Thursday, June 10, 2010

laos





Laos and Thailand





Laos, Cambodia ,Thailand





Cave tubing, extreme biking, crossing the river, caught in the rain





Vang Vieng - tubing





To the Other side and Back

We chilled in Haad yao for 2 two nights and then decided to make the trip over to the other side where the islands sit in the Andamann Sea. Our taxi picked us up at 6am and around 12 hours later after a lot of lugging our bags in and out of tuk tuks, on and off boats, buses and eventually mini buses we finally arrived at our hotel in Phuket just as the rain was arriving too. We took a walk around and felt like we were in Torremolinas (think strips of bars, Mc D's Burger King, Starbucks, an Arsenal shop and anything else you could think of in a taccky beach side resort) except with worse weather. It was still really warm but there was a strong wind, a storm brewing and it wasn't long before the downpour came. On the plus side we had a really nice room , huge with AC and clean bathroom with hot water for just over 10 euro between us so we took respite from the rain and made arrangements to hook up with some friends we'd made in Koh PhaNgan.

That night we had drinks with the Kiwis and some Aussie girls and got great entertainment out of the owner of the bar - Bill ,from Scotland who'd been living in Phuket for 11 years. We haggled him for a cheap round of shots and he told us we could have them on the house if we guessed what age he was! Unfotunately none of us got it right! He then challenged the boys to some one handed side pressups on the roadside and gave a very impressive demo of falling face first towards the ground before saving himself at the last minute!!Not bad for a 58 year old!

The next day it was overcast again so we hit the internet cafe and the gazillions of stalls and got back to what we're good at - haggling!! We didn't do too much damage tht day and were quite proud of ourselves! That night we headed for a slap up meal (in Thailand this involves something without curry or rice in the title!) with our mates from Kiwiland as it was their last night. On our way to the restaurant which was just off the main drag of bars and restaurants there was suddenly an explosion and a lot of sparks. Everybody got a bit of a fright but didn't think too much of it. It was about 20/30 metres away from us and we just thought it was some kind of firework or something. However , we got about 3 more metres down the road and BOOM! another explosion and this time heaps of flames.

Nobody knew what was happening, we stood shell shocked for a moment and then decided to run. Except for a few people who decided it'd be a good idea to go nearer and take pictures! There's always one! So we moved to what we thought was a safe enough distance away and thanked God that we hadn't been walking any faster or we'd have been practically right at the point of explosion where there was now the front of a building on fire, some poor local's souvenir stand melting into the ground including a traffic cone and huge sun umbrella, some injured people sitting on the side of the road and flames shooting up the electric cables. Turns out it was a transformer box that blew up, not helped I'm sure by their extremely dodgy overloaded wiring system they have in Asia. Nobody seemed to be too badly hurt so we went onto dinner and the explosion was the talk of the table and restaurant for at least the first 20 mins! Nothing like a bit of excitement to liven up the night!

After a yummy dinner of pizza, ice-cream and beer we headed to a local bar on the corner which had a really cool live band which we lost at least 3 litres of sweat dancing to for the rest of the night! About an hour and a half after the explosion we were surprised to see a truck with 5 men in the back and a brand new transformer box on its way to the site of the explosion. Half an hour later they were heading back up the road with the burnt one in tow. You'd never see anything being replaced that quickly at home! We spent one more cloudy day in Phuket and then decided to move onto Phi Phi and see if the weather was any better there. Five minites into the boat journey things were not looking good, the sea was getting rougher by the minute and peoples' faces were beginning to pale. Jo saw my face and thinnking I was feeling sea sick handed me some ginger tablets, when I told her I wasn't feeling sea sick just really scared she quickly lent me an ear piece of her headphones and put on some calming music!

Soon the waves were bigger than I'd ever seen, coming right over the boat and the top of the boat was way too near the water for my liking. I'd never been great on boats , sea sick wise but on this trip I've managed to conquer sea sickness - so far anyway! However I've never been nervous on a boat because I thought it was going to capsize but nervous doesn't even begin to explain how I was feeling on this boat ride!Another huge wave hit, things were flying everywhere and Jo and myslef both reached out and grabbed each other's hand at the same time. Clammy hands and planning our evacuation routes in our mids this is how we sat for the longest hour and a half ever more of the journey.I've never been so close to putting on a life jacket and as I looked out the window I wasn't sure how anyone would actually survive if we did go in. I tried to imagine how I could get our passports and ATM card into my dri bag and keep them safe while trying to keep afloat if we did, it was all looking quite dismal in my mind! But the prayers worked, the captain did well and two hours later people began to breathe again, colour and smiles returned to faces as we sailed into Phi Phi pier.

