You will have to go a long way to catch a better sunset than Ko Lanta, i choose Moonwalk on long beach - raised wooden decks, low tables with mats & pillows, swaying palm trees in the light breeze, clear blue skies, a gentle lapping of wave in the ocean and the occasional fisherman gliding by who breaks through the orange ripple of the sun's reflection - get the picture?. And throw in happy hour - beer at less than a euro a bottle, it really doesn't get any better than this...um... i keep saying that. Lifes grand.

The journey from the Phi Phi islands was enjoyable, although the boat was 40 minutes late it didn't matter, you just accept that it goes when it goes!. Struck up a conversation with Laura from Nottingham and a local guy, Dan (i said in an earlier blog everyone seems to have a British name?). Great conversation, wonderful sea breeze to quell the scorcing heat and views, well, just incredible.

One of the crew recommended a room, it looked ok and at 300 baht (you'll struggle to find better value) a night i gave it a bash, so i'm at Lanta sunny house. I must admit, it's not fancy but i have my own bungalow, 50 metres from the beach, a double bed, toilet (albiet a self flushing system - you get used to these!), cold water but hey who needs a hot shower in this heat - plus it's clean and safe. At the end of the day i just need a bed, it's suits me fine.

First night i catch the sunset (WOW, i think you get the picture), then i pop round to Bobs bar for a beer, Bob (note the British name again?) is an Asian rasta and the place is a homaeage to Bob Marley. Shame there's a power cut so we can't listen to the music, another thing you have to accept. Well the electric comes back on at 19.00 so at least i can pop back for a shower. The food here is excellent, i have a large grilled grouper, caught earlier that day and thrown on the BBQ. As Bobs antiquated music system does not have enough energy i pop down to the local Irish bar (see past blog - there's one even in a small town), i have a bucket of Mekong whisky and red bull, the barmaid couldn't quite believe i didn't need any more than one mixer.....she was right.......i wake up without remembering leaving the bar, a good night though and i do remember chatting at the bar with some of the local lads.

I saw yoga advertised next door at the sanctury, i decide there's nothing better than a good stretch to clear your head. Well, i didn't expect it to be 2 hours, plus attempting to do a handstand and an upside down lotus......urm i think this level of yoga is way above me, but i enjoyed it. The class is on a wooden deck overlooking the sea, the views are something else and very calming first thing in the morning. I hire a motorbike for the afternoon, at 3 euros it would be rude not to. There's not a great deal to the island, it's really a chill out place but i find some amazing viewpoints to relax and take some photos, in fact i take lunch at the viewpoint rest and the seafood rice with a cocunut shake is delicious - and surprisingly cheap at around 3 euros. Another cool place is Old Lanta town, it looks like a western filmset, old wooden huts/houses but it has some lovely cool seafront bars, rests and quirky shops - well worth a visit. On route i go through the local market, talk about chilled, god knows how they sell anything, i walked through 3 stalls and they were all asleep!. It is quite bizarre on the roads, there not to good, loads of potholes and lots of obsticles. Let me give you an example, i negotiated cattle, chickens, a sleeping dog (slap in the middle of the road),oh, and an elephant, 3 in fact but at least they had a man on top steering?. On the way back i called into to see Dan who has a bar on the next beach down, i pretty much went all the way round the island in less than a day.

As i had the bike i decide to take a night ride up to the ferry terminal, there's a whole array of fish restaurants. I know it's fresh, everywhere i went on the bike i saw trawlers just off the island fishing. Well i saved money on the room so i splash out on a nice large red snapper and the biggest tiger prawn i have ever seen. It's expensive if your travelling but still cheap at 10 euros, including bbq corn cobb and drinks. As a treat i have a banana roti from the street market, i've got addicted to these, just so tasty.

So here i am today, i decided to stay for another night, another wonderful sunset. This afternoon i'm having an aloe vera massage on the beach, and just laze in the sea at sunset. Basically this is my chill out time before the mayhem of Bangkok. Tomorrow is another long journey to get there, by bus it will take, all told, around 16-18 hours. I've got 'one night in Bangkok', on the infamous Khao San road. So that will wrap up my Asian adventure before my next leg, New Zealand. Not sure if i will write another blog until then, who knows?, let see what happens and how i feel.

As my visa run out yesterday i may have a story to tell?

So until then, happy xmas, enjoy, be merry and have fun.