Well, it has come to my attention that...I'm in a different country!! So perhaps you'd all like to know what happened in Thailand? Well so would I, we seem to have fallen into some sort of Thai time wharp, hence being so incommunicado for quite so long (sorry!!). Rather disappointingly, it all FLEW by, but I'll try and fill you in....
If there are 9 million bicycles in Beijing, than there's probably about twice as many scooters in Hanoi, these all seem to have met in Bangkok (to avoid the 30 million potholes in Cambodia), along with the rainbow taxi fleet to create a rush 24 hour system...but this is all irrelevant as Libby and I have discovered what really is, truly, the only way to travel- Angelina style, of course- SPEED BOATS! Speed boats everywhere I tell you people, yes we've been roughing it again haven't we...
It may surprise you all to read the that, actually since day 101, we've upped the anti and done A LOT more than lady boy spot (or not) and beach bumming; we've been to 4 different countries, studied for 3 differing qualifications, travelled from the Northern most point in Thailand right down to 5 of its most southerly islands, via a surprisingly exciting and informative pineapple farm and a big gold guy, reunited with 7 family members- as well a squeezing in a full moon party and being flashed, fed, saving a few people and spending a day in hospital. Told you there was a time warp!
Once we'd thawed out enough after our hill top excursion we headed to the very north of Thailand where we made a very show biz dash to the Northern most point of Thailand to make a border crossing (into where we never quite worked out, well if you will keep changing the names of places and then turning border "towns" into huge non descript malls it gets hard to keep track) to extend our visa's, but not before discovering a whole new, and exciting no less, side to the wonder that is...PINEAPPLES!
That's right folks these babies are responsible for the production of everything, from whiskey and wine (teeth curling discovery to make at 9am...before meeting border sec-hic-urity), to jam and sweets and even paper goods- book marks,books, bags and even photo frames. Not a fruit to be scoffed at...just scoffed (cue comic drum roll) and after we'd had quite enough of that, and were starting to resemble the things, it was off to the Golden Triangle. This is the rather glitzy way the Thai's chose to pay homage to their queen on her 70th birthday, and by all accounts she's not the shy retiring type. The golden triangle is actually where the Thai, Laos and Myanmar borders meet, intersected by a river. Not to be ostentatious, the Thai's decided that, running the risk of being out done by the other's palm trees and lush vegetation, what they needed was gold, and lots of it. The Thai's corner consists of a huge gold Buddha, with various shrines and effigies at his feet, which are actually rather beautiful. the Buddhists worship here, mostly the god who rules their day of birth, and in homage they place fleck of gold and silver leaf on the statues...yes its all very sparkly yes that's why I liked it (it was not pink though so I'm making progress)! The Buddha himself was perhaps a bit much, but for a little light relief round the corner were two sets of three huge gold and mosaic bollards, separated by suitably adorned elephant statues. Happy birthday to the Queen!!! (she was only 70...wait till the king hit's 80 this year.......)
Done with the north and the border dash (stress of which obviously needed alleviating with
a(nother) pampering sesh) we headed back to Bangkok to stay with my cousin's again and await the arrival of...the notorious...my Mammabear!!!!!!! Needless to say I was a wee bit excited. We all had a lovely weekend, catching up and relaxing, and eating...god there was eating (do you like how I said that like it was a strain?!) We visited two of Bangkok's top ten eateries, one of which was crepe based...very Thai! Obviously the strain of a weekend with me after so much bliss full peace meant mum had to go straight to a spa to recuperate whilst we made our first assult on the islands.
Ko Tao. A beautiful island, where the waters are so calm and crystal clear that from a distance it is hard to tell where the beach ends and the sea starts. Needless to say a lot of diving was to be done on this island. In fact can we please take a moment to congratulate Libby for here new status as an PADI Open Water Diver, and mine as PADI EFR and Rescue Diver!! Oooohh ahhhh get us!!! Unfortunately my course, having been condensed into half the time for me, required a little more work than would've been nice. But I have it on good authority (well Libby told me, after I collapsed on her lap in the middle of the local restaurant in a tired snivelling heap, much to the dismay of the friends she was eating with. One was so frightened by the dribbling mass before him that he went in to raptures about what beautiful eyes I had...all the while backing away slowly!) that there was amazing nightlife to be had here as well, alas I stuck to the diving. It was actually amazing, the most exhilarating and TIRING experience of my life, our aim being to learn how to lug people, or more specifically tall and stacked men, from the bottom of the ocean, to the top and back on the boat again. This involved a day of "Scenarios"...or the reason for the grand entry I told you about. Seriously those dive masters are clumsy, one by one nearly every one on the PACKED boat drowned, ran out of air and passed out at the bottom of the sea, fell down the boat stairs or in fact off the boat into a panic.
After this I needed the spa break, but back to Bangkok for more reunions and food had to suffice. Our fair well dinner with my Mother was at the little expected Cabbages and Condoms restaurant, which is actually a beautiful place (if you ignore the condom clad, well everything around you-cant describe it, check out the photos) where the food is "guaranteed not to cause pregnancy," but tastes so bloody good you might not mind if it had! All the proceeds go towards helping and educating people suffering with or affected by HIV and other STD's and generally encouraging and aiding safe sex. Made for an interesting night, certainly an unforgettable farewell, with rather more blushes than the norm! As if like clock work Libby's parents arrived the nest day so she spent a few days catching up with them, while I went baby mad and hogged my two cousins...any excuse to get back into a soft play room! Actually I had some very educational experiences visiting the science museum and the aquarium!
But that was enough of the land lubbering for us, so as the Brodies prepared to fly to their luxury accommodation in Puket we prepared to bus it there, via Krabi. But I'll let you all rest up a bit, grab a cuppa and leave you in suspense briefly before telling you about that...
Enjoy the break there's LOTS more to come...
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