Here’s the lowdown on my Saturday adventure with the Pattaya Jungle Hash House Harriers. The Hash took place on Ko Lan island, around seven kilometers off the coast of Pattaya. The island is small (4K by 2K), so our trail covered a lot of ground, relatively speaking.
Less than 4K with a moderate climb
They say getting there is half the fun, so I’ll start the tale with that part. The ferry to Ko Lan launches from the Bali Hai pier, located on the far end of Walking Street. So, I took a Baht Bus from my hotel to the end of Beach Road, then hoofed it on Walking Street about 1K to the pier. Walking Street is the most infamous street in Pattaya for seedy nightlife (i.e., nude dancing), if that’s your thing. I only visited during the daylight hours on this trip.
If you are feeling devilish, I hear you can have a hellof a good time at this disco.I was shocked to see just how crowded the pier was on a Saturday morning. I read later that the island sometimes has as many as 20,000 visitors a day during high season.I guess no boats were leaving from this section of the pier. Either that or it is haunted.A nice view of Pattaya from the pier.And a look in the other directionThe type of ferry we’ll be ridingThe gathering HashersLoading up the boatAnd we are off!Some of my fellow passengersDave had the worst seat on the boat. He was drenched from spray by the time we reached the island.Jo sacrificed the view for a dry ride.Approaching our destinationand the spray is a-flying.I read that there are around 8,000 residents on the island.Ko Lan is a hilly little placeThe beachHashers disembarking from the ferry.A shrine of our times.That beach I saw from the boatOur Hare (in the dark shirt) leading us to the On-Home location. His Hash name here is Wild Wolf, but back when he was living in the Philippines and a regular with the Subic Hash, he was known as Slimy Limey. He recently made the news by completing a one-thousand-kilometer walk from Pattaya to Phuket to raise money for a children’s charity he supports.Our host venue was a small restaurant on the beach. They set us up in some storage space out back for the Hash circle. Pattaya Jungle Hash also does the before and after circle format. The only problem I have is sitting around waiting to get started.I passed the time counting the shells of this pillar.And we are (finally) On-On!We started out on the frontage road along the beach.Nearing the end of the beachAlong a rocky shorelineDown the road……and up some steps
Then things went south for me. About halfway up the steps I had a breathing attack. Dave and Jo waited for me to reach them, and when I arrived I thought I was going to have to turn back because I didn’t think I could make the rest of the climb. I had my portable nebulizer in my backpack, so I pulled that out and inhaled some salbutamol into my lungs. After about five minutes I had regained a semblance of normal breathing (at least, as normal as it gets for me) and opted to continue the hike. I made it the rest of the way without much difficulty.
The breathtaking viewThat’s more like itOn upI saw some of these (whatever they are) along the way. I guess passersby leave an offering to whatever they worship in the form of a soft drink. I’m sure they have good intentions, but it looks like trash to a non-believer.Speaking of trash, litter was almost non-existent in Pattaya, not so much on Ko Lan. The Wiki link I left above says that the island generates more garbage than can be hauled away. So, I guess the locals don’t have much incentive for proper disposal. To be clear, the beaches appear clean, but these backroads, not so much.The old dirt roadAnd back on the pavementThe view from up hereAnd then heading back down to the beach
Once we arrived back at our On-Home venue, we got a table in the restaurant to order some lunch.
This? Nope, not for 1000 baht!I wasn’t in a crabby mood eitherDecisions, decisions. I wonder what the “burnt” mussels taste like?Guess I’ll never know, because I went with the Tom Yum soup……with prawns. Very tasty. Or should I say, “Yum!”Gathering for the “after” circle
The Pattaya Jungle Hash doesn’t normally have the ice feature. Dave wasn’t having that, so he went to the nearby 7/11 store and bought bags of ice to add some Subic flavor to the proceeding. It seemed to go over quite well.
The last boat back to the mainland left at 4:00 p.m., and as the Hash circle drug on, I was getting a little nervous. As much as I enjoyed my time on Ko Lan, I wasn’t keen on sleeping on the beach. I left the circle a little early at 3:30 just to be on the safe side.
