Good:
I'm so tired when I wake up today it's very hard to stick to the plan and do ONE MORE day of sightseeing! :D
Aftre some pre packing preparations I leave the flat to venture out and see the Buddha... The Tian Tan Buddha Statue, the world's largest, seated, outdoor, bronze Big Buddha statue. Located on the Ngong Ping Plateau, Lantau Island.
7/11 breakfast to make sure I speed things up getting to Lantau. I have to make the round trip today FAST, and I have a schedule to stick to make sure I get to the airport on time!!! That would NOT be funny missing my last plane!!lol!
I take a cab to Sheung Wan MTR station and then tubed it all the way down to Tung Chung.
The cable care ride which is LOOOOOOONNNNG. But the views are gorgeous despite the cloudy smoggy day.
I take a walk up the steps to get to the Buddha and take some MORE pictures. Seriously 3months of taking pictures... I CANNOT TAKE ANY MORE PICTURES. This is it! lol! I don't know how you did it Lisa!
It's pretty impressive and I'm glad I came although there's definately something off about 100s of mostly non-buddhists flocking to see a giant Buddha and paying no respect as such to it or behaving in the appropriate manner, instead taking a million pictures and trying to do funny perspective shots with the buddha in the background... surely not what it was put there for!
Back in Central I poke around in a department store for a sec and try on some GORGEOUS shoes. I need to invest in some good ones... when I'm not BROKE!
I buy a gorgeous Belgian gateaux as a thank you present for staying at the flat. I leave this in the fridge and hope it's liked!! Can you go wrong with chocolate cake?!!?? :D
FINAL packing at the flat before getting a cab to the airport. Less crazy cab driver so all is well!
Checking all good and then some browsing for last minute gifts for the fam and MEGA sweet purchases for the work folk!
Flight is coool. I'm in the middle of a four row seater but suprisingly very comfy and I sleep more than I've slept on a flight in a LONG time! Erm maybe because I'm NACKERED!!!
The plane taking off and me feeling weirrrrrrd...... I'M GOING HOME!!!!!   ....I feel like I've been away forever!! It really does feel like a lifetime ago when I started out in L.A.! It definately did not fly by at all!! So many memories from the very differnt places I've been! I've had some FANTASTIC times and experiences and I can't believe it's over but at the same time I'm happy to be going home! Can't wait to see Chris and be in Hampton and be on track for a new era of me! Roll on London Summer! :D
Yummy dinner and watchin 'Lovely Bones' - pretty good film... I shed more than a few tears! SNIFF!
Watched Princess and the Frog... cried at that too! What an emotional wreck!lol!
The BA crew who are actually really lovely and make it a lovely flight all in all homeward bound!

Bad:
Packing with no time to spare!!! Spent too long at the mall!!
It's ALL OVER! ...it's not bad really! I've had an AMAZING experience and I'm grateful for every second! I actually can't wait till months from now when I'm enjoying the memories... the good, the bad and hilarious.

Funny:
The annoying family that would't shut up the entire way to the island. I'm not sure where they were from but they were annoying! I suppose they may not have been as bad if I wasn't SO NACKERED!!
The funny Indian guys who were in my Cable car on the way down. They were very friendly and good company on the LONG way down!
Waking up after a little nap and checking the time thinking we must be half way there.... THERE ARE STILL 8HOURS TO GO!!! LMAO!

