Railey, Phi Phi, Bangkok, Chiang Mai and goodbye to Sarah :(

Hello again! Something seems to have gone wrong with my blog... i did update you all with the end of Sarah's trip but it doesn't seem to have saved so i'm having to re-type it, just hope I dont forget anything!

So... from Koh Tao, we decided it would be a good idea to get a night boat, bus then longtail boat combo over to Railey beach, you know... save one one nights accommodation and all that. We parted from our scuba crew and made our way to the pier. For some stange reason we were expecting this boat to be some kind of luxury transport experience. Oh how wrong we were! It was like an old cargo ship!! There were two stretches of stinking old matresses (well - blocks of wood with a urine smelling sheet over the top) then kind of bunks over the top but they werent actual beds, they were just stretches of matresses and you were supposed to just pitch up wherever u could. There were about 50 people crammed onto this thing and only sleeping room for about 30 which meant loads of people literally sleeping on the wet, disgusting floor in the middle! We got there just in time to squeeze in between some very shifty looking thai men who proceeded to smoke and drink their Singhas RIGHT next to us in the 'bed area' and a little thai lady all wrapped up in a sheet just staring at us. We were sure we would be robbed!!! So we layed out Mike's big double sheet and literally slept clutching our bags!!! There was this really annoying man too who just drank and drank and tried to include people in stupid drunken games. The toilets on this thing were officially THE worst i've ever come across (Sar u can back me up here). I cant even begin to describe the smell and we and Sar squidged into one cubicle... too scared to go alone, and noticed a MASSIVE moth on the wall behind us!!! We scarpered quickly.. think i didn't even have time to do up my shorts...!! :)

Dispite all of this we actually managed to sleep ok and were woken by the thai man shouting 'Chumphon Chumphon' at 5.30 in teh morning. We got off the boat and were loaded like animals onto this minibus and taken to Krabi. We were then told to get on this longtail boat to Railey but the tide was right out and it was like quick sand mud we had to wade through to get there!!! We arrived at Railey East and made for Railey West which was like a scene from an upmarket Spanish beach or something... all upmarket resorts with families and screaming kids. Apart from this though, the limestone cliffs and made for some very dramatic and spectacular scenery. We found out that the backpacker place to be was a little beach just up from Railey West called Ton Sai. We waited on the beach (and fell asleep) while they found more backpackers to make up the numbers then got to Ton Sai to find another squelchy, muddy beach we had to wade through and to top it all off the weather was not very good at all. A storm was looming and i had developed some serious red lumps on my arms which i thought were mosquito bites but later found out were jelly fish stings that i had had a reaction to! Anyway... so i was NOT in the best of moods whilst we carted our backpacks around looking for somewhere to stay. Thats when it got me... this long, fast, scary, green snake came from the jungle right across my path! I couldnt move fast enough (because of the massive load i was carrying on my back) and became tangled up with him. He raised his head and i knew he was going to attack.... he had a go and nipped me but nothing serious... (dont worry mum!) and i had some sticky substance dripping down my leg... VENOM!!! As you can imagine.. this got me all riled up and i was desparate for a room!!! We found another shack in the jungle area with many a hole in the bathroom but mosquito nets and electricity (from 6pm) so we settled. Then the storm came. Then we slept for 4 hours!

When the storm was over we made for the little reggae bar where the locals were smoking a big bong behind the bar and just smiling and laughing looking spaced out! We had a couple of changs (and no bong) and had dinner and then the lightweights that we are... went back to bed!

Woke up in the morning to our free breakfast which was a feast of fruit, cereal, toast, sausages etc with a thick coating of big black flies all over it.... YUM!!! We were very surprised people were still eating it acutally.

We went to a little travel place to enquire about the next boat to Phi Phi as we decided it was best to spend the rest of Sar's time somewhere that we could relax 4 a few days. Yet again we found ourselves in a big panic and rush as the last boat was leaving half an hour later! We rushed back and just made it.. puffing and panting... me and Sar were NOT in a good way! We were loaded onto another longtail boat and rode out to meet a BIG boat in the middle of the ocean where our bags were literally chucked on (there is no pier at Railey so the boat couldnt come in to get us) and we were made to climb up from the tiny longtail boat onto the big one in the crashing waves!!! Quite scary but we made it!

