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. ;)