So on Tue 25th Nov the four us left Siem Repa and headed to the Thai border in Poipet! We had heard so many dodgy stories about this trip as the road is still under construction and really bad in places, so the bus journeys are no fun! We decided being 4 of us a taxi to border would be best (true backpacking now) so we paid $40 for the 3 hour trip!

It has to be said the road is pretty bad! The bridges are not finished so every few miles we corssed dirt paths which were made by the river!!! Apart from that and few bumps the journey wasnt too bad....much better than anticipated as some people told us some really bad stories, so we were a little aprehenisive but it was fine! Our taxi driver drove a little fast and looked like he's never brushed his teeth in his life but apart from that it was smooth!!!

Border crossing was easy....within half hour we were in Aranyparathet, Thailand and waiting at the train station for a few hours for the direct 3rd class train to Bangkok! Cost us 48 baht for the 6 hour journey....90pence (crazy) and apart from it being long, we enjoyed! caught up on a bit of sleep and watched the scenery pass us by!!!

We considered catching a flight a week before for this part of the journey but thank god we didnt as the protesters marched into the airport this day! We arrived into Bangkok around 8pm and had 2 hrs before our overnight train to Champong, travelling south towards gulf of Thailand Islands....so we'd started our trip at 7am on Tuesday and we reached Champong at 6am on Wednesday, got a little sleep on train and then got shipped to a catermaran to Koh Tao.

We didnt realise the weather hadnt been great over this side for past few days so we were looking forward to the catermaran journey!!! haha, not for long!!!!! I have never been on a boat so bumpy in my entire life....it was a constant rollercoaster and we have never seen so many people being sick.....the staff walked around constantly handing out bags and tissues. Debby got it real bad and it was only an hour in I started to feel a little rough but I managed to get through it without heaving!!!! As for Darren, well he has a stomach made of rock...nothing effects him! haha...was crazy!!!!!!

So we arrive in Koh Tao...say our goodbyes to Debby and Louise as they head further south to Ko Samui on the catermaran (poor them) and we head to Sairee beach, only 15 minute walk from the pier. The island is also known as Turtle Island and is about 10 square miles big....it is also a huge resort for scubba divers,

Our plan for the 2 weeks in Thailand....nothing!!! Sit on beach, catch a tan, drink a few beers, watch sunset...that kind of stuff, so nothing informative to report to you in the blog im afriad!!

One thing we didnt research before leaving home was at this time of year the gulf of Thialand is in their moonson season, so lots of rain and tides are high during the day and got out at night....no good for two backpackers who dont have a pool and is relying on the beach to catch some rays!

Mae Haad and Sairee where we stayed is the main resort in Koh Tao, very peaceful and quiet with a handful of beach bars/restaurants scattered along the shores...it has the biggest beach but we didnt really get to use it because of the high tides! We managed to lie on some sand/grass areas when the sun did come out but we had more cloud and patchy sun...still hot and humid though. Our bungalow was ok....300 baht (6 quid a night) a stones throw from the beach and quiet.....at first it was really strange being in an area where there was hardly any people! Maybe only 100-200 people in the whole area, so that was weird but we got used to it! No hassle...bliss!!!

Lotus bar did a great happy hour (4-8pm) and was perfect for watching the sun set on the beach front as the tide went out in the evening...we enjoyed relaxing and rebooting our batteries!!!!!

We stayed there for 3 days and then headed to Koh Phangan (full moon island) on the Saturday 29th...another catermaran (dear lord) not as bad but i felt awful after it! We headed to the main area Haad Rin where they hold the full/half/black moon parties (any excuse for a party) but we choose to stay about a mile or two out of town as we expected it to be a little busy.......Busy? We didnt see a sole and the bungalows we'd intended to stay in had increased in price 300 baht so we said no thankyou.....we wanted a bit more civilisation! So after finding a taxi (by which we'd been in Phangan 45 minutes, we'd spent 2 nights accomodation worth on taxi's) we ended up in Haad Rin town.....to be honest it was a bit of a dump! Its a party town so had elements of the likes of Magaluf but this is Thailand so it was a bit dirtier and just messy. It was also extremely quiet...we arrived bang in the middle of no full of half moon...only black moon parties but they were in different resorts and we didnt come here for that either.....we ended up in a nice hotel our first night (little bit expensive but it was our first hot shower for 11 days!) and our second night was a little bungalow, dirt cheap near sunset beach.....we grew to like it a little bit more as we walked around out of the town centre but we didnt do much and didnt see many people! They sun came out a little bit on one of the days but yet again no beach so we found some gravel/sand to catch the rays! haha.....not going to well thus far eh????

What can we expect in Koh Samui...the island of honeymooners!!!!

Headed out of Haad Rin on a ferry to Koh Samui...9 miles south on Mon 1st Dec (hope ur enjoying your advent calenders...chocolate is so expensive over here!) WE decided to follow the backpacker bible (lonely planet) and we made our way to Chaweng Beach on the east coast, which is said to have clear waters and white soft sandy beaches!

We arrived to rain, wind, high tides, dirty beach and lots of touts on street trying to sell you anything and everything! (Get me out of here!!!!!!!) Ok so we have come to the Thai gulf the wrong time of year, we understand that now and we are more that prepared to give places a go etc......but really its so over developed and commercialised.....there is no sign of paradise beaches (maybe the exclusive resorts yes but the beach is a long strip and lots of restuarants/shops/massuers) i'm sure in july / aug its lovely but we dont think we'll be venturing back to Ko Samui any time soon!!!

Koh Tao was by far the prettiest island as it was the least commercilised and was so laid back....Samui was a bit full on and you cant relax walking down the street...the night life in Chaweng is definately a thumbs up but expensive...ultimately it just wasnt for us!!! Plus the whole time we were there it was cloudly or it rained, first impressions can sometimes mean everything!!!! (Yes at this point I was not amused with the weather forecasts so after 2 days in Samui we said hello Phuket!)

So on Wed 3rd Dec we headed to Phuket...which is where we are now! And boy do we have some stories to tell!!!!!

Till next time..............xxxxxx

PS Will do photos when we can!!! xxxxx