We're waiting in reception for a bus to take us to the ferry, which will in turn take me to the mainland, where I will get an overnight train to Bangkok, where I will catch a plane to Oman, where I will catch a plane to Gatwick, where I will no doubt freeze to death.
Its sad, realising that its all coming to and end. I've just been down to the beach to say goodbye to Karin (the Swedish blonde I mentioned in my previous posts - God bless the Swedes), we're generally bumping into people we've made friends with over the last few days and saying our goodbyes to them also.
The last few days have been a bit of a blur, what with all the beach parties, pool parties, buckets of SangSom rum and Redbull, Chang beer and fast women - I think its probably best I leave now, otherwise my liver will pickle, my brain will freeze and God will strike me down for deviency. Bloody good fun though.
I've got a brief stopover in Bangkok, my flight leaves at 8.15am, so I have to be at the airport ridiculously early in the morning. Rick and Ross head out to Cambodia within a couple of hours of getting to Bangkok. Its going to be sad saying goodbye to them too, we've been living out of each others pockets for the last month and its been bloody good fun, mostly because they're proper sound guys.
Anyway, there's a bacon sandwich with my name on it crying out to be consumed. Catch you on the flip side gangsters.
Word
Jim
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Monday, December 24, 2007
amendment
Just read comments from previous posts.
I don't know what to say. Cheers guys.
Rog, cheers for the loan, very much appreciated. Should, however, be ok, managed to secure other funds, so fortunately for me need not be in your pocket for too long ;-)
Cheers Mum. Love you loads. Merry Christmas! Rest assured I'm ok and have managed to get by pretty well on remaining dough.
Right, Swedish blonde calling my name. Say no more. Love you guys loads.
Big love
Jim
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I don't know what to say. Cheers guys.
Rog, cheers for the loan, very much appreciated. Should, however, be ok, managed to secure other funds, so fortunately for me need not be in your pocket for too long ;-)
Cheers Mum. Love you loads. Merry Christmas! Rest assured I'm ok and have managed to get by pretty well on remaining dough.
Right, Swedish blonde calling my name. Say no more. Love you guys loads.
Big love
Jim
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
the morning after
Right.
Its 9am, its Christmas morning. I haven't been to bed yet.
Last night was the infamous full moon party. 30,000 people on a beach getting drunk on Christmas eve. Madness. I'm currently in the bar area of our resort in Koh Pang'ang. I'm ridiculously drunk, not quite ready for bed and contemplating going to another party. I think this country's starting to get to me. But only in a good way of course (as I admire the ridiculously good looking Swedish girl next to me). Rest assured I'm good in a whole number of different ways and have just experienced the most surreal christmas eve of my short lived existence thus far. I'm probably not making any sense, but that's probably the Thai Red Bull, which is like being injected with recket fuel and set on fire. Twice.
I wish you all a very, very merry christmas and hope you're having at least half as good a time as me, because if you are you'll be over the moon. That makes no sense. Ah well.
Happy Christmas. Be home soon.
Much love
Jim
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Its 9am, its Christmas morning. I haven't been to bed yet.
Last night was the infamous full moon party. 30,000 people on a beach getting drunk on Christmas eve. Madness. I'm currently in the bar area of our resort in Koh Pang'ang. I'm ridiculously drunk, not quite ready for bed and contemplating going to another party. I think this country's starting to get to me. But only in a good way of course (as I admire the ridiculously good looking Swedish girl next to me). Rest assured I'm good in a whole number of different ways and have just experienced the most surreal christmas eve of my short lived existence thus far. I'm probably not making any sense, but that's probably the Thai Red Bull, which is like being injected with recket fuel and set on fire. Twice.
I wish you all a very, very merry christmas and hope you're having at least half as good a time as me, because if you are you'll be over the moon. That makes no sense. Ah well.
Happy Christmas. Be home soon.
