Sri Lanka & Thailand 4th January – 3rd March 2003

Crew John, Ken Jude & Me

Day 1.  Saturday 4th January

We get to the airport in plenty of time but the flight is delayed by 45 minutes to allow time to de-ice the wings.  Departs at about 21.45pm  they have a good selection of films on, and music, this is a first flight with  seat mounted TV’s also have a selection of computer type games, draughts, space invaders, connect 4, blackjack and poker etc.  The flight seems like the longest ever and I don’t get much sleep Jude always says she has not slept  much but every time I look at her she has her eyes shut.

Day 2 Sunday 5th January

We land at Columbo airport at 1.00pm Sunday 5th January as you get of the plane the heat hits you though it’s not very sunny. We get through customs and fight our way through the hawkers and hire a car and driver at the airport booking desk to take us down to Bereuwala eventually find rooms at the Hotel Simadai and check in. The place seems to be full of Germans and Scandinavians.  Have a beer while they make the rooms up, and then have a shower and a nap.  The evening meal is at 8.00 pm fish and chips, chicken and chips, a couple of beers. We have a wander across the road to the beach in the dark for ½ an hour and then of to bed. I am bitten by mosquitos already. 

Day 3 Monday 6th January

We wake up early at 7.30 peer out the window there is a lovely lake outside our bedroom window a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Go down for breakfast at 8.00am fruit juice, toast and omelette (which appears disguised as fried eggs).  John and Ken appear later and after breakfasted we settle bill 9560 rupees (63.70 including all food and beers for 4 of us).  Arrange for car and driver to go to Hikkadawa leaving at 11.00 am.  Ken says couldn't figure what awful smell was in their room, until the morning when he realised his on his walk on the beach he had collected dogs muck on the bottom of his shoe.  We arrive at Hikkadawa at about 1.00 pm and book into the New Harmony Hotel on the beach it rains heavily in the afternoon and we sit in the hotel garden lounge playing cards and backgammon. When the rain eventually stops we all take a walk along the beach to look for the Coral Sanctuary, which is pretty much a non-event. We walk back down through the town checking out restaurants etc. Stop for beer, Johns shopping for jewellery (gold). Find a restaurant for the evening meal fish Sri-lankan style (Me) fish & chips (Jude), devilled fish (John) and sweet and sour (Ken).  Just finished our meal and the power goes out for the whole town so we walk back to the New Harmony Hotel and bed.

Day 4 Tuesday 7th January

We breakfast in the hotel garden bar and then hit the beach.  This is more like it should be, Blue sky, blue sea, golden sands and crashing waves.  John and I go in the sea for a bit of body surfing and wave jumping, which is great till about 1.00 pm and then the rain comes down on the beach. We have a beer and a game of cards, John and Ken go to bed for a read, both of them slept in the morning on the beach.  Jude wants to eat but doesn’t feel to good she says she is too weak and I walk down to the supermarket and buy a packet of snack biscuits in the rain.  When the rain stops Jude and I walk down to town.  Ken is out somewhere and John is reading.  Decide to eat at the bottom of the town (Pizza Hut – not really!) and I have devilled prawns (superb) and Jude has pizza.  We walk back to the hotel and find boys are waiting for us to eat playing backgammon so they eat there and we have a couple of beers and go to bed.  I get bitten a bit in the night.

Day 5 Wednesday 8th January        

We get up for breakfast at 8.00 am one and all then we sit around thinking about what to do.  This is the best day yet weather wise, so we decide to go up to the hill country.  Left it a bit late really and have a 6 1/2 hour drive to Haputale. We manage to find a driver and a van. The driver starts out driving quite sensibly but by the end of the trip, he is driving like a lunatic around the mountain roads. 

Jude is absolutely petrified we stop by a waterfall, eventually get to Haputale about 6.30 pm and find the Queens Rest Hotel (a bit of a dive) with no customers at the moment. The manager gets his boy to do a rapid cleanup of the toilets and make the beds.  Cleaning the toilets consists of throwing bleach powder everywhere, rubbing it in and hosing it down.  Restaurant is closed because the chef has gone away so we wander down town to the train station to check out the trains to Kandy, which leave at 11.10 in the morning.  We go to the Royal Rest Inn, which is right by the train station and would have been a better place to stay and have an evening meal there.  Pork curry and Chicken curry with some suspicious smelling rice, also fried vegetables and mixed vegetables.  Book a trip for John & I to go to the Horton Plains. There are supposed to be staggering views from top of 700metre high cliffs to the valley below.  Downside of this trip is the mist apparently comes in at 10.00 am and the walk around the plains takes about 3 hours, so we have to start at around 7.00 am and it takes 2 hours to get there, so the pick-up is coming at 5.00am.

Day 6 Thursday 9th January

I wake up at 4.30 am wake John at 4.45 am ready to go at 5.00 am.  Leave Jude and Ken in there rooms to lay in and go outside the hotel wait for the driver packed and ready to go.  At about 5.30 am we were just beginning to think the guy is not going to turn up and he arrives and says it was arranged for 5.30 am.  1 1/2 hours drive through what I would think is some spectacular scenery, twisting mountain roads up and down the valleys (Jude would have died).  As the sun comes up at 6.30 am the staggering countryside comes into view, hairpin bend after hairpin bend and we eventually come to Horton Plains.  Deer are roaming everywhere arrive at the gates at 7.00am buy our passes and off we go.  Weather is a bit chilly for T-shirt and shorts but it is too late now the first view of the cliffs appear - wow! on round the walk the sun is starting to warm up now.  The second view of the cliffs even wower! 

Continue on around the walk view the waterfall which is quite spectacular, we also see evidence of a tiger in terms of a pile of poo with hairs in it then on to complete the walk (9Km) in 2 1/2 hours.  The walk ends where we started and we go into the small café for 2 dalwaddys, one bread and a cup of tea and then back in the van for the trip down to Ohiy to wait for the 11.52 am train to Kandy which hopefully Jude and Ken will be on.  They arrive at 11.58 and have managed to get 1st class seats in the observation carriage at the end of the train.  We get on and join them and have to pay for upgrade. Ken has a little story to tell apparently after John and I left for our walk the night porter at the hotel must have thought it was John & Ken going on the walk cause after we left he snuck into Kens room and dived into the bed only to find Ken still in bed needless to say Ken mumbled something and the guy quickly scurried out of the room.        The scenery is very impressive, tea plantations virtually all over the 5 1/2 hour train ride, apparently Lipton’s own the plantations.  We arrive in Kandy about 6.00pm outside the station we get the usual hassle with taxi drivers settle for one who picks us up and also another couple, we drop off a couple in town and then off to Savensake Road.  The taxi driver has other ideas and tries to take us to the more expensive hotels. We negotiate a price for the taxi to take us to the airport the next day and the elephant sanctuary and the spice garden (4000 rupees).  In the end we have to get angry with him and tell him he has to drop us off at the bottom of the road and he loses his contract with us for the airport run. We walk up the road to the first hotel, which is cheap but not that good. (Shared bathroom) so we walk to the second hotel, which is a little bit more expensive but nice setting and nice room.  We settle in our rooms then walk into town around the lake to Rhams Indian Restaurant (no beer or alcohol).  We get a superb deal for a very nice meal.  After the meal we wander out to the off-licence for a bottle of Indian red wine (sorry vinegar - well it was for the 1st glass but it did mellow).  Jude is feeling iffy in the nether regions so we have to take a tuk-tuk back to the hotel, the boys walk back, Jude and I  play shithead for a couple of rounds.  John and Ken play backgammon and finish the wine and then off to bed.

Day 7 Friday 10th January

We get up at 8.00 am the taxi driver is there and ready to go pack kit and off we go (3500 rupees).  The first stop is the Spice Garden (very interesting) had a nice massage with natural oils my stiff neck from skiing is much improved.  The next stop is the elephant sanctuary, which was a bit disappointing at first just lots of elephants in an open enclosure. We then go across to feeding time with a 2 month old baby elephant and a few older ones.  We go out of the sanctuary a bit disappointed but are then taken over the road down a track to the river and restaurant.  First of all there are a couple of elephants in the river then lots more appear, probably 50 left untethered in the river. 

Quite an amazing site really, there is nothing else to see apart from scenery.  We eventually arrive at Negumbo near the airport at about 4.30 pm find a hotel (Starlight) and book a couple of rooms.  We have use of the pool in the hotel next door and so take advantage.  Nice swim, beer and back to the room.  Have a bit of a snooze and then out for a meal at the Seafood Restaurant, delicious jumbo prawns.  Then to bed ready for a 5.30 am pick up to go to the airport.

Day 8 Saturday 11th January

We get picked up early in the morning and arrive at the airport at 5.30 am.  Queue, queue, queue.  Ken borrowed my last grand last night and I need to get more currency changed for the departure tax at 1,000 rupee's each.  Have fish curry for breakfast on the plane, and watch the film next thing I know we are landing in Bangkok we get through customs then wait for the luggage. Outside the airport John gives in to a Thai girl smile and we get in a white taxi to the Business Hotel (He would normally go on the bus) We have never booked here in advance and they always ask if you have a reservation but have always got rooms, we get into our rooms have a quick freshen up and out onto the streets, wander around the markets, purchase a Rolex for Wayne, no really honest  We go into a bar for a beer, a snack and a spot of people watching for an hour then go to the opticians and Jude buys two pairs of varifocal glasses, one normal and one pair of sunglasses, for 10,000 and I negotiate 1,000 for new up to spec lenses in my favourite frame.  We wander around the markets a bit more and make another major purchase a rucksack on wheels, starting price 1200 baht, (19 quid) settled price 750 baht (11.75) Not quite got the hang of this yet, think it should have been less.  Back to the room with the spoils, then shower and back down to the opticians with prescriptions for Jude’s and my frames and then pop into the travel agents to check out the train situation to get to Koh Samui. In the evening we go round the corner where there is a large open square with lots of temporary food stalls serving all sorts of food there is also a stage with bands playing we order a pitcher of beer and a carafe of wine and settle in for a bit of people watching. There are four different bands playing in rotation one a Beatles tribute band that are very good, unusually they seem to have lost the Thai accents which always sounds so funny when singing English songs. After eating  Ken and John go out for what they term a walkabout (don’t ask), apparently they got in at 2.00pm but did not get any sleep!

