Day 80 - The final instalment

  

Around the world in 80 days or Asia in my case. My time here was coming to an end but with one day left I had some last minute tanning and relaxing to do before heading back to reality and planning my next excursion. By the pool I had time to reflect on what an amazing experience I have had. I am so pleased I also documented my travels and that you guys reading it have spurred me on to keep it going. With over 3000 views so far it's amazing I have managed to keep you entertained. 

Not only has it been life changing, this trip has humbled me to a totally different way of life (let's just exclude the luxury hotels for the last three weeks and return to my time in the jungle) the work of the people in both the centres is selfless and truly inspirational and it was a huge privilege to work with them. If anyone wants to do something like this please feel free to contact me and I will give you further details if this blog wasn't enough to tempt you. 

It has reinforced my feelings that my life in the UK is not where I am destined to stay. Not that I don't have it good because I have a wonderful life there but I want to achieve something in life and make a small difference to the animals that require it. 

We had one last 'to do' Item on our list and that was a Thai boxing match. What a fantastic experience that was especially as there was an American fighter at the end who won so it just made the night extra special.
                                        

Day 79 - Phuket Thailand - Private boat trips and Tropical Islands

George had booked us on a fantastic tour that we had changed prior to going to Phi Phi. The original one would have taken us by speedboat to Phi Phi instead we booked onto the James Bond Island tour. It was an early start and the boys joined our transfer to see if they could get their own tour at the port. 

The guy Mark, an ozzy who runs these tours met us at the port. After some looking about he suggested we swap to a private tour at no extra cost and the boys could tag onto that as there was no room on the big tour. Get In!! Instead of speedboat we had a traditional Thai long boat. This tagging along with other traveler thing works out cushty sometimes :) 

We met our captain and settled into our little boat. All our food and drink for the day was included and we set off. First stop was a secluded lagoon, we had to climb out of the boat onto an elevated ledge and then through a cave. The speedboat doesn't do half today's agenda as the boat is too big and there are too many people for the logistics. This was going to be good, and we were not disappointed. Once out the other side, was the lagoon, totally encompassed by sheer cliffs in a perfect circle, a proper wow moment. After a few snaps and photo bombs of each others shots we headed back to the boat and set off for some monkey watching. 

I am not sure what type they are but they live on the cliff edges and shelter under the entrances to caves. Being in a small boat you don't disturb them like a large on with lots of happy snappers aboard. We even managed to see a sea monitor lizard. The boat then pulled up at a tiny beach about 12ft wide and we got out for a swim. My fear of water is definitely subsiding and I even managed to go out where I couldn't stand. Then I needed a wee. Weeing in the sea while trying to tread water is a nightmare but I did it! 

Returning to the boat we cracked open some beer and set about sunbathing on the benches the breeze in our hair. What a perfect way to spend the day. Soon enough we arrived at James Bond Island so called because they filmed one of them here. We didn't stop as it was a bit too touristy instead we sailed past slowly so we could get shots before speeding up and heading for some cave paintings. After a I few shots of that we moored up at a floating village. 

Not like the one in Vietnamese Halong Bay. These ones are on stilts. We had lunch which was far to much food but was delicious, I think I ate more than the other three put together but that's just how I role. Once I was stuffed enough I could barely walk we joined the original group for a guided tour round the village. They are blinding a mosque for the 2000 strong community. We even saw a football field that was built by the kids here and there is actually a video on YouTube about how they built it and joined in the mainland tournaments and did really well. It all goes to prove dreams can come true. 

However, it was scorching hot and we were all wilting like dehydrated plants in the direct sunlight so we scurried through to miss the crowds and boarded back on the boat. Next stop canoeing or kayaking, we had an English American debate the whole way there. A local rowed us around a small group of very tiny caves leading us into more lagoons. We had to duck so we were practically laying down to get under most of them but inside the caverns was beautiful. We all did the echo shouting which made us all giggle. I swear our local was off his head on god knows what and found this hilarious. 

After returning to our boat we had just enough time to visit one last beach. Woweeeeeeeee! Think paradise, crystal clear shallow water lapping gently at the beach on a deserted island in the middle of nowhere. I could have stayed there for hours if it weren't for a busy flight path directly over head. I think it is truly impossible to find the prefect paradise in this modern world. But nevertheless it was relaxing and a great way to wind down after our action packed day. 

Our captain, Mr. bean as he likes to be known, sailed us back to port where Mark greeted us. He really went out of his way this morning and it paid off. I could not thank him enough and if you ever visit this area I recommend you use his company the service was exceptional and reasonably priced. 

