Thailand Bound

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So, flying into Phuket airport I'm only about an hour or so away from Phuket town where i plan to find lodgings for a couple of nights, meeting up with Marc and Eva who have been in Thailand for a week or so. We meet up on the second night for a couple of drinks which finally ends at 5am after numerous games of pool leaving me only 3 hrs sleep before my bus to Surat Thani to catch the ferry to Kao Samui. Adam arrived about a week ago and is probably ready to move on?

First night in Samui is great fun, we go out to one of the local places to go "The Ice Bar" exactly what it says on the tin, a bar made of ice, walls, bar, Tuk Tuk and seating. Somewhere you go in have a drink and go back to the warmth. Repeating this, once, twice or maybe thrice in an evening? The bar had it's current magician / card trickster who was unbelievably good and is a great place to have a great night. The second day is not quite as fun, as I'm sure some of you who may've looked at the photo's before reading might of seen. I had a bit of an accident. Basically the roads on Samui are dreadful, covered in holes and sand, and i came off my hired scooter. Adam was up ahead so didn't see what happened and all i can remember was waking up in the hospital the following day. A few days later after lots of rest and care from the not exactly difficult to be cared by nurses i was let out. Though it wasn't for a good few days that i was ready to do anything again. We spent the rest of our time either at the Mike and Tanitas house in the pool or down the Sunseeker bar (Mikes brother Grahams place).

Eventually as Adam had now been in the same place for around 3 weeks we decide to move on. We grab a boat back to Surat Thani then jump in a mini bus to Krabi and a boat to Phi Phi. With myself still not feeling great we take it easy for the next few days, the first of which we spend in the main part of Phi Phi just wandering round by day then going for a bite to eat in the evening followed by a drink at a couple of bars (cokes obviously 😉 one of which has a full size Muay Thai ring in offering customers to volunteer to fight Thai boxing 3 rounds in exchange for a free "bucket" which consists of a glass of vodka or whiskey and a can of coke. Obviously you get that after the fight or the fight would end too soon! We next get a long tail boat around the island to long beach where we stay for a few nights. This is what i needed a few days relaxing on the beach in the day and nothing to do at night. The beach is beautiful with only a couple of restaurants and a couple of bars so great for my head. After whacking my head coming off the bike i was still struggling to hear properly at this point. The hospital on Samui is nice enough but I'm heading to the Bangkok one in a week or so to get a proper check up.

I think after a couple of days Adam started to get restless again though ( due to the hole digging on the beach) so we decide to head off. Not before one thing we had to do though. We were on Phi Phi about 20 mins on on Long tail boat away is Maya Bay on Phi Phi Le. The beach from "The Beach" film. We thought we'd best go see it to see what all the fuss is about. As part of a snorkeling trip we took we eventually got there at about 11am. I think the idea is to arrive at sunrise otherwise all you get to see is what we saw, numerous boats with hundreds of people all wanting to get there own little slice of perfection. If you were there on your own or just friends it would be one of the most stunning places I'd seen so far but it has definitely been spoilt by Hollywood. The search goes on for that perfect place!

The following day we jump on the boat to Phuket, where we stay for a night before jumping on the bus to Bangkok. 13hrs direct, 6am start 7pm arrival. Ad's is not impressed especially when he doesn't take a jumper on the bus with him the a/c is always too cold on the buses. Luckily i remembered! Ha ha! When we arrive we find a place to crash and head out. After a few hours we settle into a bar where they're playing some football and get talking to a few German lads. Jens, Marco and Dani. Dani is quite a bit worse for wear when we join them and it turned out after bumping into Jens and Marco the next day that he had gone a bit crazy ending up in hospital and leaving to see his father in Chang Mai without telling them. All that on their first day of traveling together on what was supposed to be a one month trip. I also bumped into a familiar face in Bangkok. Eva who i had met when meeting Marc in Phuket a few weeks earlier was checking into to the hostel at the same time as me so the second night we all went out for drinks together. That finally ended at around 6am, it was really good to meet up with Eva again but a shame she had to fly back to France the following day, she was at the end of her trip.

After a couple more days taking in the Bangkok life we head west in search of some activity, I'm now feeling a bit closer to 100%. We head to Khanchanaburi, a few hours away from Bangkok, I've been recommended this town by numerous people as a really scenic place and with plenty to do. After arriving the following day we decided to rent out some bikes and see where we end up. Adam wanted some cool mountain bikes just in case we ventured off-road? Nah old woman beach cruisers are much more fun! We cycle round the town for a few hours stopping at the River Kwai bridge and a temple or two and for a completely random conversation with a Thai bloke at a cafe who kept talking to us in Thai even though we couldn't understand a word he was saying? The following day we are up early to go on a tour of the local attractions. Starting at Sai Yok Noi waterfall for a quick photo opportunity and to pick up some snacks, i opted for pumpkin slices fried in what i could taste was honey and sugar. Cavity heaven!

After that we took a drive out to Hellfire pass where Australian and British WWII POW's were forced to work up to 18hrs a day to construct a railway line through the mountains cutting out a channel through stone. The museum at the site helps to give a very detailed understanding of how these men suffered and of the things that were expected of them. Many men died at this camp and are buried at the nearby war cemeteries.

Next we head off for a spot of lunch at a nearby local restaurant and then head out to the bamboo rafting and elephant riding part of the day. First is the bamboo rafting, great fun as i thought we'd just be sat on the raft and pushed along by a local guide, WRONG, i was at the front with a German girl in the middle and French guy at back. The guide was there to make sure we didn't sink! We didn't, we crashed a few times though and the French guy took a tumble soaking his shorts and only not going in due to the guide catching him. Then came the elephant riding, everyone was offered to ride the neck i was the only one stupid enough to say yes! She kept stopping to eat every couple of minutes and when she took the big steps down into the river i felt sure I'd be off! Holding on for dear life though i made it. She did keep whacking me with her ears though!

After a few days in Khanchanaburi it was time to head back to Bangkok for my check-up at the Hospital, after a hearing test and an inspection of the ear drums I'm sent on my way with some drops and a repeat check up for the following week.

bye for now....

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Comments

[Marios]

Plastic Surgery Thai Style..
Definite improvement there Whitmore, thousands of Brits migrate annually to Thailand for cosmetic surgery (face, breast, teeth, liposuction etcetera), I see you joined that queue! Saltdogg digging holes, did you tell him Charlotte was under there somewhere? Both of you jammy swines think of me when I am cycling in the Liverpool rain on my 4 mile journey morning and night, what is the first thought that enters your mind, probably the same as mine "Sucker!". You will soon need a clamp to expand your travelling culture box, it really is brimful now.

[Stu Bey]

Your Face
I think you look better benny boi. Vast improvement. ha ha. You old boys!!!! ARP.