Koh Phangan

Got a motorbike today and they gave it to me with not even enough juice to get to a petrol station! Had to walk it to the end of the road and go down the hill on it! Luckily there's plenty of local petrol stops with the petrol in rum bottles. We went snorkelling at Haad Salad, some exotic fish and bits of coral, but not very busy. We took a drive to a waterfall and then headed to Haad Rin where the full moon party happens, one things for sure I'm glad were staying where we are, this beach is what you'd expect to find in Spain. The hills on this island are pretty steep and the bike can struggle up them with lots of new danger signs in accident blackspots.

Koh Phangan - Haad Yao Beach

Went to rent a bike to see some of the island today but they were all booked out, probably a blessing in disguise! So we headed to Haad Yao Beach down this make shift trail. The beach is without doubt the nicest beach I've been to in SE Asia so far. A very relaxing afternoon on the beach with a beer and a few games of batball (I could not find any batball sets in Australia). It was a little bit overcast today, but nothing compared to the snow your having in Ireland...ha ha!

Kho Phangan

I may consider a flight back from here. We left at 6pm yesterday and arrived in our rooms at 2pm today, 20 hours travel...I shit you not! I'm actually not that tired I did sleep a little but it was definitely not fun especially the ferry to the islands, it was the choppiest I've ever been on. On a plus note our accommodation is A1, so not complain as of yet...

Bangkok 2

Were heading to Kho Phangan today, we'll be back in Bangkok at a later date and see more of it then..we just fancy a holiday from our holiday over the Christmas, so onward Thai islands ahoy.

First things first, I have been deaf in my right here for over a week now and while it doesn't hurt having a conversation with people can prove difficult. We hopped in a taxi to Bumrungrad International Hospital and headed towards the ENT clinic. This hospital is nothing short of amazing, on arrival I was greeted with a smile at the front door and told where to find the ENT clinic..it felt like I was in a 5 star hotel and not a hospital, it had everything from MacDonalds, Starbucks and various Clothes shops to a reception area that would put the finest hotels in Ireland to shame. While this is a private hospital, It definitely smokes any Irish Hospital I've been to (and I worked for 2 years in alot of the western one). I arrived an was handed a from to fill out (with complimentary juice and water) and asked for my passport, 20 minutes later my blood pressure and temperature was taken by a nurse, 10 minutes after that I saw the doctor and told him my issue. He had a look in my ears with his scope and confirmed what I already knew, it proved a difficult block to move, but a few drops and various instruments and air extractor he shifted the blockage. He went as far as doing the other ear as well while I was there. His diagnosis: "Bi-lateral impacted ear wax".....It's great to be able to hear again, it feels like I can hear miles away. I was in and out of the hospital in about an hour, give or take. So what was the cost of getting the treatment of the 'privileged': 1580 bath (less then 40 euro). I rang VHI the day before to see if I was covered and some surly yoke on the phone told me that it would be a 45euro excess on an Out Patient procedure..For the amount of coin I'm paying it's a pretty low blow and I may consider finding another carrier, maybe one that was manners on the phone to their customers.

So it's off on to the bus and boat for a week on a beach (enjoy your snow in Ireland muahhh)..we met a Mayo lad on the bus that was on his way back for the Christmas had a chat with him and watched Inception on the bus, the most hilarious subtitles I've ever seen!

Bangkok

Eventually got up and took a walk around. Had a look down the institution that is Khaosan Road...A hole at it finest, selling all type's of wares from fake bags to fake driving licences. Degrees and Irish Driving Licences can be acquired handy enough (however I scrutinised the Irish licence and found a number of flaws that any cop worth his salt would spot, essentially I could draft up a better effort), and the UK DL's were missing the gold DVLA hologram. We had our first McDonalds since entering Asia, shocking I know but it was a craving I had to get out of the system. We met my cousin Laoise later on and went on a mini-session...the poor girl was up at 6:30am next day.

Vientaine

Had the bike from yesterday and went looking for 'Buddha Park' it's about 25km outside Vientiane City. We did get lost on the way and we ended up on a Laos 'Motorway' for a good bit of the journey until the road went to shite and it was getting near time to drop back the bike. We still got to see some nice countryside. I liked Vientiane..it has to be the quietest capital in the world! Feck all traffic and absolutely nobody annoying you to buy stuff.

We hit the night bus to Bangkok. Immigration was a breeze and thankfully me and Tina got 2 double seats eat. We arrived at 6am and went looking for a place to stay. The first place we looked at the matress may as well of been a pile of bricks, not something you want to settle for after 12 hours on a bus. We went further afield and got a middle of the road room for $10, which is expensive considering what you could get for that in Vietnam!

It wouldn't be right not mentioning my favourite restaurant in Laos and possibly SE Asia..Thongbay Restaurant (Across the road from Saysouly Guest House) Manthatulath Road, Vientiane...The food was delicious, presentation excellent and staff friendly, this little place doesn't look like much from the outside but the food is cheap, tasty and unique..So good I ate here 3 times.

Footnote: The picture of Tina with the giant wineglass in in Aria Vientiane (no ties with Aria Australia) although they did have one of the more pricier menus in town, but service was very good.

Vientaine

We collected a Chinese manual motorbike today, the dodgiest gearbox ever, So much so in traffic the gear jammed and the the bike pulled a wheelie! The brand of bike is 'Fekon'...Dodgy Feckin bike' alright! We headed to the Thailand consulate around 2pm to collect our passports and their wasn't a single person in the queue, had them back in 5 minutes. Went to a couple of temples and the Laos take on the Arch De Triomphe that is synonymous with Paris. The pictures once again don't do them justice.