Thailand Islands

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So after we left Pai and went to Chiang Mai again I got food poisioned! Awful experience. The following day we had to get an overnight train journey lasting 16 hours-and all the sleeper cabins were booked so we were sitting! I thought maybe I was going to die. I didn’t drink nearly any water as I was afraid if I went into the toilets I would involuntarily throw up-and I didn’t want to throw up in those toilets! So arrived in Bangkok airport severely dehydrated-then had to get on a plane to Krabi. Stayed one night in Krabi then got the bus/boat to Samui. Samui is beautiful but nowhere as good as the other islands I’ve been to. This may be due to the fact that I was still getting sick or the fact it was monsoon season and rained nearly the whole time! We had a really nice hotel for next to nothing and it was showing great movies so it wasn’t a bad place to recoup! Due to it being the rainey season however we cut our stay short and headed back to the other coast to Phuket. At this point I was starting to feel better. The sun was shining and it was full moon party time so we got a taxi from Phuket town to Patong Beach. Well I say taxi- 2 random Thai men, we were on the back of their motorbikes. I honestly thought at least one of us wasn’t going to make the journey! Was leaning more towards that being me when going around crazy dangerous bends very fast, my man decided to take a call on his mobile! I think from our recount of it after though Gillian probably had the closer shave with death! We arrived in crazy Bangla road with music pumping from everywhere, markets set up, ladyboys in every direction and just general madness.. It was great! Ended up having dinner in an Irish bar and a great night followed.



We headed to Singapore for a few days and arrived back to Phuket town and moved to Patong the next day where we got a great apartment for roughly €15 a day! From Patong we booked our trip to the Similan Islands. We got a great deal on the trip so happy days! The Similan Islands were breathtakingly beautiful. We went to 4 out of the 9 Islands, snorkelling off two of them and going from the beaches in two national parks. I talked with our guide who had trained in Koh Tao and he maintains the Similans are even better! I had been really disappointed that I missed out in Koh Tao as I was sick and it was monsoon season so was delighted with the Similan Islands. Got completely lost int the world under the sea, it was amazing! The amount of different fish I saw, hundreds..probably thousands! We saw Dolphins and Sea turtles. I found one green, purple and yellow fish that was pretty big and decided to follow him to see where I’d end up! I ended up nearly missing lunch! I seen Gillian waving at me from the beach and waved back. Then I realised it was an angry wave. I reached the beach and realised that everyone had gone for lunch ages ago! We were alright though, we got fed. The Similan Islands are probably the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen (apart from Donegal of course!)

After this we chilled in Patong, ended up going out on Bangla road and had to chill by the pool for a couple of days! Then we booked our trip to 'The Beach'! Koh Phi Phi Islands..
Again we got the tour for far cheaper than advertised-without trying. I don't know why that is..
So we headed to Khai Island first which was quite beautiful and a nice place to chill out. The water around these Islands is an amazing colour.. Then it was off to Phi Phi Don to monkey beach.. The boat stays a bit away from the actually beach but you can jump out and swim/wade over.. We were told the monkies are bad.. 'They bite u, u go to hospital, we no pay, u pay hospital'! I did have to venture over for one picture tho..and they didn't seem that bad until we were ready to go and they started to fight and screech at each other.. They r still cute though! Then it was back into the boat and away for some snorkelling at Sam Had. After this we went to Phi Phi Don for lunch with a view and some time on the beach..

Next on the list was Phi Phi Lay.. we went to viking cave where there are drawings inside dating back to the vikings. You can't go inside because there is an endangered species of bird living there! Pileh Lagoon was one of the most beautiful places I've seen.. It actually rendered everyone in the boat speechless..the peace and quiet was nice! The colours of the water and the surroundings were unreal!.

The trip was finished at Maya Bay-made famous for the film'The Beach' and it didn't disappoint although Phi Phi Islands seem a bit too touristy (hypocritical I know lol).

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