Sorry this has taken so long!I will try to write what happened on the Southern part of my tour.

Once the Northern part finished, (after a final group meal and a night out on Khao San Road which involved buckets, silly dancing in a place called Gulliver's, Chris spilling a beer on me and demands for Spring Rolls at 2am [this part is now standard procedure]) we met up with the new members of our group to start the South tour.We traveled to Rajapapra Dam (a massive lake that is closer to an ocean) and took a longtail boat to a remote line of floating raft houses (wooden huts with a bed and mosquito net), connected to each other and the land by a narrow wooden walkway.The scenery was surreal and beautiful, tree covered mountains jutting out from the water from nowhere, cliffs and little islands.We relaxed here and spent the day swimming off the walkway and kayaking.I stupidly soaked my Edmund Hillary autobiography trying to Kayak with it to a little island to read.It is now smelly and mouldy but I am preserving!Went on a longtail boat in the evening to spot monkeys.On the second day here we went on a short 'trek' i.e. casual stroll through the forest to a beautiful lagoon-like area of water and went swimming here before taking a motorized bamboo boat to a coral cave in the side of a cliff.Mr. Green and our other tour guide were the only ones with the torches and other than that light it was pitch black.When the light revealed the coral formations around us and hanging from the top of the cave it was very impressive and we had to be careful not to touch.In the evening we went on a longtail again to watch the sun set behind the mountains.Was a bit ill this night and was very disorientated and upset (in a delirious way) when I woke up at midnight thinking it was time to get up!The surreal surroundings only confused me more!

We next travelled to Riverside lodge in Koh Sok National park and stayed in wooden huts on stilts amongst the trees.We found out why the bathroom door had a lock on the outside when during the night a monkey got in (it was only a partial roof) and started throwing our things around, how rude!Anyway I had just had a shower and luckily was at least half dressed when our tour guide Pui came running to my hut shouting me and I made out the words 'Chris', 'arm' and 'hospital'.Next thing I was in the back of a car behind Chris in the passenger seat very pale and in absolute agony.He had dislocated his shoulder in the river and said he knew something was wrong when he stood up and one arm was a few inches longer than the other!The first road to the hospital had speed bumps all along which was not nice.When we finally got to the hospital Pui basically left me with Chris because she is very squeamish and there were a few people getting there heads stitched up etc right in front of us (other than that the hospital was empty though).I said I would not leave him and a man wheeled him on a bed to get x-rays.This (for me) was the most traumatic part because the x-ray man couldn't really speak any English so was trying to maneuver Chris into position causing Chris to scream in pain and it was very upsetting as I didn't know what to do.I had to tell the man to stop and explain what position he wanted the arm in so that Chris and I could try to move it.This worked much better.It was stressful for me because I had to keep holding his arm in position etc which would not happen in the UK!After a while they came and talked to Chris (more so me!) and gave him two injections - one was definitely morphine and one was some kind of separate sedative.After a funny delirious conversation with Chris saying I was the most interesting person he'd met and so on (he didn't remember this haha) the doctor came over and gradually moved his arm up until it popped back in (again, fun times).Then the nurse came over and gave me the instructions for taking his medication and resting his arm!I know this all sounds dramatic for a shoulder dislocation but it was the first time it had happened to him and he really was in agony and it was in an unfamiliar country! After his arm was back in place it took about 20 minutes and Chris was back to normal, with just a small sling!That night we went to Funky Monkey bar (I didn't want him to drink but it was also not my responsibility) and everyone had a great night. Alice dancing with (/mocking) this crazy older hippie couple who were on some kind of drugs and kept talking about 'being free' was hilarious!The next day I opened the door to see a monkey sat a meter away on the side of our balcony eating some fruit from a branch.But he wasn't a friendly looking monkey, he looked vicious!So I watched and took a few pictures before slowly backing away and shutting the door!(By the way I have uploaded my pictures to Facebook as it is quicker).

Next we went to Ao Nang in Krabi and had a Muslim homestay in a rubber plantation. It lacked some of the authenticity of the ones in the North when it was literally the floor of someone's house, as it had a sign which actually said "homestay"!But we had a lovely traditional dinner and then made our breakfast by being taught how to wrap up sticky rice and banana in banana leaves so that they could be cooked.Then had talk about the rubber plantation and how it all worked.The following day everyone had decided to do an optional day tour to Phi Phi but as I knew I was going there myself once the tour finished I didn't bother because I really wanted to go rock climbing!So I went on Rosie's big day out and got a boat round to Railey beach (best place in Thailand for rock climbing).Booked it for the afternoon and had some Pad Thai in preparation for my exertion!It was definitely a highlight for me I absolutely loved it.It was less of a lesson and more of a 'here is a massive cliff, improvise' (other than the knots etc).I got so much higher than I thought was physically/technically within my limits that when I was completely exhausted and had nothing left to grip and no power left anyway that I put my face against the rock and shed a little tear out of pure exhaustion/exhilaration/terror of abseiling back down again!I did 5 different routes and was a great afternoon, I can't wait to do it again in Oz/NZ. One of the Thai instructors wanted to take me around the coast for dinner and then drop me back at Ao Nang in his long tail, obviously I was having none of it!

Went out that evening once I got back and had few drinks.Me, Alice and James plus some random Swedish people went swimming without getting our clothes wet.

Next we travelled to Koh Sukorn and spent 2 days swimming, playing volleyball etc.I walked to the village on the other side of the island and it was very rural, people literally came out of their homes to stare at the random western girl wondering around on her own (don't worry family I always have my penknife).They all wanted their young children to see me and say hello!I took a wrong turn on the way back to our accommodation and had to clamber round a stretch of rocks (I also found a little empty cove though) to get back to the right beach.From here we went to an even more remote island called Koh Lao Lieng (more of a beautiful beach on an otherwise cliff surrounded piece of land rising out of the sea).We camped here and it was very uncomfortable as either very hot when going to bed or too cold in the early hours as and had no sheets or pillow, I got up both days at first light (as in watched the sun rise) as I couldn't really sleep.I'm not complaining though I don't want people to think I've been taking any of this for granted!I made a bracelet here and it took me a good few hours to find enough small shells with little holes in.But I said Sara can have it when I get back (if I don't lose or break it)!First evening me, Chris, Alice and Jen (the usual) played our version of Ring of Fire on the beach with beer, funny times.Other than that we lazed around in hammocks or swam.Alice burnt her eyelids!!The next day we went on a snorkelling boat trip to a few places nearby and it was awesome.I found Nemo.Beautiful coral and colourful fish.Had a random bout of sea sickness and was apparently comforted by a concerned Thai fisherman (I thought it was Zoe rubbing my back haha).Some of the group made a beach fire in the evening (and my last night with the group) so we sat around that and reflected lol.

So the next day I said goodbye as I was not going back up to Bangkok as it was time to explore the islands of the south alone.So far I have been to Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lanta, Koh Samui, Koh Tao, Koh Phangnan and now I am back in Koh Tao to do my Open Water PADI diving qualification and possibly my advanced too.I will try to write another big blog about all the islands ASAP.Much love, Rosie x x x x x x