actually this picture looks a bit grim as it was taken just after the tatoo was finished. ah well, I finally have a Brand New tatoo!
Saturday, 27 June 2009
my lovely tatoo
actually this picture looks a bit grim as it was taken just after the tatoo was finished. ah well, I finally have a Brand New tatoo!
Malaysia and Singapore
We leave Asia tomorrow, after being here for 3 months! I'm quite excited about being somewhere as hi tech as an air port. And about moving on. I'm not bored of Asia, and in a way I wish we had longer to do more, as I would love to go to the jungle and beaches of Malaysia as people we've met have said it's amazing and really unspoiled. But I think I'm still a bit restless from Thailand where I did get a bit bored, so I'm looking forward to Australia where because we're driving ourselves around, we're much more in control of what we do each day.
Soo... last time I wrote we were in Ao Nang and had just had our tatoos done. They still look cool. Then we went out to find dinner and went to this place called Bernies where they do huuuuge all you can eat barbeque buffets for a fiver! It was so delicious, they had mash which I haven't had since I left in February, and garlic bread, baked potatoes, corn on the cob, sausages, kebabs...oh all sorts. We stuffed ourselves. And then there was all you can eat ice cream!! Not that crappy soft scoop stuff but really posh lime, chocolate, strawberry and coffee sorbets. ah it was amazing. We went back to the room and couldn't move for several hours and felt quite ill after all of that.
Next morning we got up early and were picked up and taken, via various minivans, to Malaysia. At times we weren't too sure where we were heading but in the end they took us all the way to Penang and dropped us in Chinatown in Georgetown which was pretty good. Went and checked into the Blue Diamond Hotel which is lovely. It's a big old colonial villa, all the rooms are massive with 5m high ceilings and old fashioned light switches. Mike found it a bit creepy. We stayed in an open dorm there where we each had a double bed for about 1 pound ninety a night. bargain. There's also a really nice Mexican restaurant downstairs where we ate the first night. And one of the men who own it is awsome, he calls himself 'Mr Postman' and he was really helpful whenever we had daft questions or couldn't find things.
First day in Georgetown wasn't a huge success, we tried to go to Fort Cornwallis and the Art Museum but both are closed on Sundays so we just got very hot and sweaty. Ended up going to an internet cafe for about 6 hours so I could back up all of my photos. We did get to walk through Little India though and had a curry and roti for breakfast and some crazy Indian cakey sweet things. India is definately next on my list of places to go to. Particularly after all the Indian food in Malaysia.
That evening we wondered around all of the food stalls in Chinatown and ate loads of lovely things. The best was a piece of deep fried pasty stuffed with mince meat for 20p. Oh and the apple smoothie.
Next day we got up early an actually went to Fort Cornwallis. It was quite cool, but growing up in Kent I have been to so many castles in my childhood, and this one just looked a bit like them. It started to drizzle and I could have been in Rochester or Deal. Still it was nice to do something a bit cultural. We caught a trishaw to take us to a shopping mall and then the drizzle turned into some of the heaviest rain I have seen. We got soaked through. The driver put the hood up and gave us a little blanket. I had to put my sunglasses on to avoid the splashes and had the blanket pulled right up to my chin.
Got to the shopping mall and went in and that was when I really fell in love with Malaysia, it is so so so cheap!! They had really nice shoes on sale for 10RM which is about 1 pound 90! and T shirts for the same price! I actually spent a quite scary amount of money, but for 75 pounds I got: 4 T shirts, a beautiful dress, both series of Gossip Girl (series are cheaper here than Vietnam!) and AND a pair of Levis skinny jeans. bargain.
Left feeling quite horrified at how much my budget had been blown but so in love with my new clothes I wasn't too upset. I'm sure I'll make it all up somewhere. Shopping in Malaysia is great, not just because the shops are so cheap but because they actually sell really nice things. There weren't many chain stores in the shopping centre we went to, just loads of little clothes stores. And they all sold different stock (which was lovely after Thailand where every shop is selling the same Chang beer vest) and all of it was really quirky and cool. The designs of the t shirts were just really different, they were the sort of thing you'd expect to see in Spitalfields market in London for about 30 quid. and we got them for 2 pounds!
The next morning we wondered down to the bus station and caught our bus to Singapore. Oh, another brilliant thing about Malaysia, it has massive comfy seats on its coaches. I wish Vietnam would buy some for their sleeper buses. There are only 3 seats on each row and they are like arm chairs, with so much leg room. It's a shame we've been on 2 of these and are now about to catch an economy flight to Australia, I think we've been spoiled a bit.
So we got into Singapore yesterday afternoon and checked into Sleepy Sams which Lonely Planet bums on about quite a lot. deservedly though, it is probably the nicest place we have stayed on the whole trip. It's decorated like a really posh hotel, and is so clean with free internet, tv and comfy chairs, lovely breakfast, shower gels, moisturisers toothpaste etc. Just really nice. It's costig us a fortune though, 14 pounds a night! We got a rubbish exchange rate at an ATM so everything is costing us quite a lot here. Checked in yesterday and then went to a Morroccan restaurant opposite for a really delicious dinner. I will definately miss the food when we get home, we have eaten so well since we've been travelling.
