After arriving at Koh Lanta we jumped into the back of a pickup truck, along with our luggage. It was raining again, Koh Phi Phi's rain omen coming to mind. Our driver cranked up the AC / DC and outran the rain and soon it was blue sky's up ahead. The place looked a lot more relaxed, a few bars and restaurants along the roads edge. No tell tale signs of any beach parties here a good night sleep would be had!

We quickly arrived within 10mins at the phrea ae (long beach) area and took a turn down a quiet road towards the ocean. We pulled up at a small seemingly deserted resort to be met by "A" a friendly chap that showed us to our lodgings.

Fridge, air-con, and a hot shower the 3 big selling points in any Thai resort. It was cosy, a big bedroom and separate bathroom and a porch complete with a hammock and set in a mini jungle, trees and plants and greenery all around (not bad!).

We then had to go see what long beach actually looked like and headed to the sea for a paddle, it lived up to it's name 4km of sandy white beach and a dark blue ocean. Pretty spectacular was our thoughts, this would definitely do for our last week in Thailand.

We settled in went no further than finding an ATM and a bite to eat at a street side cafe, and bought a few essentials to settle in for the night (oh and not forgetting a box of cornflakes & milk for breakfast).

The next day we went hunting for Muay Thai we'd read about a small gym offering lessons within the area on the Internet so we went to seek it out. We were 5 mins from the Lanta Gym and it had signs up front. Met by a big Swedish guy he directed us to another offshoot gym actually 2km down the road.

After walking for about 4km we stopped at a bar and asked in some confused manner how to get to the elusive gym and were told it was at least 2km more. Thinking this being the only measure of distance known to the locals we opted to flag a tuk-tuk and get him to take us.

Off we soared a scooter attached to a park bench with a wheel, feeling every bump in the road and a few miles later we turned up a rather off road looking road. Un-deterred our intrepid driver had me reposition slightly to add more weight to the front wheel to give us more traction and went full "bee in a biscuit tin" avoiding at least 25% of the pot holes, next challenge a ford like puddle. I kept expecting a chance to get the Crystal and bang on the door for Richard O'Brian to let me out. This was one weird long journey, after the puddle we held the Taxi (tuk-tuk) to ransom over a fare to return us back to base and got 5 mins to dash down a dirt track to where the gym was.

It didn't have the right feel, sure enough there was a Thai guy working out next to a boxing ring, but then we were met by Giant Haystacks lesser known twin sister. Ms Stacks tried to sell us a less than attractive package of being able to come for a week or longer period and offered us a full season price (each) for one trainer and the bonus of being able to also use the gym attached to the same building whenever we liked. Given the price (being more than a session in the UK) and no willingness to firm up any rough prices and crap location we dashed back to Indiana Tuk-Tuk and headed back to our hotel. Working on the distance, cost and taxi fares each day it would have been just not worth it.

Thinking I'd had a reprieve of any physical exercise than lifting a few glasses each night we had a chat with Mr A. He suggested he might know someone... within 5mins we were on the go again, this time in the back of a pickup driven by Mui a Muay Thai trainer and brother to someone who owned a stadium for Thai boxing.

This felt more like it Mui seemed keen to undercut the Swede's offering get some off season cash in hand and was available any time of day for sessions as long as we choose. Accommodating our every whim he even offered to collect and drop us off each day. We shook hands and the next day we'd start our training.

9:30am isn't that early unless your on holiday and know that Mui and his pickup truck are awaiting you. Nervous and not knowing what to expect we arrived and Mui was ready. Warm up, stretches, and gloves at the ready. We worked on foot work, the Muay Thai stance. Kicks, punches, knees, elbows, blocks and he was a stickler for technique.

We sweated and sweated, worked hard and felt completely knackered. Our next few days revolved around Muay Thai in the morning, some beach time and a meal at night and a few drinks (feeling they were well earned).

Day 5 came along and we'd decided we'd move on, looking for a hotel with a pool and a hotelier that didn't want to cut down trees and fill in ditches to make an extended car park at 6am on a Sunday. Our only complaint of the place just a day before we were moving on!

It was also a day of incident, we decided another day by the sea and it was particularly hot I couldn't resist the call of the ocean and rushed right in, swimming and bobbing up and down with the waves, coaxing Kelly by looking cooled off from the heat.
I fetched her in and we were having a great time, until Kel got a sudden pain down her leg and then across her other foot. Being concerned I scooped her up one leg dangling down and the other up in the air and got to shore, nothing was visible but it was clear she was in pain, we got to the room and suspected jellyfish and by this time minutes later white raised bumps had appeared all round one of her ankles and across her foot. Hot water rinsed her feet and then rubbed in antihistamine cream while seeking further advice & giving her an antihistamine pill to swallow. Mr A mentioned vinegar so to the shop I ran and came back and washed away the cream again hot water and added the vinegar.

Miraculously vinegar seems the miracle cure, her legs seemed to return to normal within a few minutes of applying the vinegar, and I had a sudden urge for salt & vinegar crisps, and a plate of chips. Crisis averted and while the pain was still there she seemed to relax and be able to withstand the aftermath.

It doubled up our resolve to get a hotel with pool, and I was in need of a sugary drink to calm my nerves and bring me back down. Running to the shops in 30 degree heat never good!

We managed to at least have a good night later and had a super Sunday roast with all the trimmings that made the world seem a better place and Kel was deserving it for being brave.

The new hotel had a pool, no danger of Jellyfish and it was a pool to ourselves.
This hotel would be our second to the last and we wanted some peace and quiet and relaxing. We had a few last sessions with Mui and then it was nothing more strenuous than a book by the pool. We had a lovely few days having a splash and putting our feet up.

We decided no more horrible journeys especially with the upcoming 14+ hours in a plane to the UK. So we booked a flight from Krabi to Bangkok and had a small quiet hotel with a pool close to the airport for our final few nights.

We relaxed and did nothing, the area nearby had little to nothing going on. We even struggled finding anywhere to go to for food. So we stuck to simple things from the nearby 7-11 and had a few meals from a small hotel restaurant.

The 2 days flew by and we just relaxed again by the pool. It was a nice finish to a long trip doing little and just having our feet up.

Our next stop would be the airport for our long trip home (via Bahrain of course) a trip across London against the clock and a Megabus to Sheffield and a taxi home. After all the travelling done it was the final hurdle and something both of us would be dreading. Not the journey itself, just the return back to life in the UK and the reality of re-joining the real world (jobs and all).