Romantic Moments
Koh Tao, Thailand – October 19, 2017
We walked along the cute little brick path to a new little restaurant we’d been scoping out on the beach. We’ve been bad about finding a place we really like and then going there every day rather than trying out something new. But I guess when you find something you really like, why not go back again and again. We should have just went back to our favorite place because there was the scariest pitbull covered in flies, pupils glossed over, so when he looked right at you it felt like you couldn’t see into his soul at all like you can with clear eyes. He kept pissing on EVERYTHING including a sleeping baby’s carriage and trying to mount a terrified female dog. I felt bad for the poor little thing… such a gross male specimen forcibly asserting his dominance on her. We left immediately after he peed on the leg of my chair, spraying up on my foot. I almost tossed my salad.
I got a freshly cracked coconut from a trendy coffee shop that sold fresh fruit smoothies and Starbucks coffee underneath chunky concrete ceilings and modern black lighting fixtures. When the building next door started some construction, releasing one of the most sickening burning smells I’ve ever witnessed, I immediately headed to the beach. I laid in the sand, coconut in hand, bare skin covered in the tiny white matter. The ocean seemed a little angry with people as strong waves tossed trash back up on shore. Local shopkeepers used wooden brooms and bamboo poles to reach the rubbish and clean their areas of the beach. It reminded me of the several beach cleanups we attended with the Waldorf School as a kid. We’ve really gotta start taking better care of mamma Earth.
We stopped at a funky little beachside bar to drink some frosty Changs and to flirt with the cute little Thai boy that was waiting on us. He was so goofy as he teased us and made sarcastic jokes. We asked where the bathroom was and he pointed to the ocean. I’ve decided that you’re only fluent in a language when you come to understand it’s humor. Once you can make and understand jokes in another language, you’ve learned it fully. Part of traveling has really made me want to learn more languages. I’m meeting people that speak up to 5 languages fluently and then I just feel totally lazy for not knowing anything really besides English. But I swear when I’m drunk I can really speak Spanish! Find me at the local bar spitting Spanish at whoever I can. I also discovered that I can read French while I was in Paris (which really surprised my French friends), so I’m on my way to learning two different languages!
We grabbed a romantic dinner together (me and Monique have seriously shared millions of romantic moments after traveling together for almost a month). We’re both like “WOW, I wish I had a boy here with me right now,” but I gotta say she’s a DOPE friend to have around instead of a man, so I’m happy I found her! Together, we booked our water-taxi back to Bangkok for the day after tomorrow. I’m cushioning my stay in Bangkok for a whole day because I really need to figure out this phone situation before heading to Cambodia. Though it’s made me get off my phone and appreciate being disconnected, it’s absolutely heartbreaking not being able to take a photo when I want to! I have to ask all my friends, “can I take a photo with your phone?” whenever I want to take an artsy travel photo and it’s just NOT RIGHT!
As per usual, one Chang turned into 5 and we quickly were on the way to having another fun night playing around in the sandy bars. Literally ALWAYS, the nights you say, “okay only one beer,” end up being the craziest nights of all. We shook our new roommate awake and asked him if he wanted to come party with us. Good thing he was super chill and super down, or that would have been an awkward situation. We had a motto for the night (and always)—BE WEIRD. We danced wildly and head banged outrageously next to some people calmly playing pong. Some guys approached us saying, “you girls are the happiest girls here!” Probably the best compliment you can give someone—“you look happy.” That statement made us even happier as it clearly demonstrated that WEIRD IS COOL! But truly, how could you not be happy?! We’re in paradise, drinks in hand, friends all around, getting painted with neon body paint at a bar on the beach! Life is graaaaand.
Always,
Alena Horowitz | Miss Potato
