Hello from Koh Samui! (27/10-8/11)

It took us around 10hrs from leaving Phi Phi to reaching Samui (boat,bus,boat,minibus)

We reached Samui pier at around 6pm and bartered with a taxi man to take us to Charlies Huts which had been recommended to us by Kirsts' friend Phil and of cource the bible that is the Lonely Planet (knowledge is power after all!) We piled into the minibus with a group of young I-ties and we were on our way!

First stop was a strip of beach called Chaweng beach. We stopped by a pizza hut first cos of course the I-ties wanted food-no thought for their fellow passengers who didn't even have a roof over their heads lined up (yeah that would be us!) Kirst couldn't help snapping for them not to be so bloody selfish..stop the singing and make your feet bigger you little hobbit man (sorry P.J)( P.J=private joke for the oldies out there). So they got off and the taxi guy looked at us as if to say get out of my cab and we then started saying "no no charlies huts, we want charlies huts". When he just kept looking at us we then said " noooo c.h.a.r.l.i.e.s. h.u.t.s we want chaaaarlies huuuts pleeeeease!!!!!!" to which he replied "Charlies huts no more" Woul dhave been nice if he had mentioned that when we got on the bus. So once again we found ourselves tired, lonely, terrified (ok well maybe not that) but definately a bit perturbed. Thats when we decided to go have a drink. Lugging our packs onto our backs we headed almost on our hands and knees to the nearest watering hole. Out came the bible and Kirst started having a quick look through whilst Julie went on the hunt for a cheap bed. After about a hour and a half and 5 cokes later Jules returned unsuccessful in her mission. The cheapest she could find was 4oo baht.

After looking through the bible again Kirst spotted a place called New Huts that was only 150 baht so we thought we might as well check it out. We grabbed a cab all the time wondering where the hell would we end up and, please God let this place still be there (our lonely planets a few years old). About 20mins later the cab stopped and there was New huts, just please let there be a room available! We could see the huts over a kind of lake of putrid water, triangular shaped huts on stilts with bamboo thatching. So packs on we tottered over the narrow bridge, railings only up to our ankles in the pitch black laughing hysterically hoping not to fall to our deaths! We reached the resturant/reception area and were greeted by the owner. They told us they had a bungalow for 350 baht with its own bathroom but we said we wanted their cheapest option and pointed to the bamboo huts. We were over the moon when they told us yes they did have a hut for 150 baht-deal done! We definatly reckon we landed on our feet this time!

We went to the hut which is about 8 by 10 feet- big enough for a double mattress on the floor with a bit of space around it. Above it was a tied up mosquitto net and a dusty old fan. Ahh this felt like home! We were shown the shared loo and shower (ice cold water of course) and on the way back we noticed that we could see the sea-about 50 feet from our hut-now this is what it was meant to be like!

After making ourselves at home we had dinner and got out our bikinis. We'd be needing them tomorrow!

Our time at the New huts consisted of getting up, sunbathing, having lunch, bit more sunbathing and maybe a swim if we got really hot which was most of the time (this is where we discovered the art of seabed lying!) then having a ice cold shower (some very strange noises came from the shower for the first couple of minutes until we got used to the temperature) then dinner and finally reading in bed. We know how to party!

We did meet a lovely couple from Cornwall who invited us out for a couple of drinks hense the pool pictures but other than that it was pretty sedate for the most part.

However we decided to stay a couple more nights as the full moon party was happening and we were told this is THE party to go to. So on went the gladrags and makeup (what a treat!) and we were off.

On the boat ride to Koh Pangnang we met a couple of girls from St Neots (who'd have thought it Mummy and Daddy Hart..even the webbed feet people get around!) who turned out to be lovely so we all decided we'd do the full moon together. Got off the boat and arrived on party island. Everywhere people were selling sandcastle buckets full of vodka and coke with a lethal redbull or JD and coke with the same redbull (10x stronger than the one we get back home..ideal for partying all night long!).

We wondered onto the beach and there were just thousands of people getting steadily drunk. Two buckets later Kirsty was well and truely with them. We had made the pact that if we ever lost each other we would meet at the 7 eleven which was on the beach. Kirsty went to the loo and came back..no Jules. Looked around and saw Jules sat in a group of scottish blokes who had a huge garden waste bucket of god knows what. Tasted good tho! To cut a long story short ( actually can't remember most of the night!) Jules went for a swim and ended up shredding her legs and Kirsty passed out infront of 7 eleven with her face in the sand and ended up vomitting on her trousers! Classy or what! We finally found each other and made the forgettable walk to the boat. God knows how we managed to board but we did and Kirsty, with her head on the table, had a cheeky little nap while Jules rested her head on some random Irish guys lap..much to the annoyance of his girlfriend. Lots of fun had by all. The photos for after the party were on the beach at new huts at about 8am and yes, we were still feeling the effects of the alcohol.

That day and the next we were recovering ( we're not as young as we used to be) and then it was time to pack and head off to Bangkok.