Our transfer bus returned us to the hotel where we went to the pool before heading out to dinner and calling it an early night. 
                                        
                                        

Day 78 - Phi Phi Island Thailand - Tattoos make you miss boats

A lie in happened this morning much to my relief. Breakfast was marginally better than yesterday and Georgie even managed half a slice of toast. Brent had made his way to scuba diving so Shaun hung out with us for the morning, we decided to pool for a bit before checkout. Once we gathered all the bags we headed to explore what the island had to offer considering we had wasted our time here so far hungover. 

First stop some pampering, Shaun opted for a massage while George and I had a pedicure and foot massage. George even managed a hair braid, she is definitely taking this hippy traveler lifestyle in her stride. After being preened we headed to one of the many tattoo parlours offering traditional bamboo tattoo. 

It's not like what I had instead they use one fine piece of bamboo with a needle on the end. They balance this on one hand using the other to pierce the skin. Georgie found a lovely group of elephants and decided to have that on her left foot. It took just over an hour and a half and before completion Brent had returned from an entertaining scuba trip. Apparently it wasn't as calm as expected and he ended up being kicked in the face by his instructor when he freaked out seeing a barracuda. 

Georgie's tattoo looked awesome and I was kind of jealous I hadn't partaken. But we had a boat to catch so we backpacked up with our matching bags which becomes complicated in a group and wove our way through the narrow streets to the port. 

The narrow paved streets house a multitude of small family businesses selling all a kinds of souvenirs, t-shirts, ornaments and food. After about half an hour we had made it to the other side of the island alive but extremely sweaty without being run over by a bicycle or luggage cart only to find we had missed our boat and the last one was leaving imminently. We purchased some new tickets, jumped the fence backpacks and all and ran onto the boat. Setting up camp on the top deck ensured us the remaining sunshine on our journey back to Phuket. 

Having missed the boat we also missed our transfer to the hotel. Today was clearly not going our way. We decided to all wing it together in a taxi. By the time we made it back to our hotel (the one we stayed in before Phi Phi) we were shattered. Luckily we got cold towels while we waited for checkin. The boys decided to book in too saving them the hassel of wandering the streets after dark finding accommodation. 

A little bit of early evening pool beaconed so we raided the boys mini bar before drinking in the pool. All was going swimmingly until the pool attacked me! The edges of it have been designed by a completed idiot. I am not sure what they were thinking when they decided that adding a lip to the central seating area that consisted of razor sharp glass and sand was a good idea. But I swam to close and caught the top of my foot. It literally ripped the skin so far down it was bright white. As soon as I exited the pool to assess the damage the blood poured! 

We called the pool a night and the boys treated us to dinner which was exceptionally kind of them. It was a gorgeous restaurant and the food was exquisite. We had wine which was delicious. Brent however was not feeling very well from the scuba so headed back early. We were not far behind him, it had been a long day even if we hadn't really done much.

Day 77 - Phi Phi Island Thailand - Hangovers and Accomodation changes

I awoke this morning to the bed vibrating from the air conditioning, bodies scattered everywhere. Clearly everyone had a good night on the booze. My head sure hated me along with my stomach but breakfast was calling. I woke the others but George wanted to stay in bed, constant partying in her delicate situation was taking its toll. We found a restaurant with an eat as much as you like sign. The reality was eat as much as you think is safe and won't make you sick! 

Needless to say we didn't stay at breakfast long. Instead we set off in search of alternative accommodation to get out of the hell hole hostel! We found a place backing onto ours with huts, just like we wanted but without the noise of the beach front. We had a look around and they even had a pool so we handed over our money, retrieved George and settled into our new accommodation. After unpacking we headed to the pool where the boys bought beer and we chilled there until late afternoon. 

Just before sunset we headed to the beach for some food, Pad Thai was a must from the beach restaurant. We ordered a few beers and set up camp on the beach itself for sunset. The sky was utterly breathtaking all the colours of the rainbow, slowly chasing as it disappeared behind the bay edge. After a few hours all of us were overcome with sleep so headed back to the huts. I managed to read a few pages of my book until none of the words made sense anymore. 
                                                        

Day 76 - Phuket Thailand - Boats, Beers and Americans

After some breakfast and a dip in the pool which we were able to step into directly out of our room we packed up to check out. Three days to ourselves to find accommodation before coming back here to end our trip. We met our rep in reception and after about 30minutes of debate we made a plan. Phi Phi won out as we wanted to stay in a beach hut. Our rep took us to the dock and helped us buy our tickets before waving us off.

For the first time this trip it was nice to be winging it, I am not sure George was so laid back about this fact. However, being in these nice hotels we haven't really met any young people also travelling maybe it would be our chance. As I was thinking this an American guy bundled past us on the boat saying something about our backpacks. Turns out we all have the same ones which is pretty funny and turns out to be a great conversation starter. They were also winging it having stayed in nice hotels in Thailand so far. 