Good:
Getting up earlyish to get a tuk tuk to Khao San road for some last minute shopping.
HOT LIKE FIRE as usual.
Getting some LOVELY bits for the fam... i'm actually excited, can't wait to give them their gifts! :D
Bargaining, bartering and bargaining... ergh! It has it's funny moments but I WONT miss this!!
Getting my backpack from storage okay and only paying 140bht for the whole time it's been in there. That is goood value!
Cab back to the Old Charm for a quick pack and go again straight to the airport. I want to be there two hours before: 2.30pm for my flight at 4.30pm
We leave at 2pm and there's a load of traffic but it's all good I get there in time!
Nice much needed lunch of fried rice, my last one! and it's good. No. Still not bored of it!!
Flght to Hong Kong where I have a whole row to myself! YAY!!
Landing back in Hong Kong safe and sound and getting a cab to the apartment!! WOHOOOO!!! Lovely Lenore (who I shared a train ride with in Bolivia) put me in touch with her son and through texting etc. turns out he's in Dubai at the moment so he offered me to stay at his empty flat in Central!!! Soooo coool!
I get there and IT IS GORGEOUS. It's right near the center, has lovely branding and the building's called Kush.... say no more! The guy at the door shows me up to the 28th floor and the flat is lovely, 1 bed, spick and span (It's a serviced apartment so the cleaning is all done for you) with a balcony overlooking the harbour's gorgeous night lights, Wifi and a massive TV with a million channels!! I feel so lucky!!! It just goes to show what can happen when you meet nice people and you're nice in return and good luck comes you're way. Very very nice!!!
I settle down for five minutes send texts of big thankyous then out to find some food.
I was just going to find somewhere quiet around the corner then i realised I probably wont be able to do this tomorrow night so as advised I head down to Soho!
I walk around Soho for a bit looking into all the trendy bars and expensive looking restaurantds. I think there's an art to finding the right place to have dinner on your own... it needs to be quiet enough with not too many people enjoying themselves so you don't feel like a loner but busy with enough with enough lifein it so... you don't feel like a loner! Somewhere in the middle... and of course it has to fit bill of nice decor and I hvae to get 'the feeling' that this place does good food... it's not easy! But I found one!
I choose a DELICIOUS dinner at a Nepalese restaurant and I know i always say delicious but this was especially so... i'm hunting down the nearest nepalese restaurant in london to get me more of this!! YUM!! :D
Earlier I'd forgotten to write down the message I got from Malin about a bar in Soho for the best Daquiris so I couldn't remember the name!! A few texts later I have it... THANKS CB! but then my battery dies and i remember the name but not the street! lol!
After dinner I walk around a bit and I overhear a typical soho conversation of goodbyes and fpr some reason my instinct tells me this guy will know where the bar is... and he does and takes me right to the door. I would NEVER have found it otherwise!!
There's NO sign outside, nothing, just an inconspicuous door to what looks from the outside like some abandoned retail venture.
Feather Boa turns out to be uber trendy with goreous decor, kinda old french antique with moody lighting and gorgeous paintings all over the wall and fabric on the ceiling (sounds corny but it works reall well) and roses in every corner. There are both casual and businessy types so I feel pretty comfortable and tipsy people are speaking to me at the bar straight away. I have my Daiquiri in a MAHOOSIVE glass covered in choclate and it's GORGEOUS, living up to it's big up from Malin.
I chat to the BA flight crew who are here for two nights living their jet setting life style. Must be pretty bizare. Then there are some dutch peeps who work for KLM and I'm wondering is HK just full of air stewards and stewardesses?!?!?!lol! One of them tells me of the time he went into the depths of Deli on the tinest street corner to a tiny local restaurant and low and behold the tables were set with KLM cutlery! I love KLM cutlery! We still have some at home! Ahhh good ol KLM, those were the days :D
Having my drink and being invited to 'Insomnia'... yeah... but polutely refusing as I really fancy relaxing back at the apartment!
Coming back to the flat in a cab for some mega blog updating with some tunes from the iphone and telly the background. Chilled bliss.

Bad:
Spending money I don't technically have.... :(
The poster stall woman not being there so I can't buy back the posters I LOST. Yeah that's right Lis... HAVE NO IDEA. Went to Cambodia with them, came back without them... lol! Great.
SOOOO tired and I have to get up early tomorrow if i'm to attempt more sightseeing, photo uploading, packing and trying to make myself look half decent for whern I get to see Chris at the airport!!! CANNOT WAIT!!!!

Funny:
The fact that it is NOT SINKING IN that I'm going home tomorrow!! Hilareye!
The CRAZY cab driver who drove me from the airport... CR A ZEEEE. I tried to film some of his crazyness as proof... it was when we were coming up to the building and he just kept laughing and repeating the same things... and then even when I got out of the cab he was just shouting and laughing saying incomprehendable things. I have proof! lol!

Good:
Getting a comfy bus to Bangkok. I'm one of three westrerners on the bus as it's more of a local ride. What they say is true... the local buses are better!!
Nice snacks from Nanthong supermarket for the road - what will I do without my new found favourite Corn chips which I don't know the name of because it's all written in thai!??!?
Chatting to some really nice peeps from the Philippies on the bus.
Getting a taxi fine when we FINALLY reached our destination!
Finally getting some good sleeps at the good Old Charm.
Delicious though tiny portion of rice and greens andsome meat bits served at one of the stops along the way. Yummee!! If only I knew what it was!!
Sleep. At long last when I finally got to The Old Charm... a sight for sore eyes!!

