HELLO!

A lot has happened since Koh Tao! A major event was our travel to khao sok, a national park. We thought we were being clever and saving money by taking an overnight boat and then a bus there. It turned out to be a boat of hell of two small decks which you couldn't stand up in decked out with straw mattresses. It would have been ok except that even though we came early, everyone else with 'better' tickets got on first and we were let on last when it was obviously too full. As people were being selfish and not budging up we were all crammed in so we made a break for the kitchen end for the boat and made a group nest by the rice cooker. By that time we had set of so any sea sickness of claustrophbia had to be ignored. Anyway we managed to have some sleep lying on the wooden deck on our sleeping bags, although i got a bit wet from the open window and sea coming in. We also felt bad because even though they had squished us all on we ended up in the thai boatmens sleeping area, so they didn't have much room to squish among us with the various cooking equipment. Anyway after a solid 10 hours on the rocking 'slave' boat listening to Harry Potter on my ipod and keeping the water off with my sleeping inner we arrived in Surat Thani ready to get a bus. The bus was fine and i slept on it too!

Khao sok we found out later is the wettest national park in thailand but everyone was so nice where we stayed and the room cost us each less than 2 pounds! We did an amazing elephant trek to a waterfall when arrived. One of us got to sit on the elephants neck as well as one in the chair. basically riding an elephant bare back. We also did a canoe tour and saw some beautiful scenery and snakes and frogs and lot sof lizards. jade and i also saw monkeys!! On our last afternoon we did tubing, where you go down a river on a rubber ring. They also do this in laos but with a lot of alcohol and zip lines. Ours was more sedate but jade did get wedged us a bush on the way and it started raining very hard half way through. It was so much fun though.

However the rain didn't stop for the next day, but we spent the evening with the thai people and a large group of people who had come to get away from the rain.

The next day we decided to get the bus to phuket for some more beach time. however the weather was not great, nor was phuket, especially just coming from the jungle! however jade did a bungy jump, we had some painful massages and people watched all the old men and young thai girls. We were very pleased to get out to Chang Mai where we arrived yesterday. Today we did a cooking course which was brilliant and i got a recipe book so i can wow you all when i'm home. Tomorrow we are playing with tigers and on monday we are doing an overnight trek!! Yes. All of us are. all wearing matching primark trainers. last night we went to a brilliant night bazaar and were shown lots of fake bags in secret back rooms!

miss you all and start stocking up in the food for when we are back! xxxxxxx elspethxxxxx