Day 9 Sunday 12th January

We get up late the curtains in the room block all the natural light out.  It could be midday for all I know.  Woken up by Ken's phone call at 8.45 am and meet for breakfast at 9.00 am.  Discuss their evening with them and if anybody wants to know it will cost them huge amounts of beer. We wander out into the world, the first stop the travel agents to book overnight train to Surathani and ferry to Koh Samui.  Then out to the sky train and go via Siam Square to the river.  Make mistake of buying ticket for zone 6 (river) but get off at zone 1 (Siam) and then have to pay full whack again to get down to the river but thought it was worth it just for the view at Siam Square the sky train, suspended roadway, pedestrian walkways, skyscrapers, making for a real space age vision. We get back onto the sky train and go down to the river to get on the tourist boat 75 baht that is just a circuit and you get on and off where you want getting off at Chinatown and have a wander around the several hours buy a pair of fold up reading glasses for 120 baht (less than 2 quid). Going through the Chinatown market we see all sorts of weird and wonderful foodstuffs for sale, some looking really suspect, I don't think they waste anything.  John has a bowl of noodle soup, very tasty but looks a bit suspect and then back on the boat and sky train back to the hotel.  Ken and John go to their hotel room for lie down (can't think why) We go out for beer and a snack and then to an Internet cafe and pick up the tickets for train ride etc. to Koh Samui then back to the room for a shower and snooze and then out at 7.00pm for pre-dinner drinks and people watching. We have dinner in the square after dinner John and Ken go for walkabout down to Patpong Jude and I walk down to Soi Cowboy to observe the goings on there have a couple of beers and walk back to the hotel and bed

Day 10 Monday 13th January

We get up at 8.00 am. Ring the boys at 9.00. A very sleepy John answers and says see you in 1/2 hour. We pack bags and go down for breakfast at 9.30.  Me Thai omelette, Jude rice soup, Ken informs us that when they got down to Patpong they went to a show there and John became part of the cabaret act, something to do with catching slippery bananas? Back to the room, pack luggage, checkout the hotel and leave luggage in reception.  Up to email place and sort out my address book (at last) send a general email to everybody. John says he needs to go to Vietnamese embassy to sort out a visa and Ken goes off with him.  Jude and I go for wander around the stalls in search of bags and sandals, and manage to find both for about 5 quid total.  We wander around a very expensive shopping mall.  Jude wants lunch at 12.00am only had breakfast at 10.00am Find open street cafe and have small lunch there.  Check out a map to see if we can find park area quiet to read.  There is one 2 stops down the sky train so we take that as luck would have it as we are walking through looking for somewhere to sit down, all the park water sprinklers fire up We then realise why nobody is sat down on the grass and lots of people jump up as they get sprayed. Find a quiet spot in the shade and free of sprinklers, sit down there, just get settled down and after about 5 minutes I realise I am sat on a red ants nest and my feet are getting bitten to hell. Eventually find a bench reasonably in the shade and settle down to read. A young boy walks past (sorry clumps past) in the biggest pair of platform shoes I have ever seen in my life at least 4" high (very strange!). Back on sky train to Nana and my turn for lunch. Meet up with Ken and John at about 5.10. Back to hotel and collect bags and into a taxi to the train station for the 7.15pm sleeper train to Surathani. Drink at the station and onto the train. Some people start making up their beds at 8.30pm. Play cards till 9.30pm and then bed. Sleep well till about 4.00 am and then read and doze, read and doze till 6.30am. Last time we did this we spent all night mercy dashing to the toilet.

Day 11 Tuesday 14th January

We wake up on the train, which is supposed to get into Surathani at 6.30 but actually gets there at 8.45 it’s then 2 hours on a coach to Don Sak ferry port and ferry to Thong Sala on Koh Samui and then pick up truck to Hat Lamai a wild west town.  Fortunately the Amadeus Resort where we are staying is at the end of town and reasonably quiet.  Throw the bags in the room, get on the costumes and head for the beach 100 yards away.  Beach drops away very quickly so there are waves but only at the waters edge. Jude gets talked into manicure and pedicure at 300 baht, so does Ken but without the nail varnish. John has a back massage, I manage to avoid all this apart from paying for Jude. Back to the room, shower and shave and then out onto the town for something to eat we find a nice restaurant a better class than we would normally use, a bit more expensive but it was worth it. Wander around the bars. John says there has been a lot of development since he was there last year. Run the gauntlet of lots of bars with girls pole dancing and tempting all the single males in (fondly known as shouting girls) A couple of beers in one bar and Ken finds a friend (?) and we wander back home and try banana pancake on the way back.  The guy that is making pancakes rolls up a ball of dough, throws it on the work surface, flattens it out, picks it up and spins it around to thin it out and then into a wok shaped pan to cook, He slices a banana into it and all this is done in a matter of seconds, absolute lightning speed with his hands. Back to the beach hut and good nights sleep straight through 12.00-7.00.

Day 12 Wednesday 15th January

Up at 7.00 am and pack before breakfast at 8.00am. Ken does not appear, tired apparently we go back to room and finish packing, check email, there are 8 messages, Sally and Jane messages don't get through, and we need to check their addresses. We walk out to the main road and catch a songthaw to Na Thang port for ferry to Koh Phangnan (Thong Sala) then a songthaw to Had Yao Long Beach Resort try where John stayed before but it is full up at the moment. Ken and Jude sit down and have drink and John and I go and find somewhere to stay. Next resort full up and next resort Long Beach has 2 bungalows at 500 baht or 1200 baht with aircon, guess which we are in? back for Jude and Ken and into the rooms. Thrown the bags in the room, change into swimming costumes and into the sea for 1/2 hour. Dry out on the beach and sunbathe for 30minutes each side while Jude sleeps on the bed. Write up the notes for the last few days, shower and wander around the supermarket. Buy bits and bobs and then back to beach hut for a read. Tidy up and set up the hammock and test it out. Ken is not feeling so good and in the evening we go to the Eagle Bar for a drink and back to Longbeach Resort to eat.

Ken has nothing, John has squid, I have prawns with garlic and pepper, Jude green curry, couple of beers and bed. John goes to check out the scene at another bar, which he says, was good last year. Sleep well 12.00-7.00 again.

Day 13 16th January

We get up fairly late about 9.30am and wander around to supermarket to take laundry and check out the email - 3 Shirley, Marie and Ade. Ade sends picture and note saying Frodo has failed and the picture is George Bush wearing the one ring. Laundry will be ready at 5.00pm We go back to the hut pick up swimming kit and out for breakfast, scrambled eggs on toast and fruit Along the beach to pick up snorkelling gear and out snorkelling for 2 hours. Water is not very clear, nothing exciting, largest fish is a sea trout about 2.5' long. Sunbathe on the beach till 2.30 pm and then Jude and I have lunch at Longbeach 2 springs rolls and fishcakes. Back to the hut for shower and snooze in the hammock and try to read, but it is too hot and I keep falling asleep so sit down and update our notes. Out for evening meal at Longbeach Resort, couple of beers then back to the room with Jude, put her to bed and then out with John for mooch about the Apache Bar and then along the beach to Sandy View resort get back at 4.00am having had far too much to drink

Day 14 Friday 17th January - Full moon

We get up late, me hungover, pack bags to move along to Longbeach Resort - 2 rooms available today. Lazy day reading and sleeping.

Weather is overcast but hot and sticky with occasional showers the sea is too choppy to be clear. Return snorkelling gear and have late lunch (Usual fishcakes and spring rolls) More reading and sleeping John wants to send email so we all go over and I give him guidance and then leave him to it.  88 minutes later he emerges worn out! Ken seems to be slightly on the mend and goes up to the nursing unit and gets some powder from the nurse, which will hopefully put him, right. Out for evening meal, Ken manages a jacket potato and I go for tiger prawns - Jude and Ken stay in and John and I go to the full moon party at Hat Rinn beach, supposedly starts at sunset at Hat Rinn west and finishes at Hat Rinn east at sunrise. Probably around 7,000 people there all the different bars are blasting out techno music, very busy, can't do all night. Leave at about 3.00am, several drunk people on the songthaw, one Thai girl, two German blokes and get back to the beach at 4.00am knackered. Full moon party ok but would not bother again.

Day 15 Saturday 18th January

We get up reasonably early at 9.00am, check the email and have breakfast of Thai omelette. Lazy day, Marie emails provisional itinerary as we think we have to change it already, taking slightly less time in Koh Phan gnan and a lot less time in Chiang Mai.  We need to think about where we are going to go. We have a meal along the beach and back to Long Beach to watch the match. Man U v Chelsea Result 2-0. Talk to Patrick the Swedish chap who supports Man U. He has just spent 6 weeks in Vietnam and 6 weeks in Thailand. He has been to Koh Samet and Koh Chang and says they are more developed than we thought.  Still no early night. 

Day 16 Sunday 19th January

Get up at 9.00am Ken is a lot better now. Rent a motorbike for the day and go to Aow Maehadde and try snorkelling there but visibility no good, something keeps stinging me John reckons its bits of jellyfish chopped up by boats, we sunbathe and Jude & I go for ride to Aow Chaloakcam, drink and eat and then back to our resort. The roads are all washed away by heavy rain, deeply rutted and very dangerous. Shower and ready to eat, quick beer while Jude phones Wayne and Jo, then back to see if Ken and John are ready to go out yet. They are not so we walk up to the Apache bar and meet them there we then go back to Long Beach for some absolutely delicious barbequed king prawns walk along the beach to Sandy Bay and have a beer. Johns mate from last year Vince (aka Ricky Gervais) is still there. Has been home but came back very quickly. Bed at about 11.30pm.

Day 17 Monday 20th January

We get up at 8.30 am nice day again, very hot, breakfast at about 10.00am and go to Had Rinn on the bike. Jude stays home, treacherous roads down to the beach, up and down very steeply, narrow and bumpy. Buy some hooky CDs 100 baht each. (1.50) We find a cool spot on the beach and into the sea for a bit of wave crashing then lay out in the sun to dry off 1/2 hour each side and read for a while, then head off back to camp. Find Jude and have some lunch - go back into Thong Salom with Jude on back for mooch about the shops, see a nice bag for hand luggage 350 baht (5.50) check out the email - Marie is not returning our messages. We go back to the hut and shower ready for evening meal. I can't resist the prawns again plus a bit of squid. Jude has barracuda (nice) Walk along the beach to the bar at the end, couple of beers and then bed.

