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Published: November 18th 2008
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Heffalumps
Chloe and Jean riding getting a taxi through the rainforest I was so lucky to be able to fly out to Thailand for half term to spend just over a week with Chloe and Don and Ecto, Wilson and Davey (who?), but it was a big responsibility choosing where to go from Bangkok. Feeling a bit of a craving for some sun and sea, I decided we should head down south and after talking to my Thai friend at home, plumped for Krabi. I began to have serious doubts when we were dumped off the overnight bus at first light, bleary-eyed and freezing from over-active air-con, to find ourselves at a little café in the middle of nowhere. General grumpiness increased when we realised a thief had been lurking in the luggage hold and had gone through every bag. Fortunately it seemed he was only been looking for passports and money, so nothing was taken, but the birthday card I was carrying for Chloe from her Grandma had been ripped open! Cheek! Things didn’t improve with the expensive taxi ride into Surathani town and the locals asking, "Why are you going to Krabi?” But, eventually, after another bus and taxi, we made it to Ao Nang - and it was lovely
Feeding time
Chloe being brave and feeding the elephant - Phew! After a quick scout round, we found the cheapest hotels in town behind the Irish Rover pub.
The beach is beautiful, lined with palm trees and some other trees that are better at providing shade without the risk of a coconut on the head. Long-tailed boats, decorated with coloured ribbons, bob in the waves boats just off shore. Tropical islands dot the horizon. It is the dog’s bollocks - and in fact there are quite a few dogs with very big bollocks frolicking in the sand or lying flat out, fast asleep across the middle of the pavement.
We caught a bit of monsoon rain, but put it to good use by going for an afternoon elephant ride. I was worried about the ethics, but it was all very easy-going. Chloe and I rode an elephant called Pynan who was 44 years old. He was so laid back as he plodded through the steamy forest, following his own footsteps that had filled up with rain-water and stopping to hug every tree with his trunk. It was a great feeling to be allowed to sit on his neck, behind his big pink ears and lean over to
The Family
Jean, Chloe and Rory enjoying some family time over some delicious cocktails stroke his nobbly head and big bony forehead. I felt like Mowgli when we waded through the river.
A smiley boatman from the boatmen’s Co-operative took us out across the sea to an island paradise where a monitor lizard flicked its tongue at me on the beach and a lonely goose wandered up to everyone in turn, looking lost. I think it was a person who had been turned into a goose. The sea grew quite rough on the way back and by the time we reached the shore, it was tossing us about quite a lot. Even the smiley boatman, nimbly scuttling along the wooden edge of the boat, ended up overboard. He lobbed his anchor in about 25 yards from the beach and we had had to jump for it into the waves, clutching our bags over our heads.
All of us, except Davey (where was he?), went on a little kayaking expedition, paddling up creeks, through mangroves between high limestone cliffs covered with trees. Kingfishers flitted about and jungly bird noises echoed around the gorge. We stopped at a small cave and fed little macaques with slices of pineapple and melon. They looked right into
Monkey Butler
Don feeding the monkey in the hope he can train it to feed him one day our eyes, seeming almost grateful, then pelted us from above with the skin when they'd finished. One cheeky monkey swam across the creek and climbed onto the kayaks and stuffed itself so much, I thought it would never make it back to the rocks.
I miss the warm evenings choosing where and what to eat - “hall I have noodles or rice, or noodles, or rice, or noodles?” - and trying different cocktails. But be warned - don’t supplement your cocktails with too much cheap Sang Som rum from the 7/11 or your Sex on the Beach could end up as Sick on the Beach.
Rory and I are back at work in England now, but happy to have shared a little part of Chloe and Don’s travels and to have met their lovely friends. We celebrated our reunion and said goodbye to Ao Nang by lighting a paper lantern on the beach and watching it float up and away towards the new moon.
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