Thailand - The Final Chapter

Saturday lunchtime and I'm on my way to Ko Samui. Just as the plane picked up speed, it braked hard at the end of the runway instead of taking off! The captain announced that he wasn't happy, that there was a technical fault and he wanted to check it out. We ended up having to change planes so were delayed, but I had nowhere specific to be so it didn't affect me. It's only a short flight and when I arrive there the weather is super duper sunny! But I still have to keep travelling to as my final destination is Ko Phangan. I buy a ticket which includes transfer from the airport to the pier, then the boat to KP. You can't fly to any island except KS, so it's boat to everywhere else. I arrive at HaadRin beach, which is where the full moon party is held, and one reason why I am here in KP. Everybody you speak to who has been to KP, has been to the full moon party, so I thought I'd give it ago! And seeing as it was my last week in Thailand and travelling, why not spend it on the beach, ahhh paradise!

From HaadRin I took a taxi to the NE coast, which is away from the touristy HaadRin beach and a more relaxing place to be. The ride was pretty bumpy as most of the roads around this area haven't been concreted, it's just dirt roads. It takes about 1h to get there and walk onto the beach, which is lovely! I found the resort at the end of the beach and it was beautiful! I got a really good rate for choosing to stay there a week, very good in fact, and I couldn't believe how lush it was, just stunning! The guide book says it's one of the newer places, and it was really very clean, and quiet, beautiful wooden rooms and bungalows, and very hilly, so they even had little taxi's to take you up to you room!! I was very pleased, it was like paradise.

By the time I got there it was around 6pm, so I just relaxed in the room, in my Thai silk robe (!) after getting some food and dropped off watching the movie channel.



Happy Birthday Jessica!
After a yummy yummy breakkie over looking the bay, I headed to the pool, where I spent half the day laying by, reading on listening to music! In fact, most days were pretty much like this! The pool was fab, very clean and pretty. There's so many plants everywhere, it's like the resort is in sort of a forest, but that means there were so many mosquito's too. The bathroom is sort of outside, like a room without a roof, except over the toilet, so when you're on the loo, there's mozzies trying to nibble my ankles! The weather was cloudy most days, but really hot, so I could still sit out all day and be warm. It rained a few times, but no major downpours.

That night around 11pm, I was on a boat and heading to HaadRin with the other party goers woo! The moon was full and bright and as you came round the corner to the beach, you could hear the thud-thud-thud of the bass music on the beach, and the bright lights, a bit like a fairground on the beach. It was a bit crazy! Lots of very drunk people already, people skipping with a fire rope and then getting their ankles caught on it, many stalls selling BBQ food and buckets. Basically, you buy a small bucket which has a bottle of spirit and some pop or red bull, pour it all in together and drink it. I had a couple of beers to warm up before hitting the buckets! Had my arm painted with some U paint, that glows in UV light, rave on! The music was all club music though, dance music, now and again you'd hear some Bon Jovi or Girls Aloud, but mainly dance, which was disappointing. I wandered through the streets of HaadRin checking out the shops and trying the local pancakes.....just to make sure they were as good as the ones in Bangkok :) and then dancing the night away with everyone else! The boat was leaving at 2am, so the last hour I just sat on the beach with beer/water chatting away until it was time to go. I felt pretty drunk after one bucket and some beers, but I'm a total lightweight now, as I never binge drink. I'm sure that'll all change though next week ha ha. It was an enjoyable night and I'm glad I went, I just wish the music had been different, but if you get the chance, then go!



Happy 50th Birthday Mum!
Next few days were spent blogging, reading, getting to know other resorters, like one guy I kept bumping in called Alistair. Although he was just like Dale Winton in is voice and manner, so I kept calling him that....in my head! One day I rented a kayak and had a quick go in that, went to the other said of the bay for some lunch and came back. Had my final Thai massage one day, and realised that it's more of an experience, it doesn't do anything for me and I much prefer a regular massage. Another day I took a quick tour of the island, which was good. I really like KP, it's not as busy as Samui but definitely more going on than Ko Tao, and it was nice to discover that of the parts of the island I saw, I think I was in the nicest place. The resort had it's only little part of the beach, but you only walked 3 mins to get over the rock to the main part, which was really nice. It had a big posh resort there and a few other places to stay, one dive shop and a few eateries. The one which always seemed to be packed had a BBQ of fresh fish every night, which I did enjoy one night. I also stopped off for some Burmese food, and that was so delish! Although it did have lots of coriander, but that just reminded me of Brazilian and Columbian food, mm mmmm.



