Flashback: Ko Tao

The train pulled into Chumphon just before five in the morning, an hour later than scheduled. I waited in a flourescent-lit bus depot with a number of other foreigners and their big backpacks. An hour later a "digital bus" took us to the ferry, which then motored for three hours across a calm sea. Representatives of diving outfits courted the foreigners on board. I was not bothered by anyone other than a Brit named Guy; the Thais seem to believe that the Asian foreigners speak no English and, in any case, have had their tour all booked in advance.

On the ride out to Chalok Ban Kao beach I decided I would get my advanced open water certification while on Ko Tao. I was tired, dirty and hungry. It was the path of least resistance.

I spent the rest of the day getting clean and walking around a bit. By the end of the day I felt miserable and a little lonely. Then I fell asleep and had my first full night's sleep since arriving in Thailand. Once I had slept for thirteen hours I felt superb.

Back in Bangkok, I had seen a toad on the sidewalk and taken it as a sign of the latitude. On Ko Tao, while attempting a shower in the morning, I was greeted by a spider the size of my hand. When I tried to kill it, the beast demonstrated supernatural speed and went away into a corner in the shower. Its size was such that its movements could be heard. I then saw a foot-long gecko next to the spider.

The next day a second spider of similar stature turned up in another corner. Later that afternoon the two joined above the sink in apparent copulation. This was too much to bear. I switched rooms.

And now, as I type this, there are ants coming out of my keyboard with each keystroke. If this is biodiversity, then let the earth be damned.