Day 18 Tuesday 21st January

We get up at 8.30 am usual breakfast Thai omelette plus fruit to share, check email but Marie still has not replied - Jude is starting to worry slightly we have a lazy day at the hut, in the hammock reading and sleeping, then down to restaurant for lunch and then out for snorkel in late afternoon but it is not much clearer than yesterday. John sees a small blue ray about 18" across my mask is such a crappy fit and very uncomfortable, give up on snorkelling and go back to the hut for a shower. We eat out at Sandy Bay which is a bit quiet, we then go down to the Bay View bar at the other end where there is supposed to be a party. Crap so we go home to bed

Day 19 Wednesday 22nd January

We go up to the email, at last a reply from Marie, one credit card payment to set up, MBNA and back to the hammock and have lazy morning reading. We then go down to the beach for more reading a swim and then a snorkel, the sea is much clearer today lots of fish but nothing big. Back onto the beach to finish my book (Tony Hawkes playing the Moldavians at Tennis) to the room, pack shower and out for drink at the Apache Bar - back to Long Beach to eat and down to the Eagle Bar for some live music provided by Vince - surprisingly good but limited repertoire. Jude goes back with Ken - throat is sore after swallowing fish bone - John and I have another beer and retire also.

Day 20 Thursday 23rd January

Up at 8.30 and finish packing. Over for breakfast. Settle my bill 11,400 baht (175.00) for eight days bed, board, booze, phone calls, motorbike hire, everything). Pick up the ferry that leaves at 11.00 am to get the ferry at Koh Samui at 12.00. Say goodbye to Ken and John - may bump into them later but probably will not see John till Bangkok and Ken whenever. The ferry takes us into a different port on Koh Samui right up in the north (Baan Phut) we take a car to Baan Tai (200 baht) and stay 1 night at Moon Bungalows at a rate of 200 baths per night. Beach is only ok, it is very quiet, 3 restaurants to choose from, have lunch of fishcakes and wander up and down the beach mooching around. Have a read. Clean up and shower and out for evening meal. Couple of beers and thrash Jude at pool before bed in the shed!

Day 21 Friday 24th January

Up early for quick breakfast and off with taxi to Thanom for the boat and bus to Krabi and discover that the boat with the bus connection does not leave till 1.30 pm. We have a bit of time to kill, I get my hair cut, mini spend on CDs and bigger spend on CD player. Onto the ferry which takes 2 1/2 hours and then we have to wait till 5.30 pm for the bus to leave for Krabi to arrive at 8.30. Book the accommodation at the ferry port while waiting for the bus and get picked up at Krabi and taken to the Holy land and eventually arrive about 9.00 pm. Shown to our shed and quickly realise there is nothing around us but the resort and we are not Aow Nang beach. We have a quick bite to eat and bed, which is a mattress on the floor. We have a restless nights sleep (too hot).

Day 22 Saturday January 25

We wake early in the morning 7.00 am and look around outside. The setting is staggering, all the rock formations all around, but no beach that we can see. Decide to move on to Aow Nang proper.  Take free courteousy car to Aow Nang and find accommodation Amon Mansions (not really a mansion) but ok room for 400 baht. We walk down to the sea and along the beach. It is very hot the beach is not very nice a bit muddy and full of boats wanting to take everyone to Rai Ley. Back up to the digs for a beer, read and a snack at the Green Park Resort. We go out early for evening walk along the sea front and decide to have a change from usual Thai Food and have Italian meal, the restaurant is run by Italian guy who came out here 12 years ago, met Thai girl and came back 2 years later to marry her and open up restaurant the meal was excellent but a bit expensive £13.00 including drinks. Wander back towards the room, have final beer and game of pool - Jude’s turn to win this time then bed. 

Day 23. Sunday 26th January

We get up early and pack, walk down to the sea front and get a long tail boat to Ra Ley Beach.  Jude accidentally tries to steal a Thai woman’s lunch bag we have to wait in the boat for it to fill up. The 20 minute boat ride is through spectacular rock formations and underwater caves, staggering scenery at Rai Ley Beach but beach itself is a bit muddy and the tide is a long way out.  Walk through the resort and find Coco at East Rai Ley has room for 200 baths (£3.00) but don’t think Jude will accept this (a bit too basic) so we wander on to Diamond Cave Resort.  They have rooms at 600 baht (£9.00), 800 baht (£12.00) or 1500 baht (£22.50).  The latter have aircon.  We go for the cheaper and settle in and empty rucksacks to sort out laundry.  Take laundry down and have a drink and sort out booking in.  Go along the beach to watch the climbers and take pictures from the path around the rock face with huge stalactites, caves and tree roots and creepers coming down.  Quite spectacular.  Eventually come out onto Hat Phrao Nang Beach.

Again the beach is spectacular with rocks overhanging the sea, lovely white sand and turquoise sea with huge rocks protruding from the sea.  It is very hot, 10 minutes sunbathing each side then a dip in the sea.  Then another 20 minutes each side and another dip in the sea.  The sea is as clear as I have ever seen it.  Retire from the heat after taking several pictures of the beach.  Back to Diamond Cave for lunch and 2 melon/pineapple shakes and a lemon shake.  Jude goes back to shower and I use the email we realise that Andy & Bridgit are not on the mailing list, so sort that out and then back to the room for a shower and a read.  Complete notes up to date and then out to eat and watch Man Utd v West ham (6-0).

Day 24. Monday 27th January

We get up latish, I try to charge the phone but it is no good.  I think it got wet on the long tail boat and is knackered.  Down for breakfast at the Gecko Bar (cheaper) and then back to room for swimming kit I realise I have lost my hat and head to the beach with a wander through the village.  Last year it looked like a shantytown but now there are all newish looking buildings which look expensive.  Find an Internet site with very quick machines the downside of that is 5 baht per minute and all others are 3 baht per minute.  Go down to the beach apparently there is a beautiful lagoon up on top of one of the rocky hills (we decide the lagoon is a bit too steep a climb in this heat). Same old routine, half an hour sunbathing either side and then swim.  Eat on the beach, banana, melon and pineapple and a spring roll.  Cannot take any more heat and go back to the room stopping for a drink on the way. We shower and have a big read.  (Finish 2nd book Guns, Girls and Ganja)about Cambodia  We go down to the Gecko Bar to eat (Nice green curry) and then back to Diamond Cave to watch Lord of the Rings. .Young kid (5 years old) doing fire dancing on the beach is very good.    Cutting down on alcohol and get down to two bottles only on a night and don’t take any home Go home to bed, there is a crap band playing somewhere on the hillside murdering Bob Marley songs.

Day 25. Tuesday 28th January

We wake up early as in need of coffee and breakfast (Rice soup with chicken).  It is quite windy today which gives a bit of respite against the heat.  We go down to the beach and check email on the way.  Also check out any bookshops, the beach is a bit sheltered from the wind, so it is still very hot down there.  Usual procedure 20 minutes each side then swim, 20 minutes each side, same same.  Spring rolls and pineapple for lunch.  Have fruit shakes on the way back to the room.  Shower and read.  The gardeners outside find a 3ft long green snake which they despatch with a broom and then crush it’s head with a piece of wood and wang it into the bushes.  The wind is very strong in the afternoon and Jude is worried about going on a long tail boat tomorrow. We will have to see what the weather is like in the morning, pack cases for an early start anyway then out to eat and walk the beach.        

Day 26. Wednesday 29th January

Wake early and check the weather, it is still a bit windy. We finish packing and go down for breakfast and check out.  The swell does not seem too bad so we decide to get on a long tail boat to Krabi and then we will make a decision about where to go from there.  We decide to stay in Krabi for 1 night (Bai Fern) then on to Phuket just to see. We have a wander around the town for an hour to try to find a shady place for a quiet read but the only shady place is where the boatmen are trying to pester you for a tour.  We go back into town for lunch, very cheap nice food. We go back to the room after searching the ironmongers for a small bolt to fix Jude’s rucksack to no avail.  We ask the chap at the hotel if he has a screw to fix it with and he says leave it with him and he will do it later.  Am a bit worried about what we will get back, as I am not convinced about their expertise on engineering.  Ahhhhhh!  Just as I suspected he comes back with a big self-tapper screwed through it, I shouldn’t grumble and I suppose it is still attached.  Check email, phone looks like a lost cause, we go out for a wander around the town.  The street market looks interesting food wise, but we decide that as we are travelling on a coach for 4 hours tomorrow we will not take any chances and stick with a restaurant meal of fried fish with pepper and garlic and fried rice with veg.  Jude is trying to eat safe but never quite gets what she expects. Deep-fried chicken burger with garlic (very boring she says). Back to the hotel and thrash Jude at shithead before one beer and then bed.

Day 27. Thursday 30th January

We think Ken must be arriving in Bangkok about now for the big spend (rucksack and clothes) plus the last dalliance with the shouting girls.  Up at 8.30 am and down for breakfast (sorry up for breakfast, we are in the cellar). Jude checks email quickly while I have breakfast (rice soup and coffee).  Mini bus arrives at 10 to 9.  Quite nice inside.  Think this will be ok for 3 hours .  Pick up several people more and then down to port to get on to the real bus, which is definitely not so plush. When we set off eventually, the bus is pretty full then we stop out of town and pick up about 20 people more, now the bus is very full.  Drive through staggering scenery and eventually arrive at Phuket, same old story – dropped off at travel agents where you can book accommodation and transport.  Prices start at 1500 baht per night (a/c), there are no fan rooms.  We manage to get it down to 1000 baht at Karoon Bay, Toto House.  This room is much better than we have been used to (hot water and a decent shower).  All of Phuket looks very built up, we wander down to the beach, which is in a lovely long bay with white sand  umbrellas and loungers in two rows the full length of the beach. 