Mike had found in LP that if we went to the Asian Civilisations Museum on a Friday night then we could get in for free. So we set off down to there, perving over how clean and lovely everything in Singapore looked. It seems to be abit like Hong Kong, but Hong Kong is much busier and intense, it's filled with sky scrapers and neon lights, and just feels like there's loads going on. Singapore is a bit like that but much more laid back. And it feels a lot more open, there's a lot more space and it's just a bit more chilled. Got down to the river and there was a river festival going on, with loads of tents selling clothes and bands and a bar. So we got a bit excited as this looked so lovely. Went and queued to get into the museum and got given a free mojito! So we went and had that sitting on a picnic blanket (free) on the grass next to the river while listening to a jazz band (free). Then a river parade started with lots of little boats playing music covered in lights. The museum was really good, lots of lovely fabrics and things on art and calligraphy which I liked. After we'd been round and spent a bit longer watching the band and everyone dancing we got ready to go. But as we were walking away we found another tent where a local band playing really good music were playing. So we stayed there for another half hour listening to them (for free) and falling in love with Singapore. Slept really well in our expensive beds.
This morning we had our lovely free breakfast and then walked down to the Esplenade Theatre and had a look around there. There was a cool art exhibiton in it with big suspended cushions and a lovely library where we sat and read movie scripts and felt very liberal and cultured. Then went to a shopping centre with the worlds largest fountain in. It was pretty cool but not as big as I would have expected.
Had lunch and then went to the Singapore Art Museum which is so nice. Really made me look forward to going to uni and getting back into art, I'm getting so restless to start making things. There was a show called 'Threads' which had lots of pieces made from fabric which I liked, although I think maybe I should be doing fashion or textiles...
so that's it up to now. We've got most of tomorrow here, and then catch our plane to Oz at 9.30pm. Is it a bit sad that I'm so excited about getting on a plane?
Soo... last time I wrote we were in Ao Nang and had just had our tatoos done. They still look cool. Then we went out to find dinner and went to this place called Bernies where they do huuuuge all you can eat barbeque buffets for a fiver! It was so delicious, they had mash which I haven't had since I left in February, and garlic bread, baked potatoes, corn on the cob, sausages, kebabs...oh all sorts. We stuffed ourselves. And then there was all you can eat ice cream!! Not that crappy soft scoop stuff but really posh lime, chocolate, strawberry and coffee sorbets. ah it was amazing. We went back to the room and couldn't move for several hours and felt quite ill after all of that.
Next morning we got up early and were picked up and taken, via various minivans, to Malaysia. At times we weren't too sure where we were heading but in the end they took us all the way to Penang and dropped us in Chinatown in Georgetown which was pretty good. Went and checked into the Blue Diamond Hotel which is lovely. It's a big old colonial villa, all the rooms are massive with 5m high ceilings and old fashioned light switches. Mike found it a bit creepy. We stayed in an open dorm there where we each had a double bed for about 1 pound ninety a night. bargain. There's also a really nice Mexican restaurant downstairs where we ate the first night. And one of the men who own it is awsome, he calls himself 'Mr Postman' and he was really helpful whenever we had daft questions or couldn't find things.
First day in Georgetown wasn't a huge success, we tried to go to Fort Cornwallis and the Art Museum but both are closed on Sundays so we just got very hot and sweaty. Ended up going to an internet cafe for about 6 hours so I could back up all of my photos. We did get to walk through Little India though and had a curry and roti for breakfast and some crazy Indian cakey sweet things. India is definately next on my list of places to go to. Particularly after all the Indian food in Malaysia.
That evening we wondered around all of the food stalls in Chinatown and ate loads of lovely things. The best was a piece of deep fried pasty stuffed with mince meat for 20p. Oh and the apple smoothie.
Next day we got up early an actually went to Fort Cornwallis. It was quite cool, but growing up in Kent I have been to so many castles in my childhood, and this one just looked a bit like them. It started to drizzle and I could have been in Rochester or Deal. Still it was nice to do something a bit cultural. We caught a trishaw to take us to a shopping mall and then the drizzle turned into some of the heaviest rain I have seen. We got soaked through. The driver put the hood up and gave us a little blanket. I had to put my sunglasses on to avoid the splashes and had the blanket pulled right up to my chin.
Got to the shopping mall and went in and that was when I really fell in love with Malaysia, it is so so so cheap!! They had really nice shoes on sale for 10RM which is about 1 pound 90! and T shirts for the same price! I actually spent a quite scary amount of money, but for 75 pounds I got: 4 T shirts, a beautiful dress, both series of Gossip Girl (series are cheaper here than Vietnam!) and AND a pair of Levis skinny jeans. bargain.