Bad:
Waiting in the CRAZY heat at 10AM... YES 10AM HEAT for the bus to Bangkok. I still love it really! lol!
Moving seats twice on the bus, once because there was water driping on me and the other because a couple got on with a BRAND NEW baby and wanted to sit next to each other. TSK!
Not liking it when any part of the body stranger I sit next to touches me in anyway... ISSUES! I try to ignore but I HAVE to inch away.. don't like it!! Even the slightest brush... is it just me!?!?! LOL! aahhh.. It gets a bit tiresome after 13.5 hours. Not much you can do when the person sitting next to you is rather on the large side.
Stopping three times to be stared at by intimidating army or police men boarding the bus with little or no inspection just intimidation... however one of them singled out the phillippine folks next to me and asked for their passports?!??!?
The girl in the philippine group crying her eyes out on realising they'r going to miss their flight home... the bus was scheduled to arrive at 22.30m, their flight was at 00.40, we were still on the road at 23.00 with no end in sight... poor thing!! A lovely Thai girl spoke to the slow %ss driver to let them off so they could get a rapid cab to the airport. I hope they made it!!!! Awwww.
Getting a cab in the middle of the night to The Old Charm which i find DESERTED! The lights were on but nobody was in there. The gate was open and the main front door unlocked...?!!?? So was the room to the dorm I stayed in before... SOOOO I just walked in piut my stuff down and settled in!! LOL. I'm just presumming considering I emailed ahead to tell them I'd be arriving late they must left it all open for me... SO COOOL!

Funny:
The two philippine girls singing sporadically throughout the journey 'We are the world' ....?!?!?!?!? LOL! Awwww

Good:
Another 9am pick up and this time I have time to run and get an ice coffee and a sandwhich before hand.
The CUTEST little boy I've eva seen outside the coffe shop who's mum is making my sandwhich with her permission I take a picture cause he's adorable!!!
Jumping in the back of the pick up truck and heading out to the workshop. There's a good few of us today, french bombshell Chantel and Margaret have joined the group making six.
We take out all the donated bikes again (which we did yesterday too) to make room to move around in the workshop. IT IS HOT TODAY. I'm sweating just after doing this!! The bikes are heavy! We pump the tyres up so they're ready to be taken to the nearby school to make some kids very happy! They're really good ones too!
After the legs of the climbing frame have been sawn off to get the right height for the kids we all grab an end and lift onto the back of the truck... forget health and safety!lol! I have pictures for proof.
Riding in the back of the truck with john and a massive kids climbing frame. Seriously there's no insurance for this!!lol! It's a good half hour drive and I'm BAKING at one point but I don't mind really, I love riding in the back of the truck! At one point we get near the centre and there are telephone poles and wires which the frame is precariousy near as we drive by!! Then we go past trees with low branches and the climbing frame nearly gets carried off taking John and I with it! L0L! Ahhhh all part of the experience. Much more fun than sitting in the safety of the back seat with the other gals!
Digging holes for the frame to go in IN THE HEAT. There's shade but I seriously must have lost a stone in water today with the amount of sweat shed! ERGH!
With much instruction from Ken and elbow grease and sweat from the group it's all done and dusted! YAY! It looks fab next to the swings which were planted some moons ago before i got here. It feels great to have done something worthwhile for a good cause depsite the little time I've had to do it in!
Late lunch with the Crew at a different beach and bar to yesterdays and a quick swim before driving back to town.
Riding in th back of the truck back to Khao Lak with Margaret (who is the spitting image of 'Grace' from 'Will and Grace' and having a good ol natter  and boys talk! :D
THE HEAT!! IT IS HOT LIKE FIRE!! We stop to get some supplies for the work shop and I have to buy some ice cold water and pour some on my face to cool down. CRAZ Y HOT but GOOOD!! :D
Going to the beach to have a late swim and read my book! Sooo nice on 'Green Beach' called so I reckon because they're loads of trees which provode much needed shade!
Back at the guest to lase around till dinner time.
Realsing it's my last chance to enjoy the beach at sunset so I change and walk back down!! lol!
It's BEAUTIFUL!! I'm so glad I came!! Gorgeous. The sky is a mix of lovely colours and it's so nice and simple to walk along the beach and watch the gorgeous view. As CORNY as it sounds this is truly is one of life's greatest pleasures and it's FREE!! SNIFF!! NO MORE BEACH SUNSETS... in Thailad anyways! I will miss them. Oh well. I'm determined to find a good spot to wath them in london in the summer!
Dinner with the gang at a great steak place in town where I have the BEST steak I've had in a while! It certainly even rivals the one I had in Buenos Aires!! DELICIOUS! I scrape my plate clean!!
'Moe's' bar, a quick drive down the road for a night cap or three. It's a really cool little bar and Rachel is excited she's found somewhere she can come and have mexican food for her lunchtimes!
Home again to pack and make sure I'm ready for another trek tomorrow... A 12 HR BUS RIDE TO BANGKOK!!!

