Day 47 - WOW, I'm in Laos! (Vientiane)
Well this post has taken some getting round to! I've been in Laos since Wednesday (that's the day after boxing day for anyone that's been celebrating Christmas) and it's a great great Place. Vientiane where I am is the capital city. It's got 200,000 people in and is so chilled out it's brilliant. I didn't like it on the first day because it seemed a bit slow, but I've grown to love the place.
Day 43. Firstly before I start I've got a confession. I'm pretty sure this wasn't day 43. BUT it appears I've counted wrong somewhere, and I don't as I don't thing anyone really cares I'm just going to continue from here. It makes more sense.
So with that off my chest: I'd spent Christmas day relaxing in Nong Khai. What I hadn't realized when I wrote the last post I'd booked myself into Hippy central. I'm glad I had. It was a great place to chill, but almost everyone there was on a yoga course, or meditation course, and was on the general course of expanding their mind with whatever they could. I didn't really mind. It was good to laugh at their beards (men and women) over dinner. It also allowed me some "me" time as I wasn't particularly interested in discussing how I should learn to bend both my leg over my head.
It also gave me time to.....go shopping. Not to a local market this time......BUT....TO TESCO!!!! I'd not been in a supermarket since I left the UK. Only small spar type shops and cool Thai/Malay Markets. I didn't realize the tesco trip would be as joyful as it was. I only really needed some super glue to fix my shoe. I ended up spending an hour wandering around the shop. I loved it. I came out with lots of stupid things. Not because I needed them in anyway, just the whole supermarket thing got a little too exciting. Never has anyone enjoyed tesco's quite like I did I doubt.
Then I headed off to a sculpture park. Without all the history, Some guy from Laos moved here and started making sculptures of Buddhist and Hindu God's and things and the (hippy) guy at the guest house told me "not to miss it (man)" so I didn't. Its was weird.
This guy has made HUGE concrete scluptures. I didn't understand what any of it meant, or who the figures were, but it was a sight. You can't really see from the photos but the big sculptures here are 8 stories high, no jokes. This guy took his concrete seriously. I did learn two important things.
Tennis is a Buddhist activity.
Banana boats were popular way before they appeared on the Costa Del blah.
The below is the famous religious scene where a concrete Dog, in a pack of dogs rides a Moped Chasing after a large concrete elephant.
Then it was off to book shop to stock up. I'd finished my last book a few days ago and felt a little empty, So I got some grown up books, had amazing Thai food for dinner and listened to the enlightened ones chatting. So that was Basically Nong Khai finished. In the morning I was off to country number three. I'd heard good and bad reports about Laos. I was going to find out for myself.
Day 44.
Fired up on banana pancakes and rocket fuel coffee, I made a dash for the border. It didn't take long to get there considering I'd been looking over the Mekong at Laos from the guest house for the last two days. It took 2 hours to clear Thai and Laos borders. 2 Minutes at the Thai, 1 hour and 58 At Laos, the other side of the "friendship bridge". No probs, hoped in a taxi, and got straight to downtown Vientiane. Got a guest house (2 pounds a night and its good!) and went for a wander. At first it seemed just too slow. By the river there's a collection of open air restaurants cafes, etc, and people sitting there drinking coffee, or the legendary Beer Lao (the best in S. E. Asia some say) and generally engaging in cafe culture. I wasn't convinced. I got some food, sat by the river as the sun set and dug into my new book papillon.
I had a beer Lao and can officially report it tastes like, well, most other beers I guess. Back at the Guest house I got involved in a fierce game of chess with an Aussie, that went on until late, and, of course I won. It was cool. I was having thoughts I may move on the next day but:
Day 46 - I didn't.
I headed off to the "revolutionary museum" To try and understand a little of Laos History, I didn't quite expect the lesson I got. As ever the tuk-tuk driver took me to the wrong museum first (because it was closer and he assumed I wouldn't know), I did and made him take me to the right one. God bless Tuk-Tuk's.
