We drove about 3 hours to the border where we were dropped off to get our exit papers stamped and then on again to the Thailand customs where we waited in the heat for another 2 and half hours with hundreds of other people...
We were supposed to also have our luggage checked but with a bit of money to the customs guy he let us through and we were officially in Thailand which was easy to see as everything was more chaotic than Malaysia. Then to another stop to wait for a mini bus to Koh Samui...we waited and waited. Here is Don loosing his patience...
Now we are on a 15 seater but there are 16 people and all their luggage, it was a tight squeeze! I thought I would scream...
Finally made it to Surat Thani and the ferry which took us another one and half hours to Koh Samui. It was a beautiful crossing...
Boarding the ferry...
Saw a cruise ship off the coast...
The coastline...
The sun was shining on the water...
Don was happy to be getting nearer our destination...
Got there, haggled with the taxi driver and still paid almost the same amount of money to get to the other side of the island as we did to come from Malaysia! He was then bold enough to ask for a tip which he did not get!
When we arrived at our hotel 14 hours later we were not too impressed, but then everything looks worse when we are tired. We did ask for another room which we got and when we woke the next morning everything looked better! The hotel was owned by a very stern looking Russian and most of the other guests were Russians as well.
Koh Samui is one of the largest of the Thailand islands in the south and has been welcoming tourists for many years so has a built up infrastructure of hotels, restaurants and other services. Interestingly a lot of the menus had full sections of German food so the tourists from there are numerous.
We decided that if we wanted to experience Thailand we needed to visit at least one of its many islands.
Our first full day we got our bearings and ran some errands, first stop to get a haircut...
One of the first things I do when arriving in a place is to figure out how to leave so went in search of options and we decided to buy a ticket for the overnight train to Bangkok, another 15 hour trip!
Then to the grocery store where they had the best seafood department...
The next day and every other day we got up early and went to the beach...
All along the beach were restaurants with chairs and umbrellas to use for free as long as we bought their food and drink. We chose one which happened to be owned by a French guy and some days we were the only English speaking people there. Apparently a lot of people from the south of France holiday in Koh Samui. So everyday we had the same view of many topless women!
Our lunch spot every day...
The food was great there, my favourite is spicy papaya salad...
Our chairs reserved for the next day....
Lamai Beach is one of the quieter beaches in the area though not great for swimming as the waves are rather high, however it was good to enjoy the water...
Since relaxing was the theme of this week there were lots of cold drinks...
Pretty pedicures on the beach...
And Thai massages which are quite different from ones we have at home in that the masseuses use their own bodies to really get into yours! They sit and stand on you as well as pull you in every direction. I took this picture while I was having my pedicure, he is standing on the guy holding on to two ropes hanging from the ceiling and rocking back and forth. I was next!!!
Our hotel was about 5 minutes walk to the beach but only a couple of minutes walk from the main roads which was very busy with every kind of shop along the way. It was also treacherous to try and cross...
We would walk each night to this street to eat at one of the many restaurants
close by and the first night we couldn't find a table so a kind couple offered to share theirs and we met them another few nights to share a meal. They were a lovely couple from Germany who had lots of stories to tell and liked a laugh! We were so happy to have met them, one of the joys of travelling!
And of course more delicious food, we haven't had a bad meal yet this week!
Lots of seafood...
And Thai curries...
So we didn't sightsee, tour or walk more than a km in each direction this week but we enjoyed the sights on the beach...
Pretty babies...
So after a relaxing week we are ready to move up North to Bangkok for a day or so and then flying on to Burma for a couple of weeks. We hear that Internet is very slow there so probably no more posts until we fly back to Bangkok on March 5.
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