Bangkok tommorow

So we've been in Thailand nearly a week - it seems like longer for some reason. We landed in phuket without ahitch and snuck upstairs in the airport avoiding the touts and jumped onto the bus into town...very handy...then found out after a long hot walk into oldtown (not that long but feels like it in the heat with your backpack on) our guesthouse hopeful was fully booked - so we nipped round the corner to the hotel where they filmed the 'boudoir' scene in that appauling film "the beach" ... so my bottom may well have brushed the same spot as leonardo de caprio..and if it is the same room - leo you left some ...echem..."mens" magazines behind

We then got a boat straight to Kho Phi Phi the next day...so nice we kinda got stuck...would still be there now if we didnt have to get to Bangkok to meet mels friend and sort our visas for vietnam and laos and of cause the dreaded japanese rail pass (its going to basically skint us but never mind).... I've worked out that 15 days travel on the train in japan is the equivalent to over 1000 beers in Thailand maybe more..shocking...

Kho Phi Phi is a crazy tourist trap with everything focused on taking you cash..the rooms are overpriced...as is the beer but... its still bloody lovely...so many nice little hideaways - great view - lovely beach - nice folk all in all just what we needed to recharge the batteries superb...however the scale of the devistation from the tsunami there is still very apparent (which is also why you dont mind parting with a little extra cash) theres so many places still being rebuilt - its odd to see all the big hotels up and running but all the people still struggling to build their own houses but I suppose thats tourism for you...the memorials scattered around the island along with all the pictures displayed are pretty moving but its also nice to see everyone just getting on with life.

anyhoo the next installment will come I'm sure after we have negotiated the kho san road and are probably well away from the chaos that awaits us!