Much love
Jim
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Last Man Standing
So Rick and Ross are on their backs in bed. They must have eaten something dodgy a couple of days ago because now they can't walk more than twenty feet from a toilet. They reckon it was the food at the Ark bar, a place on the beach, but the hilarious thing is that they both had pretty bland western food (burgers and ribs etc.) while I went all out with the old Thai curry, as I have done since we got here, and I haven't had so much as a flutter. That's the old Powell stomach for you!
I'm kinda poor now, which gives Thailand a whole new dimension, because you have to play the game differently. Instead of being a rich tourist engaging in tourist activities, I'm now hustling and bartering more, eating in places where Thai people eat (for about 50 Baht, less than a pound, I've found that I can have a really good meal and a bottle of water, which is usually more expensive than the food), and generally getting by. Admittedly I'm not getting to do a few of the things I'd like to (go sea fishing, hire a jet ski, go diving etc.) but hey, that's Thailand for you. The people who live here are very poor, but still very happy. Guess I'm tuning into that more since the theft.
All that aside though if anyone feels like putting more money in my account, please feel free to do so! And let me know on here if you do, so I can budget. Don't worry about that 100 notes from Dave, if he's strapped or whatever. I could use it when I get back anyway.
Last night I went out with the guys from the bar where we're staying, and we were chipping in for Sangsom and Red Bull (which over here is f*cking lethal) buckets. They keep calling me Sim, but its funny. There was Ali, Coconut, Twist, Tony (I can never remember his real name, but he has a scar on his face from a car accident he was involved in a few years back so I call him Tony, as in Tony Montana), and a few Swedish guys and gals that are staying at our resort. Luckily booze out here is dirt cheap and I ended up smashed and wandering the streets with a couple of Thai girls at about 5am, but it all went a bit tits up when I couldn't find my wallet and started panicking and accusing them of stealing it. After a long shouting match which involved the police (who actually found it funny that a phalang (me) got his wallet taken by a couple of Thai girls.) I later found the wallet, but unfortunately the girls didn't see the funny side and left. Win some. Lose some. laugh about it in the morning. Thai style.
I'm loving the beer over here, it seems the stronger the beer, the cheaper it is. My new favourite is Chang, which is about 50 Baht a bottle (again, less than a pound) or 25 Baht from the local 7-11. There's also a song, but the only word I know is Chang, which is generally repeated. Chang, Chang, Chang, Chang, Chang (you get the idea). The Thai guys love singing it, and do elephant impressions while they do. I think the song has something to do with elephants.
This afternoon I'm renting a motorbike and going for a trip round the island. Its 150 Baht for the day, or 24 hours. That's about 2 pounds. For the day. Its more expensive to rent a kayak for an hour on the beach. Its insane, but good for me! It did p*ss it down for an hour this morning though so best be careful on the old roads (in case you were worried Mum ;-)
I picked up a wicked present for you Chris, on the beach last night. Its one of the most terrifying things I've ever seen, you'll love it.
Right, I'm gonna try and get some more photos onto facebook (if someone could show my Mother how that works that would be cool), that's if the Thai bird here in the internet place doesn't maul me, she keeps sending me msn messages saying 'sexy man' and blowing me kisses across the room. Unfortunately she looks like she was recently hit by a falling tree and then eaten by ants.
Love to everyone, I'll update soon.
Much love
Jim
I'm kinda poor now, which gives Thailand a whole new dimension, because you have to play the game differently. Instead of being a rich tourist engaging in tourist activities, I'm now hustling and bartering more, eating in places where Thai people eat (for about 50 Baht, less than a pound, I've found that I can have a really good meal and a bottle of water, which is usually more expensive than the food), and generally getting by. Admittedly I'm not getting to do a few of the things I'd like to (go sea fishing, hire a jet ski, go diving etc.) but hey, that's Thailand for you. The people who live here are very poor, but still very happy. Guess I'm tuning into that more since the theft.
All that aside though if anyone feels like putting more money in my account, please feel free to do so! And let me know on here if you do, so I can budget. Don't worry about that 100 notes from Dave, if he's strapped or whatever. I could use it when I get back anyway.
