Koh Phangnan (7/5/12- 13/5/12)

The journey from Chiang Mai, in the North of Thailand to Koh Phangnan, in the South of Thailand was probably the worst trip we have made in the six months we have been traveling. It took 36 hours in total. First, we left Chiang Mai at 8am in the morning and took a train to Bangkok, this took 14 hours. It should have taken 10. We then had to board another train to Surat Thani in the South East of the country. Luckily, the train from Bangkok to Surat Thani was delayed because otherwise we would have missed our connection, due to the earlier train being delayed. Are you following? Anyway, the train from Bangkok left around midnight in the end and we arrived at Surat Thani at 9am. We couldn't book a sleeper train as they were full so we had to do an overnight train in a seat. Needless to say we didn't get much sleep. We then had to get a bus to the port in order to get a boat over to the island. So, we arrived in at 9am but there wasn't a bus leaving to take us to the port until 12.30pm, even though there was a boat leaving at 10am and they could have got us there in time! Not a problem though the guy said, 'you can get the 2.30pm ferry across.' Okay, we thought we will just hang about for a few hours. We can do that, we are pro's at waiting around now! 

 We eventually left at 12.30pm, only for the bus to drive us 30 mins up the road and then drop us off in a petrol station! Some guy came around and said that we had to wait until 3pm for another bus the rest of the way to the port. 'But our boat goes at 2.30pm,' we said. 'Oh don't worry there is another one at 4.30pm,' explained the guy. By this point I actually wanted to cry and and nearly demanded that he carried me all the way to the port, with my bags, in a piggy back! We ended up getting to Koh Phangnan at 6pm. Needless to say I wasn't impressed. Just as I thought it couldn't get any worse though - it did! 

We jumped in one of the many minibuses, ready to finally take us to a hotel, paid our money and drove about 100m up the road! The female driver then got out and said that because there was only two of us, they wouldn't make enough money and therefore we needed to get out and get another one. Now, bearing in mind, there were loads of tuk tuks and minibuses to chose from when we got off the boat, and THEY had beckoned US over in the first place- James went mental! I think it was the stress of the whole journey that ended up coming out! Then the male driver got out and started to unpack our bags, well that sent James over the edge- he started to put the bags back in the minibus, I think he was trying to make a point! I thought for a second he might possibly headbutt the guy! ;) By this point I had just walked away about 10 paces as confrontation makes me nervous! I just slagged them off when I knew they couldn't hear me anymore instead!! It turned out okay in the end though, as they beckoned another tuktuk driver over and got us in and out the way as quickly as they could!

We stayed for 5 nights on Sunset beach at Neptune Villa. The whole area was dead because the half moon party's in May that we had originally planned to go to, way back in January - had been cancelled- don't worry we did know about this before but it was the only time we could get down in the end! It was a bit gutting not being there for it but we are just going to have to come back one year and do a full moon instead! Every cloud! 

 
Due to it being so quiet we pretty much had our own private swimming pool for the 5 days. We alternated between the beach and the pool trying to get as tanned as possible! On our second day we rented a moped each and drove to the North of the island to a beach called Ha Man. This was the first time on the trip that I had rented a scooter for myself- I normally just tag on the back of James's. We drove about 400 metes down the road to a petrol station and when I got off I nearly dropped it! It didn't bode well! It is so much fun, although the hills in Haat Rin were a bit scary! I wish the weather was better at home because I would definitely get one. I think James was relieved when we got back safe and sound though as I am sure he didn't think I was capable of driving one, to be honest at the beginning when I almost dropped it, I nearly proved him right!!


We ended up having a really nice relaxing time on the island even though it wasn't really what we were expecting!