Looks like an army lined up for battle.  (Not one lounger out of line).  All Germans.  How awful, back up to town for an expensive lunch – 450 baht (£6.50).  At Krabi yesterday had similar meal for 250 baht. We wander around the beach and then take tuk tuk to next beach Kata (100 baht) that sounds much smaller and nicer.  Wrong it’s a carbon copy of Karoon, just maybe not quite as long.  Jet skis are flashing around the harbour and banana boats all over the place. Yuk, then back to the room for a nice hot shower.  Lounge around and read.  It looks like the town is going to be noisy at night.  We wander out to a travel agents to check out the prices of flights to Bangkok versus the price of buses and trains.  Then round to the corner bar where the bar owner has his own free PR man Theo the Fin who is waiting while his girlfriend has a tattoo done.  He is between jobs and she it taking a year out from studying for a medical degree. Have several noisy beers with Theo and then we go off to eat at a restaurant on the main road, which is reasonably cheap.  Then back to room and bed.

Day 28. Friday 31st January

We get up late and book room for another night (hang the expense).  We could have had a room for 450 baht around the corner but cannot be assed to move now.  We breakfast at TJ’s Rice soup for me and omelette for Jude then we go out to pick up a motorbike and off we go to try and find a small, quiet beach.  Rawai Beach is not small, not tidy not for tourists then off to Naiham Beach, which is ok but still big and not quiet.  Stick it out till about 3.00 pm then head back to Karoon.  Stop on the sea front for a snack.  Head back to Toto House for a read and shower before going out to email, drink and eat.  Could not find anywhere to cash money but did buy some sun block for my nose.  Go round to JT house to eat but realise after we have eaten that we do not have enough money to pay the bill. (How embarrassing).  They realise I don’t have enough to pay and say pay tomorrow as they trust us.  We go home to bed.

Day 29. Saturday 1st February (Chinese New Year)

Wake up at 5.00 am and read for ½ hour and then go back to sleep.  We get up at 7.30 am and shower and shave.  Pack bags ready for return to Bangkok.  Go into town on bike to get some money to settle debts and pay for breakfast.  Receive gifts of bookmarkers from JT’s they are very friendly people. We go back to our digs for final pack and to wait for taxi to take us to Phuket Airport,  check in and wait ½ hour to get on the plane at 12.45 am.  It is only a 1 hour and 5 minute flight.  Plane lands at Bangkok at 1.50pm and decide to take airport bus to Sukhumvit (bad move).  Bus is supposed to be every 15 minutes but actually wait about an hour. We get to the Business Inn and check if Ken is around or not as we know he is flying home tonight.  They say he has not been back to the Business Inn so we think he has either extended his stay or he could not get in the Business Inn.  We pop out to check the bar where we used to have a drink just incase he may be whiling away some time there but he is not so we go back to hotel and pick up receipts for Jude’s new glasses and my re-lensed original green glasses and go down to pick them up, we receive a gift of a watch each (gold ughh1).  Check out which bars are showing Man Utd match tonight and then back to the hotel for a rest.  I am not sure if I will be able to stay awake (the match starts at 10.00pm).  We go out at 7.30 pm for a wander around and Jude gets a Rolex for Jo and then we go around to the square to eat. Duck and rice with fried vegetables.  We go into the bar for 10.00 pm and watch it for 5 minutes with music blaring and then realise they have a chill out room at the back of the bar with a/c and big screen (no music) with english commentary and comfy seats.  It is just nearing the end of the game and the owner of the bar gets a text message to say that the Columbia space shuttle has disintegrated on re-entry.  Finish beer and head back to the hotel to see what is on the news (chicken kebabs on the way back) we  try and tune the crappy tele in the room to watch the news but give up Bed.

Day 30. Sunday 2nd February

Up late as no windows in the room so no natural light to wake us up.  Go down for breakfast and then off to Chatuchak Market.  It is very hot and this market is massive, you could quite easily get lost there with just the occasional tall building or clock tower to indicate roughly where you are.  Section on clothing has Levi 502’s for 200 baht (£3.00).  Other sections include Pets and Supplies, Furniture, Antiques, Crafts, food outlets with some delicious smells coming out and also some not so delicious smells, woks full of fried bugs like large maggots, locusts and all sorts of things.  Break out of market for half an hour and wander around the park next door, then head back in to find toilet.  Once located Jude enters and I wait outside. She must be gone for at least 15 minutes and I begin to worry that she has maybe come out a different way and not realised and is wandering around wondering why I didn’t wait for her.  Eventually she comes out looking very flustered saying it is bedlam in there and everyone kept pushing in front of her until she realised you had to choose your cubicle and then stand guard over it until someone came out of it. We head back to Sukhumvit road for a cold drink and then back to the room for an air-conditioned rest.  Later we go out to email and type up seven days notes and email to home. We enquire about trains to Chiang Mai at the agents and they try and book us in on the night train but we want to go on the day train and see the countryside. We go out to eat and try to phone Wayne and Marie but they are both not in, the meal we eat is not quite what we planned as we wanted a whole duck but we only got a few slices after finishing eating we have a couple of beers and then go to bed.

Day 31. Monday 3rd February

Up late and down to breakfast.  Then we enquire at the Business Hotel about trains to Chiang Mai.  They say there is one at 8 am in the morning but we have to book it at Thai Overland on Sukhumvit Soi 21 across the road.  We take a walk down there but cannot find the place so we walk all the way back to the travel agents near the Business Inn and book it there through them for 8 am tomorrow.  Then off to the zoo near Victory Monument on the sky train.  At Victory Monument we intend to walk to the zoo but a tuk tuk driver says it is 7 km so we get a lift with him for 150 baht and are really glad we didn’t walk, as it is a fair old way. The zoo is very good, very peaceful, it is all set out around several lakes with huge fish in some 3-4 ft long.  There is a fun fair here as well which is mostly for kiddies.  There are lots of families here, mainly Thai with the occasional European.  We go back to the sky train, this time for only 100 baht and return to Sukhumvit road for lunch.  We have sweet and sour seafood and chicken satay, then go back to the room for air-conditioned read (or in Jude’s case a sleep).  Later we go out to email another seven days of the trip to home.  Off around to the square after and try and phone Marie but have no luck, we decide to eat in hotel and have deep fried fish, but Jude has fried fish and vegetables in sweet and sour. (Very nice).  Phone Marie after and get through this time, we have one more drink and then off to bed.

Day 32. Tuesday 4th February

We get up at 6.30 am but have actually been awake since 5.30 am.  We have a final pack and are ready to leave at 6.45 am latest as we are warned this is the rush hour and our train is at 8.30 am.   We leave in the taxi but it only takes 15 minutes and we arrive at the station at 7.00 am, so we have 1 ½ hour wait we have a coffee I have a suspicion Jude’s coffee has condensed milk in it, we sit around in the waiting room and check out food on offer as we are not sure if we will get anything on the train.  I try deep fried bananas and get about 8 pieces for 10 baht. (18p).  Finally we get on train at 8.30 am and have allocated seats, as our seats were the last to be allocated we do not have window seats, in fact they are not next to each other.  The window seat next to my seat is not occupied so Jude sits there but at a later stop a Thai guy gets on and wants his allocated seat regardless of splitting us up.  It seems like the Thai’s book their seats in advance and want window seats even if they are travelling in a group or family and it splits them up, the woman next to me is with a couple of people at the front of coach no. 3.  Anyway, back to the train ride which is 11 hours long 8.30 am to 7.15 am. we have opted for a day train because a couple of people we met in Krabi last year said it was a lovely train ride, they lied the first 1 ½ hours was getting our of Bangkok and the next 6 ½ hours was boring plains with occasional hills in the distance.  The next 3 hours was a bit more entertaining working up through the hills through tunnels and over gorges. We arrive at 7.15 pm. and take a tuk tuk to Chiang Mai Souveneir Guest House where there is only one a/c room left and we can have this for 390 baht. We have a quick swill and out to get some cash from ATM. I cash £100 and the go back to guesthouse but we get totally lost and have to retrace our steps to find guesthouse. The night market is very busy, the whole town is full of Scandinavians as usual, there is a German bierkellar and an English pub. Oh dear.  We eat at our guesthouse and have food for 190 baht (under £3) and 2 wines and 2 larges chang’s for 300 baht (£4.50).  We go to be early at 10.15 and sleep straight through to 7 am but actually get up at 8.30.

Day 33. Wednesday 5th February

We get up and go down for breakfast (Grants Special) which consists of (2 fried eggs, fried potatoes, tomatoes, bacon, toast and marmalade, coffee and fruit juice.  This costs 90 baht each or £1.30).  After breakfast we go out for a walk around the walled city.  The wall is actually only in evidence here and there.  The gate was rebuilt in 1966-69, there is a moat all around the city with lots of fountains.  The traffic is all one way with very few traffic lights, but it is busy,  we don’t have lunch after huge breakfast but have a drink only.  After this we go back to a/c room and read as only have thirty pages left of The Two Towers.  We go out to eat at 7.00 pm our barman has had too much to drink last night and is hung over. We go to bed at 10 pm and I read about 3 lines before falling asleep.

Day 34. Thursday 6th February

Woke at 7 am and read till 8-9 am.  I finish the book and have to look for the next one Return of the King.  We go down to breakfast which is always excellent here and then check email (John, where are you?).  I forget to bring notes so Jude cannot type up another week.  Then we walk back up through the town to go down to the river.  At the pier we maybe will take a boat trip.  On the way a very charming and well-dressed Thai man approaches us, usual thing, where do you come from.  Apparently he has been all around the S W of England, St Ives, Truro, Looe and actually been to the Eden Project.  He says he is a jewellery trader and has travelled a lot.  He has bought opals in Australia, rubies in Chiang Mai and sapphires in Sri Lanka.  He tells us the sapphires in Chiang Mai are the best in the world and also the best factory in Chiang Mai is only two blocks away.  He gives us a piece of paper with directions on it to get to the factory.  We say we are not going to buy any and he then proceeds to tell us that you do not have to buy but it is still very interesting to see them made.    He reckons you can buy one here for £1000 and sell in the UK (Ernest Jones or Harrods) for £2000-£3000.  Yeh yeh.  We part company and say we may go there and he gives us directions to the pier.  As we cross the bridge over the river another Thai man who says he is a Japanese businessman with an English wife from Derby and he is on holiday and business again approaches us.  You’ll never guess what, but he also deals in gems and tells us there is an exhibition on around the corner at a factory outlet for manufacturing rubies and they have a special show on (only for today).  We say we may go but later.  He then says the show is finished at 2 pm.  We nearly get sucked in but tell him in the end we are not interested.  I am sure the first man awakened our interest then let us go but phoned his mate and says he has got two live ones coming over the bridge.  Anyway we wander off along the embankment and have fun watching 3 Thai girls releasing 3 turtles into the river but as we come back we see the so say Japanese guy still loitering around where he was before waiting for his next victim probably.   We wander back into town and go for a fruit shake at the Red Lion then back to our guest house for another drink, book trip for elephant trek and rafting and to start the new book, Return of the King.  I read for a couple of hours and then go off to the room and shower.  We go out to eat at the Red Lion and have fish and chips, first English meal for 5 weeks, and it is very acceptable with ½ carafe of white wine, then we go back to the guesthouse for a beer and bed.   

