Day 68 3rd Feb. Needed

We prearranged a taxi to take us back to Kuala Lumper international airport with a collection time of 9am, so after having breakfast and checking out it was nice to see the taxi waiting there......
We hadn't been forgotten !!!
We wedge our bags into the boot and front seat before climbing in the back and heading off to the airport.
The drivers English was really good and we have a chat most of the way there... We ask about all the Palm trees.... Which we learn are actually Palm oil trees..... They do not produce a coconut.... And now act as one of Malaysia's largest exports - Palm Oil.
The country is littered with them, but it only becomes noticeable that there farmed from the air when you see distinct pattern and planting lines..... From the ground it just looks like there's trees everywhere making the place very green and pleasant.
The Palm oil is extracted from a red conker sized nut that grows in large numbers around the same area of the tree that you'd expect to find a coconut.
We've come across plenty of Palm oil palm trees during our time in Asia without realising what they were......
We get dropped off at the airport, strap ourselves up with all our bags and head inside.... The airport departure area looks totally different from the arrivals area... The roof almost looks canvas with a lot of light coloured wood.... We wonder around but can't find our Air-Asia check in desk...... And after asking airport staff we learn that we are in the wrong place..... Initially we are told we are in the wrong airport, then once in a taxi we learn its the same airport, wrong terminal.... Few... My life has just been saved.... Shiree had asked numerous times about the airport, and i'd confidently told her I know where we were going, and not to worry.... The boarding card hadn't stated a terminal, and it wasn't mentioned anywhere that there was even more than one, so how your supposed to know ill never know.. Either way, we were at least in the correct airport.
We have to make a twenty minutes trip to get us to the correct one, which is fine, we'd allowed plenty of time.
We pass by the Malaysian Formula 1 circuit as we approach the correct terminal with a huge bill board advertising a forthcoming formula 1 race...
Back out of the second taxi and into the correct terminal and everything's looking familiar again and with ample time we pass through security and to our departure lounge.
We have to walk to the plane again, and after climbing the steps into the plane your glad to feel the air conditioning.... Combined with the air conditioning there is a type of smoke getting pumped out into the cabin area from the ventilation system... Its purpose is to rehydrate the air, but it looks more like dry ice. Once seated on the plane we are informed by a very English sounding captain that our flights departure is going to be delays because of an unscheduled need to change runways.... Once airborne it becomes a reasonably bumpy flight all the way, and on approach to Hai Yai airport having felt the plane slow it becomes noticeable that we are climbing again.... Then the Capetians voice appears again... Apparently are approach hight was to high so we go round for a second attempt... Once on the ground we jump in a taxi and head off to our hotel in Satun.... It's an hour and a half away, and gives us time to observe a Thailand again, whilst being cocconed inside a modern air conditioned car.....
It's interesting.... Thailand's not how we remember it.... It's largely very clean, and very green and nice smooth roads and pretty quiet.... We are not sure if its simply a reflection of having been in busier places recently, giving a false impression of how nice it is here or having not been to the south of Thailand, it is simply richer, and as a result more people have cars and are able to afford proper homes and take more pride.... Whichever it is, south Thailand has become a welcome sight for us...
We arrive at our hotel and it's very nice.... It's got a reception area followed by a narrow part for approximately 10 recently built detached bungalows with a pool at the far end if the path.... Everything's been done to a really good standard and we are very happy here...
We dump our bags in our bungalow and head back to reception to grab a map and find out feet.....
The receptionist is lovely, and refreshingly honest.... Once we have a map laid out on a spare table we ask what there is to do around here..... Her response.....Nothing.
Oh, we say.....
She says most people head for the islands, pointing to a group of small islands just off the coast, so we dig the phone out and start to plan... We've got two nights bikes where we are, and are now looking to make further reservations.....
After contacting many hotels on a selection of Islands we learn that the south is a much more popular area than the north of Thailand and finding available hotel space is proving tricky.... This "hotel planning" job is very time consuming and takes up a large chuck of the rest of the day, but we still have nothing booked by the time we leave the reception area and head back to our bungalow..... It's hit and my heads banging from reading 400 hotel reviews..... We lost an hour coming here from Malaysia and having spent hours studding maps and hotels it's now early evening.... Shiree jumps in the pool and it's not long before I follow.... The air temperature has dropped now, but the water is lovely and warm and illuminated by powerful underwater lights with make it look very blue... here we stay for quite a while whilst the sun set, before heading back to the restaurant for a Thai green curry...... It was a Thai green curry like to other.... It was like rocket fuel it was so hot, but we persevere and finish. With mouths on fire we head back to our room for the night... The bed is large and very comply....
Lovely....