Dear All,

We are currntly on Ko Chang Island. We are having a fantastic time here even though it is monsoon season and a bit rainy. It is still hot and the rain comes as a welcome relief in some ways and I'm sure in a few months time we will be dreaming of rain when the hot season kicks in.

Anyway, as I was saying we are in Ko Chang island. Ko meaning island and Chang meaning elephant. Yesterday we went on an elephant ride and went to the river. We could have gone swimming with the elephants had we known  and taken our swim suits with us or the weather been better. If it gets sunny again we shall go again and take the opportunity to go swimming with them asit was it was a very exciting day! Our elephant was called Soi and he was 29 years old. He is a working elephant but due to the introduction of tractors and faster agricultural equpment he has been made redundant. He now lives on Ko Chang with lots of other elephants who also no longer have a job on the mainland. Soi was a rather cheeky elephant and kept wandering off course to find bamboo shoots to munch on. 

 Ko Chang is a rather big island. It is also very hilly in places. We are staying in a little village in Bailan beach. It is the next village round from the main backpackers village of Lonely beach (where we can get internet access). As there are no taxis that go from Bailan village we have hired a motorbike. We have never riden one before and have taught ourselves and now are wizzing around the island, Dan driving and me clinging on or visa versa.

Ko Chang is mainly Jungle. According to our guest house owner, Net (meaning Kings eye - nice name) there is even a Tiger on the island. If there is we have not seen it, luckily. But we have seen the elephants, the geckos, the monkeys in the tree and even a big snake. We were driving home last night and there was an 8 foot snake in the road. Unfortunately we didn't have our camera to take a photo! (and even if we did, I dont think we would have hung around to take one!!!) 

 I must buy myself a hat as things keep falling on my head. First a baby gecko. And then last night a small mouse in our bathroom - scared the heck out of me it did!!! I'm still a little bit apprehensive of going in there!

Ko Chang is wonderful island. We have been swimming in the sea, which is just like taking a bath. We can only imagine how wonderful it must be when it is sunny. However it might be a bit too hot and I doubt we would stray far from the water.

Anyway I hope you enjoyed reading about our time in Ko Chang. We have put lots of photos on the Ko Chang album and have updated them with a few more so if you have looked at them in the last couple of days, have another look now!!

 The sun is coming out and it is time to jump back on the bike and whizz off to the next bay...

 Lots of Love

 Cheryl And Dan x x