Koh Lanta is a large island very near the famous Ko Phi Phi, however for some reason it has not developed into such a tourist spot and when we arrived in what is the off season the place was virtually deserted. With a little bit of encouragement we managed to negotiate a bungalow for the three of us, with air con, cable tv and a the nicest bathroom so far for 300b, that is 2pounds each! Consider we have paid more that that for a bamboo shack in need of waterproofing.
Day one on Ko lanta was a lazy affair, walking from bungalow to pool (we had a pool!) and back all day, before collapsing into bed with a few beers to watch england claim the second test, with english commentaty.
On day two we were a little more adventurous, getting out to explore the island and discovering a completely deserted beach. On it we found what i can only describe as a lump. I thought it was a washed up banana, Tom was convinced it was allive, but every time we tried to save it by throwing it into the sea it somehow found a way to roll back to us.
The Final Day on Lanta was some what of a dissapointment, a day of rain meant we could not really go to the beach, and the local football game we hed been invited to was cancelled.
Next stop Ko Phi Phi
Wednesday 29 July 2009
Kanchanaburi-Koh Lanta
Normally we don't bother blogging about journeys, but this was pretty epic, more our fault than anyone else's.
The idea was to go to a fishing village called Ranong, and from there get a boat to a tiny and rarely visited island called KO Chang. To get there was a few hours from Kanchanaburi to Bangkok, followed by a very long night bus. On arrival we found virtually no boats will actually agree to go to the island, the sea was too rough. So we hopped on a local bus which we thought would take us the Krabi (the port town for the next island - Koh lanta) Unfortunately it only took us part of the way, as did the next one, and the next one, and the next one. After Finlay arriving in krabi we spend a night before taking a bus to Lanta. After almost 48hours on the road we Finlay arrived, strangely I think we quite enjoyed it.
The idea was to go to a fishing village called Ranong, and from there get a boat to a tiny and rarely visited island called KO Chang. To get there was a few hours from Kanchanaburi to Bangkok, followed by a very long night bus. On arrival we found virtually no boats will actually agree to go to the island, the sea was too rough. So we hopped on a local bus which we thought would take us the Krabi (the port town for the next island - Koh lanta) Unfortunately it only took us part of the way, as did the next one, and the next one, and the next one. After Finlay arriving in krabi we spend a night before taking a bus to Lanta. After almost 48hours on the road we Finlay arrived, strangely I think we quite enjoyed it.
Wednesday 22 July 2009
Kanchanaburi - Ianapa, Kandahar or Cayman Islands?
Early the next day we headed off to Kanchanaburi which is the sight of the Bridge on the River Kwai and the POW camp that housed the workforce for the infamous Japanese death railway. We rented some bicycles and toured the city. We went up to the bridge, which looks nothing like the film, and crossed it to see the terrain the railway passes through which highlights the work it took to build it. Crossing the river we headed to Wat Phrae Noon, which is a cave temple - pretty self explanatory. An intricate system of caves houses hundreds of religious icons, mainly buddhas but a few others. Having already cycled a good 15km we decided to make our way back to our hostel via one of the war cemetries commemorating some of the 16,000 commonwealth POW who died building the railway. The cemetry itself was well kept and provided quite a moving moment for all three of us seeing the names of boys who had died, many younger than us now. Unfortunately, the respect and remembrance they deserved wasn't fully shown by the Thai family there who treated it as a play park.
Our map indicated a cinema in Kanchanaburi and being off season and not wanting to miss Harry Potter we tried to find it, with no luck so we headed back to our hostel. Having seen the sights of Kanchanaburi we headed back to Bangkok the next afternoon.
Rob
Our map indicated a cinema in Kanchanaburi and being off season and not wanting to miss Harry Potter we tried to find it, with no luck so we headed back to our hostel. Having seen the sights of Kanchanaburi we headed back to Bangkok the next afternoon.
Rob
Tuesday 21 July 2009
Bangkok - Wat Wat?
The so where next blog has an exciting moment today as Tom and Alex met up with none other than Robbie (ie me), not that fake one who they mentioned earlier but the real one. Anyway, Bangkok, how best to describe this most oxymoronic of cities?
After meeting Tom and Alex in Bangkok airport we took a cab ride into Bangkok with officially the craziest cab driver in the world - lane markings meant nothing to this guy! The Khoa San road is famed as backpackers central in Bangkok as this is where we duly headed and found a Spartan but relatively cheap room. The evening was spent ambling down Khoa San being offered everything from genuine ray bans and Armani suits to tasers and ping pong shows. Personally I wasn't in the mood for table tennis.
Our first full day in Bangkok was spent touring the sights that made Bangkok what it is. Rama I decided to move the Thai capital to Bangkok in the 18th century and build his royal palace and this is where we duly headed, despite at least 3 locals claiming it was closed, we weren't going to fall for their scams! The 90 acre sight contains an array of temples and royal residences all of which are as opulent as the next. The crowning glory of the palace is the 3 metre tall emerald Buddha which was made from a solid block of jade in the 15th century. After ambling round the palac we went to Wat Pho which houses a 49 metre long reclining buddha plated in gold, pretty impressive! Apart from his toes, which were all the same length, weird! In the afternoon we went to Siam Center which has 4 large malls adjacent to each other and enjoyed trying to brter with the stall holders who were selling 'genuine' designer clothes and goods. A few drinks back on Khao San and a great first day for me was done.
