Back home

I got up at 7am on my last morning on Phi Phi as I had to get the morning ferry back to Phuket. I headed down to the dock and boarded the ferry, climbed on to the top deck, put my bag on the floor under my head and promptly went to sleep. I woke up about five minutes away from Phuket. Which was nice. I disembarked and found a bike taxi driver, haggled the price to the airport to 300 Baht and hopped on the back. Around an hour later we got to the airport (it's a long way) and I grabbed a burger (first one in weeks) and then sat on a chair for about five and a half hours waiting for check in to open. Once I'd checked in aI headed through to the gate and spent another hour or so waiting to board my plane to KL.

After a couple of hours on the plane we landed at KL and I limped through the airport to my next gate, where I had a couple of hours wait until I could board my flight back to Heathrow. Once on board the plane (my first 747) I grabbed some sleep when I could, watched a load of movies and ate the average airline food.

Landing in Heathrow was weird, as I was officially home.

And that's it. Over. Until next time anyway.

Time for a Phi Phi

After a few days in Phuket I decided to head for Ko Phi Phi Don (known as Phi Phi (pronounced Pee Pee)), an island about 42 KM off the coast of Phuket. I headed down to Rasada Pier in Phuket, bought a ticket and then sat around for a couple of hours waiting for the ferry. Being a novice I sat inside the boat, not realising I could have perched on the top deck in the sunshine. A couple of hours later we docked at Phi Phi, and were immediately acosted by hundreds of touts all trying to get tourists to go to their hotel or guesthouse. Obviously, having nowhere to stay and no idea where I was heading I ignored all the touts completely, and headed in the general direction I thought a hostel I had heard about was in. Like I had a clue.

I followed a couple of backpackers through 'tourist town' and eventually found the hostel I was looking for ('The Rock'). I checked in, dumped my bags and headed off for some food. I got back to the hostel after my lunch and met the guys who were already staying in my dorm. We all had a bit of a chat and a beer, and then we all headed off for dinner, and more beer.

We headed off to Papaya, a restaurant Adam had heard about that did large portions for a few Baht more than the other restaurants. We got there, ordered, and it was then we noticed the fridge. There was a cat in it. Licking herself clean, as cats are prone to doing. It transpires that the cat jumps in the fridge when she gets too hot, and jumps out again once she's cooled down. Fridge Cat instantly became a talking point, and was visited many times over the next couple of weeks.

Ah yes, the portions. Jebus, they were huge! We learnt very quickly that when visiting Papaya that it's best to share a main course between two, as it's almost impossible to finish a main alone. Oh, and it was gooooood. If you're ever there, I recommend the Masaman Curry.

So after dinner we all headed back to the hostel where we had a few drinks, before heading down to Reggae bar, and then on to Hippies, a bar on the beach where everyone seems to congregate around midnight for the last two hours of music before the curfew.

Papaya, then drinks ending in Hippies became a pretty standard overall template for our evenings on Phi Phi, with some variations such as drinking games at the hostel before heading out. One night we all bought buckets (half a bottle of spirits, 1 can of coke, 1 Thai Red Bull (very small, flat and very strong) and some ice) and played 'Ring of Fire' (with international drinking rules on top) which got pretty messy.


Days usually consosted of hanging on the beach or on 'the stoop' (the walkway along the side of our dorm) relaxing. A few of us went up to Phi Phi viewpoint a couple of times as there's an awesome view.

On the way back from our first visit to the viewpoint, Lotta and I turned off the main street and headed for the beach, and spent an hour or so walking through the surf avoiding crabs and jellyfish, and enjoying the water. Ah yes, jellyfish - they were harmless enough, although they did feel weird when they were all floating around you whilst swimming.

On the second excursion to the viewpoint, a few of us decided to try and walk down the other side of the island as we'd heard there was a nice beach and a waterfall. Unfortunately, we got lost. We ended up walking through the forest for some time, and eventually stumbled upon a huge reservoir which was part of a building site. Undeterred we walked around the edge, and then scrambled down a very steep and dangerous hill in to more jungle. After hacking our way through the foliage for what seemed like forever we found a path, which we follwed and eventually arrived at a deserted beach. Jackpot! We all jumped straight in to the ocean with the frisbee and spent a few hours enjoying the water, before heading back to town (we actually found a much easier way back).

I ended up taking a completely different group of people back to the deserted beach (Lo Mu Dee) a few days later (taking the easier route) and discovered that the sea was infested with enourmous sea urchins (we hadn't noticed on the previous visit as the tide was in). I wouldn't be suprised if the nasty sting I got that caused my foot to swell to huge proprtions was an urchin sting...

So that gives you some idea of my time in Phi Phi. ;)

Wat Chalong and Ska Bar

Ok, so, Wat Chalong. Wat Chalong is Phuket's largest Buddhist Temple, located about 6KM south of Phuket Town. I took a walk down in the morning from the hostel, on a very hot day. The hot day thing is significant, because being a worldy traveller type person I was fully aware that you should be covered up when visiting a temple (shorts and T-shirts aren't really acceptable) so I was wearing jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. I lost about 5 kilos on the walk.

I got to Wat Chalong and decided to have a walk around the grounds, doing my best to avoid the stray dogs which were lying around everywhere (they get well looked after by the monks) and admiring the various buildings. Someone decided to let off about a thousand firecrackers in a special firecracker-setting-off-hut just as I walked past, scaring the bejesus out of me and half a dozen farang standing nearby. Walking around I was appaled at the number of ignorant tourists who were dressed completely inappropriately - strappy tops, tight shorts etc. I wondered briefly if they would go to church in the UK dressed like that, scowled at them and made my way to the temple itself. I think.