I had a wander round, I got a basic grasp of what happened even though most of the signs were in Lao. Then One of the workers came over to me and got chatting. He wanted me to have a look over some stuff he'd written in English to be used as he showed people round the museum. So I went to the back office of this museum sat down for a bit re-writing some English. The museum shut So went and finished it at his house, pretty cool. So, I've now almost officially helped the Laos Government in some small way. Around the world: ready to serve. It's my new motto.
Day 46 -
So as I said the more time I spend in Vientiane I like it more and more. I Had another relaxing day wandering the city, now I realized it was pretty safe didn't mind having a look. I went to see Laos' main symbol a gold temple. I didn't have a guide but could appriciate the architecture but anything else was a bit beyond me.
Then went to the Laos Arch de triumph. Its Big. It was built using cement the Americans gave to them to build a new airport. (Love it!)
Finally I headed off to a market where the sold everything. from chickens to silk. It was crazy. I HAD to buy a Beer Laos T-shirt (it's what a traveler here has to do) and bought a ticket to leave the next day.
Day 47 -
So that next day is today but I'm still here in Vientiane. I decided this morning I didn't want to leave today so I pushed to ticket onwards for tomorrow, and Slept this morning instead. I've sat at a cafe this afternoon reading my book. Walked by the river, and generally relaxed. I'm not one for the cafe culture normally. If I've drunk my coffee I can't see why I'd sit outside wasting time, but here it just seems right. It's a bit like I'm still trying to go fast, as I would in most of Thailand, but Laos won't allow it. I don't mind that. I'm pretty sure If a carry on spending my days sipping coffee, reading books and wandering around like a lost sheep there is no hope of me even seeing what I want to here, let alone having one last lap of Thailand before Cambodia, but I don't really care anymore. I'm enjoying being slow. It suits me at some deep level. So I'm meant to leave Vientiane tomorrow. We'll see......
Day 42 - Nong Khai HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!!
So this is Christmas. As predicated, it's not meaning an awful lot this year. Sure the hotels and that have tinsel a and the odd Christmas tree. but you can't escape the facts. The sun is shining. The weather is hot. I'm with a load of virtual stranger. I didn't receive 1 present! But thats ok. I'm happy.
Day 39
Got up a bit early and wanted to get the bus out of Bangkok to an old capital city called Ayuthaya. Jumped in a cab, Who I soon learnt was determined that rather than take me to the bus station, wanted to take me the whole way. we negotiated a price on the way out the city. Who knows what would have happened if we hadn't reached agreement because we'd left Bangkok far behind. Anyway, so I payed a lot for a 1 hr journey, but I just had no fight left in me against this cabby. I arrived, Went on an evening tour of some of the temples on a long tail boat with a dodgy Canadian couple, went back to guest house, and not being too impressed with the place decided to move on the next day.
Day 40. Got a ridiculously slow, but extremely scenic bus to Lopburi. A city that is over run with monkeys. The bus didnt go near the motorway but in doing that got to see some of the Thai countryside, how people live etc. pretty amazing. Very basic in many cases. Arrive in Lopburi, get a hotel sorted, and go and see the monkeys. They've pretty much have chosen one old temple they like and live on the streets around there. still lots of people have "caged their houses in" because the monkeys are known to cause trouble (who'd have thought it!). The monkeys did their usual, try and steal a bag routine, or jump on someone's back. it was ok. Went to dinner and got chatting to a manager of the restaurant. He was a "nice" bloke and said he was involved in a local HIV clinic and that sometimes he took people to go and see. Initially I thought this sounded interesting, as I wasn't having a traditional Christmas anyway maybe this would hit home some of the problems Thailand really faces behind the tourist trail I'd mainly been on, so I agreed to meet him the next morning.
