Welcome to the Koh Samui Archipelago

'Someones gotta live the dream'

Is it really fair?There are over 200 countries around the globe and Thailand has managed to snag a disproportionate amount of the world's top beaches. I don't care really as I am here, its more of a question of which beach to go to. There is enough stretches of creamy beaches and honey tinged paradises to give even good old Goldilocks a complex. The Sumui Islands make up Thailand's lower southern gulf and consist of three main Islands; Ko Samui, Ko Phangan and Ko Tao. I visited all three in this order and had the time of my life. 

I hobbled with a badly infected broken toe to our beach shack, tired, and still raging at being the victim of a Thai robbery. We dropped our bags off and went straight to the hospital. I was in agony now and the infection was getting worse. The nail was barely hanging on due the bad swelling and yellow stinking puss that was now engulfing my entire big toe. In a tropical country like Thailand you need to get an infection treated quickly. We got a taxi to the hospital, and got ripped off, later realising that we had paid three times the rate. We then got to the hospital, and I was taken straight into mini surgery. I filled out a few forms and then lied down as the nurse prepared all the tools for the job. Just when you think it cant get any worse, well...it gets even worse. The doctor walks in and takes a look at me. Before he removes the nail and squeezes out the puss  he tells me that it will cost a tidy 200 pound. I look a him in disbelief and tell him I need to go the bank. He replyed with a smile 'don't worry sir, we have one right over there' and points towards the ward. Low and behold, there is a ATM cash machine in the hospital looking at me as if I am sitting in the townie. How funny is that? A money making business and making a fortune out of us foreigners, who fill the hospital with injuries mostly from moped accidents all plodding about like the walking dead. Well to top it off, after I pay, I sat down and the doctor pulled out a needle as big as a pencil and said this wont hurt a bit and sticks into my big toe. So, as you can appreciate, I was not in the best of moods with the Thais after this escapade. 

When I got back to our beach shack, I sat down, the sun was shinning bright and the sea was lapping up against the beach and I thought, it's not all bad, there are worse place to be. I am sitting on a little piece of paradise chilling out. From now on the only way was up. We spent a week on the island relaxing and eating. Each day I would go to the local pharmacy and see my friend 'Bong' who helped me clean my toe each day and re-bandage it. He was great and even better he was a big Liverpool fan. Me and Laura spent one night watching some world famous Muay Thai boxing. It was like being on the set of kick-boxer without Tong Po. The atmosphere was electric, crazy, bloodthirsty. It was basically a small blood stained ring surrounded by loads of bars and locals all cheering their fighters on, betting and baying for blood. What an experience. 

Our Ko Samui Beach Hut

Not a bad place to nurse a broken toe

Me and Bong who was a big Liverpool fan

Our little mate in the local internet cafe

Food the traditional way-beautiful Thai BBQ

'I want Tong Po'  At the Muay Thai boxing

Ko Phangan sits in the middle of Ko Samui and Ko Tao and is home to the world famous Full Moon Party. It is in the top five list of parties in the world to go to and attracts an outrageous 30,000 partiers to one strip of lunar lit beach filled with thumping DJ beats. The 10th of December was the date for this months legendary Party and lets face it, we had planned our entire Thailand trip around it. 

We arrived on the island on the 7th December and stayed right in the heart of the party capital. The vibe here is amazing as people from all over the world have came here to have a good old jolly time. The main beach is called Hat Rin and of a day people sun bath, play football, volleyball, swim or just laze about in the sun and chill out listening to the music that booms out onto the beach. It's a cool place. Of a night the beach is transformed into neon lit, fire dancing light show of energy with thousands of people painted from head to toe with fluorescent paints and wearing various luminous cloths and paraphernalia, bumping, grinding and sweating their way through one of greatest nights until sunrise.  