Left feeling quite horrified at how much my budget had been blown but so in love with my new clothes I wasn't too upset. I'm sure I'll make it all up somewhere. Shopping in Malaysia is great, not just because the shops are so cheap but because they actually sell really nice things. There weren't many chain stores in the shopping centre we went to, just loads of little clothes stores. And they all sold different stock (which was lovely after Thailand where every shop is selling the same Chang beer vest) and all of it was really quirky and cool. The designs of the t shirts were just really different, they were the sort of thing you'd expect to see in Spitalfields market in London for about 30 quid. and we got them for 2 pounds!
The next morning we wondered down to the bus station and caught our bus to Singapore. Oh, another brilliant thing about Malaysia, it has massive comfy seats on its coaches. I wish Vietnam would buy some for their sleeper buses. There are only 3 seats on each row and they are like arm chairs, with so much leg room. It's a shame we've been on 2 of these and are now about to catch an economy flight to Australia, I think we've been spoiled a bit.
So we got into Singapore yesterday afternoon and checked into Sleepy Sams which Lonely Planet bums on about quite a lot. deservedly though, it is probably the nicest place we have stayed on the whole trip. It's decorated like a really posh hotel, and is so clean with free internet, tv and comfy chairs, lovely breakfast, shower gels, moisturisers toothpaste etc. Just really nice. It's costig us a fortune though, 14 pounds a night! We got a rubbish exchange rate at an ATM so everything is costing us quite a lot here. Checked in yesterday and then went to a Morroccan restaurant opposite for a really delicious dinner. I will definately miss the food when we get home, we have eaten so well since we've been travelling.
Mike had found in LP that if we went to the Asian Civilisations Museum on a Friday night then we could get in for free. So we set off down to there, perving over how clean and lovely everything in Singapore looked. It seems to be abit like Hong Kong, but Hong Kong is much busier and intense, it's filled with sky scrapers and neon lights, and just feels like there's loads going on. Singapore is a bit like that but much more laid back. And it feels a lot more open, there's a lot more space and it's just a bit more chilled. Got down to the river and there was a river festival going on, with loads of tents selling clothes and bands and a bar. So we got a bit excited as this looked so lovely. Went and queued to get into the museum and got given a free mojito! So we went and had that sitting on a picnic blanket (free) on the grass next to the river while listening to a jazz band (free). Then a river parade started with lots of little boats playing music covered in lights. The museum was really good, lots of lovely fabrics and things on art and calligraphy which I liked. After we'd been round and spent a bit longer watching the band and everyone dancing we got ready to go. But as we were walking away we found another tent where a local band playing really good music were playing. So we stayed there for another half hour listening to them (for free) and falling in love with Singapore. Slept really well in our expensive beds.
This morning we had our lovely free breakfast and then walked down to the Esplenade Theatre and had a look around there. There was a cool art exhibiton in it with big suspended cushions and a lovely library where we sat and read movie scripts and felt very liberal and cultured. Then went to a shopping centre with the worlds largest fountain in. It was pretty cool but not as big as I would have expected.
Had lunch and then went to the Singapore Art Museum which is so nice. Really made me look forward to going to uni and getting back into art, I'm getting so restless to start making things. There was a show called 'Threads' which had lots of pieces made from fabric which I liked, although I think maybe I should be doing fashion or textiles...
so that's it up to now. We've got most of tomorrow here, and then catch our plane to Oz at 9.30pm. Is it a bit sad that I'm so excited about getting on a plane?
Friday, 19 June 2009
koh pha ngan, nai yang, koh phi phi, railay, ton sai and ao nang
internet here is stupidly expensive so sorry again for our lack of communication. we are still alive and have just got back from getting tatoos!! They are so cool i love mine. It's a brand new lyric along the bottom of my foot in thai. and yes i know it definately says what I want it to and not 'i'm an idiot' or something because we have checked it with numerous thai people. Hurt so so much though it felt like they were sawing into my bone at one point.
ok so back to aaages ago when we were on koh pha ngan. We rode around on bikes the rest of that day and lost bella and nina. Met up with them again at Amersterdam Bar on the west coast which is brilliant. It's really high up and you have a panoramic view of the sea and the sunset. Then we probably went and got drunk same as most nights on Pha Ngan. Some quite eventful nights: mike getting horrifly drunk and then depressed and then trying to buy drugs off some scary looking thai man while i tried to fight him off and persuade mike that life would be ok he just needed to stop drinking, the guy who i thought was gay until he took me off to a corner of a beach and got naked, so I ran away back to one of my friends rooms, who had a boy in there so i wasn't really welcome, then found out the not gay boy and all of his friends lived opposite nina, livia and bellas room and laughed at me lots the next day, various sleezy men hitting on all of us and then full moon... the biggest let down ever. Just rubbish really. Exactly the same music (literally, in the same order as all of the other nights, nothing particularly different going on just some more people and a lot more rave paint. Mike and I got a bit cynical and felt a bit old but had a lovely time slagging off other people. If you're thinking of going: full moon is like a rave for people who's parents wouldn't let them go to raves. It's pretty tame and crap. Half moon is awsome, do that instead. We were really glad to leave pha ngan in the end, just spent far too much time there and it's just a bit samey. Caught a boat and a series of buses to Nai Yang beach which is a bit north of Phuket.
