Happy New Year! Well - where to start?!?! Last night was possibly one of the most surreal nights I have EVER had!! The day started off with a little shopping trip to Haad Rin - having missed the January sales I was desperate for some retail therapy! Cath and I hailed a passing tuk tuk and hung on for dear life as we rode the 20 minute Thunder Mountain ride to Haad Rin. It's one of the main towns on the island and absolutely packed with travellers (some of them rather scummy looking - might I add!). Anyway - armed with our shopping lists we hit the shops and got quite a few bargains too. Managed to get a (fake) Baby G watch for about 2 quid, a bag (a girl can never have enough bags, hey Mum?!?!) and all sorts of other little bits and bobs! We managed to find the beach too - and went for a well earned paddle - aaah it was bliss! We sat and had lunch by the sea and watched the world go by - just what I do best! All the little bars along the beach were putting out their fairy lights in readiness for the hoards which were to descend on them for the party later that evening. We decided that we were far too hot and sticky and that we really deserved a dip in the sea - so we hit the beach nearest to our bungalows. It's a really quiet beach - no sunloungers or noisy northern families here! The sea is so warm - if a little frothy round the edges. Have tried not to think about what the froth might be - but have kept my mouth well and truly shut (for once - I hear you cry!). After dinner we headed off to Liberty, on the next door beach and met up with a few of the other teachers, some of whom are all a bit weird if you ask me, but all very pleasant! About 10ish we braved Thunder Mountain again to Haad Rin and headed for the beach. I have NEVER seen so many people on one beach in all my life! It was great - all the bars were lit up, there were fire dancers and all manner of little stalls selling such delicacies as chickens feet (mmm - the Thai equivalent of a kebab methinks!). Anyway - we managed to resist the temptation of the chickens feet and headed off in search of some booze! BIG MISTAKE! Now I had heard about the "buckets" from those of you who have been travelling before - but I never realised that they would be so lethal! Perhaps I should explain....a "bucket" is literally what it sounds like - a plastic bucket with a handle, filled with a whole bottle of either vodka or Samsong whisky, coke and Red Bull. Then you get loads of straws and all share it! It's kind of like dancing round your handbag except it's a bucket instead! The good news is that when you meet new people on the beach they all offer you a sip from their bucket (don't think about the germs Mum please!) and it was by this means that I actually avoided buying a single drink all night! Ha ha! Of course I had lots of water too - didn't want to end up looking like a shrivelled old prune the following day! All the bars were playing different music - we chose a relatively cheesy place (there's a surprise!) and danced the night away to such classics as "Agadoo"! Oh deary me! Me, Cath and Anna (another of the teachers) agreed that we would meet every hour by the Christmas tree, just to touch base. There were so many people that we kept getting separated and to be honest it was quite fun to go off and talk to random people and then meet back up again and tell the others all about it. As the night went on it became apparent that many people had succumbed to one bucket too many, and you couldn't take 2 steps without treading on someone who had passed out! Luckily though we all remained relatively with it - and even made it back up Thunder Mountain (which, strangely enough, didn't seem so scary on the way back, hmmm...!) I think we got back to the bungalows about 7ish - but not to bed for me! Oh no - I was called upon to get ice for a sprained ankle, dress a really badly grazed knee and find someone a spare pair of pants, because they happened to have lost theirs during the course of the night! All fun and games! Needless to say New Years Day has been a bit of a write off. We've spent most of it on the beach with some Aussies who are staying at the same place. Tonight we are just going to chill out and watch some DVDs I think - we are all shattered and look horrific! Well I'd best be off now - need to go and stock up on water. Am having serious cheese cravings too - hmmm must see what I can do about that. Somehow I think my quest for Wensleydale with cranberries is going to prove fruitless. Hmm, ever hopeful though...!!! Love to all - keep up the good work with the messages! xxxx PS - Mum, what else can I get calcium from? Don't fancy the milk here, I haven't seen any yoghurt and as I said, the cheese is a non-starter - HELP! xx