Koh Tao - Sights around the island

I've now left Koh Tao and have been indulging in the depraved antics of Koh Phangan for the last five nights. Just did the Full Moon party and I'll be blogging about it soon. Just thought I'd do a brief blog (as I'm hungover) with lots of pictures of the sights around Koh Tao as it was such a beautiful place. Right enough of me talking, enjoy the pics!

S x

Koh Tao - Songkram!

It was the Thai new year on the 13th (Songkram) and I am so glad I got to witness the crazy events of that day. Just imagine the world's biggest water fight and everyone joining in...time to get soaked!

The day started by getting drenched by a kid with a water hose and then squirted with a water pistol, certainly woke me up. I bought a bucket from a shop and stood on the main street with everyone. The music was pumping out of lots of speakers and you throw water at anyone in sight, even passing vehicles! I saw so many buckets of water thrown at people on mopeds and I am shocked that there weren't any accidents! You even have big groups of people in the back of pick up trucks singing and banging drums while they lap up the gallons of water thrown at them. Twice I saw people open up car doors and just throw water inside, the drivers didn't even care! If you catch a glimpse of anyone who is dry, they are instantly targeted. If water isn't enough, people go around with talcum powder and rub it all over your face!

The mayhem begins!

Eyeing me up as their next target

Not to be messed with!

They are big on health and safety out here

Loving life

Such a good atmosphere

More nutters arrive

Ganging up on the moped guy

Songkram is nuts!

Songkram is so much fun and has the greatest party atmosphere I have witnessed. Everyone is so happy and regardless of whether you're Thai or not, everyone is welcome to join in with the mayhem. Just make sure you're prepared to be soaked!

S x

Krabi - 1237 step mountain climb and cooking class!

My next stop after leaving Koh Phi-Phi was Krabi. I wanted to check it out and spend a couple days there seeing as it was on route to Koh Tao anyway. I stayed in a hostel in Krabi town and met up with two guys and two girls from the UK and we went and did two really cool things while we were there.

The first was Tiger Temple Cave. This is a cool area where there is a giant gold Buddha at the top of a mountain but to get there you have to climb 1237 steps... No escalator sadly. It was easily the most grueling thing I have ever done and I had a hangover too. I definitely deserve some kind of medal! By the time we reached the top it looked as though I had just come out of the shower, I was soaked! Doing that climb in 40 degree heat is brutal. It was all worth it though. The view from the top is stunning. You can see the whole of Krabi and it's something I would recommend doing.  If you don't think you could do it here is some inspiration...I saw a family walking up and their youngest daughter must have been 2 or 3 years old! Incredible.

Scary!

Happy Tiger

Guarding the temple

Little bugger  causing mayhem

Monkeying around

Oh god here we go!

View halfway up

At the top!

Massive gold Buddha

I made it, whoop!

Chilling

Lighting some incense as an offering

Base of the statue

Such a great view

After getting back to the hostel we booked up a Thai cooking class for the evening. I fancy myself as a bit of a Jamie Oliver so it had to be done! We got to make dishes which included hot and sour prawn soup, green curry, pat-thai and spring rolls. The green curry is my favourite dish in Thailand so it was great to make it from scratch. The evening was also really fun because of our instructor called Pear. A great name! She was a nutter. My favourite thing she said (and there were many) was that her son looked like a girl and she hoped that when he grew up he would become a lady boy so that he would never leave her! Ha!

Pear. Such a legend!

Cooking up a storm

The UK team!

Hot and sour prawn soup

Cooking up a pat-thai

Green curry and pat-thai

Two days in Krabi was just the right amount of time and I caught a ferry over to Koh Tao after that. I'll be blogging about this place soon.

S x