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Bangkok the Koh San Experience.
Ok so we left the lovely setting of our 5 star hotel home and grabbed a taxi over to the old city which housed the main backpacker area - the drive over there was made quite funny by the fact that our drivers taxi ID had the name "Mr Porn" on it?! Considering our driver was about 90 and could barely see over the steering wheel it made me giggle.
Maybe because of his age or maybe out of pure stupidity our driver dropped us off on a road which he said was Koh San - I got out and looked around, it wasn't exactly what I was expecting … there were no travelers anywhere just stalls selling lots of fish and a little bit of something white and gooey.After 5 attempts to double check with the driver we were in the correct place which mainly involved me saying "Koh San?" and pointing various ways, which he obviously nodded yes to all we decided to grab our backpacks and just head in a random direction hoping to bump into someone we could ask.Before long we bumped into a boy named Tom who quickly explained that we were heading completely the wrong way, he walked us to Koh San and left us at a bar, he was getting a beer and we were on the hunt for somewhere to stay.Our room was hideous, it actually looked like the hostel from the film "The Beach" you know the one where the guy kills himself next door to Leonardo? Well sadly leo was no where to be seen but I swear I could see traces of blood spatter, but maybe that was from watching too many episodes of CSI before I left? Lol But hey ho a room is a room and we just wanted somewhere to dump our bags so that we could get out there and join the madness.
Koh San Road is another world, its busy but not busy as in city busy, its traveler busy - I think white people out number the Thai's by about 100 to 1.It was exactly how I imagined, lots of bars, lots of street vendors selling Pad Thai and lots of people having a good time. There are street stalls selling everything a back packers needs from clothes to backpacks to books and jewellery - because obviously we love our wristbands and shell ankle bracelets out here, you simply don't fit in if your wrists are bare.
After bumping into Tom again and then being joined by a few other random travelers we had some fab nights on Koh San, mainly consisting of roof top bars with live bands, drinks and one night eating cockroaches … that's right there is a lady on Koh San that fries up some good old fashioned bugs and sells them accompanied with soy sauce.After one too many beers and a very serious dare, me Kimberley and Tom all threw one into our mouths and chomped away - I don't know what it tastes like but its not foul its just the texture that gets you- the minute you feel a little leg touch your cheek or get stuck between your teeth you remember what you are eating and that's when you start to feel queasy, trying new things is what backpacking is about and believe me this is one thing I have never done before.
One night me kim and tom went to a bar and were all baffled by the fact no one was even looking at the guy singing let alone acknowledging his attempts to entertain them - well we couldn't have that, the guy had talent and his talent must be appreciated, so we got up started dancing in the middle of the bar and sang along at the tops of our lungs.Before long other people started to join in and within 5 or 6 songs the whole bar was on their feet, apart from the uncoordinated who still made an effort by clapping their hands and singing along (which did make them look a little bit retarded and therefore reminded me of my sisters husband Tim … he's not actually a retard but does dance like one haha).The bar actually had a fun atmosphere and people from outside were coming up to see what all the commotion was about, it was sooo much fun and at the end when the bar closed people came to us and thanked us for such a great night, which it was. The following day, me and Kimberley were on our way to the fish spa and people were still recognizing us, smiling and saying hello?! The fish spa was fab, you basically put your feet into a big fish tank and let the little fishes nibble on your dead skin, just like they do for big fish in the sea (you know like cleaning stations) they love it! I put my feet in and it was seriously weird to start off with, it tickles and some of the little blighters get way to over enthusiastic for my first date with them and latched onto my feet like a geek to a star wars poster. However after a couple of minutes I got used to it and actually enjoyed it, I think you would have to sit there for hours before you saw a massive difference but my feet did feel better after it. Plus for some reason they took away the itching from my mosquito bites which was a huge bonus because the bites you get out here itch like a hell.
After a couple of days of partying it was time to head to the islands, first stop Koh Tao - and you know what Koh Tao means don't you?? …. Scuba Diving!! Woohoo
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