We left Surfer's Paradise at 5:00am and didn't arrive in Bangkok until 11:00pm. It was a long day!! We had a second boost of energy however as we exited a taxi onto Ko San Road. The lights were shining, the music blaring and people were everywhere. We got checked in to the D&D hotel which was nicer and cheaper than any Australian hostel. Our first priority was to find a way out of Bangkok. So the next morning we made our way over to the train station. It turned out to be an epic bus ride, all the while we had no clue where we were really going. Eventually we made it and booked a night train to Surratthani and a boat to Ko Phangan. The rest of our time in Bangkok was spent wandering China town, shopping on Ko San Road, and our first Thai massage. Not a bad way to spend a day!
The night train was pretty crazy. We were both pretty exhausted and had no trouble falling asleep. We woke up in the morning and had a bit of a panic moment as Allie looked at her clock and it was half past 6 - the time when our boat was suppose to leave. Eventually we figured out that her clock was on Australia time and went back to bed.
As we got off the boat at Ko Phangan the sky, which had been blaring sun at us on the boat ride turned dark, the wind picked up, and within minutes we were stuck in the middle of monsoon rain. With no real idea of where we were going we relied on our trusty lonely planet and headed for the recommended cookies bungalow. It was a really quiet place and we were right on the beach, which was stunning. I fell asleep in our hammock and opened my eyes to the perfect view - sun, beach, and palm trees!
The next day we headed to the other side of the island to a beach which we would soon discover as being perfection. Hadd Juan was a much more secluded beach than the bustling area of Hadd Rin (the location of the infamous Full Moon Party. Within a few hours of being there I ran into a friend from back home. She took us up to her bungalow which was on the side of the mountain and the view was stunning! We chilled up there and then headed to Bamboo for diner. Bamboo has the most amazing food. My mouth is watering right now just thinking about it! Then we made the trek over to Eden Garden. The most relaxing bar I have ever been to. Turns out another friend was there as well. What a small world!
After enjoying ourselves too much in this amazing part of the world, we headed back to Hadd Rin and off to the night boat to Krabi. All I will say is that it stunk, it poured and had I not taken gravol I would have been very sea-sick. When we made it to Krabi we were very ecstatic to be off the boat, but it wasn't until after 2 more taxis, 2 buses and a boat that we finally made it to Ko Phi Phi.
It was well worth the trip! The limestone cliffs and lush mountains that jetted up from the turquoise water was the picture-perfect scene of Thailand. This is where the movie the Beach was filmed and although the scenery was recognizable it was by no means a secluded area. Quite the opposite, it was teaming with tour shops, bars, stores and restaurants. All if it was a touch overwhelming especially after over 20 hours of travelling. We were so happy when we finally made it to a bungalow. Although it rained almost the entire afternoon we managed to get ourselves booked on a dive for the next day. We also had diner at one of the many restaurants that play movies while you eat.
Up early the next morning we headed out for our dive. We waited around for ages until we were finally told that our dive instructor was dead to the world, passed out in his room naked. There would be no dive today. Eventually we talked the owner into a complimentary snorkel to amuse ourselves that day. It was quite different from the Great Barrier Reef, and we saw many a cool fish, including a lion fish, and pie fish. Unfortunately my water proof camera gave out whilst diving down perhaps a bit too deep. Luckily it still takes pictures, but without the use of the screen its hard to know what your taking photos of. Before we headed back we stoped at a beach that was filled with monkeys. It was unreal how close we got. One guy was testing the boundaries by letting the monkeys crawl all over him. It looked pretty cool, but I don't think it was worth the massive bite he ended up getting. I freaked out a bit when they came charging at me as I was holding a banana. Our guide thought it was pretty funny though.
Finally we got to do out dive the next day and it was definitely worth it!!!!!! We were much more comfortable on this dive than the last which probably helped, but we saw so much more than on the Whitsundays. Here's a small list of what we saw: black tipped reef shark, sea turtles, moray eels, and a sea snake which is 8 times deadlier than the king cobra - didn't find that out until we were back on dry land. We did two dives and in between had lunch on Ko Phi Lay. For part of the time we were the only people on this little beach with just a run down shack on it. It was pretty unreal to swim off this beach where limestone cliffs rose up so high on either side of you.
Once we returned to Ko Phi Phi we hit up the beach for a bit. Although it was a bit crowded it wasn't a bad way to spend the afternoon. The only complaint was the wind which would blow the sand so hard up against you that it felt like millions of tiny pin pricks. As it was our last night on Ko Phi Phi we did a bit of wandering around the little shops and then treated ourselves to a Manicure and Pedicure.
Diving, Beaching, Shopping, Spa-ing = a day in paradise. We're excited to head north, but it's going to be hard to leave this place!!!
