Malaysia, but did almost no sightseeing. The weather was no better there than here, and the hotel I chose (The Royal Guest House) is best left unmentioned. Oops. Give it a miss.
I visited beaches a couple of times, to look at the sea in the rain. I could have done that from my living room. But, you know, I like driving, so it was a good trip.