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Ha Huin to Ko Tao
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Got up and caught a bus to Nakhom Pathom and after walking about 3 miles up and down to find the train station decided to jump on back of motorbike taxi. Got to the train station and bumped into Tobyas and Julia from the trek the day before,who had been an hour earlier and told the trains were full for the last train to Chumpon,and so we had to settle for a ticket to Ha Huin,where we would stay over,and then catch a bus to Chumpon.
3rd Class train to Ha Huin,about 3 hours stopping at every stop on the way with flies swarming in and out of the open windows but great scenery flying past giving us chance to see proper rural Thai life with farmers in the fields etc.Stopped in Ha Huin in a row of huts on a pier over the sea,just like Butlins.The market was much better than Bangkok,with fish,meat,buddhas,everything you could think of!
We decided to get up the next morning and get the 7am bus to Chumpon for 150baht,and after 4hours on the bus finally arrived at Chumpon.
Got the Katamaran for 200baht to Ko Tao-2hours crossing where said goodbye to Toby and Julia who were going south of the island and I was going to stay around the centre.
Stopped in a hut on stilts with plenty of spiders used by Easy Divers,and then in a room above a laundrette with no windows or curtains for 3 nights.
Booked a boat trip around the island after couple of days touring on a scooter-the island was small but really pretty with palm trees and lots of hills and the beaches were deserted due to everyone being out all day scuba diving or snorkelling.
Went all around Ko Tao island on boat trip,and stopped to snorkel at every bay. The water was crystal blue as clear as ive ever seen it,we stopped in Shark Bay,where i saw a 4 foot Black tip reef shark go past but only small!
The fish were everywhere! you could just about jump in and you'd be swarmed by hundreds of black and white,blue and tropical fish all swarming your mask,obviously used to divers and thinking it meant food!
The corals were unharmed and took loads of photos but not able to post on shutterfly as used a disposable underwater camera.Swimming along on my own though,noticed a few shadows and looked to my right and saw a long thin fish with long jaw and massive teeth,then another,and another.Came up to the surface and shouted to the Thai guide on the boat "Baracuda in here!?" he said yeah! why,how big?- i held arms open to about 3 1/2 foot and he said,"oh its ok,will not attack unless bigger!"
cheers!
Last stop on trip was Nang Yuan island,2 islands joined by a strip of beach only accessible by boat.Crystal clear bay of water,and after walking up to the summit where you can look down from a balanced rock on the edge took some really nice photos,still couldnt do the scene justice though.
After 4days in Ko Tao decided to leave for Ko Phangan as the island was mainly full of diving schools who stayed at their quarters at night and so the island was pretty quiet at night.
On last night stopped at a bar on way home to room for a couple of drinks,and as always the bar girls want to play some sort of game with you as your sat there drinking,and this bar girl gets out connect four.After about 20games which i won (cos her brother/sister it was a ladyboy,but could have been a champion connect4 player!)helped me win,out came the Jenga. I still hadnt paid for any of my drinks,and her mother brought over a tray of chicken legs. "friendly people," I thought!
Then a praying mantis decides to run across my hand,and played with that for a bit,it fighting my thumb like a thumb war(those things are viscious,even the dogs wouldnt go near them!)
So looking at my watch,i asked for the bill and the girl says, 1,500baht.
I said ha ha yeah ive only had 3 beers!......"no, i stay tonight for 1thousand!
I was like, EH? then her MOTHER comes over, and says "you not want lady tonight?"
Eurch! Her own mother pimping out her daughter to customers, I thought it was weird all the free food and special treatment and her Ladyboy son,but after feeling sick paid for the beers and decided to get the ferry next morning to Ko Phangan for 250baht
PHOTOS- WWW.RYANMEE.SHUTTERFLY.COM click on Ko Tao
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