Andrea: Waking up on the train was great! We had the lush country whizzing past our windows, a good night's sleep behind us and a bed full of bugs. Yes, a bed full of bugs! To provide just a little inkling of how bizarre this was I shall try to explain the situation through the art of rhyme: "The Asian train passed green plains and rained insects down on my terrain." (Did that help at all?) Vern was originally jealous of my window-side bottom bunk as he had the t...

Vern: We had intended to do some more island hopping off of Thailand's east coast but with heavy rains and 3m high waves battering that part of the country, we decided to change course. Confucius says, "Man who goes through airport gate sideways is going to Bangkok" and so were we. A ferry took us to Krabi, where we boarded a bus headed north. Our tickets were traded in for coloured stickers to be worn on our chests indicating our intended destination - an elegan...

Vern: A ferry whisked us out to Ko Phi Phi, a paradise island which is roughly hourglass shaped with twin bays (fine sand, turquoise sea) on either side. The 2004 tsunami hit the island hard when an immense wave washed across the slither of land between the beaches, taking thousands of casualties. Rebuilding and readying the island for the return of tourism was quick and haphazard, too quick for proper infrastructure actually, and unfortunately there were some sh...

Vern: If the best things in life are free, then night swimming off the dark end of West Railay beach is the best of those best things. Or at least in the Top 3. But I get ahead of myself. A 5am start, a border crossing and eight hours in a cramped but modern minibus got us to pretty but busy Ao Nang beach in Krabi on Thailand's west coast. Tuk-tuks ferry sunburnt tourists to and from the edge of the yellow sand, where lady boys offer massages and other services. ...

Andrea: "Why won't you let me make money to earn a LIVING?!?" is what the cab driver screamed at me after ignoring his many "Taxi" and "Yes?" cries. "Yes? Yes?" he kept saying. "Um, I didn't say anything to you," I replied. His plea to help him earn a LIVING was actually answered by an animated Spanish guy from our bus who explained to him that "Europe is in a recession right now and we can't afford to take a taxi." The cabbies stared at each other as we sta...