Ko Tao

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So was very sad to leave chiang mai. Had one last night at the reggae bar. The people that ran the guesthouse bought us drinks and came out with us, it was really sweet.

Then had another night train back to bangkok and had one last day on the khaosan road before i got picked up by overnight coach to head south. The coach was interesting. It broke down at one point and other coach drivers pulled over to help but just laughed really loudly at whatever the problem was. Can't have been good. Anyway they managed to fix it and we drove on with the engine sounding more and more unhappy as we went. At 3am five of us were told to get off and were left at a random roadside cafe to wait for the next bus. The people that worked there told us that the bus would leave at 4. We waited, really tired and confused and then when the 'bus' did leave in turned out to be the cafe owner in his truck so he cuold have left at any time as we were the only ones he was taking. Was really strange and being all sleep deprived we were finding it all hysterical. Got to the ferry and had a couple of hours to wait til it left at 7am.

It was a really nice ferry ride to ko tao, as the sun was rising. And was so happy to have a shower and have a bed to sleep in after a night on a coach and a night on a train.

Ko tao is lovely, i'm staying right on the beach and it's really chilled out, lots of hammocks on the beach and lazy beachbars. About 15 of us from the diving school went out last night for dinner and drinks, which turned into quite a late one. The bar we went to first gave us little doggy bags to carry our beer in while we were walking down the street.

I keep bumping into people from my guesthouse in chiang mai. It's really odd. I guess everyone goes to the same areas but it's still strange to walk down a street somewhere you've just arrived and bump into someone you recognise.

Tried my hand at diving but really couldn't get used to breathing underwater, it felt really unnatural. Was quite disapointed as i was looking forward to it but got a refund and have been lying sunbathing on the boat while everyone else dives. Think i might try it again at some point but at a slower paced course.

My room is really nice with a view of the beach. I wondered when i arrived why there is a broom in my bedroom but i found out that it's for a fun game called chase the giant gecko out of your room. Was chilling out the other day on the balcony with my book and this huge one snuck in. I cased him round the room about 5 times, shrieking every time he moved and him just thinking it was funny. He was going really slowly around the room until he got near the door and then he'd run really fast past it so i had no chance of ushering him out. He was right up on the ceiling so i hope noone went past to see me sweep the ceiling and scream a lot. I hate the thought of them falling on my head and i think he knew it, he was just hanging there looking all triumphant.

I left him to it in the end and went for dinner and when i came back and was brave froma couple of beers i managed to sweep him out. Was very proud of myself because at one point i was going to go looking for a man who might be able to get him out but i manged it myself. Has been the biggest hurdle of my trip so far. Will update soon.

x x x

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