So i think the last time i updated my journal I was in Langkawi. I then took the a boat to satun and arrived in koh lipe, a small island in the south of thailand. A very tiring journey that ended up taking 9 hours when it should only have taken 2. To top it off i arrived during a storm and 2 days before the thai festival so many bungalows were all booked up.
Anyway the next day the sun was shining and i was able to see the island for what it really was... absolutely clear blue water, sand as fine as talcum powder and stunning beaches. The island itself is really small north to south, about 2km with no roads, very easy to walk around the whole island in a morning. I decided to book myself on a 3 day open water padi course. I was the only person so managed to get one on one tuition which was great. Really cool and saw some amazing marine life though i'd be lying if i say i know the names of them all. It really is another world down there, so amazing. So i spent my days there chilling on the beach, finishing my PADI course and spent the evenings chilling at a bar called love and peace watching fire dancers.
I then moved to Koh Lanta a few days ago which is where i am now. I checked into a lovely hotel here that is again located on the beach. Really nice tranquil place (except for the crickets and cockerels) with a river flowing through the gardens. I made my first friend here very quickly... 10 month old Ne Mo whose mother works in the spa.. really cute litle boy:) So i've spent the last few days relaxing by the pool, doing some diving in Phi Phi and went there for the day to see where they filmed the beach.. really breathtaking views. So now it is my last day and I take the sleeper train to Bangkok tomorrow on the first day of the water festival! Today is Thai New Year and for the next 2 days it is tradition to throw water over people including tourists. Should be fun! I've also decided to end the "backpacker" trip in style and have reserved a deluxe room at the Hilton Millennium with views over Bangkok.
I can hardly believe the trip is coming to an end.. it has gone so quickly and i've had a great time, seeing new places, meeting some really nice people that I hope to keep in touch with. I'm looking forward to coming home, seeing everyone again and being in my own bed but not looking forward to the routine. I'll miss the sunshine though and the "noise", be it mopeds, cockerels, endless request of tucs tucs or "would you like sumsing to drink??" This isnt the end of holidays though and i'll be travelling again, maybe even with some people that I've met along this trip!
I'm not sure if I'll be writing again now before i come home but I am back this Thursday 16th. I'm looking forward to seeing you all and boring you all with thousands of photos and stories that may not have made it in this journal! See you soon! x
