Caught a sawngthaew to the port, which is a pick up truck with two benches in the back facing each ohter. They're like a cross between a communal taxi and a bus; they just stop when someone along the road flags them down so you have no idea how long your journey will take. Which was crucial to us as we were late for the 11am boat. Boarded at two minutes to 11. Was a hot but very relaxing journey to Koh Tao, most people got off at Koh Pha-Ngan, so the remaining couple of hours were spent peacefully lying in the sun on deck. Having spoken to a rep from one of the dive centres on the island we accepted his offer of a lift to the southern beach on Koh Tao. He'd said it was much quieter than the western beach, and after the suprisingly busy Lamai beach that's exactly what we wanted. We caught a lift witha Welsh guy, Smee, who'd been on the boat. Found out he'd done the same degree as me, two years below. Refreshing to speak to someone with the same opinions about the course, tutors and other students as me......! We moved into ajoining bungalows in a corner of the beach; 20 seconds from the water. The beach is enclosed in a bay and the view is beautiful. The water is very shallowand recedes in late afternoon. A huge blue sky shares the landscape with the water in a hudred shades of blue; the sun glistening in a laid-back manner on the surface. There are rocks at either side of the bay and dusty, faded palm trees straining from the foliage towards the sun. There are a few scattered long-tail boats painted in bright but shaby colours which are loosely roped to shore. They float on the shallow water in the morning and lie stranded on the wet sand in the afternoon. It's serene, relaxed and just as I imagined a Thai island to be. There are a few restaurants and bars, cobbled together with wood and bamboo on the beach and under palm trees, all unassuming and strewn with low tables and cushions. It's quiet but not too quiet. Perfect!