Last night I went out with the guys from the bar where we're staying, and we were chipping in for Sangsom and Red Bull (which over here is f*cking lethal) buckets. They keep calling me Sim, but its funny. There was Ali, Coconut, Twist, Tony (I can never remember his real name, but he has a scar on his face from a car accident he was involved in a few years back so I call him Tony, as in Tony Montana), and a few Swedish guys and gals that are staying at our resort. Luckily booze out here is dirt cheap and I ended up smashed and wandering the streets with a couple of Thai girls at about 5am, but it all went a bit tits up when I couldn't find my wallet and started panicking and accusing them of stealing it. After a long shouting match which involved the police (who actually found it funny that a phalang (me) got his wallet taken by a couple of Thai girls.) I later found the wallet, but unfortunately the girls didn't see the funny side and left. Win some. Lose some. laugh about it in the morning. Thai style.
I'm loving the beer over here, it seems the stronger the beer, the cheaper it is. My new favourite is Chang, which is about 50 Baht a bottle (again, less than a pound) or 25 Baht from the local 7-11. There's also a song, but the only word I know is Chang, which is generally repeated. Chang, Chang, Chang, Chang, Chang (you get the idea). The Thai guys love singing it, and do elephant impressions while they do. I think the song has something to do with elephants.
This afternoon I'm renting a motorbike and going for a trip round the island. Its 150 Baht for the day, or 24 hours. That's about 2 pounds. For the day. Its more expensive to rent a kayak for an hour on the beach. Its insane, but good for me! It did p*ss it down for an hour this morning though so best be careful on the old roads (in case you were worried Mum ;-)
I picked up a wicked present for you Chris, on the beach last night. Its one of the most terrifying things I've ever seen, you'll love it.
Right, I'm gonna try and get some more photos onto facebook (if someone could show my Mother how that works that would be cool), that's if the Thai bird here in the internet place doesn't maul me, she keeps sending me msn messages saying 'sexy man' and blowing me kisses across the room. Unfortunately she looks like she was recently hit by a falling tree and then eaten by ants.
Love to everyone, I'll update soon.
Much love
Jim
Monday, December 17, 2007
A lazy day on the beach
I could get used to this, lounging around in the sun all day, reading Harry Potter and going for the occassional swim. Its pretty laid back here, not quite as laid back as Phi Phi of course, but relaxed all the same. Apart from all the Thais on the beach trying to sell you stuff that is. They walk up and down the beach in their hundreds, offering beads attached to large red boards for display; ice cream, fruit, beach toys, hammocks, large silk sheets, clothing, wallets, all sorts. You spend most of your day absent mindedly whispering 'no thank you' while they parade goods in your face. A small price to pay for paradise though.
Not much to report, we haven't really achieved much in the last 24 hours. I got a bit sunburned, oh and I learned to count to 10 in Thai. Ng, Song, Sam, Si, Ha, Hop, Jet, Cow, Baht, Sept. Spellings probably horrendously wrong but that's how the words sound anyway. My Thai teacher, Twist, was very impressed at my ability to learn his language, but made funny faces when I tried to teach him to count in Welsh, all the while his brother Coconut chatted up two Swedish girls, apparently he's something of an animal.
Tonight we're getting a bottle of SangSom in to drink in the room before we head to another beach for a Black Moon Party (apparently parties don't just happen at full moon any more, the Thai's will now throw a party if there's a Y in the name of the day). After having our cash robbed we're having to budget a lot more, in fact I'm having to type quickly so the charges for the internet don't run up too high! Luckily this place is dirt, dirt cheap, so I can have a good meal and a drink for about 2 quid, and the bottles of Sangsom are about the same again.
Oh, and Kat, if you read this, write in the comments bit that bar you said I should go to while I'm on Samui (I idiotically forgot to bring your notes with me, you may chastise me when I return, but bear in mind I have got you a wicked present). And any other places you can think of/remember from the island that we should go to. We're on Chaweng beach, not sure where it was you stayed.
Right, I've left the lads having an afternoon kip and I've got the key, so if they wake up they'll be pissed. Best get back.
Hope you're all well (if there's anyone out there still reading my nonsense that is!
