Pause muna from all the Italy talk.
I finally hit the beach --- sorry, I hardly count Hua Hin because it feels to me more like a seaside resort like Punta Fuego or Puerto Azul than a 'real' beach like Bora or Palawan--- after 18 months pining for one! Last weekend, with work issues coming out of our ears, a couple of us just decided to drop everything and go to Koh Samed (pronounced koh' sa-met'). Ok, in typical loserly fashion, I carried along my security blanket (aka my laptop) with the hopes of finding inspiration to go through my unread mails but we all know that didn't happen, right?! I know, I never seem to learn...
Anyhow, if you miss Boracay (or your favourite white sand beach party place), Koh Samed is a good place to start since it's only a 2.5 nerve-racking drive away from Bangkok plus another 15 minute nerve-racking speed boat ride to get into the island. It felt like what Bora might have been like 20 or so years ago. Some firsts for me in Koh Samed: First beach bumming outside my country and first henna tatoo! I have a sun design on the small of my back!
Unlike previous trips to the beach, this was my most unplanned and relaxed one. I finally understood and embraced the true meaning of "chillax!" I remember a hard-nosed advertising account director once tell me "masarap pala tumunganga sa beach" (it's apparently enjoyable to blankly stare at the beach). I didn't really make-tunganga much but I spent a good deal just vegitating, getting unprofessionally-massaged (at a good price) and people-watching. I especially enjoy watching chubby, stray dogs --- Thailand has the chubbiest stray dogs...I find it very odd...I think it has much to do with its benign, non-violent, animal-loving religion/culture --- fetch frisbees, soccer balls and unabashedly rush against waves. Now that's one sight that frequently made me tunganga.
Jolina, Whit and Carlo introducing me to the concept of “chillax"
