After eventually departing Ko Samui we were hoping for a drier spell of weather for the New Year. We set sail for Ko Phangan at 10.30am on the 29th in anticipation of the New Years Eve full moon party. On arrival in Haad Rin we were greeted with the usual and expected tourist chaos that has come accustom to many of Thailand's islands. We wandered down the streets plagued with westerner's mopeds and sales men, until we arrived at the sunrise resort, smack bang on the beach were the party would be. The first night in Phangan was going to be a quiet one until we bumped in to the Aussie lads we had met on the crossing to Samui. After a couple of beers there is only one outcome and the night became slightly longer. As the days past we attempted to bask in the sun but the weather was no kinder and we were left with overcast and rain filled skies. The best we felt that Ko Phangan offered was the noodle stools, at 50 baht per dish value for money and taste was a clear winner from many of the noodles we have tried and of course being a tight ass for one quid per meal I would even let Rachel move up from tap water to sprite!

As New Years Eve arrived so did the wettest of the weather, a monsoon would probably be doing a mossy but it was close. The rain fell for no less than 7 hours but peoples spirits keep high. After a day of watching family guy and eating noodles we sat down for our immensely over priced gala dinner and dinned with Hollywood's finest in performing arts and gourmet style food, well that what we would like to try and remember it as. After the food there was only two things left to do, drink and party hard. The lads from England met us and we soon got the beeves flowing. Once the paint was applied and the buckets smashed New Year was brought in by the most insane beach party I have ever witnessed, with over 40,000 people going crazy with hand held fireworks, lights and whistles. The music banged through the entire night and so did most. The antics that occurred will be one for the Steven and Rachel memory box although I'm sure after a quiet few in the local the stories may come out.

New Year's Day was very much the aftermath of a storm bodies were scattered all over haad rin beach until the wee hours of the afternoon. We however did manage to power through with a chicken snitzal and a banana shake. After strolling down the beach at around 2pm we could not believe the carnage that surrounded us. The amount of bottles, cans, buckets and flip flops that covered the beach was unreal amid this the sea was still feeling the pain from yesterdays battering and was rolling straight in too much of the debris. A little further along we spotted the Aussie lads still drinking, and heading to mushy mountain. For the police ears among us magic mushrooms are perfectly legal here and are served with strawberries and other fruit, bended with Thailand's finest tap water ice and served with a garnish of brown sugar. Although we decided against it we spent the time laughing at the lads as the deciphered what a plane was doing in the sky.

On leaving Ko Phangan our journey in Thailand was also over. A month well spent in a country packed full of culture, delicious food and crazed tuk tuk drivers Thailand has been everything we asked for and more. The colorful markets and cheap prices are a must for anyone wanting a bargain. My highlight and Rachel's too was defiantly Chiang Mai, the cooking course and the trek was brilliant but the experience with the tigers will live long in the memory bank.