God's giant super soaker

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Hi, folks.

Our last day in Koh Tao was spent on a day long snorkelling trip around the island. Some would say that we were tempting fate swimming with sharks on Friday the 13th but the real shock came once we'd arrived back at Maehad pier (the black tipped reef sharks were really cool by the way).
For those that aren't aware the Thais have a festival in March / April called Songkran (roughly speaking Thai new year) where everyone chucks copious amounts of water over the unsuspecting. We knew that we were in trouble when the pickup truck taxi driver (you sit on seats in the back) would insist on periodically honking his horn and slowing down so that the locals could deposit huge containers of water over us (well Linz really, I got to sit in the cab!). On arriving back at Sairee it became clear that all the tourists had well and truly got into the mood by comsuming massive amounts of alcohol and each carrying their watery weapon of choice (super soakers must have been invented for this festival).
It was at this point that the big guy upstairs decided to get in on the fun and proceeded to dump a massive tropical storm on the island, drenching all who dared to leave the comfort of their beach hut.
The day after Songkran we headed to Haad Rin on Koh Phangan for a couple of days of rediculous heat and sunburn. During our stay there we headed to a heavily advertised Black Moon Party (like the Full Moon party except not as big and held during the new moon). It was pants and vastly over priced. Masses of disgruntled people left after an hour or so of arriving (us included) to hang out on and watch yet more amazing fire jugglers on Haad Rin sunrise beach, or Koh Tel Aviv as it could be renamed during our stay due to the massive number of Israelis there (post military service apparently).
Having properly cooked ourselves on the beach, the following day, we headed on the horrendous sleeper boat back to the mainland. The Thais seem to have calculated that the maximum width of a person must be about 20 cm and therefor if each 'berth' on said boat is 30 cm apart then everyone will be comfortable. The actual result is a night with some stranger sleeping (litterally) on top of you (some old German bloke in my case and some Israeli in Linz's). Note also the lack of air con or sufficient fans so the affore mentioned stranger is also going to be quite sweaty (mmm, nice!). The Israelis also have a habbit of adjusting the volume of the their speach to just below ear drum splitting levels when conversing with each other in polite conversation (I'd hate to hear an argument, it would probably be the last thing I ever hear!), which is nice when you're stuck between two groups of them at midnight on a sweaty boat trying to kip with a German bloke's arm across your crotch!
After a sleepless night we arrived for our bus trip to Ranong on the Thai / Myanmar border where I shall blog next time.

Take care all,

Linz and Bri

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