South to Krabi

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The windy road out of Pai left us both rather queasy but the scenery was spectacular with mountains covered like carpet with thick jungle and dazzling shafts of sunlight piercing the trees. The old lady next to us didn't stay awake for it and at one point lollopped onto Claire's lap and woke with a shot and a slobbery shriek before giggling hysterically to herself. After dark we stopped at Chang Mai for a dubious bite to eat at a station cafe where we encountered more baffling rudeness from the staff who pretty much refused to serve us and shot us foul looks throughout. Straight back on board another bus only this time bound for the capital we settled into our comfy seats, donned our frilly silk headreads and tried to ignore the blaring Thai film right next to our heads. Content to read books and nibble from the food boxes provided it was still early when the film stopped, all the lights were disabled and everyone duly tucked under their blankets. Now here's a curious thing, imagine you're on an overnight "sleeper" bus which runs between 9.30pm and 6am an which also has an onboard toilet and food and drink provided in cute little boxes. Now imagine that you're woken with a startle at 2.30am when all the lights are put on, the music is revived (Some Thai Gareth Gates or something) in your ear and everyone, yes everyone gets off the bus and dissapears into a drab looking building outside.

Well, you've just imagined your reaction but ours, a bit like a bear with a sore head and with one eye closed was to ask the nearest remaining passenger "Just what the hell is going on here!!". Food was his reply and it was then it struck, of course, this travelling had messed with your routine so much that we had forgotton how long it had been since we woke up in the middle of the night for a buffet dinner!! It was all very bizarre and we returned to sleep with earplugs and odd dreams. Or for about one hour that is until we arrived in Bangkok ahead of schedule as the sun was lighting up a large plume of city smog and geared ourselves up for a day of jobs. Hailing a cab to the Southern Bus terminal, purchasing our onward tickets and leaving our bags we travelled to Pinklao Pier to get a water taxi down river.

After the hustle and hassle of Bangkok's streets the taxi was an absolute delight as it turned out. Climbing over sandbags onto a floating pier a boat arrived in a cacophony of whistles and we jumped aboard in the few seconds between it docking and speeding away again. For just 13 Baht the ride down river past grand buildings churches and Wats was a little piece of tranquility in an otherwise chaotic city and every 500 meters or so the boat would career sideways into the tyres of a floating pier and the conductor would skillfully direct the driver using different calls of his whistle. We arrived at Krueng and waded through floodwater to get to the Main Post Office building to send some gifts and unwanted warm clothing home. The packing service was excellent and feeling considerably lighter we made our way to the nearby skytrain station to monorail our way to the Quantas office at Ploenchit tower. Changing our flights for the fourth and we hoped final time we cheerily returned to the choatic street to find Claire had a huge rip across the rear of her Fishermans trousers! So with most of our important jobs complete we then had to return to my favourite place in the world, the MBK shopping mall to traverse its 6 shambolic levels and find some new trousers for Claire to change straight into.

After a pretty stressful but successful day we returned via the same route of Skytrain and water taxi to save money and arrived back at the Southern bus terminal in time for a quick cold shower before we boarded our coach. Although the legroom was poor the journey was easy and the food stop was this time at a more respectable 11.30pm. It was however no less curious as we were greeted by a podgy lady shouting at us from 4 yards away through what must have been Wembley stadiums new PA system. Back on board we were undisturbed until we arrived in Krabi just as the sun was poking up beneath a wash of orange. Jumping straight into a Sangtheaw (roofed pick up) we travelled the final 40 minutes to Ao Nang and were shocked to find on arrival that the accomodation was 3 times more expensive than in Northern Thailand. Exhausted we settled for KL House at 600B and after 2 solid days of back to back travel we finally dropped our packs and set out for a day on the beach.

Down at Ao Nangs foreshore a longtail chugged us around the incredible bays backed by steep limestone carsts which dropped vertically into the clear Andaman Sea. Staying in the boat past the first stop we arrived at the sumptuous curve of velvety sand at Phra Nang which marked the border between towering cliffs and the most inviting water. The water in fact was warmer than anything we had ever encountered to the point where it was a strange sensation not having to grimace or yelp at the crucial point and when you emerged from the water it didn't fill you with that refreshing feeling. All we wanted to do was to run back in! Spending an amazing day grabbing fruit shakes from Longtails moored on the beach and dashing between beach and the sea to cool off we strolled around the bay which was lined with a creeping plant with bright pink flowers to the only resort on the bay Rayavadee. Unfortunately, it had only been 3 days since our good friends Laura and Martin had left this resort on their honeymoon so it was with intruige and a little sadness that we poked our noses into the exclusive resort. We did hang around until the last longtail back for sunset but it was scuppered by a large cloud which clogged the horizon. Back in Ao Nang we splashed out on an expensive Indian curry albeit at the second attempt. On the first occasion the hounding and cocky waitress was so rude we just got up and left and were chased by the owner who lavishly apologised and offered a discount on the meal. Over the food which was delicious we discussed how dreadful a large proportion of the service we have received in Thailand had been. Whether it is a by product of Tourism or unsavoury tourists but we have found shopkeepers, restaurant staff and Tour agents to be at times, pushy to the point of discouraging custom, cocky to the point of making you refuse to provide them with money and at times completely uninterested in whether you spend money with them or not. On many occasions we have walked into a place and after about a minute of watching them take no interest in anything other than a TV or their mobile phone before leaving bemused to take our business elsewhere.

The following day we were picked up at 8.30 in a pick up and launched through the striking landscape for 30 minutes until we arrived at the shore of the water at Ao Thalane. Although rather unenticingly named Bay of Mud the area was by some distance better than its name would suggest and after waiting for around an hour for 50 other people to turn up we grabbed an oar and plonked ourselves into a tandem kayak and set off along the mouth of a wide sparkling sea inlet. Crossing a narrow sand bar to the shade of the cliffs we were shown a cave used as burial grounds by Sea Gypsies and at the second of these caves our guide even picked up the bones and waved them about as if to prove it! Under craggy overhangs and limestone stalagtites which were smashed by the Tsunami at a height of 6 metres we entered an inlet where Mangrove trees protruded on stilt roots from the water. Our guide showed us how the flowers grow to a long dangling spike so that when it is ready, it drops at low tide and spears vertically in the mud to create a new tree. Paddling on we entered a towering crack between two tall cliff walls and into a beautiful shady canyon where monkeys clambered along the cliff walls and the cool natural corridor led us into a forest of mangroves. After a short forray into the forest we retraced our route back out and on the way back stopped at another cave where a wooden construction had been erected for the Kings daughters some years back but all that remains today is a crude timber frame after the tsunami ripped into the beautiful bay. At the cave 30 or so long tailed Mackaks bounded around eagerly awaiting and snatching cut fruit which was passed to us. Also in the cave the surprising sight of a large monitor lizard which crept from the shadows and swished its tail in anger at our presence.

After a fairly tiring paddle back to Thalane we returned after a great day out to Ao Nang to do some shopping and to eat with a totally different package tourist crowd at Pizza Napoli a packed restaurant with a wide ranging menu before Claire retired to bed and I stayed up to watch Manchester United v Chelsea on the telly. Now well and truly settled in Thailands land of Islands and beaches we left the following morning bound for Ko Phi Phi...

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Photos

Flouncy Headrests
As worn by Miss Rozario

Bangkok workers
Typically like most people in the country wearing their Yellow T-shirts given to every citizen by the King.

Paddling in the Canyon
Ao Thalane, Krabi

Paddling in the Mangroves
Ao Thalane, Krabi

Do you mind?
I'm eating

Phra Nang
Stunning beach setting