Krabi

Our intro into Thailand was not the best. Our supposed 6hour journey on a cramped non air-conned bus, took 10 and by the time we arrived we were a little knackered, hot and hungry. Found the first room available in krabi town and headed to night market for food, which seemed to ease the situation. We got even happier when we discovered a Boots and ice cream parlour....one choc sundae later we?declared our love for Thailand.

Next day we went to Railay on a longtail boat. On arrival our individual roles became prominant with Denise taking the 'male' role of carrying?both backpacks from the boat to the beach and Jenna following with the beach mats and handbags (just call her Dennis). Went to the 'west side' (the posh bit) where accom was way too expensive so jen took the important role of guarding luggage whilst Dennis went to find cheap accomodation. The monsoon struck and half an hour jenna looked up from her comfortable spot in a nice hotel to see Denise resembling a drowned rat. We checked into our tree house (really cool) and hit the beach. Beautiful, serously amazing. Andaman Sea is lovely and the huge limestone cliffs surrounding the area area is?so dramatic it has a magical feel.

We wasted no time in embracing the culture and having a Thai massage (what else are you meant ot do when its raining?!) Jenna nearly peed her pants when she glanced around to see the woman attempting to give Denise a full leg stretch but failing as her leg was as long as the woman herself! We were a little dubious about a massage after the Byron bay incident but managed to get through the hour withour any groping or invitations to houses, although jenna was just laying in her thong next to a window for a little while before she realised the whole beach could see her white arse and asked for the curtain to be drawn.

The bars and restaurants along the beach were lovely and we wasted no time in sampling our first green curry and BBQ food...so cheap and delicious. However, cant help but find the thai rastas quite amusing! Our first night eventful when Jenna was woken by Denise proding her claiming there was "something in our room". s***ting ourselves we sat there listening to an animal routing through our bags.?We mustered up the courage to turn the light on and then Jen took the male role of dealing with the situation by throwing a loo roll at the area. We hastily wrapped ourselves in the mosquito net?and switch off the light, huddling together hoping?it?wouldn't atack. After ten minutes Jenna asked Denise if she thought it was still there, only to find?she had gone back to sleep. So Jenna spent the rest of the night s***ing herself about snakes and bears. We were horrified to find that in the morning the b****** had only?gone and eaten the TimTams...we can handle phones, cameras and purses, but TimTams is just getting personal.?

Despite restless night sleep we got ourselves up for the four island boat trip which was wicked.?Got to snorkel around the?most beautiful islands. Felt like we were in a fairytale. ?Ended up in some caves where we saw monkeys on the beach eating peoples left over sweetcorn but after the previous nights encounter we were scared to get too close. Really cool day.

We cant write about Krabi without mentioning our encounter with Mr Dax Moi. We were sitting at dinner discussing how we should write a book (or any career involving not working) when this guy starts chatting?to us. Turns out he is an ex SAS dude, ex bodyguard to starts such as Brad and Jen and is now currently the highest paid fitness trainer in the UK (he was the one who shifted Michelle McManus 10stone and yes he has worked with the wonderful Mr Williams). Also an author and life coach-normally mugs pay 150 quid a hour for the pleasure, we got it for free...turns out we're gonna be millionaires. He also told us how the resort down the beach was the most expensive in Thailand (he was there researching where to take future clients) and the wonderful Miss Charlotte Church was only there at that time!! (Tanya are you jealous?!) Check us out neighbours to the stars! (Bet Charlotte doesn't have to climb a ladder to get to her room and deal with animals at night!).

Great as Krabi was we needed to get to Phi Phi to try and avoid the monsoon before it gets into full swing. Bring on "The Beach".

PHI PHI

We arrive in Phi Phi in search of Leo (for non Leo fans its where they filmed 'The Beach'). Although the lack of Leo was dissapointing, the scenery wasn't...off-key is the only way to describe it. Not often we go quiet but for once we were speechless. We were fortunate not only to see it in the sun (for a whole 20 minutes) but also in the monsoon which decided to carry on for four days. The sun came out the day we left for Ko Lanta, so after a few days on the neighbouring island we went back and topped up our tans.

Although this place is absolutley spectacular theres not much really to say as all we did was eat, shop, sit on the beach and drink, so we'll spare?you the details and do a quick summary....

Cultural stuff

• Dived twice, at the actual setting of The Beach (neighbouring smaller island, Phi Phi Leh). Amazing.
• Climbed to the lookout (Denise had to persuade Jenna a little telling her it would only take 20 mins there and back...hour later and near heart attack we made it!)
• Longtail boat to Long Beach, was beautiful before the monsoon came in.
• First experience of Thai Boxing. Was a little freaked at the praying and banging heads on the floor, and we aren't too sure that watching 9 year olds do it counts as the real thing but it was free and jesus they can kick well!

Drinking

• Irish pub and Tiger bar for happy hour buckets (our first bucket in Thailand, arrr, how sweet) and free Samsong shots.
• Hippes and Apache when vision was blurred and the lady boys looked like hot women. (Jen actually went full circle and ordered tea at 5am!)

People we met (ones worth mentioning)

• Mr Cardiff...why has no one told him checked shirts with boardies is not acceptable?!...Don't worry we did. (For all you Townley Girls he was Becky d*** best mate at uni and visited Bexleyheath, lucky fella!)
• Gem and Nas, wicked couple and great drunk night out.
• Dan and Kane, the cool Americans who we wined and dined with. We also educated them in how classy English girls can be with our bucket drinking and 'kebobs'. Real good laugh and our favs after they promisd to send us Hersheys choc in the post!
• Spencer, who reminded us how charming english guys can be with the line..."I can tell your a traveller"..."Why cos I'm wearing beads"..."No cos you obviously dont have straightners, look at the state your hair!"

Near Death Experiences

• During a night out the monsoon hit and we had to literally run for our lives (Denise was being a little melodramatic but even Jen panicked when the locals started screaming and running for the hills!) Seriously though it was so scary. The rain drenched us in a second (ruining our nice new clothes!) and as electricity cut out, the lightening was the only way we could see! We even found out two people died in it. Scary s***.

Apart form that it was all fun and games and guess what, we love this place too!

Kho Lanta

Really not much to write about this one. Travelling in the monsoon season tends to mean that there are serious lack of people around and most of the bars/hotels close. So we were greatful when we met Ashley and Mr South Africa who we spent the night with chilling. Had a day on the beach, swam in the sea watching the sun set, had?a wicked thai curry (our first Red one) and Pad Thai and then we left. Were some funny moments when we had to wade through mud to get to our bungalow and jen actually got stuck in the mud...flip flops were fully wedged and she had to be rescued by a thai man on a moped. Back to Phi Phi and people!!