railay is a rejection of their reality.

the inbetweens, the lazy dream state and the dipping, weaving through the air ripe with musky couples. hopping from one slippy, damned scary barnacle to the next, only vaguely knowing where next to go, besides not down. t-shirts warm with the sun and worn down with salt. at sunset, red tracks open to the beach on the other side of the world, Fiji. exploring a cave because Tik had no idea where it ends. storms at sea that whips inland and kills the mosquitoes' buzz for once. climbing up anything. trusty directions: walk straight up the path, past the walls lovingly adorned in broken glass on your right, past the lecherous man at the officious-looking cave who'd snatch a kiss you're that naive, past another low wall lovingly adorned in barbed wires and mocking monkeys, and find the beach you swear upsidedown exists uphill, go on then. watch thai boys watching the lady bottoms go by and eat breakfast with them. sand fine enough to snort. sharing a mat with the king of the railay climbing circle. tapping the anchor ring and then gaping at the horizon ending in mists both eastward and westward. evening gossip over masala tea, suddenly the pretty ladies make venomous, pragmatic sense. working my butt off happily for 20 bahts. the shaving comedy. don't piss now, there's a naked lady canoeing over! 2am from tonsai to railay west, the engine of the long tail being cut, drifting silently into the shore past the silhouettes of anchored long tails, wading towards the lights, turning to wave good night to the boatman and the always-lit limestone walls. errands taking longer with every passing day... and every new acquaintance. porch philosophy & waxing windowseat lyrical, is just what we do. taking coffee with chaow's wisdoms, his 'why not' & 'hot and cool' theories. chasing Orion with our eyes. chasing bangtet all over town. chatting easily while walking uphill. showering in the dark. the requisite break to cool down for anyone walking in from anywhere being the best source of information on the isl - wait, no - peninsula, sometimes.

i can't offer you full sentences for how much Railay welcomed me with this time, just selfish snippets. (Yeeeess, Ma,) i know i don't quite belong there, not by a long shot. but having been there i'm wiggling to see the rest of the world in spurts now & end each travel with a Chang in hand, watching the sun set behind the boys playing soccer on Railay West.

just as soon as i work up the cash.