Just Squidding

"Squidding?"

"Yeah, you know, like, squid fishing."

I was on the phone with my sister, calling from my guesthouse on Koh Samet Island.

"Do you fish?" she sounded skeptical.

"Well, no. I mean, I think I've caught a fish before. When I was a kid... with Dad..."

"Hmm... sounds... fun." I could almost hear her rolling her eyes. Rachel is nothing if not supportive.

I have to admit. I'm no fisherman. But for some reason a sign at the pier had caught my eye. "Night Squid Fishing and Enjoy", it had said. "600 baht per person. Relax and enjoy the time with your friends." Well, why not? I may not have had any friends on the island to enjoy the time with, but it was my last night on Koh Samet, and I wanted to do something unforgettable.

my ride

At half past seven, I made my way to the pier. The sun had already gone, and with it, the heat of the day. Nighttime brought a cool breeze. It was almost cold. One of the fishermen, a giant of a guy with very few words to say, and none in English, led me to our ancient boat, to be technical, a wooden squidding jigger, with two decks and a rattling motor. On the upper level, a number of deck chairs had been set up. I claimed a seat. Before boarding, the people at the pier had suggested we go into the nearby 7-11 and pick up some drinks. A bunch of drunk people on a nighttime fishing trip... There was a section of railing missing near where I was sitting. I hoped that nobody would fall overboard. I settled back in my seat and cracked open a cold one myself, with the cool sea breeze blowing in my face. This is nice.


Storm clouds out in the distance

Squid, for some reason, are attracted to green light. As we traveled out over the deeper water further away from land, the captain illuminated the bright squidding lights, flooding the surrounding area in a weird green glow. I'm told that there are so many squid fishermen in the Gulf of Thailand, and the lights are so bright that they can even be seen from space! The green light was a bit disconcerting, and made the whole scene seem eerie and a kind of spooky. At one point, as I looked over the rickety wooden railing, I could see dozens of large white jellyfish, as big as dinner plates, illuminated with the green light.

the sun has gone down over the island

At a certain point, the boat stopped at a small buoy. Those passengers who had brought fishing poles went down to the lower deck to try their luck night fishing. If you wanted to try but didn't have any equipment of your own, the crew had rigged up a few makeshift "fishing poles" of a hook and line tied to an empty plastic soda bottle.

As for me, I was perfectly content to sit back and relax on a deck chair and watch the fishermen go about their business

spooky green selfie

They unfurled a huge orange net over the side of the boat, which they used to drag up the night's squid catch. After not too long out at sea, the waves began to get rougher. Maybe it had something to do with the storm brewing out over Rayong, but our boat began to rock uncomfortably. On the lower deck, water was sloshing over the sides of the low railing, but the crew didn't seem to mind, so I wasn't too concerned either. Still, there were moments when it felt like the boat was tilting further to either side than I felt like it really should have!

We got back to the pier around midnight. Luckily, nobody fell overboard, despite the rocking! I have to admit, it was a little funny to watch people stumbling around on the the boat from the comfort of my deck chair.

It was also interesting to see a real squid boat at work. There was a definite no-nonsense attitude. The fishermen didn't mind us being there as long as we didn't get in their way. I was happy to watch them at work from the upper deck, and it was really cool to see what they do with the big net.

Would I do it again? Absolutely, if not only to sit back, relax, and chuckle to myself as drunk would-be "fishermen" (ie tourists) make fools of themselves stumbling across the swaying deck. What a night!

Ao Prao Sunset

During my vacation to Koh Samet, I signed up for a 400 baht sunset island cruise. Whenever you are traveling around the islands in Thailand, there is no shortage of day trip tour packages, and I think its a good idea to take advantage of them!

In the late afternoon, I and a group of fellow tourists (mostly Thai, and one German family) boarded a big motorboat and set off from Sai Keao bay, the main beach of the national park, which is in the northern part of the island, but faces south. No good for sunset viewing.

Along the way, the boat stopped out at a reef for snorkeling, as hundreds of black and white striped fish swam past. As it got into evening, they took us to Ao Prao beach ("Coconut Bay"), widely regarded as the nicest and most exclusive beach on the western side of the island, and well-known for its stunning sunsets.

Ao Prao beach

Ao Prao couldn't be more different from Sai Keao, with its hawkers, gift shops, beachfront bars, jet skis, and crowds. Sai Keao is popular, and for good reason; it's a huge beach and stunningly beautiful. It's also the loudest and wildest.

Ao Prao was the complete opposite. There were no cheap guesthouses or hostels here. Ao Prao beach was home to a few five-star resorts; an almost deserted private beachfront paradise with not a hawker nor jet ski to be seen. It was perfect.

enjoying a snack in the evening

It was raining in Rayong. Because of its microclimate, Koh Samet rarely gets rain, but we could see the storm clouds in the distance over the mainland. The boat's captain regretfully told us we might not see much of a sunset because of the weather. He needn't have worried. The clouds only made the sunset more amazing. As the sun began to fall into the sea, the captain served everyone a plate of sweet pineapple and delicious juicy watermelon.

