Last day in Thailand!

December 25th and December 26th

I finally got out of the hospital.

My only concern besides recovery is making it on time in Bangkok to grab my flight for the Philippines... this flight is schedule on the 27th at 9:35am.

I decided to take the last ferry of the day in Ko Pha Ngan... a night ferry leaving at 10pm. This was a bit of a crazy experience... No seats, just 2 rows of really bad mattresses. The trip to Surat Thani would take 7 hours more or less. It was for me a very scary experience because of the very little number of passengers, the risk of infections (I was out of the hospital just for 2 hours and the boat looked like it was straight out of the Pirates of the Caribbean after a battle...) and the fact that this was probably the worst looking boat I had ever seen.

The night ferry. Is there AirCo? Off course not! 

The night ferry from the inside... 2 rows of minimalist beds. A few fans to cool the air.

It was the price to pay in order to spend a few hours in Bangkok and catch up with my cousin there.

In Surat Thani, I had no real other choice of transportation than the bus. It turned out to be a 12 hours ride... I eventually made it to Bangkok at 7pm.

It was already time for me to go back to a medical center in order to have my wounds cleaned...

Easier said than done. In total it took me a few hours to find an hospital and have what would become a daily activity for the next 10 days done...

By 10pm I was finally on my way to spend time with Quentin my cousin from France!!!

It was so good after being stock in an hospital to see a familiar face and catch up.

We spoke all night long, discussing about our lives outside France.

The following morning, it was time for both of us to grab our flights. Quentin would go to Cambodia, I would go to Manilla in the Philippines where Jeroen (my ex roomate in the Netherlands) would join me for a 3 weeks tour of the country!

***** WARNING *****

Graphic content coming!!!

If you do not like to see wounds, do not look at what follows... This is a picture I took in the hospital in Bangkok where I got the first wounds cleaning and dressing out of the island.

It was not so painful and looks worst than it actually is.

Ko Pha Ngan - 3 days in the hospital...

You most probably know that I was admitted to an hospital on the 23rd of December in this beautiful island. I am staying at the First Western Hospital. As mentioned I am fine and making a quick recovery. The truth is that if that would have happened in Europe I would have probably make it out of the hospital the same day. Unfortunately, due to the local reality (tropical weather and risk of infections...) they don't take much risks and almost systematically keep wounded patient for 24/48 hours depending on the severity of the injury.

My wounds are located on my left lower leg, both my forearms and the palm of both hands. For the hospital.

I spent a total of 3 days and 2 nights there. Around 60 hours...
Everyday have looked like one another. Lying in bed waiting for the morning wound cleaning.
Lying in bed waiting for food served 3 times a day at fixed hours: breakfast at 7am, lunch at 11:30 diner at 6pm.

Nothing to complain about there, the food was amazing and the choice very very large. they had the best shake and smoothies ever.
I made a few friends there but mostly spent my time with Marju from Finland occupying the bed in front of mine.

Marju - my hospital buddy and I. Window view.

It was an interesting experience altogether and was very nice to receive the visits of Joshua!

Unfortunately I set my travelling back for 3 days and I had to stay on the island instead of joining my cousin in Bangkok and running the 10,5km on Xmas day.

Health and recovery was more important and I am happy with the recovery so far.

I would leave on the 25th at 7pm (merry Xmas to me!!!!) just in time for what turned out to be the longest commute... ever!!!

This is how they make you feel at home for Xmas. The owner being Santa and distributing sweets :)

The best internet connexion I had so far. Thank god for Netflix.

Ko Pha Ngan - Challenging day 22.12

I had mark the day in my calendar. I had told Joshua - my Dutch friend that arrived on the island the night before - to join me there for some hours of fun and physical exercises. We met at 10 am for breakfast (it is as well the opening hour of the water park) and get energized for the day.

I was so excited.

Soooo, the challenge is composed of multiple modules you have to go through, some are mandatory (if you fall you have to pass it again) and some others can be "skipped" if you fall (you then have to swim to the next element which makes you loss quite some time$9.

Here goes the course: 

- You start from a plate form where you take a swing. You release yourself in the water and get to the first module - The Balance Beam

- The Balance Beam is composed of a very narrow beam with 3 red cylinders in the way. As the name suggests it, balance is key there.

- You then turn onto the Swinging Shapes, 5 hanging shapes very unstable. You need very good hand/foot coordination and very strong upper body. These 2 pieces are mandatory, if you fall, you have to start both again. 

- Completing this, you are a dive away from the Rolling Barrels. You get up a small plate form and face 3 cylinders. Several techniques can be used to cross this obstacle: "crawling" from one barrel to another, or running/jumping from one to one. I decided to run which was much faster and dive straight into the Floating Shapes.

- The Floating Shapes is one of the 2 modules I could not master. It is composed of 4 floating cubes that are very light and incredibly unstable. You need to be so fast and light on these... It is almost impossible. I did try but I have always been falling on the second or third one. 

- You are then having a 20/30m swim to the Pyramid, an inflated structure you have to climb until the top. Not very technical but very demanding physically. 

- From the Pyramid, you take a dive to get onto the Monkey Bars. This one is pretty straight forward... You hang from one bar to the next one but difficulty is increased having your legs hanging in the water. 

