Fuzzy Funnel: Ko Lanta (and Phi Phi)

Oh great, I get to start by adding to the litany of heinous bus journeys. The first part wasn't too bad, despite the Mark Wahlberg double bill on the TV. Once safely on the bus it was nice to watch the soggy celebrations ensuing outside. The bus charged through to Surat Thani, where people were to go separate ways depending on which Island they were going to. The worst thing was the frequent changes of transport and waiting around. Not to labour the point, after the big bus came a Sangthiew (susceptible to water attacks!) a minbus, two ferries (one of them the slowest ever, must have had about 1hp, I could have swam faster) and a tuk-tuk (extremely vulnerable to water attacks) before getting to Lanta over 20 hours after I left, just as soaked as when I got on the bus, and my passport doused again.

But why Lanta? Well I was traveling to the islands when I saw a message on the Partick Thistle message boards from a fan asking if there would be any other jags around in Thailand trying to watch the game against Rangers in the Cup Quarter final on the 13th April. Turns out he was 2 years below me in the same school, so I though why not head for Lanta where he was, with his girlfriend. Turned out to be a very good decision as even though we lost the football, we got on great and they were in a lovely place. We'd soon discovered various connections and mutual friends, and I got the chance to wield my Glasgow accent and phrases again.

Lanta seemed cheap among the islands (not that cheap!) and the accommodation was fine, the water lovely but the beach a little rocky and the beer flowing. There were some other nice people at the same place, including Mike who was traveling despite having lost and arm and a leg years previously and Richard from Switzerland. I stayed 5 nights in the end and suffice to say I didn't do much. There was drinking, chatting, swimming, eating and little else. It was nice to have a holiday from traveling - no evil bus journeys!

On my last day I went on a Snorkeling trip to the neighbouring island Ko Phi Phi, supposedly the most beautiful of the Thai Islands (some say the most beautiful place in the world). With a build up like that it was no surprise I was a little underwhelmed, but the snorkeling was excellent, I met some nice monkeys, and the main town has recovered well from the Tsunami and to me seemed more expensive with an older crowd than Lanta. I really enjoyed our beach at Lanta, which was laid back with a nice atmosphere I didn't really find in Goa.

I also managed not to get hit on the head by a falling coconut, supposedly the second biggest killer of tourists. I'd write a little more about my time here but it might just make y'all jealous, and I've waffled on enough already tonight - I have to get up at 515am for a bus tomorrow morning, and that's on top of losing an hour crossing the border today.

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