I feel like I should elaborate a little more on what I really want from my trip, so if I tell you that when I visit a new country I like to see "all sides of the coin" (rather than just both sides), the "touristy", the "actual", and whatever else is in-between.
For me, experiencing a new country is about the people as much as it is about the land, so I would like to get to know the Thais in their own settings, somewhere they do not see too many tourists. I'm sure a lot of you BMs who have visited their GF's familys' villages know and understand the Thai way of life better than many others.
I don't feel like you can really understand the people if you only meet the locals in tourist resorts or cities, and I'm sure many people will agree with this, so that is why I do like to get off the beaten track most times that I travel. I want to experience as much as possible on this trip, but because of my lack of inoculations, limited time, and of course my manly desires
, it seems to make sense to explore one small area (i.e. this coast-line east of BKK).
I have read more on the forum regarding this area and it seems that Koh Chang and, to a maybe lesser extent, Koh Samet, could offer me the tranquil side of LOS life that I would like to encounter. I also understand, again from reading many posts, that I am likely to be very LOS-sick when I return home, so I am expecting that I will want to return again, which would give me the chance to explore a different area the next time. I haven't been there yet and already I am making plans for my next trip
Thanks again for all your welcomes, replies and comments, I have taken it all on-board.
Never before have I prepared so much for a trip beforehand, but then this trip will be surely like no other, which is just fantastic