Day 35. Friday 7th February

We get up early for breakfast at 7.30 am but cook does not appear till 8 am.  We are being picked up at 8.30 to 8.40 so we hope he can cook breakfast in time, phew!  too much too early.  We are picked up by mini bus at 8.40 am and it is about a one hour drive to Mae Taeng, which is north of Chiang Mai where we watch an elephant show.  We have a ride through the jungle on an elephant and buy it bananas and bamboo for a treat, our elephant is 25 years old but they have a lifespan of 100 years.  After the elephant ride we have a drink and then walk along the river to get on a bamboo raft for a ride of about 1 hour. It is very cool to be floating down the river on a bamboo raft but a shame about the noise of the lorries unloading the rafts. There are lots of traders wading approaching us waist deep in water with their goods on their heads hoping for a sale. 

We are then driven to the Royal Palm Resort and have a 15-minute ride through the jungle on an ox cart (very uncomfortable).  We talk with an Israeli couple who are on their honeymoon.  They have been to the resort and stopped for 1 night while on a tour in a 4-wheel drive.  While on the tour another Israeli couple joined them in their rented jeep.  This couple had a terrible accident in their jeep; he got it wrong and rolled the jeep about 6 times, the windows smashed and the 2 girls inside flew out.  Both girls are in hospital one with a broken hip and the other a smashed shoulder.  (She cannot be moved for 2 weeks).  After the ox cart ride we go to the Royal Ping Resort for a buffet lunch which is a real good spread of vegetarian, green curry, fishcakes, fresh coffee and tea, excellent but eat too much, the next stop is the orchid farm on the way back to Chiang Mai and here we find hanging up in tiny pots suspended from racks orchids, massive koi in the pond at the entrance of the orchid farm, Siamese ridge back dogs and Siamese cats.  From here we drive back to the guesthouse and get there for 4.15.  We have a quick drink and a read and I write up the notes.  Then we go back to the room for a shower and get ready to go to the Flower Festival, which is on from 7-9th February.  This is our last night here as we will be on the 4.30 pm sleeper train to Bangkok tomorrow, arriving in Bangkok at 6.25 am Sunday morning.  The flower festival is like a Thai version of Chelsea Flower show but you don’t have to pay to get in and you don’t have to dress up, it is packed.  There are various categories but it is not quite as sophisticated as Chelsea but really quite impressive lots of fantastic bonsai trees. We take a tuk tuk back from the park where it is held to the digs and have drink and off to bed.   

Day 36. Saturday 8th February

We are up at 8 am, pack and go down for breakfast at 9 am.   I have a bit of a sore throat.  We have the usual breakfast (Grants Special).  They do really good food here.  We walk along to the main street to watch the Flower Festival procession. 

There are lots of floats a bit like Bridgewater Carnival but they are decorated (beautifully) with flowers not lights.  There are lots of marching bands and gorgeous girls.  The marching bands play some very strange music such as Crazy Little Thing called Love and There’s a place for us (P J Proby).  Some of the floats are very high and people are designated to go alongside the float with steps and/or poles to life the electric cables across the streets so that the floats can go underneath.  One float designer was especially clever and built the high part of his float on a sprung hinge so that they could pull it back when necessary with a bit of string to enable it to clear the cables.  After the procession we walk back into town and have a very expensive shake at a Danish Bar, which is 70 baht each instead of the normal 30 baht each.  We walk back up to the Souveneir Guest House and have another drink.  We then have a read and something to eat.  The chef calls a female tuk tuk to take us to the train station, which only costs 40 baht this time, and not 80 baht like on the inward journey.  We arrive at the station at 3.56 pm to take the 4.30 pm train which will get us into Bangkok at 6.25 tomorrow morning.  It is a sleeper but not air-conditioned this time.  I have a couple of beers and thrash Jude at shithead, but she beats me at rummie.  We go to bed between 9.15 pm and 10 pm but I am awake until about 2.30 am.  I then doze for 10 minutes and then lie awake until 3.30 am.  I then doze till 3.45 am and sleep till 4.30 am and wake at 5 am and finally sleep till 5.30 am

Day 37. Sunday 9th February

We get a taxi (180 baht) from the train station to Business Hotel try to get a room but the only one available is a 3-bedded family room for 700 baht.  We take it.  We have a quick shower (much needed) and then go out to check the email and have breakfast.  After that we go into travel agents to see about Angkor Wat.  Tours are very expensive there but we can get a visa at the airport or border, but we decide to just book a bus and ferry to Koh Samet and see how long we stay there before we move on to Koh Chang.  It seems very hot in Bangkok this time and we feel maybe it was a bit cooler in Chiang Mai and it just feels hotter here.  We wander around Sukhumvit and see if we can get a picture card for my digital camera but we have no joy.  So we then get on sky train and head for Siam Square and we get lost in three massive shopping malls before we find a decent camera shop which has card for my camera which should see me through the rest of the holiday.  We go back to the room for a shower and a read.  That night we eat at the Business Inn and I have plakaplong fish with chips and salad.  After this we go to the chill out room in nearby bar and watch Man U versus Man City (1-1 draw) and then phone Jo and Jay.  Finally have a beer and ½ carafe of wine in square and off to bed ready for 8.45 bus to Koh Samet tomorrow.

Day 38. Monday 10th February

We get up at 7.30 am, pack our bags and go over for a light breakfast.  I have pancake with maple syrup and Jude has Continental breakfast.  We check out of the hotel and wait for the mini bus which arrives at 9am (heavy traffic) not 8.45am just as I am walking down to the travel agents to check where it is. There is only one other person on the bus and we spend 1 hour going around Bangkok picking up more people.  It takes us about 2 hours to get fully out of Bangkok and 1 ½ hours to get to Ban Phe. The drive out of Bangkok is two tier motoring for 2/3rds of the way and then single tier motoring down to Rayong.  Then there are ordinary roads down to Ban Phe where there is total confusion because some get out here and some have to go to a different pier but the driver speaks very little English.  The boat we are supposed to be going on is going to go further down the island than we want but we manage to change to a boat going to Nadom pier in the north of Koh Samet.  We get on the boat, which appears to be an old fishing boat with seats put in.  There seems to be a lot more English here we have to jump across three boats with our rucksacks on to get off.  Jude is not impressed.  We pile into a pick up truck and set off for the resorts.  The sandy road is very bumpy.  Aow Hin Kok beach looks ok and Jude wants to go to Jep’s Bungalows, as they sounded ok in Lonely Plant.  Jude walks back to Jeps and gets us a room for 600 baht nice room but a bit of a hike up the hill.  We have a drink, as it is so very hot you can rent motorbikes around here for 100 baht an hour (At Had Yao they were 200 baht per day).  The beach here is quite similar to Had Yao but maybe slightly busier but it is ok we were worried that it might be over-developed here but it is ok.  We take bags up to our room and get our costumes on and off we go into the sea. 

We walk around the rocks to look at the next beach, which is much busier. (Speedboats, banana rides, parascending etc.  It is much better where we are we go up to the room for a shower and then out to eat.  We walk up and down the beach and check out all the restaurants and check our email and surprise surprise we have actually received an email from John – we had just about given up on hearing from him.  We then go back to our restaurant for a not too successful meal of prawns in garlic and pepper which was actually delicious but the prawns were very messy and in the dim light on the beach it was hard to tell if I was eating good bits or not, delicious.  Jude waits and waits for her noodles and later when they still don’t arrive we catch the waiter who says she cancelled them.  (You have to keep talk simple with these people).  So we re-order and when it comes she is well pleased.  A few beers later we climb the hill and fall into bed. My £3 sandals fall apart it’s a good job I didn’t throw my other ones away.

Day 39. Tuesday 11th February

I wake at 7 am, as the bed is very hard and sit outside and write up the notes.  My soar throat has now become an extremely runny nose and I must get some tissues soon.  We sort out our laundry and go down for breakfast at 10 am then hit the beach.  It is very hot (36 degrees).  I go into the sea for a bit of wave crashing and body surfing, the waves break very close to the beach so if you catch a good wave when it breaks it beaches you.  This is very good fun for and I spend about 3 hours in the sea and talk to a Dutch guy who is living in London but out here for 6 months.  He is going to travel to Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.  He has an English girlfriend who has come out here to work in a wild life sanctuary near Pattaya for 3 months.  He works when he has to build up money to travel.  When I eventually get out of the sea my head and nose are burnt.  We have a drink at Jep’s Bar and sit and read in the shade on the beach then out in the sun, Jude sleeps back in the shade,  I join her in the shade to read and then back to the room for a shower and change before going down to send a couple of emails and we book the room for another 2 nights.  We try to eat at Jep’s again but this time my meal does not appear and we wait and wait.  There seems to be a lot going wrong in the restaurant, everybody is complaining about something.  Eventually I complain that I have not had my meal but we are not sure if they understand but it does appear in the end.  We have a couple of beers and then up the hill to bed.  I fall flat out on the steps on the way up (Much to Jude’s amusement!)