Nai Yang was brilliant. We went with Nina and Livia and met Jade from Real Gap there. There were huge rolling waves which we spent all day playing in and being knocked over by and a brilliant Thai food market with delicious currys. Stayed there for two days chilling out and giving our bodies a rest from drinking. Then caught a ferry over to Phi Phi.
On Phi Phi we stayed at Golden Hill bungalows which were really good. Payed four hundered baht for a lovely clean room. But the best bit is dave the manager. He's so helpful and gave us a tour and told us good places to eat. First day we chilled out, went to some of the bars on the beach in the evening but they were rubbish compared to Tao and Pha Ngan so didn't stay out that late. Next day we did the snorkelling tour which was ace we had such a good time. Got to go to some really quiet beautiful beaches and snrkelling we saw more fish than we had diving in ko Tao. Livia made us all get naked again swimming in a cove on Phi Phi Ley. Mike, Livia and I jumped off a 20m cliff which was terrifying but so cool, made my day. Gave me a terrible wedgie though. Went and sat on Maya Beach in the evening where they filmed The Beach and had a little explore in the jungley bit behind and then went back. And walking back through town to our bungalow I bumped into the guy I got with in Ko Tao. I don't want to me horrible about someone on the internet using their real name so lets call him "Paul" as he features a ridiculous amount in the next weeks tales. So I met him and he was lovely as he had been in all of the emails saying that he wanted to meet me. Arranged to meet him that night and got on really well. The next day the girls all left which was really hard. I'd been with Nina everday for the past 6 weeks, and Mike and I had been travelling with other people for ages so was really hard to be on our own again. We didn't do much, lay about on the beach and watched the sunset. Bumped into Ash and Lee who we met in Vietnam on the beach and went out for a drink with them that evening. Also bumped into Paul again and arranged to meet up. But he never turned up. Went and knocked for him and he didn't answer. Thought all this was a bit wierd so went and got drunk with Mike and a pretty scary guy who said he was minted and a formula 3000 driver and begged me to go back to his room. Didn't go back to his room. Oh and mike pulled a fit girl and hasn't stopped going on about it since. The next day we left Phi Phi. Oh one last thing, on Phi Phi there is an amazing restaurant called Papaya. The portions are massive you can share them between 2 or three and its just the best thai food ever.
So we left Phi Phi and caught a boat to Railay. Stayed on Railay East (the cheap side) at Lampraya (?) which is a bit basic but 200B a room. The bungalows are like semi detached, so 2 share one balcony and hammock. So we're sitting on our balcony, mike lying in the hammock chilling out when who turns up but Paul, who it turns out is our next door neighbour. Bit awkward as he'd stood me up the night before and left without saying goodbye. Nobody really knew what to do so we went and got beers and got drunk together. Had a really good night. He reged me again though.
Mext day it started monsooning and didn't stop for 3 days. Mike and I went and had a little explore and Railay looks really pretty (the west side is stupidly expensive) but no one was really about and the rain just made us feel a bit low. Kept bumping into Paul. I think he thought we were stalking him. I think he thought we were massively wierd. There are some nice cheap places to eat on the very end of Railay East so we stayed around there. That night Paul bought more beer and mike and I bought a bottle of whiskey. Proceeded to get very drunk. I have some very wierd pictures of mike and paul hugging in a hammock. Mike then did his classic crash and burn and went to bed. I persuaded will it would be fun to go out so we went to the bar next door. Someone thought we were a couple, paul got terrified and ran off and wouldn't talk to me for the rest of the night. I met a lovely irish guy called phil who told me paul was a twat and I was beautiful. We stayed up till 6am chatting. He was awsome. He walked me home and yelled at pauls room and woke mike up so mike thinks he's an idiot.
Next day it was still raining. I was pretty ill and slept all day and night. Mike sewed badges onto his bag. In the evening he met up with ash and lee. paul promised to come down and meet them and didn't show up. standard. Next day I knew paul was leaving and finally ending the awkwardness so i stayed in bed till i though he was gone. Went outside and he was lying on the chair like he was waiting for us to say goodbye, which seemed nice as we had got to know him quite well over those 3 days. Said good morning, went and had a shower and when I came back he had gone. So never said goodbye., Very strange. We decided to leave and go over to Ton Sai as we were bored of Railay in the rain. Went and sat on Railay west for a while waiting for a boat that would take us for a reasonable price. Sitting there I saw paul. Headed over to say goodbye and wish him a good trip, he saw me, stood up and walked off the other way. He is the wierdest and rudest persom. Luckily that's the last time we saw him, good riddance. Was feeling pretty low by this point having been reged for being friends as well so very glad to leave Railay. Got soaked on the boat over to ton sai, and cheked into Mambo bungalows which are pretty nice.
