Planes, trains, and automobiles ...and some boats too

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We'll im back-tracking because I havent gotten around to updating.. so lets see........Well we left Northern Thailand which was quite tragic really. We both liked it so much. The food was amazing and the people were great. Thai people are unlike any other. they are very soft spoken, polite, and modest. (which is interesting given the fact that Thailand has such a bad reputation for prostitution) That reminds me....Gambling is illegal in Thailand...but... you can play the lottery.....hmmmm..anyway...im getting off topic....

we left Chiang Rai and arrived in Phuket at about 6PM....and then we drove about an hour to Khao Lak where I was suposed to finish my diving certification in the Similan Islands. The Similans are suposed to have some of the best diving in Thailand (arguably the world) so naturally I was chrushed when I learned that no boats were going to the Similans due to bad weather.......

So after a night of celebrating Ryans 24th Birthday ( yay) we spent one day wandering around town then took a 2 hour bus ride to Phuket the next morning. Now the night before we couldnt decide whether to go to Phi Phi island (which meant another 2 hours by boat) or to just sty in Phuket...Since I figured Id have more diving oportunities in Phuket we decided to go there....however, when we arrived at the bus station in phuket a couple of taxi drivers jumped on us saying "you need taxi, you need taxi? you go to ferry station out to Phi Phi island?" We were just kind of stunded since we had litteraly just step off the bus onto the pavement....so we said we wanted to go to Kata beach in Phuket and got into the car.....and while I was changing my mind on the way (in my head) we, somehow, ended up at the ferry to Phi Phi island. I quess reading minds is just another talent the Thai's posses. In any case, we made it on the ferry about 10-15 min before it left and made it to Phi Phi island. Our first ippression......"This place sucks"

Southern Thailand is a complete 180 from Northern Thailand, and I guess we just werent ready for it. There were people EVERYWHERE. The (foreign) people rude, dirty and sometimes downright scarey looking. We spent the rest of our time here just adjusting to that. Phi Phi is gorgeous but too small, too crowded and too many bars......The diving, on the other hand.....amazing....but i will save that for another blog.

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