16 May 2002 - Ko Samui to Ko Phangan

Ko Samui 05/05/02
we delayed our trip to phangan by another day so we could go and see Jade
and Marks friends that were over from Oz. THey were staying in a 250 pound (
convert that to % euro your-o-self) a night resort. I wont bore you with a
detailed decription of the place... just picture paradise and put me in the
middle of it and you'll get the idea. for best results just picture paradise
!!

Samui to Phangan 06/05/02
Got up to catch the :30 ferry to Phangan. transport here is really cheap, it
cost 100 baht which is about 2 euro for a 45 min crossing. ( well a 45 min
10 sec and 2 10ths of a second according to my new watch ( thanks to
Experience IT). Im going to time how long i can hold my breath under water
later..can't wait.
Crossing was smooth and very scenic. took a while to find accomodation as it
was all too expenisve or too Sh*ty. Can someone tell me is it so hard to
find a place with pool maids, free food and massage for 3 euro a night ??
Eventually the heat got the better of me and it was time for one of us to
mind the bags while the other searched for a place to stay. I told Kelly i
would time her but it didn't seem to appeal...So off i went in search. When
we did get settled the next thing to conquer was the empty bellies and
wallets. Nearest bank machine was in the next town according to the locals,
but we didn't mind seing a bit of the island straight away. shared a taxi
with a nice girl from England who had been traveling alone for a couple of
months. After two mins of listening to talking to her it became obvoous why
she was traveling alone. couldn't get a word in ...didn't need to or want
to. Half way towards our destintation we stopped at the bottome of one of
the many hills to let Dorothy out to trot off down the yellow brick
road...she had to have been staying somewhere like that. THe taxi litterally
stopped for two seconds before he took off in a panic again. There was
another taxi coming down the hill after us, I think they must have known the
driver/car or something as i thought i heard the word 'break' mentioned. Now
thats what i call local knowledge.
I presumed they knew he couldn't stop which was lucky for us really, but not
for miss Mary Poppins as she didn't get a chance to get out of the car. She
was dragged and extra 100 yards or so out of the way but im sure whatever
she was on meant she didn't mind.
As punishment for bringing Kelly to the next town and giving her bumps on
her bumps she shoved me into the hair dresser to get the hair shaved off. "
Ahh sure it will always grow back".. the usual sales line. didn't feel like
mentioning Bobby Charlton (or the great mr Eoin Stokes). In the end it was
good to get to know the real shape of my head. Ill try to send photos back
home for the craic !!
Wasn't brave enough for the number two yet though...takes time !!
Caught a taxi back to our resort where we were dropped off beside a Barber
shop and and ATM !!! Time for a drink and a bite to eat...the waiter kept
using my flip flops to cross the street with but i decided to say nothing as
it was probably his dog i was eating, share and share alike.
Bumped into the Irish crew again...good to see them. 3 sounds lads and an
Arsenal fan ( just joking Graham). They filled us in on the best places to
stay as we were being over priced. It's our own fault though as we wanted
air con.. in the end we didn't even use it. Kelly arranged to meet up with
Graham in the morning where he would take us to the doorms with maids,
pool(swamp) etc. for 250 baht a night ...close enough !!

07/05/02
Was awoken by the delicate sound of thunder (my ar*e pink floyd), our
bungalow shook and then the sound of rain became louder as i opened my
eyes..bit strange thatone. tried closing them then opening them again to
test what i was really using to hear with but it was just a coincidence.
Couldn't see Graham turing up in that rain so we stayed in bed. Mark, Jade,
Paul and Zoe arrived at about1 from Samui. Spent the day catching waves
(dudes) and watching movies in the pubs because of rain. Became depressed
watching Black Hawk down.. aprantley its a true story.
Met the lads again and heard of how Graham got up to meet us at the craic of
dawn this morning... could only happen to an Arsenal fan.