We arrived at Phi Phi and were instantly calmed! What a beautiful place! The weather yet again wasn't great which i was annoyed about bcs i wanted Sar to come back very VERY brown and make everyone at work jealous!!! HAAHAH!! But we had a lovely time here. We stayed at Pirates guesthouse after nearly being ripped off by the touts. Getting good at this game!!! I am very stern with them now and it seems to be working!! We had a look at the tsunami memorial park which was very emotional ... me and Sar got quite tearful.

We met up with Gina, Lesley and Tony and spent some time chilling on the beach (when the sun was out!!!), trekking up to the viewpoint and had a great night at the Hippies Bar half moon party! There was a magician, games, a fireshow, free bbq and a big party on the beach! However.. this night ended on a strange note... me and Sar decided we needed a burger (hmmm fatsos) and whilst we were waiting... out of nowhere... came a tomato. Mike.. being a tad drunk decided this was aimed at him and became quite upset by the incident. Me and Sar found it hilarious!! He was asking everyone if they would be offended if somebody launched a tomato at them... when they answered no.. he said 'ok then, how about if it was a frankfurter'!!! HAHAHAH!!! Very funny night though and me, Sar and Mike had a very deep conversation when we were all tucked up in our beds in the Pirate room.... funny memories!!

Anyway - we booked onto a boat trip which was advertised by the lovely lady at our guesthouse as a 'sunset cruise over maya bay'. What we really got was a packed longtail boat, a hell of a lot of rain and a bunch of screaming Americans in our ears all day! But we still had fun... went to Monkey Bay, Viking Cave, did some snorkelling, went to Maya Bay (where i slipped on a rock and cut my leg - thai people just love to drop you off a boat and tell u to swim/walk through a cave to get to the beach and then just drive around there anyway!), also Bamboo island and shark reef. We saw no sunset over Maya Bay but we did have a lovely time crusing around and some very funny times huddled under the canopy of the longtail boat waiting for the rain to stop!!!

For sars last night we went for an all you can eat BBQ thing but really didn't get our moneys worth as we only managed one plate each!! I really need to stop doing things like this. Then we met our friends and went to Reggae bar where they had thai boxing on and a ladyboy cabaret!!! Very funny!

We had realised that we didn't have enough time to get back to Bangkok if we were to take the train and so ended up booking a flight from Phuket to Bangkok. We were sad to leave Phi Phi and if I had had more time there I would have loved to do a wreck dive. Apparently they are amazing on Phi Phi.

Anyway, we got to Bangkok and I had been thinking lots about Sar leaving and trying to keep my spirits up. We had a last dinner of the same pork balls and yellow custard balls at Mr Lees restaurant as we had when we first arrived!!! We said goodbye quickly so that we didn't leave on a tearful note and I didn't want her getting onto the plane in a state. I didn't tell u this sis but I felt SO tearful as I walked off and did shed a few tears that night when me and Mike got back to Khaosan Road.

Still miss you now sis! Everything reminds me of you! I love u so much and I am so glad you shared so many great experiences with me! xxx

Anyway - me and Mike spent a few days in Bangkok - went to the Grand Palace and Wat Pho to see the reclining Buddha! Met up with Gina and Lesley before they departed :(, had a couple of nights browsing the little shops and eating from the cheap street vendors around Khaosan Rd and I had my first proper thai massage. Well, i was very surprised i didnt wake up with bruises put it that way! She kicked and squeezed and bashed me about so much ... although some of it just plain hurt, i did feel great after!

We said goodbye to the girls which was sad :( but we are moving on. Booked an overnight train to Chiang Mai and checked out of Nana Plaza Inn and waved goodbye to Khaosan Rd once again! I am glad to get away from the craziness but sad to leave the museli, fruit and yogurt (30b and the fruit is SO fresh!), banana shakes (SO good) and green curry with veg & rice (also 30B!!! about 50p - cant go wrong!).

We arrived in Chiang Mai today after another disgusting night train. Quite funny though. Got talking to a couple from Edinburgh who gave us some useful advice. This train was the worst of the three i've got. I am still paranoid about bugs & mosquitos but miraculously - i only got bitten once!! i did however, wake up to find about 100 DEAD mosquitoes and flies lying on top on my sheet....?!!!? Well well.... that boots repellant must be bloody good... either that or they took one look at me with my headnet on and passed out with laughter!!!! Whoever laughed at my headnet take note...! It works!!

Anyway.. we're staying at this cheapo place just outside Sunday Walking Street.. a big market street in Chiang Mai, at a place called Happy House!!! We are doing a thai cookery course 2mo then moving up to Pai for a couple of days, then it's on to Laos!!!

I'll post again soon - hope you are all enjoying my blog!

xxx