Up early after all night torrential rain we are relieved to see the hazy sun shining, although through broken cloud. All signs of the down pour have disappeared. Realising the only modes of transport are motorbike, bicycle and foot we rent a motorbike for the next 4 days.There is one road that circles most of the island with dirt roads leading off this to paddy fields, rubber plantations and small villages. As we pootle along the quiet road the villagers smile an...

Of course the wake up call will happen, you tell yourself and after-all, this is 21st century Thailand not bloody Timbuktu but still we awoke, as you do every ten minutes or so from about 3.45 AM. Why do we do that??? The call goes on time as planned and we pack, check out and jump in a tuk- tuk with our 'breakfast snack box' which consisted of a hard boiled egg and a Mateson's meat paste sandwich - cuisine is very BR circa 1978. During the short ride the tuk-tu...