Bad:
Producing my weight in sweat!
The 'Special VIP' night bus to Bangkok was full! Darn it I could have done another day's volunteering and a little more beach time. OH WELL!

Funny:
Me trying to take a picture of Barry the bear and I at sunset! It worked!
'Borat' discussions at the dinner table... not everyone approved!!

Good:
Getting picked up by Steve the volunteer organiser and heading over to the Fun4Kids workshop.
Spending the day sanding and painting and putting together a climbing frame for a new centre run by another local charity group 'Happy Hands'.
There's just four of us: John - English guy from Ealing, Mattau - from Slovenia, Steve and I. Steve, the organiser, goes off to run errands and leaves us to do all the hard work!lol! It's all good though and I get stuck in with the sander which is pretty strenuous stuff. I thought I had done enough DIY to last a lifetime. Well there's always more sanding. I'm well equipt with my goggles and head set to drown out the noise and i get through a good few planks!
Painting the frame a gorgeous YELLOW! :D
Screwing all the poles together with Steve's special new drill donated by a friend which fits all screw sizes, apparently brought from Hong Kong.... it gets a bit nackered after a few goes!! Oh dear.
When it gets too hot to work we go for a late lunch at the nearest beach and it is beautiful. Its a massive stretch as far as you can see on either side and the water is a gorgeous blue. It's warm water though which is not as cooling but I'm not complaining!
Lovely company after some hard work and a delicious lunch to go with it.
I'm dropped back at my guest house and then I walk down to the nearest beach to stay soak it up a little longer.
I walk past 'Green beach' a litle further on to another beach and go for a swim but the water is mental!! It's really choppy and the water seems to be coming in waves both back from the shore and in from the sea..!?!??! and you're in the middle of both and it's mental! Hilarious. Never experienced anything quiet like it....!
Bumping into some of the volunteers at the beach. Rachel invites me to come along to where she teaches a local boy english after I've had my swim.
Playing cards with Rachel, 14yr old Mausse (Thai sound not spelling :D) and a couple of lovely German kids who are on hols with their parents. It's 'Uno', which we call 'Whot' back home, and some of the rules are completely different to how I used to play it but it's fun anyways! Nice to chat to Rachel and her crazy student Mausse who's mum owns the beach bar we're in. The volunteers have taught his mum and his aunt and cousins etc. and it's so it's just been kept going by volunteers in the area who come and want to help.
Getting picked up by Steve at 7 outside Sri (my guest house) and being in the back of his pick up truck with Rachel, John and eventually Margaret.
Margaret and Rachel are both from the States, meeting for the first time but finding out they're from the same town, Tenesse, and that they know the same people... what are the odds?!?!? Figuring that heir dads probably know each other, that they're both Jewish and Rachel actually hangs out with Margaret's ex-boyfriend's brother. NUTS..
Going to a Tattoo and Ice cream parlour (great mix!) for a drink and some ice cream... Steve knows the owner and it's her birthday! At the end we all have a free pistachio and mint ice cream shot, she's mixed with a Liquer that I can't remember with the ice cream and it's delicious!! May have to investigate for future reference!
Dinner at Jai's back in Khao Lak and I have a delish Green Curry for a change!
It's HOT AS H*%L!!!! tonight and i'm still feeling nackered so when peeps all go for a night cap at Everyman's lazy bar I head on home for another early night.
Watching Iron Man on my laptop and more Skype chat with CB. It's so nice to be able to speak over the fandangled internet web machine! :D

Sad:
Seeing pictures posted on palm trees on the beach as I walk along to find Rachel. It shocks me at first and then I remember why they're there of course. There's one of a little boy no more than six or seven yrs old. It's got tinsel wrapped around it too and it's faded by the sun but it's a clear reminder of what happened here how many people must have lost the most important people to them.
Hearing Steve's recollection of the time he was here when the Tsunami hit and how if it hadn't been for his daughter resting it off  her sunburns that morning, indoors, he and his family would have been on the beach and very much less likely to have survived. There's other gruesome stuff I won't mention but it's very sad what he saw and the enormity of it made him want to stay and continue helping...  hence Fun4Kids
I cannot imagine going through such a devastating and life changing thing such as that. It's very inspring hearing his story but it's also very sad. It does make you feel lucky and grateful for everything you have.
It's crazy but inspiring to realise that some of the locals i've met may actually have lost their entire family and possessions and are now just getting on with their lives. Steve says the Thais don't want to have any more annual memorial ceremonies and who can blame them, apparently it's not in their tradition to do so anyway, maybe not forget what happened but just move on.

