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Published: January 4th 2008
Happy New Year everyone...!
Well this is the first time i've managed to get to a cafe to blog cause, as you can imagine, there has been loads going on the last week. On top of that, there was a really great bunch of people here for Christmas and New Year so not gonna waste too much time on the internet...just means that i have a big blog to do now but hey...the suns not shining today so no point going the beach and everyone has moved on now so it has all worked out well. I have time to write it, i just hope you all have time to read it...??!! I'll condense a few bits down though or i really will be here all day...
Friday 28th December
I spent the day with Ash, Jane and Lee-ann. We started with a wander around Phaeng Waterfall, went up to the viewpoint, got ourselves all out of breath walking up there, it's not a hard walk but was bloomin hot, had a rest then wandered back down! I really should do this walk more often as i must admit, the pounds are pilling back on now i'm not out
walking with Sue G every week...
The girls wanted to go see the elephants as was thinking about doing an elephant ride. Now i know i have done one in Chang Mai, as well as last year in Nepal, so don't want to sound like a hypocrite...but i have since learnt about the terrible treatment some of the elephants go through in some of the trekking places. You only have to took at some of them to know that they are not happy - i have been told that if an elephant is swaying it is a sign of stress and unfortunately when we got to Phangan Safari the elephant was doing just that. There was a very young elephant chained up so tight he couldn't move, who was then made to perform tricks once the girls had gave him some bananas....Why would an animal as big as this want to stand on it's 2 front legs for fun...can you imagine being made to do that with all that weight..?? It's just wrong. Yes i know they are not needed in the jungle now as machines have taken over, and if the elephants were treated well, are not made to
perform tricks, and are not chained up so tight that they cannot move, then yes, go visit them but please don't give money to the places that don't look after these beautiful animals. Moan over.
As the sun was shining and Jane and Lee-ann have only been at Coco beach, we made the most of them having their bikes and headed up to Malibu Beach...up north of the island near Chaloklum. It's a really lovely little beach with cute little round trees on it. Spent the afternoon there chatting and reading and cooling off in the sea. Lovely day.
Our French neighbour has now opened his restaurant next to our house so we suggested eating there. Me, Stel, Simon, Tom, Jane, Lee-ann and John all went over for dinner. Frank was in his element taking our orders, bringing out complimentary bread then garlic bread...best i've had so far though breath stank the next day! I had a chicken and pineapple salad that was actually served inside the half pineapple...looked great, tasted great, and saved on washing up..!
After this we of course headed back to Coco. We had a great night as Tom had brought his i-pod over so we
all kind of took control of the music - well it is OUR bar you know! and apart from us there was just a couple of Aussies so no competition. We had a few shots - sambuca for me as can't stand Tequila - got a bit pissed and had a sing song. We all belted out a few Oasis songs amongst a few others then the power went..! I think somebody pulled the plug! Then one of the Aussie guys decided to start singing. Now don't get me wrong, he had a lovely voice and his mate was doing harmonies, but it was just so 'boy-band' it was a bit cringeworthy! The first song we did all listen but i'm sorry to say during the second we had to start ourselves off again! A great night had by all i think...went home about 3.30am...
Saturday 29th December
After feeding the troops at the clinic we headed to Coco to meet some of the gang at 11am...planned another day at the beach. Me, Stel, Ash, Simon, Jane and Lee-ann. Lee-ann was still a little pissed from last night so i took Jane on the back of my bike
and Simon drove Lee-ann - though as the girls bike was pink Sy was little embarrassed to drive it so let him drive my blue one..! We first went to Haad Yao beach but the tide was right in and not much beach left so headed on to Malibu. We had another lovely day chatting and chilling- and later Emma, Dan and John joined us too.
On the way home i took Simon on my bike. As there was so many of us i didn't feel the need to hang back to watch out for the girls so me and Simon blasted our way home. The roads are much better on this stretch as no pot holes so really gave it some welly! I even overtook 3 lads who were just trundling up a big hill - silly arses!