Ton Sai was ok. In high season it's probably really fun but in low season and drizzle it's a bit dead. There's a nice restaurant on the sea fron that does free pancake rolls though. We went and gave Kate's letter to her man in small world bar and hung out there with an idiot old hippy traveller who was wasting his life. Spent lots of time chilling out at our listening to music and reading. Had some really lovely food. I will miss thai food it's so good. Weather cheered up yesterday and the cliffs around the beach really are amazing. I can't believe people climb them they look stupidly high. This morning we sat on the beach for aaages waiting for a boat to take us to Ao Nang. Got here and checked into J Mansion which is soooo lovely, so much better than the bungalows that we've been used to. Amd just went and got our tatoos!! That's about it so far. We are catching a bus to Penang in Malyasia tomorrow so that will be the end of Thailand. It's been brilliant but I am ready to leave. I think we've been here, particularly the southern islands for a bit too long and I'm bored of doing nothing. We have been planning Australia and I can't wait for that and our campervan! xx
ok so back to aaages ago when we were on koh pha ngan. We rode around on bikes the rest of that day and lost bella and nina. Met up with them again at Amersterdam Bar on the west coast which is brilliant. It's really high up and you have a panoramic view of the sea and the sunset. Then we probably went and got drunk same as most nights on Pha Ngan. Some quite eventful nights: mike getting horrifly drunk and then depressed and then trying to buy drugs off some scary looking thai man while i tried to fight him off and persuade mike that life would be ok he just needed to stop drinking, the guy who i thought was gay until he took me off to a corner of a beach and got naked, so I ran away back to one of my friends rooms, who had a boy in there so i wasn't really welcome, then found out the not gay boy and all of his friends lived opposite nina, livia and bellas room and laughed at me lots the next day, various sleezy men hitting on all of us and then full moon... the biggest let down ever. Just rubbish really. Exactly the same music (literally, in the same order as all of the other nights, nothing particularly different going on just some more people and a lot more rave paint. Mike and I got a bit cynical and felt a bit old but had a lovely time slagging off other people. If you're thinking of going: full moon is like a rave for people who's parents wouldn't let them go to raves. It's pretty tame and crap. Half moon is awsome, do that instead. We were really glad to leave pha ngan in the end, just spent far too much time there and it's just a bit samey. Caught a boat and a series of buses to Nai Yang beach which is a bit north of Phuket.
Nai Yang was brilliant. We went with Nina and Livia and met Jade from Real Gap there. There were huge rolling waves which we spent all day playing in and being knocked over by and a brilliant Thai food market with delicious currys. Stayed there for two days chilling out and giving our bodies a rest from drinking. Then caught a ferry over to Phi Phi.
On Phi Phi we stayed at Golden Hill bungalows which were really good. Payed four hundered baht for a lovely clean room. But the best bit is dave the manager. He's so helpful and gave us a tour and told us good places to eat. First day we chilled out, went to some of the bars on the beach in the evening but they were rubbish compared to Tao and Pha Ngan so didn't stay out that late. Next day we did the snorkelling tour which was ace we had such a good time. Got to go to some really quiet beautiful beaches and snrkelling we saw more fish than we had diving in ko Tao. Livia made us all get naked again swimming in a cove on Phi Phi Ley. Mike, Livia and I jumped off a 20m cliff which was terrifying but so cool, made my day. Gave me a terrible wedgie though. Went and sat on Maya Beach in the evening where they filmed The Beach and had a little explore in the jungley bit behind and then went back. And walking back through town to our bungalow I bumped into the guy I got with in Ko Tao. I don't want to me horrible about someone on the internet using their real name so lets call him "Paul" as he features a ridiculous amount in the next weeks tales. So I met him and he was lovely as he had been in all of the emails saying that he wanted to meet me. Arranged to meet him that night and got on really well. The next day the girls all left which was really hard. I'd been with Nina everday for the past 6 weeks, and Mike and I had been travelling with other people for ages so was really hard to be on our own again. We didn't do much, lay about on the beach and watched the sunset. Bumped into Ash and Lee who we met in Vietnam on the beach and went out for a drink with them that evening. Also bumped into Paul again and arranged to meet up. But he never turned up. Went and knocked for him and he didn't answer. Thought all this was a bit wierd so went and got drunk with Mike and a pretty scary guy who said he was minted and a formula 3000 driver and begged me to go back to his room. Didn't go back to his room. Oh and mike pulled a fit girl and hasn't stopped going on about it since. The next day we left Phi Phi. Oh one last thing, on Phi Phi there is an amazing restaurant called Papaya. The portions are massive you can share them between 2 or three and its just the best thai food ever.