Bad:
Walking over to Jai's to ask if they have any rooms (I had wanted to stay here but the peeps at Krabi said they were full... ?!!??!). Yeah. They have rooms available unlike I was told and they're 50bht cheaper and there's free wifi also! My first official scam in Thailand. The friking LIARS! LOL! I knew it! But at the time the price was right and the place they offered was also on the list of places recommended by Steve which is why I agreed to it. Anyways I went to go see the room and it was quite nice but there was construction going on in the whole yard area and the bed was HARD as hell. LOL. Well it may have been a scam but I decide to stay where I am anyways! 50bht is worth it for my queen size comfy bed and no packing and moving all my stuff again!

Fuinny:
Trying to refrain from picking MORE shells! Must stop now!! LOL!
Mausse with his funny but slightly feminne ways...

Good:
Waking up and narrowly missing my bus to Khao Lak! I see it drive past my window and I have to run out and stop it and confirm my place. PHEW!
Getting to Krabi where I wait for about an hour for yet another bus but meanwhile chat to the girls behind the desk about shopping malls in Bangkok and chatuchak market. Nice chat.
Getting a bus finally to Khao Lak and the CRAZY driver we have that takes us through the mountains narrowly missing a truck round a corner... I close my eyes after that!! ARGH!
Getting to my guest house and being pleased with the choice. I booked it through the bus company and I paid them for one night already. I'm half thinking there's def a scam afoot somewhere but all seems good. The room is MASSIVE and I have a queen size bed with a telly and fan for 500bht. No fridge :(
I phone Steve the volunteering organiser and arrange to meet in a bar down the road that eve for introductions and a drink. I'm so glad to have finally found an organisation like Fun4Kids - http://www.fun4kidsinthailand.org/ - who let you come along at any time and lend whatever time you have for no fee or application!! There has been no one like that that I could find, everyone else wants a grand and 2weeks minimun for the pleasure of YOU coming to help THEM??? Fun4Kids is the perfect opportunity and a great cause if only I had found out about them sooner!
Meeting Steve and some other volunteers and going through the drill of a typical day's work. They all seem pretty nice and are a mixture of Teachers and people who help out at the local orphanage 'Home Life' - http://www.homelifethailand.net/ - or at the workshop for Fun4Kids like I will be doing. We're building a playground climbing frame for the kids. Most of the playgorund stuff that is built are for kids whose schools were devastated by the sunami and have no where to play :( The current project, if I remember correctly is for a centre for kids involved with another charity called Happy Hands and it will complete the play are set which now has two sets of swings and will be complete with the climbing frame :D Yay!
Looking forward to my first day back at work... volunteer style! Pick up is 9am the following morning.
Heading home early after a LONG day of traveling!
Chatting on Skype with CB. FREE WIFI!!!! FROM NOTHING TO FREEENEESSS!! Now thats the way it should be!

Bad:
Nearly missing my bus in the morning!!!
Being dropped off at Krabi, the driver pointing to me and an Austrian couple to get out on some high street in Krabi then closing the door getting back on the bus and driving off. Without a single word!!!! LMAO! Ahhhh. Hilarious.No instruction no reassurance of courtesy just nothing and gone... bye then!!lol! So we're standing there laughing at the craziness of it all when finally someone from the 'office' (a make shift desk and few chairs some yards away) said to just wait that our our bus would be here in 10mins... It's all one big guessing game traveling by bus in Thailand!! Happy, happy, joy, joy!

Funny
The crazy bus driver who shouted at me when I asked about which bus we were meant to get on and where to put the bags, i shouted back at him but then later realised that he actualy doesn't 'speak', and can only talk by shouting. He shouted whenever anyone spoke to him. It was hilarious. Nuts.
Everyone glad to get off the bus alive and away from the crazy driver...

