Ko Tao

---

So it was back to the islands, via the port of Suratthani. Got the bus to Suratthani then booked onto the overnight boat to Ko Tao. Bumped into the Brighton boys who were heading to Khao Sok but we convinced them to get on the boat with us to Ko Tao. The boat was an interesting experience. No beds but just 1 long matress either side of a tiny walkway on the top deck of this boat. With a number above your head to indicate where you were to sleep. I was sandwiched between an Israeli guy and Neal, so I cuddled up to Neal for most of the journey. Slept quite well considering but that might of been down to the last few days exertion in the jungle and the 2 beers I had before we boarded.

Arrived in Ko Tao around 7am and jumped in the back of a 4 by 4 to them main beach (Sairee) where we had some breakfast and Mark and I were sent to find a suitable place to stay. Found a gem of a place in Sairee bungalows, cheap as chips and with our own communial area at the front of our room to sit and chill. Plus it had a great restaurant thatlooked out over the blue waters. That night we went to Choppers bar to watch the football, but I was too tired to stay up for the last game so went home early.

The only downside to our accomodation was the wildlife that paraded our gardens, dogs, chickens and cockerels. And it was the sound of cockerels that woke me up at around 8.30, couldn't get back to sleep and none of the other lads were awake so I went for an early morning run. Dan started his 4 day diving course so the rest of us decided to get motorbikes out and take an adventurous trip to some other bays and in search of some decent snorkelling sites. Now I had never ridden a motorbike and was advised that i shouldn't because of my injury history. But I opted for a bike convincing myself I'd take it easyand the roads wouldn't be that bad. The main roads were fine but as soon as we ventured off the terrain became what can only be described as torential. We finally got to the bay we wanted to get to only to find out that there was no snorkelling there, I was dreading the journey back. The first part of it proved a major obstacle, almost a 90 degree hill, with very loose gravel and pot holes. Neal's advice was to attack, which was what I did but I had to stop because half way up he had got caught in the loose gravel and was struggling to get it out, I was now in a similar position and everytime we accelerated we buried our tyres into the gravel. Luckily enough a local saw us struggling and rescued us. Poor old Mark had seen us struggling up this particular routeand opted for a path with not much room for error. True enough, he came a cropper with the motorbike falling on top of him, burning his leg on the exhaust. So now we needed to get Mark to the health clinic to get his sore looking leg cleaned up. We made it back it one peice vowing never to ride a bike here again. I was certainly thrown in at the deep end!!! Neal and I watched Mark have his leg cleaned which also involved the nurse shaving the hair off his red roar skin which looked extremely painful!!! Had another night of Premiership football with the Super Super Sunday, and ended up in Cave bar playing pool with some spanish girls and the most obvious ladyboy we've seen yet. Mark description of her was spot on....'she basically got out of bed put a girls top on then come out', this summed up his/her efforts exactly!!

Had 4 more nights here, which were all very similar, then were only a few places to go. The pick of these was Lotus Bar, a cool beach side bar with a fire show every night, candles and cushions to sit on the beach and some decent music. One night I got in at 9am after drinking the infamous Samsung buckets all night, ended up on the beach with 2 aussie girls, an Indian-American and a Swedish guy chatting shit. Fellt so rough the whole of the next day!!! Left for Kho Pha Ngan on the morning of the 21st December. Could of stayed here for at least a few more days but it was time to up the ante in terms of party and prepare oursleves for the xmas full moon party. Roll on the 24th........

---