29th oct
We got our boat the next morning to koh phi phi. The boat ride started out well, we were up on the top of the boat and it was nice to sit there watching things go by. We arrived to hat rai beach, where we were picking up some people but the boat was going into dock. They had long tail boats full of people and luggage that were to transfer onto the boat. It was actually quite funny. But in the end we all had to transfer to another boat because the one we were on stopped working. We got to the island and we found a guy from our hotel and we had to wait for him as we didn't know where we were going. What ended up happening was that we got to put our bags into a luggage cart that the guy pushed back to our hotel. Koh phi phi has no traffic really. There are a few bicycles and thats pretty much it. We found out later there is one car on the island but it wouldn't fit down the streets in the town. Its a cool island, it reminded me of koh tao, alittle busier and more concentrated. It had a good feeling vibe. It also helped that we loved our hotel, it was the best one yet. It was another bungalow but newer than our last one. We couldn't get in to our rooms yet as we arrived early enough so we had to wait. We went to walk around the town and had lunch. We were suppose to go to moskito dive center to meet kyla and Daniel from the internet at one. But it was still to early so I went on the net for awhile and aoife went off walking. At one O. clock I expected aoife to come back but there was no sign of her. So by 1.15 I thought that maybe she couldn't find me and went to the hotel. So I left to go to the hotel and I ran into aoife along the way. I went “where have you been” and she goes “I was up there looking for you” pointing to the opposite way to where I was. I was just laughing telling her I wasn't up that way.
Anyway we went to moskito and met Daniel and kyla. Daniel was in their small swimming pool. Showing a few tasks to someone new. Kyla said that she was a couchsurfer too. We all introduced ourselves and were talking away. The other girl was Andrea from America.
While we were talking away, a Thai guy, champ, that works at moskito as an instructor, comes by and says he has finished work and asks us if we want to go snorkeling at long beach which is up the island about 5km away. I said I couldn't but I wouldn't mind going for the walk and aoife and Andrea wanted to. so aoife and I went quickly back to our room to change and we we met them back at moskito before we left. We walked to the beach, champ was complaining that he had to walk as Andrea was saying that she didn't have enough money to hire a boat to take us and aoife and I were happy yo walk there. We didn't mind. See champ doesn't have to pay for his boat trips as he knows all the guys. So he doesn't have to walk anywhere. But it was a nice walk. Aoife and Andrea were a bit slow climbing over the rocks, but I think we all got there safe and sound. When we got there, the rest of them went of snorkeling while I sunbathe on the beach, as I had a sore ear. Ha ha. But there wasn't much sun left as it was late enough at this stage. When they came back from snorkeling they said there was a really strong current so they hadn't really seen anything and they got swept along with a current and Andrea panicked alittle. Aoife said she had to go help her and she was so proud of herself and she should be. She had came along way from being that girl to jumped into the water the first time.
So we were going to walk back to town but I knew champ didn't really want to. But we were still saying we weren't going to pay for it. So just as we started to walk back. Champ runs into a friend who he says is going back anyway in about a half an hour and did we want a lift back. Hey we were going to turn down a free lift. Ha ha but we never ended up waiting. His friend ended up bringing us back right away as it wasn't really that far especially by boat. We go back to moskito and meet yannie and thiago who are both also from couchsurfing. Its yannie birthday today so we are all going out for dinner and drinks for her. Aoife organises to go diving tomorrow and buys herself her own mask and snorkel. As I can't dive aoife asks if I can go on the boat too. I was allowed to but I had to bring my own food. Which was fine with me. We then head back to our room to freshen up and meet them all back at moskito and we go for dinner from there. They bring us to the best Thai food place on phi phi. I meet Jessica at dinner she also works at moskito and also a couchsurfer. Thiago came with a friend of his and we had loads of fun at the table. Champ made fun of my laugh, we liked being the center of attention. and we had to wait over an hour for our food. It was really good though. We then went to reggae bar where you can see some Thai boxing. It can be quite vicious. They would have pro boxers and than they bring a spectator up and they find someone to fight him. Champ went up and thiago decided to give it a go against him. Champ had done it before loads of times and I don't think thiago had ever fought before so I was scared for him. When it was their go, Champ really went for thiago but thiago came back in the second round and got champ good. We were cheering for thiago as he was the underdog. By the third round they both lightened up and the ref decided that the match was a draw. Poor thiago when he came back, he had a bloody nose and was limping. And he was going to do some diving. He wouldn't be able to with a nose like that. Upstairs from the bar was a niteclub so we headed there and went dancing. But it was really quiet so it was decided to go apache bar on the beach. Though by the time we got there everyone was starting to wind down. Specially since most of them were diving tomorrow. I did go dancing with yannie again, it was fun but I started to run out of steam especially since we had to be up early.
