The novel and movie «The Beach» is about Richard, a somewhat rootless backpacker who is searching for a hidden paradise, the ultimate beach. In Thailand there are a lot of beautiful beaches with white sand, green palms and clear sea.With coconuts, orchids and funny monkeys. I have visited some of them, but my favorite beach has neither crystal clear sea, nor white sand or colourful orchids. In fact, you should be watching out for plastic garbage during the raining season. Still Hua Hin beach is my favourite, for other reasons.

In icecold, dark, Norwegian winter months I often dream about this beach. In this dreams I find myself sitting on the terrace of Veranda Lodge, a local hotel and restaurant, with a glass of chardonnay, looking at Hua Hin beach, about six kilometers long. I look at people walking and jogging by, people sunbathing, colourful kites and I look at the waves, the blue sky and the Monkey mountain in the end of the beach.

In this dream I sit for hours, waiting for the afternoon breeze. About 2 o’clock the beach get broader because of the tide, and close to the sea you can find soft sand for kilometers, like walking on silk. I always walk there, to feel my feet in the silky sand, the heat from the sun and the afternoon breeze that blows back my hair. I stop to buy som fruits from little Bebe who helps her mother selling fruits and corn on the beach (picture)

After a couple of hours’ walk I sit down again, on the same restaurant, and I order some soda water, a salat and another glass of chardonnay.

In the dark winter weeks this is only a dream, but for some weeks every winter, this dream becomes reality.