ON THE ROAD TO TRANG 21/06/04I left HATYAI with the usual protein breakfast of fried eggs and bacon for $3A, including tea and toast of course. through the hectic traffic of the city and onto Highway 4. Ashort detour after 13k and I have morning tea at a beautiful system of waterfalls at TONE NGA CHANG, well worth the 15k trip in and out.
Sitting on 100k up the 2 lane highway, DORIS is just having a leisurely cruise, I've got my feet up on the forward pegs, mounted on the engine crashbars, and for the first time in Asia, I feel totally relaxed, I even hade my MP3 player on via my ear plugs, Heaven!
I decided to check out a little beach I heard of called PAK MENG, off the road from SILKAO, I came out of the jungle and there is the beautiful ANAMAN SEA, with high limestone outcrops, just like out of a James Bond movie. It's offseason, so I managed to get myself a little bungalow by the water for $20A a night, I'll move on in the morning, after a swim and may have a look at KHO LANTA, an island just north.
Up Highway 4 and turn off road 4206 to BAAN HUAHIN and take the ferry to KHO LANTA NOI. Well I have come close to kangaroos, buffalos, camels, emu's and even the odd wombat, but never 6 cows, tied together, wandering across the highway between two houses, while I am passing a truck at 120k/h, a bit different from OZ. Just clamp on the brakes, hope there is no oncoming traffic and miss the last cow by centremetres, riding in Thailand is unusual!
KHO LANTA is possibly what PHUKET or KHO SAMUI was like in the past, before there tourist maturity, I had the place virtually to myself, a few German tourists, but most shops and restaurants were shut, except for a bar which also served food.
Alot of development is taking place and it won't take long before it looses it's innocent's.
Stayed at the Sea View Resort, in a nice AC bungalow right on the water, for $20A night. After 3 days I needed a change of pace, so the next destination, PHUKET.
I have heard so much about this place that I was imagining a beautiful tropical island that words could not describe.
God I was disappointed! some lovely beaches, VERY touristy, especially PATONG beach, little brother to BANGKOK and PATAYA, especially the night life.
Same same as they say, stayed here for 7 days, I was only going to stay for 3, but its off season and the amount of promotions on for accommodation is unbelievable.
Ended up paying for 4 nights, including breakfast and got 3 for free! A good enough hotel, 2 minutes from the beach, with pool and secure parking for, you guessed it $20A a night.
I met a couple from Sydney, she was in Thailand for a boob job, she got the whole lot done, including a 10 day holiday for her and her husband for less than the cost in SYDNEY, makes you think, how expensive living in OZ is.

2/07/04. KHAO SOK NATIONAL PARK AND ON TO KHO SAMUI.

For the past 2 days I have endured nothing but tropical rain storms, so I decided to have an early night (no European Football) and head northeast to KHAO SOK. It rained most of the way, but the scenery was well worth the uncomfortable ride, it is absolutely breathtaking, I turned off Highway 4 and into a river valley so lush, it looked like Jurrasic Park! I got a liitle bungalow for the night, purched over a river with the water litterly running underneath me. The consistant sound of the water gave you the allusion of heavy rain on the roof, just great for a good nights sleep, even though it rained all day, this place is special and I fully recommend it, what a contrast to PHUKET.