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.