Our sailboat for the next 4 days was waiting for us closer to the southern end of Koh Chang.  So to get there, we first took the ferry across to the island.  Do you see that van at the back on the left?  The one that looks like it is right on the edge of the ferry, and maybe we should be worried?

Yeah, that’s us!  We were the last vehicle allowed on.  One of those things we’re glad the grandmas didn’t know about it’s over and we’re safe and sound.  Given how crowded the vehicle portion of the ferry was, we were pleasantly surprised to find much open space upstairs.

We were able to watch the receding and approaching shorelines out the windows, and even grab a snack in the little snack shop in the middle.  We’re learning the art of purchasing snack items based on familiar graphic design of the packaging, since we mostly can’t read the writing.

Once on Koh Chang, we had about another 45 minutes of a drive to meet the boat.  The ride was… exciting.  Some might say hair-raising, or unnerving.  But those people would not be our children.  Sorry for the poor photo quality here, but taking an in focus photo was mostly impossible through the trip, and I believe the kids roller-coaster  body language speaks to the overall nature of the drive…

There were steep hills we didn’t think the van would make it up, with commensurate downhills over the crest that led to the hands in the air and squeals of joy and terror coming from various vehicle occupants.  But it was the steep drop-offs beside the road that end in those gorgeous blue waters far, far below that had me averting my eyes.

A highlight was getting to watch the scooter driver shoot off the side of the road and wipe out in the greenery.  We saw him get up and start hauling his bike out of the ditch, and other scooter-people stop to help him.  Then he went zipping by us again a few minutes later.  Good luck, dude!

Once again, the roadside offered much to look at. There was the new and interesting as well as the familiar, yet not quite the same.

Before too long we had arrived at the set of docks where our captain was meeting us.  We grabbed all our luggage and walked the narrow walkway through the shops.  Docks occasionally led off to each side.

And when we reached the sign for Buddha View, we were where we were supposed to be.

It was time to take off our shoes, climb into our table, and get started on some real vacation feel…

Here we got to sit for a few minutes while bags were transferred to our catamaran sailboat.  We had a drink and dangled our feet under the table, above the water.

As always, a thing or two had been left behind, so I scurried back down those shop stalls with the corresponding child, and picked up goggles and sunglasses – apparently eyes are an issue on this trip.  And then we were loading up in the dingy and being moved out to the Meridian in two shifts.

Our home for the next 4 days.