Day 40. Wednesday 12th February

I get up late at 9 am but Jude is still in bed (Lazy cow) write up the notes and then we go down to breakfast.  We try a smaller breakfast full English yesterday was too much back up to the room for the usual ablutionary past time.  Then we go down to the beach for a read.  We both decide to stay in the shade all today, as my head and nose is sore.  Read, fidget, drink, read fidget, read fidget, eat, read fidget and drink.  We back up to the room for a shower. The Lord of the Rings (Fellowship of the Ring) is showing at the restaurant down the road at 6 pm so we decide to watch it and eat there and hopefully we will be able to eat together.  We go down there early thinking there will be a lot of people watching it, but there is not a soul except us.  We have a nice meal. (Together!). I have fried chicken and chilli and Jude has chicken, noodles and fried vegetables.  We have all this to eat, 2 beers and 2 G & T’s for 275 baht. (£4 total).  We watch the film till the end and then go up to email Wayne and Jo, Helen, Peter and Linda.  We have a beer at Toku’s bar where a large chang is only 50 baht (Jep’s 80 baht) and then bed.

Day 41. Thursday 13th February

I am up late again at 9 am. But Jude is still in bed at 9.30 am. We heard a really unusual sound in the early hours of the morning heavy rain for about one hour.  When we got up there was no real evidence of rain at all.  We go down for breakfast at 10 am.  Today, we need to get some cash to last the week on Koh Chang, as there are no banking facilities according to Lonely Planet.  The minibus for Ban Phae to Koh Chang leaves at 12 am midday and apparently, we learn, there is an ATM at the 7-11 in Ban Phae, so hopefully we can get enough cash to last till we leave Koh Chang.  The woman who runs the Internet café and post office is English but married to a Thai and has lived here for 20 years.  She books the tickets for the minibus and we go and sit in a bar on the beach and read, swim and sunbathe on the beach.  We buy some fruit for lunch and then go into another bar for a drink (shakes honest!) and read and then go up to the room for a shower and pack ready for the morning then go down to eat evening meal, check email to see if Marie has sorted out her problem with the database at work. We settle up for the room and then walk along to the next beach, which is like Blackpool compared to ours.  It is a big beach and very busy with lots of restaurants on it selling lots of seafood.  I try some tiger prawns in garlic, which is very nice, but not as good on those on Had Yao.  We go back to the room, but oh dear, Jude has lost the key.  We check that we have not locked it in the room but no we haven’t.  Jude checks back at the email and there it is – Jude must have taken it out of her pocket and put it on the desk by the computer.  Phew!  We don’t want to pay for another key (200 baht).  We walk along to the beach at the other end of our beach and then have a couple of beers and go to bed.

Day 42. Friday 14th February

We get up early and forgo breakfast and catch a taxi (ha ha) to the ferry terminal and get on the 9 am ferry just as the skies open.   We get very wet on the boat, which takes an hour to get across to Ban Phae.  The minibus is not till 12 am and we have breakfast and then go around to the 7-11 to get cash, which is now desperately needed.  Horror of horrors, it won’t give me any on my connect card so I try my MBNA card but I have had a new card since last year and the pin no must have been changed so this card is no good.  As a last resort I try my Nationwide card and fortunately this works and I withdraw 15,000 baht.  The trouble with doing this is I pay interest straight away but I have no choice.  Next we check email and send one to Marie to see if she can shed any light on why my connect card is not working.  Then on to the minibus to Ban Gnap ferry terminal.  I feel sick on the minibus but am not.  We get to the ferry port with only 10 minutes to spare and quickly buy a ticket and sprint onto the ferry.  We dock at Koh Chang and get a taxi to White Sands Beach.  Aaaagh!  It is horrible, very developed and very busy.  We manage to find a tatty room for 300 baht and take this because everywhere else seems full up we wander around the town and beach (which is not nice) and decide we will move on further down the west coast first thing in the morning.  We decide if this is still no good we will consider moving back to Koh Samet on Monday.  We go out for a meal, which is nice.  Then we check email, have a beer and go to bed.  Techno music keeps us awake and eventually get off to sleep only to be woken again at 3 am by somebody shouting a lot (Thai) and lots of banging doors.  This goes on for about ½ hour.  It is then quiet for about a while and then dog starts barking and finally the cockerels start crowning at about 3.30 am. Definitely not the best nights sleep on this holiday.

Day 43 Saturday 15th February

Up at 8.30 am and pack and leave.  We plan to breakfast later.  We get a taxi to Klong Phrao Resort, which is very nice but very expensive at 1800 baht.  We try to walk along to the next resort.  There is a resort with camping and   huts but there is nobody around.  So we walk back up to the main road and have a cup of coffee and some sticky toffee rice (a present from the owner).  He suggests we go to Kai Bae beach so we do this hopping on the next passing taxi.  We check the main resorts but they are full.  We stay there and order breakfast.  Jude’s comes quickly but I have a long wait for mine, so Jude walks up the beach to check out all the other resorts while I wait for my breakfast.  She comes back about 1-¼ hours later.  Only two rooms available, one for 200 baht (Not acceptable to her standard) and one for 2000 baht, which is not acceptable to me, price wise.  I wander around the back of the resort we are in and find a room for 600 baht, which is not superb, but acceptable so we take this for 2 days. 

It is right on the sea front but a make-do sea wall not a beach.  The beach is about 200 yards along (not a maintained beach) and there is quite a lot of seaweed but it is acceptable.  An English guy and a German own the resort.  The Englishman has been out here for 2 years and comes from Wimbledon.  He says he can move us to a slightly better room in two days if we want to stay longer but we learn from him this weekend is a Thai holiday and everywhere is very full.  We bung our bags in the room and get on the swimming costumes and head for the beach.  I go into the water for a swim and get accosted by a Thai man who says he thinks I am a teacher.  I gather from this that he has picked up a little bit of English but wants me to teach him more.  He is a carpenter working here for about 1 year building new bungalows.  I make very difficult conversation with him for about 15 minutes, and then make my excuses and leave.  We go back to the resort for a drink and as we are leaving my newfound Thai friend says ‘see you tomorrow’.  We try the nearest restaurant to our resort and Jude has spring rolls and I have deep fried prawns, which are very nice.  We go back to the room, Jude to lie on the bed and I set up the hammock and listen to music in the hammock.  Jude eventually wakes up and comes out saying we have a houseguest in the roof of the building that sounds like a bird of some sort but it is up in the eves and I cannot see it.  There are quite a few geckos up in the roof and they sound like a bird chirping.  I have a go at boulles on my own but quickly get challenged by a Thai workman, so we play for about ½ hour while the sun goes down.  Jude showers and gets ready to go out.  I finish playing boulles with my mate.  It is a pretty even game. Then I go in for shower and a young Thai girl who is staying with 2 boys in the next bungalow to us accosts Jude.  She comes from Bangkok and speaks very good English.  Jude asks her about the bird noises in the room and she says it is like a gecko but bigger (not the best thing to tell Jude).  The girl says that they are harmless and you never see them, which seems to be true but doesn’t make Jude feel any better.  One of the Thai boys who is with her has been drinking all day and has passed out on their veranda.  We go out to check email and eat.  The main restaurant has Man U versus Chelsea on, so we end up eating there and sit with a German couple who have been away for 1 year and in three days are flying home.  They have only been in Thailand for 10 days do not like it because of the difficulty with the language.  They travelled mainly in Australia and New Zealand.  They have to be up early for a taxi to the ferry for the minibus to Bangkok.  So they go to bed early.  We go back to the room to sleep.  Jude is now petrified of the house guest (Took Tek) so called because of the noise it makes every time it makes it’s very loud noise Jude jumps.  While we are asleep it is definitely travelling around the room all night.  Wake up at 7 am.

Day 44  Sunday 16th February

Up at about 8 am and Jude 9 am.  I sit outside and write up the notes.  I think that today we will get a motorbike and look around the island at waterfalls and other resorts.  We breakfast at 10 am and I have a Thai omelette but nobody makes them like Had Yao).  We change bungalows and move to a more modern one with heated shower for the same price.  There is also room to put up the hammock and the bungalow is only 10 feet away from what could possibly be called a beach but only when the tide is in.  The consequence of having the hammock is that I lie in it and read a lot.  I almost finish The Return of the King.  The skies cloud over slightly by midday and it looks like it could rain over the hills so we give up on the motorbike at about 3-4 pm.   The skies open and it rains solidly and heavily until about 8 pm.  We hurridly go out to eat.  The whole resort is awash and we are splashing through lakes.  We also realise that all the restaurants are packed full because they cannot use their outside tables (wet).  We manage to squeeze into one of the street restaurants for a not particularly very good meal and still no wine for Jude either.  After eating we go back along the beach to try the restaurant at KB Bungalows where we can buy a bottle of wine and they will keep what Jude doesn’t drink for another day (fat chance).  Jude is in heaven.  We then go home to bed and take the malaria tablets.

Day 45 Monday 17th February

I get up at 8.30 am (Jude 9.30 am).  I have a big headache as I had too much beer last night.  I must limit myself to a maximum of 3 large chang’s.  I go into the hammock and finish reading Return of the King.  My head is still aching.  We breakfast at the KB Resort Restaurant and I have a small English breakfast for 80 baht, which is an omelette, toast, jam and a plate of fruit – all for £1.20.  The omelette is very nice with tomatoes and onion in it.  Jude has basically the same but a potato omelette and fruit juice but hers costs £2.00.  We go back to the bungalow and then for a swim in the sea.  After a shower I finish my book completely.  It is now threatening to rain again.  My hangover is now gone and I decide to get a motorbike at 2 pm.  It costs 250 baht for 24 hours (£8.50).  We go down to look at the next beaches south over the headland.  It is an unbelievable road, a bit like Had Rinn, steep ups and downs with a few really tight bends thrown in. for good measure.  We go back down to the road following the beach and pull up at the second turning in down to the beach.  The bungalows here look like they are much cheaper (No electricity).  The beach consists of big pebbles here, but further along it is sandy.  Jude worries herself to death about going back over the headland (just because I did a wheelie on the way over).  But going back over is no problem and then we go on further up to Khlong Phu Falls, which is about 3 km off the main road and then a 15-minute, walk.  There is no mention in the Lonely Planet of the 5 baht to park bike or 10 baht to park a car, 5 baht to use the toilet and 200 baht to walk to the falls.  We ask somebody who has just come from the falls if it was worth it all and they say the falls are not particularly spectacular but it was quite nice to swim in the pool below, but the rocks are dangerously slippery to get in from.  So outraged we don’t bother, we go back to the main road and park at Coconut Beach there, and then on to Whitesand Beach to try the cash dispenser and we manage to get another 10,000 baht which should be enough money to last us back to Bangkok.  On the way back to Coral Resort we call in and have a look at Coconut Beach.  It is quite a long beach with several resorts on it and a decent sandy beach.  We then go back to our bungalow and I have to go for a swim in the far beach as the tide is out and ours is very rocky and you have to walk miles to get in deep.  I then go back to the room for a shower and catch up with the notes.  We go out early to eat and make sure Jude can finish her wine, we then go around to the Beach bar for a beer  then to bed.

