Round the World trip - Thailand, November 2007

 

(Part 1)

Just dropping a quick email as the Monsoon is dumping its load today, so lounging on the beach is on hold for now. Things are going great so far and I’m having an excellent time. I'm loving the fact that I'm only in my first week of a full year of this travelling malarkey.

 

I started with a few days in Bangkok, where after the initial shock of Bangkok city madness and the backpacker ghetto of Khao San Road, I got used to my surroundings and had a fun time. I visited all the main sights, including the Grand Palace, with its extravagantly stunning gold temples. I checked out the cramped streets of China Town, sampling a fair lot of Thai food in general, such as Bat Thai, banana pancakes (mmm, so good, especially with nutella), and fried bananas, basically making the most of the cheap food stalls on the streets.

 

I rode a tuk tuk on my final day, which involved a tour of Bangkok's crazy streets and traffic jams, seeing a few temples and Buddhas, and a fitting shop in order for Mr Tuk Tuk driver to get petrol vouchers! It was funny entering the shop and seeing other backpackers getting the hard sell treatment; I escaped with only buying a fitted shirt to be sent to N Ireland (I need shirts anyway) and everyone was happy. So the whole tour killed 2 hours and cost about 30 pence!

 

From Bangkok I endured a rather uncomfortable and sleepless 14 hour overnight bus journey south, where I had the air con unit continuously drip on me, before giving up and moving seats, and banging my head all the time on the low ceilings in my zombie like state; there aren't many tall Thais! But it's all part of the adventure, and when I arrived in Krabi I jumped on the first boat to island paradise, AKA Ko Phi Phi Don. 

 

This place was devastated by the Tsunami, but I could hardly notice this fact by the way the place looks 3 years on. There hasn't been much sun but I've got burnt during the last couple of days through the clouds. This place has such a chilled vibe; there are no roads so there are no noisy tuk tuks, and people are really friendly and the many hellos are not followed by an attempted hard sell. I've met a shed load of Irish folk and hung out with a good few of them on the beach or pool. I came across a real gem of a place yesterday by total chance after a fluke sequence of events. I was pinching myself as I looked around open-mouthed at the incredible surroundings I was in (tree covered hills, beach and bay), relaxing with a cold beer on the sun loungers with good company, and playing about in the pool. We did a banana boat ride out into the bay as the sun set, “this is the life” I thought to myself.

 

I've watched some Thai boxing two nights, and last night I got a taste of fire dancing - all really cool. Tonight I'm sleeping on ‘The Beach’ from the film on Ko Phi Phi Leh island, where we'll be kayaking, snorkeling, BBQing, drinking buckets, sleeping out in the open on the beach, and watching the sunset and sunrise. All I need is the rain to stop, fingers crossed! (This trip didn’t happen) Time to go do something, perhaps a Thai massage! 

(Part 2)

Sawat Dii Khrap!

 

I figured it's time for an update, especially now I've found a place where it's half a baht per minute (50p per hour) - happy days! Things are still going great and without problems or hitches, touch wood. I visited many more wicked places and found it very difficult to leave some paradise spots!

 

Last time I emailed I was on Ko Phi Phi about to head for an overnight trip to ‘The Beach’ and was pretty excited; well, that was cancelled because of all the rain - grrr! So I was a bit disappointed and was wandering the streets with my rucksack not knowing what to do, homeless, sun burnt and confused. Fortunately I bumped into a couple of Irish lads I'd hung out with before, got the last bed in my previous 2 quid a night hostel, and I treated myself to an excellent 1 hour Aloe Vera Thai massage, which did wonders for my sunburn! Reinvigorated, we climbed a super viewpoint over Phi Phi for sunset, and I had such a cool night out at some of Phi Phi's sweetest beach bars. We witnessed 6 or 7 acts in an hour - jaw dropping stuff; glad I stayed!

 

Next day I was headed for another island called Ko Lanta, with one girl in the hostel saying "don't go there, it's boring"; let's just say it turned out to be one of my favourite places! As I sat on the boat a little exhausted after party island Phi Phi, I was getting more of Thailand's hard sell treatment with regards to accommodation. I had close to ten brochures in my hand and not a clue which to go for, as I pretended to fall asleep to deter any more touts! One tout's persistence and friendliness paid off and I opted for Nature Beach Bungalows; boy, was this a stroke of luck, as the place was excellent.

