Koh Tao to Bangkok

Hi Everyone

Firstly - lets get one thing clear - the Thai island of Koh Tao is possibly one of the best diving sites I have ever been to - 25m + visibility and teeming with fish. Especially funny was watching trigger fish attack an American diver who was trying to get photos of it. It just started nailing his head and actually drew blood it was that forceful - very funny as he had deliberately dived over the nest (to get a better photo) of the Trigger fish despite being warned of the consequences (they are VERY territorial).

Koh Tao itself is a nice, small island that is unpretentious with great soft, sandy beaches that are really only accessible by scooter (which we hired to get around) so lazing in hammocks and watching the waves drift in and out was on the cards for a couple of days whilst the British lads we were travelling with finished their diving certificates. We stayed at a resort called Ban's that was actually pretty good value and had a dive centre on hand to make life easy - it had also been recommended on Tripadvisor.com so when I negotiated free accommodation for the lads they were pretty happy...

With the diving out of the way and the the exploration of Koh Tao finished we celebrated the lads finishing their course with a night out and then got on a Songserm boat to Ko Samui (via Ko Pha Ngan). We were met off the boat by the hotel staff and taken to the hotel I had booked. It actually turned out to be quite nice bungalows with a/c (a rarity in cheaper accommodation) located on the Northern part of the island. After an initial "is this a gay resort" load of questions (there were lots of magazines to that effect in the reception and in the rooms) from the boys (they are all 18 and 19 ;-) ) they settled down having seen two or three couples frolicking in the pool... anyway, even if it was - it was great, and very clean... No more bed bugs...

A few nights out and a scooter ride of the island later we set off for the return leg to Bangkok, sad to leave the boys but as we were heading our way we had to press on - we will meet again though in London for the "Banoffee Pie Bake off" between Chris and Erin - Christ knows how that happened but if it means I get Banoffee Pie I'm willing to support it! haha

We took the Government bus ride back to Bangkok and can happily recommend it over the private tour operators for ease and safety - if anyone else does this trip make the extra effort to get the decent government bus like the Thais do! Its the same price as well so no excuses... lots of thefts apparently happen on the private buses. They even threw in dinner for free as well (although by this stage Erin is sick of rice and complains all the time about food - on the upside she is looking even trimmer now).

Back in Bangkok the ritual tension between dodgy taxi touts and the tight Scotsman continue with a close runoff between the Scotsman being pretty insulting and the Thai gentlemen at the bus station trying to fleece the inexperienced travellers - net result - win to the Scotsman as he pays the same price as a local!

When we check in to the hotel at 5am we get a couple of hours sleep and then go out for some food. We are not 20 metres from our hotel when we bump into the Irish contingent we left in Siem Reap who had also just arrived and were hoping to meet us as well... very random but very welcome as we got to spend the whole day and evening with them... and hear all about how 18-25 year-old Laos is - Jack - if you are reading this we recommend you go there next!

Another trip to the Patpong night market to purchase some boxer shorts and a few polo shirts later and we are crammed (6 passengers) back into a taxi for the ride home as Erin and I had to pack before our 6am start the next day.

Packing over and early start commenced we are now at Bangkok airport in the Cathay lounge waiting to go - and happily a lovely young Thai lady has just told me we are being upgraded to business class so GAME ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chat soon

Al & E.