2 DAYS AGO I WROTE A MASSIVE POST AND LOST IT ALL IN A POWERCUT. I hate powercuts, they happen quite often in India especially but also in Thailand. I used the pitch black to my advantage by walking out! Here goes again... I'm going to struggle to remember everything as it's been so long since I last wrote but I'll do my best.
India now seems so long ago, I know more happened on my last day there but I'm really not going to remember. My flight to Singapore with Singapore Airlines was both really good and really bad. Really good as it was comfortable, there was good service and the in-flight entertainment was the best I've ever come across. About 50 movies, 200 TV shows and 700 music albums. The flight left at 11, took 5 1/2 hours and with time difference added arrived at 7am. It was really bad as I didn't sleep taking advantage of the entertainment! I watched 'The Usual Suspects' which was really good, watched some Simpsons and listened to some music.
There was a Tourist Information centre at the airport which was really useful, especially for backpackers. I decided where I wanted to go then got on the train; the cheapest and most efficient way to get around there. It's similar to the London Underground except much better and cleaner. In fact, it's illegal to litter, or even eat or drink on the whole train network and even on many of the streets etc in Singapore. Very strict laws there. I arrived at my hostel where I was staying in a dorm for the first time. It was much better than I was expecting though, there were 8 beds in the room, 6 were taken and everyone in the room was really nice (and no-ne snored!) I went straight out exploring; got some food and went to a few of the many, many, massive shopping arcades there, one of which led to the largest fountain in the world - 'The Fountain of Wealth.' Here I met a Singaporean guy who wanted to hang out and ho conveniently used to be a tourist guide around the city! We walked around the city, he showed me the CBD and some other places before going to 'Boat Quay' where we sat in a pub on the riverside and had a few beers. I was tired from getting no sleep the night before so went back after that.
The next morning I overslept having forgotten to change my clocks; ended up waking up at 12 in stead of about 9/10 and was confused why no-one was eating breakfast! At least I got some well needed sleep though. I started chatting to a Belgian guy who was in the dorm and we decided to go together to Sentosa Island, a small island at the very south of the city. Singapore is actually an island which I never knew before going there! Sentosa is a manmade island and had suprisingly few tourists, you pay a pound and then you can use the buses and trams all day to get around. We got some snacks on the beach before going for a swim and I got a few dives and flips in off the pier thing! It was the first time I had been able to really relax since Goa right at the start of my trip. Afterwards we caught the tram along the beachfront and went across a ropebridge leading to the 'Southernmost Point of Continental Asia' from where we could see Indonesia.
We stayed a few hours then went back to the mainland when it started pouring with rain. Every day I was there there was a massive thunderstorm at 3/4pm lasting for a couple of hours which is a pain. If you're clever and take a few detours you can actually get around underground without getting wet which is good. In the evening we went to the 'Night Safari' which is basically a zoo at night but was cool. You go round on a tram and the guide acts really suprised that we're actually seeing the animals even though they're obviously in caged areas! She said some hilarious things too, eg: "Rhino's actually find each other nice, attractive, and even... SEXY." it was the way she said it too! We had a real mission getting back to the hostel as the safari is far out of the city. The needed to catch a train and the last left at 11.30pm. To get to the station we had to take a bus which took 35 minutes on the way there and it arrived at 11.05. We told the driver the situation and asked him to do his best and he did a great job! When we got off the bus it was 11.27 which is when the true James Bond style mission began. We SPRINTED to the station, crossed the main road as the timer read 1 second remaining to cross and into the station. We jumped on the train as the doors closed, it was ridiculously close and incredible but I think you had to be a part of it to fully appreciate it! We went to the red light district in the evening as well just to see what it was like which was interesting!
The next day I spent walking around the city again; walked miles. Went to the shopping arcades, had some nice food including Haagen Daaz ice cream and Percy Pigs! Also found a car audio shop where I can order cheap stuff from if I like once back in England. Ended up rushing a bit in the evening in order to get my bus which in that heat and carrying a massive backpack, I can assure you isn't very fun! Made it OK though onto the refreshingly air conditioned bus where I was the only passenger! Cue music, food and fully reclined seat - the best bus journey I've ever had!
