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Published: January 5th 2007
Spiders can be both big and scary
Though they do give a very good head massage.First of all Happy Christmas and New Year to everyone. We hope everyone has really enjoyed the festive period and wish you all the best for 2007.
The last blog entry was from Krabi. Things haven't been too hectic since then in terms of number of destinations. We spent 1 more day in Krabi, got a bus to Khao Sok rainforest (Marie / Andy and Rich spent 3 nights there - Fraser 1 night followed by a bus & night ferry to Ko Samui to meet Catherine a day early). From Khao Sok the next destination was Ko Samui where we stayed up until December 29th. On arrival there we met up with Catherine, Bence, and the Aylesbury contingent: Andy, Kirsty and Sarah. The group size swelled further to 11 when Amy and Jim (having paid an extra 1200 GBP due to missing his original flight) arrived on the 28th December.
Note there are more photos than those on this page - you need to click at the bottom onto page 2!
Krabi / Railay beach
Rich met up with us in Krabi later than the rest of us having got the afternoon ferry and
Trekking group in Khao Sok
This was just before climbing a waterfall. Treck was 18km in total. we spent the first day there relaxing. The next day, we headed off on a tour which consisted James Bond Island, Koh Panyee (floating Muslim fishing village) and a temple with monkeys running around it. The next day, we got up early and got a long tail boat over to Railay beach for a few hours. Nice beaches and great rocks for climbing. We jumped on the public buses to Khao Sok.
Khao Sok national park
This was a three night stay for Andy, Marie and Rich and a one nighter for Fraser. Khao Sok is in between the two coast of Thailand and is an amazing place covered by the oldest evergreen rainforest in the world, huge mountains, deep valleys, waterfalls, wild animals and much more. We stayed at a place called Khao Sok rainforest resort which was right by a river and as there was not much in the way of nightlife took full advantage of the excellent food (e.g. one night 5 mains between three people, rice, starters and desserts). We noticed a snake near the frog pond by the restaurant - found out this was a viper so stayed well clear of
Body boarding in Ko Samui
About half the days in Ko Samui people did about an hour body boarding. Pretty fun and cheap way to pass an afternoon. it (we subsequently found out that our tour guide had removed a 6pm python from the resort a few weeks beforehand). We arrived late afternoon and booked a treck for the next day. The full treck was 18km and involved scaling a waterfall and some fairly challenging hills and jungle. As fraser had to get the connecting bus for the night ferry he had to turn back part way through and return with two ladies who had joined our group (Rich looked somewhat annoyed!).
Given how tired we were the next day we opted for a relaxing day tubing (sitting in a rubber inner tube and floating down a river) followed by significantly more food and a morning transfer to Ko Samui to rejoin Fraser and the extended group.
Ko Samui
As mentioned before Fraser arrived on Ko Samui a day earlier than Andy, Rich and Marie in order to meet up with Catherine. Fraser got the overnight ferry that left Surrathani at 11pm and arrived into Koh Samui about 6.30pm - I think the ferry was overloaded with cargo and the weather was not good, with the ferry being nearly on its side at
Night on the beers in Ko Samui
Left to right Fraser, Rich, Andy, Ben. Think this may have been the start of Christmas eve. No one woke up asleep next to a lamp post. times. We have subsequently found out that this ferry has actually sunk a few times - may not have got it had I known that beforehand. Headed to the airport to meet up with the newbees - checked into our respective accommodation and met up for a beach BBQ in the evening.
By the 23rd though the group was up to 9 (Andy C, Andy S, Rich, Marie, Fraser, Catherine, Bence, Kirtsy, Sarah). Ko Samui was a fairly relaxed week in terms of activities. There was a lot of beach time when the sun was out, a number of big nights out (which wrote off various parts of certain days for different people) and a lot of very big meals. Christmas day was spent on a beach and is best explained by the pictures and random email extracts below. Christmas eve was also a top nigh out which involved lots of fireworks on the beach, silly string etc. Many a night was spent around the Green Mango bar area which is a big (though very smelly) club.
There was also a lot of time spent completing numerous beach activities e.g. body boarding, kayaking, swimming out to islands (walking
Night on the beers in Ko Samui 2
As before Christmas eve with the addition of some of the Ayelbury contingent (Andy C, Andy S, Kirsty, Sarah, Fraser, Catherine) in Rich’s case), snorkeling, sun bathing, drinking and getting massages for the girls.
One day, Fraser, Rich and the two Andys hired out a fishing boat for the day. In total, 17 fish were caught between us, with Fraser catching 6 (the most) and Andy C catching the largest one. A couple of the snappers were cooked on the boat for lunch with us taking away three of them for our evening dinner. We took them to one of the restaurants and had them cooked for us - this was more than enough to feed the seven of us eating fish.
Whilst the majority of us spent a day sun bathing, Rich, Marie and Ben hired out a jeep for the day and explored the island. I think Ben was mortified by Rich and Marie's driving and doubt he will ever get into a vehicle when one of them is driving ever again.
