Today we headed on a full days journey to Ko Chang back across the southern border and then onto a ferry to Koh Chang. On arrival at the ferry crossing there was an accomodation booking company and as we were arriving quite late on the saturday night we thought we would book somewhere through them. Everywhere we had looked up for cheap places to stay in our lonely planet was booked but eventually we got a room for just one night and then we could look around in the morning for somewhere else. The ferry took us about 40 mins and once we arrived at the other side there was only one truck to take us where we wanted to go as it was the last ferry crossing so he thought he would charge higher prices. Another couple and us refused to pay him what he was asking so we ended up hitching a ride with some other tourists going in the same direction in there big 4x4, so pleasing and such good timing. They werent going quite as far as us but it was only a cheap ride to get where we needed to be. The destination we were staying at was called lonely beach which is a more chilled out backpackers paradise. Anwyay once settled we went to one of the local restaurants as we hadnt eaten all day and feasted while watching shooter on the television (great movie).

The next morning we were up bight and early searching for accomodation. We were unsure of whether to stay around this area or go all the way around the island to long beach, which we were told was beautiful but very quiet and remote with not much to do. But the beach was meant to be gorgeous. As it was so far away and we were staying on the island for a week we decided to book into another cheap guesthouse called the lemon bar and rent a moped for the day to check out long beach. So we had some breaky, rented a bike, got some antibiotics for kate as her chest had been really hurting her for a couple of days and then headed 55 km around the island to the other side passing some gorgeous hill top views over the ocean on the way It was so fun cruising along with the wind in our faces and it allowed you to get a real feel of what the island was like. When we got to the treehouse resort on long beach it was gorgeous, the water was as still and clear as you could get and the accomodation was simple but really cool, literally like a large treehouse on the waters edge. It seemed like a real get back to nature and flop out kind of place with no electricity, no internet and no telephones. We wouldnt want to spend a whole week there as there really isnt much to do but a couple of days would be nice. After having a nice lunch at tree house we spent the rest of the day there soaking up the sun and bathing in the crystal clear waters, it was perfect. There was also flying fish in the water which was cool to watch. At 5 we headed back as it took us about 1.15 hours to get there and on the way back stopped of at the white sands resort for a corn on the cob and an ice cream. Carrying on we finally got to lonely beach area and thought to ourselves we havent checked out lonely beach yet. So we parked up and walked through a posh resort write on the beach and this beach was also gorgeous lol (dilemma). We saw a huge fire burnung at the other end of the beach so we took a walk to check it out and it was the beginning of a bbq with a really cool, chilled out bar with no chairs but loads of cushions and low tables, with chill out music on. It was one of those places you lounge around all night just eating and drinking, our kind of place haha. The accomodation looked really nice as well in beachside huts. We decided this is where we wanted to base ourselves in the end, long beach was amazing but a little to out the way and nothing to do, whereas lonely beach wasnt tacky and commercial but still had some cool bars and things to do. It was the main backpackers place as well which is always good. Anyway we got back to our accomodation and by this time kate was still feeling quite ill, and her chest was really hurting her. She had felt it during the day but just ignored it but it was getting worse and she couldnt swallow her food properly. So we just chilled out that night and Kate in the end had a really restless night dosed up on neurofen. The next morning it was still bad but the pain killers helped and then by the afternoon it was starting to ease of as the antibiotics were slowly working. The pharmacist said she shouldnt drink for 3 or 4 days so i thought it was only fair to lay of the grog as well.

There isn't alot to say about the next for days except we were in paradise haha. We just laid on the beach all day everyday, swimming, playing bat and ball, eating, eating and eating. It was great. The weather has been gorgeous, only a couple of mornings of cloud where the sun has broken through by lunch time. We have been eating dinner at our restaurant, healthy fruit and musli for breaky, salads for lunch and the most amazing bbq's at night with meat, seafood, jacket potatoes, corn, salads and fried rice. They have easily been our favourite meals so far except for our visit to the Red Piano in Cambodia. Eating healthily has also really helped Kates chest. Although I have worked my way through the entire Cornetto ice cream collection, you cant be on the beach without an ice cream. But I worked these of with a run with Kate every night. Working as hard as we have has really been worth it the past year, it so good out here!!!!

The night before Kate's birthday our bar and restaurant held a huge party with 2 awesome DJ's and the place was packed with a dance floor on the beach and the music was really pumping, we had an amazing time! As Kate was feeling better we thought what better night to have some drinks leading into her birthday with a great party and lively atmosphere, it couldn't have fallen on a better night. Everyone was drinking mekong buckets, dancing and having a great time. We got chatting to some really random people which always make the night more entertaining, so many different characters. Theres some real head cases out there I swear!! But it was such a good way to enter into Kate's birthday crawling in at 4.30am, eekkk!!!!

Wanting to spend our last full day and Kate's birthdya on the beach I knew I was going to have to tempt Kate out of bed after such a heavy night and eeing as it was her birthday I sneaked out and bought her an American breakfast in bed, with tea and fresh orange juice. When she saw me come in she was so happy haha, I have never seen her move so fast. After getting her breaky down her a downing half a litre of cold water she was alive and kicking again. As it was her birthday we wanted to do something special and go somewhere different so I rented a moped out and I knew up the coast there was some really fancy holiday resorts with gorgeous beaches. So we got ourselves an ice cream and cruised up along the coast, sneaking througha gorgeous resort to the beach Klong Prao, Ko Chnags luxury holiday centre area. It was beautiful and because knowone knew we werent staying there we used there deck chairs all day for free. As it was Kates birthday, we got her an hours thai massage. There was some serious twisting and crazy positions being held lol. It looked really good! Afterwards we had lunch on the seafront at this resorts restaurant which was very nice. We both had a prawn cocktail to start and then I had a homemade burgers for main course and Kate had a steak baguette. It was right on the waters edge and really relaxing - Kate was really having a great day.

After enjoying one last swim in the beautiful clear water we got back on the moped and decided to check out the small fishing village at the other end of the islandcalled Bang Bao, which is where we were planing to go for a seafood dinner that night as it comes highly recommended. Upon arrival it was a quaint beautiful village with lots of nice shopping boutiques and a long pier with many shops and restaurants, and many fishing vessels and a small lighthouse at the end of it. It was late afternoon, the water was still and the restaurants were becoming busy overlooking the water, it was really beautiful. All seafood caught was bought to the restaurants fresh and still alive, being pplaced in large tanks until somebody orders it - allowing it to be as tasty and fresh as possible (poor little blighters).

Once Kate had indulged in some retail therapy and I had munched on a big chocolate doghnut we headed back to have a shower and some beers returning to Bang Bao for dinner a couple of hours later. We had already chosen the restaurant we wanted to go to during the afternoon so we headed straight there. The waiter was a great guy and made us very welcom, advising us on what fish is good. We ended up having battered shrimps with rice sauce and salad for starter and for main course we had a huge white snapper for 2 marinated in soy sauce and herbs/veg with rice. It tasted amazing but I was still hungry afterwards, which is why I never have fish at restaurants normally. But it was a special meal and was really good qauilty food. It washed down well with some wine as well. After dinner we drove to white sands resort for a look around but I was driving so so we decided to get some beers from the shop and head back to our accomodation about 11pm so we could have some drinks there together, finishing the night of perfectly. The next day we had a full days journey on our hands to Koh Tao to start our diving course, we were really excited!!!