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The original plan was to visit Myanmar (Burma) and Taiwan after Borneo, but we simply didn´t have time. So instead,
we flew to Thailand to spend the next couple of days before we were leaving Asia. We had a ticket leaving from Bangkok
the 21 December, and we arrived in Thailand the 16. Not wanting to spend all the days in Bangkok, we instead flew to Phuket,
and after some minor misunderstandings between us and some bus-/cab-drivers, drove further on to Krabi, and again, a
couple of ferry rides later, arrived in Koh Lanta , our final destination. In Koh Lanta we have some danish family who
own a resort. We´ve never been ther before and were looking forward to seeing this place we´d only heard of.
They had managed to squeeze us in even though they were fully booked (we´d only given them a couple of days notice...)
The resort is one of the last resorts on koh Lanta, almost as far away as you can possibly get on the island.
A beatiful, isolated place . Although as we were told, the island , following the rest of the country (and all of Asia)
has experienced a huge change due to increasing tourism over the past 10 years, this place still managed to stay somewhat
untouched (at least for as long as it lasts...)
We had arrived to Phuket at 1PM but due to some minor transportation problems, the 3,5 hour drive to Koh Lanta, took us 6
hours. So when we arrived it was already dark. We were greeted by Tove and Jon, with drinks and a fantastic thai-meal.
In the morning we woke in our bungalow, overlooking a magnificent ocean view. The bungalows are built on the hillside, so
each one has a fabulous view from the terrace.
After breakfast we´d been invited up to Tove and Jon´s place - a little further up the road from the resort.
Bjørg, Jacob, Viola and Barbara (one of Tove and Jon´s daughters and her family) were also visiting, so it was a great
big family reunion :-)
Next few days were spent relaxing on the beach and by the pool at Tove and Jon´s, a visit to the town with Bjørg and
Jacob, eating fantastic thai meals at the restaurant (and delicious shrimps with home-baked bread at T & J´s )
and enjoying drinks from the bar made by the best bartender in the world :-).
The kids were enjoying themselves, for them it was pure luxury to be able to speak danish with other people, play with
danish kids and see some family.
On the 19 December, it was Leons 9´th birthday ( yikes....I have a 9 year old son....) and he was waken up
with a song, balloons and presents....just like at home :-)
Then after breakfast, T&J took us all on a boat trip. We did some really great snorkelling (this time not a dissapointment
like in Boracay) a fun experience with hunreds and hundreds of fish in the coralls. You could feed the fish with bread
and they would come and eat of your hand. Suddenly you were surrounded by fish, nibbeling you on your fingers, feet
and back (some of them actually bite quite hard.... :-) )
We did to different snorkelling spots, and then they had arranged for lunch on the beach of a little island
called Koh Rok. Beautiful, powder-white sand and completely clear turquoise water.
On the island Bjørg and Jacob took us to see some of the huge monitor lizards that live on the beach (they really are huuuge,
and even if they are said to be not dangerous to human, I think they look scary as hell)
After a little bathing on the beach, we headed back for the 1,5 hour sail back home.
A great experience for Leon on his birthday.
The sail home was a little cold though, we were all wet, and the weather in Koh Lanta area didn´t show it´s best side
during our stay. It rained a couple of hours more or less every day, and it was supposed to be a lot sunnier and warmer
this time a year. ( but hey, I´m not complaining, I know for most of you reading it´s a training in survival skills
just going out the front door...)
We got back to the resort around 4 in the afternoon, and after a quick shower, we all met in the bar for a drink.
We ordered some food, and afterwords, the staff brought out the birthday cake we´d asked for. So he got another
birthday song and even more presents from the staff, from Tove and Jon, and from Bjørg ,Jacob and the girls.
On the day of our arrival, Leon had talked to one of the staff who sometimes performed with a fire-show.
So Leon said he managed to arrange with him, that he would come and do the show on leons birthday.
All day he´d waited anxiously if he would come. The rest of us were sure that it was something Leon just had misunderstood
especially when Tove said that this guy goes to school in the weekends far away from Koh Lanta, and normally never comes
to the resort on weekends. So we prepaired Leon for the dissapointment. And then suddenly he showed up.
Leon was ofcourse very happy. Apparently, the guy had arranged for some others to come as well,
so there were 4 different performers doing a great fireshow. A perfect ending to a very different birthday :-)
Next day was travelling day. We were heading Via Phuket to Bangkok. Bjørg and Jacob and the girls were also leaving
back to Denmark , so we were lucky and could share the minivan to Phuket.
After a farewell to Koh Lanta, the great resort, the hospitality of T & J, and a thanks for the nice company of
B & J & V & B,
we travelled on to Bangkok city. Only staying one night and arriving very late, we´d booked a hotel beforehand.
A very nice place, turned out, near the airport.
We only had 1/2 day in Bangkok, so in the morning we took a cab to Khao San road, intending to do some small clothing
shopping and some last minute christmas shopping. Wondering around for some hours, me almost crying bitter tears of
all the things I´d want to bring back home but can´t carry along (which Patrick probablly thinks is a real good thing )
Patrick and Leon were looking for a place for a foot massage, and came across a place that advertised with
fish - massage. I´d heard of it in Denmark as well, and already then thaught it was a disgusting concept.
But then Patrick again turned my own words against me - you almost always only regret the things you didn´t do...
So we had fish-massage, all 4 of us. The concept is as follows ; you sit on a bench dipping your feet in a fisk tank
(like a low aquarium on the floor with no top ) There´s around 100 fish in the tank, and when you dip your feet in it,
they all rush to come and nibble dead scin-cells of your feet. Charming thaught, isn´t it...
Well I thaugt it was a disgusting idea, but the feeling of it was even worse.
It´s a very weird feeling having like 50 fish at a time eating off your skin. And not a very pleasant one in my mind.
But now it´s crossed of my to-do-list, and will never be put back on it.
Time flew, and we didn´t get nearly all the things we planned, but suddenly it was time to hurry back to the hotel and the
transport to the airport to exit Thailand.
Thailand is a safe bet. It never lets you down. It is all you want it to be - paradise beaches, a shopping mekka,
party all night long, cultural sights, big buisness, fun for kids and so on, and so on.
Whatever your wishes, you´ll find it in Thailand ....good and bad.
But now it was time to move on. Exit Asia . Enter Australia.
Now we are in Sydney, we´ll write about it next time, but for now, we want to wish you all a merry christmas.
We´ve tried our best to create some xmas spirit in +31 c . We´ve got a decorated apartment, we´ve got a plastic tree
with flashing lights, we´ve got ginger bread and rice-porridge, chokolates and "flæskesteg", "potatislåda" and
"morotslåda", "nissehuer" and jingle-bells on the radio. Buuut.....it´s still not quite the same.
It is the first day on the trip that I feel a squinge of home-sickness and am a wee bit wistful.
Thinking of near and dear ones, missing you all.
A happy, merry, delightful and peacful christmas to you all, and all our love and best wishes :-)
J.
p.s We´ll post some Thailand pictures later, and update on Australia
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