Koh Yao Noi

After party central in Ao Nang, we wanted somewhere a bit more relaxed for a couple of days. That meant we needed to avoid the more popular spots around Krabi and Phuket, so on some good advice from Dan's parents, we caught a speed ferry to Koh Yao Noi. This is about halfway between the two party towns, but surprisingly quiet and off the tourist radar. It is majority Muslim, meaning there has been a strong push from the local community to avoid it becoming a boozing zone, although they are happy to welcome visitors who are looking for a more relaxed atmosphere—just the spot for our hangover recovery! We also have a big adventure coming up (more info in our next update in a few days), so this was a necessary pause.

There's no public transport on Koh Yao Noi. Rather than spending unnecessarily on taxis, we decided it was a good time to practice our motorbike skills, in case we need them later in Southeast Asia. This was probably a good decision, because we clearly need some practice (both as drivers and passengers). Going from 'stationary' to 'moving' was a challenge. Dan nearly zoomed into a pond, Chelsea was consistently confused by her left and right. We'll need more experience to get accustomed to the controls and manoeuvres. Either the speedometer was broken, or we never went fast enough to register more than 0kmh... very emasculating. But with our extremely brief riding experience, we now feel totally prepared for the wild streets of Bangkok and Hanoi 🙃

Chelsea visited a yoga retreat for a drop-in session and then we drove, precariously, to a secluded beach where we both read about half of our current novels. We are at least getting through loads of books!

The main benefit of Koh Yao Noi has been a respite. We probably should have spent one more night here and one fewer in Ao Nang, but hey ho. One of the challenges of this gap year—something neither of us has done before—is working out how to pace ourselves. The lack of routine, the constant movement, the mixed levels of comfort, all catch up with you even while you're ostensibly having fun.

We're also thinking a lot about what it means to be productive while we travel. Should we be trying to 'achieve' something, or is the trip an end in itself? If we spend a whole day reading instead of 'doing something', does that mean the day has been wasted, or well spent? What does it mean to have been to a place—do you need to 'complete' it? How do we keep a generous mindset so that we appreciate all the things we are doing, rather than regretting the things we've missed?

We have the next couple of stops planned due to advance bookings, and then from March 23 we're into the unknown: no more landmark dates in the calendar for the rest of the year. Wish us luck!Meer informatie