Extra Photo's from Ko Samet

(Dont forget you can click each photo on this blog and it will give you a bigger view).

So as promised, my good friend Janice from the Dam has sent me some photo's from her collection. Some of the sunrise, some of the partying and a few other randoms. Thankyou Janice!



First up was just the unloading of the boat as we were all chilling with a beer at the bar after we just reached the island. Below is another of Mrs N, her family and the welsh guy (forgot his name).



Below was just one of the many stalls of fresh fish and shell fish that were scattered along each beach resort, ready for the evenings bbq sessions where everyone would come out for dinner. Every night would be a fresh catch, so all really fresh and looked amazing.



Next up are randoms from various nights on the Island. First up is two crazy and very sweaty Italians we met. Allways on the pull and allways shouting their language loudly but very friendly, I wonder if they knew that right guard is for the left arm aswell!?



Also note that even though my arm looks like the back leg of a horse, it is normal size, I was just leaning at a funny angle. :o)

Next up is a snap of the 1st night we had on the island, the one after was when one bar closed about 12-1am and we took a walk along the next beach front to a small store in the jungle with some outside seating, a small food kitchen and two huge fridge's full of beer.





The two guys at the end of the table were french and came by on their mopeds randomly after we got there, so pulled up chairs and joined us for a beer. The one with the tash reminded me of the three muscateers. (Not quite sure whats going on with my face there...?)



After we finished drinks, some went home, Mrs N and her husband stayed for the sunrise, I walked home along the beach, turning back every few minuites to check the sunrise. As the sun came up it got even more spectacular with all the colours. It was another moment where you have to semi pinch yourself. The sea stretching out for miles to your right, a forrest of greenary to your left, the water from the waves breaking at your toes and the sun rising in the distance...













The last photo's are just of my last night before I left and travelled back north, beers, jagerbombers, burping games and laughs. Twas nothing but fun, fun, fun.





You know im from england, as im drinking my jagerbomber like im drinking a cup of tea.

Bangkok And Kanchanaburi

So we set off from Na Dan on the boat to the mainland and cram into a minibus for the drive back to Bangkok. This was probably the only downpoint to the holiday as when we hit outskirts of Bangkok it took 4 hours to get into the center. Mission.

The next morning I wake up at the crack of dawn and get a coach west to Kanchanaburi, home of the river kwai and the nearest town to the tiger temple. First stop was the memorial museum for the Pow's that built and died building the famous death railway that ran from Burma to Thailand in WWII. We had a quick look around the museum and then took a walk over to the memorial cemetary before departing to the Bridge over the river kwai





My Dads father served in Burma in WWII and I used to love films from WWII growing up so, this was a must visit for me when I realised the river Kwai was in Thailand. Bridge over the river kwai (Still being used by the trains and crawling with tourism).







After an hour buzzing round the bridge and killing time, we caught the coach down to a random train station and waited for the death train to pick us up. After an hours ride on the train and gazing into the thai Jungle we stop and 7 of the group board a minibus that will take us to the tiger temple.







We get to the Tiger Temple and sign our disclaimers to say the park and tour company are not responsible for any 'accidents' that occur in the park and make our way through to where the tigers are and where we can get our pictures taken with them.



Alot of people were asking the volunteers if the Tigers were drugged as they were all so placid. He asured us that they are awake all night and usually sleep in the day. They are all hand reared from birth and are used to human contact and are only fed cooked meat, so they never get the taste for blood. Reassuring-ish.









After we took a walk around out of the small canyon we were in and over to some of the baby tigers, they were more lively than the big boys, so got to see them playing around.





At the end of the day we all boarded the coach and set on back to Bangkok. I planned on going to another Muay Thai Stadium that evening but didnt make it back in time. I rested and did a bit of last minuite shopping on the sunday before flying back to dubai. I had a great time in Thailand and will definately be coming back again, hopefully sooner than later. Below are some randoms I took around Bangkok. I should have some more photo's to put up soon, so check back in a week or two!

Neil





A Bangkok Tuk Tuk and a vid of one zipping through the streets.



Dont watch the cheesy grin!



These boats lick pure speed through the canals in Bangkok.



Loads of these moterbike hybrids around the city, some with food stands on, some just because...



The killer traffic in Bangkok



One of the many cheap foodstands that engulf the streets in Bangkok, great value and all really tasty! Apart from the stands with the grasshoppers and deep fried locusts.

Road Trip to Koh Samet

So I planned on the tuesday to go to the Tiger Temple and Bridge over the river kwai on tuesday. But missed booking the trip through an agent, so decided to do that later on in the week and to get out of the city and get some beach time. I didnt know where I wanted to go or how to get there or where to stay but thought ide make it up as I go along, very unorthodox of me, but felt like a mini adventure so just went for it.