Day 41. However over breakfast i begin to smell a rat..... Firstly, thinking about the whole thing over night, I felt pretty sure from a personal perspective I didn't want to see someone ill, probably very ill in hospital. Secondly if I was ill, I'm also pretty certain I wouldn't want some tourist staring through my hospital door. It seemed a loose loose situation. Then when my friend lets call him Mr Scam, told me that actually he wanted a fair amount of money to take me and would leave me there for 3 hrs, I carefully but firmly backed out of the deal. Then he started to push me to write my address on an envelope, and put money inside so he could "pass it on" as a donation. Anyway. I was firm. NO NO NO NO NO!!! He still wanted my name and address on the envelope......Now what's my name and address again? Oh yes: Chris Johnson 1537 goldsmith road........ etc. I have no doubt this clinic exists, I saw the leaflets. But My Thai friend was quite possibly not being very honest with me.
SO as he knew what Hotel I was staying at, I got out of town!
Firstly Local bus to a city thats not very touristy, Saraburi. That is: it's not in lonely planet, at all, I had no map, I was the only westerner I saw in town for the whole day, and experienced extreme language barriers at every corner. So managed to book an overnight train to Nong Khai, waste some of the time chatting to my bro online, and then found THE shabbiest hotel I could to get my head down for a couple of hours (still feeling tired!). I'll post some photos when I remember my camera lead, but it was BAD. So that was that, hung around, got the train, arrived this morning at this town which is a border town with Laos. This wasn't the way I was expecting to come, but getting to Chiang Mai in north Thailand would have been a headache, as the westerners on Christmas hols had booked the place, trains and buses up. But that's ok. I'm spending today in a lovely Guest house, right next to the Mekong river, I'll probably spend tmrw here too. I've decided to start my English teaching job in Siem Reap around the 15th of Jan which means what I hoped to do may be a bit of a tight squeeze. We'll see what happens. So thats about it. It's Christmas. I've finally found somewhere I can take a break and catch my breath rather than another bus train motorbike or whatever.
Day 38 - Back to Bangkok
So I'm back in Thailand. I'm happy about that. The few days in Malaysia were worth doing, but not so brilliant. And I'm exhausted. I know that's crazy and I'm not working blah blah blah but the last week has been harder, mentally, physically etc. I'm Looking forward to a break, When I find somewhere to take it.
Day 32.
Got up nice and early heading for a place called the Cameron Highlands. Basically its Some mountains near enough halfway back to Thailand from Kuala Lumpur. The unhelpful bus driver who would do nothing but grunt became even less helpful when with 60 km to go, he decided he didn't want to drive up the very narrow twisty road to the top of the mountains and kicked us out onto a Local bus, on which there was no seats and no air con. So I stood, for 25 minutes until a seat became free. Also met the most annoying Australian guy, about 60 ish, Who then decided he wanted to come and sit next to me for the remaining 2 hours of the trip and tell me all things I already knew about, well everything. We arrived at the top and it really was COLD! well compared to Kuala Lumpur which was about 35 degrees when we left. Found a guest house, Got some more naff food from a restaurant and collapsed into bed mid afternoon. Later Went to go and get food and who should I bump into.... The Australian from the bus, and he decided that he would show me a good restaurant. It wasn't . It was rubbish, he carried on giving "great" advice about everything (yawn) and was then sitting in the common room when I got back to Hotel. So a few of us sat around, while the (now quite drunk) Australian carried on and on. Luckily we all saw the funny side (there was about 7 in attendance for the lecture, all my age) in fact at one point I had to walk away. It got too amusing.
Day 33.
Rolled out of bed just in time for an 8 o'clock tour of the local sights. Firstly a butterfly farm which also had insects and stuff. I held some things This Rhino Bug (or whatever it was called) was amazing.
These Scorpions where scary!
And the butterflies were, well butterfly like, Though they had golden Chrysalis which was pretty cool.
Then we were whisked off again on crazy roads to a strawberry farm. Hmmm. We've got those in England so me and Susan (a New Zealand girl) sat around and had a strawberry milkshake to pass the time.