I arrived in Kuala Lumpur at about 3am and was attacked by people wanting me to stay at their place - I followed the one who seemed friendliest and had the cheapest rooms. I got to sleep straight away and woke again at about 9. I wake up early by myself even if I go to sleep really late, I think because of the constant excitement of the day ahead! In the morning I got the bus out of the city to some caves. You have to walk up 200ish steps on the mountain-side to get to them and at the bottom is the largest statue in the world. Lots of monkeys about too, it was a nice visit. When I got back in the city I first went to the Petrona's Tower's; as I'm sure most of you know, the tallest twin towers in the world. I ate inside including some gooood dunkin donuts, looked around the shops for a bit and went for a walk in the park at the back. I managed to go up to the sky bridge too but only just. The last trip up is at 5pm and I got there at 5.05 but they let me sneak through which was nice of them. I think it goes without saying that it was a good view from up there! The lift up is super fast, I think 5 floors a second or something.
After the Petronas visit I debated walking to the Menara Tower but in the end i took a taxi which was a good job as it was quite far away and up on a hill. You had to pay to go up and it had become quite dark and cloudy, and I had already been up the Petronas for free, so I decided not to go up. I walked back down the hill and got a bus back to my hostel. One of the guys who worked there and another traveller who I had spoken to in the morning were just leaving to have dinner so I went with them. I also bought a ticket for the bus up to Thailand which was for that evening at around 11pm.
It was quite hard getting up to where I am now as none of the buses go far enough. You have to go as far as the bus will take you then get off and go through the whole process of getting your next ticket again. So I got a bus from KL to Hadyai, a bus from Hadyai to Surat Thani, a car from Surat Thani to Don Sak, a ferry from Don Sak to Koh Phangan (where I'm writing from now) and a jeep to where I was staying - I was travelling for about 22 hours straight which was pretty tiring. There was an amazing sunset on the ferry though I worryingly can't find the pictures I took. In the jeep on the way to the bungalow I made friends with Emily and Mark. We walked along the beach to this bar which was veeeery chilled out, right on the beach front with comfy cushions, cool lights and Bob Marley playing - loved it!
The next morning we decided to move elsewhere and headed north in search of a place called Coral Bungalow that had been recommended to Emily. We found what we though was it, Coral Bay Bungalow, although we now know it's not the same place. It was quite a lucky mistake though as Coral Bay Bungalow is amazing. The only disadvantage is that it's quite far from anything, there is a village about half an hours walk away but all the happening places and bigger shops are at least half an hours drive. BUT, it's nice to be secluded. It's really quiet and peaceful, you can just lie in your hammock or sit on the rope swings on the beach (where I haven't seen more than 10 people at one time). All the people who work there are friendly and helpful and I've met some really nice people there. It's the kind of place where people go on holiday and never leave and there are examples there to this day. The food is good too and I can't go without my ritual evening Mars bar pancake! :-D
The first day we chilled out on the beach and went to the local village and then in the evening went to the Half Moon Party. There was a group of 8 of us, all from the Bungalows. We went to a bar first which was up on a hill; tiring walk up but worth it. When we got back down to the road we waited for a taxi but none came so we just flagged down a random jeep and once he realised how much he was going to make by giving us a lift to the party he happily obliged! I got a little drunk at the party on Sang Som, a deceptive Thai spirit, so don't remember too much of the nightand we left at about 3 or 4.
The next day I went snorkelling and fishing with Adam and Sarah, a really nice Swedish couple. I'd never been fishing before so it was fun. We only had a little flimsy rod but it did the job. Within literally about 30 seconds I caught a fish! I couldn't believe it. It was quite big but not as big as the second fish I caught, i was quite impressed with myself for a first attempt. Adam caught a squid which was really interesting. It was huge in comparison to the ones they catch and sell down on the beach in the village. It had water stored inside its body and when we lifted it out of the water it shot it at us which took us by suprise! So we put it back in the water and it let out all this ink, turning the surrounding water black and changing its own colour from white to blue to black and back to white again, very strange. I rented a motorbike so I could go exploring in the evening and went down to Haad Rin in the very South which is the lively place all the young people go. I was going to try and stay there for a few days but there was no accommodation because of the Full Moon Party, even though it wasn't for 5 days or so.
