Travel Story «Farewell Koh Phangan»

Thailand | 0 Comments 15 March 2006 - Last Update 18 March 2006

After a few days of basically sleeping, eating, sleeping, sunbathing, sleeping some more we decided to actually get up off our backsides and do some sightseeing. So on Monday we headed off to Thong Sala the main town on the island (we were staying in Haad Rin) by saghnthaaw - basically an upgrade from the tuk-tuks! It was quite a hair-raising 40 minute journey up and down twisting steep hills!! Over breakfast we enquired about the location of the buddhist temple - we were informed it was ONLY a 5km walk and that yes we were all wearing suitable footwear (flip-flops people!!). We kindly thanked this (slightly deranged) man and headed straight for the nearest sagnthaaw. The driver was to become our chauffeur for the day. Upon arrival at the temple we were a bit worried that we wouldn't have enough to do for our alloted 20 minutes there - don't get me wrong it was all very nice but there are only so many photo's you can take. However the monk there spotted us and invited us in. Cue more photos and an in-depth tour of the monastery. We were all blessed and given good luck charms in the form of wrist bands and necklaces. We were also each given a photo of this monk with his english friend who was none other then Jamiriquoi himself!!! We were an hour at this stage and our poor chauffear had fallen fast asleep - after 10/15 minutes of grainne attempting to wake him (absolutely hilarious!!) we headed on our merry way back to Thong Sala via a pretty lake. From there back to Haad Rin for a Thai Boxing match. So while the boxers got warmed up, ready for their tough, mean and testosterone pumping game -what music should come on to really get the crowd worked up???  Yes your very own Westlife with "Swear it all over again"!! The boxing itself was also very entertaining (although Lorna says she has seen better scraps outside the nightclub of a saturday night)-despite our concerns it may have been fixed!! 

The next day we headed off by taxi-boat to a nearby beach and relaxed for the day in preparation for Full Moon Party that night. We headed to beach about 11pm and it was already mobbed and in full swing! Good atmosphere, huge crowds and met quite a few interesting characters (largely due to someones excellent surveying skills - don't ask!!). A good night was had by all but I think the general consensus was full moon party  = slightly overated! 

Up just in time for check-out the next day and then lazed about for day reading and watching films - got our overnight boat that evening and began our journey west towards Koh Phi Phi. Three taxis, two boat rides and one bus journey later here we are!! But that's a whole other story which I'll let someone else describe very soon!! Keep the messages coming - we all love to hear from home and I'm off to watch Ireland beat England and win the RBS six nations now (fingers crossed) xxx