Finally we went to the highlight of the area, A Tea Plantation. The brand was called, no jokes, "Bo" But there was no sign of Craig David or Kes for that matter but it was still good. Pretty amazing views over the plantation, and had a great cuppa and huge chocolate cake to help keep me warm. Nice.
We did stop at a Honey farm where apparently there were bees and stuff, but again we weren't bothered so we eat Fried sweet potato from a stall instead.
And that was that. In the evening had another horrible meal. Susan and Johann a Swede I'd met the night before wanted to have a steamboat: Basically its a big pan put on your table and you put all kinds of fish and stuff they provide into, boil it for a minute and eat it with soup. There was Squid, Fish balls, Cuttle fish, Fish wanton, Pork skin, something they called "beef" but wasn't, and other kinds of fishy stuff. I was not impressed. To be fair I did very well and eat quite a lot, and tried everything, all was well. Until the last mouthful, which was extremely fishy, and made me feel very sick. I was sure I'd die of food poisoning the next day but didn't. We sat around the hotels "camp fire" after that chatting long into the night.
Day 34. Not having enjoyed the cold too much I wanted to get away from the highlands now I'd seen what I'd come to see. I again rolled out of bed, seconds before my bus was leaving, I got there, but Realised I might have to become a little more punctual, for my time in Malaysia at least.
I was going to A place called penang about 5.5 hours north of the highlands. It's an island not far from the Thai Border. The lonely planet says something like it shouldn't be missed. I'd say you can miss it very easily. It was a dump. I'm not going to waste my time talking about it here. I watched some football in a bar, went to bed vowing to get out the next day.
Day 35. And get out I did. It was actually one of the journeys I'd (geekily) been looking forward to. It was a train all the way from Butterworth, Malaysia, all the way back to Bangkok. A cool 22hrs. I thought I'd get a little bored, so saved my mp3 player battery, left some of my book to read etc etc. As it happens I didn't need either of them.
I met another girl from new Zealand and an American Guy called trey at the station before we even climbed aboard. We were all feeling happy about getting back to Thailand, we'd all been in Malaysia for short trips, and hadn't had the best of times. So it was no surprise when we hit the border and cleared customs things improved, IMMEDIATELY. We got served some really good food. We got served beer. The Thai staff knew how to smile unlike their Malay counterparts. The girls got very excited because the guards let them smoke out of the train door despite a sign warning of a 2000 Baht fine for doing so.
It just turned into a brilliant night. We kind of gathered some other western folk around us, I guess because they could hear the noise we were making. Most people went to bed for no good reason at 8.30. We stayed up playing nearly silent charades until 1. It was a relief to be back in Thailand. It's not that I hated Malaysia, the highlands where cool, the rest of the place was ok, it just didn't appeal to me like Thailand does. So there we go. As with Kuala Lumpur vs Bangkok, Thailands wins the "Best country I ever visited" award still.
Day 36.
I had slept pretty. The train had fold down beds that where surprisingly comfortable, I opened the curtains and watched the scenery fly by for a bit. Then had a great breakfast (I kid you not) and chatted to trey for the rest of the journey. Back in Bangkok me and trey went and got a hotel, this time I stayed more in central Bangkok than the tourist ghetto of Kho San road. Food. Bed.
Day 37. Woke up at 2pm. I had been pretty tired as I'd imagined. Did a bit of shopping. Went to a bar again with trey in the evening. He's actually alright. The nicest American I've met on the trip. A pleasant surprise.
Day 38. So today I've felt tired again. Bangkok's great but gets you tired quite quickly. The weather's better than last time I was here, it's 28 degrees today, unlike 35 last time. Wasted most of the day with taxi drivers not taking us where we asked, taking the long route to a place to charge more, dodging touts, getting food I didn't order and generally dealing with the normal nonsense. It was like it had all been saved up while I'd been in Malaysia so on my return every tout, taxi, agency worker were out to get me. I found it more annoying than fun today but take the rough with smooth etc.
