Setting off on our journey from Siem Reap to Bangkok, all was good until arriving at the rather confusing and busy border crossing. From backpackers crying over refused entry, to lorries packed to the rafters with livestock, and local children illegally crossing by hiding within scrap metal trucks. Once stamped out of Cambodia we headed across no man’s land to Thailand where having to wait an hour, (in a boiling hot office where they decided not to switch on any of the 8 air con units) we were eventually allowed entry. Once through, SE Asia again showed signs of how backwards some things are as we were forced to wait for over an hour to be separated into minibuses for the journey to Bangkok and Koh San Road.
That evening, after being dropped off on the side of a motorway, we wandered along the hustle and bustle of Koh San Road before retreating for the night. With only two nights in Bangkok, the next day we headed to the Indian Embassy to arrange visas which was rather difficult considering we had to take a local bus and we could speak not even the basics of the thai language and the bus conductor didn’t know any English! After a lot of confusion it was sorted, so we spent the afternoon at Bangkok’s most famous of sights – the Grand Palace, where I was lent some attractive pyjamas as my knee length shorts were too short. Although it was an exceptional site, having spent the past week seeing temples and such likes, they start to look the same after a while.
As our final day in Bangkok arrived it was St Patricks Day, and what better way to start than to venture to an Irish Bar for some bangers and mash, far from cheap, but effective. Having decided the previous day we would go to the Full Moon Party in Koh Phangan we spent the day not doing a lot before heading off on our 18 hour bus and boat journey to Koh Samui.
Finally arriving in Samui, we eventually met up with the Danes (Bjorn, Troels and Mikel who we’d met in Aus) following a bit more confusion over which McDonalds to meet up at – we didn’t expect that there’d be 2 on such a small Thai island. That evening the five of us set off on a speed boat to Koh Panghan for the Full Moon Party where UV was a must. Once kitted out in our various glowing colours we set off with our alcohol infused buckets in search of the beach where we eventually met up with a few girls from uni and partied the night away.
The next morning...well, afternoon, the true damage from the night before was acknowledged. The three Danes had managed to get lost from one another during the night and once back on Samui, Troels was offered the services of a Thai lady to which he refused, meanwhile on Panghan, Bjorn opted for the most fateful error of all…a tattoo bearing the names Troels and Mikel….on his arse!
As Samui and its beautiful beach came to an end, the next stop was Koh Tao, where the five of us continued on our journey together once more and signed up for a four day PADI course. Since there were four guys and one girl, it’s gotta be said that Soph definitely pulled the short straw as the five of us shared a room. As for the course, we were pretty lucky to be given Rich McClean, or Richy Mc or the Macdaddy (just a few of the Danes names for him) for our instructor, as we spent a few hours each day in the classroom with him as well as four dives in open water! We all passed the rather easy exam, lacking in any invigilation whatsoever! Most evenings were spent relaxing watching films and quoting The Hangover, however following the completion of our course, most of us felt exactly like the film as we got rather blotto that night – not to mention Troels getting punched in the face by a Frenchman in a wheel chair…hilarious.
On leaving Koh Tao for Phi Phi me and Soph set off for our night boat (whilst the Danes opted for Koh Panghan instead), however deciding not to secure our bags to the roof of the pickup, mine flew into the darkness and was fortunate not to injure an oncoming motorcyclist! Our driver of the pick-up just laughed, no apology of course. That night was an experience to say the least; packed in like sardines the boat was crashing along the choppy ocean, the windows banging open and closed, water leaking in through the roof, as well as a huge thunder storm to go with it and about 20 lifejackets between 100. Eventually, however, we did arrive in Surithani where we were sent to the West to Phi Phi, described as one of the more beautiful islands in Thailand.
Arriving in Phi Phi was so different to the previous islands, with no roads and small intricate streets, it made a complete contrast, however not too dissimilar in relation to its touristy nature. That day, we headed to the beach, before the beginning of ‘The End’ as the storms came in and decided to continue for the remainder of our time on the island. After two more days of rain, we decided to leave and head back to Bangkok on our way up to Chiang Mai – only to pick up our passports - once in Bangkok is definitely enough! Our plan to take another 18 hour journey up to the capital however was ruined as a bridge had collapsed on the mainland during the unseasonal floods and we were forced to fly from Phuket instead.
Now at this point, I will warn you, the next few hours for myself consisted of vomiting, nausea…and the other… due to a dodgey piece of meat the night before. With choppy seas due to the weather, we were immediately given sick bags before setting off to Phuket and that means only one thing…and yes, I did…many times. A flight later (involving more of the above) and finally we arrived in Bangkok, which was conveniently when the food poisoning decided to disappear. The next couple of days were spent recovering and being nursed by Soph, as well as collecting our passports from the Indian embassy before flying off to the north of Thailand to Chiang Mai – the choice of a flight simply due to the speed (1 hour rather than a 15 hour coach journey).