We had decided to drive out to Peppercorn for a steak later as has good reputation for food - unfortunately by the time we got there it was full and as there was 11 of us there really was no room...that wouldn't have been too bad as we would have waited and had a drink till a table was free, half
the group left to go back to Coco and so 6 of us stayed but the woman there was a bit rude and when Jane asked for a drink she just said "i'll serve you when i have time"....then the waiter was sent over to say they wouldn't be able to serve us any food..!! Oh well...won't be going back there then... So we all went back to Coco. There was a 'Jungle Experience' party on tonight and i wanted to go as not been one on before but have visa run tomorrow so had to say no.
Sunday 30th December - visa run
Up at 3.20am..!!!! At the pier for 4am even though ferry not ill 5am...just doing what the lady told us. The ferry to Domsak took 2.5 hours so managed to snooze a bit. We had arranged for a taxi driver to meet us - the name on his card is Bing but we hear his nickname is Schumacher! It took him nearly 4 hours to drive us to the border at Malaysia and from watching his speedo the most he went was 140km so wasn't too bad. Though he did get stopped and fined
200 baht for speeding as the limit is 120km...! It was busy at the border as Thai holiday so big market going on. It's a bit of a ball ache this visa lark - have to cross Thai border and fill out a 'departure card' then walk across the border to the Malaysia office and fill out an 'arrival card'..walk around to the other side of the office and fill out another 'departure card' for leaving Malaysia...walk back to the Thai office and fill out another 'arrival card'...Luckily didn't take too long as nobody else in queue so not too bad though they can't add up and have stamped our visas to leave 27th Feb when should have been 28th which means we have lost a day in Thailand...tried to tell the man but he just grunted at me!
We headed back to taxi, stopped for some food on the way back, then straight back to Domsak ready for 6pm ferry...which of course was late and didn't actually leave till gone 7pm. Got back to Koh Phangan just after 10pm. Popped into Coco but seems the others have all opted for an early night as nobody there. I had a
text from sister the next day saying a bomb had gone off at the Thai/Malaysia border injuring 27 people...flippin eck...glad we missed that..!
Monday 31st December - New Years Eve - Haad Rin
Work at 9am...steady flow of animals, couple more parvo dogs. Melba was brought back and looks really skinny so she was kept in on a drip for the day. Managed to close at 3pm...yeeeaaaay! Had a drink at Coco before heading home.
The gang all got to Coco between 7pm - 8pm. There was a great atmosphere and me and Stel brought a bottle of bubbly which we wrapped up as a pressie for Simon as he was so keen to find some, turns out he had brought 2 bottles anyway - the more the merrier eh? Finally got in taxi around 10.30pm to go to Haad Rin. We ended up in the back of a pick up truck which was a bit scary on them hills as the sides of the truck weren't very high! As we got out of the taxi the bag with the 3 bottles of bubbly in broke...aarrgghh...luckily 1 of them survived though Simon was really mad about it...bless him,
went and brought another bottle at first shop we passed! As we got to the beach the place was heaving! To make it worse the tide was in so not as much beach as usual either. I suggested we all hold hands and make a chain till we got to the place we would be to see the new year in - sound silly i know but it was just so busy and so easy to lose people. Me, Stel, Simon and Tom managed to stick together but lost everyone else within a minute! Oh well....at least we had one bottle of bubbly, Simon had his big fat cigar from Cuba and the 4 of us saw the New Year in together. There was fireworks going off all over the place - it was brilliant! After a while we managed to walk back and find some of the others, only to get a text from Avril saying she was there too so we went off to find her. I got a bit sick of walking up and down the beach - there's only so much i can take of pushing my way past people, then seeing people 'dry-humping' each other
on the quieter parts of the beach! and it was still early..! I wandered back to the drum and base bit and found Simon, Tom and Emma, even saw Belinda for a fleeting moment but i walked on with Roj and her friend as this music is far too fast for me to dance my old legs to!