And finally. I've found I'm a people magnet. No. Not a babe magnet, just people in general. This is more than paranoia. I've tested my theory scientifically over a number of days, AND 2 different countries. It's a fact. I cannot walk anywhere without people banging into me. Now to be fair I'd noticed it in England before I left, and I know that we all get this occasionally, we go left so does the on-comer, we go right and ditto. But it's serious. People cannot help but wander, with some force directly into me. Sometimes when they're approaching head on they aim for me. I know this because I've watched the pavement grooves as I walk and on-comer,well, swerve for me. The minute they see me they want to bang shoulders, or brush my hand, or better still stop dead without warning so I bump into them. It can't just be because I'm very handsome (as I keep getting told). I've tried different techniques to try and avoid this unnecessary contact. They don't work. Of the things that could be frustrating on this trip, this is the one that bugs me. The only solution: I'm going to take a taxi. Everywhere.
Day 31 - Kuala Lumpa
Thats right I've left Thailand behind temporarily. Will be going back soon but for now having a little taste of Malaysia. I really wasn't planning on coming here but saw it advertised and I have so there.
Day 28:
So I'm not going be boring and explain another whole bus journey again. But the basics were:
9am: Phi Phi - Hat Yai (South Thailand) 2 hrs on ferry + 4 hrs on mini bus (with 2, lovely, hilarious Germans for company).
Wait for 3 hrs
Hat Yai -Kuala Lumpa Including stops, customs etc 11hrs.
This time it was all as smooth as a babies bum. Now problems whats so ever. My faith in Bus travel restored. Arrived KL at 5 in the morning.
Day 29.
Got a hotel with the korean Guy I'd spent most of the journey with and got our heads down for 2 hours as didnt sleep brilliantly on the Bus. Then First things first The Petronas towers. These were at one time the tallest buildings in the world. They're pretty impressive. Pretty big and just uber cool.
Then went up a telecoms tower, Proudly advertised as: "The 4th tallest Telecoms tower in the world" (not the most startling of stats I didn't think) and got some great views over the city as a whole.
Then it was Back to the twin towers this time to go up them. It had started the traditional 3pm rain by the time I got there, so couldn't see loads but Still worth doing. 
I spent the evening on a tour, Which was basically to feed some moneys and see fireflies.
Mr Korean had disappeared to Borneo by this time but met a girl called danii from Bradford on bus journey to the monkeys. Had a good old natter.
I dont think I've been on a more dangerous bus journey, the driver was lovely guy, and a complete loon of a driver. Seriously crazy.
Went to the monkeys. They were monkey like. Similar to the monkeys on Phi Phi only these ones didn't seem to attack people. And gentler too. I was feeding them green beans, and when i didnt let go easily the monkey gently tried to prise open my hand. Quite funny.
The Driver took us to a dodgy sea food restaurant for dinner (I don't like fish), I picked at a crab, a Shrimp and eat lots of rice with a suprisingly good cat fish sweet and sour. A bit strange but not too bad (AND I've lived to tell the tale).
Then off to see fireflies. This was really what I'd come to see but I had read that they didn't like wet weather too much, and it had rained for most of the afternoon.....I wasn't expecting too much.....BUT
It was amazing. A guy rows you up this deserted river and the bushes were glowing like christmas trees. We were joking that they WERE plugged in and it was big fake but he rows you close and you can see them flying around, flashing just like they've got little LED's taped to their back. I've seen nothing like it before. It was a little wierd, sitting with this (nice enough) random girl on a little rowing boat, for what would have been , a really romantic evening with the right person. But there we go.
This is the only photo I got: that dot on my hand is a real live fireflie. wow.
So after another charge for about 100 miles at about 100 miles an Hour we get back to KL. Danii was staying in a 5 star hotel (lucky!) so went back there for some food because by now I was starving after the fishy debacle, and who walks into the hotel???
ONLY THE (NOW) KING OF MALAYSIA!!!! Malaysia changes king every 5 years (shared between 10 Sultans or something) and the new king (I.e the one who took over at a ceremony today) was staying at that hotel. Security, police, lots of people, all march through on the red carpet.