A nice lie in on our second day helped me get over my jet lag and in the early afternoon Alex and I headed off to Wat Traihit to see the Golden Buddha, which is a 3 metre solid gold statue, very impressive! We had rranged to meet Tom in Chinatown, or at least what we thought was Chinatown. The only problem was that we walked the wrong way for about 45 minutes! While it gave Alex and I a great opportunity to see the real Bangkok, away from the tourist trail, it did mean we were 50 minutes late meeting tom. Due to Chinatown not being where we thought it was we headed off to the night market. Unfortunately this involved heading through Patpong - Bangkok's red light district. We were constantly bombarded not only by seedy looking men offering us ping pong shows but the bars themselves bringing the so called entertainment right upto the street's edge. I think we all died a little inside while walking through.
Rob
After meeting Tom and Alex in Bangkok airport we took a cab ride into Bangkok with officially the craziest cab driver in the world - lane markings meant nothing to this guy! The Khoa San road is famed as backpackers central in Bangkok as this is where we duly headed and found a Spartan but relatively cheap room. The evening was spent ambling down Khoa San being offered everything from genuine ray bans and Armani suits to tasers and ping pong shows. Personally I wasn't in the mood for table tennis.
Our first full day in Bangkok was spent touring the sights that made Bangkok what it is. Rama I decided to move the Thai capital to Bangkok in the 18th century and build his royal palace and this is where we duly headed, despite at least 3 locals claiming it was closed, we weren't going to fall for their scams! The 90 acre sight contains an array of temples and royal residences all of which are as opulent as the next. The crowning glory of the palace is the 3 metre tall emerald Buddha which was made from a solid block of jade in the 15th century. After ambling round the palac we went to Wat Pho which houses a 49 metre long reclining buddha plated in gold, pretty impressive! Apart from his toes, which were all the same length, weird! In the afternoon we went to Siam Center which has 4 large malls adjacent to each other and enjoyed trying to brter with the stall holders who were selling 'genuine' designer clothes and goods. A few drinks back on Khao San and a great first day for me was done.
A nice lie in on our second day helped me get over my jet lag and in the early afternoon Alex and I headed off to Wat Traihit to see the Golden Buddha, which is a 3 metre solid gold statue, very impressive! We had rranged to meet Tom in Chinatown, or at least what we thought was Chinatown. The only problem was that we walked the wrong way for about 45 minutes! While it gave Alex and I a great opportunity to see the real Bangkok, away from the tourist trail, it did mean we were 50 minutes late meeting tom. Due to Chinatown not being where we thought it was we headed off to the night market. Unfortunately this involved heading through Patpong - Bangkok's red light district. We were constantly bombarded not only by seedy looking men offering us ping pong shows but the bars themselves bringing the so called entertainment right upto the street's edge. I think we all died a little inside while walking through.
Rob
Wednesday 15 July 2009
Ko Tao
We heard that the weather on Ko Tao was going to be slightly worse then on Ko Pha Ngan and this quickly became evident went our boat was bouncing around like a tennis ball. I, rather luckily seem to be immune from sea sickness but the same could not be said for alex who was using all his concentration on not throwing up. NICE!
We arrived and checked in to Mr. J's guesthouse but decided against buying his homemade condoms (buy 10 get 1 free). He was weird. During bad weather is not the best time to see Ko Tao and so we were unfortunate not to see it's true beauty. We made the most of what we could though, meeting up with Tiffany to explore the island; we found a beauiful secluded bay and also mini golf!!! Alex won :( but only just.
Next stop Bangkok to pick up Robbie, all that stands in the way is a 9 hours night boat to Surat Thani followed by a day of waiting for our flight bad times.
Tom
We arrived and checked in to Mr. J's guesthouse but decided against buying his homemade condoms (buy 10 get 1 free). He was weird. During bad weather is not the best time to see Ko Tao and so we were unfortunate not to see it's true beauty. We made the most of what we could though, meeting up with Tiffany to explore the island; we found a beauiful secluded bay and also mini golf!!! Alex won :( but only just.
Next stop Bangkok to pick up Robbie, all that stands in the way is a 9 hours night boat to Surat Thani followed by a day of waiting for our flight bad times.
Tom
Ko Pha Ngan
I think upon our arrival we proved what seasoned travelers we are now. Whilst everyone else was frantically running around searching for accommodation Alex and I decided to get some food and then leisurely took a stroll and managed to find the cheapest accommodation on the entire of Haad Rin beach (where the full moon party happens) and it came with a free hammock.
We spent the next couple of days on lying on the beach, inventing a new sport called "Alex and Tom's beach tennis", disturbing other people with our poorly aimed frisbee throws and generally relaxing. In the area there was an abundance of bars and restaurants that play friends all day (you thought e4 was bad) which originally we mocked but soon found ourselves strangely drawn to not mentioning an awesome falafal joint.
