Island hopping, airports and visa stamps...

Our last full day in ao nang was spent island hopping around five islands to the north west of the area. We actually travelled for about 40kns on the motorbike, all behind Gerhard in his 4x4, until at last we reached the pier, a full hour later with very numb bums.

In the boat with us were only three other people, Annie from Seattle and a really friendly couple from Madrid. First up was Hong island, a beautiful island that had a secluded bay, a picture postcard Image of beauty. Although incredibly busy lending to the time of year, it was a beautiful place. Before we left that morning, Gerhard had given us a plastic bag with old chopped up banana, skin on, which we thought was slightly odd. Maybe an attempt at that whacky German 'humour'. Ironically, there is no word in German to describe sense of humour or small talk for that matter, which kind of makes sense when you meet Gerhard. Lovely but slightly robotic. Anyway bananas. We were slightly confused as to why we had been given these, maybe a snack in desperate measures if we were to be washed up on the beach? When we got to the beach, all would become clear. Hundreds of tropical fish had congregated to the right of the beach and were surrounding a group of people who were feeding them bananas, bread and beef burgers, all to the delight of the hungry and bloated fish. An awesome sight, even if they did take a good nibble out of shells legs, not that they'd get much!

From there we sailed around four more islands, all uninhabited until we reached the last one. We sailed in under a very low natural arch and into a narrow passage that had been carved through the islet. We were the only ones there and even a whisper echoed dramatically through the rocks. The scene was almost recognisable, like you'd seen it already in apocalypse now.

Back on dry land, we notched up the miles again on the return journey before riding down past the hotel and into ao nang to catch the sunset. In the end we missed it by about an hour but settled for buying yet more takeaway pizzas and beer (we aren't beasts-we promise!) and sitting on the beach. As we sat there, hundreds of lanterns were being let off around us whilst a guy at the other end of the beach played with his fire poi. To make things better, we had the iPhone speakers so spent ages passing the iPhone to each other after each song. Naturally, shell chose mostly Florence and the machine and I, The Smiths. Just so you know. Im trying to set the scene here! Pure perfection though, needed before what the next two days would bring.

The next morning we were picked up early for our three hour drive to Phuket airport for the incredibly annoying visa run, something we had been dreading for a while, more because we are stupid and passed up the opportunity to buy Thai visa outside of Thailand in any of the eight countries prior to this! We actually got to the airport at 2pm and with the flight to Kuala Lumpur not till 10pm, we had time to kill. After a brief bicker I convinced shell to follow me out of the airport (down the main concourse!) in pursuit of beach. Although we were both in foul moods given this stupid visa run, we found a killer piece of deserted beach, even here on brash Phuket, we had stumbled upon a stretch of sand, maybe 2 miles long, that had not a soul on it. We stayed there for a few hours after pleading with a woman who tried to charge us 200 baht for entering a 'national park', and succeeding. I think they saw my forehead veins.

The flight over was fine enough, we had managed to track down a small place selling brandy shots so decided to create a new mix of latte-brandy for our non sleepathon. Entering KL, we settled down in Starbucks for the night, safe in the knowledge that our next flight wasn't for another seven hours....

The flight back was fine up until we came into land, ten metres away from the runway. At that point the plane, with wheels almost touching the ground, suddenly thrust upwards as if taking off. A clearly shaken captain immediately came on the speaker to explain that air-traffic control had instructed him to abandon the landing as winds were blowing the plane viciously downwards. Now, I am a terrible flyer but to turn around to see shells panic stricken face nearly sent me over the edge, as did the deathly silence that had gripped the clearly shaken passengers. I suppose we would be very lucky to have all of our flights pass without incident this year but I hope to god that I will never feel fear in the way that I did for those brief moments again.

Anyway, the big reason for this annoying trip was yet to come, the immigration stamp for another thirty days. As the queue got shorter our anxiety stepped up a good five notches. Reaching the desk I think I may have had the appearance of an international drug smuggler. We had been frought with worry as we had only left Thailand a few hours earlier plus our original stamp didn't actually expire until the 26th. With this in mind, with the previous 24 hours firmly in mind, he couldn't have made me sweat more if he had tried. He stared at me, the clock above me, the rules and regulations behind him and then finally to the guy to his right. He knew what I wanted but he just had to make me sweat. He knew he was, in relation to our small world anyway, in complete control, and he was clearly milking his elevated position. After literally five minutes of severe procrastination he stamped the metal contraption down onto my increasingly filled passport. The sound was beautiful. Shell soon followed and we must have looked even more suspicious as we whooped and high-fived as we skipped out of the airport. Done and dusted...not exactly. After negotiating a fare to the harbour it dawned on us that another six hours awaited us for the next ferry back to Krabi. This time with no beach near us, just hoards and hoards of teenage Brits cramming themselves onto undersized boats to take them to ko phi-phi.

Eight hours later we were back in ao nang and lying on the beach, almost dead to the world through both sleep deprivation and emotional turmoil. Still...done and dusted, and despite the overall grubbiness, we were ecstatic, another uninterrupted thirty days in paradise. Bring on Christmas on Koh Lanta!!

Much love comrades, Tommo xxx

Sun, storms and scooters in Ao Nang...

The past few days have been some of the best we have had yet on our trip. Despite some mixed weather the surrounding area just offers so much. If you can get your hands on a motorbike it becomes even better....

