Welcome to week thirty-two of the backpacking diaries. I’ll be updating you weekly on where I’ve been, what I’ve been getting up to, and most importantly, how I’m really feeling about this insane decision I’ve made.
As you probably know, I’m currently backpacking through Asia after quitting my job and leaving London for good.
I want to remember every moment of this experience, and document as much of it as I can, just like I’ve documented everything else in my life post-18 on this website.
You can keep up to date with my travels on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube but for now, enjoy week thirty-two of the travel diaries!
If you missed the first thirty-one weeks of backpacking diaries, you can catch up here.
Top tip: for mobile data around Asia, we used the Jetpac eSim. This was super handy and easily installed onto our phones as soon as we arrived in Japan! Get $5 off your eSIM package when you use my referral code: ORLZRLN2.
Day 218: Monday 21st October 2024
Location: Bangkok & Koh Tao, Thailand
Dear travel diary,
It’s Koh Tao day!!
I have to hype myself up a little bit because we were up at 5am to head to the bus station to catch our 6am bus to Chumphon.
The bus journey was fine overall, but it was six hours straight with no toilet break! Thankfully I didn’t need to go, but usually with these long buses you do have a few stops along the way.
The bus was also a double-decker which I haven’t experienced during my travels so far, so that was interesting and at times felt a little unsafe.
RELATED blog post to read: How to Get From Bangkok to Koh Tao Thailand
We made it to Chumpon just after 12pm and our ferry was due to leave at 1pm, so we could use the bathroom and grab some coffees and snacks before the ferry left.
Then it was two hours on the boat before we docked in paradise (Koh Tao). Oh, it is so good to be back.
We checked into our hotel which is closer to the pier this time and on the back streets that we liked walking around near Sairee Beach and then headed out for some early dinner as we were starving.
There’s this pizza restaurant that we dined at twice last time we were here (Chu Chu), because they put curry on their pizza.
You might think it’s strange, but don’t knock it until you’ve tried it! Himself had Penang curry pizza and I had sweet and sour pizza. So good.
We made it down to the beach for sunset and then called it an early night as I had a pounding headache with all the travel and early start.
So happy to be on this island for the week!!
Day 219: Tuesday 22nd October 2024
Location: Koh Tao, Thailand
Dear travel diary,
This week is going to be rinse and repeat each day, so don’t get too excited for these diary entries.
We’re in Koh Tao to have a little holiday from our holiday but also to spend each day working on our laptops while enjoying the beach and sunshine.
Basically, we’ll be doing the same thing as we were doing in Bangkok, just without the hustle, bustle and constant sirens and chaos.
I’ve been here less than 12 hours and already I wish we had skipped Bangkok and just came here for the month to work. It really is paradise.
RELATED blog post to read: The Best Places To Eat In Bangkok Michelin-Style
We started the morning off with some brunch from Factory Cafe – like I said, we’re on holiday.
Then we headed to Cactus that’s directly on the beach and has an incredible view, to work for the rest of the day.
For dinner, we headed to another favourite – Genesis Dumplings & Noodles. They have the tastiest dumplings and we only come here to order way too many steamed dumplings and leave so full.
A great first day on the island.
Day 220: Wednesday 23rd October 2024
Location: Koh Tao, Thailand
Dear travel diary,
Today was literally a rinse and repeat of yesterday.
We started off the morning with another brunch from Factory Cafe. I tried the avocado toast for a change instead of the shakshuka.
After a lovely breakfast and hot mocha, we moved on to Cactus Cafe for the rest of the day to work from our laptops and take in the view.
Once it got to around 4pm, it was time to close the laptops and head to the beach for sunset. We grabbed a beanbag at a beachfront bar and had a cocktail while the sun went down.
I’m starting to think that I could easily move here and have this be my everyday life.
Brunch, work looking out at the sea, and then watching the sunset on the beach. Bliss.
