A Boat Trip, A Crazy Night And The Morning After!!

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On our last full day (21st October) on the Phi Phi Islands we got up fairly early as we wanted to go on a boat trip. We wanted to go to Maya Bay where 'The Beach' was filmed. The majority of tours went to lots of places but we thought it would be cheaper to just go there. Our plan was to get some other people to go too so the cost of the boat would be shared! Our plan failed and although we found 3 English girls who all had the same idea, it didn't work out any cheaper and made more economic sense to go on a half day organised tour!

After sunbathing and paddling for the morning, teh boat trip started at around 1pm. There were 10 of us all together and the driver. 3 from Israel, 1 Canadian, 4 from the south of England and 2 (Nat and I) from the real capital of England being Yorkshire!! The boat was a long tail boat so no inside compartment or life raft etc. The sky was blue and the sea was fairly calm when we set off! The driver didn't really say much. He didn't give us any life jackets or tell us the plan.....so we just went with the flow!

THE BOAT TRIP!!
We drove up to Monkey Island first. I expected there to be one or 2 monkeys but no...the beach was swarming with them. There were other boats pulled up too and we climbed out to have a closer look at the monkeys. We were advised to stay close to the water however as the monkeys do bite and steal!! Nice to Know!! They seemed pretty harmless though unless you had a banaba in you hand in which case they knew how to snatch!! One climbed on a guys shoulder as he leant forwrad to take a picture. The guy shouted for his guide to take it off but instead he just took the guys camera and said 'I take photo for you!!' The guys face was a picture!!

After a short while on Monkey Island we drove out further into the sea before stopping to do a spot of snorkelling. I found it weird at first as I am used to swimming underwater and breathing to the side although I soon grasped it after a couple of mouthfuls of sea water! There were a few decent fish to see...mainly stripy ones but still cool! Nat was timid of the open water so we swam together holding hands! I failed to remind her that if a shark did come along we would look bigger as a pair....not really the right time to metion it!!!

After snorkelling we headed in the boat past the Viking caves.....I was a little disappointed at these as I though we would get to go in them or there would at leat be a scary looking viking waving from teh entrance but no such look. Just a cave in the rock face! The Viking Caves were followed by a beautiful cove where the sea was so green. Perfect for a swim and we all jumped off the boat again! Despite looking so green and clear, the water was murky and you couldn't see any fish. Still it was very picturesque and nice to swim in!

We were then taken out of the cove and to a spot for some more snorkelling and lunch. Lunch consisted of some rice followed by fresh fruit! The rice filled a hole even if it didn't taste quite right! The fish seemed to like it though!! At one point whilst we were snorkelling someone still on teh boat threw some rice in around us. You could not see the water for the fish......pretty cool though a little scary!!! At one point I saw a water snake too but I didn't hang around.....I broke free of Nats grip and full on sprinted back to the boat!! Nat followed in quick sucession!! We were told they were harmless but I wasn't taking any chances...every man for himself in the ocean!!!

Once we were all back in the boat safe and sound we then went to Maya Bay! It was easy to see why it had been chosen as the location for the film. Crystal clear waters and white sand!! Truly beautiful!! The only thing missing was a life like statue of Leo.....maybe I should call Madame Tussauds!! We explored the island (though we couldn't find the waterfall from the film) and sat on the beach for a while. At one point there were a few people in the water and I wanted to shout 'Shark' and point frantically but Nat didn't think it would be funny!! The sky then started to cloud over the sea looked quite choppy! The boat was not the safest and it was only around half an hour before dark!!! The driver called us back as there would be no sunset to see today and we set off back to Phi Phi! The girl from Israel was frightedned before we even got on and so hitched a ride home on teh bigger and safer speed boat! Ten had become nine!

The boat trip back was pretty scary but in an exciting way for me at least! The waves were as high if not higher then the boat and the boat rocked from side to side and up and down all the way! We managed to get a face full of spray at every turn and I may as well have swam back for how wet I got! One of the English girls didn't find it so funny and she stayed in the brace position all the way home with her head on her knees!! So funny!! Back on the island it was time for a serious shower to get all the salt water spray off us, a change of clothes and out for our last night!

THE NIGHT OUT!!
The plan was to get a nice meal to begin with and then go out drinking!! The meal went to plan I had swordfish. I did not want it to end it tasted that good!!! Best meal I have eaten so far since being away!

Following the meal we headed to the beach. We had concocted another pretty stong mix of Vodka and Fanta to drink before going to any bars. Turns out we were not alone in our idea as there were plenty more people dotted around us on the beach doing the same thing. We could hear the music from a nearby bar too so the plan was a good one!! We must have sat there for well over an hour drinking and chatting before finally heading into town! By this time we were a little light headed and had not spent a penny on beer!! Score!!

We passed a bar with fire limbo going on. Looked fun so we went to watch though I wasn't stupid enough to have a go! The Thai people were brilliant at it but a group of English guys (I wouldn't expect anything less) thought they were macho enough too. There were definitely a few ooohs and aarhhs as a few came close to getting their body parts burnt!! Following this we went to 'Hippies Bar' for a drink. We bought a bucket to share and following the bucket we had both had plenty enough to drink! We began mingling, hearing about other travellers experiences and caught up with the girls from the boat trip earlier!

Things soon went downhill!! Nat came running up to me and shouted that she had done loads of shots and had another bucket! Not sure how as she had only been gone for 5 minutes but she was hammered and couldn't stand! She wanted to go in the sea which I explained was a bad idea and then proceeded to put her head down and lay on the beach! We were about 20 minutes from home and at this rate it looked like we may be sleeping on the beach! (For the sake of our friendship, the photos aren't being published!!)

Luckily 2 English guys from the bar that we had been chatting to earlier saw me struggling to try and lift her and they offered to help me carry her back! Yes...I know Nat is only tiny but she was like a dead weight!! The guys weren't exactly massive either (to be honest...I had bigger muscles) and I was thankful when a German guy stepped into help on the way home!! We managed to carry/drag her all the way back. She had no shoes on (not sure what she had done with them), and her rape alarm kept going off as well!!! Funny to look back on but not at the time and I was just glad I managed to get her home safe though I was worried for how she would feel the next morning!!!

Also when I got back that night I realised my towel was missing. Next door was wide open and I could see my towel in the far corner of their room. Theives!!! A big french guy was asleep on the bed and so I had to creep across the room and retrieve my towel without waking him! My heart was beating so fast but luckily I managed it despite banging into the table! Maybe he was as drunk as Nat and a herd of elephants wouldn't have woke him!!

THE MORNING AFTER!!
I was right about how Nat would feel. She was shocking!! Couldn't life her head up, walking like a ninety year old and not in a good state at all. I left her for about 10 mins to go and grab some breakfast but when I got back the floor was covered in water as she had tried to take a shower with the door open! It was a long morning of cleaning up, packing both our stuff up and trying to make sure Nat was ok! We left the rooms at 12 and our boat to leave was at 3. I had to entertain myself for those few hours as Nat looked and felt like death!! I had a feeling this day would be a write off and that her hangover wouldn't be gone anytime soon!!

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Photos

Time for a swim!!
My thighs really aren't that big...it's the water reflection!!