Quite strange as I sat there watching in a scruffy t-shirt and combats. Then later one of his group (I have no idea who) was sitting at a table behind us having a cup of tea. I Behaved as best I could (that is no burping, farting or picking my nose and the like)..... So I eat my very first and quite possibly ONLY meal of this trip in a 5 star hotel. pretty cool.
The only other thing to report was, that sitting there after my meal, in the lobby of a very nice hotel was the first time a realised it's nearly Christmas. Before last night I'd heard no Christmas songs, saw no trees lights etc, seen no fake snow men, and this hotel provided all of the above. Sorry to say I didn't "feel" Christmassy. Just dawned on me that it's approaching fast and made me glad I'm avoiding the british madness of the whole thing.
Day 30.
So today hung around Chinatown here, bought some clothes and shoes because mine were DYING! had a wander. All in time to get in doors by the usual 3 pm DOWNPOUR! The rain here is manic, and even punctual. Pretty kind of it if you ask me.
So the Big Battle: City against City, Head to head: Bangkok Vs Kuala Lumpur
Bangkok. Bangkok easily in fact. I'm glad I came here but Bangkok is way more fun. It's more mad, There seems to be more to do, and where as I'm really looking forward to going back to Bagkok in a few days, I wouldnt be as excited to return here. It's got a hangover of britishness, people aren't as friendly as BKK, they dont smile as much, things are a little more predictable and thats just boring. So there we go. I'll reserve judgement on Malaysia as a whole untill I return to thailand but I've got a funny feeling I know who's going to win that one too......
Day 27 Koh Phi Phi
Only four short days since the last Post, And yet another 4 crazy days.
Day 23. I got ready to leave Koh Tao. As I've totaly made clear in my previous posts
I had a cracking time. It was a home from Home. I'd made pretty good friends with the staff at Tropicanna where I was staying. They were amazing. I Loved them in a friend/family kind of way. I miss them even now. So I sat around in the restaurant. booked some tickets. Was glum. It rained. You get the picture. I sulked around a bit. Bought a big plastic poncho because felt sure this rain was going to follow me around. That was that.
Day 24.
I was off. Finally leaving Tao. I 'd booked a night ferry/bus combo to get me to Krabi. It wasn't in the plan (not that there is much of a plan) but seemed like the next step. Again hung around the hotel. it rained it stopped. it rained. and stopped. I went to sleep in afternoon because I was ready to go. Then....... A bang on the door and Welshy showed up! He was back from the full moon party (minus 2000 Baht, and his gold chain that got nicked and with 5 stiches in his finger where he sliced it nearly off on a sharp door!) So spent my last few hours laughing at him. Clumsy old fool. I said my final goodbyes to the Tropicana gang (a tear in my eye.....) and jumped on the back of a pick up to go to the ferry.
To be fair I had no idea what to expect..... This was what I got.
If you can't see it's about 2.5 foot by 6.5 foot of Bed space for 100 people with no seperation. So it was the first time in my life I shared a bed with about 120 people. Lovely. I was penned in by a self obsessed German (apparently) called AK on one side, and an even MORE self obsessed Australian on the other called Karen on the other. Ans I sat in the middle for 1 hr, listening to their, "conversation". It was more a personal information blast to each other. I sat quietly in the middle smiling (it was actually amazingly good fun to listen to) and drank my bed time beer. Hmmm. But it got worse. The lights went out and it turned out our german friend had even more going for him. Not only personality but BO and bad breath to suit. NICE! I didnt really sleep much. It was hot. it swayed a bit (though I guess boats are meant to) but mostly it STANK.
That hell ended at 5am after 8 Hrs. Its was an experience. Boat Hell behind me, Bus hell began.
