Bangkok - having spent the night in our first real hostel I was eager to leave Bangkok - still wasn't really for me I have to say. We decided the best way to get to Koh Samui is by one of the buses that leaves Koh San Road every night - we bought ours for 350bht. Seemed like a bargin (6 quid each) however once we read the lonely planet guide (something we prob should have done first) we read that its all a scam nd you end up in minibuses with no air con for 12 hours!! It also said you might get gassed and have your bag stolen!! Hmm back to the drawing board then. Not happy at the possibility of having to spend another night in a skanky hostel we went to the train station to buy our tickets for an overnight journey - got 2nd class sleeper train for a tenner. 

Before we set off for Koh Samui we decided we had to at least once try a Tuk Tuk. There are literally hundreds of these little carts that run around on a motorbike engine. Everydriver wants to take you out for a tiny price. Our one said 10bht (15p) for a 'sightseeeing tour of Bangkok' so off we set - it was well scary!! He is flying down these roads cutting up buses and taxis!! Anyway so we arrived at the first temple (can't remember the name) it was closed due to it being a buddist ceremony so the guy took us into a smaller one. They are really beautiful though- decorated in Gold and gems.  The second place he took us was a tailors??!! Little bit odd but he said he gets free gasolene if we go in for browse - in we went!! The guy was a very good salesman and i was very tempted but Dave said it wasn't in our Budget!! however - mum & Dad if you want to know what i'd like for Xmas i could order one here and have the bill sent through??? We left the store (empty handed) and tryed to explain about the lack of money to Tuk Tuk driver who decided he could get more gasolene out ofl us so proceded to drive to another bloody tailor!!  (we thought we were off to see a giant budda). We refused to get out the tuk tuk so he got really angry and sped off up the road at about 100 miles an hour!! I thought i was going to die!!  He pulled up down some road and pointed left saying that was where the budda was - as soon as we got out he was off up the road without his ten bht !!  All good except we had no clue where we were in relation to where we were staying - having walked abit with our map we decieded we still didn't know where we were so best to get a cab! Jumped in one and he dropped us off somewhere else that wasn't Koh San Road - turned out if was just a bit further along!! So all ok and we finally made it back safely. That said i wouldn't recomend a tuk tuk unless you pay proper prices!!

Finally on the train to Koh Samui!! Its an overnight train which is nothin like c2c!!  However it was a very funny experience!! They pull the seats into bunk beds and bring round food and drink.  There was an english guy in the next seat who was hammmered!! He had a Thai girl with him who he said was his girlfriend but we're not convinced, she def had a different thai guy in her bunk when the english guy had drunk himself asleep!!  All in all the train was good - didn't like the toilet (squat) but when are toilets on trains ever good?? After 13 hours we pulled into Surat Thani which is the town from where the boats depart.  By the afternoon we were in Koh Samui!!

We're staying on Chewang beach which is nice but very commercialised. We've got a very cute beach bungalow with two floors and a little decking bit where we can have drinks. Much nicer than the hostel in Bangkok!! Going to spend a couple of nights here before setting off for Ko Panyang (obv. not spelt right - full moon party thing that is meant to be biggest beach party in the world)

Going to sign off now as time is getting late and i want to get to the beach. Weather isnt amazing but still hot so can get a tan (hopefully), food is lovely would def recommend Thailand as a holiday!! And have only seen two cockroaches, no spiders to report as yet!!

Speak soon,

Lou and Dave xxx