Last couple of days

We're spending our last couple of days by the beach. We have a really nice hotel near a little fishing village on Koh Samui. Other parts of the island are really built up and you can see our area will be the same in another 5 years so we've found it at just the right time. The beach is in a cove so the sea is totally flat and calm. I'm making the most of reading my book, swimming and eating healthy salads - in preparation for Gem's wedding. I am trying really hard to avoid chocolate - but they have cadbury's here aaarrrggh!

We head back to Bangkok on Sunday - taking a ferry then bus. Then we fly back to Ho Chi Minh for a few days of rest and packing before going back to Bankok then the UK. I'm really looking forward to being home again, going to the gym and washing our clothes.

Peaceful Koh Samui

Moved over to Koh Samui island today after another really noisy night at our resort. It's so peaceful and quiet here - perfect to relax. Been swimming and relaxing on the beach all day. Just had the nicest homemade pizza and pina colada in a restaurant overlooking the beach.

My cat

The guy in the next door room to us lives in Thailand long term as a travel writer. Six months ago he found a little kitten with a smashed skull on the road. He took him to hospital and got him fixed up and now he is a really friendly cat. He hung out with me all afternoon.

We're leaving this island tomorrow. I don't like this one as much as Koh Tao. It's really full of posers -I can't stand it when people feel they need full make-up and handbags to go to the beach. It's also really noisy at night - hopefully our next place will be more realaxing. God I'm getting old!

Relaxing

Still having a good time at the beach. Relaxing by the pool, reading and enjoying a few beers. Here a are some more photos for mum!

Quiet day

View from our hammocks.

Lunch

We've had such a nice day today reading and swimming in the sea. It's so peaceful here and the sea is lovely and clean.

More diving

We did another 2 dives yesterday at a different site. The first we were dropped off by the boat and swam into a bay. We are getting really good at using our air and were under for about an hour. The coral was amazing and it was just full of fish. I saw some amazing angel fish - they are so beautiful and bigger than dinner plates. On the second dive we saw a lion fish which is really rare - so our dive master was very excited. In the evening we went to a really chilled bar by the sea. We had some really fresh squid (which I felt a bit bad about after watching sea life all day). We had one beer then were so shattered from diving went to bed really early.lion fish

Beautiful Koh Tao

We went diving today in Koh Tao - the island we are staying on. It was great to get back into it. I was dreading doing tour refresher course (you have to do one if you haven't dived for a while), as I am really scared of taking my mask off underwater, but it was really fine and I was very brave. The sea is so warm and the fish and corals are amazing. We are diving again tomorrow then having a lazy day -by my request. Gareth loves to be active and busy. I'm picturing cocktails by the pool. This island is so beautiful. The sand is golden and the sea is so clean. It's really unspoilt because it's not as popular as Koh Samui and some of the bigger islands that have been too built up. I will be very sad to leave.

Ayutthaya

We took a train to a little place called Ayutthaya. It's a major historical site in Thailand but not very well visited so it was nice and quiet. We paid 5 pounds a night for our hotel. I still can't get over how cheap it is here. Yesterday we visited the historical sites, including the biggest buddha in Thailand - again so much gold! I then had a real power nap all afternoon and woke up feeling so relaxed. At last I am forgetting about school and starting to enjoy my holiday. It always takes so long to unwind.

Today we're traveling down to the islands for a bit of a beach break. So we're stuck in Bangkok waiting for a train. I can't wait to chill at the beach and do some diving.

Crazy day

Massive spider!

This picture is really weird any explanations?!Had a busy day today and yesterday. Went hiking this morning with the most insane guy I've ever met. He didn't stop making noise from the moment we met him till we said goodbye. I'm sure he was taking drugs of some kind. Our tour group was friendly but one guy was a war veteran from Vietnam and bought opium as we walked. It was a really crazy day but beautiful scenery. Yesterday we went to an incredible temple. There was so much gold in there I am sure they could support their whole country on it for a few years. Anyway I'm shattered and hungry from walking so can't write any more. We're off to see a Thai boxing match and have a big dinner and beers now!