Thai Islands to Malaysia

Sleeping boat- our beds were 13 and 14.

From Koh Tao we went to Koh Phi Phi on a ridiculously cramped night boat.  It had tiny little mattresses right next to each other and next to me was a garlicky Spaniard - not pleasant!  Thankfully the boat wasn't full so we moved away and had a bit more space once we were moving.  Koh Phi Phi was lovely, really beautiful and picturesque so we did nothing but lounge around on the beaches for a few days.  The diving had brought on an ear infection for Tim so we didn't do much whilst he was on antibiotics, but there is no better place for recovering than a tropical island!  

Tim on the beach at Koh Phi Phi

Koh Phi Phi was quite touristy and expensive though, we stayed in our worst room yet with just a double bed and a cold shower, which we affectionately called the dungeon.  When we woke up one morning I noticed what looked like a leaf on Tim's back so I started to pick it off then realised it wasn't a leaf, it was a lizard tail! I frantically looked around for the rest of the lizard, was it on the ceiling or perhaps the wall? But no lizard.  Then wondering what all the commotion was, Tim woke up and rolled over.  There it was, the rest of the lizard, squashed flat and stuck to his other shoulder, eyes bulging and one little foot reaching out as if to say 'save me'! Hilarious, Tim didn’t laugh as much as me though.  

Sunset on Koh Phi Phi

It was the full moon festival whilst we were on Koh Phi Phi and all the local people make lotus flower floats with a candle and joss sticks on them which they send out in the bay to float away the sins of the last year and bring good luck for the incoming year.  Some of the floats were beautiful but unfortunately it started to rain just as they were sent out in the bay so not many stayed lit.  

Our view from the resort at Koh lanta

So, after a few days of sunbathing we decided to go to Koh Lanta, another Thai island.  Koh Lanta is a bit further south and is a lot bigger but not as busy as Koh Phi Phi.  There isn’t much there except a beach.  We had a few days there doing nothing much but lounging by the pool and strolling from one restaurant to the next, along the beach.  

Really good seafood on Koh Lanta

From Koh Lanta we came straight to Penang, an island off the west coast of Malaysia, by a combination of minivans and boats.  We let the side down a bit by having a McDonalds as our last meal in Thailand, but I assure you a big Mac has never tasted so good, Tim’s double Big Mac (ridiculously big) went down just as well! 

At the top of Penang hill

Penang is a lovely town, we have spent the last few days wandering around, exploring and generally soaking up the atmosphere.  The people are really 

friendly and the food is amazing.  We went for a walk in the botanical gardens on Sunday which were beautiful, and decided to walk to the top of Penang Hill.  It started off ok, just lots of steps and a good thigh workout, then about halfway up we got lost and ended up at a house with some nasty looking traps set for monkeys- we hoped- and 2 very unfriendly dogs.  I was starting to get worried as we only had a packet of tic-tacs to sustain us.  We had to find our way to the road and slogged up to the top, sweaty but triumphant only to be told the funicular train was being fixed and we would have to walk back down.  As we got to the top the daily thunderstorm set in as well so the beautiful view was covered in cloud and mist and we got soaked.  Typical.  We did make it home though and had a fantastic curry in the evening so everything was ok again.  

Diving

We went in the sea the next day which was really scary but amazing fun.  We did 2 dives that afternoon and on the second one we saw a turtle.  It was just happily munching on the coral then swam up and over us, so cool!  We saw loads of different fish lots from nemo including a clownfish.  The next day we did the exam which we both passed then went for 2 more dives in the afternoon.  A cameraman cam with us and we had a lot of fun playing around underwater.  We watched the film the next day after it had been edited and set to music, it was really good and now we have a copy of our own.  

All of the group with the instructor Dan and assistant Gaz

 By this time we had both got the bug and decided to do the advanced diver course which means we can swim down to 30m.  That started the next day and was all diving, we did 5 more dives including a night dive which was amazing as there are loads of luminescent plankton in the water at night which light up and sparkle when you touch them or swim past.  It looked like we were covered in fairy dust and was like playing with sparklers underwater!  

After the night dive

The other dives were a buoyancy practice where you use your lungs to help you sit higher or lower in the water and we had to swim through hoops and do loop the loops which was a lot of fun except I kept hitting my head on the hoops.  More practice needed!

We also had a go a navigating underwater using computers and compasses which was a lot of fun.  Then we did a cave dive using a different mix of oxygen and nitrogen in our tanks and a deep dive down to 30m. And now we are qualified advanced divers :0)  

All the gang with our equipment

In the water with Gaz

Back to Thailand...Koh Tao

On Tuesday 9th November we flew from Hanoi into Bangkok with no clear idea of where we were going or what to do when we got there.  It was a relief to fly and so easy, we covered 2000km in 2 hours in comfort!  When we arrived in Bangkok we decided to go straight to Koh Tao, I'm not keen on the hustle and bustle of Bangkok and we didn't feel like there was anything else there for us to see.  So, we caught a bus then a sleeping boat over to Koh Tao -which means turtle island in Thai- and got there 6am on Wednesday.  Hardcore travelling 24 hours straight!

