I meet my potential apocalypse partner, Bouchra from France. This picture was taken three days ago, after we came back from Krabi where we successfully prolonged our Thai visas, bought food and reserve a private bungalow with (shared) kitchen in the middle of island jungle. Just as Otis Redding was singing, we were sitting on the dock of the bay, watching the tide, roll away. Trying to be calm, accept the situation, knowing we have each other and we did everything we needed to do before the state declare emergency decree. This started yesterday, 26. of March. What does it really means, besides keeping restaurants, bars, touristic, sport and entertainment places closed and activities banned, nobody really know.    

When I went to Koh Lanta I was quite anxious and worried. Did I made a right decision or not. Would it be better to stay in Bangkok with people I know, or would it even be better to try to find a way to go home. In the mini vain that took me from the Krabi airport to the island was bunch of people having the same plan as me, finding our safe zone in Lanta and hope for the best. Some of them lived and worked for years already in Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia …) but now they couldn’t move back there, because those countries banned them to enter back.

I arrived in a huge hostel and there was a lot of young people partying, complaining how corona ruined their holidays and not sure how and when to go back. Since I wanted to escape from these topics and also from bunch of potential virus spreaders I was worried that maybe going to Koh Lanta was not such a good idea. I went to some small restaurant with 2 tables. At that time only one guest was there. After few minutes a small group of Chez tourist came and they wanted to sit so I moved to sit next to some girl. We started to talk about our trip, and we realized we are more or less in the same situation: Thailand will be our first and last country on this trip, and we hoped we will find safe space or better said home for next few weeks (or even months) in Koh Lanta, waiting for corona thing to calm down.

We spontaneously continue complaining about our governments, Bolsonaro, talk about me too movement, Myanmar situation, yellow jackets, diving, books… 2 hours later the owner of the restaurant kindly ask us to leave because they have an afternoon break. Yes, times flies when you are having fun. We continue our debate on the beach until late to the night although we were both tired from the trip to Koh Lanta and all the worries that keep us awake previous nights. The love was born, and we knew that we are staying together through this shitty time.

Koh-Lanta = Survivor manual

Right now in France is broadcasted 17. Season of reality show named Koh-Lanta, based on the popular international Survivor format. For those who do not know, the show features two rival groups of contestants who are taken to remote isolated location and are forced to live off the land with meagre supplies for approximately 6 weeks. In this time, they must provide food, water, fire, and shelter for themselves. Sounds fammiliar?

So, we decided to put our hands and minds together and become a surviving team. We still didnt pick our name but we seriously started with surviving preparations. 

Accommodation

First we search for new accommodation. We find nice single rooms and move from hostel and bunch of people. Rooms were on the other side of island, in Old Town. Then we realized we will need to find a place with kitchen so we can prepare our own food in case of quarantine and considering we will stay here for a month or two or who knows how long. We luckily find it and we are moving there in few days. We will share the open kitchen with some more people, but it was the best option we got so we took it.

Bureaucracy

Although our first plan was not to think about visa for a week or 10 days and try to prolong it just before it expires, we realized the state is preparing for lock down, so we went to Krabi to prolong it.

Since Bouchra didn’t have document picture, we stopped at the photo boot shop and get one. It seems she was not dressed properly so with Photoshop they add her some teller and make from her serious women. We got our visa at the Immigration Bureau prolonged in less than 10 minutes. I am mentioning this, because friend of mine was waiting in Bangkok 10 hours to get it.

Food and toilet paper, because it seems people had such a funny time with it

We bought 10 kilograms of rice, pasta, noodles, toast, fake Nutella, jam, honey, coffee, oil, salt and popcorn. We took packet of toilet paper because seeing all the jokes about it, it seemed right thing to do. Although here every toilet has bum gun or toilet hose so you can easily wash yourself.

Things we didn’t buy from our buying list: sanitizer, because it was sold out, and wine or any kind of alcohol, because they don’t sell alcohol between 2 and 5 pm. Let me just write that we were in store already at 1:30 pm but I forgot about this crazy rule and at 2:10 when I want to buy it was already too late!

Learn how to drive scooter

Yes, this is actually very important if you want to move around the island. Although we were both 100 percent sure we will not even try to drive it, we realize its impossible not to. Taxi is not so common and at the same time quite expensive. We try to rent a car, but it is also hard to drive it, since you have to drive on “the wrong” – left way. So here I am again, doing things I said I will never do.

Tsunami shelters

The thing that really hit you when you move around the island are signs warning you of a tsunami or showing you the way to the higher points or tsunami shelters. I must admit, I forgot about tsunamis. But when you see the signs somehow it makes you a bit uncomfortable. The morning we read about earthquake in Zagreb we start to think, that the earth or maybe some kind of retrograde Mercury really want to get rid of us these days, so we decided to check where are those safe zones. Just to be safe if corona don’t find us before.

Audio system

We realized we need more music in our current life. Since we can’t go out, we decided to buy Bluetooth sound system and organize some exclusive VIP parties. Only those coming from 14 days of quarantine will have possibilities to join.

Things we still need to get

Mostly all the things that were on my home kitchen table among the things I should pack but then I decided I don’t need those “luxury” things when backpacking. What a major mistake! But at least now, I can make a list “Things you need to pack for your trip while pandemic” and help the future travellers. The first thing on this list would be a moka pot or dzezva for a coffee. I mean if I soon don’t find them or any normal small pot, I will die, without corona help. Coffee, because most coffee they are selling is instant. Wine, beer, rum or gin, because in times like this you just need it. Picnic or beach blanket, cards, some more books or kindle, that Blaž suggested it to me so many times before I left but i refuse it (yes, yes, I publicly admit, you were right). Swim goggles, since this will be the only possible recreation (at least for now we can do it).  And the last but not least: sleepers, because on this kind of trip you are spending time in house and you want to feel like at home.

But all in all, I think we are ready for our Koh-Lanta surviving show. Yesterday also Davide arrived from Bangkok so soon (after he pass the 14 days quarantine – yes, our tribe is very strict) we will be trio. Together we will try to enjoy and get maximum from this unique “travel”.