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
My Last Australia Travel
After saying a very sad goodbye to Evatt, Devin, Allie, Jamie and I made way north to Brisbane. We hung out at the train station for quite some time when we got there, but finally boarded a bus to take us to Fraser Island. After almost 12 hours in transit we arrived at Hervey bay, only to be informed that we were heading over to the island that night, something we had not quite been expecting (well if I'm going to be honest about it, due to lack of organisation we really had no clue what we were doing). So onto the ferry we went, our fifth mode of transportation that day, only to encounter a overly friendly skipper who felt the need to dress me up as a pirate. Although this was mildly amusing, the diesel smelling rag that he put over my face and head was not.
Fraser Island is made almost entirely of sand, save for a few rocky headlands. It has gorgeous blue freshwater lakes that are far above sea level, which makes for an interesting geological phenomenon. The island is inhabited by many Dingos, which is a very aggressive and unfriendly dog, likened with the North American wolf. Our guide told us horror stories, one included his grandson being bitten by a dingo, but luckily surviving. The tour was very picturesque and relaxing, a much needed rest after our last week at Evatt. We did head to the bar one night though to watch the State of Origin Footy game, a rugby league 3 series game between New South Wales and Queensland. Unfortunately Queensland won, winning them the title as it was their second win. Surprisingly they still play the third game, but I will be out of the country and I don't think it will be showing in Thailand.
Next stop was a sail through the Whitsunday Islands. Unfortunately our first attempt to get up there from Brisbane was a miserable failure. We hoped on the train to the airport and when we reached the end of the track and had still not come by the domestic terminal, we knew we were in trouble. I made a hectic call to a cab and organized a pick-up to be at a station right when we got there. Of course we were not on the right side of the tracks, so had to lug our bags up and down 2 flights of stairs. In the cab we planned that I would run in as soon as we got there, and attempt to use my persuasive skills to get on a flight that was leaving in 15 minutes. Apparently I need to work on these skills because the lovely customer services agent was NOT going to let us on.
We spent the next 45 minutes figuring out every option and after deciding on 2 or 3 different options, we found another flight to just north of Airley Beach (the port of the Whitsundays). This flight to Mackay of course did not go smoothly. Our first attempt at landing failed and we had to fly back up and try again. Apparently Jet Star doesn't have the proper equipment to deal with heavy fog. Great! Luckily the second time went smoothly and eventually we got ourselves a bus to Airley Beach. Upon our arrival we decided we had recovered from Evatt and it was definitely time for a night out, and it did not disappoint!
The next day we set sail, with our casques of wine in hand, on the Atlantic Clipper. The 3 day trip included fun drinking games by night and snorkeling/scuba diving by day. Allie and I decided to go for a dive and it was an unbelievable experience. The water could have been clearer, but just to be fully underwater for half an hour was amazing in itself!
After our tour, and a plane/train ride later we arrived on the Gold Coast at Surfer's Paradise. Jamie's Mum works for the Marriott, so we got a room there for a very cheap price and lived in style for 3 days. Feeling a bit out of our league at the $57 buffet dinner, we went to the grocery store and ordered up plates and cutlery via room service. Not a normal request I'm sure. We had some very good beach/pool days. A lovely place to relax. Although it is very commercial and touristy, I think because it was the off season it was more enjoyable than it could have been.
Allie and I were then planning on heading down to Port Macquarie (where a lot of our friends from school live) and in a last minute decision Devin and Jamie decided to join us. After an 9 hour bus/train trip, Gen met us at the station and took us back to her place. Her house was lovely and her parents were amazing! We had a lamb roast for dinner over many bottles of wine. Her Dad was even generous enough to give Gen cab money for the night! We headed into town and had a great night. Lots of friends from Newcastle were around and it was cool to see them in their home town.
The next day I had to say goodbye to Devin. It is so hard to believe that I won't see her for so long. It will definitely be a change from spending almost every day with her for the last 5 months. But I was off on a camping trip with Sam and his friend Pete. The car was jam packed with a tiny spot in the back for me (my giant suitcase didn't help the situation). Luckily it absolutely poured rain for the next 3 days! We toughed it out in the tents the first night, but rented cabins the next two. It was a very relaxing trip up the east coast. We stoped in little town - Coffs Harbour, Yamba, Ballina - and then spent a night in the infamous Byron Bay. I really enjoyed it there, but it was much more commercial than I had expected and it was ungodly cold. I honestly don't think I have ever been so cold in my life!
During the days the boys went off Surfing and Spear fishing and i found many relaxing ways to occupy myself - not a bad way to spend my last week! We eventually made it back up to the Gold Coast and stayed at their friends place. It was actually a really nice house that they rented, it even had a pool, although the water was green and had beer cans floating in it! Allie joined us on the Saturday and we had a pretty big night out. Unfortunately Allie somehow lost her visa and ID, which considering we were leaving for Thailand in 2 days was not overly convenient. The next day, as the boys went off spearing, we went into town and did some last minute things before Thailand. For dinner Sam and the boys took us to a Chinese restaurant for dinner.
