Wow it's been so long since my last blog entry I can barely remember what I've been up to - it's all getting a bit blurry now I quite often find myself questioning where I am, what time it is, what day of the week it is...but the best thing about it is - most of the time it doesn't actually matter!! It is starting to feel like the longest holiday I've ever had, and I've definately got the tan lines to prove it now!

So finishing up in Chiang Mai - on our last full day we went on an adventure trek out in the jungle. We got to ride beautiful elephants - you really can't comprehend how huge but gentle they are until you're sat on top of one! After that we had some early lunch which was basically just rice and headed off to go white water rafting. We befriended these two hilarious Canadian older couples and got on the raft with them, it wasn't the most exciting rafting I've ever done - was a mixture of fun rapids and then just floating along the calm river but it was fun nonetheless. After that we got on these absurd bamboo rafts which didn't actually float and the water was so shallow we just ended up pushing ours along the river - was pretty amusing though!! We were then supposed to go to the Ackai Village to see those crazy women that have hundreds of rings around their necks (how horrendous) but we didn't actually see any of them, we just got guilted into buying crap from really old ladies in their little shanti town. After that we headed home, very tired and very hungry and stuffed our faces with mexican and crap wine!

Next day we went to visit the biggest/most renowned temple in Chiang Mai - Doi Sutthep. It was pretty impressive, and it was at the top of the mountain so the views of the city were great, however after seeing so many temples previously - it starts to lose it's charm a little and they kinda all look the same (as you've probably all thought trailing through my photos!!). We didn't get time to visit the zoo which I was quite upset about as wanted to see the Pandas but we had to catch our next overnight bus to Phuket.

We arrived in Phuket in the evening, went for a wander and started to get acquainted with the delights of the very busy and very touristy town of Patong. Had one of the BEST meals of the trip so far - we picked our own HUGE tiger prawns and odered them cooked in white wine and garlic sauce, and we also got to help ourselves to a PROPER SALAD buffet (first one since we've been away). So it was just divine - expensive in comparison to what we've been paying but still nothing on what you'd pay in Europe. The next day we went to the beach which would have been one of those awfully packed beaches in Spain as there were just sunbeds and parasols everywhere with beach sellers constantly trying to sell you literally anything and everything you can imagine. Was a beautiful day though so enjoyed a lazy one by the sea. That night we decided it was time for Ben to have a night, so we went on a bar crawl that led us to GAY TOWN and my oh my what a night we had!! As usual on a night out for Ben and I we consumed FARRRR too much alcohol (self-control is something I still hope to maybe learn at somepoint throughout my travels though it's not looking good at the moment!!). We saw a LOT of VERY camp men, and lady boys, some awful but amusing cabaret/miming we saw AMry J, Beyonce, Shirley Bassey, GaGa and many others. We found ourselves drinking our way back and fourth between these 2 cabaret bars, made friends with a stupidly muscular 45 year old Northern guy who continued to point out that I was a 'fag hag' as I really was the only true female on the whole street! We had a good time though and I think Ben appreciated it! However neither of us appreciated how our heads felt the next morning after rolling in at about 4am, and both havign emptied our stomachs at one point or another!! We did man up and head for the beach again and the sea (as well as copious amounts of carbalicious fatty food throughout the day) cured us of our ills!!

Next we got on another boat and headed for our next destination - Krabi. The sun was absolutely scorching and after a couple of hours on the front of the boat we stopped and realised quite how hot the sun was - the deep tanning begins!! We checked in to our 'fan room', dumped our huge pile f washing at reception and headed for the beach. It really was stunning, real postcard material. The water was crystal clear and a spectacular greeny blue and the shallow water stretched for miles. The weather stayed shockingly hot until the early evening and then began to rain a little, but stayed very hot. Our fan room we started to feel wasn't the best move. The next day we rented a moped (which I was VERY excited about as haven't driven one in way too long!) So we got us a little nippy 125cc automatic and with me as the driver, Ben as my pillion, set off to explore the Island. We stopped off at the next beach along from us, chilled there for a bit then zipped our way to central Krabi which was about an hours drive away but was a really pretty scenic drive and it was GREAT getting to drive faster than 30mph!! Krabi town was...a hole, really dirty, run down, barren, nothing to see or do, and we had trouble trying to find somewhere to satisfy our rumbling stomachs. After a quick Italian that we eventually found we quickly jumped back on the bike and got our arses outta there. On the way back had a slight panic as looked at the petrol gauge...and it was VERY empty...luckily we managed to find a petrol station in time and a lady that new what she was doing topped us off and sent us on our way. That evening was the Loi Krathong festival of flowers and light which everyone had been going on about for weeks where you put these flower wreathes into the water for luck and good fortune. So we got dressed up, my pretty maxi dresses first outing, stepped out of the hotel....and it absolutely HAMMERED it down!!! So we ended up having to run to a nearby restaurant and missed the festival :(

Yesterday we went on the Phi Phi Island tour, and had another one of the best days of my trip so far. We got taken around on a speed boat which we sat up the front of to really get the full bumpy experience. Stopped off at a bay for a swim which was stunning, the sea was gorgeous and slightly cooler and deeper than in Ao Nang. Then we went to Maya Bay where 'The Beach' is filmed. It was annoyingly packed full of tourists all swarming to the famous beach and taking pictures, swimming in the small area they could do. After that we went snorkelling which was so much better than the last time in Koh Tao as we could actually see the fish! Next we went to Phi Phi for lunch and a wander around the island, but it was stupidly hot so not the most enjoyable experience. Next we went to Monkey bay for some more snorkelling, which was unbelievable - there were literally THOUSANDS of fish everywhere, swimming up close and all around you, people were throwing bread and fruit into the water and hundreds of them would just devour the food! We saw some really pretty coral, not quite as bright as you'd imagine but it still reminded me of that scene on Finding Nemo when it looks down panoramically and you see layers and layers of exotic looking fish. The guys we were sat next to on the boat then shouted at us that we'd missed seeing some dolphins so we quickly clambered back on to the boat and managed to catch a few glimpses of 8-10 of them diving through the water not too far away from where we were, it was soooooooooo cool!! We had a little party on the boat with a bit of music and a beer before heading back to Ao Nang. Was a brilliant day.

Today we had more of a chilled day and got a long boat to Railey Beach, bit of sunbathing and swimming and then it rained a bit and got overcast, and when we got back it hammered it down again. Tonight is unfortunately our last night in Thailand as we head to Malaysia tomorrow on a 9 hour bus.

Thailand you have treated us well and we shall miss you dearly!