A Slice from Another Time

One fine day in Koh Phangan, Thailand, while hanging out with my newly made 20 something Malay artist friends.  We decided to go to a secret beach. 

"If you just follow the coast, you will end up somewhere that is untouched, precious, paradise." the locals told us. 

And so we walked along giant elephant grey rocks which lined the Southeastern shore.  

We walked nomadically without a plan, without much water.
It was mid-day, we were sober, we were fine but then we reached a point. 

The point came where we had to jump between two rocks, less than a meter but over a rocky crevice that you had to fight looking down at.  One wrong move and you could be tumbling down the rocks and end up with a bloody body in the sea. 

Riz and Lionel looked skeptical. They stood pensively, examining the options.  "Paradise beach" Or "Our simple lives."  

Long legged me looked at the cliff and initially leaned against the wall, sending some gravel tumbling.  While that's not going to work.  I thought. 

So then, I laid my body in the trusting hands of the earth and basically starfished against the rocky wall, and spread my legs between the two big rocks while sticking my tentacles to the wall and not looking down. 

I had made it, with no great pain or effort. 

The boys looked at one another.  I wanted to continue.  They weren't going to let 22 year old me beaver off into the jungle searching for paradise beaches. 

Rizan decided he would make the jump and made it, but with a couple of rocks tumbling into the sea. 

The other two said "No thanks. We'll see you later."

So we walked on, and within 20 minutes had arrived at a deserted beach.  Besides the grey skies, everything about this place was perfect.  Coconuts lining the shore, palm trees draped over us, and warm water to dip our feet in. 

New friends, we chatted about everything.  While all that ran through the back of my romantic 20 something head was, I wish this wasn't so platonic.  Where is my lover that I am supposed to experience this moment with?  

And so the moment passed, but still is one I will forever hold onto.  

I have been lucky enough since then to end up on equally exotic beaches with lovers and bask in the moment but for that slice of my life, it was just natural beauty and the start of a beautiful friendship that still smiles after nearly 20 years.