Filthy Rich Fish: Out There On Bamboo Island

Here’s some free travel advice for you: if you ever go to a tiny tropical island, make sure to bring a torch.

My trip to Koh Russei (aka Bamboo Island) was nothing what I’d expected.
Nevertheless, I got exactly what I wanted.

A tiny Khmer-style fishing boat brought us out there. Didn’t enjoy the bumpy ride across the waves at all. I do like the sea, preferably as seen from the beach.

On the island I got the bungalow I signed up for but nothing more. Just a wooden shack with a mattress and a mosquito net inside. No bars on my phone, no shops, no roads. Not even electricity. Just a beach with a few bungalows and behind it only jungle. Never mind, the tranquillity got to me straight away. Forgot my worries about the lack of fancy facilities. Rolled a fat joint and spent the whole afternoon watching the waves crash on the beach from a comfortable hammock.
Completely relaxed and at peace.

Only ten minutes after sunset I understood the full consequences of having no electricity. It was pitch black in no time. The battery of my cell phone, my only source of light, died within minutes. There’s a restaurant at the far end of the beach. They have a generator running from sunset till 9pm. Getting there, across the beach in total darkness, was a true adventure.

The first night I found it difficult to sleep. It was too dark, too much strange sounds in the night, too many insects wanting a piece of me. I’m a city dude. Wailing sirens in the distance and cars hissing by my window make me feel at ease. Animals howling in complete darkness, ants crawling on the wooden floor and a gecko somewhere really close make me rather uncomfortable at first...

Luckily dawn came around quickly. An early morning swim washed away the night. Afterwards I was completely in tune. It was a beautiful day on a tropical island. This time I was well prepared when sunset came.

A tranquil beach, the waves gently crashing on the shore.
Great seafood and fat joints.
Mosquitos and sand everywhere.
That’s what’s life really like on a tropical island.
Easy, simple and relaxed.

Think I’m done with going crazy.
Done with running away from myself.
I reel refreshed and alive.
Bamboo Island purified my mind and cleansed my soul.