10th July 2009 - Beckie turns 20!!

Our day started very early, waking up at half 6 to open birthday cards and catching our bus at 7am. It took us to the north of the island to the Fisherman's Village. We then got to go on a speedboat for about an hour taking us to Ang Thong National Marine Park, a collection of 42 islands. We stopped on the way to do a bit of snorkelling. The water was beautiful and crystal clear. Its was mainly just little fish, lots of zebra striped ones, but we did see one tiny little jelly fish!

After the snorkelling we headed to one fo the beaches to have some lunch and go kayaking inbetween and around the islands. We were much better at it than we expected to be, but its was very hard work! We then got a chance to just relax on the beach for a little while and di a bit of exploring. Found some really pretty shells but seeing as the prison term for taking shells from the island is 5years, we put them back! An hour our two of relaxing and then it was time to head to another island, Mae Koh, to visit the lagoon called Talay Nai. What they didn't tell us when we got there is that it is a 1000 step climb to get to the veiwpoint! Although the veiw was stunning we were so hot and knackered from the climb all we wanted to do was get back down! After a little swim to cool down we headed back to the mainland where we were taken to the Island Safari elephant park to ride and elephant! It was absolutely brilliant, but not the comfiest experience! Our elephant, named Bruno by Simon, wasnt very big, but it was still very far from the ground when you think you're going to fall off going to a very steep slope! We only got to ride it for about 15 minutes but that was plenty really and it was so hot in the sun we were glad to get off and get in the shade. But not before our elephant tried to suck at us with his trunk to say goodbye. After the ride we went to the little arena to watch an elephant show. Thankfully it wasnt cruel like we had expected it to be and the elephants seemed happy to perform to get bananas. They were able to play football, basketball, play the harmonica sort of in tune and give massages! For some reason I was feeling very spontaneous and decided to volunteer to have one, obviously not really thinking it through! i had to lay on the floor while one of the elephants ( not a fully grown, they told us he was 7 ) started 'massaging' by back with it's foot and sucking at my face with it's trunk. Images of it changing it's mind and deciding to squish me ran though my head whilst Simon sat there laughing and taking pictures! But it was defiantely an experience and I'm glad I did it after it was over!

After getting a really sweet birthday cake from the owners of the hotel, we headed into Lamai for our favourite dinner at the food market and then on to a ladyboy cabaret show for our evening entertainment. Its was absolutely brilliant and it is by far the best bight out we've had so far. Some of the ladyboys were very pretty, unfortunately the one that took a fancy to Simon happened to be the obese, extremely manly, ladyboy in the show! Hilarious for me, though I think Simon may be scarred for life from the experience! So definately the best birthday ever and one I will never forget!