Southern Thailand and Ko Samui

So it’s all been a bit of a blur since Frank arrived, lots of playing pool and lots of drinking beer and cocktails. Three points for guessing what cocktails I’ve been having - so predictable I know White Russians. It’s pretty touristy down here, but the scenery is great. We have dinner sitting on the beach each night; you pick your food from the iced tray of seafood then it goes on the barbeque.

We’ve spent a week down here, but it’s been too hot and too expensive to do much. We did hire a jeep and drive round the island. I foolishly decided to train with the local Muay Thai gym down here. Was good but very tough, someone elbowed me in the face and I now have the obligatory bruised shins. The southern peninsula of Ko Samui is cool, very quiet with virtually no tourists anywhere. Chaweng on the other hand, is a carnival. Every other shop is a 7 eleven, you can get your Starbucks, your Pizza Hut and your traditional English dinner, if that’s what you’re after. Can’t help feeling that it’s not really Thailand at all – the signs are in English, the shops are American and the waiters are Burmese. It’s good for the partying though.

Well we’re at the end of our little jaunt round South East Asia. It’s going to be strange going back to a western culture. Will we get reverse culture shock? Anyway we’re off to Sydney on Tuesday to meet up with Chris our friend from Whistler. Looking forward to going to Australia. It’s a bit strange though as we have to ditch our warm weather clothes, no more sandles/jandles/thongs for us.