we've got to outrun the storm

Day One on Koh Kood island ..... interesting and scary and exciting ....

"Let's explore on kayaks today" says Amy.  "OK" says I (tentatively)  "Not tried that particular mode of water transportation before" ..... but how hard could it be?   Gently floating along with the occasional dipping of an oar into the water.

Oh, hmmm .... first thing.   Launch yourself into space off a rickerty wooden platformplatform and hope you, not only make contact with the kayak, but land in the seat.   Seat?   If you can call a miniscule indentation in a board of plastic, a seat, well, fair do!!!!    I did my best to brave up ....but decided I wasn't the early morning entertainment (not enough Thai "whiskey" consumed yet.    So, asked Amy & Andy to tow my kayak to the beach.  I walked round to the beach (about 5 minute walk) to await my vessel.  They duly paddled up ..... in a 3 man yayak.   Brilliant .... I can board and relax and drift along .... until I saw the oar with my name on.

Ar well. never mind, it'll be easy with three.   How wrong could one be!   NoNo teamwork seemed possible with tremendous clashing of oars and much juicy language.   We did manage to get back to the pier as after some heated debate, unanimously agreed we needed a change of plan!

I stayed in the front of the three-manner and Amy got her own.   Yes, it was better, so off we went up the river.    All was good .....for about 5 minutes!   My legs are just not used to being straight and stretched apart while sitting with no backrest.   But no choice, had to go with the pain.    Thank god, after about an hour of this torture, I saw the river end ... or was I hallucinating?   Hurray, yes, our destination was in sight.   Of course, there was the getting off but at least there was a beach.

We then treked about 20 mins through the jungle to a Koh Kood hotspot - a waterfall where you could swim.  Perfect.  Then the jungle trek back to the river.   About halfway back it went very dark  the thunder started.

"We gotta try and outrun the storm" declared Andy.    I  can tell  you - I arranged myself into the yayak pretty damn quick and off we set, paddling like crazy.   Then the rain came and big thunder and hair splitting lightening.   Needless to say, we didn't outrun the storm.   The rain came down in sheets, I have never seen rain like that and there we were in the middle of the river, banked by mangroves with the kayak filling with rain water, drenced to the skin, paddling like crazy.  I decided it would be easier to get out of the yayak at the pier than get in so told Andy I would be very brave as we were going to have to go past it to get to the beach.

Yes, I did it!   not elegant or pretty but I did it (my legs were like jelly for hours afterafter).    Took me at least 30 mins to peel off my clothes.  

A very interesting day but not one I intend to repeat any time soon!   Unfortunately didn't get any photos cos of the rain and not daring to move to get my camera out .... however it is imprinted in my brain forever!!!

More about Koh Kood in my next episode .....