Last entry from the last norwegian in Thailand on his last day and the first day of the Thai year. The last few days have been really great. I have met some really nice people and we have had a lot of fun. I met this american guy the day before I left last island and we now share a room to save money. Even if I am not on a budget, most of the people I meet are, and I try to live like them. On the boat over from last island, we met this danish couple, and we have been hanging out since we met. They are really nice, and we have had a lot of fun these days

The first day we were here, nothing really happened. The danish couple should meet some friends and we joined in. We went to this open air “restaurant” were they had food ala carte. You picked out a fresh piece of meat or fish, and they would barbeque it for you. I wanted to barbie a shrimp, but my plate was allready full when I came to the barbeque (they had tons of other “non-barbeque” stuff as well). I wanted corn, but I didn’t want to end up like Fat Bastard in the Sumo locker room (some might not understand this … and if you don’t, you should see “Austin Powers - Goldmember”). Anyway … the evening was quiet and I ended up talking to someone from Israel. Nice people.

The next day was excellent. We were supposed to meet the danish couple at a beach in a bay called “Shark Bay”. The weather was not very good, but me and the american guy, Cameron, went to the beach to rent snorkelling gear. The bay has it’s name from the many “creatures” living under water and are feared by most people: SHARKS!!! Sharks are a group (superorder Selachimorpha) of fish, with a full cartilaginous skeleton, a streamlined body plan, with normally 5, but up to 7 (depending on species) gill slits along the side of, or beginning slightly behind, the head (in some species, a modified slit called a spiracle, is located just behind the eye), dermal denticles covering the body to protect from damage, parasites and improve fluid dynamics, and rows of replaceable teeth in the mouth. I am fearless to these small fish due to fact that I have never seen more than one of the “Jaws” movies, and I was too young to remember the movie now. So we got the gear and started swimming out the bay. We spend maybe a small our before we could see the very characteristic movement of these scary creatures. The bay was full of small fish and corals, but not the very colourfull ones, and I was stunned by the number of things to see under water, despite the fact that I did not wear my glasses. Another thing that amazed me, was the whole sound picture. When the small fish eats of the coral, they produce a very strong clicking sound. This sound was everlasting and everywhere … I was in clicking heaven. Unaware of the danger that surrounded me, we kept on snorkelling towards the sharks. We first saw one … then another one … another one … and soon we were surrounded by a group of 10-12 sharks. Even if we interfered their daily life, they seem to accept the fact that they were beeing watched. We heard that we were not supposed to blow our snorkel, because that would produce the same sound as turtles would make when they fill their lungs with air, and the sharks hunt for turtles. The island I am at now is called ‘Koh Tao’ - Koh isThai for ‘Island’ and Tao is thai for ‘turtle’, so I am at Turtle Island. I haven’t seen any turtles yet, apart from one made in sand at the beach. We followed these shark for about 10 minutes, swimming with them at a distance of ca 5 meter. It was amazing to see how they acted outside a television. Although I felt that my mask was my television, I did not fear these animals. They looked very paced and at ease with everything. They chilled … maybe they were on drugs. But this picture was soon to be changed. As we gave up shark hunting for the day, and started swimming back to the beach, I suddenly stumbled across (the way you actually can stumble in water) this HUGE shark. I couldn’t get in contact with Cameron … he was too far away, and I didn’t have any aid to attract his attention. I was alone with this monster, swimming not more than 5 meter from me, and I would guess that it was almost the same size as me … a bit shorter, maybe 1,5 meters. It was lurking in the clear water searching for food. I wondered if I would be its next meal and tried to remember everything that Discovery Channel has tought me about sharks. I came to realize that on Discovery Channel the divers all have a safety cage, and I suddenly had this very strong urge to get a cage. But there was nowhere around were I could get one. It was quiet … no thai people under trying to sell things (they are everywhere else trying to sell stuff) and I missed the thai people for the first time down here. There were no cages lying around on the seafloor either - not even a little harpoon I could use for protection. This monster was blocking my way back to the beach and I was face to face with it. I tried to remember what Eurosport has tought me about american football, and I came to realize that in american football the players are all padded up with helmets and protective gear. I wanted to get some gear, but the thai people were still not present. My heart were pumping faster and faster, and I didn’t want to shout for Cameron, as I thought that my voice probably would sound like a dying fish waiting to get eaten by the very same fish that had targeted me as its next tasty snack. What could be better than 1,87 meter of pure norwegian meat - now with a tan?? Then I remembered … go for the eyes!! The eye is one of its weakest and most sensitive areas, as it has no eyelids. When the sharks fight their prey, the roll the eyes back in its socket to protect them, but I thought that if I was quick enough to ambush him, I would survive and get a massive trophee to put on my wall. I started swimming towards it, following it on its way to somewhere and managed to scare him off (I didn’t take a shower that morning). Even though I spent 5 minutes facing the end of life, I survived this close encounter. But … the excitement was not over. An attack was lurking under the surface.

