We spent the following day in Ao Nang doing some shopping,fulfilling demands of postcards back home, internet and exploring! We departed Ao Nang Bay at sunset by Longtail, which was really beautiful and headed to the remote beach of Ao Ton Sai, on the Krabi Peninsula. As the boat got closer all you could see was a little beach backed with dense jungle and a rare few huts and a big bonfire!It looked really pretty but a bit too rustic for my liking...this wasnt going to be good for my fear of jungles, snakes, spiders and the dark!
I tell you something Ton Sai at night is a lot different than this picture perfect by day view.....Didnt realise that the place ran on generated electricity so withine about an hour we were plunged into darkness and had to beg to buy a torch!Aslo we had run out of cigarettes so the old cinnamon cigars had to be whipped out! We wandered to the only bar on the beach...The Reggae Bar...as it happend this place is like a rockclimber colony, which isnt out scene to be honest!There was all of 10 people in the place and the only option was a warm bottle of Chang! Time to make it back to the shack and with only our tiny crappy torch it wasnt much fun!!!I was stressed out because the cliffs looked like they should have a ghost ship in tow...seriously freaky! Got into bed, can honestly say I didnt get a wink of sleep, could hear some kind of creature in the room and was terrified, thank god didnt see what it was because in the pitch black theres not a lot you can do!!!!Then coconuts and snakes started crashing off the roof in the night, Ive never been so frightened ever!!!The only good thing was the sound of the ocean, we must have been only 20 feet away so that was incredible however I have never been so happy to see sunlight ever!
Little did I know the worst was yet to come....before I left I made a vow to myself that I would not be trekking in any jungles. My fear of snakes and spiders is too severe and I have no desire to overcome these fears whatsoever. So what happens when theres no boats????the only way out of this place was not only a jungle trek but a rockclimb!!!
Check this out! I mean come on this just isnt me! Bet you never thought you would see the day Id be wading through jungles and clambering rocks!!!Whipped out tears, tantrums and hysteria as I attempted to scale these almighty rocks with my daypack!Little did I know at the top of it all was a trail through some pretty intense jungle!This is not my idea of fun I was terrified...yes its adventourous and exciting but I was beyond consolation....wading through all these trees and shrubs, I could see snake holes in the ground, could hear animals, couple of monkeys swinging around and it was strenuous, clinging onto branches and that!!!Got to the point where I had to overtake Nicola, who was tactfully trying to go ahead of me in case of any reptile or arachnid encounters so she could escort me past them without my knowledge, but I had to get out of there!Fell over a couple of times, cried, you name it, it was horrendous!Im sure you can all imagine me!Final straw was a rather rustic looking rope where i had to swing under this big branch and I tell you when my feet hit the sand of West Railay, I have never ever felt so relieved and exhilirated!I thought it would never end and It was the most scary experience of my life and yes in a way it felt good because I had really challenged myself and faced my worst fears but lets just put it this way, wont be doing it again in a hurry!
Stopped for a pineapple shake before venturing across to East Railay where we headed to the Viewpoint Bungalows!What a relief...think Im really going to like Railay!
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