Wow it's been a while since my last blog and it's been very different to travel alone rather than in a group. In a way there's much less to tell you about since to be honest I haven't seen so many places or done so much and yet I've probably learnt more by having to get around by myself and having time to simply observe the culture.
These past few weeks have taken me from Bangkok, to a diving course on Koh Tao, relaxing and partying on Koh Phangan, travelling down thru Malaysia and surprising Hanah on her 18th birthday in Singapore!
DAY 35 - BANGKOK
I didn't really get up to much as far as sight-seeing goes in my final few days in Bangkok since I really didn't feel up to it with my legs still healing and also I was very aware of the tuk tuk drivers who tend to take you to shops so they can collect petrol vouchers from them rather than the places they promise. In the evening I went to a bar with great live music and met a guy fom Bristol as well as some girls from Canada and Switzerland. Some older Aussie women also tried to chat me up!
DAY 36 - BANGKOK
I mainly chilled out again on this day and even tried a Thai massages which produced a large number of clicks from various joints. I did a bit of shopping before catching my bus in the evening. I met some cool people on there including a girl from the Czech Republic who was educated in France, Germany and New York but is now working in Lebanon!
DAY 37 - KOH TAO
Koh Tao means Turtle Island in Thai and is dominated by diving. Hence I decided to take the plunge (scuse the pun) and go for a four day PADI Open Water diving course. I enrolled in the morning and then found Terry (from my China trip) who happened to have arrived that morning too. I had lunch with him before returning for my first acaedmic session... yes we had to do tests and everything! I even got a textbook to keep! That evening I was planning on going to sleep very early then getting up to watch Man United vs Barcelona but ended up staying up til 12 anyway just going along the beach front to various bars and was so exhausted that I realised if I stayed up til 4 to watch the match I'd probably die diving the next day!
DAY 38 - KOH TAO
My group had a morning academic session with our instructor Julian before having lunch and getting set up for our confined dive in the pool. We had to do a few exercises likle taking our air supply out of our masks then clearing it to put it back in and all went well apart from when I panicked taking off my masks the first time before realising I could still breath through my mouth! It was great to be doing the things we'd been studying.
DAY 39 - KOH TAO
This was a similar day apart from the fact that our morning academic session was followed by two dives in the open water for the first time. We went out on the boat and it was tipping it down and Julian managed to fall off the boat at one point! Our first dive was simply .to get us used to the water and went swimmingly. We saw so many fish - it was just like being in a wildlife documentary! In the 2nd dive we had to do all our exercises and this was fine. I spent the evening with some of my group.
DAY 40 - KOH TAO
Our early morning dive was cancelled due to bad conditions so instead we had our final exam at 9am which I was pleased to get full marks on. I had the rest of the morning free to plan my next move off the island before we had our final dives that afternoon. They were even better. On the first we saw a Sea Turtle which was pretty spectacular. The previous day I'd used up more air than anyone air so was advised to hum to conserve my breath. I don't know if the fish heard all the songs by The Goodbye Girl! That night I watched the Man United vs Chelsea match before moving around to a few bars and enjoying a whiskey and red bull bucket!
DAY 41 - KOH TAO
I can't claim to have done much on this day since I just sunbathed for a bit. In the evening I went to the beach bars and watched the fire poi which was amazing since they seem to go so fast and yet have no fear.
DAY 42 - KOH TAO - KOH PHANGAN
I moved on to the island of Koh Phangan which is renowned for its monthly full moon parties which go on all night. I arrived however for the bi-monthly half moon party! I stayed at a bungalow resort about 10 metres from the beach. I lazed about in my hammock all afternon before having a game of barefoot football with a guy with one arm! It killed my feet!
I met a Finnish guy while playing and went with him and his compatriot to met with some Aussie girls to eat before heading to the party. We sang a round of Frere Jacques in French, Thai and Finnish! It was an amazing night - like a rave. I was therefore very annoying when I started to feel ill and had to leave and return to my accommodation where I suffered from food poisoning all night. I won't go into detail but let's say the basic facilities don't help matters! Not a good night.
[B]DAY 43 - KOH PHANGAN
This was a day of recovery. I really just lay in a hammock all day watching the world go by. I didn't even risk food until the evening. I did however managed to time my sleep so I could wake up for 1.30am to watch Man United vs Barcelona. That cheered me up a lot!