Later that same day we rented a kayak and more snorkelling gear, and headed off to a small island which should be great for snorkelling. The thing with several of these islands down here, is that you have to pay entry fee (about 15 kroner) to be allowed to set foot on the island. We parked our kayak away from public eye, and trespassed this island. I wouldn’t pay this fee out of principals. If they cought us, we would have a fun kayak chase. We found a spot to snorkel and got wet. After a short time, Cameron got my attention by waving his arms like mad. He had found a huge fish and he wanted me to see it. I swam towards him, and then it happened - the attack. The fish was a Titan Triggerfish and it looked huge (about 75 cm long). The fish can be very aggressive towards divers and snorkellers. Especially during reproduction season it is very territorial and will guard its nest, which it lays in a flat sandy area, vigorously against any intruders. Due to its size and strong teeth it can inflict serious injury. Bites may also be ciguatoxic (Ciguatera is a foodborne illness poisoning in humans caused by eating marine species whose flesh is contaminated with a toxin known as ciguatoxin). As I approached Cameron it suddenly raced towards him in a furious tempo. Cameron unable to shit in his pants from the chock (he was wearing shorts) started to scream and looked pretty stupid in his feeble attempt to scare the fish of. I tried to remember was Animal Planet has tought me on the subject of beeing attacked by fish, and I realized that I have never seen that on television. Why don’t they teach you something useful?!?! Anyway - as I was kind of laughing at Camerons funny looking attempt to escape this unknown threat, I still felt safe, watching the attack from the distance. Triggerfish is very territorial and it will protect its territory from intruders. Its territory is Y shaped from the nest and up to the surface, and when you are outside of its territory, you are safe. Cameron managed to look stupid long enough to get out of the territory leaving me behind. Cameron only LOOKED stupid, but I actually WAS stupid - I followed the fish to take a closer look at it. I didn’t get a chance to look at it before it started racing towards me … I was the next intruder to get rid of. I had no idea what this fish was and if it was dangerous. It looked like it had a huge fang in its lower jaw and I did NOT want to try and find out if it hurt to be bitten. I was waving my fins at it to scare it away, but it was not affected. It was fearless of mankind and my smell that had scared the shark away, was not working on this fellow. I got really scared - more scared than when I saw the sharks, and prepared myself for a week at a thai hospital. Again I missed the thai people … where are they when you actually need them?!?!? I did the only thing I could think of: panic. Stroking my fins in the water did not help, no thai people to sell you advice and with no lessons from television I found panicing to be a reasonable way to handle the situation. Luckily I got out of its territory after the 3rd attack and we got safely back to the beach, totally unaware of what we actually has experienced. Out of breath and a bit chocked, we crawled back on the beach the same way Robinson Crouse probably did when he found land. Tired from the event we found out that a paddle back home to safety would be a good thing to do … and so we did. On the way back we almost got hit by a flying fish, so now we have been attacked under and over water by fish. My god … why won’t they just stay under water?! We met some english people on the shore who we shared a meal with. What did we eat?? FISH!!! I ate so much fish just to get back at these scary things … If the fish only was alive to see me stuff myself with its tail … I got my revenge.