The next 3 days were spent becoming a fully qualified scuba diver! The underwater world is a whole new world and I love it! I had a cool English instructor who's living out here instructing for a few months. You have to watch videos in the mornings which are the cheesiest and funniest things! Then you take little tests to check that all the information's gone in but it was fairly easy. In the afternoon on the first day we got to go in the water in all the gear but only in shallow water to practice all the different skills. On the second day I did more videos and tests again in the morning and in the afternoon after a few more skills we went n our first proper dive. Only to about 6m depth but it was really good. I never realised quite how many fish are really down there and not even that far from the beach. I won't bother naming all the fish as it won't mean anything to most of you and as I'll struggle to remember the names but we saw a blue spotted stingray too! The final day was just a day long trip to 3 dives spots. It was on a big boat with about 20-30 people from all the dive schools in the area. You get lunch included too which was good and that day I had seven portions of fruit which to those who know me better will know is very impressive as I don't even eat 7 portions of fruit in a year normally! The day's diving was INCREDIBLE. Not all of the pictures I took came out as well as I had hoped and they can't show how amazing it is seeing it all for yourself so scuba diving is definately something I would recommend trying in your lifetime. I'm hoping to do some more dives in Thailand/Australia/Fiji, all budget depending.
After the diving course I got to see more of the island. I went to a few waterfalls, some which were a little disapointing but the last one which totally lived up to my expectations. There were fresh water pools to swim in and it was amazing. Just what I needed too after the walk to get there, which was a fair few km literally in the river climbing down waterfalls, jumping between boulders etc etc. I really enjoyed it, as did Emily who I went with but she struggled a bit getting down the river. We went to the beach there too which had nothing on ours! We managed to blag a lift half way home from these 3 really cool Australian's. They'd rented a 4WD for the day and I was stuck in the boot which was very bumpy but fun nonetheless!
Yesterday was one of the best days of my life! SO GOOD. It was the Thai New Year, a celebration called Songkran. Literally the whole of Thailand takes part in an all day waterfight! I went to the capital of Koh Phangan, a place called thong Sala and it was CRAZY. It's similar to the Holi festival in India except with water not paint, which makes so much more sense, and whereas in India you can just about escape it, here NO-ONE is spared! I only had a disposable camera as my digital camera would have got broken so I'm praying the photos will come out well. I've never seen anything like it, honestly. Just hundreds, thousands of people, and that was only on one street and only on a small island. People drive down the main road in open back jeeps and fight against all the people on the road side. There is an endless flow of water. Water guns, water bombs, buckets, hoses, anything goes. I spent time on the road side and in peoples jeeps. I've never seen so many smiling people either, you can soak anyone and they'll just smile and laugh and I'm not even going to try describing it anymore because it's not possible, just GO TO THAILAND FOR SONGKRAM. It is amazing!
But making the day even better was the coincedence that the Full Moon Party fell that evening. For those of you who don't know, the party involves about 30,000 people, about 15 freely open bars/clubs, a lot of alcohol and a beach! It starts quite early in the evening although doesn't pick up until around 11pm which is when we arrived. You get buckets which is again the Sang Som spirit, mixed with red bull and coke put in a bucket with ice. I shared one with Emily t get us started and then mostly stuck to Singha, the best Thai beer, for the rest of the night. There's 10-15 DJ's along the beach all playing different music so there's something for everyone and I moved around a bit to enjoy it all. People juggle with fire too, some of them so young which was good to watch. Really scarily randomly I bumped into Neal Bryant, someone I knew from primary school at the party! He was with a few girls I know from Cheltenham too so it was really random to see them; it's a small world! People dance and drink and dance and drink all through the night and when the sun rises you get to see what everyone and everything actually looks like and you get to see the masses of bottles and bodies piled on the beach! We bumped into the Australian's who had given us a lift before which was cool so spent a lot of the night with them. We stayed until about 8/9am when we still still drinking! Just like with the festival from the daytime I can describe it a bit, but you'll never fully appreciate without experiencing it yourself, so GO! We all went back to the Australian's place as it was quite nearby which turned out to be Coral Bungalow, the place we were meant to be! I was quite dehydrated, sticky and sandy so I stripped down to my boxers and got pushed in the pool which was very refreshing! I should really be asleep on the beach now but I've spent the last couple of hours on here as I really did need to update.
Sorry for taking so long to write and not replying to emails etc but it's too much fun out here! I'll try and do better... Hope everyone's OK, I'm going to go to sleep now, bye!