On the 28th December, Jim Howl and Amy arrived at Koh Samui "airport." Jim had checked in at heathrow for his 10am flight only to be told 15 minutes before boarding that he needed a paper ticket rather than an e-ticket. He managed to
Ben enjoying Christmas Eve
The picture speaks for itself. get some new flights with BA and spent the whole day playing drinking games in heathrow with randoms before boarding a direct flight to Bangkok. On the 29th, we all boarded the ferry to Koh Phangan in advance of new year and the full moon.
Ko Pha Ngan
For anyone who is not familiar with Ko Pha Ngan it is one of the major nightlife destinations in Thailand, home to the infamous full moon party. The time spent here is probably best explained by the pictures and also the word messy.
Aside from night time activities there was a lot more beach time and massages, a trip to Ko Tao for some (where apparently the beaches were stunning), a rather poorly organised Snoop Dogg boat tour of the island which was actually pretty fun (visiting a waterfall, another beach and doing some snorkelling), a day of diving for Rich and Andy, a day of trecking for Bence and Rich and a day tour of the island for Rich and Marie. You will notice how Rich was by far the most active despite three nights out that finished after 10.30am. Jim also spent a few days
First attempt at a sandman
This looks more like a woman though but that probably fits in with the number of Ladyboys in Samui. in bed (heatstroke I imagine).
The nights were all pretty similar and very enjoyable. Some very nice meals followed by a bucket or three (30cl Whisky, 1 redbull and 1 coke or other similar concocotions). After bucket o'clock the nights went a similar way dancing on tables on the beach, meeting a lot of randoms, eating kebabs dancing again and then sometimes eating breakfast and dancing again. Both New Year and the full moon were fantastic with the last people from our group arriving home having still been dancing at 11am the next day on both occasions.
There were also a number of other funny nights for instance an intended 'quiet night' that ended at 10.30am. I would say the nightlife here certainly rivals Ibiza. Its stange having to worry about sunburn while still on a night out. We now leave Ko Pha Ngan tomorrow for Bangkok (15-20hrs travelling) to meet up with Frasers mate Al.
I would expect the next Blog update is likely to be towards the end of Vietnam (maybe Ho Chi Minh - in about a months time).
Random email extracts
Email 1: From your email I reckon you
Bens attempt at kissing a Thai girl.
Whilst Rich looks on from his higher vantage point. had a good Christmas Eve. Ours was very funny. Bence was wrecked. Got out of bed at 11am today (Christmas Day) and we walked to a supermarket en masse. Brought a Christmas tree, ice, beer, tinsel, pringles etc etc. Sat on the beach (with christmas tree) for 10 hours with about 10-15 people. Very entertaining. Lots of randoms. Dug a big whole that was filled with ice and beer. Played football, swam, built a sand man and lots of other stuff that you wouldn’t expect to be doing on Christmas day. Off out for Christmas dinner soon for a fish supper (no sprouts).
Email 2: Rich is very tall! Last night he had some girl on his shoulders for half an hour and it looked hilarious. Rich and Marie have had an active / romantic day out today though while everyone else has been sleeping off hangovers on the beach. Jim is still in bed, (6.30pm) as far as I can gather he got out of bed for 10 minutes while the cleaners sorted out our room and then got back in. He hasn't even made it to his resort yet having shared a single bed with Burgin last
Ben and Thai girl take 2
This picture does not need a lot of explaining night due to not being able to make it back to his place.
Other random facts:
Insect still bite
It is possible not to see sunlight for 2 of your first 5 days on a holiday for which your replacement flight (due to missing your first one) cost 1200 GBP.
Sun burns (even in the shade).
Christmas on a beach is fun.
New year on a beach is fun.
A lot of people do not know how to find urinals in bars whilst on the beach.
Luton Town and Arsenal are both doing rubbish
Travelling makes Marie’s leg very mank
Lots of people are still dancing at 11am on new years day.
Andy S and Fraser are a better Kayaking team that Andy C and Rich
Kayaking is tiring
Jim is not the best fire dancer
It is difficult though not impossible to make dancing with fire appear camp
Jim's flights to Ko Samui cost more than the RTW flights and all individual flights purchased so far.
Casualties since the last blog update
1 cap (Andy’s)
1 pair flip flops (Andy’s)
Ben’s white legs
Marie’s non burnt nose
Random Bence
Nightime on the beach in Ko Samui
I'm not sure anyone knows who these randoms are. This was pretty typical of evening beach time. facts
Bence has been sick more times during his holiday than Andy, Fraser and Rich combined.
Bence has not caught up with Burgin yet though in terms of being sick.
Bence had a margarita pizza that was too spicy.
Bence fell off a boat.
Bence is still behind in fantasy football.
Bence burnt his legs in the shade.
Bence likes podium dancing with Thai girls.
Bence will fall asleep on most nights out.
Bence is scared by Rich’s driving.
Bence is scared by Marie’s driving.
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Noush
non-member comment
Happy new year
Happy new year - hope its a good one. Keep having fun.