Last day in Koh Tao.....

I usually hate snowpeas, but this curry was really
good ! (this was breakfast :D)

 January 24.... (sorry, pictures at the bottom of the page again :( I'm having trouble fixing it ) Last day in Koh Tao.... I had a good sleep last night, since I made sure door was closed at all time !Woke up too early and realize coffee will not be readily available for me at a stumbling distance at 6 in the morning.... so I lay around in bed until around 0630 then I got really bored and got up.  Not sure how people could sleep till noon.  I used to be able to do that when I was a teenager (yes, the good ol' lazy teen days :D ), but parenting life really change your body clock, and few years ago I started waking up early so I could have a slow start of the day, sipping my coffee... eating my breakfast... sit around drinking coffee again.... and maybe go for a run :D Coffee definitely one motivator to wake up in the morning, but the latest I woke up was when I was in Japan.  Spending one week with Shinji I woke up at 0800!!!!! That's super late for me! Usually, at home, if I wake up at 7 in the morning I felt like I've wasted the whole entire day 0_0 !

Agenda for my last day? Maybe lazy around, maybe I'll go for a walk.... I don't know yet. All I know was that I need breakfast, and of course... I headed to the same place again. This time curry for breakfast and of course, completed with unsweetened ginger tea. Tasted better without sugar I think. One very disturbing and annoying scene happened on my way to the restaurant.  One of the tourist was cursing and swearing at one of the local working at a restaurant.  I am not sure what happened, but whatever happened I think that tourist behaved like a ... I was gonna say pig but pigs behaved better than that I think... Just being a jerk, I mean, whatever the circumstances is, when one seen cursing and swearing... just doesn't look good... in this case especially because he's a visitor to a country!  Is that how we behave in other people's house? As an Indonesian, sometimes I seen that in Bali, where some tourist treated locals like shit because they think money rules.  Well.... it really irritated me, because there are customs in my country that visitor may need to respect and honor when coming to the country.  And argument with local ended with swearing and cursing at them? I think, sometimes when tourist visiting a very touristy place such as Khaosan Road, Kuta, Phuket, it's easy for them to remember that they are visitor in someone else's country.  Attitude sometimes all I see when I'm in those kind of places.  So please, treat locals how you want yourself treated by tourist from another country, and smile at them, so they know you acknowledge them and they're not just people selling stuff, serving your food, clean up your room or driving you to places you wanna go to.
Back to my agenda.... :D There are some easy places I can walk to, one of them is a pagoda nearby, only 20 minutes walk according to local people. From there, I may be able to walk to the other side of the island and get a different view of things. I think, west side of the island is busier because the port for arrival and departure is there, on the southwest of the island.  From there there's a main road that will lead you to the north east of the island. Also, Nangyuan island is on the north east of the island, and it is a little paradise people seek to go to when they're here.  The opposite side of the island is more quiet, but the main busy area can be reached easily on a motorbike or on foot. They also have taxi services (a 4x4 pickup truck that you sit at the back of it... not in the cab :D) Expensive, cost around 300 Baht doesn't matter the distance.  This island is not too bad for motorcycle I think.  Even in Bangkok, I should say the traffic is a lot better than Jakarta.... A LOT BETTER! At least, crossing the streets in Bangkok you don't feel like you should have a very good life insurance.  I felt that way in Jakarta :D and traffic is crazy..... People always weaving in and out of traffic, even when it's already a traffic jam! I would say the traffic is the same as Yogyakarta.... more pedestrian friendly :D.
After Vivian went for his diving, I decided to hit the road for a long walk.  My goal today was to see the apparently exist pagoda, then go further if time is enough.  I walked and walked and walked, realized I missed the turn to go to the road that leads to the pagoda.  I decided to go further, towards Hin Wong bay viewpoint.  If anything.... the hike itself not too long.  From my place to the viewpoint, only took me less than 2 hours.  The steady incline was not an issue either... I went for a longer hike up a mountain that took around 4-5 hours when I was in Japan, also longer hike in Banff.  I have to be honest it was the heat and humidity that made it tough! Going uphill under direct sun was not very fun at all.  Thank goodness for water!  Most people went up to this viewpoint by motorbike or ATV, but I choose the environmentally friendly way.  It is doable on foot, maybe pick a day when it's not too sunny and bring water!.  Today was a mix of sun and cloud so it wasn't that bad.  Along the way, I saw a lot of rental houses and land for sale, also private villas... I guess a lot of expats living here.  Along the way also a lot of new developments, including some sort of mall or something like that.  Before long, I arrived at the viewpoint entrance and saw a lady standing by the blockade and saw a sign 20 Baht entrance fee.  Legally, no one has the right to charge for nature, plus it's not a private property, but I figure if it helps her children... why not... 20 Baht is less than 1 dollar..... I paid her and walked some more.... I was a little disappointed when I saw a bunch of tourist there, but they left as soon as I got there, so I had the whole place to myself before the next round of motorcycle tourists arrive. Indonesian cartoonist who created comic strips called Benny and Mice, had a very funny cartoon of tourist on a motorcycle :D  I sat on the hut by myself, looking at this gorgeous view from above.... couldn't help being in tears especially when I play Steven and the Coconut Trees' song called 'Kembali' means 'return or coming back' which is about coming back to a place you feel peace and comfort.  We all have a placewhere we feel most at home, comfortable, at peace and content with ourselves.  I think I feel quite content and feel like home when I'm in this side of the world, maybe because that's where I grew up and that's where my soul will always belong to.  Definitely the scenery reminded me of Indonesia.  Not much else to say about how I feel when I sat there, except for great happiness being in such peaceful and quiet place, away from the touristy (faaaar away) hullabaloo,  but also great sadness for having to leave this beautiful side of the world soon, which means I'm going to be far again from my family. I guess, being in this side of the world, no matter where it is gave me the sense of closeness to my family.  I sat for quite a while when I realized I still have to walk back again! Of course, it took half as long because we're going downhill now :D I can't imagine riding motorbike there.... gotta be scary.... some parts of the road not very smooth and somewhat of a steep decline.  I think my way is the best! Environmentally friendly and helps you lose weight... :D especially after all that Thai food :D On the way back, I thought I'd try to find this pagoda.... well.... I did not see any, not even the top of it somewhere, so I assumed it's a small pagoda, and I figured I've seen something more magnificent than the pagoda, so I decided to just head back to my place and shower.  By this time, a good shower is needed, since my hair felt like I've had dreads for years, and 3 inches of dirt on me :D  Another thing.... my camera did not do this place a justice... I just realized when I tried to edit the pics.... :( Now it's time to sit and do my blog.... I think we're gonna go eat supper earlier than yesterday and retire for the night early and not do anything else (Vivian is starving right now... he's eating seaweed chips... definitely starving :D).  Tomorrow is check in time, and we're gonna head to to Bangkok, then Singapore the next day... again! Oh yes, last picture was my lucky shot of a tokek.... looks like gecko but waaaay chubbier... very cute ... but very loud creatures!

