OK so bus dropped me off near airport in Bangkok so from here I took a metered taxi back to Khoa San road where I planned to stay in same accomodation myself and Steve stayed last time here. Went out that evening and met a couple Swedish guys at a bar who I had a few drinks with before calling it a night and heading back to room. Next day I booked my bus and boat ticket to Ko Phangan for the following day, posted a few bits and pieces home which I no longer required or had acquired along the way to ease the weight of my bag, trust me it has gained a fair bit of weight since my departure from UK!!! That evening I met a Kiwi guy in a bar/cafe and got chatting to him. He was meeting some english teachers that evening who lived in Bangkok so I tagged along with them. Ended up spending my final night in Bangkok in same style I had spent most nights here, in a drunken haze!!! Went to a couple bars then a club and basically got plastered. On way home that evening as I walked past a 7eleven I was savagally attacked by a stray dog in the doorway (I say savage attack thats just to build the story up a bit, it just jumped out the doorway and leapt at my hand and bit it!!!), still not good mind you being a stray. Too drunk to deal with at the time so slept when got in and decided to consider options in morning........

Following morning I got up and checked out and felt a little ropey. Ended up sitting around various places for 8 hours waiting for the bus pick up, no fun in my state let me tell thee!!! Anyway got taken to bus pick up at 7.30pm by Gift (the girl I had booked my ticket with). Once here I sat waiting and heard someone calling my name, looked up to find Yumi, the Japanese girl who I had travelled a bit of Laos with stood there. She too was getting the bus then boat to neighbouring island of Koh Tao so I had some company for the journey which was good stuff. Bus journey took 8 hours to Chumpon so spent time catching up with Yumi and sleeping. Once arrived at Chumpon we had to wait about an hour for Catamaran before being loaded onto this. Cat stopped off at Koh Tao first so said farewell to Yumi and then was another hour or so to Ko Phangan (my destination).

I arrived at island at 10.30am and as departed boat I spoke to a local at pier who told me Haad Rin beach apartments were full due to Full Moon Party but that there was room on west coast of island and his family owned one of the bungalows there which I could stay at if so wished. Didn't want to stay at Haad Rin anyway so jumped on motorbike taxi and headed 10 mins up road from pier to check out bungalows. Really nice place called 'Sea Sunset Resort' which was situated right on the beach and had fantastic views over the ocean. Only 250 baht a night as well so more then happy with staying here. In resort restaurant I met a guy called Steve from Swindon and we walked along the beach into town. I had spoken to owner of resort about my dog bite and she was seriously concerned and said I must go to medical centre immediatley. When a local seems that concern it prob is a good idea to go and get checked out!!! Med Centre was shut at time so resorted insted to going to a huge English Pub we found on way back to resort called 'The Masons' for a couple of beers. Place looked like a country pub from back home and was far the biggest drinking establishment on island and more importantly totally air conditioned....... Once back at resort myself and Steve hired a motorbike each and headed back to med centre. Staff here cleaned up cut and gave me my Rabies booster. I did not appear to be foaming at the mouth at this stage so I reckon I had avoided that disease for the time being!!!!!

The next day we took the bikes to Haad Rin beach and chilled out here for the day. This is where the infamous 'Full Moon Party' was going to take place in couple days time and this was our reccy mission for that party. In evening went back to Masons and had few beers and dinner (proper english grub served up here, it was bliss!). Met couple Aussie guys and had a game of darts, which we beat the enemy at.............. Had a footy tournament next day which young guys at resort organise all time and myself and Ronnie (scotsman also met at resort) were in a team with another guy called Joel. We ended up coming second to 'Team Thai' and I reckon given the temps we may have given them a closer run for their money in cooler climate!! Oh well all good fun.

Next day headed back to Haad Rin beach on Steves motorbike and again lazed around here for day. As evening drew in we saw more and more stalls being set up ready for the evenings frivolous behaviour. Everywhere as we were leaving had buckets for sale and I mean everywhere, restaurants to laundry places had buckets for sale outside them. For those who dont know a bucket consists of a bucket (like those for sandcastles) a bottle of your prefered poison (eg whisky, vodka etc) and a couple cans of coke!!! all in all = BIG MESS. We grabbed a few bottles of beer each from Tesco Lotus (yes they even have a Tesco out on small Islands of Thailand!!), and headed back to resort. Storm had come in so we sat aound resort drinking with Ronnie and his other half Michelle and Matt (another english guy met at resort), plus two guys from Hastings. We all then headed up to roadside and waited for shared taxi to take us into Haad Rin. We all piled into this van together with god knows how many other people and off we went. Now before this party you hear about terrible injuries people have acquired and people going missing and also dying at these parties. I always said though who would be stupid enough to get so drunk they fall asleep on the beach or go swimming in the sea late at night when they have been drinking, (can you see where this story is going!!). Plenty of drinks on sale and real real good fun was had by all of us. Wathcing fire trowing and spinning and all sorts of things going on together with plenty of drinking...... Anyway myself and Ronnie after a few shandys..... decided to swim out to the big sign you can see in the photo here of the flames stating full moon party. So there we were in water swimmuing out to a sign while hundreds of blokes are lining the beaches pissing into the sea we have just waded into!!! NICE! (first error). Anyway all good fun and we returned to shore uninjured and intact...... After few more beers lost a few of guys and then decided to go explore what else was going on and did a dissapearing act. I then proceded to drink more before eventually falling asleep on the beach (uh-oh second mistake!). I woke the following morning to find my t-shirt, watch, and flip flops were all missing......... Flip flops and watch maybe but t-shirt!!!!! Anyway my shorts were all I was left with and money was still in pocket, bizzare or what? Found some odd flip flops on beach from hundreds of other people who had lost theirs and ended up going to get a taxi with a size 12 male flip flop and a size 4 female one (what a state I looked). Met an Aussie in taxi called Joel and we exchanged stories of the prevoious evenings antcis, all good harmless fun in the end and everybody who I caught up with that day at resort had thouroughly enjoyed it. Oh yeah one other thing I lost was my bungalow key so Joe (the owner) said no problem and he had spare. His spare turned out to be a hammer and chisel and before you knew what was going on the lock was on the floor and the door was haning onto its hinges for dear life!! Haha him and Anne (his wife) both found the whole incident highly ammusing seeing me in my flip flops as this was harmless losing a key especially given the number of wrecked bikes etc that happen after parties so this for them was hilarious. Lazed around all day at resort that day and watched a couple films with Ronnie & Michelle.

Next day everybody else was heading off to Ko Samui while I had decided to stay another day and head to Koh Tao to do my diving the following day. I hired a motorbike and helped Ronnie and Michele get to ferry port. Saw Steve and Aussies from Masons down here who were also all heading to Ko Samui. Said farewell and booked my ferry ticket to Koh Tao. Went shopping and bought myself some new flip flops and then went with Matt (english guy who was around for another week) to Masons for a few beers and watched the Moto GP. Played Ken the local barman here at Pool and he lost so got a free lift home on motorbike from him, good lad!!

Up and checked out by 10am and sat around for couple hours in restaurant. Didn't really want to leave Ko Phangan as had got on really well with all the staff here and the whole island has a really lazy realaxed feel to it which makes it difficult to escape. The thought of the diving in Koh Tao however was enough to give me the get up and go I needed and off I went to get a shared jeep taxi down to the pier for my departure out of here.