Hi again everyone,
Well we’re finally back on the road and glad to be reunited with long, hot evenings in Internet cafes – our little cockroach buddies have really been missing us!
We decided to opt for a slightly more relaxed start to our trip this time around, flying into Thailand, where we’re hitting the beaches like the two big post-Christmas whales we have become (no, there will not be swimwear photos to accompany this entry!)
The flight was pretty uneventful – the new addition to our essential kit list, travel scrabble, got a good outing, and we got some great views (of the snowy alps and the sandy middle east) out of the window. After a very efficient transfer at Doha, Qatar, and a marvelous Arabian breakfast, we landed half an hour early at Bangkok’s swanky new airport, raring to go and ready for taxi negotiations…
As we headed into Bangkok for a spot of sightseeing, it was apparent just how much Bangkok has modernised in recent years, with a new integrated Sky train and Metro system as well as countless skyscrapers and glistening shopping malls – all new since Sarah’s last trip here erm, some years ago.
Our day in Bangkok was spent largely recovering from jet lag, pottering up and down the Chao Phraya river on ferry boats, and picking up a few more essentials on the Kao San Road, the main backpackers haunt. In the evening, conscious of our growing sleepiness, we decided to stay close to our hostel (on the Sukhumvit road in East Bangkok). So we strolled rather quickly down the ‘colourful’ Soi Cowboy street where many of the girls outside the bars seemed to have lost their clothes. Luckily there were some kind gentlemen trying to help them find them though…
Then we carried on to a restaurant called ‘Cabbages and Condoms’ recommended in the Rough Guide, which was actually far less seedy than old Cowboy street, and in fact has very honourable intentions. The restaurant profits go to a family planning and education charity, and in keeping with its mission the whole place was bedecked in ornaments made of colourful condoms! It looked, at least through jet-lagged eyes, really quite pretty, and we are pleased to report neither cabbages nor prophylactics in our pad thai supper!
Next day we decided to get ourselves on the bus to the beach island of Ko Phi Phi. We went for the VIP bus given previous experience, and VIP it was, with proper Air Conditioning, reclining seats, flat screen TVs and even little flouncy curtains. All for less than a tenner! We arrived in Ko Phi Phi next morning after a good night’s sleep and almost seamless bus-bus-bus-boat transfers (well one broke down, but we were so relaxed by now it was just a chance to admire the scenery for half an hour really…).
As many of you will know Ko Phi Pi is famous as the stunning location for the film ‘The Beach’, and also as one of the places that got hit very badly by the tsunami in 2004. It is really a great testament to the hard work of the residents and foreign aid workers that the island has been so well returned to its former beauty, with many of the beach hut establishments and beach-side cafes etc. that Sarah remembers from her previous trip, being back up and running. You really get the impression that the people here are very proud of their little patch of paradise and we felt very lucky to be able to come and admire it too.
We’ve spent our time here just lazing about really – trying to perfect our gap year-stylee tans, reading and every so often stopping to talk to one of the passing hermit crabs or funny sort-of talking birds (which we are yet to identify with a formal name!). We’ve also managed a red-faced walk up hill to a view point (well worth it in the end), and have been out kayaking around the bay to a couple of smaller beaches. Those gap year-esque bodies may yet emerge!!
The other news is what we’re not doing i.e. the booze and fags. Sarah stopped smoking on Jan 1st and hasn’t broken yet. Helped somewhat by having picked up a very well-timed dose of something chesty/fluey whilst back in the UK but she’s now feeling pretty optimistic that she’ll continue now back to full health – hoorah!
Hope 2008 is being good to everyone so far. We’ll be in touch again from our next stop, Ko Lanta. Until then, lots of love,
Sarah and Phil x x
