The best thing about being on busy Koh Phi Phi Island is the possibility of getting away from it on one of the many available boats and visiting other neighboring islands and their luscious beaches. We had our reservations about going on a booze cruise primarily because of its name, but the high ratings and recommendations online convinced us otherwise. The booze cruises that I have been on in the past involved nothing but the consumption of ridiculous amounts of alcohol and then being witness to overboard projectile vomiting. Well, this cruise was nothing like that. In fact, the alcohol was a nice option to have while enjoying the breathtaking surroundings from or off the sailboat.
The voyage started off a little rough. It was the 1st of January and the festivities of the night before were painted all over everybody's faces. To add insult to injury, the waters were not friendly that day. We already knew this because the day before we were clutching onto the long tail boat for our lives, as we decided to make a trip all the way to Maya beach. The boat rocked mercilessly, tipped from side to side and splashed heavily into the waters making it seem like we were on a rollercoaster. I prayed we'd get there safely.
Well, the next day was no different and perhaps, with a hangover, even worse. After a short stop by Monkey Beach, which that day was no longer a beach but just rocks and trees with monkeys, I was seriously contemplating getting off the boat. The powerful waves were a little too much to handle and the only thing that made me want to "suck it up" was the undesirable prospect of spending the entire day on Phi Phi island instead (read: too commercial and touristy for my taste). So I stayed, drank plenty of iced water and focused my eyes on the islands in the horizon to make the nausea go away.
Thankfully, our captain and boat owner, Bob, navigated the waters in such a way that enabled us to avoid the worst of the rocking and I started to enjoy the ride. The weather was perfect, sunny, but not overwhelmingly hot. The breeze enveloped our bodies as we cruised around the islands. It was such a treat to be part of those surroundings and our companions on the boat made the experience all the more enjoyable.
A little bit about Captain Bob. Originally from Canada, he sailed on his boat all the way from Vancouver. When asked how long it took him to get to Thailand, he responded humorously, "Eight years." Obviously, the 8 years are populated with stories and we managed to extract a few while watching the sunset. If Bob were to write a book about his experiences on the waters and lands of the world, I would certainly read it. Who wouldn't? He has lived a life majority of people only dream of, but would never dare to live. Bob took the -ism out of "tourism." It is an appealing and tempting concept, I have to say that, imagining his adventures, I began longing for that type of life.
As we sailed, the weather conditions called for a few adjustments and we had to eliminate cliff jumping from our itinerary. I had no objections. The idea of free falling is not exactly my cup of tea. Instead we kayaked to Maya Beach where we roamed around taking in the surroundings.
The Captain also offered to give us insight into the islands we were visiting. The one that shocked me had to do with birds' nests that get harvested in the caves of those rocks. The caves are accessed through an antiquated and highly dangerous technique using bamboo sticks. There have been incidences of deaths reported as people tried climbing the steep rocks in search of those saliva-made nests believed to serve medicinal purposes such as "aiding digestion, raising libido, improving the voice, alleviating asthma, improving focus, and [being] an overall benefit to the immune system" (I got that off of wikipedia as I couldn't remember all the health benefits). The nests are valued at a price higher than gold, therefore, they have been the cause of armed conflicts and gang control until the government took matters into its own hands. Bob had an unpleasant experience of his own when his boat lingered close to the caves for a little too long and suddenly was faced with guards reaching for their machine guns. All THIS over an innocent bird's spit woven nests that also happen to contain high levels of minerals. The human kind and its preposterousness will never cease to amaze me!
As the sun neared the horizon, we slowly made our way back. The wind and the waves prevented us from going back to the place of departure, so we arrived from the side of the beach where Slinky bar offered nightly fire shows and beach parties. From there we got picked up by a long tail boat that took us to the shore. The sky bid farewell to us with warm reds and yellows. Everything seemed so peaceful and well balanced. Many of us voiced we were staying with Bob on the boat, we didn't want to leave. It was one of those perfect days, a perfect start to the new year and the day was not over yet... Thank you, Captain Bob, for hosting such an amazing event. I dedicate this blog post to you!
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