Jan 2009

We left around 11 am to Ko Tao. On the boat we met Yu, who is a shop girl from AC Resort/Phoenix Divers.
We met about 100 more shop girls, but we liked here most so decided to go with her. The prices
were pretty much the same everywere so it didn't really matter. They offer open water corse
including 4 nights accomodation for 900 or 9800 depending on what company we want to learn diving
with. I went with SSI, not because it was cheaper but I just liked it more.
I found out later that it was the right desission.
We made a brake and thought of starting the diving course the next day.
Thats me having my lunch

and thats the view I have while having my lunch

The next day, Ariane got problems with her ears, so she couldn't go diving. I started on my one
and met Richy there. He's Austrian, from Salzburg and turnde out to be quite funny.
We became buddies (that's how your diving partner is called)
Thats Richy having his noodle soup

We were only two in the group but had 2 teachers, so one each which was cool because every time we
went down, each of us had his own instructor training the scills with us.
We enjoyed it so much, we started the advanced open water course after passing the exam on the
first open water course.
All together we went for 10 dives. Thats me in my diving suit.

We had one day off to relex and so, but what did Richy and Ariane do? They took my up to a mountain by food during the midday heat. Thats the view point

Them, discussing the way back

and the way back home

Thats me in the diving suit

And thats Richy and me on the boat

And thats one of the instructors (non of ours) climbing up on deck.

Thats on the boat.

Oh, and those are the cigarettes. Different warning than ours. The put picktures of all kinds of
cancer on it, or bad teeth or whatever disguasting pickture.

All together we stayed 7 nights on Ko Tao. I don't have so many picktures because I was busy diving
all the time. This is quite tiring.

On monday, the day of my last dive, we left in the evening by night boat. They put some matresses next
to each other in two rows. And people just lie next to each other, without nowing each other.

Thats the boat

and hats us on the boat.

We slept much better than in our bungalo at AC Resort.

Now we are in Krabi. Will go kayaking and to Thai cooking school tomorrow.

We went to Sarisas place after a funny women on the train gave us this recommandation. First I was disapointed because there is really not much to do or to see. Only one massage place to choose from :-)

Later, when I had my first Coconut shake

I started appreciating the place more. We didn't do anything speacial that afternoon, went for our first swim, checked out the facilities and well, went to bed early.

Next day we rented a moped and went to see whatever we can find. We found an elephant

at a resort were they organise this elephant riding tours. We decided spontaneously to do this as we found that the were treating their elephants well.
Its fun sitting on such a big animals head. Shaky and well, it has this funny hair on his head that stick into your bum and as it always wants to eat so it moves his head from the right side to the left side and back to the right side and you get scared falling off, especially because you cannot stop laughing.

We were actually looking for waterfalls, but as the elephant trecking hasn't brought us there we went on with our moped and found a national park were we hoped to find our waterfalls. We endet up climbing an official way which would never be official in any place in Austria

hadn't found any waterfalls that were worth taking a picture of it and went back after hours of climbing. You really should be in a good shape for this. I am not, so I found it quite hard.

Later we went to Had Rin, which is this party place. Had a look around and went back home because it had gotten dark already and as I am not so much used to driving a moped and driving on the left and we were not in the mood for party anyway, we went back home. However, there is not much you can do wrong driving a moped I guess. It was my first time on a moped. They didn't even ask me for a licence or something like this. Just gave me the moped, explaind how it works and off we went, with not helmets and well.. as I say, there is not much you can do wrong.

Next day we went back to Had Rin in the morning to get a special Reiki treatment. I have always wanted to check it out and where if not here? So, this was quite interesting but it took us the whole day to find it. In the evening we had a coconut milk shake at the place were I was 4 years ago. It was not the same any more and thai people in Had Rin have gotten really unfriendly. We did some shopping as well and we felt so uncomftable, lunch was bad as well and we were sooo happy for landing in the north. We went home quickliy and enjoyed our last dinner in a restaurant next to the see of which I will put a photo here soon.

The best thing are always the so, so, so friendly Thai people. You want to put them into your suitcase and take them home with you. Those places which are too tourisity, people can get annoying though.

Got up quite early (10 am) to check the prices and tickets for Koh Phangan. To get there you need a joint ticket, train, bus and ferry. We were lucky as the train was so busy they organised one more rail car.

The train is quite funny. First you sit opposite each other, like this:

later a man comes and prepares the bed. Everyone has his own curtain and the great thing is (for me especially) that you cannot fall out of the bed because you have some band keeping you where you belong to.

The beds are quite comfortable. I slept like a baby, Ariane didn't find any sleep at all though.

After a long, long journey.. after the train comes the bus, then the ferry and later you have to find a cab that brings you were you want to stay at the island.

There is no such thing as public transport but you can get those comfortable taxis:
Me in it and me looking out of it:

We went to Chalukam which is in the north. The south is where all the travellers usually go because thats the place where the famous full moon party and the not so famous half moon party and plenty of other parties are.

Hello everybody,

you wouldn't believe how hard it is to write a travell blog.
Well, lets start at the beginning.
After arriving, it didn't take me more than 10 minutes to meet Ariane. We agreed to share the room for the first night in order to safe some money. We went out doing what people do their first day in BKK, having Phat Thai for 40 cents and 70 minutes Thai massage for less than 3 euro and some shopping.
Next day we got a Tuk Tuk that drove us around the whole day for 20 bath only (40 Euro cent).
That's us at the back of it

and thats me next to a tuk tuk.

After bringing us to places we didn't want to see he kicked us out somewhere in the middle of nowhere. But we found our way back though and to see some of the tempels, China Town and even some turtles

Later this day we had a one hour + 10 minutes foot massage which was really great and which we really deserved.
I got my hair done

and went to bed at 4:30 in the morning, looking forward to the next day

Hello All,

finally, I've made it here. No pictures yet, because it is too much work for too little time (you know, I will only be here for 3 months)
Anyway, here is a short update: After arrival it took me not more than 10 minutes to find my first roommate. We are sharing a room for about 3 Euro.
Bangkok is nicer than I had it in my memory. Got a 70 minute Thai massage yesterday and a foot massage today for 3 euro each.
Will go to Ko Phangan soon for a few days. After this I'll check out the diving facilities isn Ko Tao.
Pics soon.