So we left Phi Phi and caught a boat to Railay. Stayed on Railay East (the cheap side) at Lampraya (?) which is a bit basic but 200B a room. The bungalows are like semi detached, so 2 share one balcony and hammock. So we're sitting on our balcony, mike lying in the hammock chilling out when who turns up but Paul, who it turns out is our next door neighbour. Bit awkward as he'd stood me up the night before and left without saying goodbye. Nobody really knew what to do so we went and got beers and got drunk together. Had a really good night. He reged me again though.
Mext day it started monsooning and didn't stop for 3 days. Mike and I went and had a little explore and Railay looks really pretty (the west side is stupidly expensive) but no one was really about and the rain just made us feel a bit low. Kept bumping into Paul. I think he thought we were stalking him. I think he thought we were massively wierd. There are some nice cheap places to eat on the very end of Railay East so we stayed around there. That night Paul bought more beer and mike and I bought a bottle of whiskey. Proceeded to get very drunk. I have some very wierd pictures of mike and paul hugging in a hammock. Mike then did his classic crash and burn and went to bed. I persuaded will it would be fun to go out so we went to the bar next door. Someone thought we were a couple, paul got terrified and ran off and wouldn't talk to me for the rest of the night. I met a lovely irish guy called phil who told me paul was a twat and I was beautiful. We stayed up till 6am chatting. He was awsome. He walked me home and yelled at pauls room and woke mike up so mike thinks he's an idiot.
Next day it was still raining. I was pretty ill and slept all day and night. Mike sewed badges onto his bag. In the evening he met up with ash and lee. paul promised to come down and meet them and didn't show up. standard. Next day I knew paul was leaving and finally ending the awkwardness so i stayed in bed till i though he was gone. Went outside and he was lying on the chair like he was waiting for us to say goodbye, which seemed nice as we had got to know him quite well over those 3 days. Said good morning, went and had a shower and when I came back he had gone. So never said goodbye., Very strange. We decided to leave and go over to Ton Sai as we were bored of Railay in the rain. Went and sat on Railay west for a while waiting for a boat that would take us for a reasonable price. Sitting there I saw paul. Headed over to say goodbye and wish him a good trip, he saw me, stood up and walked off the other way. He is the wierdest and rudest persom. Luckily that's the last time we saw him, good riddance. Was feeling pretty low by this point having been reged for being friends as well so very glad to leave Railay. Got soaked on the boat over to ton sai, and cheked into Mambo bungalows which are pretty nice.
Ton Sai was ok. In high season it's probably really fun but in low season and drizzle it's a bit dead. There's a nice restaurant on the sea fron that does free pancake rolls though. We went and gave Kate's letter to her man in small world bar and hung out there with an idiot old hippy traveller who was wasting his life. Spent lots of time chilling out at our listening to music and reading. Had some really lovely food. I will miss thai food it's so good. Weather cheered up yesterday and the cliffs around the beach really are amazing. I can't believe people climb them they look stupidly high. This morning we sat on the beach for aaages waiting for a boat to take us to Ao Nang. Got here and checked into J Mansion which is soooo lovely, so much better than the bungalows that we've been used to. Amd just went and got our tatoos!! That's about it so far. We are catching a bus to Penang in Malyasia tomorrow so that will be the end of Thailand. It's been brilliant but I am ready to leave. I think we've been here, particularly the southern islands for a bit too long and I'm bored of doing nothing. We have been planning Australia and I can't wait for that and our campervan! xx
Wednesday, 3 June 2009
Sinburi, Bangkok, Ko Tao, Ko Pha Ngan
sorry sorry internet is so expensive here I haven't been able to afford to update this. I am quite low on money and surviving on 2 meals a day and swigs of nasty thai whisky out of a plastic bottle I keep in my bag. Classy!
The last week of teaching with Real Gap wasn't great. Well I had a lovely time but the teaching was awful, there was no point in us being there at all. The staff at the school didnt really know what to do with us, so would push us into a classroom with the instructions of "teach them jobs" and then stand at the back telling the children all the answers. Several times they made us teach time to children who couldn't tell the time in thai which was pretty painful. But they gave us a glass of hot chocolate every morning so it wasn't all bad. And when we left they gave us a china cup with a lid and a saucer with the name of the school on. Ptobably the least practical present to give someone who is backpacking but still it was very nice. We only actually taught for about 3 hours a day so the rest of the time Nina, Rach and I lay about in our room sleeping and laughing at Rach. We had some really good parties, one we went to Lemon house and all got quite drunk. We fitted 16 people into 1 car and Nina and Rach rode on the roof. Our last night we had a fashion disaster party at ours. Rach and I invented an amazing drinking game called Killer Dice. That's about where my memory of the night ends but it was a great game. And there was the whole situation with the Israeli guy that I had on my facebook. It got a bit wierd. I lost a game of backgammon to this chap and so he said I had to give him a back massage. I agreed thikning he was a normal person. Then we went to a party and he cornered me and spent the whole evening stroking my leg and telling me that he new a secret bush where we could go and be 'spontanious' together. I was terrified and bluddy Rach did nothing to help me as she was to busy perving over a boy she thinks looks like Edward Cullen. Eventually I escaped to the toilet and stayed there for ages until he went to talk to someone else. The next day he kept creeping up on me and whispering "I haven't forgotton about my massage" in my ear, and just generally following me around. He followed me to the internet and tried to make me talk to his family on Skype. Then he followed me to my room and I had to have a break up chat with him and tell him I wouldn't give him a massage as he had scared me to much. Really really wierd. And now apparently he's on Ko Pha Ngan and asking everyone where I'm staying!!! aaaarg.