The night life on Ko Pha Ngan is something special. You start out with a couple of drinks in a bar before heading down to the beach to drink whiskey buckets. The leading entertainment, aside from the music is to watch thai men playing with fire in different ways the most intresting of which is a rope swing which tourists leap over until the eventually get hit by a flaming rope. We gave it a miss ourselves...
The climax of the weeks fun was the Full Moon Party on thursday. Early in the day the multiple bars and resorts along the beach begin erecting stages and dance floors in preperation for the evening. The party technically begins at about 5pm when the music starts but it's not until about 10.30-11 when everyone is suitibly drunk, suitibly painted in glow amd the moon comes up that the real fun begins. Alex and I spent most of the evening with Mark and Owen who we'd met on the beach a couple of days before. Eventually, well after the sun rises, the party begins to wind down and the last few ravers stumble back to their guest houses.
Too soon the party was over and we were making our way to Thong Sala port to go to Ko Tao
Tom
We spent the next couple of days on lying on the beach, inventing a new sport called "Alex and Tom's beach tennis", disturbing other people with our poorly aimed frisbee throws and generally relaxing. In the area there was an abundance of bars and restaurants that play friends all day (you thought e4 was bad) which originally we mocked but soon found ourselves strangely drawn to not mentioning an awesome falafal joint.
The night life on Ko Pha Ngan is something special. You start out with a couple of drinks in a bar before heading down to the beach to drink whiskey buckets. The leading entertainment, aside from the music is to watch thai men playing with fire in different ways the most intresting of which is a rope swing which tourists leap over until the eventually get hit by a flaming rope. We gave it a miss ourselves...
The climax of the weeks fun was the Full Moon Party on thursday. Early in the day the multiple bars and resorts along the beach begin erecting stages and dance floors in preperation for the evening. The party technically begins at about 5pm when the music starts but it's not until about 10.30-11 when everyone is suitibly drunk, suitibly painted in glow amd the moon comes up that the real fun begins. Alex and I spent most of the evening with Mark and Owen who we'd met on the beach a couple of days before. Eventually, well after the sun rises, the party begins to wind down and the last few ravers stumble back to their guest houses.
Too soon the party was over and we were making our way to Thong Sala port to go to Ko Tao
Tom
Ko Samui
We slept in Bangkok airport for a couple of hours before boarding our Bangkok Airways flight to Ko Samui. The flight was only forty five minutes and so seemed like a waste of time but it saved us a solid days traveling, plus we got a free snack!
Ko Samui has unfortunately become a popular spot for western tourists looking to take advantage of the readily available Thai prostitutes a lot of which are actually men... This was emphasised by our guest house's staff, all of which were ladyboys. Alex and I spent a lot of time watching Wimbledon, yes we know it's pathetic but we had to watch it, despite the best efforts of the prostitutes to distract us in the bars.
Soon enough we were treking along the beach to catch our boat to Ko Samui. I think we were both a little surprised that we were actually about to get to Ko Pha Ngan, home of the full moon party, something we had both been looking forward to from the start.
Tom
Ko Samui has unfortunately become a popular spot for western tourists looking to take advantage of the readily available Thai prostitutes a lot of which are actually men... This was emphasised by our guest house's staff, all of which were ladyboys. Alex and I spent a lot of time watching Wimbledon, yes we know it's pathetic but we had to watch it, despite the best efforts of the prostitutes to distract us in the bars.
Soon enough we were treking along the beach to catch our boat to Ko Samui. I think we were both a little surprised that we were actually about to get to Ko Pha Ngan, home of the full moon party, something we had both been looking forward to from the start.
Tom
Chiang Mai
After crossing the border at about 9am in the morning we entered Thailand and quickly found ourselves transportation to Thailand's second city, Chiang Mai. After sorting accommodation we experienced our first Thai curry and it was GOOD. The heavy rain meant we only had time to book onto a cooking course for the next day.
We were picked up early and taken to a morning market where we were given a detailed description of all the ingredients that we were going to be using in our curries. After this they took us to the "farm" where the owners grew a lot of the other ingredients needed. First lesson was how to make a curry paste after which we made a curry using our own paste. The other dishes they taught us were chicken with cashew nuts, pad thai, a chicken coconut soup and finally a sweet, banana in coconut milk.
In the evening we met up with Ulrika and Amelie and had a couple of drinks before Alex and I departed for Bangkok where we would catch a flight to Ko Samui. Thai islands here we come!
Tom
We were picked up early and taken to a morning market where we were given a detailed description of all the ingredients that we were going to be using in our curries. After this they took us to the "farm" where the owners grew a lot of the other ingredients needed. First lesson was how to make a curry paste after which we made a curry using our own paste. The other dishes they taught us were chicken with cashew nuts, pad thai, a chicken coconut soup and finally a sweet, banana in coconut milk.
In the evening we met up with Ulrika and Amelie and had a couple of drinks before Alex and I departed for Bangkok where we would catch a flight to Ko Samui. Thai islands here we come!
Tom
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