Heading back to the docksI bought a tall can of the local brew to help pass the time until departure.The stragglers boarding the ferry for PattayaPattaya on the horizonWe were all a little drunker than when we arrived.“You getting seasick, Jo?”Pattaya, here we come!And back on the Bali Hai pier.Check out that girl. No, I mean the one wearing her backpack wrong.
But wait, the fun wasn’t done. There was an after Hash gathering at a bar called June’s. And at the end of the pier, there was a Baht Bus waiting to take us there.
Soi 25, you say? I’d never gotten that far before.I used to hang out at Sin Bin long ago. The one in Itaewon, I mean.And I’ll be going to Cheap Charlies later today. The one in Barretto, I mean.Hanging out at June’s bar
True confession time. I don’t remember much about my time there at June’s bar. I was over my beer-intake capacity, and things are all a little bit fuzzy.
But by the look on my face, I seem to be having a grand ol’ time hanging out with Buddy Fucker and Slimy Limey.
Food was coming, but I knew I was entering “now or never” territory, so I said my goodbyes and headed for home. Well, my hotel, anyway.
It all looks so familiar. And so oddly different at the same time.
I walked and walked but didn’t find any familiar landmarks to guide me. Finally, I hailed a cab. The fare to my hotel was 300 baht; the most I’d paid previously was 200. It turns out I had been walking in the wrong direction all that time. Oh well, the taxi driver got me where I was going. The fucker was a no-show for the trip I arranged with him to the airport the following day, but that turned out alright too.
A bedtime treat at my favorite restaurant, then across the street to my hotel and the peace and comfort of my bed.
I still don’t know how my phone got wet, but when I picked my shorts up off the floor the next morning, they were wet too. I wonder if I peed my pants on the way home?
Anyway, that’s how my last day and night in Pattaya went down. And yesterday, I posted about the longest day that followed. I enjoyed my time in Thailand, but it’s good to be back in my little town again. It’s hard to get lost here.
Stick around, and we’ll see what happens next.
Maybe next time. Although, I’m thinking Vietnam is due for a revisit.
4 thoughts on “Ko Lan oscopy”
The ferry to Ko Lan launches from the Bali Hai pier
So many cities all over the world are doing that tacky thing in which the city’s name appears as a sign just to remind you of where you are. Unnecessary labeling—it reminds me of that Far Side cartoon.
A shrine of our times.
See the Buddha’s hand touching the earth?
He recently made the news by completing a one-thousand-kilometer walk from Pattaya to Phuket to raise money for a children’s charity he supports.
Hats off to him! That’s longer than the Camino de Santiago’s longest route.
…and up some steps
I bet that part made you feel right at home.
I saw some of these (whatever they are) along the way.
I think these are called “spirit houses” in English. They’re a native SE Asian thing that existed before the arrival of Buddhism. I don’t know the history of Buddhism in Thailand, but if it’s like everywhere else, then Buddhism probably incorporated spirit houses into itself. All big religions, when they cross borders, take on a local flavor. Spirit houses come in all shapes and sizes. They’re a bit animistic in nature. Shrines reminiscent of spirit houses can be found in East Asia.
the island generates more garbage than can be hauled away. So, I guess the locals don’t have much incentive for proper disposal.
That’s a damn shame. I saw much the same on Jeju-do.
And then heading back down to the beach
I bet that final downhill was a relief.
But by the look on my face, I seem to be having a grand ol’ time hanging out with Buddy Fucker and Slimy Limey.
That’s about as stupidly pickled as I’ve ever seen you.
I wonder if I peed my pants on the way home?
At a guess, you’d smell that.
Well, thanks for the final-day pictures. That looks to have been a gorgeous walk. I’m glad you had a good time while there, with only a minimum of breathing issues. Vietnam, here we come!
Sounds like all in all, it wasn’t a bad trip. Re: Pattaya sign – if you ever make it back there, it is a good hike up to the sign. Get some great views from there also. Probably would remind you a lot of your hikes in the PI, or maybe even Seoul. Quite close to the city, but far enough that it almost seems like a different world.