- Last element is the Satan's Balls, 3 massives round floating red shapes you have to run through. This is by far the most difficult part and the one where you can loose most time. I have not manage a single time to cross it. I have been spending almost 2 hours going on and off the departure zone trying to master it... without success. The closest I got was jumping from the 3rd ball onto the finishing area... but arriving on the plate form my back first, just bouncing against the white inflated module down the water... So close.

- The time stops when you are standing on this last piece.

First part of the course from the starting plate form. 

Second and final part of the course.

We spent with Joshua a good hour evaluated all elements and practicing crossing techniques before taking upon The Challenge - the timed run of the entire track. The all time record was 2 minutes and 16 secondes by a French guy. My initial objective was to make it into the top 20 and complete the course in around 3 minutes.

On my first try, I noticed how tired I already was from all the time spent climbing, swimming and trying out the modules. I would rest a little, have lunch and try again. My first time was 3 minutes 20 sec... just 3 seconds away of making the top 20. I know I could do much better and already identified areas of improvements.

After lunch, I decided straight away to warm up, swimming and stretching a little bit and try directly.

As expected, I started trying to dive off the swing and going through the first elements slowly but surely as these are mandatory. I failed to pass the Floating Rocks and swam rapidly to the pyramid, climbed as quick as I can and jumped straight into the water, flew passed the monkey bars and climbed facing the red balls. I focused a few seconds... and failed pathetically :D. I was just left with swimming around and climbing to the last plate form. And standing triumphantly. 

My time for this attempt was 2:48. I had my spot in the Top 10 and the best time of the day (besides that staff member... that completed the course in 1 minute and 3 secondes.... He was flying through the entire thing like if it was a walk in the park).

Again, I knew I could do better but was not really sure how much energy I had left. The key for me was these balls... completed it and it is top 3 guaranteed. I spent the next 2 hours as mentioned before up there, jumping from one ball to another. Or at least trying because I would always end up in the water.

On my third and final attempt, I improved my time by just 1 second. I was left empty and already sore feeling each muscle in my body.

All time ranking!

It was time to call it a day, go to visit our Dutch friend at the Flying Dutchman and witness a beautiful sunset. We stopped on the way in order to snap a picture or 2 of that amazing scenery.

Sunset and Ang Thong National park in the far back.

Ko Pha-Ngan - Opening day tradition

December 21st.

Solid tradition now !!

New place, early morning run.

This time again, tropical rain.

Since it is 6 days before the race I took it easy. 40 minutes easy run.

I then went on to change accommodation.

The bungalow I had was ok, but there were cheaper and better option.

I decided to head to the North East part of the Island, on the opposite corner to the party area in a much quieter place to the Shiralea resort.

The resort is a perfect place with swimming pool, close to beautiful beaches.

After lunch (pad thai ... what else) and check in, I headed to Ko Ma, an island / peninsula you can walk on to... you have max 50 cm shallow cristal clear deep water for 100m to get there. The place is perfect for snorkeling. Beaches are full of corals of any color you can imagine. It feels like a giant fish tank.

Coral beach of Ko Ma

Happy dog chillin' in front of Ko Ma

My snorkeling spot on Ko Ma

It was soon time for diner. For this I was looking for a perfect spot to record a timelapse and enjoy a nice pad thai (sorry for this obsession of mine - if you don't know what a pad thai is, go to a Thai restaurant. Please.).

We stopped at the Flying Dutchman... One of the nicest place I have been to so far. It is quiet, peaceful heartwarming and the food is de-li-cious.

View from the Flying Dutchman

Tomorrow will be an important day... The day of THE CHALLENGE. My expectations have been building up so high. The place looks like a Wipeout playground for whoever is up for the "Challenge". Can't wait.

The "short commute" from Krabi to Ko Pha Ngan

Another day of commute. 

This 20th of December was funny making the "short" trip from Krabi to Ko Pha Ngan island in the bay of Thailand (269km only...).

One of the main reason I choose this island over Ko Samui I that there is something to this island I really want to experience: The Challenge (dedicated post to come). I randomly discovered this when I was checking where to go and what to do... This was Ze key differentiator!

I first got pick up by a mini van from the hostel in Krabi Town.

The taxi got us to the head office of a travel agency where half a dozen mini vans arrived. While waiting an hour or so, groups would be made depending the destination. Pink for Ko Pha Ngan and yellow for Samui. We would then board the same bus to Donsak in the Surat Thani region en route to the ferry. After waiting for another hour, we would finally board the boat. First stop Ko Samui for 30 minutes then Ko Pha Ngan where we would be taking taxi to the different part of the island where everybody would be dropped of at their hotel. I would make it for diner arriving at 7:30. And would found the company of a cute little cat in my empty restaurant.

The total commute was as short as the distance between the 2 locations - 8 hours and thirty minutes.

No picture today - no time at all I guess :P


UPDATE:
I have found a cute picture of my diner companion I wanted to share with you :) sorry for the poor quality I was a bit shaky and in low light. The cat jumped on my lap spontaneously and left when I was done. Nice little diner buddy.

Pad Thai - Cat flavor.