On Ko phangan, they will use any excuse to a party; half-moon, quarter moon, crescent moon, black moon, no moon...they don't care, its just party time all the time. For me the lead up to the full moon party, the so called 'pre-full moon' parties are the best. We met up with friends from Bangkok, 'Trey' a Folk singer from New Orleans who is an artist recording his own music and playing all around the world. I as lucky enough to chill out with him and have a jam session playing a lot of Bob Dylan inspired songs. We met so many more people like our Dutch friend Frans-Willem who was traveling around south east Asia after competing in a the Thailand Triathlon and finished in the top 40. Great achievement. It was also during one one these parties were fate would play it's hand and lead us to a meeting with some amazing people. In the early hours of the morning whilst throwing the shapes out on the beach during one of the 'pre-full moon' parties, I looked down and saw something flashing. There was a fire show going on at the time and the lights were flashing around me like a giant kaleidoscope of rich colour. It took some time to register. was I dreaming? As I focused on it, there it was, half buried in the sand, an iPhone 4,  the very same beloved model I had to reluctantly leave behind. I picked it up in wonder and saw a picture of bearded man the image of Jim Morrison staring back at me...now I really was dreaming. I gave the iPhone to Laura and decided to try and contact him tomorrow. The next day I met up with Ronnie and Karlie (our friends from Kirkby who we had met up with again) and showed them the picture of the this guy. He looked and with a surprised reaction  told me that that this guy was staying in the next beach shack to them...what are the odds of that? On the way to their shack I spotted these two guys walking towards us, both looked as if they had just been plucked from the 1969 Woodstock festival. I instantly recognised him and asked him if he was missing an iPhone. His reaction said it all, he had been looking for it all day. When I gave him it back, he was overjoyed and well, we all went and celebrated and the rest is history. Their names were Damon and Kyle, both from the USA who work in the shipping industry in Alaska. They were chilled out people, with a great sense of humour and behaved like time was always on their side. It was infectious. They are just good people who are just easy to get to know and have that easy way about them that makes them likeable to everyone. Good times!!!

All the crew celebrating (Kyle on the left and Damon aka Morrison) shortly after returning the iPhone 4

Me and Frans

Jamming

Tray from New Orleans playing some Bob Dylan inspired Folk music
 

Hat Rin Beach

The calm before the storm that was the Full Moon Party

Strict dress code applies for the Full Moon Party

Fire show during the Full Moon Party

Little Ko Tao was our next destination...perched on a ledge of coral reefs, it has earned world wide fame as a diving and snorkeling mecca. The water has high visibility, there are abundant coral formations and diverse marine life and diving certification is one of the cheapest in the world. I was supposed to go here first but chance would have it I ended my journey around the Samui island here in beautiful Ko Tao.


There are so many dive centres here that you are spoiled for choice. As I was walking around the place I bumped into my American friend Kyle from Ko phangan. He wasn't there to dive but after speaking to him for a while and telling him all about it he decided to extend his stay and join me on the 4 day Open Water Course. This was to be one of the best experiences of my entire journey around the world so far. We singed up and met a an English guy named Steve who was from Portsmouth but supported Manchester United...why? However, he was a great guy and for the next 4 days we were the scuba team along with our French Dive Master Serg. The course consists of some interesting theory, confined water skills and principles finishing with 4 open water dives off Ko Tao putting all your skills together in the open sea. The first time you go under water, is quite strange, you inhale, the air comes with a reassuring hiss and within moments the bulky gear you had on aboard the boat transforms; you become light, agile and free, a feeling of weightless. Its a feeling that delivers both adrenalin and intensity, serenity and peace. You explore a world that only a few select people will ever see, It's an unknown world, one that has an abundant variety of marine life and you dive with growing anticipation and excitment of what strange creature you will encounter next. It's one of the most tranquil environments I have ever experienced, and now am hooked, I love it. I have since dived in the Andaman sea on the west of Thailand and have plans to dive on the eat of Indonesia. 

Me and Kyle learning the skills and principles on the confined water dive

Buddying up

The team:Kyle, Me, Steve and Serg

Ok: getting ready to dive

Last dive so we all somersault in

Ready to descend on our last dive

Me and Steve with our PADI Certificate 

Chilling on the beach in Ko Tao

The three weeks we spent traveling across the Samui Archipelago was some of the best times of my life; a roller-coaster ride of experiences. You meet so many people from around the world on the journey and you learn so much about life and about yourself. This is one of the the best parts of traveling. Most people you will never meet again but, for that single moment in time everything is all good. It has a positive impact on your life no matter how brief your encounter. On our last night I was sitting on the beach in Ko Tao with all our friends, it was a beautiful night. The sound of someone playing the guitar could be heard in the distance and in front of us there was a fire show lighting the sky up. People were laying about on the beach without a care in the world. I layed back, soaking it all in, catching Damon's eye as I did so. He lent over and whispered in my ear in his soft Western American voice that just summed it all up for me; "man...someones gotta live the dream" 

