Kantiang Bay

Sawadee kah ("Hello")

I'm having a quiet day here today and want to take the opportunity to give my general impressions of Kantiang Bay, where we're staying on Ko Lanta.

The area itself is a small bay of white sand and rocks. The beach is split in two, one side for the really fancy resort and the other side for the rest of us, although there's really nothing keeping us from using the fancy side. There are about 3 or 4 little "resort" opperations besides the fancy one, all clustered on the north side of the bay at verious elevations up a hill that overlooks the bay. Our "resort" is on the top, hence the name "Top View". It's quite a hike up to it from the beach, but it keeps us in shape!

Outside of resort area is a small strip of shops that service the tourist industry. Only about 300 people live here and the nearest town is the main town of Saladin where the ferry docks from the rest of Krabbi and Phuket province. It's about a 15 - 20 minute drive from Kantiang Bay. The vast majority of the locals here are muslim, with a few budhists. The running joke here is that the budhists serve the alcohol and the muslims serve the food. All the people here are really kind, with laid-back, sunny dispositions. Wherever we go, everyone always says "hi" and asks how we're doing and where we're going.

In addition to the human population, there are a variety of small animals; domestic cats, monkeys, geckos, and the odd lizard. The cats here are really funny. Because it's so hot all the time, the cats are both very lazy and quite skinny. They're like rag dolls, sleeping most of the time. The monkeys provide quite a lot of entertainment, scrambling around the trees at evening, night, and early in the morning. However, they can become a little frustrating when they bang around on the roof at night. Not to mention the occasional theft of some possesion from an unattended balcony. The gecko's are quite sweet, small little creatures that scurry around and chirp during the evenings. Although Corinne doesn't think they're terribly cute when they occasionally poop on her when she's lounging on our balcony in the evening. I told her it's probably good luck, but I don't think she was impressed.

We've met some really wonderful friends here. Most of our time is spent hanging out at a local cafe called the Drunken Sailor. It sounds like a pub, but it doesn't serve any alcohol. When I asked May, the owner, about it, she said that it's named after a flower vine called a "Drunken Sailor". May is really sweet. She's 24 years old and owns and runs the cafe on her own, with a little help from some friends. It's a small place, and she lives with her boyfriend, Jim, on the second floor. On a lazy afternoon or evening, you'll find us hanging out in May's cafe, visiting with May, Jim, Malee (the tatoo artist that gave Corinne her tatoo), Sandra (a Swiss artist that has been here for a while), and Alex (a Swedish guy that has also made this place a second home), to name a few. All really sweet and wonderful people. It will be sad to leave them. Not to mention May's cooking, which I will miss very much, too!

The other haunt that we frequent at night if we're not watching movies at the Drunken Sailor, is the Why Not Bar. This is a ramshackle little open-air bar right on the beach. It's full of low tables and cushions for lounging on the floor and the place has a very rastaferian air to it. Alex works here when he's in Thailand. There's always someone to chat with into the night there.

Life here progresses at a relaxed, leisurly pace, and music is never absent long. Soft jazz coming from cafes, just about any type of music coming from the small bars, someone lazily strumming a guitar, people singing to themselves. Even the muslim call to prayer that can be heard 5 times a day. It's all wonderful to listen to, and never intrusive. Even the sounds of the Thai people talking has a soft, lyrical, and cheerful sing-song sound to it.

Although I am still struggling with homesickness, I will miss this place when I leave. The place, the sounds, and most importantly the people have been a balm to my soul.

Now it's just after 2pm. I think I'll wander back to the Drunken Sailor, lounge in a bean bag "chair", have a snack, and stick my nose into a copy of a Harry Potter book that I found.