Now that I was feeling better, I was actually wanting to get out and see the light of day. I told myself that I had to move hostels because this one was just plain bad luck for me- I needed to start fresh. Speaking of fresh, while on Phangan at Echo Beach, I had been given a reccomendation for a hostel called Taco Shack, but when I tried to book it was completely full. I decided it was finally time to give Taco Shack a try. I packed up my belongings and headed outside to hail a taxi. Unfortunately, the songthaews were trying to seriously overcharge me and they would NOT BUDGE on price. Hmmph, I'll show them. I'll just walk the whole way. I spent most of my time walking along the beach, but then my maps cut out. I could not get to this place to save my life. I was up hills and down hills, I was on this side of the street and that side of the street. I was cutting through construction sites and pop up shops. Exasperated, I turned down a sidestreet in hopes of finding something to eat. Instead, I found Taco Shack. Damn, was it a hidden gem.
I immediately loved it! The woman who checked me in was irish. She had started her stint abroad teaching as well, had done it for years, and gradually moved into hostel management. She gave me a wristband, shower towel and took me to my room. On the way we passed a big communal outdoor space where tons of people my age were chilling. My dorm room was clean AND spacious! I started off by taking a long hot shower and then coming in to what I thought was my empty dorm room-- I was changing and playing my music when I heard something behind me. I turned around to see a guy sitting in his bed working on his computer-- woops. I felt really bad about the music- and awkward about changing- so I went over to apologize. I then finished getting ready in the bathroom. I decided I wasn't going to meet anyone if I didn't take the initiative, and where better to start than with the guy who almost got a free show?! I asked if he wanted to get lunch. He was so relieved I wasn't mad or creeped out by him. On our way to eat he explained that when he looked up and saw me he didn't know what to do, so he started making awkard coughing noises to try to let me know he was in the room. He then wasn't sure if that was the right way to go about it, so he stopped and tried turning on his music. And that my friends, is where our friendship was born. Canadian Jason and I, as I began calling him, spent the rest of the afternoon together on the beach, laughing and talking, mostly sharing awkward travel stories with one another. We headed back to the hostel for tacos around 10pm and I got to meet a few of the guys he was traveling with. We then explored the bars on this side of the island together for the rest of the evening. We started with a fire show that was so-so but had great views of the ocean. We were able to sit up high on wooden benches away from the crowds. We then went to a busier bar that had music and beer pong. We played, but I made Jason drink all of my beer- I didn't want to chance having another night like I had at the previous hostel. On our walk home we wandered past a construction site. Jason "odds are'd" me (a game I introduced to him earlier in the day!) and won. I allowed one photo to be taken for proof of my loss and damn is it a good one. I'm creepin like a champ. #DontTeachACanadianAmericanGames :)
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