Leaving Koh Phi Phi Ley, our tired old boat chugged out into the open sea to head back to Koh Phi Phi Don. On the open water we were passed by the ferry from Phuket pressing on though the rolling swells. I was glad I was not in one of those longtail boats – I’m not the best of sailors. And to think that as a child, I’d wanted to be a sailor in the Navy! I converted this image to black & white because I couldn’t get the color right. It’s an old trick that can be applied anywhere but often in things like rock concert images where all the theatrical lights set the color balance way off. So, next time you see a black & white shot of your favorite band performing, you’ll be left wondering whether that was artistic direction or just crappy color balance.
The ferry also stops by some of the local attractions on it’s way into the islands. Here it’s pulling up to the limestone cliffs so the passengers can see some caves where locals gather swift nests for birds nest soup. Quite why a soup made from bird spit is so sought after I don’t know. I’ve never tasted it myself. But I’m left wondering how it was discovered? Who was the first person to decide to add a swifts nest to a pot of boiling water? What were their circumstances? I can’t believe they lived the life of luxury that today’s aficionados of the stuff do! A kilogram of white nest can fetch up to $2,000 while a kilogram of red nests can fetch up to $10,000!
