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Published: January 29th 2009
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Welcome to the second installment of our world tour! After a horiffic 18 hour journey including 2 buses, a van and a boat we finally arrive in Koh Samui, the largest of the South Easten Thai Islands. The water is, as expected, crystal clear and the sand is pure white. The landscape is very beautiful- tropical but also really quite mountainous. Due to our very long journey we can only spend one night on Samui as opposed to the planned 2. We stay in a very small resort on the coast called Maenam in a very nice place called Tropical Lounge Bungalow, run by some Germans. The bungalow was 6 pounds each a night and very comfortable, there was also a pool there too- shame we could only stay a night! we went out for a steak which you had to cook yourself on a hot rock which was fun! They bought out this fire proof apron and flambied it in front of you- lucky it didnt go horribly wrong, and all eyelashes and eye brows are still firmly in tact.
The next day we headed over to Koh Phangan, famous for the full moon parties. We had book into
a very quiet resort near Ban Kai, where we had to negoitiate a 30 metre long pretty treacherous path to get to out beach front bungalow. There we descovered a very small collection of bungalows right on the beach, run by a German I think and his Thai wife. In Thailand foreigners are only ever allowed to own a max of 49% of a Thai property, therefore Thai women are basically laughing all the way to the bank. The resort was nice, but quite isolated and cut off from everywhere really but the beach was just to die for. Picture perfect Thai beach. We paid 3.50 a night each for our wooden shack... I mean hut. It was extremely basic. A lean-to for a bathroom; no blanket, no flushing toilet, no hot water, no aircon, no TV, no loo roll; nothing. Not like my usual 5 star accomodation I'm used to!!!! But we are beginning to embrase the whole back-packing culture. Basically the less effort you make; the easier it is. we look like dogs (and most of the time smell like one!) but dont care as everyone else does!!! Dirty clothes, mucky feet, frizzy uncoloured, unstraightened hair, minimal make
up, hardly any jewellery or accessories. Basically attempting to look polished and glamourous on a daily basis is not only unneccessary but also wholly impractical. Now as we have established; we like animals. but when you live in a non-water tight des res, the outside is basically inside. I'm talking bats, cockroaches, cats, frogs, gheko's, crickets, birds the lot. Worst of them all though- dreaded midges. Although for some reason they've taken more of a shine to Han than me! Last count on Hannah circa 100 bites. Seriously. All the accomodation we've been in we have mosquito nets, but that doesnt stop the little blighters!!!
Sunday night 25th we go to a 'Black Moon Party' (there are also full and half depending on the lunar cycle) Which corresponded to a partial eclipse of the sun on Mon. We rocked up there at midnight (the cool time to arrive!) And it was basically a massive dance party on a beach covered in funky tarpooling with fire eaters, face painters, and 1000 party people! We got our face painted with neon face paint; and in typical Harrild style attacked the buckets of drink!! Met loads of new people; predominantly Dutch, Swedish
(which everyone thinks we are!), Aussies, Canadians, Danish, Swiss, some Irish and some Brits. All the Europeans speak such good English- Especially the Dutch it's really impressive. Think we left there about 6am, although the party was still in full swing and will carry on in various venues for another 48 hours for the hardcore amongst. But as we needed our beauty sleep we headed home. Well the journey down the 30 metre "Path of Death" was extremely eventful. I think we rolled down it more than walked. Everything's a bit sketchy. We both woke up with no Mozzie nets, fully dressed with smeared face paints, a broken toilet seat and quite a substantial amount of disco damage!!! (re: pics of my knee in the clinic). So as you can imagine nothing was achieved the day after, and we checked out on Tues. A friend from Loughborough (who lives on Koh Phangan 6 months of the year as a scuba instructor) came and picked us up (after lugging 17kg's of rucksack up The Path of Death- think now Marine Core training would be a doddle). And took us to Chalakolum, which is a small quaint fishing village north of the
island, mainly comprising of divers and Thai's. We have another very BASIC beach hut, about 10 metres away from the sea. We went out last night with Jim and and his buddies and had a great night with them- which included a 50 year old Queen from San Francisco and a big Dutch guy called Hitch who spend 5 years in a Venezulan jail and has 2 fingers missing- I didnt dare ask how!! 3 more days here- where Jim is taking us diving and then on Sat we will make our way accross Thailand to Phuket and Koh Phi Phi- where 'The Beach' film was set; and the most beautiful island of them all apparantly.
I am quite aware my spelling isn't particulary great but I have no spell check so dont pick me up on it!!!!!!
We miss yu guys lots and lots and we'll update you with the next installment soon!!
Lots of love B and H xxx
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Michelle
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Disco Damage!!
Even on the other side of the world she manages it..... Nice work Bekah i expect nothing less!! xXx