Day 46 Tuesday 18th February

Get woken at 3 am by huge thunderstorm, massive downpour right through till 7 am.  The rain stops but still the odd clap of thunder.  I get up at 7.30 am but Jude lies in.  I write up the notes and read Lonely Planet to see if it is worth exploring the beaches further south while I still have the bike.  I start my book no 5, Remote Control by Andy McNab.  100 pages later Jude gets up so we go for breakfast (the nice omelette place).  Then we head back to the room and settle up with the owner for last night and tonight as we are going to move on tomorrow to Coconut Beach.  We go into the sea for a swim and then shower.  Jude stays at the bungalow while I go out for a reccy down south.  I get as far as Hat Waiu Cheit where there is a barrier across the road and they want 100 baht to go through it.  There is free surfing and free this and that but I decide I don’t have enough time so don’t go on, but head back along the road.  I stop at a spot over the lagoon looking down on Ban Bang Bao which is a small village built around a jetty in the lagoon.  I take a photo and then ride down to the village and park bike and walk through. 

It was obviously an old fishing village but now some of the buildings have been converted to bungalows and quite a few to seafood restaurants and shops.  All manner of fish, lobster, crabs and prawns in big tubs outside the restaurants.  I head on back checking all the resorts out, most of the beaches are not particularly good, one or two are ok.  Then back to the room and pick Jude up and we just have enough time to get back to Ban Bang Bao so she can see it before taking the bike back for 2 pm.  We drop the bike off on the way back and then walk back to the bungalow and have a quick swim before the tide goes out.  Afterwards, we shower and then read till about 6.30 pm.  Jude seems a bit restless so we go out to check the email and while walking through the shops area to the email some hooligan comes past on a motorbike and shouts ‘hey, are you two from Stroud It is John and we pull off the road into the Jazz Bar for a beer.  John is staying at Magic Beach, which I think is just around the headland from our beach.  Unfortunately, John has got a really bad tummy bug and after 2 visits to the loo in 10 minutes decides he must go back to take some Imodium at his bungalow.  We arrange with him to move to his resort tomorrow.  After he has gone (looking absolutely terrible) we check email.  Marie is having problems with Jo and Wayne at work.  We go around to the Kai Bai Hut to eat and then to bed early.

Day 47 Wednesday 19th February

Happy Birthday to me        
Up early at 7.30 am and catch up with the notes.  We pack bags and move up to Magic.  They only have one room which is a bit grubby and at the back of a pool of standing water (mosquito city).  We have breakfast with John who has recovered from his bug and catch up with his travels in Laos.  We have a lazy day on the beach, just reading and swimming.  We have our evening meal at our site restaurant, which is built on stilts in the sea.  My stomach is not quite right and we have a couple of beers and bed for what is a very restless night for me full of wind and feeling a bit sick, I don’t sleep much at all.

Day 48 Thursday 20th February

Up early at 7.30 am and in the hammock to have a read, Jude lies in till 9 am and then we meet up with John for coffee and breakfast.  Jude checks out Chokadee bungalows next door and comes back very happy and says we are moving there.  They have nice new bungalows for 500 baht so we pack bags and move round there.  It is definitely the best room of the holiday.  Jude is going to take some prising out of here.  Jude has now got into the Return of the King so I leave her reading and go off with John on the bikes to check out other beaches. We find a nice beach but the bungalows might be a bit primitive for Jude.  We go right to the end of the road to the Blue Lagoon Resort where you have to pay 100 baht to enter and for this you get to swap your motorbike for a pushbike and a free drink.  We cycle around the site and come across an old cruise liner.  It looks like they have dug out an inlet from the sea and floated it in there, then filled the gap in behind the ship.  It is converted to a floating hotel, which looks very plush from the outside.  There are lots of Lakes (probably man made) with old wooden boats converted to two-tier accommodation with one apartment upstairs and one down, it all looks very plush from the outside.  They also have a building made from two boats with a structure built on for bridging the two.  This is going to be a massive site judging by the development going on, probably for very expensive package holidays. We go back to the lagoon for a swim, John gets bitten by something or stands on something very sharp in the sea, we ask a local if there is anything poisonous in the sea here as it is excruciatingly painful, he says no, but John checks in the Lonely Planet and that says there are things out there that are poisonous.  We go back to the room for a shower and read, then back over to John and out to do the email and eat at KB Resort restaurant, have a couple of beers in our resort pub we have a late night (gone 12 pm) and I have good nights sleep.

Day 49 Friday 21st February

We get up early and catch up with the notes and then over for breakfast at 9.15am.  Then John and I get on the bikes and go to check out the east coast of Koh Chang.  There is nothing really to report, no decent beaches, a couple of empty resorts and a lot of trees.  We go back to base for a swim and shower, and then read in the hammock.  We decide to book a snorkelling trip (5 islands) for 400 baht then eat and have a beer unfortunately we then get stuck into the Mekong and oh dear! We have to pay for what we have had as they want to shut the bar and so to bed at 12.30 am.

Day 50 Saturday 22nd February

Up early with a slight hangover, John comes around at 7.15 am and we go for a black coffee and then up to the pick up point.  The five island trip changes to a three-island trip and then to a one-island trip.  Koh Wai is a small island with crystal clear water where you can see the fish from the jetty.  We get a kill or cure breakfast at the resort there and then out for a snorkel, which is excellent lots of coral and fish, parrotfish, angelfish, small rays bluish grey with yellow spots.  We sit on the rocks for a read.  Should quite easily finish book no. 5 Andy McNabb ‘ Remote Control’ today.  We walk across the island to see what the beach is like on the other side but it is very stony and not really a beach.  There is a lot of rubbish around so we walk back over and snorkel on the other side of the pier again, we go back to the restaurant for a drink and to be ready for the return boat at 3 pm to Ban Bang Bao, and a taxi back to Magic Bungalows to look for Jude she is not on the beach or in the bungalow.  I don’t believe it; every time we go out without her she is always in the restaurant when we get back. That evening Jude has a yellow coconut curry which is fearsome hot, we wander around find a bar for a couple of beers and an early-ish night.

Day 51 Sunday 23rd February

Up early again as awoken by the noisy Thais at 6.30 am waiting to be picked up for a day out.  We go over for a coffee at 8 am.  John arrives over at 8.30 am and then we go up and pay for the bike for another day and then off to Ban Bang Bao to get the 9 am boat trip to 4 island for 350 baht including snorkelling kit, lunch a free water.  The boat actually leaves at 9.50 am at the first stop the coral is not very good but there is quite a lot of fish at the next stop the coral is better and the fish are good well. On to the next stop the coral is very spectacular and colourful and the fish good. The last stop was Koh Wai but a different beach to the one we went on yesterday the coral is spectacular and very close to the beach and the fish are abundant.  The boat gets back to Ban Bang Bao at 5.30 pm and then back to Choc Deere by 6 pm we stop at Kai Bae for John to get some cash.  I go back to Magic Bungalows to find Jude blimey she’s not in a restaurant we shower and walk to the email and then eat in the main street.  My fish curry is a bit hot.  Have more than a couple of beers and then bed.

Day 52 Monday 24th February

The Thais let us have a lie in this morning getting up at 9 am.  We breakfast and then plan the next move.  I think we might have a dissenter in the camp. (What do we want to go there for?)  Jude is scared of the boat crossing (quite rightly as it turns out).  We thought to go to Koh Wai for one night and then onto Koh Mak but looking at the timetable this is not possible as the boat only goes to Koh Mak on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday so we will have to go to Koh Mak tomorrow and come back Thursday to Koh Wai.  Jude and I take the bike to White sands and the sky opens up and we get absolutely soaked to the skin, Jude is not quite so bad on the back, we shelter in a shop doorway till it eases over.  We go to the mini mart for a few bits and pieces, and then check email (still nothing from Marie).  Jude needs to go to the loo so we go for a drink in a café.  The rain eases a bit more so I go back to the bike and take it down the road to get some cash and when I come back we set off back to Magic as the bike has to be returned at 12 am and we are already late.  Three quarters of the way back the skies open up again but this time much heavier, this time it has soaked us right through.  We eventually pull up at the bike rental/restaurant place and the lady tells us to come in and shelter and gives us a towel each to dry ourselves off.  She then produces a couple of dry shirts for us to borrow and bring back later.  We wait around for about an hour for the rain to ease off enough for us to walk back to the room.  We then have a lazy day, swimming and reading in the hammock.  At 7.15 pm we have partially packed ready for the off in the morning.  We go our to the email and return the shirts and then eat at the Austrian/Thai restaurant.  Food is very nice, the large Changs are frozen in the fridge.  We go back to the local for a couple of beers and then bed.

