I'm going to get a t-shirt made, the front will have "I would love to stop and chat if you ask me a challenging question, bear in mind i had a suit made in Hoi An, i don't need another". The back will read "It doesn't matter how cheap the price, if you don't need it or wear it, then that makes it expensive". Oh dear, that's a cinical start, but i must have passed a 100 tailors in the past 48 hours, i don't like to be rude but boy does it get tiring.

Anyway, that's another rant, i want to get down my last few days, from start to finish, the main reason for this part of the trip was to go to the Full Moon party and along the way pop in to see my mate Tommy, hence i'm currently in Phuket.

I felt a tad sorry to leave Chiang Mai, for three reasons, firstly i knew it was the end of adventure/sightseeing activities for a while and into a 'beachy' experience. Secondly it was hitting mass tourism, bringing inflated prices, fast food chains and less of a cultural experience. Thirdly i took a flight, my only one so far and i feel as if i've cheated in a strange sort of way. Having said that the flight was excellent, Bangkok airways, they had a VIP lounge for all guests, free internet, drinks, snacks and papers - a nice touch. My first impressions of Ko samui were mixed, the airport was small but smart, they even have a fish tank to gaze at whilst you take a pee, erm...very soothing. The frustrating part is that it's not geared towards backpackers, there's a monopoly for transport, it's a private taxi ... or a private taxi, and it's 600 baht to Lamai where i have a room, just 15 minutes away. I feel 'ripped off' and make the point that how can i pay 30 baht for a meal in Chiang Mai then 600 for a 15 minute ride in a taxi?, it falls on deaf ears. I used a bit of enterprise and slipped a driver 100 baht who had a spare seat to Chwaang and then took a local car to Lamai for another 100.

Can't believe it's so quite, everwhere, i hear there's even rooms available in Ko Pha Ngan where the party is?. I have a room at Samui beach, the far end of Lamai, its a bit rough around the edges but right on the beach, away from the madding crowd. It has a pool, i wouldn't say it's safe, someone got broken into the night before - that's a good thing as they are now very vigilant! - i always pull out the positive. Well onto the party, at reception i hand over the key, they say i must keep the key as reception will close, i ask what time it opens - 07.00 sir - well that's the time i will be back then - keep the key safe. I hook up with a good crowd at the harbour, a mixture of Brits, Danes and Aussies. It's a speedboat trip for the island hop, inflated by 500 baht for the full moon - but who cares. Well i do care when it breaks down, although 20 minutes and another chang beer later we get on our way - it cuts through the journey at breakneck speed in 15 minutes.

There's loads of boats (and people) at the harbour and it's another 100 baht just to get into the street, they don't miss any sales opportunities and i will need deep pockets tonight. The street is buzzing, loads of stalls selling all manner of gregarious coloured fake tattoos, beads, hats and the crowd does not disappoint in dressing up to give the place a carnival look, feel and atmosphere. There's loads of pre-party's going on in the bars lining the street and line after line of stalls selling buckets of grog. My choice was vodka and local red bull (about 30 cups of coffee a throw and more potent than the 'real thing'), can't remamber the price, i think it was 250 baht (4-5 quid), good value anyway, the local whiskey was even cheaper. Once you hit the beach the music is throbbing and it really is some party, not as busy as i imagined but still well over 5,000 !!. Anything goes and everyone seems to be having thier own party, there's fire everywhere, street performers, obvious drug scene but a happy, cool and safe feel to it. We just pound the buckets and pretty soon got involved in all the madness and fun of it, got some great photo's but they don't sum up what a great night it was. Can't remember too much as it whizzed by in a whirl, i do remember great fun, fab people and an awesome atmosphere, i even bumped into the Irish ' Ha Long Bay' crew. I woke up in reception on the couch with the key dangling in my face at 07.00, 'mister Dave, i think you now need the key'. And that was it, was it worth it - you bet.

Well the day was a mixture of sleep and water and more water - it's a pretty severe hangover. i manage to get a few hours by the pool, its a great spot this, no tourists, the beach is deserted and nice views over the ocean from the beach bar. I decide to wander into town early evening, god what a mess, loads of 'girly bars' and the guys all seem to be Brits well into thier 60's, a bit sad and seedy and not what i expected. The food prices are so inflated, i take a bite of some street food and walk back home.....and meet another 20 tailors, "hey mate, where you from", "read the bl--dy t-shirt pal", or at least that's how i felt.....oh dear the hangover is a biggy. Then close to the hotel, in a real quite spot i see a bar that catches my eye, i love unusual places and this lived up to that bill. It was in an Arabic theme, big goldfish bowls as tables?, no seats just big cushions, bold pastel colours, i had to go in. Couldn't face any more beer, i had a long island tea!, some local Thai lads sat nearby with a hookar pipe chilling out, they invited my over. I spent the next hour taking a puff of the pipe and communicating, not with words but we somehow did and enjoyed the company. It was another of those bizarre but rewarding moments.

Time to leave Ko Samui and off to visit Tommy in Phuket, the fourney takes 14 hours!. In a nutshell, the bus doesn't turn up, i book another and this ferry goes to Don Sak which increases the bus journey, i miss two more buses as the agent takes me to the wrong point. I was with 2 young Aussie girls on the journey, they were raising thier voices and getting mad - no point - it's happened and you expect this from time to time, shouting might even get you on the wrong bus if you p-ss a local guy off!!!

I call Tommy and he has got me a room at his hotel, i am going to be spoilt for the first tiime in nearly 5 weeks, cheers Tommy - the perfect host as we stuff pizza and chicken wings in his room (it's not really a room but a more of a suite out of a palace - rock on tommy!?)

And this is now, writing this blog, i want to capture how i felt this morning (and i don't want to sound as if i'm not grateful, i am). In fact the shower is the first decent one since i started this adventure, hot water and pressure - WOW. Breakfast was a bit sterile, clinical, no-one speaks to each other, i sit on my own and read - thats another first. The good thing about the last few days is that i have got stuck into my book - the life of Nelson Mandela - a powerful read and thought provoking - what an inspiration and so enjoyable, after this i want to read about more inspirational leaders. I take a walk along the beach (Karon beach), it's funny, the same as breakfast i don't feel as if i fit in here, everyone is just here for the sun, fast food, they are all wearing the latest matching clothes. I yearn to be back agmost the backpacking crowd, more rustic, less organised, more of an adventure. I think a lot in this walk, it's early, quite, the sand soft and powdery, the sea really calm - then i think about the tsunami - the power of nature and how in a few seconds nature can be so devastating. How your life can change so quickly. I go back to a previous blog and a great quote that is a fitting way to sum up this blog "one life - live it"

Till next time.....be happy...no regrets