Day 25 (The longest day EVER)
We where met from the boat by a mini bus. Excellent I thought. Off to Krabi no problems. It took us about 150 meters around a few corners and dropped us at a travel agency. Hmm. We sat on plastic chairs in the road for 1 hr. Wait over I thought. No. We got in a different Mini bus. we we're taken about 1 km out of town to some run down shelter and dropped off. We sat. baffled. Bored. for another 3 and a half hours, watching the sun come up over a factory. After being told the bus would be here "any minute" for most of 2 hrs it finally arrived. a taty old mini bus, no air conditioning. We climbed aboard. I dont remember much of that journey. I slept in little bursts 5 mins at a time. (smelly german and my austrailian friend had thankfully gone somewhere else....)
3 slow hrs later we arrive in Krabi. I've already decided at this point rather than prolong this madness I should go straight to one of the islands called Koh Phi Phi. So when we finally climed off the rubbish bus at another ramshakle bus depot, I bought another bus and ferry ticket. Rather than get us to the ferry port in plent of time. we sat there. For 4 hours, in what was little more than a cow shed full of (kind of) buses. (This is such a long story and not very exciting!) Anyway, they dropped us at the ferry with 5 minutes to spare, there was a problem with our tickets so almost were'nt allowed on, then we sprinted (with large backpacks) up a 200 meter pier to SQUEEZE onboard. no seats left so we sat with feet dangling over the edge. I got chatting to some israeli's and 2.5 hrs later we arrive. The israelis and i found a room, booked a boat trip and then off to bed. That was one long day. WAY too long. I collapsed into bed and slept like an absolute baby.
Day 26.
The three of us (Me, Karin, and Moran the israelis) Went out on a boat trip. It takes you all the way around Koh Phi Phi which does have some amazing sceneary. Sheer cliffs straight into the sea. I'm no geologist but I found it fasinating. Quite alot better than the white cliffs of dover I found. It Stooped at various beaches and reefs to snorkel/sun bathe. For the first time on the trip I got very sun burnt.
The Boat took us to the world reknown monkey beach where (the literature states) "there are troops of monkey just dying to have their photo taken with you" (or something like that. We turned up. Not a monkey in sight. Nothing. we walked up a very steep jungle path to get a glimpse. Nothing. we'd been there sitting around for about 45 minutes, and then, they arrived. About 15 monkeys just ambled onto to beach. Drinking from empty coke cans, taking crisps from people. They didn't really want to have photos taken but it was cool all the same. Especially when they emptied one guys bag and ran off with his sun cream. I don't know really what they needed that for exactly, but there we go.
At the end of the day We went to Phi Phi Leh, A smaller non developed island that was the set for "The Beach Movie". It was very impressive. Leonardo may have made this whole place too popular (the main island is packed with the normal tourist related agencys, laundry and rubbish) but this place is still beautiful. The lagoon is shallow and warm, we snorkelled there and swam in the middle of shoals of little fish. It was really good.
On the boat back We watched the sun set, I had 10 minutes recapping the trip sp far in my head, the places, the friends, the bus trips and smiled. It was a very happy moment.
I had some reservations about this place just because it's so popular, so busy, so touristy and yet I've enjoyed it alot. I wouldn't hang around here. Besides what I've done there's little else to do except the beach, diving and drinking buts it's nice.
So last night we sat at a beach bar, watching a fire show (they're CRAZY) just chatting. Oh and I had a brain wave about where to go next.....
Day 27. So here I am preparing to move... again tomorrow. So far on this trip I've stuck to a rough plan I had in my head as to what I'm doing. Tommorow I'm not. I'm really excited. It's a new adventure. I'll blog about it when I arrive. I've said bye to the girls who left this morning, I'm going to spend the day having another look round, book my tickets, AVOID the sun, and get some rest. I'm going to need it........
Day 22 Koh Tao
The latest news from Thailand is I'm stll on Kho Tao, and I should learn to watch my big mouth.
Day 17.
