Island Hopping

As I write this, I'm actually on an island in Malaysia,at the crystal guesthouse, where I have a bed in a dorm upstairs. I'm looking out at severely heavy pouring rain, inside the little cafe area there's a drunk Chinese man shouting loudly at his friends, I'm trying to drown him out with my music I'm listening to through headphones, it's not working. It's hot and stuffy, and the Chinese people are smoking.

This blog entry however, is about my island adventures. To be honest, they weren't really that adventurous, in fact I barely hopped, having explored only two islands, if explored is really the word.

I took a night train away from Bangkok, which was a stress free experience, except as my stop was due at 4am, I was a little worried I'd miss my stop. I spoke to the guard though who said he'd wake me up. How nice. And I'm positive he would have if I hadn't woken up myself anyway. Next we waited until about 6am for a bus to come and take us to port. The pier was a ridiculous rickety bridge without any handrails, and with gaps in the planks. It didn't seem like the most sensible solution for people with massive rucksacks like me, I saw a guy trip up, and those passengers with wheeled suitcases had to carry their luggage like the rest of us. The sun rose as we left the little jetty. I've never had such a bumpy boat trip. I quite liked it though, it was a bit like being on a theme park ride for 2 hours. In my diary I've written that the digital looking reflections off the waves were hypnotic.

Once I'd arrived at the lovely little island of koh Tao I was told a taxi was 200 baht for like 2 km, so I told the man I walked and asked which direction the tropicana was, as I'd for a change booked a hotel before arriving. He pointed up a hill. Darn. But then sent a jeep thing to pick me up, I think the guy was just going back to his resort, but might as well make 100 baht on his journey, it was a tad more reasonable. I guess this is the problem when traveling alone, all these things would be cheaper. I was quite happy with me resort, it was nothing special really, but I had a nice big room and balcony, which even though you spend very little time in your room, is still nice.

VERY nice pancakes, plus a bit of a knife show.

In my diary I only have 2 entries for the 8 days I was there. I got into a bit of a routine on koh Tao and can't recommend the new haven dive school yoga sessions enough. I'm sure they are just as good at diving, but it was just a little too pricy an extravagance for me, plus I don't really find I have the inclination, and I'm through with doing things because I feel obliged. (NO MORE TEMPLES DAMN IT) so my time on the island was basically, chill out time for myself, a little reflective, and I even socialized a little. I tried snorkeling for the first time ever, but couldn't see anything, that was the day I walked to a place called shark bay, it was the most beautiful place I found on the island, though I had to risk my life to get there, across rocks with waves splashing at me... Any lesser person would have probably drowned or something. I visited the main beach one day, after renting a bike. My goodness I got sweaty, but I didn't want to risk another moped incident, plus, I really do need the exercise. The beach had softer sand than the beach right out my resort, but there were a lot more people. I cycled back before it got dark, I fear the change that comes over dogs in the dark. I visited a place called the high bar, which I don't think has that name just because of its altitude. It had a wonderful atmosphere, hammocks and cute tables, and a beautiful view, I watched the sunset from there. Most days I spent sunbathing, reading, Terry Pratchett and I've also just finished my first star wars book, I gave it to this place, but actually I got confused so much with all the characters I should prob ask for it back...

speed boat ride.

After koh Tao, I thought I may as well visit one of the more famous islands, so the next one across was koh phangan. It was another pleasant boat trip, I do enjoy those ferries. I saw flying fish again, I'd nev seen them before I came to Thailand, I thought the first one was a giant dragonfly or something, but being the spectacular biologist that I am, I soon worked out it was some sort of fish. I found a lady on the pier who had loads of hotel leaflets, so, I asked for a cheap one so she offered me one for 500 baht, which was expensive, but I realized very quickly that we had a complete lack of communication and my bag was heavy, I was hot, and she was already organizing a taxi. The one she had showed me also looked quite cool. My taxi was just a moped. The guy managed me and all three of my bags, impressive. Once I arrived I was told to wait about 3 hours or something, as they had free wifi that didn't bother me too much. It was 11 when I arrived and by 1 they'd found me a room,600 baht, the 500 baht ones had no window... They were cute little beache huts. There were lots of them, but I went and beached myself straight away and there weren't many people. I lost my anklet, which I'd had for a day, whilst swimming in the sea. I met some other traveller types who invited me out with them, as I'd not really been out much, and I'd sunbathed and been for a swim, I thought I might as well. We had buckets of alcohol, like sandcastle style buckets that the locals fill with a spirit and 2 mixers. There was also laughing gas being sold, it just gave me a headache, not as good as I remember. I Quickly ran off from the people I came with- in true drunk Mary style- and started dancing in the sea. There was also a fire breathing contest for tourists to have a go at. I regret not doing it. I would have probably set fire to myself, so it's probably for the best... Just before I was about to get one more drink I realized I needed that 100 baht to get home,so I left, I think the others were sick of me too. Luckily at the beginning of the night I'd asked one of the boys for the name of our resort, which thankfully I wrote on my hand, otherwise there would be no way of me getting back. I had drunk conversations the whole way back to my resort, I was trying to convince this Swiss girl that I'd visited my best friends parents in Switzerland in Bratislava, which she said wasn't her a part of her country, and of course she's absolutely right, but drunk Mary was quite insistent. I face timed Silkie when I got back to my resort to check, brissago Mary, brissago.