Bangkok, Thailand

When we left Cambodia, on the 27th November it was an unbearably hot day without a cloud in the sky. With our backpacks on, we were on the road again. I was excited for the next leg of our trip; the ultimate experience I was told, the country that has been there and done that and has everything to offer and more. This is the place were the term superlatives was invented. Here one will find; the best beaches, the most secluded islands, the biggest parties, the best diving locations, the greatest tropical jungles, the hottest and spiciest food, the most beautiful scenery, the most preserved and impressive national parks....welcome to Thailand, perhaps the most diverse and rewarding roller coaster of a country in south east Asia.

What a ride I was in for!!!

At passport control we got our Visa stamped and we walked the short way to our transport feeling big old yellow face breathing down my back, it was hot but beautiful and I was dripping with sweat. Bags packed and then we were packed like sardines into the small mini bus, (in south east Asia this is a common skill they have acquired). The local guide popped his head into the bus before we set off, quick head count, followed by a look with a wry smile he said; 'Good luck'. I was thinking why is his parting words so foreboding? After 20 minutes I knew why. Our bus driver was in the wrong business, he thought he was Michael Schumacher. He drove at maximum speed all the way to Bangkok, weaving through traffic, speeding on the hard shoulder and to top it off he was driving onto coming traffic in an amazing short cut manoeuvre. Crazy, insane, terrifying; I am still thinking about passing his name on to the Mercedes team, believe me I think they would snap this guy up. I still get cold sweats thinking about him. As soon as I got on the mini bus I sat down and thanked God for saving my life and being there in my hour of need. Welcome to Bangkok I thought...oh and add this to your ever growing list of superlatives; the craziest F1 wanna-be bus drivers. 

We stayed on the famous Khaosan Road which is located in the heart of Bangkok and is where east and west meet in the ultimate cultural explosion. It has everything from McDonald's to Indian suit shops to dance clubs to local Pad Thai noodle stores. What more do you need? Its a big, brash, bold neon-lit decompression zone that attracts international backpackers in their droves. It's the first place that people go to, a stop in transit before they travel on to their chosen destination. It's perhaps because of this reason its  has so much energy. People who come here want to let their hair down and relax which means party and this place was made to accommodate a party, and its lots of fun. The first night I was there I was sitting on Khaosan road, watching the hundreds of travellers pass by when we bumped into  some old friends from Cambodia (this is  one of the best things about travelling, you continually meet  lots of friends that you have met previously in other countries on the backpacker routes and you form friendships for life). Well we had a good catch up and a very good night sitting on the many street stalls having a beer or two and enjoing a Pad Thai (noodles). However it also resulted in myself waking up with a broken toe. This was to be the burdon of my travels for the next two weeks, but consequently it led to a change in direction and a chance meeting with some amazing people.  Its funny how things happen, must be fate?

Khaosan Road

Laura on the famous road

Me Gillon and a Gypsy on our first night on Khaosan Road

About five minutes before the fateful broken toe incident

We had originally  planned to travel to Ko Tao next so I could complete my Open Water Scuba Diving Course before heading to Ko Phangan's famous Full Moon party. However, with a broken toe and slightly depressed we decided to travel to Ko Samui  first so I could rest up on a beach then travel to Ko Phangan and then finish in Ko Tao hopefully with a fully recovered toe. We spent the rest of the week in Bangkok, meeting some of our friends from Kirkby; Ronnie and Karlie, (its a small world really) chilling out, enjoying life and visiting one of oldest China towns in the world.

Guess which one mine is?-Notice the toe on the far right ha ha ha

Ronnie & Karlie immortalised outside the Royal Palace

We left Bangkok for Koh Samui by sleeper bus (to be politically correct it should have just been called a bus) and it turned out to be a very eventful journey. When you travel by sleeper bus you keep your main back pack in the baggage compartment underneath the bus and then you bring your personal belongings on with you.  We travelled using a private company (who  are supposed to look after you) however what we didn't know is that they are all involved in a big scam organised by the local Mafia and we were to be their next victims .

