July 14th, Special promotion

Got back to Bangkok. Spent the way back with this crazy new yorkan girl who drank a few big beers before the bus and couldn’t say a sentence without swearing and saying ’sweet’ alot. She was all a bit much for sober me. Bit annoying but she soon passed out…

Its such a relief to have air con, tv and a balcony again. After the rather basic bungalows of ko phan-gnan. Really fancy a few beers, this place just gets me agitated i just feel like everybody is trying to fleece us of money. Like this morning I got here at 6 and this taxi driver was asking about 1000 baht to my hotel which was only down the road and drives all around the city. He then tries to make conversation about how everything being cheap here. Jeez I end up paying 80 which is still way too high for a trip down the road.

And then today we wanted to go and see a few temples and play the old ‘all the temples are closed – let me take you guys around’. Which entailed jewellery stores and suit tailors all with special promotions – one day only’. JUst don’t get me started…

I am looking forward to a few beers and looking forward to  getting outta here again.

15th July, Time to get away

So that same night went down town for the warm up party and and ended up doing some ‘magic’ shakes.  Strange setting, up on the far left of the beach up a hillside over looking the main beach party area. After 2 shakes and a ‘bucket’ (samsong whisky@80% proof+redbull(with a lacing of amphetamines apparently- they some in like medicine bottle like calpol) and coke) The lights across from the party started to look like disney land. Then it seemed like someone had turned the lights up and everything had a light glow. We all just sat on the beach had a bit of a dance and no-one could finish a sentence or have a proper conversation. George went off (I think it affected hinm the most) looking for the toilet. Me and gabriel said yeah its just over there and he got and headed for the mountian on the left. God knows where he thought we were – I think he thought we were still in the bar. Anyway I just laughed at everything for a good 3 hours. When that finally wore off we just danced untill the next morning. Then I just drank water. Then  I was completely back to normal. Everyone else on the beach on the other hand where completely wasted on there -drugs of choice. It was a complete I opener and rather messy. Yep it was finally time to get outta here….

But unfortunately I have just one more day so I’m just chilling on the beach (while it doesn’t rain) but I’m soo looking forward to getting out to chang mai for bit of tribe and elephant treking. To be honest I am quite looking forward to getting out of here altogether. There’s something not quite right about this place for me it seems all a bit too fake and pretentious.

A little later….

Well the guys met up with the elusive cop girl they met on their jungle adventure last night. And today she just won’t go away. She doesn’t speak hardly any english and now we just think she’s crazy. She says she’s undercover or something. George got stuck with her and is still stuck. Gab’s has gone to bangkok meeting him in a few days, and George was supposed to come to my resort but the girl started crying and not making much sense and we didn’t know what to do. so I took his stuff and he’s staying with her. I just hope He gets back here for the morning as I’m all ready to go.

12th July, Jungle trekking

it of a nothing day for me. Just checked emails etc and sat on the beach. I was this close to going with the other guys on a magical mystery bike ride. But it started raining and i wanted to chill.

They went off and I agreed to meet them later at my second apartment ( I have 2, One away from the party and one close by). So I wait for like 3.5 hours for them after the agreed time. They get back and they decided to ‘off road’ through the jungle to get through to the other side. It was pretty late and the heavens were giving it some.

They get lost in the middle of the jungle and decide not to turn back and keep going through. The bikes paractically get trashed, the battery goes so they have no lights going up and down muddy hills with thoughts of sleeping in the jungle looming. Thabkfully they meet a small family having a smoke in a small clearing and end up paying 600 baht for them to get them to the main road.

They even lost a flip flop. I’m just glad I didn’t go. I was bad enough going up n down hills on a bike….

11th July, I must be getting too old

This place is just a hedonistic paradise. I’ve been here 2 nights and havn’t got drunk – something must be wrong. I swear I’ve drunk more when I was working back in the Uk but here I just can’t get in the mood. Very odd.Found this mini rave going on the beach next door to our bungalows on the way back which was just sureal. Lots of crazy hippies jumping around to dance/trance on the sea shore. Still got the bikes, got a nice bike scar on my calf from almost fallig of when going up a huge hill. I cranked the bike into first did a pseudo wheelie and fell to the side – awesome! Still undettered I’ve just hired the bike again. George went awol for a day. He ended up looking after some drunken american girl for like 5hours till sunrise then she just got up and walked away. No thanks at all. So the big party tommorow not really looking foward to it but when in rome….

7th July, Hurrah proof!

Phi phi was so so, didn’t really do much went snorkelling and saw some jelly fish. The beach was okay but I guess it was just because it was rainy. Anywho, didn’t have anywthing really planned for today but we bumped into some bar waitresses we chatted to the previous night as we were wondering down the strip and ended up going to the beach for the day – I saw em giving me the eye…

Was supposed to meet them at their bar but Gabriel is ill and I just want a night in. Guess i’m getting old (er). Off to Ko-phangnan party central for the full moon party. Brits abroad spring to mind.

7th July, Hurrah proof!

Phi phi was so so, didn’t really do much went snorkelling and saw some jelly fish. The beach was okay but I guess it was just because it was rainy. Anywho, didn’t have anywthing really planned for today but we bumped into some bar waitresses we chatted to the previous night as we were wondering down the strip and ended up going to the beach for the day – I saw em giving me the eye…

Was supposed to meet them at their bar but Gabriel is ill and I just want a night in. Guess i’m getting old (er). Off to Ko-phangnan party central for the full moon party. Brits abroad spring to mind

6th July, Mr Som.