J
P.S. Stef, I hope you get better soon, its bad enough you're not here without being on your death bed as well.
Peace
Not much to report, we haven't really achieved much in the last 24 hours. I got a bit sunburned, oh and I learned to count to 10 in Thai. Ng, Song, Sam, Si, Ha, Hop, Jet, Cow, Baht, Sept. Spellings probably horrendously wrong but that's how the words sound anyway. My Thai teacher, Twist, was very impressed at my ability to learn his language, but made funny faces when I tried to teach him to count in Welsh, all the while his brother Coconut chatted up two Swedish girls, apparently he's something of an animal.
Tonight we're getting a bottle of SangSom in to drink in the room before we head to another beach for a Black Moon Party (apparently parties don't just happen at full moon any more, the Thai's will now throw a party if there's a Y in the name of the day). After having our cash robbed we're having to budget a lot more, in fact I'm having to type quickly so the charges for the internet don't run up too high! Luckily this place is dirt, dirt cheap, so I can have a good meal and a drink for about 2 quid, and the bottles of Sangsom are about the same again.
Oh, and Kat, if you read this, write in the comments bit that bar you said I should go to while I'm on Samui (I idiotically forgot to bring your notes with me, you may chastise me when I return, but bear in mind I have got you a wicked present). And any other places you can think of/remember from the island that we should go to. We're on Chaweng beach, not sure where it was you stayed.
Right, I've left the lads having an afternoon kip and I've got the key, so if they wake up they'll be pissed. Best get back.
Hope you're all well (if there's anyone out there still reading my nonsense that is!
J
P.S. Stef, I hope you get better soon, its bad enough you're not here without being on your death bed as well.
Peace
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Trouble in Paradise
So, we're in Koh Samui at the moment, having travelled from Phi Phi yesterday. Its beautiful here, I walked down Chaweng Beach this morning, listening to a bit of Fink while the waves lapped at my feet, admiring the scantily clad women and generally being a person that people back home will hate.
I'm a bit vexed though, we had a load of money stolen from us on the ferry over to the island, at least that's the only place we can think of where it could have happened. All three of us had money go missing from our bags, I got hit worst of all (typical) - all my sterling's gone and half my Thai currency. Ross and Rick both had a load of their Thai cash lifted as well. Its put something of a dampener on our morning.
There's not a huge amount we can do about it either. We reckon, because the bus we got from Krabi to Surat Thani then got on the ferry to Koh Samui with all the bags still on board, it would have given the drivers plenty of time to have a good old root through the nearest bags (which unfortunately happened to be ours because they went on last and came off first). I've read about it happening in the guide books, just completely slipped our minds as we were in such a good frame of mind after Phi Phi and let our guards down a bit. They left our passports though and left us enough money to get by, so I suppose we must be thankful for small mercies.
Anyway, on a brighter note, it looks like Samui is going to be really cool, if somewhat more sober than it would have been if theiving bus drivers hadn't complicated things. We're here for a week so finally we can settle for a bit and not have to concern ourselves with moving on straight away. Last night we were up until 4am befriending some Swedish travellers who are playing golf and poker to fund their journey, as well as a mentally unhinged Thai woman who was drunk and kept telling me her room number. Trust me though, you wouldn't have, not even you Stef.
Right, I'm going to go sort out my laundry. I've put a few photos on facebook, only a couple from Bangkok and The Kwai, off Rick's camera (I'm still rocking the disposable), so anyone who knows how to use it can see.
Its Sunday afternoon here right now, so I'll try to get on again tomorrow (its pretty easy now we're in Samui)
Have a good one folks
Peace
Jim
I'm a bit vexed though, we had a load of money stolen from us on the ferry over to the island, at least that's the only place we can think of where it could have happened. All three of us had money go missing from our bags, I got hit worst of all (typical) - all my sterling's gone and half my Thai currency. Ross and Rick both had a load of their Thai cash lifted as well. Its put something of a dampener on our morning.