Day 221: Thursday 24th October 2024
Location: Koh Tao, Thailand
Dear travel diary,
We changed it up this morning for breakfast. We headed to Blue Shark cafe instead. It’s not a new spot to us as we worked here quite a lot the last time we visited Koh Tao.
It’s the only place we’ve found on the island near Sairee Beach that is behind closed doors and has air conditioning, so a great place to come when it’s very hot.
We grabbed a table for breakfast and then took our laptops out to work. It actually ended up lashing all morning, so we set up camp for most of the day.
Around lunch time, we made a move to a wine bar as they had seats with plug sockets and a great view of the beach.
Once again around 4.30pm, we put the laptops away and headed to the bar with the beanbags to watch sunset.
For dinner, we headed back to Genesis Dumplings for another round of the tastiest steamed dumplings.
Day 222: Friday 25th October 2024
Location: Koh Tao, Thailand
Dear travel diary,
We skipped brunch this morning would you believe? Instead, we headed straight to Cactus for my mug of hot mocha and a few hours on our laptops.
Himself had spied a lunch spot called Milk & Honey on Instagram, so we skipped breakfast to have an early lunch instead.
We both had the trio of filled pitas that came with chips and we were stuffed full of hummus and falafel, but the food was stunning. It was a bit of a walk away and I did get sunburnt in the fifteen minutes it took to walk there.
But I’d highly recommend as the food was incredible!
We tried to walk the food off afterwards and headed back to the wine bar we had been to a few days ago to work on our laptops some more.
When it was time to call it a day, we headed of course to watch sunset on the beach. We were still so full from lunch, so stayed on the beach until the sun had fully disappeared and had an early night catching up on the Great British Bake Off and Revenge.
I’m gutted tomorrow is our final full day on the island!
Day 223: Saturday 26th October 2024
Location: Koh Tao, Thailand
Dear travel diary,
It was our last brunch on the island, so we had to go back to Factory Cafe for a final shakshuka and avocado toast. We even had a side of pancakes as dessert, since it was our final one.
Afterwards, we headed to Cactus Cafe as you probably guessed. It’s going to be weird not going back there again until God knows when, since we’ve worked there every single day this week. I’m going to miss my temporary office views so much.
I guess I’ll have to find something similar when I eventually get to Australia.
We only lasted a few hours on the laptop before I forced us to close them and make the most of our final day in Koh Tao. We’d worked all week and today was an especially gorgeous day that we couldn’t waste sitting inside.
So we headed out to the front of Cactus and grabbed some sun loungers. Himself headed into the water and I relaxed in the shade with my Kindle.
After a while we headed to the shops as I wanted to get some new bikinis for the Philippines next week. I got three from different shops and was very happy with my shopping adventure.
Afterwards, we headed to Cafe Culture on Sairee Beach for a cold drink and then hopped into the sea and sat for a while to cool down while also getting a lot of sunburn. Typical.
Since it was our final night, we watched sunset on the beach with a cocktail and then headed to a Thai restaurant for a final meal on the beachfront.
Then it was back to our hotel to pack up ahead of our travel day tomorrow. Oh Koh Tao, I will miss you a lot.
Day 224: Sunday 27th October 2024
Location: Koh Tao & Bangkok, Thailand
Dear travel diary,
A very sad day today because it was time to leave Koh Tao and head back to Bangkok.
Thankfully, our travel day didn’t start too early as our ferry back to Chumpon was at 10.15am so would get us back to Chumpon just after midday.
However, the bus from Chumpon back to Bangkok took almost nine (!!) hours. Nine!! Thankfully we had two stops along the way for bathroom breaks and to stock up on snacks, but it definitely felt like the longest day of my life.
Once we got dropped off at the bus station in Bangkok, we headed straight to our hotel to check in and then went straight to sleep.
We’re in Bangkok for two more days before we head off to the Philippines next week!!
I’ve been invited on a press trip to explore the Philippines for 11 days and I’m so excited to explore a new country that I didn’t think we’d be able to have time to visit during our travels.
Feeling very lucky indeed, so make sure to check back next week to hear all about it!
Leave a Reply