Another Side of Samui
DAY: 38
LOCATION: Koh Samui
It didn’t take long to discover the secret to enjoying Chaweng – walking the beach at sunrise. For those first couple hours, everything was still except the ocean. Soft light broke through the Raphael-like clouds, streaming onto the unmanned boats lulling in the gentle waves. The few other witnesses watched reverently or strolled slowly, the beach a temple, the sun its altar. This was one thing commercialism hadn’t managed to co-opt. Yet.
For breakfast I figured I’d be able to find some street vendors like in Phu Quoc or Luang Prabang. Wrong. I walked for a mile and a half down empty streets past closed shops. Only the convenience stores were open. I finally found one with some fresh cut fruit out front.
“How much for this mango?” I asked, not finding a price.
“100 baht,” the woman replied curtly.
“Seriously??” I laughed, shocked. I didn’t want to come across as rude, but $3 for one mango was absurd. I could score a better deal at Whole Foods. She sniffed at me and I continued on, put off.
I ended up buying a bunch of bananas from a guy on the beach and a box of corn flakes from the 7-11. Not ideal, but a girl’s gotta eat. An hour later on my way to a yoga studio I came upon lots of food vendors. I’ll get something from you guys later.
And by later I meant 15 minutes. The studio was very closed, and also looked pretty run down to be charging $10 a class. Not that this should’ve surprised me. I sighed and walked back, grabbing three mangos for a dollar.
My yoga plans foiled, I switched the rest of my day around, going to Poppy’s for lunch and then Vikasa in the afternoon for a vinyasa class and dinner. A beautiful yoga resort up on a hill, Vikasa was one of the places I’d originally considered staying at for a short self-structured retreat. However, they only had deluxe rooms available that were out of my price range, and it also didn’t have beach access, so I’d decided drop-in classes would be best. I needed the white sand and bath tub salt water, which I enjoyed the rest of the morning.
Poppy’s did not disappoint. While the green curry was good, and the coconut shake nostalgic, it’s the garden setting which makes it such a hit. Dark wood furnishings, thatched roofs, steps from the ocean – it’s worth the few extra bucks. The only thing missing was my family. I’d been thinking about them a lot since I’d arrived. Such wonderful memories turned bittersweet.
The walk to Vikasa took over an hour, most of it along a not very scenic busy road. A normal person probably would’ve taken a tuktuk, but as a solo tourist without much to do, walking suited me just fine. A little humid perhaps, but the New Age-y podcast “I Am Avatar” kept it interesting. (Example module: Building your Crystalline Matrix. Not for the close-minded.)
As soon as I got to the resort I regretted not staying there. First off, the view from the top is insane. After purchasing a yoga pass, I just stood on the landing above the stairs and stared. Ridic. Second, the restaurant has the same insane view, and also a mostly vegan menu to rival Café Gratitude. In fact, I met the head chef moments later, and he had formerly worked at Café Gratitude. Small world. Third, the bungalows are adorable and traditional, and the infinity pool also has, you guessed it, an insane view. And finally, the open-air yoga pavilions are right out over the ocean. In the words of Rachel Zoe, “I die.”
The class itself was filled with an eclectic group from around the world. Truly, all were welcome here, including mosquitoes. Okay, okay, I know I’ve talked a lot about the little buggers, but I got 12 bites in the first twenty minutes. As much as I tried to ignore the throbbing welts, I couldn’t. I kept breaking from my down dogs to apply the potion from the Italians, to no avail. The class was challenging enough, with lots of arm balances and long holds, but the itching made it near impossible.
“I’m so sorry I kept stopping during the flow, I never do that,” I apologized to the teacher after class. “I was getting eaten alive by mosquitoes.” I revealed my bumpy arms and legs.
“Oh no! There’s repellant next to the props,” she pointed to the blocks and straps. I thanked her and sprayed the chemicals all over my body. Lesser of two evils.
Up at the restaurant I felt out of place. Everybody seemed to know each other, talking and laughing as they piled up their plates from the buffet, sitting in groups. The hostess seated me next to the ledge, the open expanse sucking me into its black hole. But I wasn’t going to allow myself to drown in loneliness or separation.
“Can I sit with you guys?” I asked two girls I’d seen buying passes earlier.
“Yeah of course!” they replied, welcoming.
They were from the east coast, and knew each other from college. Kyra worked on the island teaching English to a small group of international students, Callie was visiting her.
“How do you like living here?” I asked Kyra.
“I love it. Every day I wake up amazed that this is my life. Of course, it has its challenges. I’m on a Thai salary, so I barely make enough to cover all of my expenses. Coming up here is definitely a treat! And sometimes the kids are difficult. But this is by far the best decision I’ve made in my life.”
A twinge of jealousy shot through me. Not at her situation, but her courage to move. I felt free now, capable of going anywhere and doing anything, but I knew the second I got home I would feel stuck again. Trapped in the life I had created, roped back into the industry, my little bungalow, the Los Angeles vortex…
“Where are you heading next?” Callie asked.
I told them about Phangan and the Berlin film festival, Levi and our international romance. As I spoke I realized how thrilling my life sounded, how much adventure I’d manifested.
“And then I’m going to India! For a wedding with my friend!” I blurted out. This was news to me as well – until this moment I’d been unsure. But as I said it, I knew I was going, that my guides were drawing me there and I had to go.
“Wow! That’s so awesome,” Kyra exclaimed. “Isn’t traveling the best?”
I smiled and nodded. I was the opposite of stuck – as a physical being, I was always in motion, ever changing, in accordance with the laws of the universe. I booked my flight to Dehli as soon as I got home that night.