There's not a huge amount we can do about it either. We reckon, because the bus we got from Krabi to Surat Thani then got on the ferry to Koh Samui with all the bags still on board, it would have given the drivers plenty of time to have a good old root through the nearest bags (which unfortunately happened to be ours because they went on last and came off first). I've read about it happening in the guide books, just completely slipped our minds as we were in such a good frame of mind after Phi Phi and let our guards down a bit. They left our passports though and left us enough money to get by, so I suppose we must be thankful for small mercies.
Anyway, on a brighter note, it looks like Samui is going to be really cool, if somewhat more sober than it would have been if theiving bus drivers hadn't complicated things. We're here for a week so finally we can settle for a bit and not have to concern ourselves with moving on straight away. Last night we were up until 4am befriending some Swedish travellers who are playing golf and poker to fund their journey, as well as a mentally unhinged Thai woman who was drunk and kept telling me her room number. Trust me though, you wouldn't have, not even you Stef.
Right, I'm going to go sort out my laundry. I've put a few photos on facebook, only a couple from Bangkok and The Kwai, off Rick's camera (I'm still rocking the disposable), so anyone who knows how to use it can see.
Its Sunday afternoon here right now, so I'll try to get on again tomorrow (its pretty easy now we're in Samui)
Have a good one folks
Peace
Jim
Friday, December 14, 2007
Kho Phi Phi - Tropical Paradise
so, we've finally hit our first island and experienced island life. Its a lot slower paced than Bangkok and Phuket that's for sure.
Its very difficult to describe Phi Phi, other than the most spectacularly beautiful place I have ever experienced. Comprised of two islands, Phi Phi Don (the larger of the two and the place where all the villas and bars are) and Phi Phi Leh (the lesser of the two and the place where The Beach was filmed).
Phi Phi Don is two groups of mountains, connected by a thin stretch of beach which is roughly 500m across. Within this stretch of land is the 'town', consisting of a number of wooden kiosk like market stalls selling souvenirs, hot food, tours etc, a number of bars and restaurants and then on the outskirts of the central 'market' are the bungalows and villas that people stay in.
The pace of life here is slow, to say the least. People are so laid back they are virtually lying down, and they walk like they're walking through water. During the day, tourists take boat trips on the many long tail boats drawn up to the beach, or go diving, or just sit and admire their surroundings. There's still furious building work going on as well, following the horrific damage that was done by the tsunami here. They're a proactive people though, the Thais, and they really haven't rested on their laurels in putting this place back together.
At night Mr Hyde comes out, and the whole place turns into party central with buckets of SangSom and Redbull in the hands of many a traveller, straws sticking out the top like the few remaining hairs on Homer's head. We spent our first night chilling out on the beach in a little ouside bar created primarily out of driftwood, listening to Bob Marley and smoking a bit of weed, which is readily available and commonly smoked on 90% of the bars here. Just a part of island life.
Today we took a longtail out to Phi Phi Leh and My (insert appropriate deity here) it was stunning. The cliffs have clearly been eroded over billions of millenia and are streaked black, white and yellow, rising some 400 feet straight out of the water. as you pass around you start to see coves opening up within the island and a small channel where the boats can get through to a perfectly calm and surrounded lagoon. Here our boat captain (an ex Muay Thai fighter from Bangkok called India, who is possibly one of the coolest people I've ever met - he had to give it up because he got kicked in the face so hard it split his jaw right down the middle. ouch) let us swim and we went for a bit of a snorkel around the coral reefs. After we went around the island to Yama 'The Beach' Beach, and instantly you can see why they chose it. Its amazing, the whitest beach I've seen, even in photos; its completely surrounded by cliffs, apart from a slight 'dog leg' where the boats get in, and from the beach itself looking out, it seems like you're completely cut off from the world.
This evening we walked up some serious step to the top of one of the lower peaks on the east side of the island where you can get some great views of the whole island and watch the sunset. You honestly couldn't write it this good.