Good:
Early start to make my way down to Long beach for the day.
Getting a Tuk Tuk with a lovely lady driver 'Youu' (Dont know Thai spelling!) who I talk with for the whole ride which is a good 20mins up the road for 100bht. Ahh she was lovely.
Breakfast at one of the beach restaurants of muselli, watermelon, bannana and yoghurt. SOOOO GOOOD. Seriously I'm sure it's not as nice as this is London!? I woulda had more of it if it was, what's the secret difference?!?! Fruit that doesn't taste like water perhaps???! Or does the sun jut make everything taste better?
More shell collecting! I go a bit crazy today and pick up tonnes! I can't stop!
Going for a swim and a cute little Thai girl keeping me company even tho we have no idea wehat each other is saying! We make numbers out of the long thin bits of coral and funny scupltues out of the ones with holes in.
Exploring the beach and going all the way down to one end where peeps are snorkling. I could do some snorkling again but I jut cannot be bothered! I'M DOING NOTHING!!
There's a poor deserted bar there and I'm wondering what makes the perfect beach bar work?... goodness knows I've been to a fair few now! Will make a list!
Having lunch of fried rice again... I LOVE IT! lol! It's so cheap, good for you with lots of vegetables and really refreshing when you're hot!
Having a massive deck bed thingy to myself. I make a back rest with two of those thai triangle pillows which works perfectly as does me watermelon shake!
Being back on the beach at the resort with a Singha at the bar listening to some chill out tunes watching the sunset. I'm totally comfortable here on my own and I stay and enjoy the view, music and my beer :D (No moron in sight which is nice too!). I have really no desire to attempt to join the peeps around me in conversation (apart from the nice staff at the bar) or join the party that's commencing in the pool with a mixture of what sounds like Israeli and American travelers, sometimes you just want to be ALONE! It's lovely quiet time.
Dinner in my room after inspecting my currently ridiculous hoard of shells. I should get good sleeps, im back on the road again tmrw headed for Khao Lak for some volunteering!

Bad:
The moron posh guy shouting at my window in the morning?!!??!!!? Seriously?!??!!? Mental poblems. Then calling out to me to have breakfast with him when I was leaving my room!! My goodness?!?!? Restraining order and straight jacket please!!!
My Internet wifi card playing up and stops working just as I want to call Chris. ARGH!!! I'm REALLY not happy about that. I've entered the code they gave me ten times but no luck and I go to reception but it's closed. It eventualy works after a restart, yay! Maybe because I had loged in earlier then logged out again... Sheesh!

Funny:
All the german and french tourists looking at me like I just came from outer space. Okay it wasn't that bad!lol! But I definately stood out on 'their' beach!

Good:
Early morning wait at the beach. Of course no one knows what's going on. We're all under a shady bit waiting for longtail boats to our destinations. Eventualy one gets called for Koh Lanta and we ride it out just for a little while to the big boat out at sea.
Sailing along on sitting outside on the deck edge with my feet dangling over. Reading my book and enjoying looking out at sea, the smooth sail, sun and relaxing. T'was really lovely!!
Getting a Tuk Tuk from the pier on Koh Lanta to my 'resort'! It's 500bht a night and the cheapest I could find!
Turns out to be PERFECT! Thank goodness! I'm so happeeeeee.
Setting up home then going out to the beach which is literally just beyond the pool! U walk down to Khlong Kong - what a great beach name!- and from one of the bars there I order, suprise suprise, some fried rice with chicken! :D
Quick swim in the pool! There's a pool!!! :D It startin to rain but it's cool because I sit at the pool area under shade for a good book Reading hour! There's Blue Six playing some good old chilled house and I am relaxing at last! When the rain stops I taking a walk over down the Pra-ae part of the beach. There's a bit if rubbish washed up and bits everywhere but it makes for good pictures. It's land of the forgotten flip flops / surreal rock garden etc.
Climbing over some precarious rocks thinking to myself don't break anything now! You've come so far!lol I find a tiny beach in an alcove which is totally serene and lovely. After my bit of exploring and swiming and mega shell collecting I head back to my room to deposit the shells, I'm pleased with my loot!!
Sitting back at the beach with the music from the bar in the background and a watermelon shake in one hand watching the sunset on the horizon.
Texting Chris to try and share the moment with him.lol! I want us to come back here!
Getting dinner in my room and watching all sorts on my telly. Yes, telly AND fridge for 500bht!!!!lol

Bad:
NO INTERNET!!!! It's down this afternoon but hopefully back up tmrw! It better be!
Some weird british guy who kept calling me Queen of Sheba who was off his head making riddled statements and kept talking to me every time he saw me, a bit posh, a bit of a moron but harmless so I don't knock him out. Some people are beyond help.

Funny:
The long tail boat driver asking us where we're going... he didn't know?!?! We had to tell him which boat we needed for our onward journey!
Having to make some high tech adjustments to my fan to get it to make some cooling contribution to the room instead of just pointing ztraight downwards onto the pillows - My bikini string does the job of holding it in place perfectly!