08/05/02 - Moved to nicer apts.
Up early packed the bags and moved to the new accomodation. It's the
business, has an open air foyer where everyone can relax, drink watch T.V.
etc. THe rooms are the nicest i've seen and also the cheapest. If anyone is
planning on hitting Phangan this is the place to stay. Only a short walk
through the town, then through a small section of trees before you hit the
half moon shaped beach ( otherwise known as a cove i supposed !!! Im trying
to get extra points for being descriptive). It's just like you would see on
the T.V. except we had the rain included again today so it was back to the
foyer for T.V. and games.

09/05/02
More rain today so no boat trip around the Islands. THis is day #3 with
rain. I odnt want to leave as we haven't got a chance to do or see
anythingyet but it's time to look at another plan if this keeps up. It's
like an Asian Mosney holiday. Thank god for the foyer. Paul and Zoe have had
enough and have headed back to Samui. Can't see the weather being any
different there as the rain is all over Asia. Sat in and watched Ace Ventura
2.

10/05/02
THe plan now is to get out of here as our Irish friends have left also (I
sleep with the hat Al every night and ill feed it and take it for walks
every day...honest!!) Each day we keep saying " maybe the weather will
improve" but still no real change.
I'd like to see Phuket, Phi Phi,Turatao but that is on the west coast of
Thailand and it's now coming into monsoon season there. It's not supposed to
hit the east coast until next month...could have fooled me !! I dont really
fancy heading out of the frying pan and into the fire, or more like out of
the bath and into the lake so the other option now is to head south towards
the malaysian border...not much mentioned in the bible( lonley planet guide
book) about that area. Wasted too much time here now waiting on an
impovement it's time to move on...
....."maybe tomorrow the weather will improve"

11/05/02 - Half moon party
THe sun has got his hat on...hip hip hip hurray !! What a nice way to spend
your last day here... on the beach at last. It's too late to try and
organise any boat trips or rent a jeep. We've just got to accept that we
wont get to see the Island this time around. Plans to return this way soothe
us...
So off down to the beach...and back again 4 hours later..rain. The famous
full moon party is two weeks away now, but not for love nor money am i
hanging around for that. THere is however, a not so famous half moon party
on tonight which i presume is 'half' as good. Wnt for our last supper with
Johnny the swede ( or Sven as Diggers has now christened him). he's a good
skin and we try to do the usual 'lets teaach him some Irish' but end up
learning that "Ta me go maith" means take me old lady in swedish. (Careful
round the grandparents folks.)
Tomorrow we will leave for Songkhla, for reasons unknown as the bible states
it "not worth going out of your way for". A couple of testaments have been
wrong so far... off to the half moon we go.

12/05/02 - the morning after

Great party last night indeed. Sven brought his two mates along from England
plus another couple from Ireland came along( DAve and Orla). Started off
with a couple of drinks on the beach...lost DAve and Orla along the way to
the party. Had to get a taxi there which was eventful !! Diggers was in
flying form and and took the mick out of a bunch of canadians. I don't think
the knew what hit them. He offered them a free taxi ride if they could
explain what a b*ll*x was. After a huddle between them they couldn't do it,
nor could they do the same for the 'craic'.
Good music , good atmosphere but come 5:30 it was time to leave. Jade,
Diggers and Sven stayed on, so not surprisinly here i am writing from
Phangan again.

New route planned...we're going to go for it now and go all the way into
Malaysia into Palau Penang. Jade and Mark are making their way home and need
to get to Kuala Lumpur. Our journey is a good 10 hrs and K.L should be an
extra 5-7 on top of that. One last game of checkers with Sven (and another.
He beat me twice... the boy learns fast) I take my incomponet self to bed.
Take care Sven and enjoy ze world cup, we will beat ze Germans and you vill
beat ze English.

Right well there you go.... Im in malaysia now but i think i leave that
story till next weeks update as i dont want to bore you any more. going to
see star wars tonight..

Gav.