Here, There and Everywhere, Part 2

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After a very hot bus trip from Siem Reap, over the Thai border I headed to an island in the Gulf of Thailand called Koh Chang. It is a stunning island with beautiful white sand beaches and clear blue and turquois waters. I arrived at around 10pm so checked into a bungalow and got myself some food and a refreshing large Chang before heading to bed. The next day I rented a motorbike and heading up and down the steep and winding roads of the island to see what was around before heading to the beach. Met 3 guys from Ghana who were living in Bangkok, working on a rap album, I fit right in!! Had a kick about on the beach with them and then headed out later on for a few drinks. Found a good bar called Ting-Tong (means crazy) which was the start and end destination every night from then on. Meeting people was very easy and there was soon a group of about 20 from Canada, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Ghana, Australia, Phillipines, Ireland, New Zealand, USA, El Salvador and of course England.

The days on Koh Chang were spent lazing on the beach, riding the motorbikes, a trip to the driving range (basically a big open field with a 300m marker that was 50m in front of the 200m marker!!) a trip to the freezing but refreshing waterfall and some more lazing on the beach. The nights were spent drinking at Ting-Tong then moving onto the party at a different beach side bar every night. They usually ended up back at Ting-Tong, especially on the Champions League nights to see United smash AC Milan, but in hindsight, maybe I won't mention the Champions League again.

After Koh Chang it was back to Bangkok where the protests were in full swing but all was very peaceful at the time. I travelled with a German girl, Magdelina, who was studying in Bangkk and so had a few nights out with her. Then I headed back up North to Chang Mai to meet Christy and Nicole, 2 girls I had met a long time before and spent a lot of time travelling with. They had 1 week or so left before heading to Australia. I had to do a border run into Myanmar as my Thai visa was running out and needed another 15days. We spent 4 days in Chang Mai, Christy completed a Thai Massage Course, but unfortunatley, we never got any free massages!! Then we headed further North to Pai again. Pai has a football pitch at the high school and there are usually locals playing every evening and so I was hoping to play. I have been itching to play for a long long time and thought this would be the perfect time. I turned up in the evening with a French guy who wanted to play aswell and the locals were happy to let us play, although some were very reluctant to pass to the 'farangs'. But it was good to play again and I was very surprised at my fitness, especially in the heat.

The days were spent riding the bikes around Pai, seeing the different waterfalls, hot springs and canyons and generally relaxing around the pool and bars. The nights were spent in the different bars and by the river. One of the French guys we met could play the didgeridoo which I had never seen done before and was mesmerized by it.

On the last day in Pai, I had made a decision (first time for everything!), I had decided on the tattoo I wanted. I had been thinking about it for a while and now actually decided. It was perfect timing as well, the last night I'd be spending with Nicole and Christy. We went to one of the tattoo parlours and for designing and pricing so I could get it that evening. It was done using Bamboo, a very skilled operation with amazing accuracy. It was done all over Thailand and so it had to be done using this technique. And I have the piece of bamboo they used to do it swell. The tattoo runs about 10inches down the back of my calf. It says 'Don't worry, Be Happy' in Thai writing, a very fitting phrase for how I like to live my life, and just so you know, I have had it checked by many Thai and people and that is what it says!

We left Pai the next day on a very long trip to Bangkok where the girls would fly out from and I was heading to Koh Tao before going to Malaysia. I was hoping to see James and Lauren here, friends from back home but unfortunately I couldn't get in touch with them and after 3 days. I left for Malaysia before my visa ran out.

On the night boat, I met a French guy who was heading the same way for a visa run. I was heading to the Perhentian Islands but had to stop in a town called Kota Baru before getting the ferry across to the islands. The Perhentian Islands are 2 islands, Kecil (meaning small) and Besar (big). I went to Long Island on Perhentian Kecil. I found a cheap bungalow and headed straight to the beach for food, relaxing and a swim. When I sat at the restaurant, I recognised a girl I thought was Magdelina, the German girl. But I thought it couldn't be as she had to be studying in Bangkok. After about 3 double takes form both of us, I realised it was actually her, a complete but welcoming surprise. She planned to stay one more day but ended up spending another week there.

Most days were spent on the beach, but one day we went snorkelling around the islands. This was the first time i'd snorkelled and was possibly better than my diving experiences. I saw about 7 reef sharks up to 2m long, a huge turtle and many many colourful coral and fish. There was a volleyball game every evening, the Malay's are quality even though they are tiny and it took me a while to get up to speed. The nights were spent drinking 'Monkey Juice', the local whiskey, at the beach bars and watching the fire dancers, (especially the stunning Swedish girl!! ha.) and a few midnight swims. It was also the first time I ha played poi (fire dancing with balls set on fire on the end of chains) with fire and I didn't burn myself! Oh, and the United-Chelsea game, but we won't mention that, or the blind linesman...

Unfortunately, the bed in the Bungalow had bed bugs and one morning I woke with a hell of lot of bites, so modt nights I spent in the hammock I was given 4 months ago in Thailand. The Islands were the most beautiful I have seen on my trip. The whitest, smooth sand, clearest and most colourful water and tropical jungle full of different wildlife such as huge monitor lizards and, unfortunately, huge spiders! But it was a small price to pay for an amazing time here.

As there were no ATM's on the island, after 1 week, I had to leave and headed to Kuala Lumpur where I spent 2 nights. Kuala Lumpur was just like any major city in Europe with expensive shops in the malls and many McDonalds scattered around, I resisted the urge though, although I did try the Nando's, cheaper, but not as good as the one back home! I went to the Reggae Bar in China Town. I met a Nigerian guy who was studying in Kuala Lumpur and he invited me to go to the African Club that was there. I'd never been anywhere like that so I thought why not. I had a really good night, good music (partly) good people and good drinks. and again, I fit right in as the only white person in there!

2 nights in KL were enough and I jumped on a bus to Melaka, half way between Singapore and KL. Planned to spend a few days here and then go to Singapore, but that didn't happen and I ended up spending just over a week here. There wasn't much to do, but that was good, relaxing around, eating good food and just chatting with the people from the dorm room. I also played the guitar on the stage at the cafe, this was the first time i'd really performed for anyone before, but it was good and I really enjoyed it, maybe next tie i'll even try singing!! haha. The camping trip in the jungle was one of the highlights of Melaka, with the monkeys jumping from tree to tree right over our heads, the midnight jungle trek was an experience, espeially in flip flops with the leeches attacking our feet! And that Scholes goal in the last minute was probably the highlight in Melaka, although I was the only one who actually cared!

My plan to go to Singapore changed in Melaka and I decided I would get the ferry to Sumatra in Indonesia instead. I could go to Singapore another time and so the day after the camping trip, I headed to Sumatra.

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