Point Form Picture Blog!

So much has happened in the last 2 days,  and as I'm sure you are all wondering, let me just start w/ this... YES, we did get our luggage!

AND secondly, this blog is LONG! So let me preface it with the fact that we are using our blog as a journal also, so if you're not interested in all the details, feel free to evacuate this page now!

Saturday
- called Phuket Airport, they said they would deliver our baggage ASAP (which in Thailand means whenever they please, as it is approx 45 min drive and it took them approx 2 and a half hours to deliver)

- we asked reception if they could call us a taxi as they had previously said it wouldn't be a problem to get us to the pier to catch our Ferry to Ko Phi Phi.... their 1 driver was busy for another hour and they refused to call us a taxi as there "isn't a phone #" for them....

- Lockey ran up the steep hill to catch us a cab, and did even better than that, he got us a "tuk tuk"

~I'm very excited to be in our yellow tuk tuk~

- We then chose our theme song, "Tanuk Tanuk Tan"  although in this "english" version it says "duke" it sounded close enough to tuk for our likings and we've been singing it ever since... please see the link for a good laugh!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdG_fey4_ow&feature=related

~We saw families on scooters, there were 3 people on this one, mama, daddy and baby in-between~

- We saw a monk sitting side saddle on a scooter.

- Got to the Pier, had to buy a ticket for the Ferry, Lockey exchanged some money for us and we got on and had to abandon our luggage again, just into this big pile of luggage, it was very stressful...

~Lockey doing his "Lockey stance" at the front of the boat~

- We sat at the front of the boat where it wasn't as crowded as the roof of the boat (it was a 2 hour ferry ride)

~during our Ferry ride to Ko Phi Phi~

- We met a couple of Indian men who were lawyers, so Lockey chatted w/ them.  They asked us our religion, and they had never hear of "Mormons", they thought we were the same as Jehovas Witnesses, but Lockey tried to explain it to them, one of them was Christian the other was Hindu, nice men that did the Indian head bobble and distinct hand motions!

~we sat w/ our feet over the edge for a while until our shoes became too wet! But it  was definitely refreshing!~

~Lockey had to check out all the rock formations on the islands as we passed by to see if they were worthy of climbing~

~Pulling up to Ko Phi Phi, it's beautiful!~

- We then had to fight our way through everyone on the boat while at the same time TRYING to be patient... if that's possible, and then we had to find our bags out of the big pile.... It was nonsense!

~ trying to fight through this crowd on the Ferry~

- We got onto the island, and we weren't sure exactly where to go, so we wandered for a couple of minutes, and then I got annoyed, b/c my 2 bags combined were a little much for me to carry.  

- We randomly found a map in this little side street, and asked a thai guy how to get to our hotel, as on the map we could see our hotel, but there were 4 "you are here" dots... 

- the nice Thai guy on a bike led us down the next stree about a block and a half and we were at our hotel! Phewf!

- By this time we are starving as it's after 5 and we had only had breakfast.  There are tons of street vendors in little huts, so we went and changed and went on an adventure

- I tried some fried breads from a vendor, and had one w/ a thai sesame sauce on it

- then we found the beach and the long boats!

~me and the long boats~

- Then it was time to actually eat.

- found this perfect quaint little place facing the water and the sunset.  Beautiful!

~eating at Khun Va~

- Dinner was amazing, just like all of our thai meals and cheap!

- Then Lockey bought some "RayBans" and "Haviannas" totalling up to approx $6.  

~ Lockey cool new shades~

~ Long boats lined up in the morning~

~Crab!~

~Lockey's artsy fartsy photos, which I think is actually quite stunning!~

- Lockey went out early in the morning and took some pictures as it was hard to sleep in our room, it's not exactly sound proof, and drunk english young men aren't exactly quiet... (but Lockey and I took turns going into the hallway and asking them to keep it down tonight, but it still didn't make for a better sleep....)

- there were also really loud yowling cat fights outside of our room in the alley way, both last night and the night before... rock on.

- Anyways, then we went out for breakfast, and got of course Thai pancakes, one savoury and one dessert!

~making our pancakes~

-

~ is it bad if you kiss fish and you're not drunk? (this sign was across from the pancake stand)~

- Then we went and found our friend Ip, who we had met the night before, and he took us out for 3 hours on his long boat (and when I say friend, and took... I mean we payed him)

~Lockey on the long boat~

~ Ip driving the boat, and steering w/ his foot! incredible~

- First stop was this incredible bay where you are surrounded by 3 island walls, and it is so perfect and picturesque that you feel like you're in a movie. 

- Jumped out of the boat and swam for a bit!

~Lockey found a random rope to swing on on the beach!~

- Then we were off to a snorkelling destination

`Very cool rock pillar on the way to snorkelling~

-

~seargent majors and a male parrot fish~

~ I"m not sure what this species is...~

- We went over some sharp limestone w/ waves crashing in, I cut up my knee, but survived, and went up a ladder and onto "The Beach" Where the movie w/ Leonardo DiCaprio was filmed.... too many tourists, but it was a cool island, called Maya bay.

~Lockey on Maya Bay~

- Next stop was monkey beach.  

~Chillin w/ a family of monkies, little babies were hanging off of the mommy!~

~Lockey and I with the long boat before heading to long beach to swim and laze around for a few hours~

- The water is so nice here, I just jump right in, so we swam a bit, and Lockey napped a bit and I swam some more

- then it was off to eat, I think eating is one of our favourite activities here b/c everything is amazing!

- Then walked back to town (approx 3 km)

~Lockey on the walk back to town~

~ Then we bought fresh pineapple and dragon fruit and ate it by the beach... more food~

- Then we went on a hike to the view point up some super steep steps, but the view was absolutely stunning!

~You can see both sides of the island behind us~

- Then we hiked down this sketchy trail on the other side of the viewpoint, to Rantee bay, there was a beach that we checked out, and it was very quiet.

- Grabbed ourselves a Mango Shake and then headed back up the steep slope! (It was actually a lot faster going back up!)

~ Lockey on Rantee Beach~

~Me on the steep slope up~

- We were soaking of sweat but the time we got to the top... I don't know if I was dry all day long after swimming, snorkelling, swimming and hiking...  

- We got back up to the viewpoint just in time for the sunset, and so did the rest of the world, and you can see why it was the place to be!

~yes, this is real!~

- then it was off to find food, by this time though we were basically the walking dead, absolutely exhausted! 

- Lockey wanted Indian, and I knew I had seen an Indian place in the quieter section of the island, after wandering for a bit we found it.... it was worth the wandering, it was delightful!

- and of course for dessert???  Cocnut donuts!!!

~me and my favourite friend.  you could get 4 for just over a dollar!~

- then it was off to bed, for another horrible sleep, hopefully our next hotel is better!

- today we are off to Railay.  we'll be doing some deep water solo climbing there.