Happy Birthday Auntie Philippa!
Thurs night at the resort held a Thai buffet and dance night so I decided to tag along to that. The food was pretty yummy, and I saved room for all the lovely Thai desserts! The dancing was fro all regions of Thailand apparently, but they didn't explain which dance was from which region! But the costumes were lovely. There was also a Philippino couple, a man on a guitar and a woman singer, who sang songs to all the tables, which I thought was totally cheesy! However, when they asked me for a request, and I went bright red and said something rocky, they did a version of sweet child o mine off the cuff, brilliant! I was well impressed after that!




After topping up my tan and totally chilling out for a week, it was time to head back to Bangkok. It was my splurge week and therefore had decided to splurge on a night in a posh hotel in Bangkok, named the banyan tree, also recommended by LP. This was also a very nice hotel indeed, and again I spent the night relaxing in my robe! It was expensive for what I'd been paying, but cheap compared to England, cheap as chips! I did some shopping at Siam square, as they have this huuuge shopping centre called Paragon, which I saw with Andy, but didn't go in. It was super posh! Even posher than the emporium. Spent ages look at clothes and window shopping, just wandering around, was great. I ate at a place called Harmonique, which had Thai food to die for, mmm it was so good! I had shrimp and cheese spling loll, then shrimp red curry and rice, so so good, I gobbled it all up.

That evening later on, I went for a drink at the top of the banyan tree at the Moon bar. The restaurant up there is called Vertigo, but it is super expensive, but, it is on the very top of the building under the stars and just fantastic! I know a friend of mine had been there before and even suggested it to me, and I can see why! You can see the whole of Bangkok, all lit up at night, it was just unreal, stunning. They also have a pool that is open air, but it's halfway up the building and nowhere near as impressive and this beautiful bar, you could almost touch the clouds! I was well pleased and totally enjoyed my last time in Bangkok, superstar style!



Tues 13th October today and I'm just finishing off a bit of my blog, in a cheapy hotel near the airport and it's thrashing it down, with thunder and lightning! I arrived yesterday and that evening, spent one last time wandering around and having some 15baht noodle soup. Well you have to do it the backpacker way too! I leave for the airport in an hour where I then fly onto Hong Kong. I'm staying with a family friend there for 2 nights, before flying back home on Thursday, which I am very excited about! I'm a bit sad to think that I won't be travelling any more, but I know that I have had an amazing 9 months seeing sights not many people get to see, and even though I'm coming home early I don't have a day where I wish that wasn't the case. I definitely want to travel again, so it's back to work to save hard for my next adventure.

I really liked Thailand a lot, even though it was so much more expensive than I imagined and unfortunately I think it has developed at an incredible rate and caters big time for tourists, but it has been an amazing part of my trip. I loved Bangkok a bit more each time I went back, because I think it absolutely takes some getting used to. It is very busy, dirty, full of pollution and people trying to get money out of you, but there are nice parts, and so much to see and do, I needed 4 visits to get it all done! My favourite place has to be the lower southern gulf, where all the islands were, I love the beach and the sea and the sun, so where better to be! Ko Tao so cool and relaxed, Phi-Phi is beautiful but busy, Samui is nice if you stick to the resorts, but also a party island if you want that too and Phangan is lovely, very laid back and easy to be there. I'd love to go back there for a holiday too. Chaing Mai was also a top place, loads to do and see, and northern Thailand quite different to the city, much more relaxed and cultural, but nowhere near as laid back as the islands. I feel like I've seen so much of Thailand in 2 months and it's been fab, but now I can't wait to see the rest of Asia before it becomes too touristy like Thailand.