Current Mood: Alarmed & Happy

Well, I’m back again…  Scatt’s having her Open Water referral dives while Em, Alex and I just chill out and relax.  The last few days have been pretty crazy with all the moving around, some of it has been amazing while other bits have been soul destroying. 

We arrived onto Phi-Phi after an early morning ferry on the Sea Angel, the sailing was really nice and we got to relax on the sundeck for the two hours it took to get across the waters.  Getting off the boat was like jumping into the middle of the London Stock Exchange at it’s craziest hour, loads of like minded backpackers all desperately seeking those elusive rooms on Phi-Phi Island during high season.  The first place we looked at was fully booked and on a budget you don’t get a lot of choice – we were recommended a place called Mo Prough Bungalows and took it without hesitation.

Apart from the fact that the Taxi boat took us to the wrong beach and we had to trek through the jungle for 20 mins to get to our resort (Scatt with her 27kg rucksack having to duck under a tree, which is how I would imagine a hippo doing limbo would look) we found it without issue.  We checked in and made our way up to the ‘shack’!  On first glance it looked really nice, up a hill in the middle of a jungle we got to our little nest and dumped our stuff.  The beach was secluded and clean with a handful of people dotted around enjoying the gentle waves.

The day was just what I needed, falling asleep in a hammock in the shade of 2 coconut trees (no coconuts overhead either Russ!).  Scatt fell asleep on the beach and began snoring much to the amusement of the staff and holidaymakers while Em and Alex went in the sea and then read there books.

Yesterday, we went on a boat trip for 600 baht each ) around 9 pound.  We took in a number of postcard-esq beaches including one that was called Monkey beach, for that exact reason.  1 took a like to me and although I didn’t have any food to offer (unlike all the other tourists), I had my camera, which he seemed to love looking into because of the reflection of him on the lens.  Pictures to be posted soon.

Next was Maya Beach, where the Beach was filmed – this was really good to see, but an influx of tourism has seen the better of the beach and it has now turned into a dumping ground for rubbish that not so eco-friendly tourists have left behind a real shame and a major kick in the nuts.

The tour ended and we got dumped back at Phi-Phi beach………….

Then comes the horror…  We go back to our rooms to get changed for a night in Phi-Phi town.  Awaiting for us are thousands of mosquitos, busy banging their knives and forks together waiting for their lunch to arrive – and arrive it did, completely unaware of the banquet we were soon to be a part of.

Our shack is made of 4 walls which have been skillfully crafted from leaves and shoots, the roof is also not actually fastened to the walls – more just rested on it.  Because of this, we had no real way of stopping the Mozi’s from getting in.  Trust me when I say a formula 1 pit crew couldn’t change a wheel as quick as we got changed that night!  Using our cold hose that passed for the shower and the toilet that was merely a hole you had to flush with a bucket of water we were changed and out in an instant.  We went for a nice meal and stayed out for as long as we could, knowing that the night was going to be spent in a hut under seige by the little humming bastards.

Resigned to the fact we had to sleep at some point we went back to the shack – but alas this time armed to the teeth with Anti-Mosquito devices and sprays.  When you go to war I guess you need the right tools!

We showered ourselves in 50% deet and made our way back to the rooms.  So far so good, you could see and hear them, but they could do no harm (well, only the really desperate got ya!).  To strengthen our defences we lit 6 mozi coils and left them burning on the stone floor, it was like a not nice smelling insense!  Then all we had to cope with was the heat and lack of cooling device (our fan didn’t work!).  I think I lost about a stone those nights (we had 2 in the god-forsaken place), but have today put it back on in our new accommodation – a lovely little bungalow with air conditioning, hot shower and flushing toilet.  Wahooooooooo

Sorry for the essay, been a long couple of days and I wanted to put it all down!

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