A lot of happenings...

So I guess I must first apologize for the severe lack of blog posts of recent days. I shall blame this on a variety of things; poor internet access, expensive internet access and sheer laziness!

We have now arrived back in Bangkok and Connor joined us this afternoon. Here are the details of the last few days; although I have, unfortunately, left my journal in the hotel so they are off the top of my head. I have also forgotten the memory card from the camera so the only photos will be those that Connor has taken this evening. I'm a bit forgetful these days...

We arrived on Phi Phi on Tuesday the 10th. Very nice twin islands called Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Lay - Don being the bigger of the two and the site of our hotel. We spent four nights here and our activities were mainly just relaxing on the beach etc. We were kicking a football about one day and were challenged to a 3-a-side game against some dudes from Iran. Needless to say we won. "We're not Brazil, we're Northern Ireland..."
Another notable event in our time in Phi Phi was a boat trip to the sister Island, Phi Phi Lay, where there is a beach called Maya Bay. This is one of the locations where the film "The Beach" was shot. Needless to say Leo wasn't still about - we had to suffice with the entertainment of two young, excitable Thai guys body boarding on the waves, only without body boards... A strange feat which usually resulted in their trunks getting filled with sand.

We left Phi Phi on the 14th and traveled by sea, land and sea again to the Island of Koh Samui where we were to stay for 3 nights: this was a pity as it was easily the most beautiful place we had been yet. Our activities again involved lots of relaxing and a lot of pool at the various bars along the main road. However, the highlight of the stay was the meal we ate on our first evening. Divine. I'm not going to include details here as I want to attempt to cook it for some people when I get back and I want to keep it a surprise...

A short trip on the 17th saw us arrive on Ko Pha Ngan. We were to stay here 4 nights with the "main attraction" to be the "Full Moon Party" on Wednesday the 18th. It, in fact, turned out to be the only "attraction" - and it (as I'm sure you can tell by my inverted commas) wasn't much of an attraction either. There is not much that we didn't see or hear at it - none of it repeatable on here. If you really want to know, you can ask me when I get back! We spent the next few days just killing time waiting to move on as there really was just nothing to do! In fact, the most "interesting" event occurred on the first evening when we saw a local on a scooter (no helmet) wipe-out and wrap himself around a lamp post. He was moving a bit, but there was some blood and an Ambulance (Ford Transit with flashy lights) came and picked him up.

We (gladly) moved on to Koh Tao on the 21st. Another beautiful spot where we were to spend 2 nights, which, again wasn't enough. We only really had one full day here and most of it was spent at a Muay Thai (Thai kick-boxing) gym"working out". I say working out, but I went on cross-trainer for 20 minutes then Al and I threw a medicine ball at each other while the ever vain William pumped some iron.

The 21st saw us leave for our overnight return journey to Bangkok. It started on a boat. This didn't bode well as we sat in the waiting room watching sweat-ridden, green-faced passengers emerge from the boat we were about to get in...
Our sense of foreboding was justified: the worst boat journey in the history of man. The boat was being thrown about like, well, like a boat in a storm. I somehow managed to sleep for about an hour - and miss the various people partaking in synchronized projectile vomiting.
The bus ride wasn't much better; it felt like the bus had square wheels. Not fun!

We eventually arrived about 4.30 am and, after some farting about with the bloke at reception, we were able to check in to our rooms and get some shut-eye.

Got up about lunch time today and, after eating, headed to the airport to collect Connor.

After dinner I had a slight adjustment to my appearance and thus is the subject of my photos this evening. They aren't sitting just right yet as they are just freshly done...