The sunset over Ao Prao beach

After the sun had completely vanished, they took us back to the main beach where the evening's festivities were just beginning. Some people went out to join the parties, but not me. I can't see how anything could top the beautiful view and the perfect end to a relaxing day on the island.

Koh Samet เกาะเสม็ด

The school year is coming up to midterms now. The periods just before exams are the busiest and most stressful parts of the year, so the start of Khao Phansa, the Rains Retreat or "Buddhist Lent", couldn't come soon enough. I needed a vacation, and we got a five-day holiday. After several weeks in the city, Bangkok starts to wear on me. I try to leave at least once a month for my mental health - but I'd been in town since May. It was time to get out of town and relax.

I went to Koh Samet.

Sai Kaew Beach

Koh Samet is an island which sits just off Rayong, on the eastern coast of the Thai gulf. Rayong is three hours from Bangkok by minibus, and then it's another hour by ferry from the mainland to the island. Samet, one of Thailand's most popular islands, is part of the Khao Laem Ya Koh Samet National Park, an archipelago of tropical islands in the gulf.

morning out at the beach

From Victory Monument, you can take a minibus for 120 baht directly to the pier in Rayong. From there it's a 50 baht ferry ride to the pier in Samet. You also have to pay a 200 baht one-time entry fee to the national park. There are a decent number of lodgings on the island, from five-star resorts, to small guesthouses and cheap beachfront bungalows with basic amenities. I stayed at one of the latter.

a beautiful beach in the national park

The people of Koh Samet are very proud of the part their island plays in Phra Aphai Mani, a Thai epic about an ogre, a mermaid, and a flute-playing prince. As your ferry arrives at the pier, you'll be greeted by a huge bronze statue of the ogre, and there are statues of pipers and mermaids looking out over the sea to be found across the island.

I spent three nights on Koh Samet. Just a short holiday, but long enough to enjoy a sunset cruise, and a nighttime trip out on a squid fishing boat. Mostly, though, I enjoyed spending hours relaxing, reading, and exploring the beautiful island. Koh Samet is a real paradise, with blue skies, clear water, and white sandy beaches. The island has its own micro-climate, and is the driest island in the country, unaffected by the monsoons that are sweeping the rest of Thailand during the rainy season.



Koh Samet

There's a word in Thai that describes how I feel now, "sabaai"... relaxed. It's amazing how much better a vacation can make you feel!


sabaai

Seventh Cycle

In Western culture, notable anniversaries are measured in decades. In Thailand, the full twelve-year cycles of the Chinese Zodiac mark especially auspicious birthdays. Not long ago, the kingdom celebrated the fifth cycle (60th birthday) of Her Royal Highness the Princess. And now, this year marks the seventh cycle (84th birthday) of Her Majesty the Queen.

The monogram of HM The Queen

To show respect to Her Majesty, one can wear blue, her "color of the day". Her actual birthday is August 12, Mother's Day in Thailand, and a national holiday. 


a rainy evening at Chitralada Palace

Wai Kru 2559

It's time for the obligatory "Wai Kru Day" post. At this point, I feel like I have very little new to add to my previous writings about the traditional Thai Teacher's Day, but it's become a tradition for me each year to always write at least "The (x) First Week of School", "The (x) Last Week of School", and "Wai Kru Day" every year.

I feel like I spent a lot of time during my second and third year in Thailand writing about the day-to-day goings-on at the school, school traditions, classes, teaching... etc. I'll be bringing the focus back more to the unique sorts of experiences I have living in Bangkok, but I especially enjoy writing about my travels in Thailand and around Southeast Asia.

Nevertheless, let's talk about Wai Kru Day 2559*

I always enjoy Wai Kru Day. It's the day when the students show their appreciation for and give their thanks to their teachers. Each year, it seems like the senior students get quite emotional on this day! I like Wai Kru not because I'm on the receiving end of the appreciation (although it's nice!) but mostly because it makes me really think and appreciate how much my own teachers have done for me. In fact, several of our teachers who are alumni of the school choose to come forward with the students and present flowers and wai to their own former teachers instead of sitting with the rest of their colleagues on the stage.

This year was also special for me because I got to see and speak with several of my former students who graduated in February. That's the first class I really got to know well, having taught them for three years, and it was great to hear how they are doing and where they will be studying. One of the boys who graduated in the spring had spent a few months as a monk, and had finished his monastic studies just before he came back to visit. Almost all Thai men will serve as a monk at one point before they are considered to be adults. If not after the death of a family member, they will usually do it upon graduation before beginning at university. Even HM the King was a monk at one point!

I was really proud to see my students in their university uniforms, and very happy that they came to talk to me. I think I made a good impression on this class!

So, I want to take this moment to say "thank you" to all my former teachers. I certainly wouldn't be where I am now if it weren't for the support of some important teachers and professors. As a teacher, I now know how challenging and difficult at times this job can be. I also realize how important the job of a teacher truly is. In the words of my colleague, Geoffrey, "I never realized how much of an effect a teacher could have on someone's life". So, to all my former teachers, and to all the teachers in my life (including my mother and soon, my sister!), THANK YOU! and happy Wai Kru Day!

*2559 BE (Buddhist Era) is 2016 on the Thai calendar