Very green :(

Hin Wong bay

Little hut I sat on for the longest time, listening to Steven and the Coconut Trees

Family that lives by the entrance

Her little girl is so pretty

One big ass giant rock at the side of the mountain... better not fall :D

No no no.... this was on the way down...  :D

My favorite restaurant..... I highly recommend vegetarians to go to this restaurant, because they have vegetarian options for EVERYTHING in their menu (unless if it obviously says 'crab'... du'h} such as their curry, rice or noodles menu.... and vegetarian option of course is the cheapest :D By today, the workers there knows my 'ginger tea no sugar' :D.  Price wise? Everything in Koh Tao are more expensive than in Bangkok, but this restaurant is not too bad at all, especially being a vegetarian you always eat cheap :D  

The restaurant owned by local family (that's him selling seafood , very nice guy)

And a homey feeling added to the menu when you go there twice a day for your whole entire stay in Koh Tao :D Usually this restaurant is packed during meal hours.... but now I know 1730 is a good time to come here :D  I really really recommend people who are vegetarians to eat here... plenty of options, that's what I like and nice people working there :D !

Oops.... forgot to take pic :( the aftermath of my vegetarian tom yum soup

I only could take his pic with iphone :( sooo cute and chubbie. Tokek is called tokek in Indonesia because that's the sound they made..... they WILL wake you up from sleep because they're loud, and usually pretty busy on the attic...