I skipped a few days there because almost nothing happened. I was visiting a friend of 20 years when all of a sudden he started having stomach pains. We suspected it was food poisoning but that didn't really make sense either because out of all of us, he has lived here and dealt with the bacteria present in the food the longest. It didn't make sense that the most seasoned person would be the only one to come down with rather serious food poisoning when he has the most "experience."
Well on day three of relatively agonizing pain he decided to go to the hospital and it is a good thing that he did because as it turns out his appendix had burst and well, there is no way to "man up" your way around that. Either you go and have surgery or you die. So that was a bit unlucky that the first time I visit one of my oldest friends in 5 years he ends up needing to have a rather simple, but still life-saving surgery. I stuck around to make sure he survived the operation and then decided to head on to Krabi, Thailand, which is a place that I called home for over a decade a long time ago.
Krabi is a rather special place because it is lovely but also considerably less populated with either residents or tourists than any of the other places that I have been to on this trip. Many years ago I was simply backpacking through this part of the country when I ran into some really cool people that were teaching scuba diving. I did a beginner's course and was quite enamored with the lifestyle that these people had. They were making a fraction of the amount of money that I was in my then, professional office job, yet they were much happier than I was. In that trip I decided that I too was going to move to Thailand and work in diving.
I haven't worked in diving for quite some time and realized pretty early on that it is in no way a career. It's just playtime for a year or two while you do something that you truly enjoy for a living. The instructor he taught me how to be a Divemaster and later and assistant instructor is the same person that I was visiting in Phuket that needed the surgery. So it kind of sucks that we didn't get to have more fun but also, I'm glad that it is behind him and I since you can die from that.
It is low season in Krabi right now and it just rains like a mother for months. This is why my photo of the landscape is through the hotel window. I rented a scooter and have already gotten soaked to the bone twice. You have to be very careful on the roads this time of year because the sky can look perfectly normal and clear one hour and the next it can be torrential downpours. I got caught in a really bad one yesterday afternoon that was such a downpour that the rain actually kind of hurt and it was nearly impossible to see the road ahead of me. Thankfully I brought another shirt with me in the boot of my motorbike so I didn't have to sit somewhere dripping when I arrived.
Low season has some very good cost benefits. I looked on Agoda and found a place that used to be a bit of a premiere establishment in this sleepy town, and was very surprised to find out that it was possible to book this place for a mere 300 Baht per night. This is around $9 US.
I wasn't expecting much for $9 and this room definitely isn't going to win any hotelier's awards any time soon but honestly, I was pretty impressed with how comfortable and quiet it was. It also had a very comfortable bed. It's easily the most comfortable bed I have had during this entire vacation.
The bathroom is a little cramped and the hot water machine could probably use a replacement but overall I have no complaints at all. For $9, this is much better than I was expecting.
The city that I am in has a population of 40,000 people. The city I live in over in Vietnam has 1.3 million people in it. Therefore, even though I am not really doing anything of note, I am just LOVING the peace and quiet so far. Finally I don't have to deal with construction noise 16 hours a day and people almost never toot their horns here which in Da Nang is something you have to listen to almost all hours of the day. It's annoying and it has been wonderful to get a break from that, even if I am constantly in danger of getting rained on.
Tonight is my last night for my vacation and while I am trying to stay positive about the whole thing I really feel as though this trip was a big waste of money and time, especially since one of the main reasons why I did the trip in the first place ended up in the operating room on the 3rd day I was visiting. We had big plans to go diving, sailing, and mountain-bike riding, but ended up doing none of that. Here in Krabi I don't feel compelled to go to the sites because I lived here for 10 years already and I aint even impressed by that anymore - I'm used to it.
I get to return to my dog buddy tomorrow night after a brief but I'm sure, hassle-filled layover in Bangkok's largest airport for 5 hours. My journey on my last day begins at 8am and will be over around 5pm. As lame as it sounds I am really looking forward to going back to my rather routine life in Da Nang. The next time I go on "vacation" will probably be a long time in the future since I think I have reached that age where I don't really want to go anywhere anymore. Maybe a local water park that is dog-friendly will suffice.
"The road to hell is paved with good intentions" is the old saying right? I've been in similar circumstances, mostly when I visit the USA and spend all that time/money/effort only to have people that beg me to visit not answer their phone or only want to meet on Sundays. That $9 room is pretty fair, you can only find that cleanliness for the price in provincial capitals, Siem Reap and Phnom Penh no chance, bottom dollar is $12 for a single bed, aircon and hot water.
!DHEDGE
i didn't really tell many people that I was visiting so it is ok they didn't know. I honestly didn't want to see that many people because I am a grump old man now and just wanted to stay in my room and sleep in silence. So I guess it all worked out.
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It was sad to hear that ! Though Da Nang would be a dream place for me too. Have a safety flight all the way dear!
I'm so sorry to hear about your trip. But I am glad your friend is okay and has had an operation.
I do hope I can visit Krabi. My best friend told me about her vacation there, and she said it was a wonderful experience.
Have a nice day, and may God bless you. Greetings from me from the Land below the wind. 🫰🇲🇾
Land below the wind... that is a term I have never heard before. I like it!
Its one of the state in Malaysia. Sabah, the land below the wind. 😁🤭
Borneo.. Im from Sabah..
While it's too bad your vacation wasn't exactly what you'd hoped, perhaps you were meant to be visiting your friend of 20 years and at "the right place at the right time" otherwise his outcome could have been a much different ending.
Enjoy all the tail wagging, yipping, barking and face licking your doggy greets you with when you reunite! There's no place like home! @gooddream
!LUV
🐾❤🐶👅🐾
well that is a very positive way to think about it. Maybe I should try to be more of an optimist like you seem to be :)
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! help(no space) to get help on Hive. InfoHave a good time in Krabi! I really enjoyed my time there and the trips to the surrounding islands were good although touristy.
Yes, it is very touristy there. Not so much in the town but the islands and beach areas have grown too fast. They have expanded the airport and are building what I feel is an unnecessary elevated highway next to Krabi as well so the amount of people coming is only going to grow. Better get down there while you can because I reckon that in a few more years it will basically be converted to Phuket.
We just dropped our dog off for boarding today. It was a rough morning. That is horrible about your friends appendix. I am glad they caught it in time. Safe travels home tomorrow!
boarding is always tough even in the best of situations. The boarding here in Vietnam is really bad so I won't even consider it. 22 or more hours a day in a cage isn't a doggy hotel. I know that you wouldn't do that to your dog either.
No, I think they take very good care of her but my wife just gets really emotional about it. She worries that she will be sad or that the vet will see how much she has slowed down in her old age. She said the other day she isn't going on another trip that we can't have Jo stay with her parents.
Sorry the trip didn't pan out as planned but at least your buddy is ok. $9 for a hotel room is seriously cheap and definitely one of the perks of having an off season. I am sure your furry friend will be happy to see you tomorrow.
yes, at this point I am just glad that my buddy is ok and that I am getting to get out of here :)
That is what is important and you are leaving lol.
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