All in all i had a great night. Me and Stel ended up bumping back into Simon and Tom and danced around a bit at the Reggae bar, then me and Simon went up Mellow Mountain looking for Emma. We had only been up there a couple of minutes when the power went - just so happens there was a man dressed as a red Indian dancing around....must have been doing a rain dance! Got talking to a couple there and the lad was from Coleshill...small world eh? (Didn't know him as he was bit younger than me)
Finally rain eased off so went back to beach. Tom had disappeared and text Stel to say going for taxi. We had hoped to break Christmas Eve's record and stay till 8am but cold and tired now...have to try again at next Full Moon...
got home just before 7am.....after going to 7-11 shop to get supplies we bumped into Tom getting out of taxi so all went back to ours for cuppa.
TUESDAY JANUARY 1ST...2008...!
It was my day at work but luckily the clinic closed as New Years Day! Avril kindly offered to do the morning feed (she wasn't out getting drunk as her parents have just arrived) This was great as it was gone 8am when i went to bed! Can't remember what time i got up but i know we went to Coco for lunch then me, Stel, John and Belinda went over to Franks place, bagged ourselves a couple of sofa's and watched a DVD. Spent the rest of day there, finally went and fed the dogs at 6.30pm then off to Coco for dinner. It's the last night for most of the gang - Simon, Tom, Lee-ann, Jane and Emma...all of them are leaving in the morning :-(
I stayed up as late as i could, about 11.30pm i think - lads and Emma, if you read this, i'm sorry i couldn't make it any later! I'm sure you had a great last night anyway, miss you
Simon, Belinda and me
New Year warm up at Cocoguys!
Wednesday 2nd January
Lee-ann and Jane leave at 11.30am today so made sure i was at Coco to say goodbye (the lads and Emma left about 7.30am...no chance of me being up then...) A few people have come and gone since we have been here but really gonna miss this little gang, had some good fun together.
Anyway, weather not so good so went back to the sofa's at Franks place and watched couple more DVD's! Needed a change of scenery on the evening as REALLY QUIET at Coco...nobody there! So we went off to Jumunjy - a really cool bar that has just opened. I've tried to take photos but just don't do it any justice so you'll just have to take my word for it. Though i do have a photo of the very creative chairs and table made from beer bottles!It has a jaccuzi in the corner! lots of little nooks and crannies to go sit it and seating upstairs, some of which is out in the open. For the lads there is even a playstation upstairs with sofa's to sit on! Oh and don't forget the pool table, and the lovely little water
me, Belinda and Stel
they're looking all sexy cause they've had their hair done! features that run through the place.
There was a DJ playing lots of great funky house music that even Stel was bopping along to!
Thursday 3rd January
Met Belinda and John at 10am to go for brekkie and Vantana - Ash assured us they do the best sausage and egg sandwiches on doorstep bread...and i'm happy to say she wasn't wrong! Never again will i go to A's for a sandwich! The weather was a bit crap today so ended up spending all day at Coco - drinking tea and reading my book! Still, better than being all wrapped up in my winter coat, slipping over in the snow at home..!!
Belinda made a really radical suggestion for this evening...that we WALK into town for dinner! I must admit me and Stel have got VERY LAZY since we have been here. I mean, for the first 2 weeks we walked everywhere but now...where i go my bike goes! We did however go with this crazy idea and quite enjoyed the change, especially as we are all moaning about how bloated we all feel from too much food and no exercise! We ended up at Green Planet for pizza
Simon and me
sorry Tom - didn't mean to cut you out...honestly! then drink at Jumanjy...but gonna take advantage of there being a lack of other tourists around and have another early night as still bit tired - though it was 11.30pm by the time we got back so not too early. Don't want you all thinking we've become proper lightweights or anything!
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Gemma Jones
non-member comment
Happy New Year
Happy new year to you both looks like your both having a fantastic time very jealous, really enjoying reading about your adventures, speak soon have fun x