Thailand...the return! (Some gross pics - plenty more if you want to see but I couldn't face putting any more up!)

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Hey again. A little behind with the blogs now so you'll get a few in a row once I get them sorted! I've posted my journal of SE Asia home now too so am relying on my memory alone!

So, after Vietnam, we flew back to Bangkok. In honesty, we were really glad to get a bit more westernised again for a while! Stayed in Siam Square area this time but did make a little trip to the Khao San Road for just one last time! Couldn't afford to shop in the designer malls all round there but we enjoyed the air-con and the gorgeousness of a Subway (or 3!). Yummmmmmmmy!

Headed down to Pra Chuap (sp.?!) on the east coast. It was a really nice little place and there are wild monkeys there so we went and weatched them playing for quite a while. Ate at the food market but didn't do a great deal more there. Caught the train down to Chumporn and then a night boat (we think this was legal!) across to the island of Koh Tao. Koh Tao was cool though Dave said it had got more touristy since he was there last. We stayed a night here which was long enough as I the weather wasn't brilliant for diving so I gave it a miss - may do it elsewhere, may not. Caught the boat down to Koh Samui which was beautiful but definitely geared up for tourists (probably partly to do with the mention in Meet The Parents) and so we found things to be fairly expensive. Anyhoo, twas nice!!

Next, we caught the boat back to the mainland and stayed the night in Surat Thani - really not much to report about this place, we only used it as a stopover. Next day we got a bus to Phuket. An Israeli guy on the bus told us that the Vegetarian festival was on at the moment so we were lucky (?!! - see the pictures!) to catch it. Had read about it but didn't realise it was on. Also on the bus was a lovely Czech girl called Zdeni who we travelled with for the next couple of days. We stayed in Phuket town as this is where the festival paraded through in the morning. The afternoon we arrived though, we headed, by bus, to Patong beach. It was really lovely here too but packed full of westerners!! Gorgeous weather too.

Next day, we got up for brekkie and sat outside our guesthouse to watch the festival come through. Basically, men and boys skewer themselves with metal objects, and other other things (small bushes etc!), as part of this strange process. They parade through in a kind of trance with others around them. That's all I shall say about it - you'll get the just from the pics - or google it to find out more. After seeing about 5 I felt a bit queasy and soon after I passed out. I'm not good (though improving!) with needles going into my body, so seeing some of this stuff was just hideous! Dave loved it and therefore the fairly gruesome pics are courtesy of him!!

From here, we headed to the small island of Koh Phi Phi, by boat. It was one of the worst hit places when the tsunami hit. Dave said it had changed a lot since he was there (which was about a year after the tsunami). We had a swim in the water and then went out for tea and checking out the bustling streets. The next day, we got a 3 person kayak and headed out into the bay. We found Monkey Beach, which we believe is in The Beach film...? Anyhoo, we were the only ones there and it was awesome!! A couple of tour boats arrived a few minutes later but we were chuffed to have seen it with just us three! We said goodbye to Zdeni and caught another boat this time to Krabi town. Didn't have time to go to Ao Nang or Railay beaches in Krabi which are supposed to be ace. We went to the town because it was closer to the airport and we had a flight early the next day to Kuala Lumpur.

So...that was a fairly short one...enjoy/turn away from (delete as appropriate) the pics!

xXx

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Comments

[Thommo]

Love it!
Sutton..love the pics...so lucky you got to see all those random dudes with shit coming out and through their faces and mouths..?! Quality. When i was in patong...it was messy..good night out... Hope your enjoying Australia...miss the place... ..Take care..peace and love to you and dave xx

[Helen Grogutt]

Gross or wot!!!!
Hi Laura - great to get an update. I'm with you on the hideous photos!!! Won't be showing those mutilated faces to the kiddiewinks at school!!