Nobody really cared that it was bucketing down rain and all our bags were getting soaked, I think everyone was just glad to be off that boat! We found some accomodation and followed our 'taxi' (man with trolley that wheeled our bags through the pedestrian streets to our hotel) as we followed him on foot while getting a free soak with the pouring rain and well above ankle height puddles we had to wade through. Once settled into our room we made the most of the break in the rain and dashed out to explore the town.

I had been here in 2002 and had really fond memories of Phi Phi and had been lookinng forward to returning. However, I didn't recognise one thing about the town. When the Tsunami tragically struck in 2004 Phi Phi was hit the hardest and the whole town and most of the island was destroyed. I knew they'd had to rebuild most of it , but until now never really knew to what extent. Basically they had to rebuild everything and building still continues today. The town has changed a lot, it is now much bigger, much more commercial but still a great island and when the sun shines Phi Phi and its surrounding islands, bays and beaches are some of the nicest in Asia to explore. It was jsut a shame we'd come at a bad weather time. Anyway we made the most if it, bumped into some more friends form Koh Pha Ngan, hung out with them for a couple of days and even managed to get a few hours sunshine uexpectedly! We hiked up to the famous viewpoint which is now the official Tsunami evacuation route and it was quite emotional to sit up there and look down on the beach and imagine how terrifying it must have been the day it hit. If you'd been up on the hill that day it was probably the only safe place to be, but how awful it must hae been watchinng the disaster unfold below you. Yet again and I'm sure not for the last time we thanked God and our guardian angels for keeping us safe throughout the year.

After two days in Phi Phi and having scrutinised the following weeks weather forecast we made a team decision to go back to the other side of the Gulf and try and catch some better weather for our final week and a bit. Typically on the day we left the sun shone , we weren't complaining though as it made for two very smooth boat crossings. Two boats, two buses and a tuk tuk taxi later we were back in Koh PhaNgan and settled into Coral Bungalows. we couldn't beleive how quiet the town was because it was no longer the week before or ater a 'Full Moon'. This place really survives on its infamous Full Moon Parties. However, it's nice to chill for the last leg of the journey and hopefully catch some rays before the final journey. We truly cannot believe we only have a week left and are both finding it hard to come to terms with. We are again experiencing rollercoasters of emotions as the time gets nearer to say goodbye to the trip of a lifetime and each other for at least a few weeks! As a friend of ours put it the other day, 'it's been a long time since you guys and reality had a coffee'!! How true!!

Full Moon Party

Fluro paint, 80's headbands, dancing on picnic tables and buckets = Full Moon Party!!


27th June we took the 1.5 hour very overcrowded refugee like ferry across to Koh Pha Ngan where on docking at the pier I was immediately brought back to 22 years old again. I smiled as I remembered Jude and myself disembarking on this very pier 8 years previously , full of energy and enthusiasm as we began our Australasia trip. If only I had the energy I had then! We hopped in a taxi, bartered the price and bounced our way in the back of another rickety yute up and down some serious hills until we reached Haaad Rin Nai or Sunset Beach (the quieter side of the Full Moon Party beach area).We were definitely showing our age not wanting to be in the midst of it all! After some more hagglig we got oursleves a beach front 'bungalow' less than a 10 minute walk from all the action yet we feel like we are on a deserted private island here. The waves lap outside our door, the breeze blows (but not nearly enough to provide any relief from the heat) and the fruit shakes are good at the bar 10 metres away! The difference in price between the fan option 'bungalow' and the AC one is very noticeable in the construction materials used! being on a budget AC is not really a luxury we can afford, however the amount of natural airation there is in this shack should technically provide some air - but it doesn't. Not even the two excuses of electric fans are a help except for creating some white noise if you wanted to block out the beautiful sound of the ocean lappig , which is the only other noise you can hear here!

However ,it's a beautiful spot and once you ignore the fact that there is a 2 inch gap in the door when it's shut, that the bathroom door doesn't shut at all, that you have to use a bucket of water to flush the toilet, that the dribble that comes from the shower head is salt water, that the holes in the bathroom walls and floor are letting bugs in and that anytime a more than slight breeze picks up it sounds like the corrugated ir,on roof is going to fly off it's a lovely rustic place to stay in! The view is spectacular and sure it's only to sleep in and with the amount of dancing we've been doing on the beach that isn't much time.

