I walked to Mae Haad to buy a ferry ticket to my next island when the rain finally stopped. The walk is even more treacherous after rain, since large parts of the road are underwater, and the patches where the concrete has collapsed and were patched with dirt are now huge holes. But I got the ticket from one of the dozens of one-stop shops. I would later learn the boat was nearly empty, so I could have bought my ticket at the pier from one of the people shouting "ticket" at people with backpacks on. That's another argument for a tiny pack; when people see you with a big pack on they assume you need a ticket, or a taxi, or accommodation. You probably do need that stuff, but it's a bit annoying.