 

After a couple of hours on the road one of the crew turned off all the lights, including the individual reading lights and then shut all the curtains. We have been on many sleeper buses and this was the first time this had happened. It was pitch black but looking back  what they where in fact doing was creating the perfect atmosphere to rob you. We had our two bags between our legs and then tried to get some sleep. There was a gap of no more than half a foot. But some how they have managed to crawl under our seat take our bag, go through it and return it back as though nothing as ever happened. At 6am as you can imagine everyone is still weary, they came and got everyone off the bus as quickly as possible. I had woken early and was looking out the window and I was thinking, why had they threw all our bags off? As soon as the last person was off the bus they drove quickly.  It wasn't until I looked in our bag to read the lonely planet about 10 minutes later that I had realised we had been robbed. They had taken Laura's SLR camera worth a great deal of money and had went through Laura's travel purse and taken a substancial amount of cash. I was gutted, that hollow feeling in your stomach  you get that just takes over you at the realisation of what has happened. You feel helpless when your in a country like Thailand, you cant even depend on the police because they are often involved in the scam.

All the tourists got their backpacks rummaged through, me and Laura included. They never took anything but went through the whole bag. They are so cunning and sly. I had a tie wire around my bag and they undone it some how and still managed to seal it back up. They are so skilled at robbing. I went a bit crazy at the guy who I knew was in on this scam, and he was a bit aggressive, but I wasn't letting this go and neither was Laura. Thankfully Laura was more reserved and rational. She demaded to speak to the manager and the police. In the end she was on the phone to some random Thai woman and arranged for them to keep the money  in return for the camera or we would not leave. Then, after 2hours of waiting and as blatantly as the minibus arrived to pick us up, a motorbike driver arrived with our camera bag in his basket. The man then paid this guy and frantically ushered us onto the minibus. Well, in a way we were thankful we have our camera back but still gutted that the 15,000baht was robbed. 

 

But it's only money and the journey from here on in was to be some of the best times of our lives.

Siem Reap: The Gate Way to Angkor

We arrived in Siem Reap on the 12th November after a comfortable sleeper bus journey and stayed in the heart of the backpacker district, Psar Chaa. It's a little charmer, with old french shop-houses, shady tree boulevards, a lively pub scene and a slow-flowing river that makes this a place to be savoured and defiantly not rushed. It is also the perfect place to plan a few adventures, one obviously being the famous temples of Angkor. But, we also wanted to do something more, a little bit different to the more predictable tourist conveyor belt. We decided that we would like to visit one of the many Orphanages and schools in Cambodia and give something back by teaching or helping out in any way that we could. The people in Cambodia are special.They are the beauty of this country, and for a people that have been to hell and back and are considered to be one the most poverty stricken countries in the world, on par with even the Congo, they are generous, humble and happy people are ways willing to help and serve you. I believe that if a family was hungry and had only one meal, with a smile that can light up a room, they would sit down and share that meal with you. That for me says everything about the people of Cambodia. 

We spent the first couple of days exploring the place and exploring this small district of Siem Reap at a slumbers pace, just enjoying the sights and culture that this South Eastern gem has to offer. For me when I say culture, I have to confess food and drink is high up on my list of expertise. I love trying all the different foods and drinks, and allowing my taste buds the opportunity to have a little party of their own inviting all their friends on this culinary explosion. The highlight was the local market that offers quality spicy, flavorsome food such as their amazing noodle dishes and BBQ meats. 

