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Published: November 19th 2009
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I have left Thailand now and I am currently travelling down through Malaysia. We left bangkok on the overnight sleeper train to Surat Thani. Despite being fairly cramped it was good fun...we decided to make it a 'party train' so we had a few drinks, got out the guitar and basically kept the whole carridge awake after the 10pm lights out! The beds were quite comfortable and i did manage to get quite a good night's sleep. We arrived in the South of Thailand at around 7am, and after going for breakfast we set off in a mini-van to Krabi on the South-west coast. This side of Thailand didn't seem as built for tourists as the east coast was which was in a way a good thing. We arrived at the hotel (which we are very quickly getting used to - this tour is all about the hotels!) and then I went to the Ao Nang beachw ere I fell asleep for 3 hours (and may have got a little sun burnt...opps). In the evening we went for a group dinner at a restaurant on the beach. Still very cheap which was good. Day 2 and we were up at 8am to get the speed boat out to see the islands. The weather was perfect and the sea was crystal clear. First we stopped off at a small island and went for a swim. Dan and I grabbed the snorkels andfound loads of fish and an eel! Back on the boat we then headed for Maya Bay (where the film the Beach was filmed). Just before we got there we stopped off in the bay round the corner and went proper snorkeling. There were so many fish! All different shapes, sizes and colours and they literally swam into you if you went in their direction. Instead of taking the boat round we swan across the lagoon and climbed a little bamboo set of steps onto the island and walked a bit through the jungle/forest (past the tsunami evacuation signs) to Maya Bay. Packed with tourists but that didn't matter at all because it was absolutly beautiful. The water was so clear and the whole Bay was surrounded by cliffs. We then headed to Phi Phi for lunch. This island was a lot more developed. We stopped off a a little restuarant (the food was included on the trip which is always a bonus!) and I pretty much ate my entire body weight in sea food. Awesome. We had some time to explore the town and the beach then we were picked up by our speed boat again and headed out to our last stop...the coral reef! This was absolutly brilliant. Snorkels on we jumped off the boat into a whole ocean of fish! I have never seen so many fish in one place in all my life. They were all over us! This snorkelling was the best because we could dive down under the coral and find all the hidden creatures! And...i am proud to say...we saw nearly the whole cast of finding nemo. Nemo himself, Marlin, Scar and Dorey (no Bruce though...that would have been bad). The clown fish were swimming about on their tiny bit of coral and whenever we got close to them they would rush back inside. It was noted though that standing on the coral is really bad as parts of it will die almost instantly when they have too much pressure on them. Hense why swimming/standing on the thousands of fish was the only option! after an hour there we hopped back on the boat back to Ao nang beach. in short...a brilliant day out. On day 3 a few of us went over to Railay Beach...it was tucked away around the headland so we got there by long tail boat. Chille dout in the sun for a bit then it started raining so we decided to catch the boat back. but the rain got heavier...a lot heavier and as we got on the boat, the very fact tjhat i had to get out and help the guy launch it mean't it was going to be an interesting ride! Big waves sent us flying around but we did eventually arrive safely back at Ao Nang. Mabye it is just me but i think every boat trip I go on is destined to be a rough ride! The enxt day we left Thailand and crossed the border (very smoothly I may add) into Malaysia. We arrievd in Penang at about 6 and then went for dinner at the massive food court. You could literally eat anything there...but I settled on a huge Jap dish which on cost 1.50! Again, very cheap food and drink out here compared to back home. On our free day in penang we did the 'cultural' thing and visited some tenmples and also a mosque. This was evry interesting as i'd never been to a mosque before. A guy showed us around, explained (in breif) the religion and what they do/stand for. Very different to what a lot of people think, but still hard to get my head around. In the evening we weren't really sure what to do but we were walking around and stumbled across a cinema so we watched the new 2012 film...which is awesome. And it only cost 1 pound! We are leaving Penang today to head for the Cameron Highlands.
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Jan Caudrelier
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Hello!
Hi Harry. Your Dad was telling me -very proudly i might add, of your tour last night at Tim and Chars engagement party. It was strange talking to a cowboy - dressed as Cruella (me that is, not the cowboy!). So, here on my rainy Sunday morning i decided to look up your blog! It sounds awesome. Though i suspect you have seen a bit more rain there by the sound of it. I shall keep looking at your adventures -the pics are great. What an adventure! Enjoy!...and see you next year sometime. X Jan PS -Your Dad was out with a very attractive "copper" she had blonde hair-just like yor Mum!