OR, THE BEST PLACES USUALLY REQUIRE EFFORT!
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I was in a weird mood. My back was better due to sleeping in a proper bed, but I was having trouble sleeping through the night. I’d bought a Melissa tea but hadn’t noticed it had St. Johns Wort in it, which doesn’t agree with me at all, instead of calming me it makes me edgy. I was eating very little and drinking and smoking a lot and the very idea of getting on another minibus to a beach I had discovered on the map just filled me with dread.
However, I gave myself an hour in my room after a cuppa normal tea and finished my fruit in a bored way then lay on the bed in my lovely air-conditioned room and watched as very sinister Korean series on my laptop as I was too lethargic to read. You know when panic is kicking in when you can’t be arsed to read. It’s inexcusable I thought to myself and promptly left all my worldly belongings with the owner of Boomerang to look after and went over the hideous road in what was now the full midday sun. It’s fine for me, I just go into what I call iguana mode, slow and accepting!
I went into the supermarket and got brown bread and tins of tuna and a bottle of water then went to the bus station. Even after saying very clearly to the driver AND showing him on the map he clearly forgot as he whizzed past the small entrance and I suddenly realised I was in the next town with the busy beach. Much confusion raised as I said I would walk back but he insisted I stay on and we drove up the windy coastal road with him on his phone arranging a bus from the opposite direction to meet us and take me back. This brouhaha added half an hour to my destination which I accepted wearily for this is the way here. I have heard other old birds shouting at drivers who have done the same thing. Such is the lot for all old birds here it would seem.
Now this bay I had chosen deliberately due to its isolated spot and difficult path down but boy oh boy I didn’t realise how tricky it would be. The first bit is a dusty lane with a gentle slope down then there are no signposts where the path splits and I of course tried out the wrong one first. On returning a charming couple asked me in English which was the way down, I told them definitely not the way I’d just come from, so we searched and found a tiny, hidden path with small steps disappearing into the foliage of the mountain. I opted to remove my flipflops that I decided could make me flipflop to my death, and bravely led the way. Actually, the couple insisted which loaded the pressure on. At first all was well and the steps were clear of debris but as we got further down even my tough feet couldn’t take the sharp flinty stones littering the now steeper steps. Down we winded slipped and staggered none of us wearing appropriate footwear for this challenging descent. Suddenly the pretty path stopped pretending to be one and was just a number of hip height boulders and earth. I had to get down on my bum in fear of serious injury. I didn’t look to see how my mates were tackling it. I took no photos because I was too scared. I also didn’t want anyone breathing down my neck. Finally the end was in sight and the bay finally revealed itself.
BARADAN KOYU.
Small and perfectly formed this rocky bay had crystal clear water and a fine pebble beach. The hills around are part of a nature reserve and are lush with pine and shrubs of all types still verdant and unbothered by the hot sun. These ancient mountains had had some rockfalls onto the beach exposing incredible seams of colour in the form of red and ochre, iron oxides I presume. The little bay was indeed a good pick and one of the few along that section of coast accessible but relatively unknown except to the locals and an occasional tourist boat.
I found a flat rock perfect for sitting on to eat lunch, threw my bag down and was straight into that cool, clear water. I swam towards a rock jutting from the water cursing I had no goggles as I could see that there were urchins there and small crabs on the rocks so what fishes lurked around. Then I felt a distinct nip on my thigh. Then another, then again. I was being ambushed by a nippy fish. This had happened to me in Malaysia but I didn’t expect it here ffs. It’s usually when you’re getting to a fish man cave that is their territory and or mating patch but they can actually hurt! I retreated from the jutting rock to relative safety from their tiny jaws with sharp teeth.
I saw them later with my new pal Kenans goggles, they were very boring and grey and I couldn’t see any other species which I imagine there are further out as I saw a man fishing at the furthest point from the bay. Kenan saw an octopus but I wouldn’t say that near in there is much more.
To my horror I saw a mock galleon called ‘Matador’ heading straight to us but to be fair they were a jolly lot of English people and they only stayed a short while. It was a perfect day to keep flinging yourself in the water and munching on crusty bread and tuna from a can (why does it always taste so good on picnics? Is it due to the oil getting hot in the sun and making the tuna more tasty?) The couple gave me a pretzel and a cheese triangle too, none of which I would normally eat but it was all so convivial it seemed churlish for me to lecture them on additives and the merits of organic. They turned down a tin of my tuna but gave me a lager before leaving that already had added lemon on it. I really must do some research on what’s in the lagers here and find one that maybe isn’t crazy terrible. I’m opting for Brenon malt at the moment. No organic wine around here at the moment will have to check in the bazaar in Tire on Tuesday for some fruit wine, or local hooch of some kind
Time passed quickly and we three decided to hit the rocky path at four. The climb was hard and steep the worse bits with me having to scramble up the huge steps on my hands and knees, where I had bummed it down earlier. Graceless and ludicrous but a safer way to negotiate mountain paths of any kind. Slow but sure on the tricky bits.
They were brilliant and gave me a lift back home. Thankyou my friends xxxx I have to say my legs were agony for the next three days I wonder how theirs fared!
In Thailand, I went on a mountain trek showing one stopping point to swim in a waterfall then, after water rafting at the end. It looked beautiful but ended in disaster for me. It was at a fast remorseless pace with keen young things just doing the walk without looking at any of the scenery. I lagged behind taking photos and seeing what I could identify in the flora. They called me to hurry so I ran tripping over a hidden tree root, breaking my big toe and cutting my legs badly. There also was a hidden sheer drop to my left clearly visible from my prone position. I limped on (for what else could I do indeed) to the waterfall and pool. Of course, it was beautiful and icy cold thank god but of course I couldn’t enjoy it at all and finally had to forgo the water rafting. The next day I was flying to London and required a wheelchair at the airports.
All in all it was a lovely day and destressed me after my general malaise of the recent days. I would pack up and piss off the next day to the mountains.
Top Tip: Never let guides bully you. They are generally greedy and pushy on these ‘treks’. I asked about the pace and they said a gentle one and knew my bloody age. Shaken and bloodied by this I have now taken a much firmer stance to all of these guides. You tell them the score and don’t be embarrassed by standing firm to what you had been sold in the tour office. One poor bastard had to be air ambulanced from there I later found out. On others, people actually have died by falling off the edge of paths just because some little jerk literally bullied them to death.
Old Bird Travels Solo! 