I Went East 4

Krabi and Railay Beach

It wasn't a pleasant journey down to Krabi. Silly me went and lost my train ticket. I think I put it in such as safe place that I forgot where it was. So rather than wait another 3 nights in Bangkok I wanted to get to Krabi as cheap and quickly as possible. That meant by bus. Night bus that they say takes 12 hours. Nice! So I book my ticket and get to the bus.I don't think I have ever been as uncomfortable as that. The person in front of me reclined their seat all the way back so he was basically lying on top of me. No leg room. The bus was packed so everyone was having to sit next to someone. I had a little thai woman who was going on holiday. She was fine, she was about 4 foot nothing. She asked me if I wanted to swap seats as she didn't need the room. She was curled up in her seat! But I had the window seat and didn't want to explain to her I will more than likely be sick if I don't sit next to window so just said I was fine. 12 hours later we get to Surat Thani...I was told I would be in Krabi by now. It is on the opposite coast. So everyone piles off the bus and we had to wait an hour before continuing on the journey. At about 10am we finally get to Krabi where the person tells me it will take another hour or so to get to Railay. Great! So get to the boat bit and have to wade out in the sea to get on the little tiny boat. Not fun when carrying an extra 20 or so kg's in luggage. Finally get to Railay and it all becomes worth it. 18 hours of travel and I am in pure paradise!

I trugged over to the cheap side of Railay and everyone was telling me could not get fan room cheaper than 700BHT so I am thinking I am going to have to treck all the way back over to the other side and move on. But then one helpful person said that was somewhere that did bungalows for 400BHT (50BHT is 1 GBP). So I manage to find it only to discover it is up the steepest steps and very uneven (I later counted there to be 60 steep steps). Managed to get a room with a shared bathroom for 250BHT per night so the climb was worth it. The room on the other hand...well. It was basically a makeshift cabin built on a bamboo scaffolding and the rooms separated by woven bamboo. I had a good 4inch gap under my door and could see daylight through the walls. And you could hear everything from the next rooms...and I mean EVERYTHING! Good job I had my iPod. It was just a matteress on the floor that you had to make sure you tread carefully as felt like you may fall through floorboards. But it was clean and affordable.

I spent 3 nights in Railay beach. The first day I just went to what is known as James Bond beach which is stunning. I have been trying to upload pictures but for some reason I can't. It may just be this internet place but I am quite worried my phone and memory card may have picked up a virus. That night I didn't do much other than have dinner at my guest house and walk to to the other beach for the sunset. On the way I had a shoe cricis and had to wait for the shop to open just to buy a cheap pair of flip flops as they were my last pair. So annoying!

On the second day I spent time on Railay beach itself. I had arranged to meet a girl I met on the way down to Railay so we could discuss going to Ko Phi Phi together and have dinner etc. I also got conked on the head by some falling fruit. I know not to sit under coconut trees and always look out for them. But there I was just about to fall asleep when whack! Some thing about the size of a lemon in a hard shell fell from a tree and it hurt! So I met up with Emma and then we went to watch the fire competition. It was really good. Guys doing things with these sticks that are on fire, they were really skilled. Ended up having an early night again and a nice lie in the next day.
I decided as I was having a major shoe cricis I would go over to Krabi town and see what I could get there. I found Railay to be so expensive like 40BHT for a bottle of water where as in other places it has been about 9BHT. Managed to get there in an hour. Was quite a nice easy journey other than having to wade out to get on the boats again but I was minus bags! Krabi was a horrible place. No feeling to it at all. Managed to get some shoes and a couple of books which I have kept me entertained today. Getting back was a nightmare. Before heading off in to town I saw a sign saying the last boat was was at 17.30 but I ended up getting to the pier at 15.00. I was waiting and waiting and waiting for ages. A few people turned up but there didn't seem to be any boats coming in. At about 4ish a boat came and said it was going to Tonsai beach and I would be able to walk back from there. I didn't want to risk not being able to get back and wasn't prepared to fork out for a boat of my own. So I went on that boat. Although this time the tide was out so I had to walk out to the boat. Ended up slicing my toe on some rocks which still really hurts and I was actually up to my waist in water. Good job I didn't have the bag on me. I get dropped off on the beach and I am told I can either go over the big rock/hill or round it as the tide was out. I opted for going round it as didn't really fancy a jungle trek I was hot enough as it was. Nightmare walk back. It was only about 2 miles but it was such hard work. I was in full sun and trying to pick me way through rocks and coral that were exposed as tide was out. Took a good hour just to walk from one of one beach to where I was going.

That night I decided I was worth having a couple of drinks after my exhausting walk back. Went for dinner with Emma and she said she was going to stick around on Railay longer as she really liked it. So rather than going to phi Phi together she has stayed there and I have come over to Ko Lanta. I did like Railay but was not very backpacker friendly and everything was aimed at 2 week holiday makers with money. Went to this bar where there was open mic night and basically you sing a long to an acoustic set. The Thai guying running the show was awful...sounded like a cat in pain! I can't believe he was paid to sing there he was bad. I had had a couple of beers and loads of other people had been up and had a go and so I thought why not. So I picked Sweet Child O Mine and actually got asked to do encore...yup the thai guy was that bad that people wanted to hear me sing again. So I picked Hotel California. It seemed to go ok but I know that I can't sing so was just a bit of fun making a fool of myself. It's not as though I am going to see those people ever again and have them take the piss out of me for ever!

The beer is strong here. 3 bottles of beer and I definatly felt it this morning! Had Emma knocking on my door as was supposed to meet her for breakfast. That girl had a massive thing about breakfast and talked about it a lot. I was still in bed and just sort of groaned at her! An hour later I had my breakfast of a Tuna Sandwich!

I am on Ko Lanta now and will write again once I have actually done something here!

xxxxx