Sticking to the mainland, next stop was a couple of hours North to Khao Lak. The resort was famous as the gateway to the idyllic Similian Islands with their world class diving. It was also totally destroyed by the Tsunami.

Our driver, selected by tour procurement manager Annelise purely on his keen pricing, was waiting for us at 1030 prompt. We soon left Ao Nang behind and drove through the Phang-Nga province with continuous dramatic towering limestone cliffs with stalactites dripping off them.

With 426,000 KM on the clock, his car was a testament to Toyota engineering, and it certainly shifted with the near constant pressure applied by his right foot. We began to appreciate his interpretation of the Thai highway code:

Slow down to 40kmh in built up area = maintain speed at 70kmh

Double lines in centre of road on a bend = overtake at will

Chevrons signs indicating sharp bend = maintain speed and send a text to friend

This was one of the rare journeys where A-lo as a passenger didn't fall asleep. We ascended a pass through dense jungle and saw a few elephants on the road.

Driving through Khao Lak, there was little evidence of the Tsunami, however a small navy ship lying on its side about half a kilometer inland was an insight into the devastation that must have been wreaked here.

Arrived at the Khao Lak Orchid at 1230, paid the man and checked in. The Orchid was a smart 4* resort - not our normal choice of accommodation, but was extremely well kitted out, great pools and right on a deserted beach and hardly any guests, all at the price of 2 YHA beds back home. What a winner! Quickly hit the pool and checked out the catering. The seafood fried rice was judged by A-lo to be the best so far in Thailand. Over lunch we got talking to three likely lads from Bristol who told us all trips to the Similian Islands had stopped due to early onset of rainy season and associated rough seas. Oh well: another 3 days of vegging out ahead…..

By 3pm the hotel was as busy as The Shining (complete with 2 kids playing by themselves) so we decided to head into "town" to check out the action. The hotel shuttle (not complimentary) dropped us off. Annelise had pulled a muscle in her shoulder during her sleep and needed a massage. We selected a suitable looking establishment from the many and explained that she needed a shoulder and back massage to sort out the problem. I was talked into an oil massage and got told my chest was like a monkey…..Unfortunately Annelise got assigned the apprentice who made things worse and A-lo later used a selection of words which probably didn't translate well into Thai to express her sentiments on this. I daren't say to her how much I had enjoyed mine…

We rented a scooter to get around. After I'd had a few seconds practice along the pavement, Annelise jumped on and off we putted. After several km up and down the strip checking out potential dinner venues and other massage parlors we stopped at a small beauty salon where the lady seemed to understand that A-lo had a knot in her shoulder. I was dispatched to get some practice on the bike and returned 25 minutes later to find the nice lady doing little short of a headstand on A-lo's back. It seemed to be doing the trick despite the groans and aaggghhs coming from the patient. The lady clearly loved her work and grinned continuously.

On the way out Annelise told me to put the water bottles by my feet as the local did on their scooters. Within 3 seconds they were on the floor….The 50ccs roared into life and off we sped towards down the pitch black road to the hotel.

Quick change and out for dinner. Nice green curry second seafood fried rice of the day for Annelise, all washed down with a couple of Singhas. Popped into an internet café on the way back. The manager was a bit tipsy, spoke good English and let us off some of the bill in return for a heated debate about whether Alan Shearer, with no management experience, could keep Newcastle up. I contributed with some expert punditry of course…..