I think that any place that has a large expat population, there is a “Cheap Charlies” bar.
Glad the phone issue was resolved with minimal difficulty.
Brian, I wondered about access to that area. It seemed to me from a distance that it would make for an interesting hike. I wonder if the local Hash guys ever do that?
Yeah, you are probably right–us Cheap Charlies need a place to call home! It did make me laugh seeing bars all over with names that reminded me of home. They didn’t seem all that similar on the inside, though! 🙂
Kev, thanks for the link to the song “Bali Hai.” I don’t recall hearing it before (or at least not paying attention to it during the movie I *might* have seen. Just read the lyrics, and it is a powerful song. I can relate!
If my memory keeps fading, I may have to resort to that Far Side method. Although, come to think of it, I probably won’t remember to do so.
Yep, that link on Spirit Houses clears things up. I had seen a lot of the soft drink offerings but had not paid enough attention to pick up on the fact that it was red Fanta bottles. I guess the spirits are thirsty for carbs!
The ferry to Ko Lan launches from the Bali Hai pier
Bali Hai! Just like the song.
If you are feeling devilish
All roads lead to “Lucifer.”
And a look in the other direction
So many cities all over the world are doing that tacky thing in which the city’s name appears as a sign just to remind you of where you are. Unnecessary labeling—it reminds me of that Far Side cartoon.
A shrine of our times.
See the Buddha’s hand touching the earth?
He recently made the news by completing a one-thousand-kilometer walk from Pattaya to Phuket to raise money for a children’s charity he supports.
Hats off to him! That’s longer than the Camino de Santiago’s longest route.
…and up some steps
I bet that part made you feel right at home.
I saw some of these (whatever they are) along the way.
I think these are called “spirit houses” in English. They’re a native SE Asian thing that existed before the arrival of Buddhism. I don’t know the history of Buddhism in Thailand, but if it’s like everywhere else, then Buddhism probably incorporated spirit houses into itself. All big religions, when they cross borders, take on a local flavor. Spirit houses come in all shapes and sizes. They’re a bit animistic in nature. Shrines reminiscent of spirit houses can be found in East Asia.
the island generates more garbage than can be hauled away. So, I guess the locals don’t have much incentive for proper disposal.
That’s a damn shame. I saw much the same on Jeju-do.
And then heading back down to the beach
I bet that final downhill was a relief.
But by the look on my face, I seem to be having a grand ol’ time hanging out with Buddy Fucker and Slimy Limey.
That’s about as stupidly pickled as I’ve ever seen you.
I wonder if I peed my pants on the way home?
At a guess, you’d smell that.
Well, thanks for the final-day pictures. That looks to have been a gorgeous walk. I’m glad you had a good time while there, with only a minimum of breathing issues. Vietnam, here we come!
Sounds like all in all, it wasn’t a bad trip. Re: Pattaya sign – if you ever make it back there, it is a good hike up to the sign. Get some great views from there also. Probably would remind you a lot of your hikes in the PI, or maybe even Seoul. Quite close to the city, but far enough that it almost seems like a different world.
I think that any place that has a large expat population, there is a “Cheap Charlies” bar.
Glad the phone issue was resolved with minimal difficulty.
Brian, I wondered about access to that area. It seemed to me from a distance that it would make for an interesting hike. I wonder if the local Hash guys ever do that?
Yeah, you are probably right–us Cheap Charlies need a place to call home! It did make me laugh seeing bars all over with names that reminded me of home. They didn’t seem all that similar on the inside, though! 🙂
Kev, thanks for the link to the song “Bali Hai.” I don’t recall hearing it before (or at least not paying attention to it during the movie I *might* have seen. Just read the lyrics, and it is a powerful song. I can relate!
If my memory keeps fading, I may have to resort to that Far Side method. Although, come to think of it, I probably won’t remember to do so.
Yep, that link on Spirit Houses clears things up. I had seen a lot of the soft drink offerings but had not paid enough attention to pick up on the fact that it was red Fanta bottles. I guess the spirits are thirsty for carbs!