Good:
Getting to Surathani at about 6am safe and sound.
Chatting to Sej an American couple who've just been to India so they talk about that and it's really interesting. One day it'll be great to explore India.
Finally getting the bus from Surathani to Krabi where I sit by the water earphones in so all is pretty chilled.
Finally, after travelling since 6am this morning, an overnight boat, taxi jeep, bus, taxi jeep then FINALLY getting on a long tail over to Railay. A lovely ride over.
Checking out YaYa's bungalows, two rooms I looked at, they were dark and the area around them STANK, the bathrooms were not nice so no, I decide not to stay here!!
Catching up with Monika, the Polish girl i'd met on the boat and attempting to get a long tail boat over to Ton Sai (the accoma=odation is cheaper over there) but the guy wont take us till there are four of us at 50bht each. So we drop our bags by the beach and go for a swim instead of waiting!
Heading back to the beach Railay west to watch people rock climbing. Monika spots some people that were on our boat from Koh Phagan who have done a day trip from Krabi just to go Rock Climbing. I'm really wishing I had enough money and time to give it a go. Looks pretty cool!! This place is Rock climber's heaven and seems a shame not to take advantage, but oh well!
Back at the beach East side and we've got three peeps for the boat and he's happy to pay 100bht so we jump in and ride round the corner to Ton Sai. We can walk back oevr to Railay once the tide goes out! It's usually just a ten minute walk over some rocks but the tide is well in right now a boat is needed!
We stay a t some bungalows which I cannot for the life of me remember the name of. They are pretty cool. Clean and one of the few affordable that are not shacks. There are some serious shacks here. I'm not in the mood for too much roughing it. We share a room so it's only 250bht!
Walking over the rocks to get back to Railay beach.. a MISSION but a bit of an adventure which is cool.
Going over to the Princess Cave to see the ahem... phalic, symbols put there as offerings in the hope of good fortune and fertility. It's really colourful and quite an impressive display!
Waiting at a beach shake bar until the dowmpour dies down then heading back to our side for a quick drink before the walk home.
The LOUDEST crack of thunder I've EVER heard! It was nuts. I pretty much jumped out of my skin!!!
Walking back over the rocks, making it just in time before night fall. A walk NOT to do when it gets dark! It's hard enough when you can see where you're going!!
Much needed shower and then out for some serious interenet time! Why is it I need the internet the most when it's so ridiculously expensive!???!
Nice dinner then off to explore the bars around Ton Sai. We go first to the one on the beach with cheap drinks for happy hour. Pina colada and a fire show, beautifuly chilled reggae and nice company. Sweet.
Walking over to another bar for where we have one more drink and are entetained by the barman explaining how many ways you can say Kah or Kao in Thai and what the different pronounciations there are... about 9 or so?!?!? lol!!
Walking back along the beach in the moonlight to our bungalow. The tide has come in a bit so we have to wade a little! It's beautiful!! The moonlight is so bright and shines over the massive rocks overhead. The photos don't do it justice at all.
Nice day all in all LONG but worth it in the end. I've seen Railay now but booked my ticket for the next day for some relaxation straight to Koh Lanta!! :D

SAD:
A poor poor little kitten who must have been a runt maybe abandoned by it's mother slowly dying outside our room on the porch. :( Saddest thing I've ever seen.
The bungalow peeps came and took it away. There was no saving it. The saddest thing ever.

Bad:
Getting to Surathani at about 6am safe and sound but NACKERED!! Not much sleep on the oh so comfy night boat. I think I was the only one that was a bit chilly. Sarrong ti the rescue.
Waiting around where as usual NO ONE TELLS YOU WHATS GOING ON. Ahhhh too funneeee.
My bag being second to last to come off the boat covered in what looks like rust.. well it's brown and muddy looking. Please be rust! The guy who throws it out sees it and just laughs. I'm seriously going to loose my mind.
The guides outside the boat continously shouting 'Holiday!!!''Holiday!!!''Holiday!!!' The name of the company nearly EVERYONE is using for connections onwards. Their shouting to come over to them once we get our bags.... WE CAN HEAR YOU YOU'RE TWO FEET AWAY FROM US. WE'RE ALL OFF THE BOAT NOW SO THE THE LAST FIFTY TIMES YOU SHOUTED IT WERE ENOUGH. No. They shout another 200 times.
Taken in groups of eight in jeeps to a restaurant/office where you don't know what's going on and they're two groups going to Krabi one's already on a bus but no on knows if we're to get the same one. I just sit and accept to wait till someone shouts at me. They just want you waste time so you eat there.
Finally getting the bus from Surathani. Two seats to myself and quite comfy but I have THE MOST ANNOYING COUPLE in front of me who talk the ENTIRE way. I mean who has that much to say this early in the morning?!?!? I turn round to check but there's no where else to escape to on the bus. Ir's about 7am but still they don't shut their big fat mouths. I was actually updating my blog with my earplugs in so it didn't bother me but if I had wanted to sleep I woulda tell to sort their lives out.lol. Unlike the girl at the front who just kept turning round to stare at her with sleepy eyes.
Finally getting to Krabi where I wait another hour and a half...
The internet at Ton Sai at 3bht a min! 3bht?!?!??! Losers.
Trying to walk back after the bars at Ton Sai to our bunaglow and through the back route and then turning around when we see the pathway through pretty much jungle is PITCH black.ERRR NO. Finding a path with lights only to be followed by a group of Thai men. On either side is nothing but pitch black jungle. Nice. We make it through alive but I had a minute where I was ready to break out some legging it action!! lol!

