Well after a jam packed few days of elephant trekking, waterfalls etc we figured we needed a couple of days to recouperate!! We headed off for Phuket which was a bus and boat journey away from Koh Samui. So after being bundled onto a bus with far too many people on (we had to stand for a short part of the journey, I'm sure they always over book things here) we were ushered onto a ferry that took us across to Phuket. We then spent about five hours on a bus until we reached Phuket town. Origionaly we were going to stay here but decided agianst it when we arrived,(not the nicest of places!) and moved onto Patong. Our friendly tuk tuk driver took us to a cheap hostel where we unpacked before going to have a look around. It was quite like Samui but probably more of a holiday resort. Both busier and louder. On our second day there we spent the day on the beach. Chris and James hired a jet ski out and went and rode the waves! The sea there was much rougher than Samui. It is on the west side and at this time of year there is a strong rip current which I found it hard to stand up in, and the waves come pretty high over your head, I was quite happy lying on the beach though! In the evening we got a tuk tuk to another part of the island to check out accomodation. This was a much quieter resort. We found a really nice guesthouse with an Austrailan guy running it. After booking a nights accomodation there for the next night we headed back to Patong. The following day (can't remember which day it was now!) we left the place in Patong and checked into Karong Sunshine Guesthouse. On this each we couldn't swim in the sea at all because it was so strong and Greg told us that two tourists had died a few weeks ago, so we had a game of volley ball on the beach instead. in the evening we hired some mopeds out (getting pretty good on Thailands raods) and went to explore further along the island. We found a mini golf course where I thrashed all of them (just kidding never played golf in my life but i did only come 5 points behind James!!). The next day we still had the mopeds so did a tour of the south of the island. We went to some amazng view points and stopped off at a couple more beaches. On the way back we stopped at a reggae bar in the mountains where we sat and ate pancakes with a view over the bay which was beautiful. After staying our second night there we decided to go across to Phi Phi which is an island south east of Phuket. Loads of people had recommended it and they weren't wrong. It is a small island that was badly hit by the sunami but it is amazing how much they have built back up already and are continuing to do so. All the Thai people are so friendly, although they can get a bit annoying at times all they really want to do is help you. Their moral is still so high after having experienced such devestaition. As soon as we got off the boat we had people comming up to us to take us to hostels. One man found us a really cheap one where he took us on his moped with side carriage (they have no cars there wjich makes a pleasant change!). We have stayed in nicer places but it was only a bed for a night. The beach there was amazing and the scenery was beautiful. We went out that night to find some local bars of which there aren't loads but there were some really cool ones. The apache bar was playing the best music we have heard yet in Thailand so we ducked in there for a few. The next day we checked into another guest house which was still as cheap as chips but much nicer than the previous one! We met a really nice couple who had been travelling around Thailand, it was nice for me to have another girl to talk to! On our third day there we did a sunset trip out to some other islands. We went snorkeling which was amazing. There were so many tropical fish but you had to play dodge the jelly fish!! We also visited the island where The Beach was filmed and chris went to the same loos as Leonardo Di Caprio!! To get there we had to swim from the boat and walk through a cave to the other side, quite scary!! We watched the sunset here which was beautiful, the beach was amazing. It is set in a small bay and it is so peaceful. After this (and swimming back to the boat!) we started off back to Phi Phi where they fed us and showed us a video that they had been making that day. Guess who was on it,yep James! That night we went out and met up with Amy and Carl (the couple we met) in the Apche bar where after taking the piss out of the lads dancing had a few buckets (don't ask!) and headed off to the hippies bar for their beach party! Managed to leave there at about half six in the morning and, after having swam in the sea fully clothed and having no sleep whatsoever we got the 9 o clock ferry back to Phuket. (always fun travelling with no sleep!!, it's all part of travelling!!). So now we have succesfully crossed the Thai border and are in Malaysia, which at the moment is looking pretty similar, but we have only been here for 24 hours so I will give it a chance!! Missing you all loads, lots of love, Flora, Chris xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx