30+ hrs overland travel - AKA - Worst Travel Fail Ever

It's been a while since we've posted... We spent two solid days on the road travelling up to Cambodia!

And when we say two days we mean it. We got on the ferry at Koh Phangan at 12:30pm to go back to Bangkok the onto Cambodia.

After about 3 hrs on the ferry, we landed at Surathani and then carried on by bus to a meal break at the bus company headquarters, where we had to change bus. We ate 40baht Pad Thai and waited for the next bus to arrive. About 6:30pm that bus left for Bangkok, this would be home till 6am!! Some sleeping, Kindergarten Cop and another Leonardo DiCaprio movie, lots of iPod games, some more attempts to sleep, another movie (probly with Leonardo DiCaprio), and we arrive 18 hrs since we left Koh Phangan!

Turns out it's actually 4am, a bus two hours ahead of schedule in Asia that unheard of. "Lucky" for us we can try catch the 6am train to Cambodia. So we Tuk Tuk across town from Khao San Road to Hua Lumpong Train station to find the ticket station closed till 5:30am. So some more sleeping in a huge open station room with hundreds of locals from whole family's, fluroesently safron colored monks, business people and stall owners with all their goods waiting. We grab our tickets, oh did i mention it's 3rd class only, with air conditioning Thai style.. (windows) but they were 48 Baht each for a 5 hr trip!

The train was actually quite enjoyable, and no doubt would have been much more so; if we hadn't already been non stop travelling for 20 hrs at this stage!

A lot of bumps, a lot of people, a lot of stops and 6hrs later we arrive at Aranyaprathet which is the last Thai stop before the border. We jumped in a Tuk Tuk and headed for the Cambodia Border!

Ciao for now!

Rick

Koh Phangan/ Koh Pha Ngan

Giant ants having a perve

Day 12 dawned and we headed to the pier for the ferry to get from Koh Tao to Koh Pha Ngan. We exchanged our tickets for a brightly colored sticker so we could join the gang of passengers. Escorted to a table with two spare seats in a restaurant where everyone was waiting for the ferry, we met an Irish couple. As Rick leaped over the banister on to the sand, I chatted with the Irish pair. Simon and Louise were heading to the full moon party too, and their travel plans were long term which put us on the same page... that and the fact that we weren't 18/ on a gap year/ looking to score; like almost everybody else!!

A sleepy ferry ride and a few hours later we reached Koh Pha Ngan and decided to head to the same beach as Simon and Louise. They had pre-booked accommodation, as full moon weeks are usually packed, and they told us later they were really worried we wouldn't find anything left. With our typical kiwi attitude, we thought "she'll be 'right" and didn't book anything. We rolled up to the hotel and Rick checked out the bungalows... Small with an outdoor bathroom, and way over our budget.

So I sat on the beach, guarding our packs while Rick set off in the heat of the day to scope out a cheaper room. A good half hour later, sweating profusely he informs me the guest house next door to the original hotel was by far the sweetest deal. A huge room with a TV/ mini fridge/ air con/ hot shower and bath/ flushing toilet that you can actually put toilet paper down! Oh and a pool. It was Ricks birthday week, the room being slightly over our budget, but we splashed out and took it. We compared rooms with Simon and Louise and we scored big time... Sorry guys!

After getting settled we had lunch with them and went to check out Hat Rin that evening. Hat Rin is where they host the infamous Full Moon Party. The roads around the island are ludicrous, a mix of poorly concreted roads, masses of scooters and overloaded taxi vans with tourists crammed in, oh... and the soundtrack is a continuous horn honking.

The next day was Rick's birthday! The big 26 in Thailand on a tropical island, not a bad way to start. I tried to spoil him as much as possible, with massages and making him cups of coffee etc. We also treated ourselves to a decent breakfast; bacon, eggs, baked beans, hash browns, sausage and all the rest. For dinner we went to an amazing restaurant on the beach, preceded by myself making a stupid comment about not wanting to spend too much money and totally forgetting it was Rick's birthday... oops!

The remainder of the week we just spent relaxing in the air con, swimming in the guest house pool, Rick editing photos and eating at various restaurants/ street stalls, having a few sly drinks on the beach and hanging out with fellow tourists. 

One of the best finds this week was REAL coffee. Like a full blown espresso coffee, both of us almost in tears we ordered coffee. Check out the crema in the photo. If there wasn't a large slab of concrete separating us and the Thai barista we would have smothered her in cuddles!

The night of June 16 was full moon party night and we rolled down to Hat Rin in a share taxi. Most of the punters were decked out head to toe in fluoro, not really my style I opted for just the fluoro body paint, Rick taking it to the extreme decided he would be a smurf. He proceeded to paint all his limbs and his face blue, wrapping Simon's unwanted white t-shirt around his head in smurf like fashion. We all had a great night, drinking out of buckets and double-taking at all the advertising at each bucket stand. Rick cranked out his glo-poi's which were a hit, literally for some of the people passing by! By 5am we were back at our guesthouse laying on the loungers watching the last of that night's full moon. Good times.

Xx Jaz

Koh Tao we love you..

We are enamoured with Koh Tao! We found the first few days difficult, attempting to adjust to the immense heat and humidity, and also a touch of home sickness. That serves us right for inheriting amazing families and having incredible friends!

Our first few days we spent in Mae Haad, we had Thai massages and generally lazed around. Then we were drawn to Sairee village, much more vibrant and populated with restaurants literally on the beach.

Koh Tao is renowned for it's beautiful coral reefs and tropical fish, nearly everyone heads out to dive. We met a group of divers who had just finished their open water course and they had become great friends in the process. Although I was slightly terrified, being a less than average swimmer, we decided that the masses could not be wrong and enrolled in a course that begun the very next day!

Ban's diving certifies more divers than anywhere else in the world, and Koh Tao is the cheapest place to do it! With free accommodation during the course it's a sweet deal. The first two days are theory with a practical lesson in the dive pool to get you comfortable with the gear.

Day three brought the last theory session followed by the final exam. That afternoon we ventured out on the dive boat for our first open water dive. I was so nervous and anxious, fumbling around trying to remember how to put all the equipment together. But with a line of people behind us waiting to get in we just had to get over it... Decked out in full scuba gear, one hand on our weight belts and the other hand holding on to our mask and regulator we step off the boat and jump into the ocean.

Taking the first few breaths under water is the best feeling, gliding through the water like you're just another fishy! We saw clown fish (nemo!), trigger fish, banner fish, blue spotted string rays, eels, barracuda and not to mention the beautiful coral and anemones. Our highlight had to be seeing a turtle swimming around with us! It's another world down there, like God sneakretly created this under water world so differently to everything on land. So stoked on it!!

Thanks Koh Tao for one of the best experiences ever!

Love, Jaz

Rick & Jaz VLOG # 3 Koh Tao Moto Adventure

Thailand has so far indeed been an experience. With the heat and the constant battle to survive in the midst of hundreds of locals trying to sell you "taxi boat" and "bungalow" but said at a high pitch whine.  Everything is cheap like 700ml water is 10Baht(40c) and a large Chang beer 700ml is 70bt, and our best yet.. 35bt for a plate of Pad Thai.

From within the airport you could smell Thailand.. a warm, "organic" smell invades everything.. kinda like Chinese takeaway plus urine, wet dog and sweet and sour rotting fruit. The heat then hits you.. its like a wave when you leave the air conditioning comfort of the airport and step out into the city and every pore starts leaking with sweat. The average temp has been about 30-32 degrees and 90% humidity.
The showers are cold only(which is grand) and the ocean is like tepid bath water.. its nice but definitely could be cooler.. and there is coral and sea cucumbers(Rick has renamed them) everywhere so you gotta watch your step.

Whinging aside it is truly beautiful. Right now we are sitting in a beach side restaurant on Koh Tao, at Sairee Beach, checking emails etc..  The Sand is white and the water is crystal clear, they don't call it paradise island for nothing.. there's loads of fish swimming in the shallows and the people are friendly, specially if you say thanks...(khob-kun-Ka, If you are a woman.khob-kun-Krub, If you are a man.)

Yesterday we hired a motor bike and drove around the island, which was pretty sweet. You don't need a license and the roads are very rugged and that coming from Rick with his hill country farming styles..

Till next time,
Enjoy the video

Rick and Jas