Upon leaving the boat we teamed up with the Americans, Shaun and Brent. They had one night booked in a hostel so we went with them to dump our bags and go search for some accommodation for ourselves. First stop food and beer. We were right on the beach but the tide was out making it not as pretty as we expected. We ordered pizza from a beach hut and drank cold beer, and another. We wandered about for a bit looking at various accommodations but the ones on the beach were loud so we decided just to stay at the hostel and sort accommodation in a hut tomorrow. 

Next we ordered some buckets, similar to what we had in Malaysia. Vodka, sprite and red bulls. We took our buckets and went and sat in the sea to drink them. The water is warm like a bath. Suddenly Brent is up and running to the beach, the tide was coming in so fast we hadn't noticed it encroaching our bags and clothes. Staying on the beach was a safer bet. Watching the sun set with the water nearly in all the way was beautiful. The beach was filling up with people, it's the place to be apparently and I was glad we were on the right side of the island to see it.

Many buckets later and some night swimming in the sea, we decided to bust some grooves at a bar on the beach before staggering back to the hostel.
                       

Day 75 - Bangkok Thailand - Pool time and travel

Neither of us made it to breakfast this morning, instead we chose to lie in before packing, checking out then heading to the pool on the roof top. We stayed there all day, reading sleeping and eating until we got picked up for our flight to Phuket. Some mad lady who's name I didn't get met us at the Airport, I am not really sure of her purpose but as quickly as she had got us to check-in she was gone.

We struggled finding the departure gate as they are doing maintenance work but eventually we did and then found the Bangkok Airways Lounge and devoured their complimentary food and drinks. I managed to upload some photos to the blog using their computers.

There were no dramas on this flight and we arrived earlier than anticipated in Phuket even though it was still 11pm. No one was there to meet us which was odd, we managed to get a lovely lady to call our people. After several phone calls we got through and they advised we were to get a taxi and they would meet us in the morning for a refund.

And this is where the fun began, picking a taxi on Song Kran. Prices were phenomenal and all the drivers looked off their faces it was picking the one who looked the least drunk. We went for an old guy who seemed nice enough and was from a registered place. We did however have to put our headphones in as he was making some weird coughing and sniffing noises for the whole 45minute journey.

The hotel was expecting us which was good as George really isn't well at the moment she is similar to how I was in Cambodia :( 
                                   

Day 74 - Bangkok Thailand - Song Kran madness

We managed to have a lie in today which was nice. The hotel is spectacular but the staff are no way near as friendly as the other hotels. We just don't seem to fit into this one with our baggy trousers, flip flops and backpacks and the staff make that quite clear. We were even shuffled into a corner for breakfast. The food was ok but the atmosphere ruined it.

After a quick pack ready for the day ahead we decided to leave the motorbike taxi behind and head to the shopping centre by foot. I remember not liking Bangkok the last time I was here with my parents and thinking maybe I was too young to appreciate it. But I still don't like it. The flyovers and sky train give it a claustrophobic feel. It's not clean and the sewage smells that emanate from every drain makes you gag. Our walk took longer than we expected but it gave us a chance to wiggle our way through some street markets which are really cool and offer some shade. By the time we reached the MBK shopping centre the air conditioning was a welcome reprieve. 

We pottered about for a while. Each floor houses a set theme, electrics on one, clothes on another like a department store but huge. On the top floor was a food court. George and I have both been suffering from upset tummies so we opted for Pizza Hut and food we knew. It was actually delicious and we ate so much we nearly exploded. We even had a few pieces of pizza to take home.

Brian met us for a coffee which was a nice chance to discuss the night before and get to know him better. We have even organised to all go for a drink when we are back as he also lives in my home town. I had my first cappuccino which was lovely :) we then headed outside to hail a motorbike taxi to take us to the hotel where we could prepare for our evenings activities. 

We got a motorbike to their hotel again for happy hour before heading out to a beautiful restaurant in the city. The food was expensive but it was worth every penny. We ordered a variety of dishes and in true Thai style shared them all. I was fit to burst again by the time we finished. Now it was time to go and celebrate Song Kran in its full force.

After a short walk and avoiding most of the people wielding water pistols we were back at the road of bars we went to last night. It was packed like sardines and there was water flying everywhere. We composed ourselves confirmed our destination and then ran. I seemed to bare the brunt of the soaking, by the time we reached the bar all of us we're drenched. It was great fun though, the aircon in the club didn't aid our drying though. 

The drinks flowed until we decided to call it a night. We made it back down the gauntlet and into a taxi before realising Brian's phone was in my dry bag from earlier. So we had to run the gauntlet back to the club they were in. Obviously we had to get another drink so we could make it back to the taxi. Really really fun night.