I say I think because there were so many buildings it was hard to tell what was what. I'm pretty sure the building I headed for was the main temple as there were people praying there, which is usually a small clue. That said, there was a larger building with a couple of people praying, but I think that was something else.

The various temple buildings are unbelievable - gold and red with intricate details, large statues and all sorts of other things. I spent ages walking arounf the insides of the various buildings, doing my best not to offend anyone inadvertently (taking my shoes off, not pointing my feet at any Buddha images, not climbing the statues and mooning people, that sort of thing).

I guess really a guide would have been usefuol so I actually knew what I was looking at but it was very interesting nonetheless, and somehow calming too. Except for the firecrackers.

In the evening I popped back down to Kata beach, and this time I was successful in finding Ska Bar. Tucked in to the rocks at the south end of Kata Beach and built around a huge tree it's got to be one of the most chilled out bars in the world. They play reggae constantly and you can sit there enjoying a cold Singha watching the sun set over the sea. I recommend.

Kata on a Saturday night

I got dropped off in Kata yesterday evening by the guy who works at the hostel, and decided to hit a couple of bars. I found a nice bar just opposite Kata Beach and had a couple there, and then hitched a lift on some blokes motorbike to Kata Noi to search out a bar called 'Ska Bar' which I'd heard was a cool place to go. I never found it, just spent an hour walking in circles... I grabbed some dinner in a restaurant (after falling on my arse because the chair was broken) and then headed back to the bar for a few cocktails.

I grabbed a taxi back to the hostel and noticed a little cafe across the street, where I joined the family that worked there and theirt friends for a beer, and some unidentified shot. The woman knocked up some beef stuff and we all sat around drinking, eating and chatting. I think I managed to get a couple of photos before my batteries died...

Today has been a quiet day... Wat Chalang tomorrow I think!

Tom Yum's boots...

Jumped on the back of a motorcycle taxi to Kata beach this morning. I was going to rent a bike but there were too many police around so didn't seem like a great idea.... The beach is gorgeous, although I'm led to believe there are better ones. Stopped off for some Tom Yum in a little restaurant just off the beach, which with a beer and the obligatory rice set me back 180 Baht. That's about 3 quid.

Took the bus back to the hostel - I'm not sure it's supposed to come via here but gave the driver some tobacco in exchange for a Thai cigarette and had no problems getting him to drop me off... The bus is great - it putters along at about 10KPH (we were getting buzzed by mopeds) and struggles to get up hills, but it just doesn't matter - all the people in the cafes along the roadside smile and wave and it's awesome fun.

The Thai people are lovely (when they're not trying to fleece you - oh yeah, the motorbike driver quoted 300BHT to get to Kata - I said no and walked off, suddenly the fare was 150BHT! *grins*). They're really friendly and as long as you're polite and smile a lot they're lovely to chat to, even with the language barrier. I'm off to get the sand out of my clothes and then I may just have to see what happens in Phuket on a Saturday night!

Miss you all heaps. Really. ;)

Thailand

So I flew out of Sydney yesterday afternoon (an hour late but never mind) and touched down in Phuket at about 9pm, where I was immediately hit by the 25 degree heat. I was dog tired so accepted (almost) the first taxi fare I could get to the Hostel. That was when the fun began.

The taxi driver didn't know where the hostel was, although I had obviously checked he did before we left the airport. We ended up in the middle of nowhere with me on the phone to his controller trying to sort things out (meantime the taxi driver is looking at every little shack at the side of the road asking 'here?', 'here?'). We eventually asked some locals and they pointed us to the hostel, and then we discovered reception was shut. My taxi driver went for a leak up the wall of the hostel and spotted someone inside, who let me in and I managed to get a room. The trip took an hour and a half (it should have taken about 40 minutes) and at one point I was starting to think I was going to get murdered and have my stuff stolen. Trusting soul that I am, but I honestly know now how Ewan McGreggor felt when he went on the 'mad video game ride in the dark' to one of the hotels he stayed in on 'Long Way Round'.

Things are much better after some sleep (so hot though, so hard to sleep) - reception guy gave me a voucher for a free breakfast at the little store next door to the hostel, which was simple but delicious (fresh pineapple, toast and jam and some tea), and I'm now sitting here sweating like a Scouser in court at 8am. Time to go exploring I think!

Finishing off in Australia

So, after the Blue Mountains what did I get up to? I went to Palm Beach, which most people probably know better as 'Summer Bay'. We took the dog and got our knuckles rapped a couple of times as we really shouldn't have had her on the beach, but she was having a whale of a time so it only seemed fair to let her have a run. Luckily she didn't see the dolphins swimming just off the shore or we could have had problems.

Before we went to Palm Beach we went over to the national park on the other side of the pitt water where there were some fantastic views - I'm sure I'll get the photos uploaded at some point.

As I left Sydney, World Youth Day was in full swing, and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to go and tease some pilgrims before I left. I headed down to Circular Quay where the crowd were gathering waiting for a glimpse of the Pope (who looks far too much like Joe Pesci for my liking), and mingled with the crowd enjoying the atmosphere. I then managed to get a quick snap of myself holding a sign saying 'Blessed are the cheesemakers' - it had to be quick as I didn't want to get lynched! I even saw the Pope's 'boatacade' - seriously, that's what it was called. I also got roped in to help a street performer do his show, where he juggled knives and flaming torches on a bike atop a 22 foot pole....

We also went out for Vietnamese food for Hannah's birthday, which was great - very similar to Thai food and who doesn't like Thai? Talking of which...