Urm other stories from that week...can't really remember but both Rach and Eli were really cool and we miss them lots.
Nina and I left for Bangkok on the Saturday. Mike and I decided to leave the Real Gap program early because it just wasn't that good. They looked after us really well and I don't want to slag them off too much but what was advertised and what it's actually like are just so different and I really didn't like it. So we got to Bangkok and met up with Mike, Livia and Bella and Mike and I crept into Nina's posh room at the Royal hotel becuase we're too pikey to pay for our own room. Did a bit of shopping and went to Patpong night market which was really wierd, I have never seen so many prostitues or been offered so many different 'pussy' options. Had a bit of a night out but i was trying to save money for Ko Tao so went back pretty early. Mike was horribly ill all night so don't think Nina was that pleased to have us both in there. The next morning we all had to run past the maids cleaning the rooms we were so scared they were going to catch us all in there and fine us the 500B a person fine. Mike and I spent the day by the pool and he got a bit better.
Coach to Ko Tao was ok, except we had these IDIOTS sitting behind us. They were proper little rich kids and kept telling 'hilarious' stories about their sex lives and taking about using Daddy's credit card (they actually said that) in really loud voices in the middle of the night. Then 2 of them started having sex in the seat behind me. I hated them so much and they keep popping up everywhere we go. I think they are the 1st people I have met travelling who I hate.
Got to Ko Tao and did our PADI Open Water with DJL Dive school who are brilliant. We paid 9,500B and got 4 nights accomodation for free. And the instructors and everyone there are just really cool and there's a nice bar and swimming pool. Diving was awsome, we went to Chumphon Pinnacle and it was really clear and we saw a whale shark! And just loads of other cool fish. Loved diving. (Sorry I'm trying to do this quickly!) We went out on Sairee Beach a couple of times, Lotus bar was really cool. Last night I managed to pull someone normal. On Friday Mike and I left the others and went over the other side of the island to Ao Leuk. It was so beautiful, really clear turquoise water with loads of coral, white sand and lots of bolders dotted about. We could see the sea from our bungalow (Ao Leuk Bungalows, 450B a night) and just spent 3 days chilling there it was so lovely. Hired a snorkel on the last day and floated about in the water. Nina and Livia came to sea us and Livia made us all go skinny dipping in the middle of the afternoon. Crazy Swiss.
Then Monday we got a boat over here the Ko Pha Ngan where we are staying for far too long until the full moon party on Sunday. We are staying in an amazing place though, it's called Lighthouse Bungalows and it's in Had Rin but on the very southern tip next to Leela Beach. We have to walk along a big wooden walkway over rocks and the sea to get there and it's so quiet and lovely it feels like we're miles away from everything. And it's only 250B (a fiver) a night! First night we got here it was the half moon party so we got a taxi there and had a really good night. Except those whisky buckets are lethal, both Nina and I got a bit paraletic, although Mike looked after me and I was ok. Realy good night though. Oh and Kate is here as in Mike's Kate from home. She stayed with us the first night but is now staying at Reggae hut in town. Last night we had a quiet night although Nina and Bella went to the pool party, and today we've hired motorbikes and are off exploring. Pop's don't read this bit but the roads are aaawful. They aren't paved and have big craters in and vertical hills. I have been so scared. I think the bit we're doing this afternoon is paved though. We went up to a beach in the North East and lay about in hammocks and then to a rubbish waterfall. Kate's taking us off to a fishing village now and we're going to some nice beach to watch the sunset.