The next morning I really didn't want to get up never mind get on a boat. I thought we didn't need to get there till quarter to 9 but it was quarter past, half 8 at the lastest. So I was taking my time stopped at the shop to get munchies and this time aoife was looking at me waiting. I didn't realise why she was so anxious. We arrive there a couple of mins past half 8 and there is no one there. Aoife starts to panic, understandable. a girl comes from the office and says “you diving” we say yes. She says “they just left go to the dock” so aoife and I are running, well walking fast. And we get to the dock and we see the boat with moskito written on it but we have no idea how to get to it. It would be typical that while we are looking at it, it drives away. But we figure it out, we're smart girls. Ha ha and when we get on the boat Daniel is there laughing at us, kinda understanding why we were late. Well its all my fault. But we made it panic over. Aoife sets up her gear and I head to the above deck, where I find Andrea and we start to talk about the night before. The boat is full there are about 4 different groups of divers with their own instructor. The sea was quite choppy and the boat was swaying a lot. I felt so seasick. There was an oceanographer on the boat too and he was going around filming everyone. I wasn't diving so I didn't think he was going to get me. But was I wrong. So since I wasn't diving I was aoifes photographer. So I was to get pictures of her in her gear. But I didn't want to get in anyones way so I didn't go to the below deck but I hope I good some good ones. After everyone was in the water. I figured out hat I felt better when I was lying down down. So pretty much the rest of the boat journey I was lying down when I was taking pictures. I decided I was never going on a dive boat again unless I was diving. When we got back to phi phi, we went for lunch with Andrea and champ and after dinner champ said that he knew a good place to see the sunset later if we wanted to meet up. So we organised a time and place and we all headed off to your respective rooms for a nap. Ha ha. Aoife and I were late again meeting up for the sunset. This time its was only 5 mins, but we thought they had left without us. So we mad our own way to the beach to try and see it on our own. When we made it to the beach we met Andrea there, she said that champ had to work so he couldn't meet us. Which was fine but between the three of us we didn't really know where we were suppose to go. So we just stayed where we were on the beach, hoping to see the sunset but it ended up setting behind the hill. Which was a pity.
We then heading back to moskito where we met kyla and Daniel and yannie again. They were showing the video that the oceanographer had taken earlier, so we all sat down to watch it. It was really good. He got aoife underwater giving the OK sign. So aoife ended up buying it and afterwards we heading for dinner. Champ was going to meet us there. Dinner was quiet enough, I think we were all still tired. Afterwards we heading to apache again to see a fireshow. I have to say it was the best one we had seen so far. Well the other ones we had seen were guys only really practicing on the beach, while this was a show put on. The first one to come out was a little boy, he was only about about 6 years old and he was just brilliant the star of the show. After that there where a couple of different guys preforming but they weren't very good. Then the good ones came out. The mother of the little boy and then a guy. I think the mother was the best of them, just cause she looked more graceful. After the show we pretty much said goodbye to everyone as we were all heading back to our rooms and since we were going early the next morning we wouldn't see them again, which was a pity cause we had loads of fun with them.
The next morning we got the walking taxi back to the dock. Ha ha.
We were getting the boat to phuket as we were getting our flight that evening from there back to Bangkok. So we were just to hang around for the day before we left. The idea was to spend the time on the beach, but when we arrived the day turned out to be a shitty one, windy and rainy. So we had lunch went on the internet, and hung out. It was a pity. A taxi was arranged by our tour operators at the beginning of the 2 weeks but we had to get to a particular hotel to catch it. We eventually got our taxi after much confusion as we didn't stay with them. When we arrived to the airport, we had forgotten about our baggage allowance. We were only allowed 15kg as it was a domestic flight and we were trying to remember how heavy our bags were leaving Vietnam. But we made it OK, just. I was 15.7kg and aoife was 15.4kg and its only when it goes over the 16kg that they charge. So we were lucky.
We arrived late enough back to Bangkok and when got back to khao san, we checked into the same hotel and fell asleep as we were to tired to go and do ant shopping. It was to be aoifes last day tomorrow and I was and I wasn't looking forward to it.