When we arrived it was- you guessed it- raining! We spent a miserable, tired couple of hours in the rain looking for somewhere cheap enough to stay and soon realised we were going to have to give up some luxuries like air con and hot water!  But we eventually found a hut which was cute.  After that we went for an explore of the island and found an AMAZING pasty shop, not quite as good as Marsden's of Chorley, but close.  We signed up for a diving course to do our open water qualification which, happily included accommodation in a swanky hotel.  From hut to wifi, hot water, air con, balcony and cable telly -one happy Timmy!  The island had their worst rain for 4 years that day and the roads were flooded and turned into rivers- recurring theme for us.  

We started the course on the Wednesday night, did some theory and then had homework to do which was a shock.  On Thursday we did theory in the morning then donned the equipment and went in the swimming pool. It was really scary as you spend the whole time fighting your instinct to swim to the top.  We practised 20 skills ready for the sea the next day.  

Hanoi and Halong bay

Halong Bay

We arrived in Hanoi after the worst sleeping bus journey ever! But thankfully the last we have to do for a while. It's a really pretty city but really busy and hard to navigate around- there are lots of little side streets and roads going off at strange angles.  Nightmare! We got lost more than a couple of times.  

Floating village- people live there all the time

We decided to go on a trip to Halong bay for 3 days and 2 nights.  We went on a boat and cruised around the bay for a few hours then visited 'surprising cave' which had lots of rock formations and stalactites.  It was huge and had 3 chambers.  The surprise was a rock formation in the 3rd chamber which looked like a finger pointing or a something more rude depending on your imagination! 


After the cave we kayaked around the bay for a while which was lovely and peaceful.  It is one of the most spectacular places I have ever been to.  We stayed on the boat that night, at night the bay was really beautiful with lots of boats lit up and huge islands in the background.  The Vietnamese are mad about karaoke and right across the bay you could hear singing from the different boats so good but lots of bad! There didn't seem to be a limit on the number of boats allowed on the bay at once so there were literally hundreds there.  Not good during the day but beautiful at night.  



The next day we got up at 5 to see the sunrise but realised it was getting light but there was no sun- it was directly behind a rock we were parked next to. 

Rickety viewpoint- worth the scary climb though.
Later we were dropped off at an island to visit the national park.  We climbed up to a viewpoint and to the top off a rickety tower- very scary!- to look at the view which was amazing.  

View from the top of the mountain
After that we checked into our hotel which promised a sauna and steam room but both were being refurbished when we got there- typical.  

Cheeky monkey!

It didn't matter though, in the afternoon we went to monkey island so called because of the group of monkeys that live there.  The guides feed the monkeys so they are vicious! One chased after me to try to get my shoelaces and pawed at my legs with its cold little hands. Another lady in our group got bitten by one- rabies shot needed!  We swam in the sea as the sun came out briefly, then watched the sunset on the way home.  It was lovely. 

Sunset from monkey island

The next morning we got the boat and a bus back to Hanoi which took all day.  In Hanoi we decided to buy a little lap top which is what I'm using now :0) so we can be in touch more often.  

Nha Trang to Hoi An

We stayed a couple of days in Nha Trang but there was only one day of decent weather when we were very english and sunbathed on the beach despite it being overcast and so windy we were constantly pelted with sand!  On the plus side we had silky smooth skin after the sand blasting!  On the day we left it poured with rain all day and the whole place flooded- we stayed in the hotel all day but Tim ventured out for food at one point and had to wade through water up to his thighs! There were abandoned cars on the road with water up to their bonnets!  We managed to catch the bus and then made slow progress out of the town because of closed roads and flood water.  We made it though and eventually got to Hoi An the next morning.  The sleeping buses have completely lost their novelty and have got progressively more uncomfortable, partly because of the bumpy roads and maniac drivers.  We were actually thrown up into the air at some points only to come crashing back down - not good for bad backs or sleeping!

When we arrived Tim's bag had been sat in the flood water for the whole night as the luggage compartment had been flooded.  Ever the gentleman, his bag had kept mine dry as my bag was stacked on top of his.  So we spent the next 2 days in Hoi An trying to dry out all his gear with a hairdryer we borrowed from reception!  We did get everything clean and dry in the end though. 

We spent a few days in Hoi An, which was really pretty and I had some new silver sandals made.  The speciallity there is tailored suits and dresses and made to measure shoes.  The shoes are lovely! Tim left me for a few hours to return to hairdryer duties so I shopped for a little bit and got a new bag, a bracelet, a couple of pressies and some shoes! all bargins of course. 

One evening we went for some food in a little place next to the river, which was lit by lanterns and was very romantic until a big rat appeared from the back of the restaurant, we had to eat the rest of our meal whilst stamping our feet to keep it away! It did reappear 2 more times though but I am now nearly de-sensitised and didn't even scream!  It took the edge off the romance though. 

We went from Hoi An up to Hue and stayed for one night.  We did a city tour and looked around the citadel which is ruins, and a couple of pagodas and tombs.  it finished with a boat ride down the river and he rain managed to hold off for the day which was good.