Hey everyone. Sorry for not writing a blog in so long. The few days have been crazy! We'll start where we left you.

So there we were stranded in A grubby thai town called Surathani with not a great deal to do so we hit the sack ready to wake up at 5.00am. It was so cold because of the air con and tired and cold doesn't make for a great start. Anyway, we got in our arranged taxi at 6 to take us to the bus depot to depart for Khao Sok. Apart from having breakfast here there was no other resaon they took us here because they soon after shipped us to another shadowy looking tourist place. So it was 7.20 and on the sign it read our bus was meant to leave at 6.40. It looked like we'd missed it again just so they could take us to the first place to have their breakfast. A little annoyed I had to ask and they assured me a bus would be coming shortly. Soon arrived a big bus luckily and it took us all the way straight to the national park. So yes, we got there eventually!

After the usual salespeople meeting you to get you to stay at their place we chose the cheapest (naturally) and stayed at a place called palmview bungalows. 2.50pounds a night we were'nt expecting much but for what we lacked in room, water and sanitation, we gained in jungle bugs, lizards and scenery. The view form anywhere was absolutey amazing. Huge limestone cliffs with so much wildlife everywhere we really felt like we were in the jungle. See the pictures on face book. That eveing we went down to the river where a colony of monkeys gather and their were even baby monkeys scrmbling around and falling out of the trees, they we incredibly sweet looking however, hauntingly human like. A quick splash around with the local thais washing with soap in the river and a turn on the river rope swing it was time for dinner and bed.

The next day we'd booked a trek through part of the national park. This included the typical 60 min ride in the back of a pick up, a 1hr longtail boat ride, a small walk, a walk/climb/wade/swim though the caves and a small trek back. The boat ride was so peaceful and the scenery incredible. Everymountain around every corner looked more and more stunning!! The trek was so easy compared with Chiang-Mai but the cave was so cool. Wearing my head torch and lauren using her borrowed torch (which was rubbish) we made our way through the cave. There were spiders the size of my hands dotted everywhere, and bats hanging of the roof of the cave. It was a little spooky. At one point the cave got so deep you had to swim through the freezing water but it was so cool. We felt like real adventurers. The only bad bit about this day was the pick up ride home where it rained so hard it was like being shot at by a bb gun. Not very funny!!!

The next morning we got the early bus to a place called Krabi (gra-bee). However, just as we left, we saw our friend Carl still waiting for his bus to Koh Tao. His bus was meant to leave an hour earlier than ours so we still dont know weather he got where he needed to. Thats Thai transport for you! The bus driver was an absolute maniac. What should've been a 2hr drive was a mere 1hr 20 and we out of krabi just as quick as we were in. We caught a boat straight to the area of railey. Unreachable by car we were expecting a really quiet bit of beach but as always it was built up and the beach lined in indulgent Europeans. The cheapest room rates started at 60 pounds so we stayed on the next beach round which was still nice just very 'backpacker' so alot cheaper. We stayed for the afternoon and eveing and were gone again by the morning. Although the scenery was once again amazing there was alot else to see and do.

About 20 of us were crammed onto a longtail boat and I thought we headed do a dock where we going to board a big boat to the Phi Phi islands. We certainly got on a big boat but not at a dock. So there we were in the middle of the ocean stationery waiting for nothing. I was so scared for laurens bag, It almost fell of the side!! So suddenly appears a massive boat and we start racing towards it. It turns out we pull up next to it, our bags are thrown over and we have to climb up. All the big deep blue! No-where other than Thailand would this happen.

We arived in Phi Phi don, the main island and chec into the coolest room ever. We named it the jungle room as even the bathroom was coated in plants and decking and pebbles. Our favourite room yet aswell as our most expensive, but we were told to expect that. We only got this room after looking in some for our usual budget, that didnt even have windows! So tired we a afternoon nap, some supper and then a Thai whiskey bucket on the beach! It was really chilled which was nice as we were so tired and stressed from moving around so much.

The next day, we'd planned to just chill on the beach. Instead we got tempted by a camping trip on Maya bay which is located on Phi Phi Leh (the location for the filming of 'The Beach'), with include snorkelling trip. A rushed check out and breakfast, we crammed our bags in a dodgy looking storage place and set off on our overly exspensive trip. The snorkelling never came to much because there had been a few storms lately blowing in the jellyfish. They were tiny but just annoying when they got you, like being injected all over. Laurens moment to shine came when she steered the longtail boat form one side of Phi Phi to the other and did marvellous! A few massive swells and speedboats did not even make her flinch! She looked so happy. My favourite part was the 18m cliff jump. Didn't look so high from the boat but once I was up there it was so high. In the end I just manned up and jumped and have never been so scared in my life. It seemed to take forever to hit the water. Eventually reaching Maya bay, it was slightly grey which was a bit of a let down but even still, It was they most paradistic place we'd seen yet. A small beach lined with jungle and plams surrounded by the huge limestone cliffs. The overnight stay was a bit of a letdown. The food was good and we got a free(half) bucket, but we had to listen to the resident tourist guide sing (badly) all night with his guitar. In the end most people got bored and went to sleep. Just on the sand with the breeze and sound of the waves it was so peaceful. The only night so far that Lauren didnt get bitten by mosquitoes!

We woke early to see the sun rise which was very pretty and then lauren and I walked through the water to get to one of the other smaller beaches, where tourist arn't allowed. Turned out one family of thai people had a hut hiding round the corner and just live there. Was crazy! We had to leave by 9 but the lagoon and beach had lit up and it really did look amazing.

We returned to Phi Phi very tired. However we took ourselves to the Tsunami memorial village which was so sad. Pictures and plaques in a small garden. It was weird to think we were in one the worst hit places. It was kind of scary and for the 2 days we were there I was on edge a little.

We flew out of Phuket the next morning so got the afternoon boat and booked a hostel in Phuket town. (the non-touristy part) It was a nice enough town, and i finally got my thai boxing shorts I'd wanted for 5 weeks! We got our first taxi motorbike. 3 people on a ped, once again, only in Thailand. Went for a nice local meal ready for our flight.

We were both actually quite sad to leave thailand, to leave the craziness, food, culture and everthing else behind, but it was time to go.

We're now in Singapore so will update you on that at our next location.

Stu x