Then the next morning we were up at 4:30 am to catch a train back to Brisbane to fly out to Bangkok. Saying goodbye to Australia was hard, but hopefully I will be back soon. It was such an amazing time here with unforgettable people!
Fraser Island is made almost entirely of sand, save for a few rocky headlands. It has gorgeous blue freshwater lakes that are far above sea level, which makes for an interesting geological phenomenon. The island is inhabited by many Dingos, which is a very aggressive and unfriendly dog, likened with the North American wolf. Our guide told us horror stories, one included his grandson being bitten by a dingo, but luckily surviving. The tour was very picturesque and relaxing, a much needed rest after our last week at Evatt. We did head to the bar one night though to watch the State of Origin Footy game, a rugby league 3 series game between New South Wales and Queensland. Unfortunately Queensland won, winning them the title as it was their second win. Surprisingly they still play the third game, but I will be out of the country and I don't think it will be showing in Thailand.
Next stop was a sail through the Whitsunday Islands. Unfortunately our first attempt to get up there from Brisbane was a miserable failure. We hoped on the train to the airport and when we reached the end of the track and had still not come by the domestic terminal, we knew we were in trouble. I made a hectic call to a cab and organized a pick-up to be at a station right when we got there. Of course we were not on the right side of the tracks, so had to lug our bags up and down 2 flights of stairs. In the cab we planned that I would run in as soon as we got there, and attempt to use my persuasive skills to get on a flight that was leaving in 15 minutes. Apparently I need to work on these skills because the lovely customer services agent was NOT going to let us on.
We spent the next 45 minutes figuring out every option and after deciding on 2 or 3 different options, we found another flight to just north of Airley Beach (the port of the Whitsundays). This flight to Mackay of course did not go smoothly. Our first attempt at landing failed and we had to fly back up and try again. Apparently Jet Star doesn't have the proper equipment to deal with heavy fog. Great! Luckily the second time went smoothly and eventually we got ourselves a bus to Airley Beach. Upon our arrival we decided we had recovered from Evatt and it was definitely time for a night out, and it did not disappoint!
The next day we set sail, with our casques of wine in hand, on the Atlantic Clipper. The 3 day trip included fun drinking games by night and snorkeling/scuba diving by day. Allie and I decided to go for a dive and it was an unbelievable experience. The water could have been clearer, but just to be fully underwater for half an hour was amazing in itself!
After our tour, and a plane/train ride later we arrived on the Gold Coast at Surfer's Paradise. Jamie's Mum works for the Marriott, so we got a room there for a very cheap price and lived in style for 3 days. Feeling a bit out of our league at the $57 buffet dinner, we went to the grocery store and ordered up plates and cutlery via room service. Not a normal request I'm sure. We had some very good beach/pool days. A lovely place to relax. Although it is very commercial and touristy, I think because it was the off season it was more enjoyable than it could have been.
Allie and I were then planning on heading down to Port Macquarie (where a lot of our friends from school live) and in a last minute decision Devin and Jamie decided to join us. After an 9 hour bus/train trip, Gen met us at the station and took us back to her place. Her house was lovely and her parents were amazing! We had a lamb roast for dinner over many bottles of wine. Her Dad was even generous enough to give Gen cab money for the night! We headed into town and had a great night. Lots of friends from Newcastle were around and it was cool to see them in their home town.
The next day I had to say goodbye to Devin. It is so hard to believe that I won't see her for so long. It will definitely be a change from spending almost every day with her for the last 5 months. But I was off on a camping trip with Sam and his friend Pete. The car was jam packed with a tiny spot in the back for me (my giant suitcase didn't help the situation). Luckily it absolutely poured rain for the next 3 days! We toughed it out in the tents the first night, but rented cabins the next two. It was a very relaxing trip up the east coast. We stoped in little town - Coffs Harbour, Yamba, Ballina - and then spent a night in the infamous Byron Bay. I really enjoyed it there, but it was much more commercial than I had expected and it was ungodly cold. I honestly don't think I have ever been so cold in my life!
During the days the boys went off Surfing and Spear fishing and i found many relaxing ways to occupy myself - not a bad way to spend my last week! We eventually made it back up to the Gold Coast and stayed at their friends place. It was actually a really nice house that they rented, it even had a pool, although the water was green and had beer cans floating in it! Allie joined us on the Saturday and we had a pretty big night out. Unfortunately Allie somehow lost her visa and ID, which considering we were leaving for Thailand in 2 days was not overly convenient. The next day, as the boys went off spearing, we went into town and did some last minute things before Thailand. For dinner Sam and the boys took us to a Chinese restaurant for dinner.
Then the next morning we were up at 4:30 am to catch a train back to Brisbane to fly out to Bangkok. Saying goodbye to Australia was hard, but hopefully I will be back soon. It was such an amazing time here with unforgettable people!
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