I'll try and update this a bit more often, sorry it's not that detailed but basically we're having a lovely time. Loads more photos are on the camera and when I next find cheap internet I'll upload them xx
The last week of teaching with Real Gap wasn't great. Well I had a lovely time but the teaching was awful, there was no point in us being there at all. The staff at the school didnt really know what to do with us, so would push us into a classroom with the instructions of "teach them jobs" and then stand at the back telling the children all the answers. Several times they made us teach time to children who couldn't tell the time in thai which was pretty painful. But they gave us a glass of hot chocolate every morning so it wasn't all bad. And when we left they gave us a china cup with a lid and a saucer with the name of the school on. Ptobably the least practical present to give someone who is backpacking but still it was very nice. We only actually taught for about 3 hours a day so the rest of the time Nina, Rach and I lay about in our room sleeping and laughing at Rach. We had some really good parties, one we went to Lemon house and all got quite drunk. We fitted 16 people into 1 car and Nina and Rach rode on the roof. Our last night we had a fashion disaster party at ours. Rach and I invented an amazing drinking game called Killer Dice. That's about where my memory of the night ends but it was a great game. And there was the whole situation with the Israeli guy that I had on my facebook. It got a bit wierd. I lost a game of backgammon to this chap and so he said I had to give him a back massage. I agreed thikning he was a normal person. Then we went to a party and he cornered me and spent the whole evening stroking my leg and telling me that he new a secret bush where we could go and be 'spontanious' together. I was terrified and bluddy Rach did nothing to help me as she was to busy perving over a boy she thinks looks like Edward Cullen. Eventually I escaped to the toilet and stayed there for ages until he went to talk to someone else. The next day he kept creeping up on me and whispering "I haven't forgotton about my massage" in my ear, and just generally following me around. He followed me to the internet and tried to make me talk to his family on Skype. Then he followed me to my room and I had to have a break up chat with him and tell him I wouldn't give him a massage as he had scared me to much. Really really wierd. And now apparently he's on Ko Pha Ngan and asking everyone where I'm staying!!! aaaarg.
Urm other stories from that week...can't really remember but both Rach and Eli were really cool and we miss them lots.
Nina and I left for Bangkok on the Saturday. Mike and I decided to leave the Real Gap program early because it just wasn't that good. They looked after us really well and I don't want to slag them off too much but what was advertised and what it's actually like are just so different and I really didn't like it. So we got to Bangkok and met up with Mike, Livia and Bella and Mike and I crept into Nina's posh room at the Royal hotel becuase we're too pikey to pay for our own room. Did a bit of shopping and went to Patpong night market which was really wierd, I have never seen so many prostitues or been offered so many different 'pussy' options. Had a bit of a night out but i was trying to save money for Ko Tao so went back pretty early. Mike was horribly ill all night so don't think Nina was that pleased to have us both in there. The next morning we all had to run past the maids cleaning the rooms we were so scared they were going to catch us all in there and fine us the 500B a person fine. Mike and I spent the day by the pool and he got a bit better.
Coach to Ko Tao was ok, except we had these IDIOTS sitting behind us. They were proper little rich kids and kept telling 'hilarious' stories about their sex lives and taking about using Daddy's credit card (they actually said that) in really loud voices in the middle of the night. Then 2 of them started having sex in the seat behind me. I hated them so much and they keep popping up everywhere we go. I think they are the 1st people I have met travelling who I hate.
Got to Ko Tao and did our PADI Open Water with DJL Dive school who are brilliant. We paid 9,500B and got 4 nights accomodation for free. And the instructors and everyone there are just really cool and there's a nice bar and swimming pool. Diving was awsome, we went to Chumphon Pinnacle and it was really clear and we saw a whale shark! And just loads of other cool fish. Loved diving. (Sorry I'm trying to do this quickly!) We went out on Sairee Beach a couple of times, Lotus bar was really cool. Last night I managed to pull someone normal. On Friday Mike and I left the others and went over the other side of the island to Ao Leuk. It was so beautiful, really clear turquoise water with loads of coral, white sand and lots of bolders dotted about. We could see the sea from our bungalow (Ao Leuk Bungalows, 450B a night) and just spent 3 days chilling there it was so lovely. Hired a snorkel on the last day and floated about in the water. Nina and Livia came to sea us and Livia made us all go skinny dipping in the middle of the afternoon. Crazy Swiss.
Then Monday we got a boat over here the Ko Pha Ngan where we are staying for far too long until the full moon party on Sunday. We are staying in an amazing place though, it's called Lighthouse Bungalows and it's in Had Rin but on the very southern tip next to Leela Beach. We have to walk along a big wooden walkway over rocks and the sea to get there and it's so quiet and lovely it feels like we're miles away from everything. And it's only 250B (a fiver) a night! First night we got here it was the half moon party so we got a taxi there and had a really good night. Except those whisky buckets are lethal, both Nina and I got a bit paraletic, although Mike looked after me and I was ok. Realy good night though. Oh and Kate is here as in Mike's Kate from home. She stayed with us the first night but is now staying at Reggae hut in town. Last night we had a quiet night although Nina and Bella went to the pool party, and today we've hired motorbikes and are off exploring. Pop's don't read this bit but the roads are aaawful. They aren't paved and have big craters in and vertical hills. I have been so scared. I think the bit we're doing this afternoon is paved though. We went up to a beach in the North East and lay about in hammocks and then to a rubbish waterfall. Kate's taking us off to a fishing village now and we're going to some nice beach to watch the sunset.
I'll try and update this a bit more often, sorry it's not that detailed but basically we're having a lovely time. Loads more photos are on the camera and when I next find cheap internet I'll upload them xx
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)