Hi All

I've just come back from an amazing weekend in Khao Sok, it is a National Park in the south of Thailand. We set off on Fri morning at 6.30am to the ferry then by coach - the total journey was about 6.30hrs. When we arrived and we had lunch then we went river tubing (an inner tube) for a few hours down a river feeding the fish it was fun and great exercise for the arms as it only had a water current in a few places. We then visited a temple with monkey's running free - we fed the monkey they were very tame. We took lots of pictures they were so cute.

On the Saturday we went to the lake it was absolutely huge apparently it had 162 islands on the lake, it was truly amazing we saw long tail monkeys in the very high trees they were jumping from tree to tree we also saw a horntail bird. We also canoed on the lake to the island where it was so peaceful you could just hear the jungle birds and insects etc apparently it is older than the amazon rainforest. We had lunch on a floating restaurant on the lake - it was fresh fish rice etc and there were lots to go around and it was delicious!!! We then had a trek to the bamboo rafts across the river in to a cave and it was full of limestone icicles and coral shaped limestone.

The next day we went to ride on the elephants, Frances and I went on one of the elephants it was huge we sat on the top in a kind on harness. We went through the river in the jungle it was fab then on the way back he let us both take a turn and ride the elephant's head - legs just behind the ears holding onto its huge head it was truly one of the best experiences I have ever had in my life!!!! It felt like I was just in the wild riding an elephant!! We then got to feed the elephants and I've got a souvenir photo which they took. Finally, we went back to the temple to feed the monkey's one last time. Then on the coach for the journey back home.

Oh, forgot to mention the 2 hour yoga session we went to the other week was in the main a lecture we only had 10mins of actual yoga and it was a long taxi ride away. So I am residing to doing some yoga in my hut or veranda in the morning.I had my hair cut and colored last week for a total of 6.50p they did a good job it was in an actual salon it was funny they had cold water to wash my hair and these blue plastic covers to protect my ears from the hairdryer.

I'm back at school today and I'm off on Thursday for a full day of Thai cookery lesson, so we are all looking forward to that. We are finishing school on Fri 7th March so only 3 weeks to teach then we are moving down the islands to Krabi, Koh Phi Phi etc. It is going so quickly I want it to last longer and saver every moment!!

I will upload some more pictures especially of Khao Sok and the elephants & monkeys!

Got to go Love to you all - Ali x x