http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Lesley-Jones/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Lesley Jones en-us Sat, 26 Dec 2009 05:19:49 +0000 Sat, 26 Dec 2009 05:19:49 +0000 For the past few days now itrsquos been overcast but today it has just not stopped raining well it is the rainy season here in Koh Samui. When we first came here in November it was ok because it would rain really hard then the sun would come out and it could do that up to 4 times a day but at least there would be some quality sun in between.It would seem that is not the case in December as the http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Ko-Samui/blog-124524.html Today it was overcast again for the third day running so we decided to go out for the day on the moped. We passed a snake farm and it had just started to rain a bit so we went inside. It cost 300B each but we thought we would give it a whirl. We watched an hour long show with cobras and scorpions. The brave show men or crazy depending on how you view it put scorpions on their face in their mout http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Ko-Samui/blog-124531.html Well this was a night like no other and unlikely to ever be repeated. We first went out for an Indian meal at our usual restaurant and then we went for a few cocktails to get things started. We left the bar at a quarter to twelve to go to the fusion club but we did not actually make it because of all the fire works going off in the street. The Thais go mental it would seem and the sky was a light http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Ko-Samui/blog-124258.html We had to move hotels at New Year because our hotel was full. So we picked a mountain hide away and it was beautiful. We loved it here it was so peaceful the pool was amazing and we had a great view over Lami town. The grounds were something else and teaming with wildlife there were benches everywhere so you could just sit and take it all in. We liked it that much here we stayed another day. http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Ko-Samui/blog-123912.html Today we hit the beach and a very pleasant day it was too. We sunbathed all day and just sat and watched the waves crash on the sand. The beach is a short moped ride away just near the famous Grandfather Rock. Its called grandfather and grandmother rocks because they have an uncanny resemblance to the female and male genitalia consequently there is always a group of giggling tourists huddled arou http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Ko-Samui/blog-123904.html Merry Christmas every one We have had a quiet day really and not in the least bit Christmassy. We spent the morning opening our Christmas cards and then we went to the Winston Church Hill for a Xmas day fry up then we spent the day doing our blog in an internet cafe.We had our Christmas dinner at Harry's bar it was ok but no where near as good as my mumrsquos... then we went out for a cocktail http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Ko-Samui/blog-123901.html Koh Lanta is a small island in the Andaman Sea and we stayed here for one week in total because the place was pretty booked up with it being Christmas. We ended up staying in a hotel right on Klong Dao beach which meant it was really nice at breakfast time sitting there having your breakfast listening to the sound of the waves crashing on the sand. We took plenty of walks here too because the bea http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Ko-Lanta/blog-123891.html This is going to be a brief entry as we did not spend much time in Vientiane. We first traveled on Laos airlines in a really small plane with a propeller from Luang Prabang to Vientiane. We arrived about lunch time checked in to our hotel and had a shower and a rest then we went out for the best Indian meal of the trip so far it was absolutely outstanding.We then strolled down the Mekong and went http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Laos/West/Vientiane/blog-123889.html Luang Prabang is a lovely place really laid back and the people are really chilled. Itrsquos certainly my most favorite place so far. The town has numerous restaurants and the night markets are really spectacular. It makes me laugh when you buy something off one of the stalls they always shake the money over the stall and say lucky lucky and smile. They believe that it will bring them more mon http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Laos/West/Luang-Prabang/blog-123885.html We needed to make our minds up on how we were going to travel to Laos so after several trips to the travel agents we decided to book a deluxe one day river cruise down the Mekong. We were under the impression that we would have to do a two day cruise and stop over on the way at a place called Pak Ben. But this company that we booked with was offering a one day cruise with no stops. We were please http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Laos/West/Ban-Houayxay/blog-121486.html More pictures http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/North-West-Thailand/Chiang-Mai/blog-121500.html We decided to go out for the day and Joy who works in the antique shop next to my work had given me the number of a taxi driver and friend Mr. Chai who she knows in Thailand .So I gave him a call to see if he would take us on a trip.Over the phone I could not communicate to him properly that I was a friend of Joy Mike from England and that was why I was calling because he had been recommend http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/North-West-Thailand/Chiang-Mai/blog-121489.html The streets stalls of the infamous night bazaar sell everything from croaking wooden frogs to watches cushions sunglasses fairylights Von Dutch and Stussy Tshirts to name but a few. The market stands seem to go on forever every night you could do a different stall and still not see everything. We were there nine days and I donrsquot think we managed to get through the majority of them. W http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/North-West-Thailand/Chiang-Mai/blog-117019.html We arrived at the airport and when we boarded the plane it was packed with Thai tourists as predicted. After landing we got a taxi into town for 120 Baht which we thought was quite reasonable itrsquos a standard price set by the airport so nobody was trying to rip us off and that was a refreshing change.My first impressions of Chiang Mai are itrsquos a nice city with lots of greenery and a n http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/North-West-Thailand/Chiang-Mai/blog-112649.html Not something I would normally watch because I donrsquot like violence and I always turn this sort of thing off if itrsquos on the telly but I decided to give it a go and found it to be rather entertaining. In the middle of all the girly bars in Koh Samui is a big boxing ring quite a good place for it I thought thinking it would be a male dominated thing however to my surprise it was lady http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Ko-Samui/blog-112629.html We had a mad night out in koh Samui and it first started off in burghaus bar in central Lamai where the music was banging techhouse. We had a few beers to get us in the mood followed by a blue lagoon cocktail the only problem with this bar was it was empty blinding music but empty. So we decided to walk back to our hotel assuming that this is as lively as koh Samui gets. On the way back we passe http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Ko-Samui/blog-112646.html Four dragons two on each side of the steps accompany you to the openings of the Khunaram Temple. The door ways to the temple of initiation are beautifully decorated with intrinsic details and are made open and available for everyone to come and experience the ritual paraphernalia and god images of their deities. Loung Pordaeng is Samui's most famous mummified monk and his body is on display in t http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Ko-Samui/blog-111488.html Perhaps one of the most famous landmarks on Koh Samui is the Big Buddha. It is situated on a tiny island that can be reached by driving across a short jetty. The 12 metres high imposing Golden Buddha is place at the top of a mountain of 73 steps and the outstanding view behind it overlooks Maenam Beach and Koh Phangan. Here on display hidden in plain sight for all to see is the secret fire of the http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Ko-Samui/blog-105347.html We hired a car for one day it cost us 1000 Baht for a Honda City. Mark enjoyed driving it because it was an automatic really smooth like a hover craft. We hired the car at 3pm when it was a bit cooler and drove all around the island first taking photos. Then the next day we got up early and visited the highlights of Samui and had the car back for 6pm paying just a bit extra for the last 3 hours http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Ko-Samui/blog-111521.html My first thoughts of Koh Samui are itrsquos a bit tacky full of sleazy girly pick up bars but you get use to it after a few hours. Actually I think Mark is in his element. He gets a lot of attention from the Thai girls who try to lure him in. Every restaurant we eat in there is always loads of European men taking Thai girls out its bizarre. Good if yoursquore a single male of any age shape http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Ko-Samui/blog-106062.html