I had been living on Koh Samui in Thailand for almost half a year and it had been exciting and fun. I was sharing a house with Laurent, a french frogman, opposite Big Buddha Pier in Ban Bang Rak and we had a ball there. Diving by day, watching the sunset by dusk and going dancing, meeting friends for dinner or having a party or a barbeque by night. Life was easy, chilled out and great fun. Nevertheless, I felt ready to leave, go some place else, move on. Six months in one place was a long time for me then. Most of us left Samui around the same time.
About a year later said frogman asked me to work for him at his new dive school over on Koh Lanta. I took the chance to visit some friends on Koh Tao and Samui before getting stuck into work. But while being on Koh Tao was fine, I couldn’t stand Samui. Everything seemed sad, miserable and sleazy. Where before the island had been a fun place to be, now that my friends from before were missing, ‘my Samui’ had lost it’s soul. At least for me. I only stayed a couple days and haven’t been back since.
Meanwhile I hardly return to my favorite places. I like to keep the picture I have of them, as they were then, in my head. Thinking back on my travels, going back hardly ever worked out for me. The more recent bad experience then also seemed to overshadow a little the great time I have had the first time round and I don’t want this to happen. What about you? Do you like to return to your favorite places?
Tags: Favorite Place, Koh Samui, Return, Thailand
Timen - 25 April 2007 @ 2:20 PM
I’ll be going to Thailand or Malaysia around October to learn to dive. Is this a good time to go? Considering your experience, maybe we can chat sometime and you can give me some advice on a place to go that will be a) not so touristy b) beautiful and untouched c) in SE Asia.
traveljunkie - 25 April 2007 @ 10:55 PM
yeah, no problem, lets chat sometime. send me a mail when it’s fine for you. might just have a nice place for you!
haoooa - 26 April 2007 @ 9:33 AM
If I get the chance I try to do my best getting back to my favourite places in China. Although everything changed, like restaurants, bars and even roads are no longer at the places they used to be, it is still wonderful and lovely! It is hard keeping up with the speed of Chinese development! :) But it is and was always worth the trip!
Isabel - 31 May 2007 @ 2:59 PM
Hey…
As you I hardly ever return in body to my favourite places…
Most times as I’m boarding the plane I always think :” must come back and spend some more time!” Unavoidably that never happens, cos there always new places to explore!!! And somehow it always feel like wasted time to return to a place I’ve been before even if I completely fell in love with it!!!
Looking forward to keep reading ur blog!!
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Isabel
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