Seeking Asylum

When we first arrived on Ko Lanta, we had no idea where to go or what to do. We'd checked into our little bungalow on the beach, sighed with relief that the longest ferry ride ever was finally over, and wondered "What next?" We left our little hideaway and strolled down the beach, looking for a snack and a drink, because what else do you do at the beach? We finally found our way into the Funky Fish and whiled away a few hours (read: got hammered). Somehow we stumbled back to our room and promptly fell asleep at the unreasonable hour of 7PM. We didn't wake up until 9AM the next morning. Sheesh.

We liked the Funky Fish, we really did, until we discovered Coffee Asylum that morning. What started as just a quick breakfast and the use of free wi-fi lasted the entire day. We lounged about under a thatch roof, playing cards with a few other world travelers. We met Charlie and Anna from Sweden, Charlie's boyfriend Kent from Australia, and Dave from San Francisco. As the day lazily wore on, we met Michael and May, who own the coffee shop. And that's how we spent the whole day. Sitting, talking, and playing cards.

Coffee Asylum has this wonderful ability to create a community. After spending just one day there, we had people to talk to or just say "hi" to on the beach. It's also the kind of place that you want to keep coming back to. There's great food (May's muesli pancakes with fruit and honey are to die for), outstanding company, and good conversation. I hope that we have the good fortune to find more places along our way that make us feel as welcome and at home as Coffee Asylum.

Thanks to Michael, May, Charlie, Kent, Anna, and Dave for making us feel at home when we are very far from it.