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Day 1: krabi - lanta
We were meant to picked up at 10:20 to catch the 11:30 ferry to Koh Lanta, by 11 we started to worry. The Thais have a very slow pace about them, almost glacial, we're not sure whether this is down to the heat or just laziness. Anyway after having to ring the company, some bloke in a pick up truck picked us up and we made it just on time before our boat departed.
Pip is not a fan of boats and although this was a newish, clean and a big ferry, I think the dodgy looking life jackets tied to the back of each chair didn't help.
About an hour into our journey, our boat suddenly stopped and about 6 longtail boats hooked on to us. Pip's first reaction was pirates, but they turned out to be just the water taxi service to Koh Jum. The bags were thrown to the men on the longtail boats like rugby balls, then seconds later they were off with their new passengers. We were so glad when we arrived at a port and could carry our bags off ourselves!
Exiting the port we were met by a plague of tuk tuk drivers offering to drive us the 150m to our hostel. Needless to say, we walked. Though I wonder how much they would have had the audacity to charge us for such a short ride.
The hostel (Lanta House) is situated in the centre of the port town of Saladan. Although the room is slightly akin to staying in a prison cell (dark walls, no windows), you can't really complain for £2.50 per night.
After an interesting couple of days regarding our digestive systems (perhaps feeling the after-effects of that dodgy meat) we took a bold leap by hiring a moped. We had bumped into another friend of Pip's from home and decided to spend the next day with them and another couple touring the island.
Day 2: koh lanta
Almost everyone in Thailand seems to ride one of these mopeds and it's easy to see why. They're bags of fun and really easy to drive, perfect for places with a lack of general traffic laws. Pip became quite attached to ours (it's called a 'scoopy'). It also helps that Koh Lanta is such a sedate place, there's no way we would have got one in Phuket.
Hiring the bike was remarkably cheap at just £3 for the day and all that was required was a £20 deposit, no drivers license, passport etc. Fuel is available at regular stops all over the island costing just 80p a litre.
Following pretty much the only main road on the island we came across a spectacular view point restaurant and stopped for a cool drink before heading down to the sleepy Lanta Town. As the heat of the sun increased we made our way to a lovely beach in the south for a dip in the warm clear water.
Day 3
Today we moved hostels. We moved from our £5 a night (for both) prison cell to a bamboo bungalow on the beach, with a pool for £10 a night. Admittedly our bamboo bungalow is pretty basic being made of bamboo it is riddled with holes, nothing a mosquito net above the bed won't solve though (let you know how that works out later), it has an ensuite (albeit only cold shower) and fan. The facilities however make up for our room. Even though we are in a double room we have found it easy to meet new people as the bar and restaurant seems to be a hub for other hotels along the beach. We spent the day playing cards while it thundered with Jamie, Jess, Steve, Elena (a couple we met through the others) and some Canadians we met at the bar.
Day 4
We extended our moped rental for another day and decided to just spend the day chilling out at our resort in the sea and pool. As we're just coming to the end of their rainy season here there tends to be a good thunder storm to watch each day. Thankfully today it stayed in the distance.
We also booked another night here but splashed out an extra £6 between us for a room with air conditioning. We are already looking forward to moving in!
As it was Jamie and Jess's last night on the island before preparing to fly home we headed to Saladan to shop and eat. While at the fake goods market mass panic ensued among the traders, our initial thoughts were 'tsunami' but this thought was soon quashed when the nearest trader started shouting police! I have never seen a place close so quickly, nor change stock so fast. Our shopping trip was therefore cut short.
Day 5
This morning we were on the way into Saladan when we got a puncture on the back tyre. Fortunately a tuk tuk driver noticed us and took us to a place a few hundred metres down the road which could repair it. For a new inner tube and the bloke's skills, it cost us just £4. I only had a 1000 baht note (£20) and when I gave it to him you'd have thought I gave him a hundred quid or something. He laughed and had to go down the road to change it.
Our new air conditioned room is a huge improvement over the last. It's spacious, has hot and cold water, a flushing toilet and a TV, luxury or what?! Unfortunately there aren't any English channels but thankfully we can still pick up Somalian news... phew!
The weather is a bit dismal today so we've just spent it enjoying the facilities at the hotel, not least our comfy bed for an afternoon nap.
Day 6:
This morning we had to return Scoopy, so we got up early and headed to the southernmost point of the island to see the lighthouse, however due to unsigned road works - at one point there was just no road on one side - and rain we had to turn back, we later found out we were almost there! Typical! We then headed to the port booked our ferry to Phi Phi and then on to Phuket for tomorrow.
We had never intended to stay so long on Koh Lanta, but we have managed to get such a good deal on the room we are in and with its location and facilities it would be silly to move and pay more for less (especially on koh phi phi).
But tomorrow starts the next stage in our journey: back to phuket via phi phi for the night then on to Singapore.
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