Day 94 - Surat Thani/Koh Samui

We awake after a nice and well deserved sleep, grab some breakfast and head out to get on our way to Koh Samui. The taxi driver that dropped us off from the train station offered to pick us up but since he wasnt there when we checked out we just walked to the main road outside of the hotel and flagged down a local taxi which is essentially a pick-up truck with 2 benchs in the back. We tell the driver that we want to get the ferry to Koh Samui and he kindly drops us at the official office for the ferry company that we wanted to book with.

We booked our tickets and waited with everyone else for departure time. We soon noticed that there was us and 1 other tourist in the place the rest were locals ... the one other tourist was a german guy who came over talking to us the whole way there. He was nice enough, he'd been to Samui before and offered us some friendly advice on what to expect while we are there.

After a coach journey and an hour and a half on the ferry we arrive at Nathon pier in Samui and the weather is scorching! We jump in one of the taxis and tell the guy where we want to go, he sounds like he knows exactly where we are going telling us that we are staying near a temple, however, when we turn off the main road and passed the temple he had no idea where it was! Luckily the place was well sign posted but despite pulling up outside of it he still didn't realise where it was and turned the car around to ask one of the locals where it was ... the local guy laughed at him and pointed to where we'd just been.

Out of the taxi and one of the guys that runs the hotel comes to greet us along with 3 dogs Holly (the apparently gay dog), Panda and Golf all happy and wagging their tails. We're shown to our room and the dogs follow and lie at the door step as though they are protecting us bless! I thought it was so cute but Si wanted them to go. We were so shocked when we saw our room as it is massive definately not what we have been used to over the last few months. The bathroom is huge as well and is open air so fingers crossed we might get a lizard living in the bathroom again.

After figuring out the tv, aircon etc we decide to have a wander, we're not staying on the beach but the main road and beach is only a 10 minute stroll from our hotel so not too bad. We find the nearest pharmacy and pick up a plug in mozzie thing so I hopefully wont get savaged as much at this place and then head for some tea at one of the bars near the beach. Si just had a burger and I opted for the ribs cause they were really cheap i thought why not and they were delicious! When they brought the condements over I couldn't believe my eyes ... they actually have vinegar here! I nearly cried with tears of joy I haven't had any in months and chips just dont taste the same without it. Words honestly cannot describe how happy I was to see this bottle of vinegar and as soon as my food arrived the chips were drowned in them!

We headed back to the hotel and as we were walking towards the entrance the dogs we had met earlier just started barking and howling and running towards us ... Si was not happy! I quickly got in front of Si and distracted them (they were only being playful) while Si walked in front back to the room. We decided to go for a few drinks at the hotel bar and met the only 2 other people that were staying in the hotel a nice aussie couple. We got speaking to the 2 guys that run the place (Andy a guy from birmingham and Rob a guy from glasgow) they have only just moved here from Koh Phangan, they both seem very friendly and down to earth and are very eager to recommend places to see and what to do around samui and on phangan. After a few beers and a lot of chin wagging we decide to call it a night.

Back at the room we have a visit from a few little geckos in the bathroom, we have a pond outside and can hear loads of frogs ribbiting away but the funniest noise of all was a nearby Buffalo that was very loudly snoring away. We must both be used to all the sounds of wildlife though cause we had no problem getting to sleep.