Long weekends away

There are two long weekends in august and they just so happen to be the first two weekends of August and over my birthday. So in true style I decided both should be taken full advantage off.

The first weekend was spent in Koh Chang, an island in the provience of Trat. I left straight from school on wednesday and even missed the last fifteen minutes of my lesson in an eager attempt to leave Chaiyaphum and start my weekend. Arrived in Bangkok late as usual. Arriving late meant the mini van wasnt running and meant that I ended up on a public bus to salia and then taxi to jades to stay the night.

The next day we got up reasonably early and got into bangkok for about 10 for breakfast at maccy d's (i dont see western food very often, dont judge). Our bus to Trat passed uneventfully but late as in true Thai form. We then got dropped off in the middle of nowhere to pay for a taxi and a boat to the island. With no options we did as was expected and eventually made our way to Koh Chang by 7pm. The hostel I had booked was different. With no real reception and very quite it made for a story from a horror movie but it was beautiful and our hut was on the stream about 100 meters to the sea. It was just like camping in our wooden hut with open air toilets, down side - peeing in the rain, up side - tanning whilst showering. We soon met our next door neighbour a 20 year old lad on his summer away from uni. We all went to dinner and drinks and soon met the friend he had made earlier. One thing lead to another and we were a bad arse scooter crew in the making for a day trip the following day.

The next day was a long scooter drive around the island taking in waterfalls, swimming holes, a severe lack of tarmac and and reasonably western standard of driving conditions but we did end at a stunning beach in the middle of nowhere with amazing food at a restaurant that may have been closed had we not looked so western and spoke broken Thai. Amazing food was made for us never-the-less.

As it was still a buddest holiday no large parties and not much alcohol being served lead to us hitting the sack pretty early in preporation for our day on the beach sunbathing.

Saturday night was a different story, with buddest holidays well over it was time to party. with fire show and british DJ we partied like it was 2012 in Thailand. I made friends with the bar man and got us some free very strong drinks, along with a teddy called jackie and a shell. The island was full of teachers from all over Thailand so was nice to see some western faces and gave a chance to exchange stories.

The following week was school, fairly uneventful except for my co-teacher being amazingly kind and getting me a whole host of presents, food and cake. For those that know me well I must be changing - I ended up with the smallest slice of my own birthday cake as I gave it to a group of my students I am taking to an english competition next week. Yes it did almost break my heart that cake was to die for.

My birthday weekend was spent in Kanchanaburi. I travelled to Jades on the friday and we left together on saturday morning. On arriving we checked into our floating hostel on the river kwai and went to the JEATH museum and the bridge over the river kwai. Found out alot bout world war 2 in asia and the thousands of british troops that died here. It was very sombre and we needed a beer after the emotions of the day so sat and watched the sunset over the bridge with a beer.

The next day we booked on a tour to see more of what kanchnaburi had to offer. We visited Erawan falls, 7 tiers of beautiful waterfalls were the fish that eat your skin naturally live. I still dont like these it is like torture and these were bigger than a foot long. After the falls we went to Hell Fire Pass which is another section of the Thailand Burma railway that the Japenese had build during the war. Again very strange to be in such a place where so many people were killed. After the tour Jackie and Jade left as they had school the next day and I was left to my own devices.

I met with some teachers that I knew from Chaiyaphum and had a bit more than a few drinks, I didnt pay for that many so that is my excuse for being so drunk that evening. The next day I got up and enjoyed a spa pamper day. A bit more expensive than the usual treatments in Thailand but a full day including 4 treatments for the equilivant of £30 isnt too bad. I loved the time spent by myself relaxing and I never thought I would say that. I then got a bus to meet Jade and Jackie in their town for dinner. In total a lovely very mature birthday well spent. God I must be getting old.