Following the genius idea to stay awake all night for our flight to Surat Thani... A killer journey was what lay ahead of us! Jonny and I wait dreary eyes in the airport, aimlessly wandering from check in to immigration to the gate where we collapse in a pile of tiredness and an ever present taste of Thai whiskey. The flight for me was simple, I fell asleep. But Jonny tells me it was a long drawn out journey with his inability to sleep on planes. Finally arriving at Surat Thani we wait for our connection to koh phangan. And we wait. From what I deciphered from the staff, we were to wait for another flight before the bus will take us to the pier, but this flight was delayed. So 6 hours crawl by as Jonny and I attempt to sleep on the floor of the airport arrivals. even with my amazing ability to sleep anywhere i found it difficult lying on the filthy floor of the airport with the intermittent draft of sewage smelling air. Eventually the flight we have been waiting for arrives and we queue to get our connecting bus. But our names are not on the list. Very annoyed. I explain, plead, point, gesture and eventually persuade them that we in fact do have the connection. Bus & sleep. Pier. Check in at the pier and board the very grand looking catamaran. Maybe some luxury for our relaxing boat trip to the island. No chance. We are told to leave our big bags in a pile at the front of the boat (open to the elements). I uncomfortably agree and leave my bag on deck and Jonny and I find a couple of seats on the boat. It is difficult to describe the journey and to emphasise how truly horrific it was- an only slight exaggeration but picture the film 'a perfect storm' to set you with the appropriate imagery. The boat crashing through the waves at ridiculously high speeds, waves smashing into the already shaking windows of the cabin, the constant rocking forwards and backwards at such force that everytime we rocked I imagined us plunging nose first straight into the sea, people shaking and vomiting all around us, get the idea? me and Jonny sit there trying our hardest not to be sick, still feeling exhausted and slightly queasy from our all nighter with the additional fear that our bags at the front would be soaked or missing! 2 and half hours of this and we finally reach the island. Legs shaking and green faces we leave the boat and to our absolute astonishment not a drop of water on the bags. Taxi pick up to the hotel and we arrive at the beautiful tharathip resort. Greeted by lovely little bungalow type rooms overlooking the sea and surrounded by gardens. Sleep & recover.

Next day we have a slow start and decide to head to the famous beach area of haad rin for a pre-full moon party. The beach is lined with stalls selling neon clothes and paints and buckets stocked with an array of alcohols, soft drink and energy drink. Bucket in hand Jonny and I walk along the beach and are caught up in the excitement and buzz of the party. Lots of music, dancing, fire dancers and fire tricks. We meet a group of auz boys and dance the night away arriving back at our hotel at around 5 or 6am!

The next day was a slow start again and Jonny with one of his infamous hangovers was crippled to staying in the hotel room. A small amount of sunshine and I sunbathed for a while before getting some food and i meet a couple of Glaswegians who tell me about the half moon party in the jungle that night. Jonny has no interest so I set off jungle bound with the Glaswegians. We were greeted in the jungle by neon paints, deafening techno bass and some hard core ravers- its not what I had expected and am not as excited as the previous night. I decide to leave and bump into my auz boys from Laos and instantly have a great time as we swap stories on what everyone has been up to. Back to the hotel around 3am- an early night to prepare for the next night, new years eve!

New years eve full moon party starts very early as Jonny and I arrange to meet the other auz boys from Cambodia and Bangkok. We meet at 5 in the afternoon and load up on buckets, neon paints and neon clothes. A great night lay ahead; fire jump rope, building sand castles, dancing in the sea, fireworks, more dancing, fire limbo and midnight!! A great start to 2012! After a great night Jonny and I head back to the hotel bare foot (a certain JMc got bored of carrying the flip flops) and I somehow manage to cut the underside of my foot and heavily bruise my second toe. So we hobble back to the hotel to recover.

Next day my foot is very swollen and cut and I am almost bed ridden from my inability to put pressure on my foot. I feel very sorry for myself. A couple of days relaxing and recuperation and we book a boat to koh Tao. Unfortunately the boats are full for a few days so we are stuck in koh phangan when the rains come. Jonny and I spend a rather miserable 2 days stuck in our hotel room as i cant walk and is pouring with rain and watch the same films over and over again. Tron, Tron legacy and avatar.
Next stop koh Tao!