DAY 44 - KOH PHANGAN
I got up to a bit more - instead of lying in my hammock all day I caught a lift to another part of the island and lay in a different hammock! It was very relaxed with acoustic guitar being played. I played some fotball when I got back before saying goodbye to the odd assortment of people staying and working there.
DAY 45 - KOH PHANGAN - HAT YAI
This day can be summarised just by the transport I used. A car ride to the pier with the family who run the resort - inclding the cute kids rolling around in the back seat, then a ferry ride to the mainland, then a bus journey to another town where I met a Swedish girl who advised me to change plans and head to the Malaysian National Park at Teman Negara before enjoying some very philosophical conversation, then a songthaew ride to a travel agents then a bike ride to the bus station then a long minibus ride with a load of Thais to the town of Trang where I had been planning to say but instead got another bus to the town of Hat Yai which is near the border with Malaysia! I chose the stop here for the night, found some decent accomodation and a really good bar with great live music.
DAY 46 - HAT YAI - IPOH - KUALA LUMPUR
I was told in the morning that if I took a bus to Ipoh I could then get another one to the National Park, I tried this yet when I got to Ipoh I found no buses going there! The journey was made interesting by a Thai couple because I'm not sure whether it was a male looking girl or a female looking guy! I had to change my plan and so found another bus going to Kuala Lumpur where I found a hostel with dorms and just watched The Simpsons Movie there and went online before going to bed.
DAY 47 - KUALA LUMPUR
I only met my room mates when I woke up - two blonde Swedish girls and a Brazilian guy. I went exploring and found the Twin Towers there which were very impressive and was excited to find a Topman! I decided to try another route back which took me about an hour longer as it went via some strange suburbs. I just booked my coach for the next day, played some pool and watched another movie.
DAY 48 - KUALA LUMPUR - MELACCA
I had booked a bus for 11am but was then told it didn't go to Melacca so just had to wait another hour. I'm much more relaxed about these things now since I've realised there's nothing I can do about it by getting annoyed and I don't have to be anywhere at a certain time anyway! I got to Melacca and found a decent guesthouse before getting some food and going out for the evening. I found a night market called Jonker's Walk and ended up watching a street artist. However before long I was his "volunteer"! His main trick was to pierce a coconut with his index finger alone however he didn't make money like most performers... he called himself a physician and sold an ointment which he showed to work by pouring it over his swollen finger and showing how quickly it recovered.
DAY 49 - MELACCA
I spent the entire day with Laura, an English girl I'd met the night before. We went to a couple of fairly interesting museums and had lunch before trying to find a river boat cruise. We failed on this task but had a really good conversation and just hung out in the park for a bit before heading for an Indian dinner and having a smoothie each at a bar. I stayed up til 3.30am tha night reading The Beach which is a brilliant read when you've been to those locations and can identify with it all.
DAY 50 - MELACCA - SINGAPORE
I met with Laura in the morning to get to the bus station before saying goodbye and leaving for Singapore. The journey was fine and by now I'm used to International Customs! I was due to surprise my best friend Hannah for her 18th Birthday the next dya so was staying nearby and met her parents there - the first people I'd seen for 7 weeks who I knew! The room here is like luxury to me - air con, hot shower AND flushing toilet! It does feel like home here although it feel different to last year - more Western and more expensive! I'm just amazed that I got here without Hannah suspecting a thing!
DAY 51 - SINGAPORE
This was the BIG day I'd been looking forward to for so long. I waited with Lorraine for a while before heading to Hannah's school. We had to wait for her outside her exam room and when she emerged she was just in a total state of shock to see me! I think it gave both of us a boost to see each other although not her revision for the next week! We returned to open her presents including a laptop. We ate Roast Lamb which was awesome before I helped to set up the computer while Hannah tried to revise.
DAYS 52-55 - SINGAPORE
In these days I really didn't get up to much at all if I'm honest. We went out for dinner one night which was nice and I enjoyed the home comforts and having food prepared for me! I spent far too much time on the laptop which was in my room but I think it's good to have a break from travelling for a while - that's my excuse anyway!
I'm now travelling to New Zealand where I'll be for three weeks before I head to South Africa to meet up with my Dad. I can't believe I'm halfway through my travels already although in a way in seems so long ago I left home.
I hope everyone is well at home, let me know of any news! I'll add pics to this blog in a couple of days so keep looking!
Singapore's Flag
Map of Singapore