The night market

Savong's School and Orphanage is located 25 minutes from Siem Reap, and we decided to visit and support both in any way we could. Svay Savoung is a young Cambodian who had a dream to build this school in order to provide free language education to rural children. In this part of Cambodia, not far from the incredible Angkor Wat temples, tourism is the major employer, so skills in languages provide a passport for future employment. For 650 rural children Savongs School provides hope, opportunity and support. I was lucky to meet Savong during my visit to the school in the afternoon and his energy, motivation and commitment to the school and the orphanage center was an honour to behold. He is around the same age as me perhaps no older than his late twenties, and he had a vision to improve the future of the children and give them a chance to live a happy life. He is an inspiration and a hero in this part of town. He is also very funny and down to earth. I remember watching him in the classroom, teaching a young class, (around seven or eight years of age) the alphabet and his skill and charisma shone through like the sun and his love for the children created the perfect atmosphere for teaching. He was almost like a stand up comedian, or inspirational speaker, everyone was having so much fun, it was great, quite a moment for me. One must remember that he to was one of these children, from the same rural area, facing the same issues were the chances of employment and living a healthy happy life are practical zero. However, Savong has dedicated his life to ensuring these children are not forgotten, and the most important testament to this is that the children really appreciate the gift of free education. I mean the pupils favourite lesson here is English grammar, they love it. I had children surrounding me asking me asking me to read their work and offer suggestions for vocabulary and grammar. It was quite funny, because in what other school in Merseyside do you get that level of commitment. Me and Laura spent the afternoon at the school helping out, talking with the children and teaching them some English. It was great fun interacting with them all and getting back into the classroom.

Me with Phil Caldwell and Savong (center)

The joy of learning

Outside the simple but invaluable school

A boy and his classroom 

In the morning we visited the Orphanage Centre; here they look after children who have been abandoned by families who can no longer afford to care for them. This rural hinterland is the second poorest region of Cambodia, and there is no safety net. Savong provides full time care for these children, and the centre has quickly turned into a little community with around 30 children living there. At the centre children receive food, shelter, clothing, health care and full time education. When we arrived, the children inquisitively came over, familiar with foreigners they warmly greeted us and showed us around the centre. The age groups is varied between newborn babies to early teenagers, and just like any other child back home, all they want to do is play. We had lots of fun playing football, volleyball and indulging in a spot of arts and crafts, I also taught a girl to skip the rope like Mike Tyson. 

Laura getting involved at the orphanage

Arts and crafts at the orphanage centre-peace!!!

Skip the rope like Tyson

All together now, All together now

Having fun in the sun

Siem Reap is the gate way to Angkor and no visit would be the same without going to the ancient temples, and watch sunrise over the enchanting, mystical kingdom of the Gods. We arrived at 5am in the morning and waited with awe and excitement for one of the most anticipated spiritual events on earth. Welcome to heaven on earth, the earthly representation of Mt Meru the Mt Olympus of the Hindu faith and the abode of the ancient Gods. As we waited the first rays of the morning sun crept through silhouetting the temple on to the opposing lake, breathtakingly beautiful, a vision of the heart and soul of Cambodia in all its ancient timeless inspirational power.

Sunrise over Angkor Wat

Inside Angkor Wat

The Cambodian 'God Kings' over a 1000 years ago each strove to out do each other in size, scale, and symmetry of their temples, culminating in the worlds largest religious building, Angkor Wat. Angkor Wat is the Center piece, however it is only one of many temples that make up the ancient Khmer empire.  Other highlights included visiting Angkor Thom, a 10sq km  'great city' that once housed a million people, with its own centre piece temple of mesmerising Bayon; and Ta Prohm. This was one of my favourite awe inspiring places that I have ever been to. This is were Tomb Raider was filmed , so you have to imagine ruined temples, half devoured by the giant roots of the trees; here the jungle had long taken over the fabled ancient temples.

Looking out in awe over Angkor Thom

Temples of Bayon

The portrait of the Khmer King Jayavarman VII

The temple of Ta Phrom-any one seen Lara Croft

Frodo Baggins come hither

To end our journey of Cambodia we travelled to the province of Battambang. This sleepy little town west of Siam Reip was a great place to relax for a week before heading to Thailand. Here we spent a day exploring by tuck tuck some of the most famous places in Cambodia. We started the day with a trip on the Bamboo train; a one engine fence panel balanced on an axle to a train track and off you are on an remarkable little adventure. You feel so free as you accelerate down the track towards a remote farming village, with the cool air in your face surrounded by paddy fields.  From here we visited a couple of farming villages, a small vineyard and woke up hundreds of fruit bats just for the fun of it. We ended the day trip with a somber walk to the killing cave. The scenery is breathtaking but the history is heart breaking. The Khmer Rouge killed 17,000 innocent people at this location back in the 1970s. Cambodia has been an amazing adventure, full of surprises and enriched by beautiful genuine people.....its been emotional!!!

By the old french siding sheds

Me and Mr Philay our tuck tuck driver

The Bamboo Train

The children of one of the many farming villages