Well, the time has come for me to pack my bags and leave my lovely life in Sydney and start travelling again. Mixed feelings really... I LOVE Australia and am very sad to leave, but I am immensely excited about nearly 10 weeks travelling around SE Asia.
I arrived in Bangkok about midnight and it was 31 degrees!! Talk about hot, hot, hot! After 5 hours sleep I began the journey to Koh Tao, a little island south of Bangkok. After a long train journey, another 5am start and a ferry ride I eventually go to my destination - shattered but happy. I met a great couple on the beach that afternoon and went out with then for the next few nights. I spent my days either on the beach soaking up the rays, or out diving and doing my advanced PADI course. I passed, not sure how as i'm sure my navigation took us the wrong way! Oh well, all good fun :-)
I left Koh Tao on the Sunday morning having had a great few days and got on another ferry to go to Koh Phangan (another little island). Not a nice trip - spent all the time feeling sick and getting soaked by the salt water. :-( Anyway, I arrived in one piece and checked into my place - a wooden bungalow on the beach. Life is so good out here! That afternoon I met a fabulous girl, Sarah, and a group of 4 guys from manchester - small world! We went on the boys mopens to a bar down the road and later we watched the sunset at the top of a huge hill - beutiful.
The following morning Sarah and i had a day trip to Ang Thong Marine Park (think its a world hearitage site, but don't quote me on that!). WE went snorkelling, swimming, sailing around many of the 400 small islands and kayaking too. We had such a nice day and the lunch was pretty good too, always a bonus!
We were up early the next mrning and went to Haad Rin (about 10 mins in a tuk tuk taxi thing) which is 'party capital' and where the Full Mon Party is held. Again, another lazy beach day topping up my tan... The Full Moon Party was the following night so we needed to preserve our energy!
Full Moon Party was AMAZING!! The atmosphere of thounsand of people on the beach, music blaring, drinking buckets of alcohol (yes, mum & dad plastic BUCKETS!) plus fire shows etc was insane. You will see from the pics i will add to Facebook soon ;-) Such a wicked night - everyone should go!
Since the FMP Sarah and I have been reading, sunbathing, eating and sunbathing a bit more. Tonight the two of us are going to Phuket on an overnight ferry - should be interesting with my penchant for being seasick!
Anyway, I'm having a blast over here but very excited about returning home on the 23rd June :-)
Will write again soon, hopefully i will have had some funny/scary/amusing stories to tell by then!
Lots of love,
Miriam xxx
