Re-entry into "civilization"?

We just spent the most incredible week in a remote island that has no cars or roads, electricity for 4 hours a day, and empty beaches with 80 degree water. This place is so incredible that we can't even tell you where it is out of fear it will someday become "discovered" and overrun with resorts and people to ruin it; however, we promise to tell you the name of it if you ever plan on being in southern Thailand, close to the Burmese (now Myanmar) border. The people were so lovely and kind, and even the tourists help out with carrying luggage, blocks of ice, and food deliveries from the mainland when longboats pull onto the shore. It is the closest place I have ever encountered so far that is an unspoiled paradise and hope it never changes.

Last week sometime (I have lost track of dates at this point) we left Koh Pha Ngan on an early 7 a.m. ferry to Don Sok, boarded a cramped bus to Surat Thani and had to wait around for a bit until we were able to find a minibus to transport us and some other people to "Little Rangoon". From Little Rangoon we boarded a longtail boat to the island which can't be named and had to rush like mad to get on board, as word was sent ahead of time to wait for us since it was the last boat leaving the mainland for the day.

Not to sound corny or anything, but it was a pretty heartwarming sight when the boat pulled into different areas of the island to see both tourists, residents, and even dogs wade out into the water with big smiles to greet the boat. Everyone chipped in to help (except for the dogs), regardless of their age, to help ferry supplies, luggage and sometimes people ashore. It was definately a great welcome to the island to see such enthusiasm.

Today we all sadly left to come back to the mainland as it seems like time to explore new things. Our intention was to make it to Chiang Mai by this evening, which of course was overly optimistic on all counts. Back in Ranong we learned there are no flights 2 days out of the week to Bangkok so we hired a taxi to take us 3 hours back to Surat Thani, where there would be flights out of that airport. One flight had already left, one was cancelled, and the other was completely booked, and standby was a waste of time. Back again we piled into a taxi to the Surat Thani train station where we booked overnight 1st class sleeper cars that depart in 3 hours to Bangkok (12 hour trip), and from there we will hopefully fly tomorrow to Chiang Mai in the north. Chiang Mai is Thailand's second largest city, and from there we will travel up to Chiang Rai and continue travelling north into Laos.

More updates to follow when we arrive in Chiang Mai!