OnTheRoad

Here over in Koh Lanta now, been here a couple of days now, not up to much. The weather has been shite here (to be honest, all over Thailand though, so I guess it isn't picking on me) and the farang are thin on the ground. Which is kinda nice :) Koh Lanta is well spread out, so I don't think I'd notice them anyway.

Got a motocycle again yesterday, for about $NZ5 (the price shifts everywhere...) and cruised around. Picked up a 100 baht fine for not wearing a helmet (nobody does on this island - I didn't even get offered one with my bike). But remember folks, 100 baht is about $NZ4, so who really cares? Anyway, had a look around the island, up on the hills I had lunch at the Viewpoint restaurant, where you can look out over the sea and the beautiful islands. They're all big cliffed, jungled things, stunning stuff. Rocked along for an hour long cave tour after that, saw some of the biggest spiders I've ever seen (check the photos in Luang Prabang for the biggest I've seen - I think these came in second and third perhaps) and a lot of bats flying around :D The caves themselves were pretty damn cool as well, big limestone affairs. Some of the stalagmites and -tites are hollow and ring like bells when you knock on them!

Staying at a place called "Where Else!", which is very cute. Jess, you'd love it. So would you Tree, dirty hippies the lot of you! Really though, beautiful palms, bamboo huts with shells and coral all over the show, shower and bathroom outside in your own little courtyard, boats and thatched roof huts as far as the eye can see. And almost completely empty!

Now, the food at Where Else is pretty good, but I had a cravang for farang food, so I went along to a place called Retro last night. On the menu, they have New Zealand steak, for only double the cost of local fare :) I didn't indulge, but a full meal with a Heinekken, mozarella, tomato, basil, olive oil and cracked pepper starter, followed by raviolli el pesto, a coca cola and some icecream left me feeling pretty damn good. All for around $NZ12 too...

The weather forecasts remain shite, but I'm planning to do a very brief excursion to Koh Phi-Phi Don, followed by a visit to Krabi and some beaches there, perhaps, (Kieth - I know you loved Krabi, where should I be going here?) before heading further north. Khao Sok national park will then be hit up, for a day or two of hiking around, possibly some frollicking in waterfalls. Thereafter, a quick border run to renew my visa, then heading up to Bangkok to apply for a Cambodian visa. Maybe a run down to Koh Samet while I wait for that to come through, then across to Cambodia.

Of course, this is all speculation. Everywhere I go I seem to like so much I stay far longer than I intended!

Finally, my camera is absolutely shafted now, so no more photos until next time I pass through Bangkok and buy myself a new one sorry. Dealing with the insurance company to sort out the details now, but hopefully I ca n just go buy a new one or take mine in for repairs straight away.