 

I met a cool Canadian called Heidie who picked the same place; this girl was pretty close to flawless in my eyes, but many others thought likewise; anyways, she was sound and it was good hanging out. The resort was right on a super long beach with the softest sands, waves crashed dramatically on the shore, the staff were really friendly, it had great food (I had a daily curry), and I had the nicest room in which I've stayed for less than a fiver a night!

 

The beach was on the west coast, so I witnessed some outstanding sunsets. The local kids/adults/tourists met daily at sunset for a game of footie, and there was just a great relaxing feel about the place, which was perfect after Phi Phi. I've got an abundance of stunning sunset photos!

 

I did a fair few trips while on Ko Lanta:

• Elephant riding in the jungle and a trek through the jungle to a cave. The elephant ride was an experience, and I’m not sure I enjoyed it, as I felt sorry for the poor Nelly who was getting hit by a stick with a sharp metal point. I was aiding animal cruelty - not nice. The jungle trek was challenging, as I was slipping and sliding in my totally inadequate sandals!

• Four islands snorkeling trip on a longtail boat. This was my first real snorkeling and I like it a lot. We also swam 80 metres through a sea cave which was only a couple of feet high in places, with only a fella with a torch to guide the way! What greeted us at the end was a wonderful compact lagoon and beach, with steep cliffs all around - incredible! 

• I was postponing leaving Ko Lanta on a daily basis, and on one occasion at 7am, one hour before my boat! Thankfully the staff were very obliging, and I was a happy man. On my final day, people I'd met organised a fishing trip by longtail boat, and I couldn't miss this opportunity. Just over a tenner for a full day's excursion, fishing, swimming, and lunch; tremendous! On our outward journey we stopped by a fishing boat to collect bait; these guys are apparently at sea for up to 6 months non-stop, which puts our jobs in perspective. I sucked at fishing; my bait kept on being eaten but there were no fish on the end of my string - doh! I wasn't alone, but others had got the knack. We stopped by a stunning little cove and beach for a swim, snorkel and chill - beautiful spot. After lunch followed more fishing, but by the time I got my line untangled from before lunch it was time to go! On the homeward journey our propeller flew off and we were stranded, so as we waited for our rescue boat we took advantage of the time with more fishing! Irish luck finally shone on me, and I caught the tiniest fish ever, but I was proud! Then within 5 minutes I caught another, which was more of a mouthful! Our rescue boat arrived, which was a bit rickety, but it survived the waves to deliver us back to Nature Beach. It was a top day, with the only downer being a rather burnt back!

 

OK, this is turning into a beast of an email, so I'll try to run through the rest quickly, because my tummy's telling me it's ready for its daily curry. I dragged myself away from Ko Lanta after a 6 day stay, and spent a day touring Ao Phang Nga, where James Bond island is situated. It was a pretty impressive bay with loads of islands, caves, mangrove forests and other unique features.

 

Then I headed for the east coast and was ready for the odd drenching from the North East monsoon, but I've been very lucky the past 4/5 days with the weather. I got an overnight boat to Ko Samui, on which there lay narrow mattresses side by side with no space to roll over! Fortunately the boat wasn't very busy and I slept beside a couple of young Swedish blondes, so it wasn't all bad! The three of us joined forces to find accommodation on Ko Samui; the place we stayed were beach huts about ten yards from the sea, but the place didn't have a lot of life about it.

 

Lastly, I visited the smaller island of Ko Tao which is famous for superb diving. I went on a trek one day for a few hours and a cool sunset completed the day. Yesterday I visited a lovely group of 3 islands right next to Ko Tao, the high viewpoint overlooking the islands was particularly stunning. I enjoyed some snorkeling and chilling, and met Lucy from Trailer Park Boys (a Canadian show which I'd never heard of, but a couple of Aussie's I met knew well!); pretty random but amusing!

 

So now. I'm in Ko Phangan where I'll be staying for 5 days in the build up to the Full Moon Party on Saturday. This is a party island, and I'm feeling a cool vibe about the place already. I got an ensuite bungalow for less than a fiver, after a lot of persistence, which is a quiet spot away from the party beach, but only 10 minutes dander from the action - sweet!