Koh Phi Phi

Welcome to Koh Phi Phi and at last the image of tropical paradise that I had in mind when I struck out for Thailand, and only an hour from Phuket by boat for a mere fiver.

It's a tiny island characterised by two tall mountainous outcrops linked by a narrow strip of white sand bordered by clear, shallow aquamarine seas.

This place is just perfect. There are no roads on Phi Phi and so no vehicles. No go go bars. No touts with arm fulls of tourist tat. You can walk everywhere.

The beaches are lovely, and the water is like a cool bath and is just 4 - 5 feet deep out for about a mile and a half. As some of you know I swim like a transit van and having nearly drowned twice so far this lifetime, a safe shallow beach is fantastic. It's the first time ever that I have waded in and swam straight out towards the horizon.

The beach is lined with a myriad of small bar/restaurants so when the sun and the swimming all gets too much you can kick back with a cocktail or a cold beer or a truly excellent fresh fruit shake.

This is a place that will be hard to leave.

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves I have to get back to the bikinis. Sorry I mean beach, obviously.

Next: "The Beach"

Mr C.

P.S. Many thanks to those of you who pointed out the hundreds of typos and spolling errors in this blog. In my defence I would say that I would like to see you do any better after 6 Mai Tais.

P.P.S. Just ate a 1 KG fresh lobster. Delicious. Feel sick.

2 Wheels out of Phuket

So Phuket, or more particularly the Soi Bangla, Patong beach area with its seedy nightlife, world class all ladyboy national netball team and condom strewn beach has proved to be a little disappointing.

So I'm asking myself, is there any redeeming feature? Is there anything that Phuket has to offer that would make the visit all worthwhile? Then it struck me. What's better than tramping around Thailand in the sun? Exactly....hooning around Thailand in the sun on a sports bike. Of Course!

There are no insurance considerations over here, you just hand over your cash and your passport and basically if you crash it (and live) you pay for the repairs.

Riding here is also different. It's a land where indicators and looking are regarded as strictly optional. It's one of the few downsides of Buddhism from an outsiders point of view, if it's your Karma to crash then you will and if you buy the farm as it were then don't worry you'll be reincarnated.

Motorcycles and scooters abound here and it's a wonder they don't die. It's like that scene from the Star Wars movie where all those X Wings and Tie Fighters come rushing at the screen in one big blur. I can only assume they use the Force over here otherwise the average life expectancy of a motorcyclist would be about 20 minutes.

The roads around Phuket turn out to be like a giant TT circuit, brilliant riding, rising, falling, continually twisting right round the coast of the island; absolutely stunning riding.

This Honda thrash wagon showed me what I had been missing in Phuket; Karon Beach and others further round the coast, quiet , pristine, unadulterated.

Final score for the days biking? 1 near pancake when a gigantic black toyota hilux 4x4 decided that I simply wasn't there at a roundabout; 2 rear wheel skids locked up when traffic decided to stop for no appearant reason and with no consideartion for the fact that I was doing 60 (ish) behind them.

Ok, well I've had enough of Phuket, I'm off to Koh Phi Phi, I wonder if this bike floats....

See you again soon, I hope. May the Force be With You.

Mr C.