This place was completely dead. Beach was nice once we found the boat stop. Railey beach or something. We got a football and kicked it around on the beach. That pretty much took up our day. Such a welcome change from bangkok.

Mr som was this guy here who told us about places to go and did the usual ‘whatever you want I can get it…’ spiel…

Had a really good day today. We all decided to get motor bikes for the day, obviously you all know I havn’t been on wheels for a good 6 years…

We were only able to get 2manual and 1 automatic bike. I opt for the shear excitement of manual – I guessed it would pretty be much like riding a bike. As soon as I neverously stated the engine (yes I got that far!). Then put it in first and grave a little (well what I thought was a little) throttle and shot of like a man on fire down this stone path and almost crash into a tuk-tuk. I then said I was fine turned the bike round and and did the same again and almost fell in a ditch. Amazing. And they still let me hire the bike…

I was fine, it was great. Almost hit 80kmph, which was pretty good having never ridden a motorcycle I got the hang of it and managed to pull of a mini ‘mission impossible II’ John-woo back bike spin….

One of the best days in thailand so far. Saw elephants, people in the provinces)let us stay in their porches and gave us drinks while it rained), scorpions, even a transvestite…

Phi phi island and a bit of snorkelling tommorow. Met some boatman while we were biking it round out who gave us a good deal on a private tour. I also bought some snorkelling gear. When I put the googles on even the shop assistant laughed, that’s how stylish they were.

4th July, Mr Jack and my first set of wheels….

een in bangkok for 3 days too long. The best description I’ve heard so far – ’sweet decay’. Bangkok, especially the main tourist area of Khaosan is just full of touts, prostitutes (of the lady boy variety – stay well clear), and basically everyone bullshitting to each other including us. I never usually get that angry but yesterday whilst having a beer waiting to get out of here I just couldn’t be bothered with politeness – ‘Hey! whats your name?! Where you going? 10baht take you anywhere you want!’…

Anyhwho spent a day at a local govornment based tourist info place where after a full day of headaches with various diferent operators saying diferent things. This is where we met Mr. Jack the main sales guy. We were just at the point were we just didn’t know what to believe, I just gave in and sorted all my accomodation, transfers, treks etc and flight from bangkok to singapore – (to avoid the craziness of the ‘bomb party’ going on through the border to singapoore) for ฃ500. Besides it would cost ฃ150 to change it. So checked all my accomodation, all a/c apartment bungalows – again not really slumming it. I think the only ‘backpacking’ thing about this is the fact I have a backpack. Should have just brought a suitcase….

Funny stories, so far. Gabriel’s brush with lady boy. Basically, we all went out for drinks – and some of the notorious ‘local shows’ (the ping-pong thing – we figure whilst we’re here, if your with a bunch of guys its got to be done!), till like 3am. On the way back Gabriel gets grabbed by this small gorgeous girl. As he gets chatting to her on the way back me ‘n’ george are like woa, stay away from anything that moves.We all get back to the hotel room and gabriel decides to go for it whith cajoling from me and george. Fortunately, he never met up and had that ‘happy ending’. As me and George discuss now, maybe he did?! He did seem to skim over what happenned and go straight for his ‘I met this girl selling beer outside and ended up playing ‘badminton on the streets till like 6am’….

Well, that story at least is true as we met the ‘badminton girl’ Chian, who coincidently told us about all the Ladyboy from the previous evening. She has been the most memorable moment for us so far – it made bangkok worth while. All I can say is that she has travelled the UK more than I have and speaks great english including slang, but the sureal part is when we noticed swastika’s on her ‘beer’ sign. We were asking about those – which she thought was cool/funny, then she busts out ‘Mein Kampf’ in thai complete with Hitler on the front. Then we spent the next hour or so discussing war. Bearing in mind we were sitting on stools outside on the main street, garbage, prostitutes, drunk foreigners (think greece but more exotic) arguments and fights going on around us…

So me and george are waiting at the main crossing after a 12hour bus journey from bangkok off to Krabi.

2nd July, Land of smiles.

So just got to bangkok. Its exactly as it was in the beac h – you know the intro to that – walking throught the markets and getting harrased by the vendors. No one asked if I wanted snake-blood though…

Met up with Gabriel, the artist guy and george is coming down later today.

So went out saw the england game with loads of brits abroad only more ‘exotic’. It was really overwhelming coming here especially as there is thousands of westerners. Least everyone can speak english and its more of a holiday resort. Swimming on the roof.

Met some ra-ra girls in a bar we went to watch the footer. Hearing them talking about football was quite amusing. And the fact that they talked loudly about me and gabriel quite loudly – in an ego-tickling sense which is always good.

30th June, 5hours, can it be done?

As i’m feeling rather energenitic, I plan to get at least a few touristy things done. Armed with pages about Hong KOng ripped out of someones ‘Lonelely planet’ guide, I plan to go to vicotria bay, climb that peak and have a meal over looking the view. My flight isn’t till 8am so I plan on powering on through till the wee hours.

So I’m waiting at Pudong international after a little scare at immigration – the stare and a slight hesitiation to stamp my passport. But all done now. What is it with me and immigration?!

0230am, knackered.

Tried to fit in too much, lots of walking did the ferry thing did lots of staring upwards, went up to the peak and took photos of skylines and some of me just to prove I was there. As I had to use a timer to do shots of myself and stand still for 8sec while holding the classic pose it all got very tiring. See the pics – i’m very pleased.

So now I have a marathon 6 hour wait for my flight.