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Published: December 11th 2006
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Beach
Ko Mak Ez here...
Well here we are back in Bangkok, 3 days before we fly back to Auckland... Decided we'd get near a comp and a proper update with pics on...
Lex is going to cover from leaving Bangkok, up to the islands we visited, I'll cover from there back to now!
Oh and for everyone whose been asking:
We arrive Auckland on the 15th December NZT. We'll then be staying with my grandparents and various extended family for about 2 weeks, and having a North Island Christmas...
Then fly back to ChCh on the 29th December sometime in the afternoon/evening - if u want specifics email us!
We arrived in Koh Mak at about midday on the 30th November...
Basic Koh Mak info:
Population: 500
Size: Cant easily find an accurate km2ed figure, but about 40min slow walk across the average sized bit of the island.
Its a really lovely place - not overly touristy and the Thai people are still (mainly) really friendly and interested in you having not had it beaten out of them by tourism!!
Entire island gifted to someone from the King. Then leased to a few now v wealthy people
who sublease it on to owners of establishments.
Little bungalows are built each season, having to be replaced after monsoon... concrete most permant buildings only used in resorts and last about 10years due to environment etc
We struggled our way in the blistering heat, across the island to a place the lonely planet reccomended... 'Lazy Days'
We got another really basic bungalow - Matress on wooden platform, mosquito net, fan, tiny amount of space beside the bed (about the width of the small doorway)... thats literally it. 200 Baht a night (about 8.50NZD)...
Lazy Days is really what the place provides... idyllic on-the-beach setting, quite good food and interesting companions made the time fly pass and we found we'd spend 6 nights there!
Noteable exceptions from norm (or were they just the norm that made impression...)
People:
Two french girls - quite but lovely (except when it came to the pump not working and having only bucket showers) and French dude kinda with them - v. Pirates of the Caribean looking with the dreads tats and semi-dreamy appearance!
Canadian kinda couple... Ron(30 - deceptivly looked early 20s) and Emily (22), both from Ontario Canada... had
met on Kao San road and been together (take that to mean what u will) ever since... Huge drinkers, synics, and lots of laughs!!
Niels, Sweedish dude - Primary teacher, possibly the most boring man in Thailand... need i say more! - though i could tell the life story!
Nan - lovely guy, Thai runner of Lazy Days, having to close next year when his lease on the land runs out! Made and entire car chassis out of wood!
Andreas/Mellony - Nice German couple we talked to a lot!
Sweedish guy/Spanish girl couple - really nice people...
Events:
Sickness - Yup we both had downers in the form of 'third-world-disease'... possibly the worst poo's of my life... wont go into to much detail here, but think Trainspotting! Only made so much worse but the Eastern-style squat toilets!
Snorkling - We did a really nice snorkling trip out to a few islands... Got in the middle of a huge 'swarm' of fish, saw some cool tropical fish and beautiful seabeds (from pretty colours to brainshaped corals!!)
Close One - We were sitting in the restaraunt having lunch with Emily the Canadian. The oldest
of the two little girls living at Lazy Days (still don't understand family relationships!) came running up from the sea and said something in Thai to the workers. Thai women runs (though in hind sight not as fast as you would think) to the sea - we all lookon wondering whats happening - not much sense of urgency! She then picks the younger girl up from the sea and carries her upside down by the ankles up past where we're all sitting. Other workers run over to her all speaking rapid Thai, one women starts crying, man picks up the kid and puts her on his shoulders and starts running toward motorbike - obviously with intention of taking her somewher for help (by which stage she would most likely be dead!) Sweedish dude, Andreas and I run over to them - get girl on ground, Sweedish dude gives mouth to mouth and pushes down on her sternum - starts breathing and crying within about 10seconds. We slowly return to lunch adrenile pumping and suddenly not hungry!!
We eventually managed to work against the peptual lazyness and drag ourselves away from the crabs, beach and iceblocks... Got a slowboat ferry
back to 'Koh Chang' (400B each)
Koh Chang was spend feeling alive after being sick, playing with baby monkey at the place we stayed (fisherman lodge) - the most adorable/sad creature in the world!! Brought our our maternal instincts... and I almost tried to bring him home with me! Talked to lots of people, and tried to adjust to being back in touristdom and so many people!
But the definate highlight:
Elephant riding... Was an amaazing experience figured we should partake in some of touristy Thailand, and were completely blown away!!! They are such beatiful gentle creatures and wow...
Anyway it was a quick two nights there, back to "Trat' and Lexs Birthday!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEX!! - was v low key and we spend most of it on a bus back to...
Bangkok!
So a little bit of shopping and site seeing and we're back home soon!
Sorry about the haphazard nature of this entry...
In that looking foward to being back home, but sorry to leave type of feeling at the moment!
Lots of Love!
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