Me at the emerald lake.

I'd already booked a boat trip for the next day, so maybe coming back drunk and going to bed at three wasn't the best idea. But I managed to wake up at 8:20 a good ten minutes before I was due to leave. In my taxi to the port I was much less chatty than the one the night before. There was a huge group of people going in a speedboat to this set of islands which are part of a marine reserve. We snorkel led, and there were loads of fish!!! I loved it. The black spiky sea urchins scared me a bit, I worried about suddenly sinking onto them for no reason. I saw a sting ray that was blue and yellow and spotty. And loads of fish and coral. It was way better than I expected. That made the trip worthwhile for me, even if nothing else good happened. I didn't chat to most of the other passengers as most of them were couples. But one of our tour guys who called himself 'snake' was quite friendly, he had a Thai cool/pretty boy look and an Elvis tattoo on his chest. I just sort of thought ' oh dear...' when I first saw him, but he grew on me. We saw an island shaped like a monkey. Stopped at an island with one of the most congested beaches I've ever seen, where there was a ridiculously steep set of staircases leading to a view point where you could look at the emerald lake, which was very green, you could go down and have a closer look. There were some strange fishies there. Back to the speed boat to go to another island to get lunch. A lot of people did kayaking round the island here, but as I was just one person I didn't book to do it, in retrospect I should have booked it and hoped one of the guides would do it with me, but I was happy to snorkel more, and sunbathe a bit. I also broke my/silkies camera a bit more, it went for a little swim, it already can't close without me pushing the lens in, so it's also covered in sand cos the shutter won't shut, and now the screen is a little mottled from water damage... I told you Silkie, I told you...
I got back, and saw two of the others I went out with the night before, they'd been too hungover to leave. I apologized for my behavior, but it turns out I wasn't the worst, so it's fine. We swam a bit that afternoon and watched the sunset and the dogs play.
The other two left, and the next two days I relaxed more. Went to the pier and booked my trip as far as butterworth in Malaysia. Spent some quality time with an opinionated German lady (she doesnt like sweaty shirtless/scantily clad people ok?) who ran the sweet cafe, which does superb food. I bought a packed lunch from there for my journey to Malaysia, which naturally I ate all of before I'd even left Thailand.

Now, I feel as though I can talk about Penang island, Malaysia, as it's still an island. I'm just spending two nights here, tonight will be my second. So I arrived after a 24 hour journey, using boat, bus, train and taxi. I was going to stay in butterworth city, but from the tourist info poster at the train station the island looked more interesting. So I got a taxi here. The driver was a little crazy, and very loud. But friendly. I shared the taxi with two German girls, who I thought I saw tonight, but after apologizing for not recognizing them, the two girls said that we'd never met, so now there's just some strangers who think I'm the crazy one... It's not me, it's the taxi driver! The taxi driver showed me some cheap places to stay, but I found a cheaper one, and even had the dorm room to myself last night, I think tonight it will be packed though, I've seen lots of people come in.

entry to the butterfly park.

As I basically only had one day I set about finding a tour of the island yesterday. I found the cheapest place along the hostels road, and went back this morning at 10am. I had a private car and driver all to myself. It was ridiculously hot, so I was glad for the air con. Although also had a niggly guilty feeling, cos of environmental issues etc. anyway, I went on a train ride up a hill, which was fun, although it wasn't the toy train I for some reason expected. At the top people would take pictures of you with a snake! It was so funny that after questioning them about the snake welfare I did it. I also saw a bird park, which was quite small, and had some resident rats too. I always feel sorry for the birds at places like this, I sort of hoped they'd have bigger cages. Went back down on the train after taking some photos of the island. Camera won't zoom anymore though, which is a shame, everything's very far away and blurry. Next my driver took me to palace where people were making traditional Malaysian clothes, it was all by interesting. Then I went to the butterfly park - which was frikkin' awesome!! There was a guy who showed me round, lots of other insects too, as well as dead stuff in jars, then at the end he asked me out for dinner which was strange. I said no. Standard, glad I couldn't remember the name of my hostel when he asked that earlier. Then we went to the 'world's biggest toy museum' which was a bit of a rip off but there was lots of star wars stuff, and an experience nonetheless. And finally we stopped at a chocolate and coffee place, where I had lots of samples and bought some overpriced chocolate, which I ate far too quickly. It would only go soft anyway. I uploaded pictures when I returned at the place where I'd booked my trip. And then, at the same place, I organized a bus to take me to the Cameron highlands tomorrow, at 11:30 not 7:30 thank you very much, I am on holiday. All in all quite productive.

I've just been out to little India, and had some wonderful food, a lot of it, but I managed. And now, I have some time to play on my new favourite game, dragon vale, einstein's brain training can wait...

Time is all going rather quickly at the moment. I think I'll go for an ice cream now. That should slow it down.

Pictures to come later.