March 31 2006

Morning Eveybody and isnt it the best day ever in youur life, sun and smiles
and heat and sleep and no worries and stress free and oh sorry, thats
me........... haaaaaaaa

Any way wow what a week. I have spent since Sunday in Ko Tao with is an
lsland north of Ko pha nang full of sand and trees and is one of the best
dving sites in Thailand ney the world.
We travelled on the ferry and the sun was so strong that just from walking
from the ferry to the taxi 4x4 my shoulders were red and this is factor 30
on so just imagine the heat, still it was a lovely place and there looks
like lots to do.
We headed to a place called Ban Hat Sai ree which is about 2.5km from the
port and found ourselves a lovely place place to stay at the simple life
bar.
The Simple Bar resort along with every other bar is a diving resort which
offers diving amongst other things.
But lets talk about the room!!!

For 400 baht I had a double room with fan, toilet and shower and a place to
hang my towel. Inlcuded in the price were moths, spiders, cockroaches,
lizards and other unspecified creepy crawlies which at certain times of the
night were up and about and wanting to chat. How cool was that. Well
speaking of cool, considering we had 100% humidity, hot sun, no rain, no
wind and no air con, it was not cool at all. For 3 days I sweated then
showered then sweated and then sweated some more, so much so the rehydration
powder came out and was in full effect, despite eating drinking constantly I
was still suffering huge. By the way the temperature was in the very high
90's in fact when we left to go Chang Mai it was 83 at 8.30 in the morning,
so thats hot. Between the hours of 10 and 6 it was really really really hot
(i have omitted swearing but fuck me it was hot) and at all other times it
was really really hot. Sleep was impossible except between the hours of 4am
and 8am although I did pass out a few times during the day, maybe that was
exhaustion I dont know.

So I hope you gathered it was hot, Tony even Tony said this is hot and went
and lied in it and then got red so sat with me in the heat of the shade with
fruit and iced fruit shakes.

There was plenty to do there with lots of little shops, the port area (sea,
wooden gangway, maybe a boat) was quite interesting but hot. As for
nightlife, we found a very cool reggae bar where beer was ice and the ganja
was available should you be of that disposition, for me that was a no but it
was still a great base to start the evenings. We attended a birthday party
there where we sang happy birthday to a girl while she blew the candles out
on her cake and then she gave us all a piece of it which we ate with Singa
beer.
The bars and restaurants on the sea front were superb with lots of different
themes and music blaring out. Every evening after sunset (they were amazing)
the beach was filled with tables and chairs and laterns were placed in the
sea alight, holes dug and parafin laterns were placed in each one and there
were lots of candles every where. However romantic that was, Tony was not
holding my hand whilst we wandered down through it all.
There was a bar here which was a converted Van which sold cocktails and the
like and was very cool to look at,
Brought a necklace and bracelet for me there from a guy called Tek, yes i am
turning into a hippy you know shoulder bag, linen shirts, necklaces with
shells in, its ace, who was constantly stoned always joined us for a beer in
the evening at the reggae bar. He made all his wears by hand and in an hour,
anything you needed was sorted and very cheap.
I also had my first full Thai massage which however seedy it is in England,
Chang Mai and the rest of the country it was very nice and relaxing apart
from hearing bones click and crack as all the pressure points were prodded
poked and massaged through a very relaxing hour. I am looking forward to the
extras in chang which Tony assures me are well worth it (sorry tony, I will
get more shit about this than you so dont worry too much).
Drank lots and lots and lots of Samsung through the evenings really to get
through the heat and one night stopped drinking and talking to some girls we
met by about 5am where I fell asleep on a sun lounger and then woke at 7 and
staggered back to HQ where I awoke amongst my friends about 2pm.
We left for Chang Mai on Friday which hopefully was yesterday otherwise I
have lost another day and we travelled by the following methods

4x4 pickup
Cat Ferry
Taxi
Propeller Plane
Very big Plane
Taxi

We left Ko Tao at 9.30 and go to Ko Samui for 12.00 at 12.30 we got to the
airport and then flew out at 12.50, at 14.10 we landed at bangkok and at
15.15 we took off for Chang mai. So it was a really hetic but fun day and at
Bangkok we were rushed through the airport to get to the plane. We booked
the majority of this in Ko Pha nang with a turkish travel agent and we were
not sure whether we would get any tickets and I booked the flights from
Bangkok to Chang over the Internet which was far more straight forward
although Etickets are always fun.

Chang Mai is ace. I have been here 24 hours. It is slightly humid and hot,
it poured with rain last night, something you miss but I guess you lot dont,
In fact as it was less than 80 at night I was practically freezing to death.
We are staying in a guest house for 350 baht a night and the room includes,
wait for it, HOT WATER SHOWERS (tony not had one of these for 6 weeks, only
cold), a western flushing toilet and air con and towels and a fan and its
nice and its cheaper than the petting zoo I had left behind.
Food great, laundry 30 baht and its ironed, clean and smells nice. So I am
happy with this, I will be here for about 15 days.

Last night we had a thai meal which was great, then went to some bars and
watched the kickboxing which was quite poor but entertaining and then Lady
Boys, Ahh Ladyboys. Yes thats right seen my first lady boys ladyboy show
although Tony was slightly disappointed as they normally go topless at the
end.
5 rather strange looking he/shes can on stage (boxing ring) and sang awful
songs about being a woman, yes whatever, with outrageous dresses, but were
immaculate and freaky. They all wore long gloves and must spend hours
getting made up. All thinner than george they were quite disturbing to look
at, but considering where I was I could boom boom long time, get drugs,
drink beer and watch chick boys it was perfectly normal. Tonight I will get
some photos, cos it needs to be done.

It was one of the funniest things I have ever seen.

There we go so far, 10 days or so in, bitten to hell, hydrated, dehydrated,
burnt, tired, having the time of my life, every day so far despite being the
same has been completely different, or as the t-shirt goes (remember this
stan) same same but different.

I am off for more advertures tonight and then some exploring of the city
tomorrow and then markets on sunday.
Tonys parents are over for a week and we met today and are off exploring
with them early next week but until then readers

However cold, crap work is, life is, poor, unhappy, drunk, bored, frustrated
things get, I am having a great time and continuing to live the dream but
not the lady boy dream.............

Have a great week and be lucky, its a big rollover on the euro lottery, if
you win it come and visit me and join me if you dont, come and visit me and
join me,

You would love it, I am.