After day 16's adventures snorkelling, And a little bit of encouragement from my dutch friends Franz and Arjen I decided to sign up for a days introduction to Scuba diving. As I said below swimming is far from my favourite thing. Any did some classroom basics in the morning and went diving in the afternoon, and the first thing I'm asked to do out at sea? Swim twice round the boat!! I made it, just, really only just, and i pulled myself up on the boat absolutely exhausted. I Didn't really master all the stuff from day one, like being underwater, taking goggles off and then putting them back, I kept swollowing gallons of saltwater and having to get to surface for air. It was annoying and began to feel maybe I wouldnt continue onto the 3 day REAL open water course. Then:
(Day 18) was even more nerve wracking. I woke with a start at 5.30, not because I had to but i was so scared. I'd decided that learning to dive was something I didn't really want to miss. So I went for it. We were going to depth today and i really was thinking I would struggle. But I didn't. For some reason all the things I found so hard on the first day I could do....in fact not just do but do easily. it was great! To be fair I think I couldn't have had a better instructor: Alberto (an Italian) was the type of teacher I need, calm, but able to answer all my questions. He did both of these and was a brilliant laugh. I'd like to go to his dive school in italy sometime maybe... That was basically the whole day. Completed 2 dives, Both at about 18 meters for 50 ish minutes. Amazing. I Spent the evening studying the chapters I had to as there was an "exam" on the final days.
Day 19 Just another normal day here, up early, onto boat, sail for 40 mins to some cool dive site. get ready. Dive. I think the thing that has impressed me most (Alongside seeing even more amazing fish etc) these last few days has been the sensation of diving. At times its like there's no up or down. You swim under this huge coral bit, then want to go down the side maybe 7 meters, and its so easy. then you want to come back up. you breath in, you start to rise slowly. Its the best thing. It's like your an explorer, in some wierd world. It's amazing.
In evening went out to a bar (about 10 meters along the beach) with Alberto, his girlfriend, the others from the diving class plus thier side kicks and also the usual suspects dutch, american, and welshy and had a jolly good time.
Day 20. The collapse. I was exhausted. I hadn't had an early night for days. I'd been doing excercise for most of the day for 5 days. I woke up at 12. had lunch, and went back to bed untill 4. It was a semi wasted day but i really needed the rest. I went to bed at 10.30, unheard of on this trip. So that was about all to tell. I did however have the energy to walk to the dive shop and put my name down for another day of diving.
Day 21. We went on possibly the roughest seas I've ever seen to try and get to a dive site where there are often whale sharks. It was so rough we got half way there and turned back. We went to two other sites instead called white rock, and twin peaks. It was a good day. I wanted to go on a proper dive before I forgot all I had learnt on the course. So it was good. I think that will be my last dive on Koh Tao. It's been an amazing few days. There's so much I cant explain here what it's like, what you see, feel etc. It's a shame I couldn't get pictures of the fish, shoals of them swimming around in your face, and hiding in corals, and fighting. but there we go. I think it's another one of those experiences that was just for me.
And Finally my big mouth. (day 22) Last night we had a meal and drink to say farewell to the dutch. (they left this morning, welshy and Ethan the american left yesterday). As we finished the meal I said some words I'll try never to repeat. Something I'd never say in england. I said "I'd really like there to be a proper monsoon rain". It's meant to be monsoon season here at the moment, not that you'd know. The weather has been too good. amazing in fact everyday. But less than 1 hr after those dangerous words were uttered by me, along came the rain. Not spitting rain. Full blown HEAVY rain. That was about 11 last night. It hasn't stopped yet. its 8pm the following day, and its still hammering it down. Not that I really care, I love it. It is after all, what I wanted. but I didnt really realise it got quite like THIS! Anyway. Lets hope I can get some beach time tomorrow or sometime soon because as much as I love the rain now, I think it could get boring quite quickly!
Arjen left his hat behind: Our friend Soung Loved it and hasn't taken it off all day.
I think thats all the news. I'm now going to dash for the restaurant (getting soaked in the process) and do some reading. I'm still trying to figure out where I should go next........