Friends had suggested Pattaya which is south of bangkok so I pencilled that in, but looking through the lonely planet guide I had, I chose a small Island south east of Bangkok called Ko Samet. Reason I chose it, was I initially chose Ko Chang because of photo of a really simple beach hut on the beach and imagined myself there kicking back in a hammock with a beer and the breeze... However I got mixed up and ended up taking a bus to Ko Samet instead, which im glad happened as I had an amazing time.



So I shared a minibus with a dutch family down to the port where we caught a boat trip over to the island, great people who were really great company throughout my stay on the island.



After ariving at the dock, I grab my bag and head to a small bar sat on the water on the mainland alongside the jetty to have a look through my book and decide on where im gonna take a room for the night. After looking at the map and choosing Ao Phai, I join the guys from my bus and a whelsh guy who lives on the island for a few beers.













So Ao Phai is about a 20 minuite walk along the east coast from the port of Na Dan (see the map above), which you can walk but with bags and flip flops and dirt roads ahead I opted for the local taxi. Me and the guys jumped on the back of this truck and hit the road along the coast.





After a short trip through the jungle, past a reggae bar, various shops and beach goers, I jump off in Ao Phai and walk along the beach road checking out the different bungallows on the way. After checking one after the after, some with air con, some more simpler with fans, but after I checked out a few and kept on walking I found myself on a smaller beach resort past some rocks and tree's in Ao Phutsa. I couldnt be bothered with walking all the way back and checked out my options here and decided on one small hut very close to the water, simple but ok for my first night. With the option of upgrading or moving the day after.



View as I walked from Ao Phai Beach to Ao Phutsa Beach





My Accomodation for the first night.





So I dump my stuff, change clothes and go for a walk around, grab some food and see whats going on back in Ao Phai as where I was was a little more quiet and tranquil where Ao Phai seemed to be where its at for restaurants and bars. After bumping into my friends for the bus, we go grab a bite to eat and what I think ended up being over 50 beers (collectively) between us. A great night and as I said before, great company.



As we sat along the beach talking and joking, fireworks were going off at the next beach along to the right, fire jugglers to the left of us and locals selling small lanterns they lit and sent up into the stars. It was a really great welcome to koh samet and left me buzzing all evening.





As it got to 11pm and the place we were eating at was closing up, we moved to the now buzzing Silver Sands Bar and continued to party on until the early hours. Im not much of a dancer at the best of times, but after everyone was getting involved it seemed rude not to, nothing to do with alchohol ofcourse!





The island and I guess thailand as a whole, has loads of dogs and there was a small family that were allways playing around near the bar we were in, with 3 of the craziest little puppies never more than 3 foot away rolling around in the sand and chasing each other up and down the beach.



So the next morning, feeling a little worse for wear I wake up and walk out onto the decking of my hut...



After going in my bathroom, I find this little fella waiting to welcome me...



I walk along to the small beach bar/cafe and grab some breakfast with some incredibly relaxing views all around...







The next day I decide to upgrade my accomodation and pimp my bungalow for the next two nights, I had such a great night the night before and loved just chilling on the beach with the crystal clear sea and the amazing views, I scrapped the plans of going to pattaya. Ko Samet was doing the job and really created the feeling of being on holiday.



Below is a few randoms from the island...



A small shrine to budda just outside the first bungalow I stayed in.

Up and down the beaches, thai massages were on offer for really cheap at around 3 quid for an hour and full body massage. Compare that to thai massages in the spa's in dubai at 100-150 quid and its quite a big price difference for the same thing...

When in rome!

I really like these photo's below, it was as we were sitting next to the beach one evening. Its a little blurry from when I zoomed in, but to me it looks a bit like a painting.





On the thursday, the day before I left the island I was killing some time and hired a scooter to have a look around the island, I ended up going down into the town near the port we docked in and two hours later, came back with this badboy... click here

I had a truely amazing time in Koh Samet and wished I could have stayed longer, if Ide done my trip to the river kwai and tiger temple the day after I arrived instead of rebooking it for the saturday, I would have stayed another two nights and explored the rest of the island. It was a truely blissfull getaway, even when it was raining in the evening we all ran onto the beach and went swimming in the rain with the lightning flashing in the background, it was one of those memories that will be remembered forever.

I met some really great people, shout out to Janice, Case, leigh and mathew for the great company and late night drinking sessions!

Ive vowed to visit ko samet again one day and to travel to more of thailands coastline as if its all as fun as this time, I cant wait to see whats in store the next time.

Not long before I left my battery died on my camera and like a top notch lemon, I didnt take my charger so missed out on loads of other snaps. However Janice & the fam made sure they took a few before I left, so when I get those, I'll post them up. In the mean time I used my phone for my last few days in Bangkok.