Day 53 Tuesday 25th February

We get up at 7.30 am and finish packing, go and we meet John at 8.15 am out on the main road and wait for a taxi.  The English guy that organises the boats goes by on his pick up run but does not see us.  About 10 minutes later a taxi comes along and we tell him we want to go to Ban Bang Bao.  His taxi is empty and he sees we have kit with us and charges 100 baht per person.  The normal price would be 50 baht but we can’t afford to argue or we will miss the boat.  Then he picks up 4 Germans just along the road and only charges them 50 baht. Highway robbery.  When we get to Ban Bang Bao it’s time for Jude to make a decision, either Koh Wai or Koh Mak.  We establish that Koh Mak is only 2 hours boat ride so that’s what we go for after convincing her that it is a big comfortable boat.  After we have bought the tickets the guy says that it is not the big boat as that is out of service.  Jude is petrified of stepping over the gap between pier and boats, John stands on the rope to pull the boat nearer and with the help of John, myself and a German who sees she is scared she steps across.  We get on the small boat and more and more people pile on.  The boat is definitely overloaded so they eventually take the people off who are going to Koh Wai only.  Phew!  so we eventually set off at about 9.45 am. Jude is starting to wind herself up. ‘The small boat is going out on the sea?’  ‘There looks like there is going to be a storm!  ‘Why is there water in the bottom of the boat?’  Unfortunately, just as we are getting by Koh Wai it starts raining, then it gets heavier as we go around the headland of Koh Wai, the rain gets heavier and the wind picks up and we all get soaked Jude is really worrying herself.  The boatmen decide that there is a sizeable storm brewing and turn back to Koh Wai then he decides it is clearing and turns around the headland to go back again.  As we go around the headland the storm is definitely not clearing and everybody wants to go back to Koh Wai so we take shelter on the pier at Koh Wai. The boat people are on the phone presumably checking the weather ahead, after a wait of about one hour the outlook is a lot brighter and the boat people check the weather ahead and decide to go on, Jude wishes she could get off, Four European girls decide to get off here as they just want to go snorkelling for the day and will do it on Koh Wai instead of Koh Mak. (When we swim at Koh Make they made the right choice, as Koh Wai is much better snorkelling).  The sea is flat calm again and although the sun is not full on it is definitely a different day, we get to Koh Mak without any more incidents but we are all very wet.  We find a couple of bungalows.  John gets one for 350 baht and Jude and I 550 baht, it’s quite a nice room, although Jude is not impressed with anything after the boat trip.  We check all the baggage and hang out our wet clothes and then into the sea, it is not particularly good for snorkelling.  We shower and sit outside and I write up the notes there are huge butterflies everywhere, they are all black with bright yellow bodies, we go for a wander up the beach, there are strange manikins in the woods, now and again a coconuts drops from the trees, this is really scary as if they landed on your head they would kill you instantly.  There is email here so we take advantage of that and then back to the cabin Jude keeps finding droppings around the place (under the pillows) and they are larger than a mouse, the bathroom and living room are full of geckos.  We freshen up and then go out for dinner quite late (7.30pm).  We have a couple of beers with the meal and then realise they are starting to shut up shop at 9 pm.  We leave here at 9.30 pm and try another bar but they all shut up early.  So we all get an early night. We are awoken at about 12.15 aware that the fan has stopped (infact there is no power at all – apparently the power on the island is on from 12 am to 12 pm and this is all over the island).  A very sticky, restless nights sleep.

Day 54 Wednesday 26th February

We wake up very early to a downpour, we get up at 7.30 am to start to walk out in the rain in Kagools and costumes Jude walks about 400 yards and gets scared of dogs (worries herself about rabies) so we decide to go back.  We go over to the restaurant for coffee at about 8.15 am.  John appears at about 8.30 so we decide to walk over to the other side of the island after breakfast before it gets too hot.  (It is actually too hot at 9.15 am but we carry on) this takes about 45 minutes and there is nothing really there to speak of.  We have a couple of cokes and then set off back via a different route coming back to our resort from the other end of the island.  Jude is on the beach sunbathing

I dive in for a swim for ½ an hour and then we walk up to Fantasia Resort for lunch (we’ve earned it after the walk!) but the place is swamped with flies & mosquitoes so we go back to the beach and collect the hammock, book, glasses and some fruit and look for a spot to hang the hammock ever aware of the danger of falling coconuts.  Snooze and read till 6 pm and then get ready to go out. We can’t decide whether to stay here for the rest of the trip or go back via Koh Wai and Koh Chang.   If we are staying here Jude wants a better room (more money!).  Jude goes out to check the next resort with those posh rooms to see the prices  700 baht for a nice bungalow and we decide to say here for 2 more nights and then we will start to make our way up to Bangkok.  Maybe stop for 1 night in Laem Ngop or Trat and then on early bus to Bangkok.

Day 55 Thursday 27th February 2003

Up early 7.30 am and straight in the sea for an early swim, the weather is glorious and the sea like a millpond I teach Jude that she can float, we go back to the hut for a shower, then over breakfast and get the key for the other room to check it out.  It is luxury.  Up to the email and to check out the boats over to Koh Khan (silly boy email won’t work without any power – after 12 am), the boat to Koh Khan is 70 baht per person so book that for 11 am and then back to the room and sort out kit for snorkelling.  Jude has had enough of boats so she will stay back and read.  It is a 15-minute boat ride to the island but driver says go left for the best snorkelling we arrange for him to pick us up at 2 pm and start to wander up the beach where we are approached by a thai guy for something from the restaurant (60 baht each – this is not optional it is compulsory) Ok it will probably tie in ok.  Get to the end of the beach and leave the bags and in we go for the snorkelling we set off in a clockwise direction around the island.  Start at about 11.30; see lots of fish and coral, fairly deep, clear waters, big shoals of parrotfish.  At 12.15 am we are unsure if we will make it around the island but decide to press on.  As we get around a headland we can see the other end of the beach from where we started so we start swimming towards it but we don’t seem to make any headway.  The wind and the current are against us and eventually we get there knackered, we check out the food and drink, just finishing in time to get back on the boat home.  Back to base and pick up Jude to take her out for a snorkelling lesson.  She manages the mask all right and sees some fish and finds some coral but she gags every time she puts the snorkel in her mouth but she does have a go, we go back to the bungalow for a shower and read.  Then meet up with John to go to the email, which is now working and we end up eating there.  (Nice meal).  We are all starting to get fed up now of the same meals and dream of eating egg and chips at home with loads of Tommy K.  Bed early.

Day 56 Friday 28th February 2003

We get up early for an 8 am swim, the sea is flat calm and the tide is in so you only have to go out about 20 ft to be up to your shoulders in water.  We shower and go round to Koh Make Resort for the standard breakfast of scrambled eggs on toast and 2 coffees. Lazy day today, read in the hammock till 1 pm and then down to Fantasia for lunch.  Rice chicken and chilli and Jude has rice chicken and vegetables.  Meet up with John and go into check the email and book the Business Inn for Sunday night.  John is planning to stay here tomorrow and go on a snorkelling trip but we intend to leave here tomorrow on the ferry and stay in Trat for one night then on to Bangkok on Sunday.  We go back to hammock for a read for the rest of the afternoon and out to eat at Fantasia, have a couple of beers and bed.

Day 57 Saturday 1st March 2003

Up at 6.45 am and have final pack then over to the restaurant for coffee and orange juice.  7.30 pick up and off to the ferry port for the 8 am ferry to Laem Ngop.  It is a boring, uneventful crossing much to Jude’s delight The boat gets in at 11.30 am and take a songthawe to Trat and check into the Trat Hotel.  A room with a fan for 250 baht (£3.40) Jude is concerned what it will be like but it is ok, TV, ceiling fan, only downside is it has an eastern toilet. We drop the bags and go down to the restaurant for breakfast/lunch, it is very expensive 86 baht for the two of us, meal and drink cost us £1.20 each.  Wander over to the bus terminal to book an early bus to Bangkok for 189 baht each (£1.70).  Departure time 9.00 am arriving in Bangkok at about 2 pm in the eastern bus depot, which is handy for Sukhumvit. We wander around  check the email no confirmation yet from Business Inn.  Dive into a café to shelter from the downpour and then wander around the markets and back to the room for fan and read.  Out to eat we wander around the night market and town and cannot find any restaurants and so end up at KFC (I don’t believe it) so we then find a little café open and have a couple of beers and then bed.

Day 58 Sunday 2nd March 2003

Wake up early at 6.30 am and get up at 7 am, finish packing bags and down to the hotel restaurant for breakfast and then back up to the room to collect bags after a little shop for eats on the bus. at the 7-11.  Onto the bus at 9 am and then off at about 9.10 am.  The bus is full of Thais we are the only Europeans they play a Thai film all space age stuff.  Then they show some video of a Thai show, which is very strange, lots of slapping people and touching them around their privates and then beating each other with hoses, also included some freaks, dwarfs and ugly people, very strange.  Drive into Bangkok about 2.30 pm at the eastern bus terminal in Sukhumvit Road onto the sky train to Nana and the Business Hotel.  Dump the bags in the room and out for something to eat, then a mini shop for 501’s for Jay, 50 tops for Marie and a pair of sandals for me and then back to the room with the spoils.  Check whether John has arrived yet (No) Shave and shower and then John knocks on our door.  We go out to eat in the square (crap band).  Jug of beer and wander around the stalls again and buy 3 pairs of 501’s for 250 baht each (£3.50), 2 pairs of folding glasses, Marie’s tops, Jays 501s.  Have a drink in a bar and John goes for a walkabout (cowboy Soi). We go back to the square for a jug of beer and carafe of wine and then out to one of the street stalls for a beer and Mai Tai and a couple of kebabs (pork) off a street vendor.  We sit and watch the world go by till 1.30 am.  A pleasant  last night people watching

Day 59 Monday 3rd March 2003

Up early and so is John surprisingly we go out for the final shop, wander up and down Sukhumvit.  Louise Vitton bag is acquired for Marie started at 2500 baht and final price is 1000 baht.  Jude has a KFC again she has definitely had enough of Thai food we arrange to meet John at 1 pm for our lunch in the seafood place.  Then back to the room to check out before 12 am. We wander back up Sukhumvit after lunch – prawns and asparagus we do the full tour again.  John buys a L.V. bag for Sheena, starts at 3000 baht and gets it for 2000 baht.  Jude buys a present for Sheena, a Louise Vitton purse matching Johns bag and a key case (Louis Vitton for 500 baht.  Wander around some more and then into a department store for cool down a/c John buys shoes for journey home and then into a bar for a drink and rest.  After we go back to the hotel with the spoils and pack them, I buy a Ripcurl T shirt on the way back and Jude buys a Moby CD for Ade.
Then back to the hotel for a change clothes for the home trip, of to the airport and away.
I hate travelling home.