Koh Lanta

A man could ask for no more than this. I see a lone Swedish girl wading in the water. The sun is directly above her, leading a path to me. Behind, at the bar, is a man so chill that he's lost the ability to fully open his eyes. On this island, maybe babies are born that way, no crying, just pop out of that womb with a yawn. The Spaniard next to me operates in two gears: vegetable and rock star. This 25yr old tour guide actually picked up a nubian Scottish princess girl by simply laying outside fo the bathroom and looking at the stars. Koh Lanta is a place where tourists come to become locals. Anaka, a dreaded German girl, sells hemp gear while her Thai Rhasta boyfriend plays bongos with his band. They own a bar here but, like most the locals, they only work enough to be able to sit, smoke and not work so much. She's been here so long she's no longer bothered by the jelly fish as she takes her morning swim. I have lasting memories after 4 days here of people that I will leave. They will remain and fight old age with a stress-less life. This island's largely empty, it seems the "farang" (foreigners) haven't ruined it yet. I feared Thailand, because it seemed everyone had been here but me, but I see now that there's always another island, and the Thais quickly learn how to cater to us without becoming a bother. I think I may have found a retirement destination....