Travel Memories: Koh Phangan
It’s going to be tough this year to get all those ‘one year ago today’ memories that come up in photos and on social media. It’s wild to think that a year ago we were wrapping up six weeks in Nepal by spending some time in Kathmandu with friends visiting from the U.S. A few days later, we parted ways and Mia and I continued on to Thailand. After a few days in Bangkok, mainly walking around and feeling like there were huge hidden malls around every corner; we caught an overnight bus and a ferry to Koh Phangan- an island in the south of Thailand famous for the ‘Full Moon Party.’ We were both looking forward to spending a month getting some beach time on the laid back island known for its healing community and yoga scene. Gosh I miss Koh Phangan. We had a little bungalow a couple minutes walk from the beach and an even shorter jaunt to a fruit stand packed with delicious mangos and coconuts. We spent many happy mornings hiding out from the rain and having breakfast on our porch before venturing out for the day. We were the couple brave souls that rented bikes as our main mode of transportation on the island before we realized that there are so many hills that scooters are the preferred method of getting around. For some of our longer adventures we broke down and rented a scooter. It was a blast riding around from beach to beach or heading to the Saturday market down at the pier to grab some excellent thai food and a mango smoothie. It was fun to experience a new place with eyes of pure exploration. Everything was new and exciting. There was so much to see yet we really had nowhere we had to be.
My dreams lately have been filled with vivid memories of Koh Phangan. I remember our evenings heading out to Zen beach and laying in the sand listening to the hang drum player that seemed to be there nightly. I remember spending hours and hours tide pooling with the curiosity of my inner child. There were work dates hiding out from the heat, drinking Thai tea at a cafe. There were scooter rides with Mia hanging on tight as we navigated the roller coaster of hills and corners. This morning I woke up thinking about a boat ride back from a secluded beach under the full moon. I miss it. It’s nice to visit in my dreams. 🐾
