I have had a rather long break from posting but here's finally an update from Koh Yao Noi, Thailand π I arrived on this island 5 1/2 weeks ago, I had booked a yoga retreat for a week. (That already feels like a long time ago). As soon as I arrived at the pier and felt how quiet it was here, I realized how activated my system was. I don't really remember if I had much of a plan back then but I'm still here, enjoying the island.
The program at the yoga retreat started at 6 am, with tai chi on the beach, watching the breathtaking sunrise. Pictures can't do it justice. But hopefully, you get an idea, at least.
Below you see the beach at low tide, in the evening.
After being here one week (I had just extended my stay at the yoga retreat a couple of days), I had an accident. I dropped a metal water bottle on my right big toe. It hit so bad that the cut was 4 centimeters, mostly under the nail. The nail had to be extracted and I needed 5 stitches. All of this was a bit shocking to me since this is kind of the first injury I have had in my life (my first stitches at least). Needless to say, it was pretty painful. In this climate, you have to be very careful when you have a wound since it easily can get infected. I wasn't happy about having to take antibiotics but at the same time, I didn't want to take the risk. Luckily I got great care at a private clinic on the island and for the first week I went there every day and they cleaned and dressed the wound. For me, it was a challenge to even look at my poor toe.
But at the same time, it was an interesting experience. After one week, and after having been instructed at the clinic, I started to clean and dress the wound myself. And I put so much love and care into my toe, it almost felt like caring for a baby!
Now it's been a month since the accident and it has healed well. It's still healing, but I would be unlucky to get an infection at this point. I'll have to wait for a new nail for about a year though, I guess. (Toenails grow really slow). So my toe will be sensitive for a long time.
Needless to say, it hasn't been possible for me to swim. The picture above is from a beach where I swam before the accident. The tide was really high when I was there though so it wasn't much of a beach. The tide changes quite a lot and sometimes fast here so it can be difficult to know when it's a good time to visit a beach. And lately, there's been so many jellyfish here, it's crazy. I wouldn't want to swim here anyway. If you walk on a beach it's more or less covered with jellyfish and there are as many in the water!
But despite the lack of great beaches, this island has been my paradise. It's a very special place, very quiet. Sure, there are tourists here, but not at all in the same way as in most places in Thailand. 90% of the population here are Muslims so this is definitely not a party place. Here you can still observe the local life, it kind of feels like traveling back in time. And the locals are so friendly! I know Thai people in general are known for being very friendly but here it's just another level.
There are also some nice restaurants and it's so easy to drive around on a scooter. (As with most islands in Thailand, it's kind of hard to get around if you don't drive a scooter). At the moment, I'm staying at a very nice bungalow, very close to the yoga center. Last week I started to go to drop-in classes there but I take it really easy, most days. I know the accident happened for a reason. It was a sign for me to slow down.
Right after the accident I kind of felt that maybe it was a sign to go back to Sweden, since I kind of felt that it would be more of a challenge for the wound to heal in this climate. And I felt a bit upset about the accident in general. But I soon decided that I wanted to stay. I went to Krabi to extend my Visa and I have felt that this island can be a second home for me. It's definitely a place I'll return to.
I have booked a flight back to Sweden though, on May 2. My Visa will expire the day after and it's time to return. May and June are my favorite months in Sweden, I wouldn't want to miss that.
Before I return though I think I'll go to a place with better beaches. It should be safe for me to swim again (referring to my toe) and here it's just not good to swim.
Btw, many tourists complain about the heat here at the moment (it's the hottest time of the year). It's hot, around 35 degrees Celsius, sometimes hotter. But I'm ok with the heat really. I think I'll feel so cold once I'm back in Sweden!
The pictures are all from Koh Yao Noi, I realize I haven't taken that many pictures here. I have a lot of pictures of my toe though, but I'll spare you those, haha.
There's a lot more I could share about my stay here, but maybe more posts will follow π
Thanks for reading πΈ
Wishing you a lovely day π