Bangkok done and now in Ko Samu

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Hello all!

Pictures to be added in the next few weeks. Please escuse typos, typing time is money!

We have spent 3 nights in Bangkok and visited the Grand Palace and seen the Emerald Buddah. The palace is the most amazing thing I have ever seen (so far at least) with such elaborate ornate buildings! The temp has sayed at approx 30 degrees. We enjoyed seeing the sites but going from one hustling city to another is draining and we longed for a beach! During our tours of Bangkok we tried many forms of transport (had no choice if we wanted to get around). We got the Sky Train (very clens, air conditioned and most locals cannot afford it - about GBP1.30 for a day pass), a tuk tuk (which is like a London rikshaw with an engine), and a taxi boat to visit temples. The locals use motorbkes which pick you up from corners and take you to and from work. The women sit side seat on the back and cling on for dear life I should think! The roads are manic and crossing them involves running to the middle, dodging traffic and then running to the other side. No wonder the old people just sit in the street staring longingly at the other side...they'd simply never make it! We were pleased to be leaving!

We booked ourselves onto a sleeper train and joined the other back packers and guitar strumming hippies for an over night 12 hour journey down the East coast towards Ko Samui. We agreed that this is when we finally felt like back packers and realised we would be away for quite some time! We awoke at 6am and had a quick breakfast before reaching our stop and jumping on bus for 20 minues before then transfering to a boat. In case you did not know, boats and I work together about as well as a teapot made of chocolate on a very hot stove! This journey lasted for nearly 3 hours and although I am pleased to tell you I was not sick, I did have to spend the journey with me head in my hands and blowing as though in labour...and rocking myself against the motion of the boat. Richard sat rubbing my back and looking very concerned. I was recovered immediately once off the boat...and then got into a kind of taxi like a tuk tuk but with two benchs running along the inside for approx 4 persons each side and your bags get thrown on top. We made our way to North Chaweng where we are right now!

So far, depite being hot the weather is stormy here in Ko Samui. Our beach hut is about 30 seconds walk to the beach and is lovely with a little decked porch and chairs and table to sit out in front. Only approx GBP7.00 A NIGHT! I type this now just 20 feet from the shore!
We caught a good amount of sun yesterday and enjoyed drinks on the beach when the sun went down. We also had a monkey thrown at us! A an wanted to take a picture and charge us for it. We said no but I did at least get to hold the tiny baby gibbon with his little black rubbery feet wrapped around my wrists and his little arms wrapped around my neck. He had pale ginger hair all over, making him look asthough he had a mane and mad little squeaks just like a guina pig! I'd always wanted to hold a monkey and now I had I wanted to run away with him but handed him back albeit reluctantly!

Today we had a late breakfast on the beach but Richard went back to the hut to use the toilet and suddenly I notices the wind pick up drastically and the sky darken to a swollen purple looking plumb! When I looked 20 feet away to the shore I noticed that the water had ceased pulling in and out and was Instead going sideways! I'd seen the weather change like this in the States and ggrabbed our bags and made a dash for the hut. Other guests looked puzzled as I scampered towards them yellig "I'd head in doors if I were you!". I made it to our orch just as Richard was locking up to return to me and said to him s a storm a'comin'! Before he'd been given the chance to turn to face me the sky's burst open and rain drops the size of grapes startd pummeling the ground! We sat on our porch and watched the butterflies dodgeing the drops in search of shelter. Amazing! Richard asked how I felt about the temporary lack of sun. We agreed that if we were on holiday we would be very sad indeed, but as it is we have a year of sun to be had and instead enjoyed the sound and fresh smells of the rain.

Further updates and pictures soon. We hope to ride elephants to the two rainfalls on Ko Samui tomorrow.

Hope you are all well.
Amber and Richard
x

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Comments

[Leisa Higgins]

WOW!!!!
I almost smelt the rain - it gave me goosebumps!!! Make sure you enjoy yourselves and I will be reading your blog regularly guys. Take care and have lots of fun. Leisa

[Lianne]

Grand
Hello, enkoyed reading about what you've been up to. Keep it coming! Take care you two.