For the past five days we have hired out one of the hotels motorbikes to really get to grips with what this stunning area has to offer. Wednesday morning we rose early enough and headed away from the hotel and towards town, stopping at a place called U&P's bakery, a place we have now eaten at for the past four mornings. Quite surprisingly we have managed to find some phenomenal places for breakfast so far in this trip but this has to be up there with the best of them. I know there are more important things going on in the world right now but this place has food to die for, freshly baked bread of about a hundred different kinds, fantastic choice and above all, the nicest croissants I have ever eaten, simple as that. I don't want to keep eulogising about food all the time but we just keep stumbling upon these places out of coincidence. It's 2 miles outside of town!

Anyway, in town we bought tickets to take the longtail boat round to West Railay beach, a journey that took about twenty minutes. Much much closer than I thought it was going to be. As we approached the beach it became increasingly apparent that this place was special. Understandably, given the time of year, we had to share the beach with a crowd of other people but in comparison to Phuket was inhabited by Tom Hanks Castaway types. We jumped off the boat, planted down our throws at the quieter end of the beach and walked towards the opposite side of the beach to watch the weathered rock-climbers dangling by their finger-tips. I did quite a lot of rock climbing before I came away and although enjoyable I just haven't got the patience to stand around waiting or the inclination to carry rope and metal around with me, which these lads obviously do. It's as if you want to shout up to them, "lads, just come down and have a Chang and chill out, this place is beautiful!". Looked as though they were happy enough though!

We wandered around the beach, mesmerised by the location and the scene before us. If you could conjure up the perfect beach scene in your head, go on have a go, maybe apart from Claire and Vit (that would be cheating). You done it yet? Well that is how I can explain it, crystal clear water, a perfect stretch of sand, surrounded by karsts that pop out of the water and boat-shops selling fruit smoothies. It's hard to compare these places but I think shell agrees that it's our favourite beach to date, cannot wait to go back...

Back in Ao Nang and off the boat we made the easy decision to go and buy beer and pizza and sit on the beach to watch the sunset. Such a good decision. I feel a bit like Michael Palin sometimes, getting all gushy, but this will stay with us forever. Another perfect sunset as the sun dips behind a tropical island, drinking a couple of beers, safe in the knowledge that it feels as if this will last forever. Ofcourse it won't, but hey, you gotta make the most of these situations whilst your here....

The next morning and with the threat of storms hanging in the air, we decided to drive the 45kms to a national park to visit To Souy waterfalls. I think if we knew how far and how long this would actually take I think we may reconsidered but I just love riding that bike. I think due to the fact I have always had this aversion to being in control of moving vehicles I have loved every minute of this new found love. Such a liberating experience. I think for shello too, being driven around is something she is definitely getting used to! Although I think Shell's obligatory passenger map reading skills may take a little while yet to come around...bless her. Still, i'm sure she'll be writing similar things as I get us lost for a week in the middle of New Zealand....

Anyway, the waterfalls themselves were fantastic, not quite as impressive or majestic as the ones we visited near Luang Prabang but the lack of anyone around definitely made up for it. Despite wearing nothing but flip-flops we made it to the top where I headed straight underneath for an invigorating splash around. Such an amazing feeling. I think Shell took some photos so you can see on there. On the way down a beautiful orange butterfly attached itself to Shell and would not let go meaning Shell had to literally pull the thing off of her. So strange.

On the way back (another 50kms), the heavens opened. It absolutely thrashed it down so we pulled in and put on two identical yellow ponchos that we found in the scooter. As we pulled off in the soaking rain and onto the highway what people must have thought as two day-glow figures came hurtling down the road dressed, seemingly, like two giant condoms.

Back at the hotel we dried off before heading back out for food, not before checking the weather report though.

The next morning we woke to grey leaden skies and drizzle. We knew it was coming so didn't plan anything the day before other than swanning around and drinking coffee so we made our way into town. I can't say we did an awful lot. We sat on the beach in the early afternoon, walking round to see the monkey island, a place that is, unsurprisingly populated by wild, aggressive monkeys. It warns you not to feed them and let's face it, you would be an absolute fool to do so. Sure enough, some people dud approach the wild beasts and sure enough, they nearly had their faces torn off. I dont want to get the animal rights bloggers on to me but if a monkey jumped on me , I would throw it in the sea.

For the next couple of hours we sat under a tree on the beach, like a couple of hobos, maybe just lacking the Special Brew. From there we went for a quick coffee that we swore had been spiked with something stronger and then stormed the roads all the way back to the hotel. On the way back we did what any true Brits would do on a rainy day and bought a lot of beer and played scrabble.....rock and roll...

So tomorrow we go island hopping around five deserted islands on s small speedboat which should be a cool day. The following day we have to drive to Phuket airport where will be flying to Kuala Lumpur late that evening, spending 5 hours skidding around the shiny airport floors, then flying back to Phuket. All to get another stamp to stay in Thailand another thirty days....

Anyway, Christmas in a week and in a way, apart from Shell making us buy a small tree, hats and tinsel, Christmas is another year away! I know Shell loves Christmas but in a way, we are on one long summer! How can it be Christmas!! Anyway.....Merry Christmas!! Ho ho ho.

Much love...and seasons greetings, Tommo & Shell xxxx