With our batteries well and truly recharged we took the ferry over to Koh Phi Phi islands. James and I visited here 4 years ago, one year after the tsunami, to do our PADI diving course. We had a fair idea of what it would be like when we got there, so were excited about getting some more R and R. As the ferry engine lulled into a dull hum and we manoeuvred into the bay, we immediately noticed the pier side of the island looked very different. Instead of a littl...

Our first venture, after Bangkok, was to show Vic and Dave what Thailand is really famous for; its beautiful beaches. We took an overnight train to Surat Thani, arriving at 4am and then took a short bus ride to Krabi where we arrived by early morning to make sure we would get the optimum time on the beaches! We decided to stay just outside Krabi Town, in a beach area called Ao Nang. The long beach is lined by lapping blue waves and out in the bay are plenty of sm...

After four years of wanting to do it, we finally got ourselves to the floating market outside of Bangkok. We had pictures in our heads of people selling food from their little boats on the canal, but unfortunately this has changed somewhat since the invasion of tourists! The traditional vendors selling fruit, veg and spices vanish by about 7am to make room for the souvenir guys! The boats are now full of tourists loaded with cameras and sun parasols (of course, w...

Ko Samet is a small island four hours from Bangkok, two and a half hours by bus, one hour sat on the ferry in port, while they loaded everything (including the kitchen sink) on the roof, and then thirty minutes once it gets going. We arrived into the small, but busy port. We first attempted to walk across the island, but gave this up as a bad job when Becky’s flip flops repeatedly got stuck in the mud pit that doubled as a road. So, we hopped in the back of one...

Our first port of call in Thailand was Chiang Mai, in the north. Surrounded by jungle and mountains, this is the place to come to go trekking into the wilderness and to visit tribal villages. On our first night we had a quick look around the city, before heading off on our 2 day hike. We had opted for the road less travelled, but hadn't realised it was going to be so hard core!! On the morning of the trek, we first visited an elephant camp where we saw some more...