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Hello everybody and welcome to our last blog from Thailand,
Our last update left you in Ko Phi Phi. Since then we have been to Ko Lanta and Railay beach and have continued to have a brilliant time. Last Monday Jo and I woke early so we could fit in a walk up to the top of a hill with great views out over Ko Phi Phi, with the narrow sandbar and brilliant beaches on either side. Packing our bags we caught a boat to Ko Lanta at 11.30. Knocking on Ben, Darryl and Jack beforehand, they definitely weren't ready, and hadn't even bought their tickets yet! We went to our boat, and at the last minute saw them running for it.
Our resort in Ko Lanta was on Khlong Khong beach and was pretty good at just 4 pounds each a night. The pool was really nice and looked out onto the beach and sea. We spent most days by there, swimming and sunbathing, although it seemed to thunder and rain on cue every afternoon. We even had spa treatments available at the resort. Joe, Darryl and Jack treated themselves to Thai massages, whilst Jo decided to push the boat out with both a Thai massage and pedicure. We really enjoyed Ko Lanta, it had some amazing beaches and the most relaxed and quiet atmosphere so far in the South. On our first night we went to a really cool restaurant opposite our hotel. There was only one cook with one wok, so it took ages, but when it came the Thai food was definitely worth the wait! We enjoyed it so much that we went back on our final night there.
On Tuesday we hired mopeds and went out and about to explore the island. Our first stop was Lanta's Old Town. Jo and I searched out a shop we'd read about that sold really authentic, hand-woven hammocks. Treating ourselves, we bought one which was big enough to fit the both of us in! On our way back over to the western side of the island we stopped on top of a mountain for some good views. Getting back on the mopeds, I gave mine plenty of revs to get up the mountain... Unfortunately I managed to give it a few too many! It became a problem when I tried to use the brakes but also accelerated more in the process. I managed to go down into a ditch and into the side of a mountain, scraping my big toe! Luckily only Jack saw and helped me get the bike back on the road. It made me very cautious for the rest of the day! We stopped off at a beach for a while and had a swim but quickly had to make a run for it to escape the daily thunderstorm. Avoiding the storm, we had another great Thai meal at a roadside restaurant for lunch. That evening we went to a Full Moon Party on the beach which we all thought (except Ben!) was pretty average.
On Thursday, we caught a boat at 1:30 to Railay. We were picked up offshore by a large longtail boat which covered the remainder of the distance to the beach. Getting out proved more difficult: we had to wade up to the beach with our bags in tow! Railay is a pretty impressive place on first sight. A crescent bay is topped at either end by humongous limestone karst mountains. Coming in on the boat, we could see rock-climbers attempting to scale the sheer cliffs in the scorching heat! Unfortunately the downpours continued in Railay, but getting up early enabled us to make the most of our days. We spent Friday by the pool which was a short distance from the beach. Joe and I spent our time alternating between the warm, bath-like sea and the more refreshing pool. Ben even designed and constructed his own sandcastle, complete with keep, ramparts, and crenellations! Needless to say he attracted much attention from small children who came to stare with their mouths open!
That evening, we had a brilliant cook-your-own barbeque, similar to the one in Luang Prabang, but this time with fish instead of pork. Happily, I was sat with Jo, and therefore got all the fish! This morning we moved next door to a new resort, Railay Bay Resort & Spa, for 1 night. I had used the money Luke & Sammy and Joe & Chloe had given me for my birthday to stay in a posh hotel. The room was pretty amazing... very plush with an extraordinarily comfy bed, a leather sofa and TV. The bathroom had a tub (both Jo and I had soaks) and the most powerful shower we've experienced so far travelling. What capped the room off was the remote by the bed through which you could control all the electrics in the entire room!
We decided to hire kayaks today with the boys and Leah and Rich, 2 friends the boys had met in Bali. Heading west from our beach we passed through caves, golden beaches and some pretty amazing karst scenery with huge stalactites hanging off the cliffs everywhere. We got some really good photos. Jo was in a kayak with me, and was worried that she was slowing us down, but once we got into a bit of a rhythm, we were able to cover some distance. It was tiring work though! We eventually stopped at a little cove for a swim. Heading back towards our beach, we went beyond it to Ton Sai beach where we had lunch. Just as we were ready to go a sudden downpour started. After waiting 10 minutes or so for it to subside, we made a dash back. Jo and I made it in one piece, but Joe and Jack, and Ben and Darryl, all managed to capsize! This evening we've had a quiet one, saying goodbye to the boys, and getting ready to leave for Bangkok tomorrow. By late Monday night we will be in Darwin, Australia!
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