On our last day on Ko Lanta, we treat ourselves to something special. For a good 20 euros, we take a speed boat across the Andaman Sea to Ko Rok. Ko Rok was recommended to us by Lanta Fun Divers. They were right. At last the water is what you imagine paradise to be like: Turquoise, 20m visibility, hundreds of thousands of fish, white sand.
Despite the calm sea, the crossing is quite rough. I’ve never driven a speedboat before, but now I understand why these things need 100 litres of fuel over 50 km. A lot of energy is lost just by the constant hard impact on the water. At 70 km/h, the wind becomes a wall. The idea of taking my kiteboard and a rope with me was absolute rubbish.
At the first opportunity, I realise that my lucky streak continues. Tom’s camera was the victim of a late Songkran water attack on a motorbike tour. The camera was in the bag, but that didn’t save its life either. Now it’s dead, this time for good. Now I’m lugging two camera corpses around the world.
I can’t enjoy paradise, I feel sick again from Monthaizuma. Afternoon nap under palm trees. Then the captain takes us to a neighbouring island of Ko Rok. Ours. Nobody else there. A quick snorkelling session and an attempt to capture the incredible white sand somehow blindly and with an invisible camera display. Then it’s back to Ko Lanta.
Despite the low tide, we are dropped off right on the beach in front of the bamboo huts. Just the evening before, I had torn my foot and wrist open here with a good cocktail while swimming. I have no idea how the captain does it with the boat.
The next day, the first harbingers of the rainy season on the pick-up truck loading area take us on to the harbour.
Frank Woelky, born in 1973. Kitesurfer since 1998. Since 2006, I have been combining kitesurfing and web design on trips lasting several months off the beaten track.