The 5000 Project

I took a minivan to the harbour and caught the last ferry, at 7:30, to Koh Chang island. I followed the directions and met with the Russian couchhost.

He runs a Russian tour agency on the island, the office is located out the front of a cheap collection of bungalow style huts, he lives in a dodgiest one out the back, with an outside kitchen pantry comprising of a bench for his cutlery and essential non-perishable/difficult for animals to get to, food, like oats and tea. That night we cooked sausages (Frankfurts) on his coal campfire just outside the hut, he does this often to save on money. It’s currently the off-season, business has been slow due to the lack of Russian tourists. After two years of running the place the russian has adapted to a very simple way of life.

snaggas and toast with the russian

In the same neighborhood there are hugely expensive resorts which seem so surreal after spending a night sharing a dodgy old bed (in a heterosexual, definitely using my sleeping bag, way) in a tiny hut that only has water for the shower, sometimes.

After going for a few walks, I decided that this place is not for me, there were no real backpackers, the locals were eager to take my money, the wealthy travelers just stuck to their resorts and the weather was bad at the time; resulting in very murkey beach water. The next morning I woke up early, noticed that the water wasnt working in the hut, so I found the most expensive resort with the most impressive pool and had a nice long swim before hopping on the ferry back to the mainland and a songthaew (modified ute for personnel transportation) to trat.

Trat is a nice old town with really awesome markets. I observed  some strange sea creatures at the fishmonger that look a bit like a crayfish and a lot like a cockroach. For dinner I had a generous serving of a mix of fried potato with mussels for ~60c. For desert I consumed the best deep fried icecream I have ever tasted for ~40c. Trat is a great place for food.

I think someone should comment on this post letting us all know wtf these things are

I stayed in a cheap Guesthouse that seemed to be host to a whole bunch of old Expats, over a few beers I heard some incredible stories which will no doubt be shared again, but not here.

There was a huge storm that night, I was very hesitant to leave for Cambodia the next morning – although I was fairly certain it was more the hangover than the weather. I tied my jacket over my bag to protect it from the rain and hopped on the back of a motorbike for the bus station, enroute to the border.