change of plans, sort of

before i left japan, i booked a place to stay on koh samui for my last 3 days. but meeting all different people along the trip i decided to ditch that plan and go to koh tao instead (less touristy, not as much development, etc.). but i changed my mind once again and decided to go to samui to the place that i had booked. there is only so much wandering around an unknown place with a big pack on trying to find the cheapest and nicest guest house one can take. and so, with reservation in hand, i made my way to the bay view villa resprt. fancy stuff at 900 baht a night (iäm used to 200 baht or 450 at the most!). (by the waz ß this keyboard is super strange ß the y is a z, the z is a y and all of the other function keys, such as parenthesis, dashes and such are just in the wrong places!=.

so this morning, what felt like zears ago, i left the tranquil, rustic beach and started the trek to koh samui, lamai beach to be exact. egads! the ride to the pier, on the back of a pick up truck along rutted, unpaved, extremelz bumptz roads, to the pier ß everyone trying to make a buck ß buy zour boat tickets here ! then on the boat a relaxing hour, but as i get off the boat, i realiyed i realz needed ot use the bathroom ß couldnät find one. all the taxi drivers (i cant find the quote keys) Where you go_ (thats a question mark) ß lamai beach ß 500 bath! i found a british woman also going to lamai- she says -- too expensive! i will just take a bus - i follow her. so into the swangtao we go - but only part of the way- 50 bath - then another bus - but this bus doesn-t know where mz hotel is. and i really have to use the bathroom bz this point.

i-ll describe samui for you now. built up. once paradise, now hardly any emptz space, and hammers and construction, big resort hotels, fancz package tours everzwhere. not at all like where i just came from. the british girl gets off the bus ß she suggests that i should ask at her place where mz hotel is. the bus driver gets on the phone, i talk to someone who speaks to me in thai, i speak in english. i am nearly peeing myself i have to go so bad. the driver points across the street and then leaves ß we both forget that i hadnät paid yet. i go into the place the other lady is staying (but she has checked in alreadz, i guess). i find the bathroom. i go back outside. a taxi driver asks me where i am going. again with the bartering. 200 baht. 30 i say. he laughs at me. we agree to 100. i make sure he knows where it is. it is so close i could-ve walked! i am not amused. oh did i mention its raining? (found the ? mark!) but i walk in lovely grounds, a yummy watermelon fruit drink for me, shown to mz bungalow, big clean bed, towels, complimentarz water, towels, soap, a porch with a roof that over looks two bouganvilla trees, a comforatble chair, perfect place to sit and read drink a cup of coffee and watch the rain. finally i am somewhat relaxed. there is a pool, the beach is down a small hill, and there is a comftable wooden open air restauarant. since its raining, i think i will just lay low today, finish my book (the blind assasin, margaret atwood- fantastic - i highlz recommend it), eat here i guess, go to sleep early.

let me just describe the rain for you. it starts and stops. when it starts, it empties down onto the palm trees, and other greenery and makes a slapping sound, then it slowly trickels to an almost stop, only to come down again in sheets. it smells so fresh and the air is cool, and not sticky as it has been. i must say that i am glad that the weather has waited for me to be in a nice place before it decided to rain.