Fun in the sun

People i met here who contributed to, and improved my trip: Julia (Russia), Jill (Sweden), Fernando (Venezuala), Frederick (Sweden)

Our minivan arrived into Krabi mid afternoon and a rush decision was made that we would head for Ao Nang beach. I had never really heard much about the different beaches in the region, but it seemed to offer the cheapest accomodation and this swung the deal. After catching another minivan with a couple of guys from Belgium, the 4 of us arrived and began to ask in each hotel how much the rooms were. For anywhere along the promenade, prices ranged from 800baht upwards and places a couple of streets further back from the beach came in at around 500baht. When i asked about anything for around half that price, i was laughed at and told no such places existed here.

Eventually Yellow Sun Backpackers offered a ray of light so to speak, as i managed to bargain a double en-suite room down to 220baht, which really was a very good deal. I headed back to a pharmacy where i had left Julia with our bags and found that she had got talking to a Swedish girl called Jill. Jill had just been in the pharmacy getting medicine for an allergic reaction that she had on her legs to mosquito bites. It was her first time travelling and seemed like a horrible way to begin the trip. Her mood somewhat brightened when i told her that i had found a cheap place to crash and she came along with us.

After a quick shower and change, the 3 of us went to the local night market, but it was a bit more upmarket than the one in Hat Yai and there were thankfully no creepy crawlys on offer.

Some fried rice and chang beer proved to be much more agreeable to my palate, after which we took a walk along the beach front. Sadly the sun had just set, but i made a note that i really wanted to check out a sunset here, as the karst rock formations locked pretty spectacular. Our evening was spent buying beers from the 7/11 and sitting by the beach, which made for a pretty relaxing start to the beginning of our Thai beach experience.

Wednesday was spent lounging at the beach and trying to get some colour into my milky white complexion. After spending so many months in sunny countries i often wonder how i am so white - but then again, when you aren't on a beach, its pretty hard to get a tan! That evening i got to sit on the beach with a cold chang and watch the sunset and it really was beautiful and worth the wait.

Jill, Julia and I then made a great discovery near to our hotel as we stumbled across a wonderful little restaurant that served amazing Thai food at local prices. For $1/50p you could get a good serving of chicken and cashew nuts with rice, sweet and sour pork with rice, chicken and noodles or a range of other hearty and very tasty dishes. Rather than been confined to a bar, the 3 of us headed for post Dinner drinks down at the beach once more and this also helped keep the costs down.

Thursday was a mini adventure as the 3 of us headed south along Ao Nang beach and then climbed over the large karst formation that dominated the bay and ended up in a beautiful little cove, which was extremely quiet in comparsion with the main beach. En route we passed a group of macaques who seemed very friendly, and i watched them swimming and playing in the water until Julia dragged me away, complaining that i already have a zillion photos of them from around Asia! Although the little beach that we had walked to had a resort set into the cliffs, there were still very few people there and i would say that less than a dozen were making use of the sandy beach and clear waters.

Julia and Jill took the opportunity to build some sandcastles, as Julia borrowed a childs bucket and spade to help create her master piece!

Having the taste for beaches, it was decided that on Friday we would catch a small boat that ferried people around the coast to 3 small beaches. We selected the furthest away called Phra Nang, although rather than reaching peace and solitude, everyone else seemed to have had the same idea and it was much busier than the beach we had walked to the previous day! At the end of the beach was an interesting cave that was full of phalluses and here the sailors come to wish for good luck, before venturing out to sea. Julia and Jill not been the shy type, were quick to make the most of the photo opportunity!

On the boat over to the beach, a couple of guys called Fernando and Frederick had introduced themselves and we spent the rest of the day chatting away on the beach with them.

I did drag myself away briefly to check out the snorkelling around a rocky headland, but i was left greatly disappointed as there was basically nothing to see! At least i got a bit of exercise :) As the afternoon progressed, the storm clouds blew in and before 3pm the beach became deserted as the rain poured down. The 5 of us joined the exodus and caught the boat back to Ao Nang and went home to get changed and warm up.

In the evening we all went out for an evening meal at our favourite little restaurant and then got onto the important issue of drinking. It had been a little while since we had been in such a large group and its always interesting to watch the group dynamics unfold over a few beers. The night ended up outside McDonalds with the lads playing the fool, as Frederick blew up condoms whilst drinking his girlie bacardi breezers, much to everyone elses amusement.

Sadly Frederick was to leave the following day and it was a shame that after we'd hit it off so well, the first of us was already leaving!

Everyone was feeling a little under the weather on Saturday, so it was spent eating comfort food and seeking out the air conditioning of McDonalads and an internet cafe. In the evening Fernando met up with Julia, Jill and I and we went out for Pizza and some grilled fish. As there seemed little else to do, the 4 of us then headed to a nearby bar to shoot some pool and play some jenga. There was also the added bonus that we got entertained by watching the 'bar girls' dance, gyrate and generally try and get everyone in a good mood. The night was drawn to a close a little after midnight, as we had tickets for the boat to Koh Phi Phi, which was leaving early the next morning.