From Phi Phi we squashed into a ferry with hundreds of other people leaving the island like sardines in a tin on what seemed like really long journey. Probably long more due to the fact that we got in at 4.00 that morning and the original drunkness that had given me wings to pack everything into my ruck sack at 7.00 am had worn off and I was now trying not to throw up as the ferry rocked back and forth. There were bright orange life jackets attached to every seat, which should have been reassuring but when water started pouring into the cabin made me think that there was a reason for the display of jackets !!!
Arriving at Krabi was a world apart from the madness of Phi Phi. It was calm civilized and everyone was very friendly. We found a cheap but a again very friendly guest house to stay in. The girls we had met the night before ended staying in the same hotel us, nice to speak to some Londoners.
It was time to get active so we booked some trips. We tackled rock climbing first. I went climbing up Snowdon about 5 years ago and like every activity I do, I then swore I would do it at least once a month.................So here I am 5 years on and yes, I have finally got round to booking another rock climbing trip. It is an ultimate place to do it on the lime stone cliffs of Railey Bay !
We turned up and started joking around as everyone looked quite professional, for example I was in my hot pants and all the other girls seemed to be in leggings and sweat tops, however the leaflet said from 5 years to 100 so we weren't overly worried.
We should have been however as there was no grading of experience, we were all put on the same vertical, convex cliffs and these were people that had been climbing for years. We were put in the same group as a lovely girl called Jenny who had been climbing for years; she was so experienced that on this particular day she was free climbing up the cliff to attach the rope that would be our guide rope
She was amazing like spider man. Unfortunately for me and Mufajel we did not have beginners luck and the first 2 climbs we only made it half way up. It requires amazing strength to push your way up the cliff face. We were both shaky after our 2 nd climb so went into our third climb with the attitude that lunch would be soon after and to just get through it. As before I got half way up and start shout to lower me down, but Jenny and the guide would not let me down, I rested for 5 minutes clinging onto the rock face and then they shouted more instructions, right foot higher ect ..... I kept stopping every 4 movements but they were determined not to let me down. After much grunting and groaning I actually made it to the top, it was brilliant I could not thank them enough. However it was super human strength that got me up the rock face as the next day I couldn't even pick up a spoon or lift my arm to comb my hair.
Being glutens for punishment in the afternoon instead of going to the beach we went to explore a climb we heard about on Railey Island, which is a climb up and over a volcanic peak into the crator which has a lagoon. This was an amazing afternoon and I recommend it to anyone. The climb is very difficult, we were using vine leaves to haul ourselves up the rocks and down the vertical drops,.................it would not be allowed for health and safety reasons if it was in the UK, but the climb to and from the lagoon was exhilarating, there was all sorts of vegetation inside the cone and of course the gorgeous lagoon.
That evening after our day's activities, I (Mufajel) convinced Marie we needed to enjoy more of the local culture, so we joined the locals to have dinner and watch Man Utd. They are big fans over there, all supporting the Reds! The street café's put on big TV screens showing the footy, while the locals sit on plastic stools sitting on the pavement! The only difference was the commentary was in Thai! Unfortunately City beat us! Gutted!....as were the locals!
The next day was a day that I had been looking forward to for a very long time. I( Marie ) have always wanted to wash an elephant. I woke up feeling very dodgy fluid coming from both ends, but I convinced myself that I would be ok as my Delhi belly in India only lasted a day. We got a 2 hour elephant ride through the jungle, the elephant knocked down a tree whilst we were on him and made a triumphant trumping noise with his trunk once he had achieved his goal. He munched on the tree leaves while the elephant keeper left us to it...............not the best as the elephant then decided it wanted to go up hill. The keeper must have been going to toilet, which I was quite jealous about because by then I was doubled in pain. After our extended 2 hour ride, we finally got off our elephant, and then we were handed small pineapples to feed it. You basically hold out the pineapples, and the animal picks it up with its trunk, then using its lips it rubs off the top and bottom spikes then eats it! Amazing dexterity for such a large animal.
I don't know whether to write fortunately or unfortunately by this time I was way too ill to wash elephants. So it was left to Mufajel to carry out my dream of washing the elephants. It is something the elephant sanctuary do not normally do but there is a river that the elephants go in a few times a day so they said we could join in. It was the most hilarious scene ever. We watched as the first few elephants went into the water and they all did numerous large poos that floated down the stream ( if ever the term log was appropriate !!!. I was feeling so ill with food poisoning but I was doubled up laughing at the thought of Mufajel trying to dodge the poos.
Mufajel climbed on the elephants back and started to briefly wash the elephant but the elephant had his own ideas, and ducked his whole head and back underwater, It was like buckaroo, withMufajel just about managing hold on. Then on queue the elephant came back up and sure enough there were 2 big poos floating around, just as Mufajel was grinning because he had manage to stay on I was yelling at him as there was poo headed towards him on both sides. My sides were splitting from laughing............it should have been me dodging the poos. The elephant wanted to play some more so back under the water he went, with Mufajel trying to hold onto his head so he didn't fall into the water and float down the river with the poo. He was not so lucky this time and came off literally just missing the poo, it was so funny ................... and then the elephant started shooting water at him !! Talk about a good day out.....................................evil wife ;-)
The next day we were due to go kayaking and visiting an island, but we decided to postpone the trip as Marie still had food poisoning and was in a bad way.
The following day we said good bye to Krabi and the Andaman Sea, and headed for Thailand's other coast on the Gulf of Thailand, for the island of Ko Samui. Our journey involved getting a 3 hour coach over to a town called Surat Thani, and then getting an hour ferry over to the island.
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