Last night was Ben's last night and the official Warm-up party to the famous monthly Full Moon Party on this island. We were soon in the swing of things with a bucket of strange concoctions bought from our new best mate Pinky who gives out free hugs and fresh flower necklaces with each bucket sale !! Next it was off to find a picic table to dance on, more sea breeze and better views from up high!Considering this was the warm-up party there was quite a crowd. We danced our pants off until about 2.30 am and then headed off home to the 'deluxe' shack to get some sleep before the real thing tomorrow. The last time I'd been in Koh Pha Ngan was 2002 when Jude and I caught the Full Moon Party enroute to Oz. The party itslef hasn't changed that much but the town has got much more commercialised, lots more shops and restaurants and an unbelievable amouont of medical clinics (which doesn't bode well!) , yet it still maintains that island charm and the beaches on Koh Pha Ngan are really beautiful.

Next day we strolled the whole 3 metres from our bungalow to a clear sandy spot by the sea and there we sat until luchtime when sadly we had to say goodbye to Ben who had to start making his way home to London. The weather was heating up today and as we wandered through the town haggling for more essential supplies of fluro paint and some day-glo costumes and headbands there was definitely a party atmosphere in the air. By 9.30 we were on our way back to the beach , not expecting too big a crowd yet but thought we'd get some people watching in before things started gettting crazy. However, once we stepped onto the beach it was clear that the party had most definitely started! There were thousands of people already dancing like crazy all over the beacch, there were people sliding down slides through hoops of fire (obviously they'd already had a bucket or two!!) and there were people playing with fire up and down the beach. We made a beeline for Pinky, ignoring the hundreds of other bucket sale hagglers trying to grab our attention with offers of free stuff we definitely weren't looking for! Pinky was delighted to see us, remembered our names from last night and gave us another couple necklaces.

Armed with our bucket we headed straight for a patch of free sand / picnic table and spent the rest of the night dancing like lunatics. I'd forgotten how great a party it is, as carlsberg would say it's probably the best party in the world!! We grafittied quite a few people with fluoro paint and Irish phrases and made friends with some crazy Asians amongst others. We arrived home as the sun was getting up, tired but elated and the only negative of the night being that we were down one camera -long story but we were both safe and in a lot better shape than some of the people we'd seen along the way through the night. One new addition to the party that they didn't have last time was an official sleeping area!! This was an official taped off area with a sign that you could go for a nap in and know you'd be relatively safe or you could leave your friends there and come back for them after a powernap. Hilarious and quite ingenious!!

Next day we we chilled out on the beach again and then headed to visit some friends at their fancy resort. With a pool they were our new best mates! As things have a habit of happening our planned chill day and relaxed night turned into a bit more active as all ended up at a pool party down the beach, well when in Koh PhaNgan....!! So night 3 of parties and I was feeling like I was 22 again but with not quite so much energy!! However according to the young ones it was great that I was still 'living the dream' and they hoped they'd be back here partying when they were my age!! Not sure whether it was more of a compliment or a comment that made me feel old!! Anyway one thing I've learnt on this trip don't let anyone ever tell you you're too old to party .And if I've anything to do with it I hope this isn't the last Full Moon Party I'll see. Jude maybe we should come back for our 40th/ 50th bdays!! One last night in our beach side bungalow and then today we packed up, said goodbye to Haad Rin beach and caught a taxi to the north west of the island to Haad Yao where things are very much more relaxed.

For the same price as we were paying Haad Rin for our shack we havve a beautiful and huge bungalow, with concrete walls, clean sheets, folded towels that actually smell clean, a fan that works, a shower with hot water (not salty water!) , a sink and a toilet that flushes - we are in heavan!!! Whats more there are no nails to stand on on coming out of the floor and our balcony , although it doesn't look onto the beach is big enough to house a family of five! The beach here is also quite corally so it's hard to get any depth to swim in and the water is so hot it's not refreshing at all. After lying in a puddles of our own sweat for about half an hour we decided we needed to do something to cool down. We're far from complaining about the fab weather but with absolutely no breeze it was uncomfortably hot. We relaised the restaurant / bungalows behind where we were sitting on the beach had a swimming pool so we sidled on up and ordered 2 sodas and got the most out of our 35 baht drinks by sipping them at their pool for the rest of the day, padded sun chairs and shaded umbrellas and all!!Flashpacker style! On our way home we went to enquire how much it was to stay there as apart from the pool it looked fairly similar to our place. Not so similar in price though! At almost 3 times the amount for the basic room there we decided buying a less than 1 euro soda and sitting by their pool was a better option than actually staying there!