ระยอง, สัตหีบ, พัทยา

Again nothing could keep me and so I hitched to Thailand already the next day. Crossing the border I had to queue for two hours… All other borders had been that lonely I could just walk through. But therefore I didn’t need to pay stamp fees and even the visa is for free! Entering Thailand I felt lost again, I didn’t really know where I am – my iTouch had shamefully abandoned me by deleting the GoogleMaps catch and OffMaps is just not of use down her, there was no possibility to exchange money and the first cars stopping asked me for (Thai) money. But then I found a bank, where I could exchange some dollars and an internet café to research my further route. Such invigorated I continued my way and made it even to the coast that very day! (Hitching is working here even at night!)

In Rayong (ระยอง) I found not only a beach but also very kind people. I arrived with a young couple in their impressive four-wheeler and they dropped me in front of a rather posh hotel. I felt quite out of place and rather made my way to finds a cheap guesthouse. On my way I saw a lot of groups, picnicking at the beach and every single invited me to join them for a beer. Once the third party had edged me to chug a beer and the fourth was obviously mixing its beer with schnapps I decided to restrain myself. Unluckily there was no guesthouse in sight so I decided just to camp at the beach. And even better I found a shipwreck which was aground and made myself comfortable. Unluckily I didn’t account for the mosquitoes again and it came only to my mind I had some repellent after one had bitten me in my eye lid so I could hardly open it. Also a (probably very nice and helpful) man woke me up in the middle of the night, trying to convince me to sleep elsewhere, presumable even inviting me to his place. And even after I got finally rid of him I couldn’t rest because the (increasing) tide was throwing waves against my ship, harder and harder (louder and louder) till it indulged and started moving. That was already in the morning and I decided to maybe get some more sleep just at the beach. The next morning I discovered this was really rather less touristy, no chance to find an affordable accommodation. And after the past night I wasn’t really much up to camping any more. Still people were really friendly, I met some other young people and one girl was unbridledly approaching me, admiring and petting my (hairy) arm, then even snuggling up and hugging me up to asking for a kiss on her cheek. WTF??

Again I ended up hitting the road, making my way to Sattahip (สัตหีบ), but again: It’s either not at all or too touristy. So I just went further to Pattaya (พัทยา), and arrived in Jomtien – also very touristy but big enough to find some exceptions. I found a guesthouse for only 200 Baht (5 Euro) – just with the help of locals because the sign is only in Thai. And there is some places where you can get a meal for only 20 Baht (incl water on the rocks). I have to walk ten minutes to the beach and even there prices are reasonable enough to just not move but have everything directly in the beach chair: fruits, ice, beverages, even whole meals (: Here we have 33°C, air AND water temperature!! You can swim every time of the day (and night). But also it’s somehow unsatisfying to lie the whole day at the beach, eating fruits and ice cream – I enjoy much more getting a hitch after two hours of tiring walking… Anyways, this is a good chance to get down and to settle my thoughts after two month of travelling and a preparation for my Vipassana meditation.