Bangkok and Koh Chang

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! :-)

Aww, I'm sorry for being such a lazy bone but I just can't help it. I really do try to write but I lack creativity and I'm just too tired in the evenings. haha. I promise I'll be a good girl from now one.

So yeah, we arrived in Bangkok on the 21st in the afternoon and took the airport-city-link skytrain to town and then continued by taxi to Khao San Road. It was amazing to be back and my Thai skills gradually returned as well - helpful. We found quite a cheap place to stay in Soi Rambuttri, parallel to Khao San Road. There was a weird petrol smell in the room but as it was late we agreed to take the room. (More about that later..) After some amazing Pad Thai and springrolls from one of the street stalls and a cold Chang beer we were about ready for bed. We got comfy and fell asleep straight away.

The next day we just strolled around Khao San Road and had some food and had some more food and relaxed. It was a great day. At some point Ryan was asking me what I had done to my arms as I had a really bad rash on them. I didn't know. We came back to the room and found the reason for the rash waiting inside our room - bed bugs. Horrible creatures. As it was too late to go somewhere else we had to stay there but as we planned to leave the next morning it was kinda okay.

The next morning (23/12/2011) we had an early start and at 7.30 we started our travel to Koh Chang - actually not too far and not too long if not everyone would like to earn money with you and you have to stop at 1000 places and at the main office of the travel company and then just miss the ferry and so on. We eventually arrived on Koh Chang just after 5 pm and at 6.30 we arrived at yellow mango bungalows where we planned to stay - big mistake. Horribly constructed and dirty bungalows with loads of insects. As the room was paid we stayed one night but after 30 minutes I already walked around to find a place for the rest of our stay on Koh Chang. We found a place called Ploy Inn at Lonely Beach - spacious rooms, comfy bed, modern bathroom and reasonably priced. After an almost sleepless night I was up at 7 in the morning on Christmas Eve - ready to move. (This proves that the place was a nightmare otherwise I wouldn't have been out of bed at this time a day. haha.) Once we had moved, we emptied our bags completely to get rid of the unwanted travel company (bed bugs) and sprayed them generously with insect killer and guess what it smelled like? Yes, right, petrol. They were actually aware of the bed bugs problem and tried to fight them - unseccussfully - but still offered us the room to a lower room rate as I was complaining about the petrol smell. Too late to complain though and with some antihistamines the bites were gone soon. After our bags were bed bugs free we hired a scooter for the day and explored the island a bit, it was a great day and I'm really pleased that Ryan loves Koh Chang as much as I do. We had really nice Thai food during the day and in the evening we dressed up a little for a Christmas Eve party at Siam Hut. We had good fun there but unfortunately I was not aware of me wearing my invisibility cloak (damn me!!) so a girl stepped onto my finger with her heel and broke it. Outch! (Little explanation: I wasn't randomly walking around on my hands, it was a bar with low tables and cushions to sit on and I had my hand next to me on the floor.) But don't worry, (Mum,) I'm fine and Ryan is looking after me. Party was over for us afterwards though and e went to sleep.

The next day we had a great lie in and once we were awake and had had a nice breakfast we set off on the scooter again. We went to Klong Phlu waterfall and had a short dip in the cold water. We then continued to White Sand Beach. (Ryan: "This is one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen in my life." - I agree.) On the way back to Lonely Beach we watched the sunset and had a couple of drinks in the evening. The next day - boxing day - we finally got our Christmas present for each other - elephant trekking. We booked a 2 hours trek and first rode trough the jungle and then into a river with the elephants where we got the opportunity to swim with them! It was amazing, we both absolutely loved it. Elephants are great animals. We enjoyed this afternoon a lot and I know that we won't forget this experience.

The next two days nothing exciting happened. We just chilled out, read a lot, hired a scooter again, walked around, had some food, had some more food, had some drinks and so on.

On the 29th we left Koh Chang and travelled to Siem Reeap, Cambodia, but this is a different story and it would take too long to write about it now. You'll read about it shortly.

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