Day 39: Phuket to Ko Phi Phi

We've traded in the swankier lure of Phuket for the less developed Ko Phi Phi (pronounced co pee pee), a little island in the Andaman Sea that's fashioned itself as another quirky resort and dive destination, famous for its association with the filming of The Beach with Leonardo DiCaprio and the coveted swallow nests of Chinese bird nest soup.

There are no motorized vehicles with the exception of five or six unseen mopeds that truck stuff around. The streets are tight and often full of immodestly dressed tourists, ex-pats, bicycles, gap year Aussies, and two lone Americans.

We're told the island is privately owned by a few Thai families and is therefore not under the jurisdiction of the Thai government, sort of.

Though not necessarily an exclusive type of lawlessness on Phi Phi, you disembark the ferry and are met by fibbing "touts," commissioned hawkers who follow you with deafening inquiries as to where you are booked. The touts are in the practice of telling tales of competing hotel closures or that the proprietor is away on vacation. One hawker followed J so closely down the alley that he tripped himself good over J's luggage.

The itinerant spirit is strong here and the island is accustomed to unannounced arrivals, which prompts the rabid hustle for business. However, if you endure the initial hassle, you are eventually left in peace. You are no longer fresh meat.