The next day was a day of hiking. I was climbing a mountain the size of mount everest in my sandals. That was the hardest thing I have done down here. 35 degrees, hiking this very steep mountain in the jungle with only flip flops was making me feel sick. I wanted to throw up half way and the sweat was literally flowing out of my body. When we reached the summit (ca 320 meters up - oK … mount everest is maybe a bit higher) we had an awesome view of both sides of the island. We needed to hike this way to get to a secluded beach on the other side … well … it wasn’t that secluded, we took a taxi back home. We didn’t see much wildlife, but the experience was good. On our descent we stubled across this little tribe of mountain people. I felt I was back in the early history of America. We needed help to find the way down and we entered their little village were they were most welcoming (and they didn’t try to sell us anything) and told us how to get down. We traded tobacco for food and I was all colonial, thinking that these were indians and I was a pioneer discovering america. They needed tobacco for their daily joint of pot and we got some apple-wannabe fruit in exchange (have no idea what it was called). It tasted like apple, looked like a small pear and had huge seeds. They cut the fruits in half and sprinkled a mix of sugar, salt and chili on it. Very interresting taste. After this close encounter of a true thai mountain tribe (well … I only think they were a family of 3 living up there temporarily because they were contructing a water collection system, but still … they COULD have been a native tribe - with a little imagination) we found our way down the mountain and to the beach we were searching for. Me and one of the danes rented snorkelling gear and snorkelled for some time. Scared from the experience the day before, I armed myself with a little stick, that would protect me from any nasty fish. I was paranoid and alert, but this time nothing happened. The snorkelling was better than the one before - more fish, bigger fish, many herds and many curiuos fish, so we literally swam in herds several times. We had a meal and went home to meet up with the english we met the day before for drinks and more food.Today is the first day of the thai year and yesterday we celebrated with them. The way they celebrate here, is by throwing water at people. We went out to buy big waterguns and prepared to get some splashes of water, but I was not prepared to get soaked. We desperately needed unlimited supply of water, and we managed to charm us onto a truck, armed with 3 huge barrels of water. We were unbeatable … we thought. We soon discovered that there was a vast number of these trucks and severel ways to disperse the water they carried. Another thing they to, is to throw some powder at you for good luck. It feels like tiger balm and you would get covered by it. I have never been so wet in my whole life … luckily I did not bring my camera, but I wish I had, because this was weird. Thaipeople were everywhere drinking from the early hours of the day, standing on every bit of the streets and just throw water at everything that moved … not even the cats were safe. Everybody was smiling and laughing and we sat in the back of the truck and drank together with the locals. We were absolutely hammered before 18 o’clock and it was time to go to the new years party where more water waited for us. Swimming in the sea, fully dressed is fun, but keep your money in a safe place, because you can easily loose about 500 kroner :-(. I have no idea when I got back, and I had no idea of where Cameron was. We had given our key to the danes (they live next door to us) because the guy, Sam, managed to loose the key and they went home a little early. They would crawl onto their balcony from ours and get in their room. So there I was … no friends, absolutely pissed trying to get home. When I got home I found Cameron sleeping like a dog in front of our room. He had piled all the flip flops on top of eachother to have a pillow for his head … smart move. I remember finding a note from the danes, but I could not understand the writing. I tried to talk to Cameron, but there wasn’t much response. I went to sleep on the beach, but after a while, I needed a bed. I went back to the room and Cameron was gone. I was 100% sure of that he had gotten the key, and was sleeping inside in his bed. I started knocking on the door … but no response. I started banging at the door … but no response. I started to hammer on the door … but no response. I got so mad, that I was 2 seconds from literally tear the door apart, and I knocked so hard on the door, that my fingers hurt today. Suddenly, in a moment often referred to as ‘a clear moment’ by alcoholics, I realized that the danes had the key. I repeated the knocking procedure at their door and finally they woke up and gave me the key. I did not find Cameron and got more worried about my missing iPod and camera. I didn’t think of where Cameron could be, but looked all over the place for my earthly belongings. Me bad person. I remembered that Cameron had placed our valuables in a safetybox, and hoped that that was were my things were. After waking up the whole hotel, I could finally sleep in my bed. I later found out, that cameron was not comfortable on the concrete floor, and went to sleep on the beach also.

Today I have bought a ticket back to Bangkok. I am leaving for home tomorrow, and I will have a loooong trip ahead of me. I leave here at 10 o’clock in the morning, starting with a 10 hour trip to Bangkok by boat and bus. When I get to Bangkok I have 4 hours to find the airport and check in. I don’t think I will be able to do some shopping at all. My flight leaves at 0020 on april 16th and after a 15 hours trip, I will set foot in Copenhagen - flight AY0665 for those in the welcoming comitee ;-) at 1035.

Thats it for now - currently present in Thailand, but I will definately try this again, maybe plan a bit more the next time, but I have found this way of travelling very good. I need to get some food and see the last rays of sun, before I head for home.