Here we are in Mumbai India. Been here since yesteday. But first a bit of an update on what we have been up to before arriving here.

We spent a a few weeks in the southern part of Thailand. Took a night train from Bangkok to Surat Thani and then the bus to Krabi town and a truck taxi in to Ao Nang Beach. Stayed at J Mansion which is only a short walk down the street to the beach. Lots and lots of stalls lining the side walk and small shops. Tourist beach town so you know that there are lots of stuff to be buy. We did most of our shopping while in Chiang Mai so it was easy for us to walk down the street and not get the shopping bug.

After Ao Nang we headed by ferry to Ko Lanta where we stayed at the Emerald. It has a number of side by side bungalows that we quite comfortable. We tried staying in the fan only room the first night and then moved to a/c room for the rest of our stay. Fan was ok but a/c is better. We met lots of travellers there and Thai people that worked at the resort. Ended up staying there for 8 nights before heading off.

While on Ko Lanta we rented a scooter to travel around and see the island. Not a huge island but it is big enough. Tried going to the bottom or southern tip of the island but our bike could not make it up the small dirt hill after we had stopped at the bottom. Just not enough power. We got part way up the hill before the bike gave out and we started to roll back wards. Rene found the breaks and turned the handle so we did not go to far before we took a wee tumble on to the dirt road. Just a few scrapes to us, a bit black bruse on my butt and a some scrapes on the bike. ( which we were lucky and did not have to pay for ).

The next day we drove around the island again and ended up at the old Lanta Town. Small but still had it own beauty. We ate at a restaurant that went out and over the sea. Food was great there too. And after that we continued south on the other side of the island then the first day. Rene thought that the bike felt funny and when we check we saw that our back tire was flat so we had to find a place to fix it. We had a couple of Thai people help us out and one girl drove me on the back of her bike while Rene followed to the bike fixer. It was just a small shop/more of the back of the house that leaded out to the road, where the fellow took off the tire & told Rene that he needed a new tire tube. So that was 200 baht he paid for that. It got fixed and off we went.

There is quite a large town (compaired to the old lanta town) at then north end of the island where the ferry lets you off. We did a bit of walking around there one afternoon. Rene bought my a pair of what we call my hippy pants, pull ons that have different colors and sand script written on them. A part of my birthday gifts.

We hung out at the Ting Tong Bar at the Emerald. Rene was there every night partying with the guys. Found out that Tuffy, one of the Thai guys we hung out with owns the bar and that his bother in law works at the bar. Most of the guys spoke some english but not always enough to have a deep conversation. Every night around 9:30 or so there would be a fire show put on by the guys in the bar. Jack Sparrow (yes, we know that it can't be his real name), Mat, Jumbo & a few others would entertain us nightly. Something that I will miss. There was a house band and a female singer that woud perform after the house band for a bit.

I missed 2 nights at the Ting Tong Bar because I had caught a sinus cold. Boy did my teeth and cheeks hurt. We went to the Pharmacy and the lady there helped me out. I don't know fore sure if it was the sinus tablets she gave me or the cold fx that helped but I was only sick for 2 days.

The only thing about staying at the Emerald was that the Ting Tong Bar played music in to the wee hours of the morning and if you were staying in a room near the bar like we were, you could hear the music until everyone went home. Although it did not bother me much it might someone else.

Then off to Ko Jum we headed. Took a early morning ferry heading to Krabi to get there. The long Tail Boats had to meet the ferry to bring guests back to the shore. We stayed at the Andaman Beach Resort. Very nice place. But only had a few people staying at it. Still a bit early in the year for Ko Jum. The resort had recently been equiped with electricity. Some of the resorts on the island still run a generator at night.

This small Island still has dirt roads. Infact the only main road that goes from the bottom to the top of the Island is a dirt road. Rene was very careful when we rented the scooter not to wipe out. The Ko Jum Village was paved and so was the Pu Village but the 3rd village on the island was just getting paved. And this was done by hand and square peices of cement with rebar through it. I am sure if will take them few weeks to get it all completed.

We do have some pictures on the computer of the island. The homes are not like ours at all. The people here seem to be happy and are friendly which goes to show that you don't need all the gadgets that we have to be happy. I must say though that they do all(or most of them)seem to have a tv. Must past the time on those monsoon nights.

Anyways, it is a beautiful island to visit and if you want remote this is the island for you. It is like a paradise. If you want a lot of action I would think twice before heading to Ko Jum.

After about 4 nights in Ko Jum we heading back to Ao Nang beach and to J Mansion. Got the last room and we were lucky since there was 2 other guys looking for a room there too.
Rene was smart in booting it up to the guest house and being the first one there.

It was nice being back there. Walked around, went to the beach, ate, went to a market that was up the street on the Friday night, had a couple of take away cocktails from the lady that made them on the main street, had a massage and then off we were to Bangkok.

We caught the No 53 bus to khoa San Road. We found out that this bus took you from the train station to Khoa San when we stopped for the day heading from Chiang Mai to Bangkok and Bangkok to Surat Thani. Headed to a road just up from Khoa San and stayed at Rambuttri Village Inn. From there we wandered around the area. First night we did just the normal Khoa San Road stuff but the 2nd and last actual night that we were there we walked one block down from Khoa San to one of the main roads and found that there was a celebration for the king going on. It had been happening in the evenings ever since Sat the 5th of Dec. I believe the king turned 82 this year. It was amazing to see, all the people walking around and the entertainment that was going on. The streets where lite up wih white xmas lights and at the end of the night there was wondeful firework show. Thai people really know how to put on a party. Would be nice if Vancouver could learn from Thailand how to put on a parade and fireworks.

Took the mini bus to the airport to get the flight to India which is where we are now.