Funny:
Barman's antics at Ton sai. Kao, koa, koh, koi, koo, kaa......!! I've got a copy of the kao's in Thai on paper?!?!
Bus and noat waiting around antics. Hilarious.

Good:
Waking up the morning after the party the night before. Feeling not to bad at all!!
The sun's out in full force but I've got to consider my next move and potential plans involving packing and such like.
It's a shame i don't get to say bye to Amy but I decide I'm not going to waste a night when I've got no plans for tomorrow so I check out and take a chance booking a bus to Railay from one of the agents in town.
Walking through town before dinner and seeing people all standing around little tellys outside shops. It's the full moon DVD. It's actually quiet funny to watch but a purchase I most certainly not be making!
Having booked my ticket all fine and settling down to another bowl of Fried rice with chicken and pork and 'The Beach' on the telly in the restaurant. I know they've been showing it alot round here but this is the first time I catch it. Soooo weird to watch it. The portrayal of the travelers dream... a beautiful beach just for you and your peeps and no other tourists... it is impossible! The portrayal of the crazies in Koh Phangan is spot on and when I eventually leave and walk through the streets to get my taxi to the boat there's a distinct surealness about it all! Wish I coulda watched to the end, it's been ages since I've seen it. The Shark scene stilll shocks me!!! ERGH!!
Getting the jeep taxi to the pier with some other peeps. Were all sitting in the back of the open truck thingy and itr feels like a roller coaster... going up and down slopes and hills... it was properly nuts!! At one point the moon, massive tonight, gives the illusion of rising higher and higher like we were on a small ball of an island... hard to explain but it was cooool. :) I was holding on for dear life but enjoying the ride and moonlight and checking out the little areas we passed by, the rest of more quieter Koh Phangan.
Finally getting to the boat and it being the most surreal thing EVA. A really dimly lit wooden double deck thing with open areas downstairs and windowed really low ceilings upstairs. I'm sandwiched inbetween Sej, a lovely indian girl from Birmingham and some English dude I forget his name. There's about 60 or so thin mattresses laid out 30 on each side maybe more! You hav to stoop to walk through and watch not to step on anyone's bags, clothes or guitars!
Standing downstairs in the open air bit, lovely sea air at night and nice little bit less than full moon :)
Finally getting some shut eye and feeling glad there are no crazies trying to make it a party night boat. It's comfortable enough but not for the easily claustraphobic!

Bad:
Carrying my pull along make shift backpack from lighthouse to town. Long.
The fried rice dinner... too salty!
Not having enough time to enjoy the sun today... it was grey by 2pm!
Trying to call peeps in bungalows at Railay... no luck. The cheapest 'Ya Ya's'  has got pretty bad reviews. Will have to wait till get there and go check it out. First time not booking anywhere before getting there. Should be interesting.

Funny:
The way Koh Phangan is meant to easiest place for the peeps in film 'The Beach' to get their supplies... I'm sure this woulda had to be Phi Phi but they cheated for the film me thinks?!??
Using the custom timer on my canon to take pics of me on my balcony! What a great invention.
Sej being told by this guy to move over because she was on his mattess? Truth was they put out more numbers out than mattresses...!!! So she was infact needing to be lying directly underneath the number on the wall correspoding to your ticket. Turns out her number was stradling two matresses so she had to lie half on his half on mine. HILAREYE. They're not that wide. Well at least she wasn't the lucky one who had this same set up but with a pole sticking out from betweern the two mattresses! Seriously?!?!?!