In other news, I've decided to set up a charity - The Help Jim Get More Drunk and Maybe Help Squeeze in Some Serious Diving Fund, or THJGMDAMHSISSDF for short. Essentials are covered, but you can never have too much beer, or go diving too many times, so if anyone feels like making a christmas contribution to THJGMDAMHSISSDF, then I ask you humbly and ambitiously to do so with the follwong information:
Mr Cornelius Wesley Hottingdean-Smithe
20-20-02
00766613
If you're worried about identity fraud, I'm not, there would be very little for anyone to take.
Right, I'm off to get some Pad Thai and have a couple of Changs (local Thai beer and my new best friend)
Hope everyone is well and good, I just realised you can make comments on this page so if you feel liek responding to any of my inane waffling, please feel free to help make this communication less of a one way thing.
Thinking of you all while I sit on a beach in a tropical paradise
Jim
xxx
Its very difficult to describe Phi Phi, other than the most spectacularly beautiful place I have ever experienced. Comprised of two islands, Phi Phi Don (the larger of the two and the place where all the villas and bars are) and Phi Phi Leh (the lesser of the two and the place where The Beach was filmed).
Phi Phi Don is two groups of mountains, connected by a thin stretch of beach which is roughly 500m across. Within this stretch of land is the 'town', consisting of a number of wooden kiosk like market stalls selling souvenirs, hot food, tours etc, a number of bars and restaurants and then on the outskirts of the central 'market' are the bungalows and villas that people stay in.
The pace of life here is slow, to say the least. People are so laid back they are virtually lying down, and they walk like they're walking through water. During the day, tourists take boat trips on the many long tail boats drawn up to the beach, or go diving, or just sit and admire their surroundings. There's still furious building work going on as well, following the horrific damage that was done by the tsunami here. They're a proactive people though, the Thais, and they really haven't rested on their laurels in putting this place back together.
At night Mr Hyde comes out, and the whole place turns into party central with buckets of SangSom and Redbull in the hands of many a traveller, straws sticking out the top like the few remaining hairs on Homer's head. We spent our first night chilling out on the beach in a little ouside bar created primarily out of driftwood, listening to Bob Marley and smoking a bit of weed, which is readily available and commonly smoked on 90% of the bars here. Just a part of island life.
Today we took a longtail out to Phi Phi Leh and My (insert appropriate deity here) it was stunning. The cliffs have clearly been eroded over billions of millenia and are streaked black, white and yellow, rising some 400 feet straight out of the water. as you pass around you start to see coves opening up within the island and a small channel where the boats can get through to a perfectly calm and surrounded lagoon. Here our boat captain (an ex Muay Thai fighter from Bangkok called India, who is possibly one of the coolest people I've ever met - he had to give it up because he got kicked in the face so hard it split his jaw right down the middle. ouch) let us swim and we went for a bit of a snorkel around the coral reefs. After we went around the island to Yama 'The Beach' Beach, and instantly you can see why they chose it. Its amazing, the whitest beach I've seen, even in photos; its completely surrounded by cliffs, apart from a slight 'dog leg' where the boats get in, and from the beach itself looking out, it seems like you're completely cut off from the world.
This evening we walked up some serious step to the top of one of the lower peaks on the east side of the island where you can get some great views of the whole island and watch the sunset. You honestly couldn't write it this good.
In other news, I've decided to set up a charity - The Help Jim Get More Drunk and Maybe Help Squeeze in Some Serious Diving Fund, or THJGMDAMHSISSDF for short. Essentials are covered, but you can never have too much beer, or go diving too many times, so if anyone feels like making a christmas contribution to THJGMDAMHSISSDF, then I ask you humbly and ambitiously to do so with the follwong information:
Mr Cornelius Wesley Hottingdean-Smithe
20-20-02
00766613
If you're worried about identity fraud, I'm not, there would be very little for anyone to take.
Right, I'm off to get some Pad Thai and have a couple of Changs (local Thai beer and my new best friend)
Hope everyone is well and good, I just realised you can make comments on this page so if you feel liek responding to any of my inane waffling, please feel free to help make this communication less of a one way thing.
Thinking of you all while I sit on a beach in a tropical paradise
Jim
xxx
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
